So you're telling me there's a chance?

[zenmaster]

We are 2 games above .500 in late June despite having countless starting Pitchers disappear from the face of the earth. We've also had multiple closers disappear and reappear. The best player on the planet is injured, yet we just took series from 3 legit teams and beat the Dodgers who previously won 10 straight total and 11 straight at home. We finally have Street and Bedrosian back and our relievers have been amazing for the most part. Our starting pitching has been doing enough to keep us afloat. Our outfielders have been awesome since Trout went down.

If there's any year to try and take a mediocre, injury plagued team far, then this is it. The best team by far is the Astros and then we have the Yanks and Sox who aren't all that amazing. My point to all this is that if we can somehow manage to keep winning the next few weeks until Trout gets back. If we can be 5 games or so above .500 when Trout returns, I think this team could go on a tear. Imagine if Skaggs and Shoe come back and perform well. Then Garrett somehow rises from the dead and provides a big spark. Then if Norris comes back and pitches like he was, and Bailey comes back and continues what he had. We could have an awesome pitching staff despite having no true Ace. 

I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty optimistic right now. I think this season could turn out really great after all if we can stay afloat a bit longer and have things fall into place with guys finally coming back. 

 

Yes, I have been drinking.

[mtangelsfan]

The next player that gets injured is going to be because of this op.

j/k, I like this team too but I think they stay right around .500 regardless.  

[DMVol]

Even with the impressive results from a brutal 10 game stretch, I think it boils down to starting pitching.....the offense is awake (finally) and the pen has been terrific....but it always seems to turn on starting pitching....Skaggs' situation is, to quote Scioscia, "disturbing"....And Shoe seems to be struggling a bit to get back....Richards isn't coming back this year....So, can we compete with what we have?  Probably not....consistency from Meyer and Ramirez would be huge...but I still can't see it....this is a tough bunch....Trout comes back and they might prove me wrong...

[stormngt]

13 minutes ago, zenmaster said:

We are 2 games above .500 in late June despite having countless starting Pitchers disappear from the face of the earth. We've also had multiple closers disappear and reappear. The best player on the planet is injured, yet we just took series from 3 legit teams and beat the Dodgers who previously won 10 straight total and 11 straight at home. We finally have Street and Bedrosian back and our relievers have been amazing for the most part. Our starting pitching has been doing enough to keep us afloat. Our outfielders have been awesome since Trout went down.

If there's any year to try and take a mediocre, injury plagued team far, then this is it. The best team by far is the Astros and then we have the Yanks and Sox who aren't all that amazing. My point to all this is that if we can somehow manage to keep winning the next few weeks until Trout gets back. If we can be 5 games or so above .500 when Trout returns, I think this team could go on a tear. Imagine if Skaggs and Shoe come back and perform well. Then Garrett somehow rises from the dead and provides a big spark. Then if Norris comes back and pitches like he was, and Bailey comes back and continues what he had. We could have an awesome pitching staff despite having no true Ace. 

I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty optimistic right now. I think this season could turn out really great after all if we can stay afloat a bit longer and have things fall into place with guys finally coming back. 

 

Yes, I have been drinking.

Shit  thanks to your post on confidence we are about to go on a ten game slide.

[zenmaster]

37 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Shit  thanks to your post on confidence we are about to go on a ten game slide.

I don't think I have quite that amount of power. It would be fun if I did though.

[fan_since79]

I think Bridwell will turn out to be a gem in the second half. Ramirez settles down, Chavez steps it up a little, Meyer continues to improve and become more comfortable as the year rolls on, and Shoe comes back and we get some of that 2014 magic.

Nolasco, if last night was an anomaly and he falls back into terribleness, well, there are things we can do there to lessen the damage.

Those are several "if's" but I'm hopeful.

As far as Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, and Tropeano are concerned, who are they? Never heard of them.

 

[ettin]

35 minutes ago, zenmaster said:

We are 2 games above .500 in late June despite having countless starting Pitchers disappear from the face of the earth. We've also had multiple closers disappear and reappear. The best player on the planet is injured, yet we just took series from 3 legit teams and beat the Dodgers who previously won 10 straight total and 11 straight at home. We finally have Street and Bedrosian back and our relievers have been amazing for the most part. Our starting pitching has been doing enough to keep us afloat. Our outfielders have been awesome since Trout went down.

