We're gonna take the 2nd wild card

[Claude]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

I think we are better than the Yankees as currently constructed.  

No we are not. In fact I think this whole thread is depressing. The season is six months long and we are only in the seventh week and we’re already talking about qualifying for not just a wild card, but the 2nd wild card. 

[Docwaukee]

21 minutes ago, Calzone 2 said:

No we are not. In fact I think this whole thread is depressing. The season is six months long and we are only in the seventh week and we’re already talking about qualifying for not just a wild card, but the 2nd wild card. 

I think we'd have a much better chance in another division.  Houston is ridiculous.  So yeah, it kinda sucks that they're that good.  I think in a month you're gonna see that we're actually a good team.  borderline very good.  

lot's of pleasant surprises coming.  I'm more optimistic now than I've been in a long time.  

 

[T.G.]

I am optimistic as well. Baseball is unpredictable and anything is possible.

[Docwaukee]

13 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I am optimistic as well. Baseball is unpredictable and anything is possible.

over the course of 30 teams playing 162 games, I generally don't consider anything to be possible.  I just think we're better than what we've shown but we will show it over time as the season progresses.  

[GrittyVeterans]

Angels have a tough schedule after the ASB. Will have to earn it

[tennischmp]

2 hours ago, Stradling said:

Except they aren’t healthy, so yes I think right now we are better.  

Yet they are still up 6.5 games... imagine what will happen when they are healthy

[Lou]

NYY Andujar out for the year. 

[rottiesworld]

I'm sad to know there is no way with the pitching we have. They have a lot of problems and they still have issues with the closer. I do hope they go after a couple of pitchers that can help, but I don't think they will.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

11 hours ago, Dochalo said:

the offense is currently top 10 and rising (currently 8th).  Upton on the way back.  Ohtani improving and Trout will go on another hot streak soon.  

the bullpen is top 10 as well.  Plenty of solid to very good arm with more coming.  Lots of depth.  

the starting pitching has been atrocious but is going to improve shortly.   Skaggs is a mid rotation guy and I think he's gonna go on a nice run soon.  Pena is solid/good in conjunction with using an opener.  Canning is gonna be a stud eventually but will be good this year even if in limited innings.  Harvey is going to turn a corner here soon and be good for the rest of the year.  Cahill is a wreck but Heaney is about to replace him and Trevor will go to the pen and excel.   Suarez is going to get his shot soon as well and impress people.   The rotation isn't going to be good, but it's about to go from bad to at least serviceable.  

Coupled with a top offense and pen, this team is about to make a run. 

It's gonna be a dog fight with Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota but I think we'll be right there in the end.  

We need to get Heaney back, and promote Suarez. They can't be worse than what we've been throwing out there so far.

[Claude]

6 hours ago, Lou said:

NYY Andujar out for the year. 

That kid Urshela is playing lights out defense and he’s not a bad hitter. I just don’t think we have the front line pitching that they have. They also have a lights out bullpen and a legit closer . They’ve had tons of injuries yet they’re 10 games above .500 and only a 1/2 game back of the Rays. We’re not there yet. Maybe when Adell, Thaiss, Canning, Walsh, Rengifo are playing full time with a fully healthy Upton, Heaney, Tropeano and Ohtani we can make some serious noise.

[totdprods]

11 hours ago, NeverOver said:

I'm not sure I would move either of those two for a Bumgarner rental. However, I can see a bigger package being created for Marcus Stroman who still has 1 more year of Arbitration.

Stroman could be our horse for the 2nd half of the season for a Playoff push. Then next year, if we can land Gerrit Cole, the rotation would be looking really really nice. 

Cole, Ohtani, Stroman, Skaggs, Heaney, Canning, makes for a solid 6 man rotation with several guys ready to fill in for injuries and Ohtani, who will certainly be on an innings limit coming back from TJ.  

I really like Stroman as a target too...the only reason I see that as a bit of a stretch is that we don’t match up as well with the Blue Jays needs. They’re loaded with IF prospects and will want SP help. It’d cost us one of Suarez, Canning, Sandoval, and probably one of our better lower-level arms like Yan, Soriano, Hernandez, Bradish...and then still probably one more decent prospect. We don’t have the SP prospect depth to sustain that, IMO. Eppler would *have* to lock in a FA SP this offseason and that’s never a sure thing. 

If we could get him on a package centered around one or Ward/Thaiss, one of Marsh/Jones, one of our lower-level arms, it’d probably be fair and doable but I don’t think it’d be in the Jays interest, and could be topped by others.

