One quarter of the season in the books

[Angel Oracle]

So far, the Halos are 9-0 against the bad teams (Tejas, Royals, and O's) and 16-16 vs. everyone else.

But, in that 16-16 record vs. everyone else, only two of those opponents are currently under .500 (2-2 record vs the 17-20 Twins and 5-2 record vs the 20-21 A'th).

Take away the crappy Red Sux series (even the Skanks series had two tight games) though, and they are 25-13.

Six game lead currently on the most likely team (Twins) to fight for 2nd WC spot with, because while the M's are 23-17, that rotation (weak after Paxton) and sans Cano = question mark.   

[floplag]

I think we would all take it if we were told that going in we would be percentage points up at the 25% mark. 

Going in i was most concerned with the Twins and Jays. 
The Twins largely due to a very weak Central aside from Cle, and the Jays to a lesser extent though being in the AL east getting a regular diet of NY/Bos at best they were a third place team.   
Ms & As didnt scare me due to same division, we controlled that and i felt we were better.  

At this point it will likely be the second place teams in the east and west barring the Twins getting back on track to pose a threat. 

[LAAMike]

The Twins pitching has the potential to be quite good.  Galverson will be called up soon.   The Astros with Cole, Morton, Verlander,  Keuchel  and McCullers are simply too good for us to win the Division.  The second wildcard is ours at this point. We have to get our bullpen settled out and hope that our starting pitching continues as well as it has.  We need to be more dominant at home.   

[Hubs]

25 minutes ago, LAAMike said:

The Twins pitching has the potential to be quite good.  Galverson will be called up soon.   The Astros with Cole, Morton, Verlander,  Keuchel  and McCullers are simply too good for us to win the Division.  The second wildcard is ours at this point. We have to get our bullpen settled out and hope that our starting pitching continues as well as it has.  We need to be more dominant at home.   

The Astros and Angels have played 4 H2H matchups this year, the Angels are 3-1.

Last year, the Astros won I think 13 or 14 against the Angels. 

Their pitching is awfully tough, but the Angels offense can be quite good as well.

 

[stormngt]

29 minutes ago, LAAMike said:

The Twins pitching has the potential to be quite good.  Galverson will be called up soon.   The Astros with Cole, Morton, Verlander,  Keuchel  and McCullers are simply too good for us to win the Division.  The second wildcard is ours at this point. We have to get our bullpen settled out and hope that our starting pitching continues as well as it has.  We need to be more dominant at home.   

Your right.  The Astros magic number is 120 with only 119 games to play.

We need to quit "stroking" the Astros!

[Angelsjunky]

Overall better than expected. The thing I find most encouraging is the starting pitching: just about everyone is doing as well or better than expected, except for Richards. Ohtani isn't far off from being a true ace, Skaggs and Heaney look like solid #2-3 starters, Barria is coming along quite nicely, Tropeano looks very solid and healthy, and Richards has shown flashes of recapturing his best form.  This is a good rotation that is on the verge of being very good, even borderline great.

[Angel Oracle]

34 minutes ago, Hubs said:

The Astros and Angels have played 4 H2H matchups this year, the Angels are 3-1.

Last year, the Astros won I think 13 or 14 against the Angels. 

Their pitching is awfully tough, but the Angels offense can be quite good as well.

 

This time, the Halos have the rotation to at least try to approach the Astros impossible staff.    Next step, a closer

[Angel Oracle]

17 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Overall better than expected. The thing I find most encouraging is the starting pitching: just about everyone is doing as well or better than expected, except for Richards. Ohtani isn't far off from being a true ace, Skaggs and Heaney look like solid #2-3 starters, Barria is coming along quite nicely, Tropeano looks very solid and healthy, and Richards has shown flashes of recapturing his best form.  This is a good rotation that is on the verge of being very good, even borderline great.

I guess I owe Mike Krukow an apology.

[floplag]

1 hour ago, LAAMike said:

The Twins pitching has the potential to be quite good.  Galverson will be called up soon.   The Astros with Cole, Morton, Verlander,  Keuchel  and McCullers are simply too good for us to win the Division.  The second wildcard is ours at this point. We have to get our bullpen settled out and hope that our starting pitching continues as well as it has.  We need to be more dominant at home.   

...and yet, we are tied, go figure.  
We are tied with 2 guys in such horrific slumps they can barely count as having at bats and a bullpen made with duct tape and bailing wire and them having at least 2 starters playing over their projections.
Yes, we have issues, obviously, but to saythey are simply too good isnt an absolute. 

[Dick B Back]

35 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Overall better than expected. The thing I find most encouraging is the starting pitching: just about everyone is doing as well or better than expected, except for Richards. Ohtani isn't far off from being a true ace, Skaggs and Heaney look like solid #2-3 starters, Barria is coming along quite nicely, Tropeano looks very solid and healthy, and Richards has shown flashes of recapturing his best form.  This is a good rotation that is on the verge of being very good, even borderline great.