If there's any year to try and take a mediocre, injury plagued team far, then this is it. The best team by far is the Astros and then we have the Yanks and Sox who aren't all that amazing. My point to all this is that if we can somehow manage to keep winning the next few weeks until Trout gets back. If we can be 5 games or so above .500 when Trout returns, I think this team could go on a tear. Imagine if Skaggs and Shoe come back and perform well. Then Garrett somehow rises from the dead and provides a big spark. Then if Norris comes back and pitches like he was, and Bailey comes back and continues what he had. We could have an awesome pitching staff despite having no true Ace. 

I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty optimistic right now. I think this season could turn out really great after all if we can stay afloat a bit longer and have things fall into place with guys finally coming back. 

 

Yes, I have been drinking.

That's okay Zen I've been drinking since the middle of last year

[Ohtaniland]

We're playing so well right now that Eppler will probably choose to be idle at the deadline. 

Then comes the crash and burn in August. 

[Troll Daddy]

[fan_since79]

1 minute ago, CALZONE said:

We're playing so well right now that Eppler will probably choose to be idle at the deadline. 

Then comes the crash and burn in August. 

Man, you're a bundle of laughs today.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

1 minute ago, CALZONE said:

We're playing so well right now that Eppler will probably choose to be idle at the deadline. 

Then comes the crash and burn in August. 

[insert debbiedowner.jpg here]

[zenmaster]

I also think there might be some room for a trade, even if we are in contention for a WC spot. You can never have too many relievers BUT if we can get a good return on someone that would make an immediate impact I'd listen on offers. It's rare to have 5 guys that could all have an argument for being the closer: Bedrosian, Street, Norris, Parker, Middleton.

[Taylor]

45 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Shit  thanks to your post on confidence we are about to go on a ten game slide.

Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Ver. 2 of the "This team looks special" thread from the first week of April.

[mulwin444]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! 

[zenmaster]

4 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Ver. 2 of the "This team looks special" thread from the first week of April.

I'll just say this. If whatever we say on this board turns out to be the opposite of what really happens, we'd have won the last 10 World Series easily and Pujols would be a Triple Crown candidate yearly.

[IEAngelsfan]

12 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be Ver. 2 of the "This team looks special" thread from the first week of April.

Hey, that was a special thread!

[T.G.]

I'm am enjoying this season so far.  I like this group of guys and they're easy to cheer for.  I hope they prove the experts wrong... wouldn't be the first time that happened.  I don't have great expectations, but cheering for this team is fun. 

It's the same thing with Tim Tebow.  I don't expect him to succeed, but I'll cheer for him just the same.

Baseball is a funny game.  It is often unpredictable and that's one of the beauties of it.

[Angelsjunky]

The 2017 Angels have the highest GRITz score since the 2002 team, even more so especially if you factor in catcher crouch, hit by pitches, and injuries due to gritty play, thus GRITz+.

[Second Base]

I feel this way after we win a game, but also demand we have a fire sale after every loss. So...

[Angels#1Fan]

The key will be twofold. (1) How many players (pitchers) can return from the DL and be effective. (2) Can the Angels avoid another crappy start after the AS break. 

One last thing, Trout must return to his pre-injury self without any lingering effects.

If they can do these things they will be able to contend for the second WC spot..if not...

[ten ocho recon scout]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

The 2017 Angels have the highest GRITz score since the 2002 team, even more so especially if you factor in catcher crouch, hit by pitches, and injuries due to gritty play, thus GRITz+.

Not sure if i want to insert a pic from my cousin vinny here, or of Flo from mels diner.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Watching this team the last few weeks has been fun as hell. Unfortunately i think the pitching injuries are going to catch up, and we'll come back to earth at some point. If things work out the way they usually do, we'll take this dodger series, then get swept by a nobody team.

That said, there is a lot to like. If we do choose to buy, i hope its for the 2018/19 window vs giving up something good for a rental this year. I kust dont trust the pitching.

[disarcina]

Angels, of course or is it a curse? are playing some of their best ball right now, just before the All Star Break as we head towards the MLB trading deadline.

they're doing just well enough for GASP!! possibly either becoming buyers (or doing nothing) at deadline time and then crashing back to .450 ball by the end of July -- just enough to mess up any opportunity to sell off some players, shed some salary and perhaps pick up a player that could help us in 2018, 2019..........I mean no blockbuster type deals would be made - but perhaps adding by subtracting some salary and getting that bench / pen depth guy in return........instead we're sort of quasi-buyers, probably do nothing but perhaps take on either salary we shouldn't --- if the Halos go that route -- please over-pay for a short term rental so the pain of the player and his contract ends in September.