Not good enough

[Docwaukee]

One game after the all-star break and I'm calling time.  

We just don't have the horses (lackey joke teed up).  

And to think I really liked the Valbuena signing.  

I've said this before, but if they're gonna lose, they need to do it right now.  

[tdawg87]

I mean if they get swept it's pretty much over. 

They should sell anyway. This team just isn't good.

[Ohtaniland]

This pretty much describes our situation. 

 

[Docwaukee]

6 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

I mean if they get swept it's pretty much over. 

They should sell anyway. This team just isn't good.

They're not bad though.  They lack power in the middle.  They lack front of the rotation starters.  The latter due to injury.  I know that's debatable.  

I just hope that Eppler doesn't succumb to hope.  One game Billy.  That's all we have a remote chance at.  One more game of 162.  

Do the right thing.  Make the hard decision.  We'll support you (for the most part).  Or will we.  That's actually an interesting question.  If the halos sell at 4-5 games back of the WC, will the fans revolt?  Will the players?  Honestly, I am not sure.  I lean toward the notion that people will be pissed.  

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I wouldn't be. It isn't as if the team is loaded with young talent just waiting to blossom. It is a team with some individual pieces that might be of use to a real contender, and others that were signed with a blind hope that they might have something left in the tank.

[Tank]

selling off some of our talent puts us one more year into wasting Trout and his talent. how much longer can we continue to be in rebuilding mode? will this continued lack of legit competition push trout out the door when free agency hits?

i sure hope there's some kind of master plan in eppler's office.

[JustATroutFan]

And to think there are people out there who took pride for them hanging in there when Trout was out for almost two months. This is a veteran team loaded with guys who have good track records. They should be a better team than their record shows but they have underperformed up to this point. It is not like this is a young team loaded with guys who are trying to prove they can play at the big league level.

[VariousCrap]

The reality is, this team isn't going anywhere this year.  If they can sell and actually get some decent prospects back for each player they trade, they need to do so.  The thing is, the prospects they trade for need to be near MLB ready.  The Angels need prospects that can play in the show in 2018.

[Angelsjunky]

15 minutes ago, Tank said:

selling off some of our talent puts us one more year into wasting Trout and his talent. how much longer can we continue to be in rebuilding mode? will this continued lack of legit competition push trout out the door when free agency hits?

i sure hope there's some kind of master plan in eppler's office.

No offense Tank, but this is over-simplistic. Eppler would be selling talent that either will be departing anyway, can be re-signed in the offseason, or will be more expensive than he wants to pay for what they bring. I'm thinking Maybin, Escobar, Petit, Norris, Hernandez, and if at all possible, Chavez and Nolasco. So he'd only be diminishing their chance of reaching the wildcard this year.

So my plan would be, trade Maybin and audition Puello, giving Hermosillo a September call-up just to hang out in the clubhouse with Trout and Pujols and get a few at-bats. Trade Escobar and give Cowart regular at-bats. Bench Espinosa and see if Franklin can find his former prospect cred.Get Heaney, Skaggs, and Richards pitching again. Then, in the offseason, re-assess the talent you have and fill the holes that need filling (cue Beavis and Butthead giggles).

[arch stanton]

I'd imagine everyone on an expiring contract is available. If nothing else you might net a couple of ML ready arms with options for next season that can be shuttled as required for spot starts and pen reinforcement or some solid throw-ins for off season deal making

[Second Base]

50 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

One game after the all-star break and I'm calling time.  

We just don't have the horses (lackey joke teed up).  

And to think I really liked the Valbuena signing.  

I've said this before, but if they're gonna lose, they need to do it right now.  

I think at this point it's important to understand that even if we lose, it won't change the plan. This team won't sell, and they won't buy. 

They will make lateral moves to improve this team next year. They're probably going to acquire a 2B, and they'll do this by taking advantage of the market set by Chicago and deal a starting pitcher and a reliever.

So if it's all the same, I'll be hoping for the Angels to win every game.

[Angelsjunky]

2 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

I think at this point it's important to understand that even if we lose, it won't change the plan. This team won't sell, and they won't buy. 

They will make lateral moves to improve this team next year. They're probably going to acquire a 2B, and they'll do this by taking advantage of the market set by Chicago and deal a starting pitcher and a reliever.

So if it's all the same, I'll be hoping for the Angels to win every game.