Richards needs to walk away from the CJ Wilson videos.

[Adam]

The bats haven't even really gotten hot yet. Very encouraging. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

Overall better than expected. The thing I find most encouraging is the starting pitching: just about everyone is doing as well or better than expected, except for Richards. Ohtani isn't far off from being a true ace, Skaggs and Heaney look like solid #2-3 starters, Barria is coming along quite nicely, Tropeano looks very solid and healthy, and Richards has shown flashes of recapturing his best form.  This is a good rotation that is on the verge of being very good, even borderline great.

Agreed. Health is obviously an issue, and with how things have gone the last few years, i keep waiting on something bad. But the staff up to now has looked very good (other than them not going 7 innings).

The offense is pretty good, defense stellar. A pen would make this team very dangerous...

[CubsFan]

6 minutes ago, Adam said:

The bats haven't even really gotten hot yet. Very encouraging. 

Cozart and Kinsler should pick it up.

[Angelsjunky]

Yes, the pen is the biggest problem, followed by an erratic and sometimes anemic offense. The latter may be solveable from within--by better performances from players, and maybe a call-up or two (e.g. Fletcher, Fernandez). I'm less confident about the former. I tend to like the Eppler Scrap-heap Approach to bullpen construction, but it doesn't seem to have worked this year.

(This in reply to @ten ocho recon scout)

 

[CubsFan]

2 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Agreed. Health is obviously an issue, and with how things have gone the last few years, i keep waiting on something bad. But the staff up to now has looked very good (other than them not going 7 innings).

The offense is pretty good, defense stellar. A pen would make this team very dangerous...

Get a stud closer and a good mid relief guy and that will take care of the pen.

Then a stud RF veteran and knock on wood should be set to make a run for the pennant.

[totdprods]

On pace for 99 wins still.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

3 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Six game lead currently on the most likely team (Twins) to fight for 2nd WC spot with, because while the M's are 23-17, that rotation (weak after Paxton) and sans Cano = question mark.   

I really hate everyone seemingly being content to fight for the second wild card. Until there just is no way to win the division that's what we should be fighting for. Sure the Astros are a good team, but so are we. We have beaten them 3 out 4 games so far.

That's the goal until it's not, we have to play the games, but so do the Astros. The Astros haven't had to play the Yankees or Boston yet and we are still percentage points ahead of them.

People seem to be scared of the Astros but they can be beaten...

[Angel Oracle]

2 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I really hate everyone seemingly being content to fight for the second wild card. Until there just is no way to win the division that's what we should be fighting for. Sure the Astros are a good team, but so are we. We have beaten them 3 out 4 games so far.

That's the goal until it's not, we have to play the games, but so do the Astros. The Astros haven't had to play the Yankees or Boston yet and we are still percentage points ahead of them.

People seem to be scared of the Astros but they can be beaten...

Not scared as much as focusing on the minimum...W/C game spot 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

Not scared as much as focusing on the minimum...W/C game spot 

F*ck the minimum, focus on the maximum.

[totdprods]

I'm actually pretty optimistic about winning division. Far from being anything less than an uphill battle, but we're hanging in there. Anything can happen for either team, good or bad, but the longer we maintain the easier team is to take advantage of any opportunity.

[Angel Oracle]

39 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

F*ck the minimum, focus on the maximum.

I'm good with that; and if they get the W/C spot instead, disappointed but still happy to make the post-season.   

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

19 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

I'm good with that; and if they get the W/C spot instead, disappointed but still happy to make the post-season.   

We only make the playoffs if we win the division or win the WC game. Losing the WC is not making the post season IMO.

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I really hate everyone seemingly being content to fight for the second wild card. Until there just is no way to win the division that's what we should be fighting for. Sure the Astros are a good team, but so are we. We have beaten them 3 out 4 games so far.

That's the goal until it's not, we have to play the games, but so do the Astros. The Astros haven't had to play the Yankees or Boston yet and we are still percentage points ahead of them.

People seem to be scared of the Astros but they can be beaten...

They have played the Yankees I believe 

[Second Base]

If nothing else, a few things have come to light....

1. The Astros are the defending World Champions, and they're good.  Their pitching is insane and they have a deep lineup that can hurt you 1-9. 

2. The Angels can play with the Astros.  Their starting pitchers are the most underrated unit in baseball and the offense can score.  The bullpen could use some work, but they have a few relievers that can do their jobs. 

3. The Mariners are doing everything in their power to keep pace and have so far.  Losing Cano for 80 games and the playoffs if they make it could be a backbreaker though. 

4. The A's who were everyone's darling sleepers entering the season are basically a .500 team. If people want to be exciting, go ahead, I guess. 

[stormngt]

24 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

We only make the playoffs if we win the division or win the WC game. Losing the WC is not making the post season IMO.

Bullshit! The playoffs are post season.  The WC card is post season, it's part of the playoffs not matter what you think!