Performance Grades at the Break

[mulwin444]

Even though the All Star game doesn't happen exactly after game 81, it is usually considered the unofficial halfway point of the season so, since we are stuck with no games until Friday (and I'm bored), I thought it would be fun to take a look at the performances so far:

Hitters:

Mike Trout - A+: Let's get the obvious out of the way first and just revel in his magnificence - .301 .453 1.098 OPS 191 OPS+ 5.9 WAR in 87 games.  Additionally, he leads the A.L. with 28 HR, 76 BB, 11 IBB, .453 OBP, .656 SLG, 1.098 OPS, 191 OPS+, 195 Total Bases, and, a new wrinkle for him, in RBI with 67 while batting 2nd.  

Shohei Ohtani - A :  So far, for his career, he is hitting .292 .358 .924 OPS 147 OPS+ in 157 games which means, at only 25, he is one of the better offensive players in the league.  After missing time due to Tommy John surgery, and no rehab games, he stepped on the field an offensive force - it's quite astonishing when you kind of take it all in.  

David Fletcher - A : You kind of forget that David Fletcher was never considered a top prospect by anyone but, yet, after 164 games he has a pretty nice 4.5 WAR at only 25.  Additionally, he has improved in every aspect of his offense game including average and OBP, he has increased his OPS 90 points, he leads the entire MLB in SO/AB and has walked more than he's K'd (30 BB 25 K).  If you have an injury (Simmons, La Stella, Cozart, Upton), Fletcher can fill in and, regardless of position played, it won't impact his performance.  

Kole Calhoun - B : His average is a bit ugly but he's putting up one of the higher OPS of his career, is getting on base at a decent clip (.323) and could eclipse his career HR total by mid-August and pass 30 for the first time in his career.  After getting to an abysmal start last season, Calhoun 2.0 has evolved offensively while still providing solid RF defense.

Andrelton Simmons - B : The hitting is down a bit from last season but, considering his game-changing defense at SS, the offensive contribution is almost a bonus at times.  Still, he has demonstrated he is capable of better offense and hopefully his 2nd half will improve post-injury.  

Albert Pujols - C- : He is what he is at this point so there is no use banging too hard on him since he's been pretty much reduced to a platoon role.  Still, it a stark contrast to see historic milestones fall while the seasonal offensive performance continues to dwindle.  The positives, though, is he is much better 2018/2019 than his rough 2017 (-1.9 WAR), and is actually on pace to better his 2018 season overall. 

Tommy La Stella - A :  For a guy acquired for a PTBNL (eventually Connor Lillis-White has hasn't played this year), he's been a hell of a return.  His history has been one of those scrappy type of hitters that could get on base at a decent clip, play adequate defense, and lightly regarded.  However, his 2017 season showed he was capable of showing some pop (.288 .389 .861 OPS 122 OPS+ in 73 games) and his lifetime .350 OBP showed he was a lead-off candidate that could be paired with Fletcher as a 9/1 order tandem that finally put some men on base for Trout.  His unfortunate leg injury sucked the wind out of his All Star season a bit but his value in the first half should not be understated.

Luis Regifo - B : Speaking of PTBNL, that's exactly what Rengifo was in the C.J. Cron deal.  Prior to his acquisition, Rengifo had never really distinguished himself in terms of offensive but that changed in 2018 when ripped through High A Inland Empire and AA Mobile to get him to SLC before the end of the year and on to the depth chart.  After hitting .174 .250 .511 OPS in his first 14 games, Rengifo has caught fire and raised his average to .260 .333 .712 OPS along with taking some of the sting away from losing La Stella.  While his defense has been spotty at times and his run game has not quite come together yet (0-3 in SB attempts), at 22, he's made an impact as an everyday contributor.

Jonathan Lucroy - C- :  Stop gap, one year deal solution.  Everything about him so far has been "meh" - from the offense to the catching defense to the pitch calling.  You know you are doing some interesting stuff offensively when you are beating Pujols, and the entire AL for that matter, in grounding into double plays.  Looks like he'll be down for a bit after a brutal home plate collision.

Justin Bour - D- :  Signed for 1/$2.5 mil, it was a decent free agent gamble but - yeesh - he sucks.  Through 43 games, he's hit an anemic .181 .260 .651 OPS 72 OPS -0.4 WAR.  With Upton healthy and Thaiss on the verge, his days on the 25 man roster appear to be numbered.

