Gameday Thread 3/29 Angels @ A's: Goodwin in LF

[jsnpritchett]

Angels:

1. Kole Calhoun (L) RF

2. Mike Trout (R) CF

3. Justin Bour (L) 1B

4. Andrelton Simmons (R) SS

5. Albert Pujols (R) DH

6. Zack Cozart (R) 3B

7. Tommy La Stella (L) 2B

8. Jonathan Lucroy (R) C

9. Brian Goodwin (L) LF

Harvey on the mound

A's:

1. Robbie Grossman (S) LF

2. Matt Chapman (R) 3B

3. Stephen Piscotty (R) RF

4. Khris Davis (R) DH

5. Kendrys Morales (S) 1B

6. Jurickson Profar (S) 2B

7. Marcus Semien (R) SS

8. Ramon Laureano (R) CF

9. Nick Hundley (R) C

Estrada on the mound

[krAbs]

 I don't like using Goodwin against righties. His splits indicate that he is MUCH better against lefties (.275/.370/.507/.878 over 82 PA vs .245/.305/.444/.749 over 420 PA), despite his being a lefty himself.

[nando714]

We’re gonna win 

Harvey will be back to dark knight form

[Chuck]

Man, another day without Fletcher in at 2B. I hope Ausmus isn't going with a platoon at 2B because that means Stella is getting the majority of the AB's at 2B. 

Ugh.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

Fletcher is getting hosed, Tommy...

[Stradling]

Fucking Sosh

[IheartLA]

This is a really bad lineup...

[Hubs]

La Stella gets cut by May 15th.

[Second Base]

What, did you guys think that Billy Eppler was going to trade for a 2B with a .345 OBP and NOT start him over David Fletcher, who has a .311OBP if I'm not mistaken. I mean, yeah I'd rather see Fletcher too because his high contact ways make for an exciting bat and he's quite clearly a superior defensive player. But this team needs all the offensive help it can get without Ohtani and Upton. 

As I said before, I'd intentional walk Mike Trout every time and make someone else on this team best me if I'm the pitcher. Because facing facts, there's no one else on the team to beat a pitcher on a consistent basis. Simmons will rip a single to LF on you, but in order for that to benefit the Angels it has to come in the same inning as Trout and Trout needs to steal himself into scoring position first. Oh and once every six or seven games Bour will hit a ball 450 feet fair. 

So La Stella getting on base for the Angels isn't a bad thing. 

Here is hoping that Goodwin can prove himself to be a better option than Peter Bourjos. 

[Vlad27Trout27]

I think La Stella is useful player when using small ball, he'll be a useful hitter in hit n run scenario. Now the question begs to answer will we run and use a bit of small ball?

[krAbs]

1 minute ago, Second Base said:

What, did you guys think that Billy Eppler was going to trade for a 2B with a .345 OBP and NOT start him over David Fletcher, who has a .311OBP if I'm not mistaken. I mean, yeah I'd rather see Fletcher too because his high contact ways make for an exciting bat and he's quite clearly a superior defensive player. But this team needs all the offensive help it can get without Ohtani and Upton. 

As I said before, I'd intentional walk Mike Trout every time and make someone else on this team best me if I'm the pitcher. Because facing facts, there's no one else on the team to beat a pitcher on a consistent basis. Simmons will rip a single to LF on you, but in order for that to benefit the Angels it has to come in the same inning as Trout and Trout needs to steal himself into scoring position first. Oh and once every six or seven games Bour will hit a ball 450 feet fair. 

So La Stella getting on base for the Angels isn't a bad thing. 

Here is hoping that Goodwin can prove himself to be a better option than Peter Bourjos. 

Yeah, this is for sure La Stella's job to lose. And, after one game and getting the team's first hit, he has definitely not done that. I think Fletcher makes an AMAZING utility player - I just get a little nervous when our plan relies on him being more than that. He showed flashes of a higher ceiling last year, but I still like him much better as a swing man.

[bloodbrother]

Morales revenge game

[GrittyVeterans]

La Stella has never been anywhere near a regular in his career.  He hasn't more than 200 at bats since his rookie year 5 years ago. 1.1 WAR in his CAREER.

I get the OBP argument but I'm not sure why you wouldn't go with Fletcher, who clearly has more upside.

[fan_since79]

13 minutes ago, IheartLA said:

This is a really bad lineup...

Awful.

WTH is Simmons doing batting cleanup again? Heck, I'd put Pujols there before him. 

[tdawg87]

Awful lineup.

 

8 runs.

[Second Base]

11 minutes ago, krAbs said:

Yeah, this is for sure La Stella's job to lose. And, after one game and getting the team's first hit, he has definitely not done that. I think Fletcher makes an AMAZING utility player - I just get a little nervous when our plan relies on him being more than that. He showed flashes of a higher ceiling last year, but I still like him much better as a swing man.

They're both bench options and should only be played sparingly. La Stella if you need a pinch hitter that will get a clutch hit or get on base and Fletcher if you need solid defense late in the game. That fact that the Angels are expecting the two of them to start 162 games combined at 2B is just a bad idea. It leaves a hole in a lineup that already has too many holes to function properly.

Not the wrong players, they just need to be used properly, but the Angels don't have the right personnel to be using them properly.

[bloodbrother]

Angels getting 5 hits minimum

[Taylor]

52 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Man, another day without Fletcher in at 2B. I hope Ausmus isn't going with a platoon at 2B because that means Stella is getting the majority of the AB's at 2B. 

Ugh.

La Stella sucked yesterday. His double to break up the no-hitter totally ruined the momentum.

[krAbs]

42 minutes ago, Second Base said:

They're both bench options and should only be played sparingly. La Stella if you need a pinch hitter that will get a clutch hit or get on base and Fletcher if you need solid defense late in the game. That fact that the Angels are expecting the two of them to start 162 games combined at 2B is just a bad idea. It leaves a hole in a lineup that already has too many holes to function properly.

Not the wrong players, they just need to be used properly, but the Angels don't have the right personnel to be using them properly.

I mean, at the same time...Fletcher put up 2 WAR last year over 80 games split between 2B and 3B. If he can keep up that pace, he certainly isn't a hole in the lineup.

[fan_since79]

So, shaky pitching and a AAAA lineup outside of Trout and maybe Simmons.

Oh, this is going to be wonderful first month (or two or three, depending on Ohtani and Upton).

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, fan_since79 said:

So, shaky pitching and a AAAA lineup outside of Trout and maybe Simmons.

Oh, this is going to be wonderful first month (or two or three, depending on Ohtani and Upton).

Just blow your brains out and get it over with.  

[failos]

[Jay]

LAA vs. OAK MLB.TV "free game of the day"

 

 

[UndertheHalo]

I continue to be perplexed at the lack of desire to let Fletcher have 2B.  He played half the season for us last year and was perfectly adequate.  Especially relative to the other disasters the Angels have around the field.  I’m not sure why LaStella is a more compelling solution.  I see the OBP.  But I also know they he’s been very much a situational player.  Has he even had a run of consistent play like Fletcher has last year ?

and Fletcher is great at D. 

Edited March 30, 2019 by UndertheHalo

[UndertheHalo]

Anyway, I am excited to see Harvey tonight.  I am really hopeful that he’ll have a nice year for the Angels.