It’s why I could see something like a Ward (maybe with one lotto ticket prospect) for Bumgarner being a little more realistic, especially if those two players maintain current production.

Edited May 16, 2019 by totdprods

[Blarg]

9 hours ago, Stradling said:

Except they aren’t healthy, so yes I think right now we are better.  

Unhealthy they swept the Angels. They have had about the exact same strength of schedule and have a .619 winning percentage, the Angels .465.

They are better than the Angels are now and will get better when key players return. And that gap isn't going to be narrowed by getting Upton and Heaney back. 

[T.G.]

8 hours ago, Dochalo said:

over the course of 30 teams playing 162 games, I generally don't consider anything to be possible.  I just think we're better than what we've shown but we will show it over time as the season progresses.  

Really?  You're going to take what I posted literally?  Seriously?  The phrase "anything is possible" is a figure of speech.  Is it possible for any team in the major leagues to go undefeated from here on out?  No.  Is it possible that Trevor Cahill put up a 0.00 ERA in his next 15 starts?  No. 

However, in the context of this discussion - is it possible for a team like the Angels to make the the post-season?  Yes, in that case - anything is possible.

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Unhealthy they swept the Angels. They have had about the exact same strength of schedule and have a .619 winning percentage, the Angels .465.

They are better than the Angels are now and will get better when key players return. And that gap isn't going to be narrowed by getting Upton and Heaney back. 

three of four, but I get your point.

[Claude]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Unhealthy they swept the Angels. They have had about the exact same strength of schedule and have a .619 winning percentage, the Angels .465.

They are better than the Angels are now and will get better when key players return. And that gap isn't going to be narrowed by getting Upton and Heaney back. 

Now let’s compare managers. 

[failos]

Not going to happen with the rotation. 

[Chuck]

13 hours ago, Dochalo said:

the offense is currently top 10 and rising (currently 8th).  Upton on the way back.  Ohtani improving and Trout will go on another hot streak soon.  

the bullpen is top 10 as well.  Plenty of solid to very good arm with more coming.  Lots of depth.  

the starting pitching has been atrocious but is going to improve shortly.   Skaggs is a mid rotation guy and I think he's gonna go on a nice run soon.  Pena is solid/good in conjunction with using an opener.  Canning is gonna be a stud eventually but will be good this year even if in limited innings.  Harvey is going to turn a corner here soon and be good for the rest of the year.  Cahill is a wreck but Heaney is about to replace him and Trevor will go to the pen and excel.   Suarez is going to get his shot soon as well and impress people.   The rotation isn't going to be good, but it's about to go from bad to at least serviceable.  

Coupled with a top offense and pen, this team is about to make a run. 

It's gonna be a dog fight with Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota but I think we'll be right there in the end.  

btw, I'm not going to lie. My reaction after reading this post last night. Good stuff, @Dochalo. 

 

[Claude]

24 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

btw, I'm not going to lie. My reaction after reading this post @Dochalo. 

 

The last time Doc posted something this crazy was when he said that Trout would extend and stay an Angel for life. What the hell does he know!

Edited May 16, 2019 by Calzone 2

[mulwin444]

I like the optimism.

I think the offense will be fine and, from I've seen in terms of Eppler's ability to find find guys off the wire, the BP success should be sustainable.

The main question will be the rotation.

I don't have much faith in Cahill and tepid on Harvey, but I think Skaggs, Heaney, and Pena 3 out of 5 turns can stabilize some things and Canning, Barria, and Suarez give them depth options.  It's definitely hopfefull.

One thing I didn't think I've see, is an entire group of starters with at 100 OPS+

LaStella 165 OPS+

Trout 172 OPS+

Ohtani 110 OPS+

Simmons 104 OPS+

Pujols 99 OPS+

Goodwin 135 OPS+

Lucroy 110 OPS+

Calhoun 117 OPS+

Fletcher 110 OPS+

 

 

 

[Stradling]

My belief is if the team deserves to be upgraded at the deadline then Eppler will upgrade.  

[nate]

Just need Heaney to step in for Cahill and Canning to calm down a bit.  After an abysmal start for the offense this year, it is really going right now.

[kevinb]

I think we’re gonna take the division 

[VariousCrap]

The sooner Heaney is back, the better.  Cahill needs to go on the IL and I'd put a very short leash on Harvey after Heaney returns.

[stormngt]

14 hours ago, DMVol said:

Starting pitching isn’t good enough....

It's not good enough, but we have the ability to upgrade.  Heaney will push out one.  Suarez could push out another. There is hope......emphasis on hope!

[floplag]

I wish a had that optimism, but i think we need to get solidly above 500 before we start getting delusions of grandeur.