Brian Goodwin - B+ : Selected off waivers, he filled in admirably in Upton's absence and has put up one of the better season of his career.  Nothing special but he was a steady line-up presence at the beginning of the season and should be a solid 4th OFer the rest of the season.

Justin Upton - Too New to Rate : It's been a solid 14 games I guess between injuries

Pitchers: 

Andrew Heaney - C : Got off to a slow start due to elbow inflammation, he hasn't lived up to the steady rotational presence he was in 2018.  The 2nd half with be a chance for him to re-set and attempt to lower his walks and HRs and pitch well enough to start averaging 6 IP per start again.  The encouraging part is his H/9 are the lowest his career and his K/9 are the highest of his career respectively.

Griffin Canning - B :  Yeah, the overall numbers are a bit rough(4.43 ERA 1.02 ERA+) but, despite his youth, he's been the steadiest presence in the rotation with 8 straight starts in May/June where he averaged 6 IP, including 7 shut out innings against KC.  His last start (3.1 IP 6 ER) should be taken with a grain of salt considering it is on the road in Texas and it was very close in time to Skaggs' death.  Overall, his peripherals look great - 1.092 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 2.4 BB/9, 9.6 K/9 - he's poised to have a great 2nd half.

Suarez/Barria - B- : The overall numbers between the two of them are not great but their relative youth and constant shuttling between SLC and MLB means they get a bit of a pass.  Barria showed last year what he was capable of and he will likely be leaned on in the 2nd half to provide a predictable rotation presence.  Suarez has looked really good times along with looking like a rookie.  The talent is there...hopefully we get to see some development soon.

Cahill/Harvey - D- : The Gutter Twins.  If they somehow managed to just repeat their respective performances from last season, the Angels would be a serious threat for the 2nd Wild Card.  Instead, the Angels got the pitching equivalent of a broken sewer pipe.  While Harvey is on the IL, he is poised to demonstrate once and for all if he belongs in rotation, the BP, or on waivers.  Cahill has been a miracle in that I'm not there is an inning that goes by without him giving up a run - wait, yep, he just gave up another one someone on a day off.  DFA sooner rather than later and, in the end, it was only money.

Felix Pena - C+ : He's a guy with good "stuff" that has seen his H/9 and K/9 improve but his HR/9 increase and has been more susceptible of the big inning (especially against the A's).  While the "opening" is the latest thing that has shown moderate success for some teams with rotational issues, Pena hasn't really responded well to the change but, with JC Ramirez and Harvey coming back to the rotation, he could be a valuable multi-inning reliever or spot starter down the road.

Noe Ramirez - B-:  He's never been fantastic but he has improved over his mediocrity from last season and gives the Angels another BP option that can go more than one inning.

Luis Garcia - D :  He throws hard...which mean the balls that are hit off of him travel pretty far.  4.64 ERA 98 ERA+ is really reflective of his irrelevance - he walks too many, gives up too many HRs, doesn't strike out as much as he should, and he makes me  long for the days of Fernando Salas.  

Justin Anderson - C : If this Ass Hat could figure out already if he wants to be good or not that would be terrific.  He gives zero predictability with occasional flashes of brilliance and absolutely no reason to trust him in a close and late situation.

Cam Bedrosian - C+:  Ah, Bedrosian...just when it seems we've reached the point where we can look to you for BP leadership, you shit yourself like someone who downed a 5th of gin while consuming a plate of rancid potato salad.  The "good" is he doesn't give up many hits, strikes out more hitters than innings pitched, has a nice 1.163 WHIP, and 127 ERA+.  The "bad" is he'll save his runs for the most crucial, heartbreaking moment.  Please, Cam, give us something to work with in the 2nd half.

Ty Buttrey -  A :  Acquired for a super disinterested Ian Kinsler at last season's trade deadline, he's been the fireman out of the BP and given us a glimpse of a future closer we haven't seen since the days of Percival and Frankie.  In a short time, he has made presence in the BP felt and is invaluable in regards to the Angels competitive chances going forward.