I don't think these are mutually exclusive ideas. They're not going to do a firesale, but they could trade players that they'd otherwise keep in the off chance they can sneak into the wildcard (e.g. Petit and/or Norris and/or Hernandez) for players that don't quite help as much this year, but have more long-term value. In other words, they could make "stealth sales."

[NrM]

2 hours ago, Tank said:

show much longer can we continue to be in rebuilding mode? 

??? We haven't been rebuilding. We've been basically doing nothing.

[gurn67]

They have scored the fewest runs per game of any team in the American League this year. Calhoun, Pujols, Cron, Valbuena, Espinosa are all having career worst years. When you add in the avalanche of injuries the pitching staff has suffered the last two years, and Trout missing 45 games, it's amazing this team is anywhere near .500. This is not a playoff team and it's looking like the wild card is going to be the only option for the next several seasons until Houston has to start paying all of those guys. Any moves this year should be aimed at 2018 and beyond..

[DMVol]

58 minutes ago, gurn67 said:

They have scored the fewest runs per game of any team in the American League this year....

Been the problem since the first game in April...pitching has been serviceable, particularly with the injuries....offense is just horrible....and Trout can't fix it by himself....

[Jason]

They'll stand pat.

[The Dude]

I'm not sure what they are planning to do, but lets face the facts, it's time to sell. They've been pulling this half assed "retool" approach since 2010 and that shit isnt working. I say sell everything and get what they can. They are finally starting to build a respectable prospect list... lets add to that.

[eligrba]

For July:

Valbuena .100

Espinosa .090

Pennington .000

 

What it's time for are some fucking changes, not because the Angels are in the wildcard race but because these players are horrific and should not be on the field.  Who should the Angels play instead of Valbuena and Espinosa and Pennington, hmmmmmm I wonder?  And, who cares whether their replacements are bad, these guys have been horrific all season.  Its like watching Ishtar.....or any of the stupid Hobbit movies.

 

[DMVol]

8 minutes ago, eligrba said:

For July:

Valbuena .100

Espinosa .090

Pennington .000

What it's time for are some fucking changes, not because the Angels are in the wildcard race but because these players are horrific and should not be on the field.  Who should the Angels play instead of Valbuena and Espinosa and Pennington, hmmmmmm I wonder?  And, who cares whether their replacements are bad, these guys have been horrific all season.  Its like watching Ishtar.....or any of the stupid Hobbit movies.

 

For starters, let Cron play everyday at 1b...he hasn't been great but he's shown he can hit when he gets hot...Valbuena is just bad...that's an easy fix, in my simple mind, at least Cron is an option.......2b is harder...we don't have anybody on the roster worth a damn and obviously they aren't sold on Cowart....trade might work...if you could get the Marlins to take back some money (Valbuena, Espinosa), I'd consider Gordon...

[Ohtaniland]

They should cut bait approaching the deadline with a few of these underperforming bimbos through trades or DFA. Commence September call ups in early August and don't bother rushing Skaggs, Heaney or Richards. Give all three of them sink or swim opportunities in spring. 

[fan_since79]

I don't know whether we should be buyers or sellers at this point, but please, find a way to get Valbuena, Espinosa, and Pennington out of the lineup.

Sick and tired of the automatic outs.

Valbuena, last 16 games, .146 BA, .460 OPS

 

[Jay]

I can see trading Maybin and I can hope we trade Escobar but likely neither of these will happen.

 

[fan_since79]

We've lost 48 games. There are SEVEN teams with fewer losses looking for that second wild spot.

There are also only seven teams in MLB with more losses than the Angels.

Not a playoff team. Not gonna happen.

 

[Troll Daddy]

Lot of drama over a loss ... the sky isn't falling yet.  We're  still in this race ... in the next 8-10 games will have a clearer picture. 

Just give Trout a chance

[Stradling]

Trade all expiring contracts, except Maybin.  If he doesn't seem willing to talk extension trade him as well. Trade bullpen pieces for as much talent as you can get.  If someone makes a nice offer for Bedrosian trade him as well.  Release Pennington, bring up Cowart, play him everyday at 2nd.  If Escobar is traded then play Cowart at third.  Play Cron every day at 1st.  With one of the trades being in a 2nd baseman.  Espinosa and Valbuena will be on the bench.  I chose Espinosa over Pennington simply because he's better defensively and better on the base paths than Penny.