Last Night's Loss Highlights Why the Angels Will Not Turn Things Around

[stormngt]

Jerome Williams really isn't that good of a starting pitcher.  He probably couldn't start on any other franchise.  However, he is good enough to occasionally put in a quality start and give the team a chance to win.  However, our bullpen who is good enough to occasionally shut down our opponent did what they often do, fail to find a strike zone and we walk in the winning run.

 

It just shows why the Angels can't turn it around even if we get healthy.  Our pitching is just not good enough.  

 

Right now we have two starting pitchers:  Blanton and Enright who is almost an automatic loss

We have three starting pitchers who are mediocre who can give us a chance to win about 50% of the time.  

 

However, even if the starting pitcher gives a chance to win (on those 50/50 occasions) our bull pen will likely blow it 30% of the time.  

 

Then if our starting pitchers pitch well and our bullpen pitch well, then there will be a likelihood that our offense will be shut down by our opposing starting pitching.  Like tonight, I have confidence that Wilson can give us a quality start.  However, now we have to face the opposing teams ACE and our offense is likely to be shut down.

 

The result:  A team that will win 38% of their games!  I give you the Loss Angeles Angels!

[fan_since79]

Enright has been DFA. He will not lose another game for us this year.

 

Jerome did a fine job last night. He was cruising and in firm control. 74 pitches and he's gone.

 

The injuries to the pitching, especially the bullpen, have killed us this year.

 

Mediocre-to-horrible production from some of our regulars has also hurt.

[Angel Oracle]

Even once Weaver, Jepsen, Madson, Burnett, and Bourjos all return, I stil can't see this team exceeding 75 wins as long as Hamilton stinks and Pujols is a question mark health wise.

[WallyWorld]

it almost doesn't matter what individual players do. It seems like every the team finds a new way to lose the game.  If one of our pitchers is going to give up one hit all night, he'll do it in the worst possible spot, if one of our hitters is going to hit into a DP once that night, he does it at the worst possible moment, and so on.

[stormngt]

Enright has been DFA. He will not lose another game for us this year.

 

Jerome did a fine job last night. He was cruising and in firm control. 74 pitches and he's gone.

 

The injuries to the pitching, especially the bullpen, have killed us this year.

 

Mediocre-to-horrible production from some of our regulars has also hurt.

I knew he was demoted, didn't know Enright was DFA'd.  That just means the next scrub they bring up to replace him is an automatic loss.  I hope they go with Richards because he is like Williams.  He is capable of pitching a good game and at least give us a chance.  

[stormngt]

Even once Weaver, Jepsen, Madson, Burnett, and Bourjos all return, I stil can't see this team exceeding 75 wins as long as Hamilton stinks and Pujols is a question mark health wise.

As long as Blanton is giving us a loss every five days I don't see it happening.  That is my point even healthy this pitching staff isn't good enough to win 90 games.

[stormngt]

it almost doesn't matter what individual players do. It seems like every the team finds a new way to lose the game.  If one of our pitchers is going to give up one hit all night, he'll do it in the worst possible spot, if one of our hitters is going to hit into a DP once that night, he does it at the worst possible moment, and so on.

So is it a curse?

 

I got it the curse of Jeff Mathis!

[halobob]

it almost doesn't matter what individual players do. It seems like every the team finds a new way to lose the game.  If one of our pitchers is going to give up one hit all night, he'll do it in the worst possible spot, if one of our hitters is going to hit into a DP once that night, he does it at the worst possible moment, and so on.

From 2002-2009 it seems liked we did the opposite of above.  We need to get back to timely hitting/pitching/defense.

[tdawg87]

I agree storm. If it's not one thing with this team, it's another. There is zero balance, chemistry, and consistency.

[jshep]

So is it a curse?

 

I got it the curse of Jeff Mathis!

 

I always thought the curse of Jeff Mathis was having to watch him play baseball.

[fan_since79]

I agree storm. If it's not one thing with this team, it's another. There is zero balance, chemistry, and consistency.

But it's not the fault of the coaching. They never make mistakes.

[AZMike]

But it's not the fault of the coaching. They never make mistakes.

It's simultaneously the fault of almost every single player on the roster for playing poorer than their career norms, not the coaches

[tdawg87]

This mess is the fault of everyone. From Arte down to the clubhouse janitor.

[Glen]

It's simultaneously the fault of almost every single player on the roster for playing poorer than their career norms, not the coaches

 

 

Players who are near their career norms:

 

Howie Kendrick - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendrho01.shtml

 

Mark Trumbo - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trumbma01.shtml

 

Alberto Callaspo - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/callaal01.shtml

 

Bourjos (pre-injury) - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bourjpe01.shtml

 

 

 

 

Players not playing near their norms:

 

Pujols, Hamilton, Iannetta, Aybar

 

 

Other players:

Trout - TBD, he's heating up

Shuck - no record to base it on

 

Those four in the middle group are killing us.

[Jimmag]

I think it is because they do not play good music between innings.

[WallyWorld]

So is it a curse?

 

I got it the curse of Jeff Mathis!

 

Like others have said, losing is contagious.  There's a black cloud floating over this org and has been for a few years.  I think players are subconsciously waiting for bad stuff to happen, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts,

 

Baseball teams aren't just the sum of their parts.  Look at Oakland last year - they got key hits when they needed them and got key outs on defense when they needed them.  Angels are in the exact opposite mode right now.

[Jason]

I agree with Wally. There seems to be a culture of mediocrity that has developed over the past few seasons. They really are finding all kinds of ways to lose.