Hansel Robles - A : The chosen "closer" has performed his role well and has almost matched Buttrey for best in the BP and has no peer when it comes to intro video.  Selected off waivers from the Mets last season, he's a testament to Eppler's waiver wire acumen - not easy to grab a guy who can wing it 99 MPH and is capable of putting up 2.74 ERA 1.102 WHIP 165 ERA+ 8.9 K/9 without giving up a key prospect or laying out some serious coin.

Tyler Skaggs - Incomplete : Like Adenhart 10 years earlier, his death was shocking and without warning.  Snatched from us too soon, it again demonstrates the overall irrelevance of the game in the face of real tragedy but, ultimately, it will be this game this will help the team heal from his absence.

Forever young...

[GrittyVeterans]

Lucroy getting a C is generous, the guy is freaking horrible. Cahill/Harvey/Allen are the definition of F performances

 

agree with everything else, nice post

[Docwaukee]

nice job!!

[Torridd]

What about Kevan Smith?

[Stradling]

Yep Harvey and Cahill are F’s in my book.  I would give Suarez and his 5.40 ERA a C or C-.  

[mulwin444]

8 minutes ago, Torridd said:

What about Kevan Smith?

Due to injury he's only managed 27 games but I'd give him a B+ for the time.  His .296 .387 OBP .856 OPS 129 OPS+ 0.9 WAR was impressive although brief and you hope he's healthy enough now to return to normal duties now that Lucroy will be missing some time.

[mulwin444]

5 minutes ago, #WeNasty said:

Yep Harvey and Cahill are F’s in my book.  I would give Suarez and his 5.40 ERA a C or C-.  

 I was "kinder" to Suarez due to age and circumstance but see no fault with a C-/C.

[Jason]

As already stated, my first thought was your generosity towards Cahill and Harvey.  The rest of the list is pretty good. Well done

[Taylor]

What about Cesar Puello?

[Chuck]

1 hour ago, mulwin444 said:

Even though the All Star game doesn't happen exactly after game 81, it is usually considered the unofficial halfway point of the season so, since we are stuck with no games until Friday (and I'm bored), I thought it would be fun to take a look at the performances so far:

Hitters:

Mike Trout - A+: Let's get the obvious out of the way first and just revel in his magnificence - .301 .453 1.098 OPS 191 OPS+ 5.9 WAR in 87 games.  Additionally, he leads the A.L. with 28 HR, 76 BB, 11 IBB, .453 OBP, .656 SLG, 1.098 OPS, 191 OPS+, 195 Total Bases, and, a new wrinkle for him, in RBI with 67 while batting 2nd.  

Shohei Ohtani - A :  So far, for his career, he is hitting .292 .358 .924 OPS 147 OPS+ in 157 games which means, at only 25, he is one of the better offensive players in the league.  After missing time due to Tommy John surgery, and no rehab games, he stepped on the field an offensive force - it's quite astonishing when you kind of take it all in.  

David Fletcher - A : You kind of forget that David Fletcher was never considered a top prospect by anyone but, yet, after 164 games he has a pretty nice 4.5 WAR at only 25.  Additionally, he has improved in every aspect of his offense game including average and OBP, he has increased his OPS 90 points, he leads the entire MLB in SO/AB and has walked more than he's K'd (30 BB 25 K).  If you have an injury (Simmons, La Stella, Cozart, Upton), Fletcher can fill in and, regardless of position played, it won't impact his performance.  

Kole Calhoun - B : His average is a bit ugly but he's putting up one of the higher OPS of his career, is getting on base at a decent clip (.323) and could eclipse his career HR total by mid-August and pass 30 for the first time in his career.  After getting to an abysmal start last season, Calhoun 2.0 has evolved offensively while still providing solid RF defense.

Andrelton Simmons - B : The hitting is down a bit from last season but, considering his game-changing defense at SS, the offensive contribution is almost a bonus at times.  Still, he has demonstrated he is capable of better offense and hopefully his 2nd half will improve post-injury.  

Albert Pujols - C- : He is what he is at this point so there is no use banging too hard on him since he's been pretty much reduced to a platoon role.  Still, it a stark contrast to see historic milestones fall while the seasonal offensive performance continues to dwindle.  The positives, though, is he is much better 2018/2019 than his rough 2017 (-1.9 WAR), and is actually on pace to better his 2018 season overall. 

