Somehow we're 24-23

[Angelsjunky]

The team feels like it has sucked, and if you look at the lineup, aside from Trout's ridiculous line, everyone looks bad to, at best, mediocre. Not to mention that we're short our two best starters and two closers, and it is pretty damn amazing we're not, say, 18-29. Yeah, I know we've been playing bad teams, but still. 24-23 isn't horrible.

So here's the rosy-hued view: The lineup can only get better. Trout will probably come down to earth a bit, but should still be awesome. Maybin is already showing signs of waking up and looks to be a very good leadoff hitter. Hopefully Old Albert, Kole, and at least one of Marte-Valbuena-Cron start hitting. If Espinosa keeps hitting this poorly, we will see Cowart or Ackley. So things will get better at the plate.

I suppose we can hope that at least one of Richards and/or Skaggs comes back, and I don't see a reason why Bedrosian won't be back. The pitching should improve a bit.

Anyhow, I don't see great things ahead, but my point is that if we're 24-23 after what we've seen so far, a bit of offensive regression (or progression) to the mean, and a touch of luck with the pitching, could turn this into an 85+ win team, and a distance wildcard contender.

Or am I being too optimistic?

[tdawg87]

Yes.

Whenever the offense decides to show up the pitching will go in the tank. 

[nando714]

19 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Yes.

Whenever the offense decides to show up the pitching will go in the tank. 

Usually how it works lol

[Angelsjunky]

OK, but the point is that has been the case all year and we're still 24-23. What happens if it ever all clicks at the same time? The point being, things have been pretty bad but they Angels have still managed to be an average team.

[tdawg87]

It's because the pitching has been pretty good. As I said, once the offense starts carrying their weight, the pitching will crash back to earth. They haven't had "everything clicking" since 2014.

[Troll Daddy]

[Chuck]

25-23 and tied for 2nd with TexASS.

[UndertheHalo]

As long as we hang around .500 if we get legit hot for a couple of weeks we'll have a decent shot at the wild card.  What impressive is the record despite the terrible injury luck.

[halodground]

I'm hoping that Shoemaker has hit that time of the season where he dominates for 6-8 weeks.  That would be a nice boost.

[Brandon]

had a lot more time to watch games this year and we aren't playing that bad. it's weird as shit because no one outside of trout has been consistent and the pitching is a complete anomaly of good fortune, but the team has a legit shot.

chop up that losing 9 of 10 earlier and we are looking pretty good.

what's funny is guys will come back to pitch, but these current dudes might solidify spots by then the way things are going. pitching and defense has been great....from what i've seen.

[ten ocho recon scout]

2 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

As long as we hang around .500 if we get legit hot for a couple of weeks we'll have a decent shot at the wild card.  What impressive is the record despite the terrible injury luck.

Maybe im just a battered fan, low expectstions, but after the last few seasons and injuries again this year, id be pretty content just having a winning season. I know i know we all want october, but if this team finished with 88 wins, all things considered, id be 'happy' and feel a lot better long term about the team.

Couple that with a few of the guys in the minors turning a corner, and money about to come off the books, and things are looking up for the first time in a loooooong time

[Docwaukee]

by WAR:

offense - 15th

pitching - 17th

  SP - 25th

  RP - 9th.  

I guess I'm not seeing what everyone else is in regard to our pitching.  In particular our starters.  

Don't get me wrong, I think our record in and of itself is something that gives hope.  But to me, this is the way it's gone the last few years.  Hover around .500 without any true opportunity to take things to the next level 

But hey.  I've been wrong about most things this year so why can't I be wrong about thinking we are who our record shows us to be.  

 

[JustATroutFan]

If the Angels win at least 85 games or make the postseason, Trout gets 90% of the credit if no one else is hitting in the lineup and the pitching stays where they are in terms of rankings by WAR, as Dochalo posted. Heck, right now, you can give Trout 90% of the credit for the Angels being 25-23. If by the end of the year, if a couple of guys in the lineup ends the year with good overall numbers, the percent of credit for Trout goes down from me.

Everyone has been either decent or horrible outside of Trout and the pitching isn't exactly lighting the world on fire either.

[tdawg87]

5 hours ago, Dochalo said:

by WAR:

offense - 15th

pitching - 17th

  SP - 25th

  RP - 9th.  

I guess I'm not seeing what everyone else is in regard to our pitching.  In particular our starters.  

Don't get me wrong, I think our record in and of itself is something that gives hope.  But to me, this is the way it's gone the last few years.  Hover around .500 without any true opportunity to take things to the next level 

But hey.  I've been wrong about most things this year so why can't I be wrong about thinking we are who our record shows us to be.  

