Angels' August (18-10) = Do or Die Month for 2017

[JustATroutFan]

Damn, cannot believe that we are in August already. Anyways, I feel like this month is going to make or break the Angels season. This team has been playing .500 baseball for the whole year but they will really need everyone to step up starting this month. A bad month of August, like in 2015, will end the Angels hopes of making the postseason, as a WC.     A decent month that results in about a .500 record will give them slim hopes of making the postseason but this team has not been able to put a long winning streak together so odds are not in their favors. However, a good August will no doubt keep them in the chase. Obviously, Trout is going to need to keep on playing like a star this month and in September but  guys like Pujols and Calhoun need to rediscover their productive forms. And the starting rotation in particular. Should get a boost if their best starters be able to pitch at some point. So far so good for Pujols in August, even if it is only one game. Pujols' best month of his career has been August, a month in which he has posted the highest batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage in his career.

[Second Base]

August is do or die for pretty much every team except the Dodgers, Nats and Astros.

[Farmbuildingfan]

TB. KC. and Seattle are not cooperating with enough losses to give the Angels much of a chance

[greginpsca]

I think this month for the Angels will be more Doo Doo than do.

[zenmaster]

Just enough false hope to keep us somewhat content!

[Stradling]

What's crazy is if we have two very good weeks we could become buyers again, haha.  

[fan_since79]

Ultimate baseball fantasy: sneak into the wild card on the last day of the season, get to the Series, and sweep the 120-win Dodgers.

 

[TroutField]

8 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

Ultimate baseball fantasy: sneak into the wild card on the last day of the season, get to the Series, and sweep the 120-win Dodgers.

 

With Ricky Nolsaco and Jesse Chavez throwing Complete game shut outs in games 3 and 4. 

[fan_since79]

...Nolasco beating Kershaw, who throws a complete game one-hitter, a solo home run by Pennington.

[Troll Daddy]

2 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

...Nolasco beating Kershaw, who throws a complete game one-hitter, a solo home run by Pennington.

 

[Troll Daddy]

4 hours ago, Curse of the Wonderdog said:

Love your optimism, but this team has been out of it for months.

Love your negativity, but this team has been it for months 

[OregonLAA]

Lol like Kershaw would only give up 1 run in a playoff game

[floplag]

I think we actually have a fovorable scheduel  to make a run, its one of the reasons i hoped we would be more active at the deadline.  whether or not we have the roster for it is another matter entirely when we are seeing guys in the OF that almost none of us here had even heard of.   I know, injuries, but dayum.  

After the Phils we get the As, Os, Ms, Nats, Rangers, and Astros to round out Aug.  Sep is more of the same with the Chisox and Cle added.  
Thats a schedule that we should be able to make a run at if were going to make on as outside the Nats and Astros  (only 5 total games with them in Aug) thats pretty beatable as all the rest are either about the same record as we are or lower.  

Sep gives us 6 more with Hou and a series with cle only 3 games and more of the 500 club teams so its definitely a schedule that any legit playoff team should be able to do damage in standings wise.

That having been said i think we need to make a serious run and basically being in the WC or right on KCs rear by end of month to encourage the Front Office to make something happen.  We dont control our own destiny but they are games we could win to at least make it matter. 

[fan_since79]

18 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Love your negativity, but this team has still been it for months been between five and seven games in the loss column behind the second wild card for weeks now with no discernible trend upward.

...more accurate view of the situation.

[HaloCory22]

Are the Angels technically in this? Yes.

 

Are they really though? Come on...

 

Even if by a miracle this team makes the playoffs. They're most likely going to get stomped by Houston. Anything can happen in baseball but looking at this team right now. They're no where close to being a contender. Mike Trout gives us a puncher's chance though.

[nando714]

We just traded our best bulllen arm for nothing. I don't think the FO thinks we're really in it. 

[floplag]

We are 5 games back in the loss column to KC.  KC though has overachieved being in that spot with a negative run differential.    Heck Bal has a -66!    I gotta believe both will come back a little.  Even Sea and TB are barely over even money.

We sit at -18, which considering the offense weve had is actually a little surprising.   One or two more legit offensive pieces could get us there with a little luck and the return of some of the better arms. 

I was very negative seeing the front office do nothing at the deadline as i took it as them almost literally giving up and not bothering as though they would prefer to fall back for better draft picks.  Who knows what really went on but man to do so little either way seemed pointless.  I'm trying to stay positive right now, seeing Albert right the ship a little is huge even if it is only a few days but he isnt as bad as hes been regardless.  

Maybin back, Calhoun back, finally some production out of 2B... its not a WS team by any means, but it could make the wildcard with a minimum of luck

[Adam]

20 wins!

[Adam]

1 hour ago, fan_since79 said:

Ultimate baseball fantasy: sneak into the wild card on the last day of the season, get to the Series, and sweep the 120-win Dodgers.

 

I'd retire from baseball fanship

[stormngt]

3 hours ago, Farmbuildingfan said:

TB. KC. and Seattle are not cooperating with enough losses to give the Angels much of a chance

We can handle Seattle ourself.  Problem is KC took care of us in the head to head battle.

[VariousCrap]

FACT:

If the Angels get Skaggs, Heaney, Meyer, Shoe, Maybin and Calhoun back in early to mid August as expected, this team has a solid chance at making a serious run for the Wild Card. 

[Angel Dog and Beer]

1 hour ago, TroutField said:

With Ricky Nolsaco and Jesse Chavez throwing Complete game shut outs in games 1, 2, 3 and 4. 

I agree. By that time, they may be our only pitchers left.

[Angel Oracle]

Of course, they are on pace for seemingly every single player being on the DL at some point this season, at this rate.

Can we please STOP with the injuries for just a month?   Just STOP it!

[ten ocho recon scout]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

Of course, they are on pace for seemingly every single player being on the DL at some point this season, at this rate.

Can we please STOP with the injuries for just a month?   Just STOP it!

 

[Docwaukee]

we're gonna likely need about 86-88 wins for that second wild card slot.  After 107 games, we're 52-55.  So in our remaining 55 games, we have to go 35-20.  A .636 win %.  It could end up where we would need a couple less than that, but we're gonna have to play at least .600 ball.  That is going to require a lot of 6 inning 1 run starts from Nolasco and a bunch of 5 rbi nights from Albert.