Tommy La Stella - A :  For a guy acquired for a PTBNL (eventually Connor Lillis-White has hasn't played this year), he's been a hell of a return.  His history has been one of those scrappy type of hitters that could get on base at a decent clip, play adequate defense, and lightly regarded.  However, his 2017 season showed he was capable of showing some pop (.288 .389 .861 OPS 122 OPS+ in 73 games) and his lifetime .350 OBP showed he was a lead-off candidate that could be paired with Fletcher as a 9/1 order tandem that finally put some men on base for Trout.  His unfortunate leg injury sucked the wind out of his All Star season a bit but his value in the first half should not be understated.

Luis Regifo - B : Speaking of PTBNL, that's exactly what Rengifo was in the C.J. Cron deal.  Prior to his acquisition, Rengifo had never really distinguished himself in terms of offensive but that changed in 2018 when ripped through High A Inland Empire and AA Mobile to get him to SLC before the end of the year and on to the depth chart.  After hitting .174 .250 .511 OPS in his first 14 games, Rengifo has caught fire and raised his average to .260 .333 .712 OPS along with taking some of the sting away from losing La Stella.  While his defense has been spotty at times and his run game has not quite come together yet (0-3 in SB attempts), at 22, he's made an impact as an everyday contributor.

Jonathan Lucroy - C- :  Stop gap, one year deal solution.  Everything about him so far has been "meh" - from the offense to the catching defense to the pitch calling.  You know you are doing some interesting stuff offensively when you are beating Pujols, and the entire AL for that matter, in grounding into double plays.  Looks like he'll be down for a bit after a brutal home plate collision.

Justin Bour - D- :  Signed for 1/$2.5 mil, it was a decent free agent gamble but - yeesh - he sucks.  Through 43 games, he's hit an anemic .181 .260 .651 OPS 72 OPS -0.4 WAR.  With Upton healthy and Thaiss on the verge, his days on the 25 man roster appear to be numbered.

Brian Goodwin - B+ : Selected off waivers, he filled in admirably in Upton's absence and has put up one of the better season of his career.  Nothing special but he was a steady line-up presence at the beginning of the season and should be a solid 4th OFer the rest of the season.

Justin Upton - Too New to Rate : It's been a solid 14 games I guess between injuries

Pitchers: 

Andrew Heaney - C : Got off to a slow start due to elbow inflammation, he hasn't lived up to the steady rotational presence he was in 2018.  The 2nd half with be a chance for him to re-set and attempt to lower his walks and HRs and pitch well enough to start averaging 6 IP per start again.  The encouraging part is his H/9 are the lowest his career and his K/9 are the highest of his career respectively.

Griffin Canning - B :  Yeah, the overall numbers are a bit rough(4.43 ERA 1.02 ERA+) but, despite his youth, he's been the steadiest presence in the rotation with 8 straight starts in May/June where he averaged 6 IP, including 7 shut out innings against KC.  His last start (3.1 IP 6 ER) should be taken with a grain of salt considering it is on the road in Texas and it was very close in time to Skaggs' death.  Overall, his peripherals look great - 1.092 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 2.4 BB/9, 9.6 K/9 - he's poised to have a great 2nd half.

Suarez/Barria - B- : The overall numbers between the two of them are not great but their relative youth and constant shuttling between SLC and MLB means they get a bit of a pass.  Barria showed last year what he was capable of and he will likely be leaned on in the 2nd half to provide a predictable rotation presence.  Suarez has looked really good times along with looking like a rookie.  The talent is there...hopefully we get to see some development soon.

Cahill/Harvey - D- : The Gutter Twins.  If they somehow managed to just repeat their respective performances from last season, the Angels would be a serious threat for the 2nd Wild Card.  Instead, the Angels got the pitching equivalent of a broken sewer pipe.  While Harvey is on the IL, he is poised to demonstrate once and for all if he belongs in rotation, the BP, or on waivers.  Cahill has been a miracle in that I'm not there is an inning that goes by without him giving up a run - wait, yep, he just gave up another one someone on a day off.  DFA sooner rather than later and, in the end, it was only money.

Felix Pena - C+ : He's a guy with good "stuff" that has seen his H/9 and K/9 improve but his HR/9 increase and has been more susceptible of the big inning (especially against the A's).  While the "opening" is the latest thing that has shown moderate success for some teams with rotational issues, Pena hasn't really responded well to the change but, with JC Ramirez and Harvey coming back to the rotation, he could be a valuable multi-inning reliever or spot starter down the road.