 

The starters aren't high in WAR because they aren't pitching deep into games, and none of them are truly dominating the opposition. But despite all that, they're getting the job done and handing the game over to a much improved bullpen. 

WAR for pitchers has never been remotely reliable anyway. Just look at Jered Weaver.

[Second Base]

I think 84-87 wins will be out likely result. 

That and a lot of unforeseen extensions like Petit, Norris and either Maybin or Revere. 

[UndertheHalo]

11 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Maybe im just a battered fan, low expectstions, but after the last few seasons and injuries again this year, id be pretty content just having a winning season. I know i know we all want october, but if this team finished with 88 wins, all things considered, id be 'happy' and feel a lot better long term about the team.

Couple that with a few of the guys in the minors turning a corner, and money about to come off the books, and things are looking up for the first time in a loooooong time

you're not.  i dont and haven't expected anything much better then .500.  Im just saying, ideally being in the wild card mix is probably the ceiling for this group.

Edited May 24, 2017 by UndertheHalo

[Angels#1Fan]

It's just a tease.

[Docwaukee]

14 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

The starters aren't high in WAR because they aren't pitching deep into games, and none of them are truly dominating the opposition. But despite all that, they're getting the job done and handing the game over to a much improved bullpen. 

WAR for pitchers has never been remotely reliable anyway. Just look at Jered Weaver.

It's a pretty decent team stat.  not great for individual pitchers.  

[Angelsjunky]

Doc, I think what is encouraging is that the team is about .500 despite several hitters under-performing and the team missing 80% of its starting rotation. I'm including Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, and Tropeano. If those guys hadn't gotten hurt, they'd be joined by Shoemaker as the starting five in a pretty darn good rotation. Looking at both:

Hitting: Trout will inevitably fall off, to somewhere in the 180-200 wRC+ range, but that's still great. Maybin has been killing it lately and could be the best leadoff hitter the team has had since Chone. Maldonado has held his own. Other than that, the lineup is atrocious. But Calhoun, Pujols, and Valbuena/Cron should all improve, and Escober will eventually be back. Simmons has been cold of late, and i guess we just need to accept that he's probably not going to have a hitting spike. The biggest hole is Espinosa...the Curse of Howie Kendrick. But the bottom line: the lineup will never be great, but it shoudl get better.

Rotation: Heaney might come back for a few starts, but can't be counted on. Trope is out all year. Maybe it is a long-shot, but we can hope that Richards and Skaggs come back at some point, and of course Fister will at least give the Angels another #4-5 type like Nolasco and Chavez. But the Angels really need at least one of Richards and Skaggs to come back strong, and for Shoe to step up. I think the rotation is far more variable than the hitting; it could struggle at this horrible level all year, which means the Angels will likely finish with 75-80 wins. But that's a worst-case scenario.

But what is more promising is next year. The Angels will potentially have their "big five" starters all back and healthy. Probably not all of them will pan out, so the Angels can use some of their Hamilton money to sign one of the several good free agent starters (Arrieta, Darvish, Cobb, etc).

[Angelsjunky]

One other thing. As disappointing as the rotation has been, it has actually been fairly decent - Shoe, Nolasco, Ramirez, Chavez have all been about the definition of average, or #4ish starters (on a contending team, the #1 starter should be excellent, the #2 starter very good, the #3 good, #4 average, #5 whatever you can throw out there). Skaggs started rough but looked to be developing into a solid #3. Garret is probably a #2. Shoe could also be a #3. So if those two guys can come back and Shoe can improve, all of a sudden the Angels have a rotation comprised of a 2,3,3,4,4...that's a lot better than the current 4,4,4,4,5. Of course I'm being optimistic, but the point is that any configuration of Garret/Skaggs/Shoe coming back and/or improving will be a solid step forward.

[Blarg]

On 5/24/2017 at 0:41 AM, Dochalo said:

by WAR:

offense - 15th

pitching - 17th

  SP - 25th

  RP - 9th.  

I guess I'm not seeing what everyone else is in regard to our pitching.  In particular our starters.  

Don't get me wrong, I think our record in and of itself is something that gives hope.  But to me, this is the way it's gone the last few years.  Hover around .500 without any true opportunity to take things to the next level 

But hey.  I've been wrong about most things this year so why can't I be wrong about thinking we are who our record shows us to be.  

 

Now look at just the American league instead of both and it will probably change the look of some of those stats.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Lollygaggers!