Noe Ramirez - B-:  He's never been fantastic but he has improved over his mediocrity from last season and gives the Angels another BP option that can go more than one inning.

Luis Garcia - D :  He throws hard...which mean the balls that are hit off of him travel pretty far.  4.64 ERA 98 ERA+ is really reflective of his irrelevance - he walks too many, gives up too many HRs, doesn't strike out as much as he should, and he makes me  long for the days of Fernando Salas.  

Justin Anderson - C : If this Ass Hat could figure out already if he wants to be good or not that would be terrific.  He gives zero predictability with occasional flashes of brilliance and absolutely no reason to trust him in a close and late situation.

Cam Bedrosian - C+:  Ah, Bedrosian...just when it seems we've reached the point where we can look to you for BP leadership, you shit yourself like someone who downed a 5th of gin while consuming a plate of rancid potato salad.  The "good" is he doesn't give up many hits, strikes out more hitters than innings pitched, has a nice 1.163 WHIP, and 127 ERA+.  The "bad" is he'll save his runs for the most crucial, heartbreaking moment.  Please, Cam, give us something to work with in the 2nd half.

Ty Buttrey -  A :  Acquired for a super disinterested Ian Kinsler at last season's trade deadline, he's been the fireman out of the BP and given us a glimpse of a future closer we haven't seen since the days of Percival and Frankie.  In a short time, he has made presence in the BP felt and is invaluable in regards to the Angels competitive chances going forward.

Hansel Robles - A : The chosen "closer" has performed his role well and has almost matched Buttrey for best in the BP and has no peer when it comes to intro video.  Selected off waivers from the Mets last season, he's a testament to Eppler's waiver wire acumen - not easy to grab a guy who can wing it 99 MPH and is capable of putting up 2.74 ERA 1.102 WHIP 165 ERA+ 8.9 K/9 without giving up a key prospect or laying out some serious coin.

Tyler Skaggs - Incomplete : Like Adenhart 10 years earlier, his death was shocking and without warning.  Snatched from us too soon, it again demonstrates the overall irrelevance of the game in the face of real tragedy but, ultimately, it will be this game this will help the team heal from his absence.

Forever young...

Great job on this, @mulwin444. I agree with all of the grades! 

[Docwaukee]

agree that Harvey and cahill get straight F's.  

overall grades I would say:

Offense - A-
due to the slow start of having Bour, Bourjos, Cozart, and injuries.  Now doing A level work although a couple more recent injuries could hurt a little

Rotation - D
Harvey and Cahill definitely bring things way down but not a ton to bring the grade up.  They've been doing C/C- level work since those two haven't been in the rotation but a big chunk of that was due to Tyler.   Could be a long summer though.  

Bullpen - B
Started out doing A level work but they've regressed a bit due to extra volume.  Not likely to change.  

Ausmus - B-/C+ 
seems to be helping the team handle the Skaggs tragedy well although it's tough to tell.  Has been quick to move on from under performing players.  Pen management lacks a bit but the rotation isn't helping with that.  Has gotten more personable as the season has worn on.  Seemed fairly aloof/arrogant to start out the year.  

Eppler - B 
whiffed hard on every free agent but kept to damage short term.  Hit it out of the park with Lastella and has done well to shuffle the roster and give new/young guys chances.  Part of that grade includes how he's set the team up for the future but if we're talking about just the major league club and just the first half of 2019 for the most part, I think that's a fair grade.  

[T.G.]

The thing that stands out the most to me at this point in the season is that the Angels are 18-27 vs. the AL West. They have to do a better job against teams in their own division.

All the other stuff is valuable to look at, but they need to take care of business in the AL West.

[Docwaukee]

1 minute ago, True Grich said:

The thing that stands out the most to me at this point in the season is that the Angels are 18-27 vs. the AL West. They have to do a better job against teams in their own division.

All the other stuff is valuable to look at, but they need to take care of business in the AL West.

most of those teams are pretty good and one of them is great.  I think it tells you a lot of who we are actually relative to our record vs. teams .500 or better.  

We're also 7-13 in one run games.  That's a pitching depth issue to me and we exhaust it early and often.    

We also have 21 comeback wins and 17 blown leads.  

This team needs to figure out the 5th, 6th and 7th innings while holding the ball.  

[stormngt]

4 hours ago, mulwin444 said:

Even though the All Star game doesn't happen exactly after game 81, it is usually considered the unofficial halfway point of the season so, since we are stuck with no games until Friday (and I'm bored), I thought it would be fun to take a look at the performances so far:

Hitters:

Mike Trout - A+: Let's get the obvious out of the way first and just revel in his magnificence - .301 .453 1.098 OPS 191 OPS+ 5.9 WAR in 87 games.  Additionally, he leads the A.L. with 28 HR, 76 BB, 11 IBB, .453 OBP, .656 SLG, 1.098 OPS, 191 OPS+, 195 Total Bases, and, a new wrinkle for him, in RBI with 67 while batting 2nd.  

Shohei Ohtani - A :  So far, for his career, he is hitting .292 .358 .924 OPS 147 OPS+ in 157 games which means, at only 25, he is one of the better offensive players in the league.  After missing time due to Tommy John surgery, and no rehab games, he stepped on the field an offensive force - it's quite astonishing when you kind of take it all in.  

David Fletcher - A : You kind of forget that David Fletcher was never considered a top prospect by anyone but, yet, after 164 games he has a pretty nice 4.5 WAR at only 25.  Additionally, he has improved in every aspect of his offense game including average and OBP, he has increased his OPS 90 points, he leads the entire MLB in SO/AB and has walked more than he's K'd (30 BB 25 K).  If you have an injury (Simmons, La Stella, Cozart, Upton), Fletcher can fill in and, regardless of position played, it won't impact his performance.  

Kole Calhoun - B : His average is a bit ugly but he's putting up one of the higher OPS of his career, is getting on base at a decent clip (.323) and could eclipse his career HR total by mid-August and pass 30 for the first time in his career.  After getting to an abysmal start last season, Calhoun 2.0 has evolved offensively while still providing solid RF defense.

Andrelton Simmons - B : The hitting is down a bit from last season but, considering his game-changing defense at SS, the offensive contribution is almost a bonus at times.  Still, he has demonstrated he is capable of better offense and hopefully his 2nd half will improve post-injury.  

Albert Pujols - C- : He is what he is at this point so there is no use banging too hard on him since he's been pretty much reduced to a platoon role.  Still, it a stark contrast to see historic milestones fall while the seasonal offensive performance continues to dwindle.  The positives, though, is he is much better 2018/2019 than his rough 2017 (-1.9 WAR), and is actually on pace to better his 2018 season overall. 

Tommy La Stella - A :  For a guy acquired for a PTBNL (eventually Connor Lillis-White has hasn't played this year), he's been a hell of a return.  His history has been one of those scrappy type of hitters that could get on base at a decent clip, play adequate defense, and lightly regarded.  However, his 2017 season showed he was capable of showing some pop (.288 .389 .861 OPS 122 OPS+ in 73 games) and his lifetime .350 OBP showed he was a lead-off candidate that could be paired with Fletcher as a 9/1 order tandem that finally put some men on base for Trout.  His unfortunate leg injury sucked the wind out of his All Star season a bit but his value in the first half should not be understated.

Luis Regifo - B : Speaking of PTBNL, that's exactly what Rengifo was in the C.J. Cron deal.  Prior to his acquisition, Rengifo had never really distinguished himself in terms of offensive but that changed in 2018 when ripped through High A Inland Empire and AA Mobile to get him to SLC before the end of the year and on to the depth chart.  After hitting .174 .250 .511 OPS in his first 14 games, Rengifo has caught fire and raised his average to .260 .333 .712 OPS along with taking some of the sting away from losing La Stella.  While his defense has been spotty at times and his run game has not quite come together yet (0-3 in SB attempts), at 22, he's made an impact as an everyday contributor.

Jonathan Lucroy - C- :  Stop gap, one year deal solution.  Everything about him so far has been "meh" - from the offense to the catching defense to the pitch calling.  You know you are doing some interesting stuff offensively when you are beating Pujols, and the entire AL for that matter, in grounding into double plays.  Looks like he'll be down for a bit after a brutal home plate collision.

Justin Bour - D- :  Signed for 1/$2.5 mil, it was a decent free agent gamble but - yeesh - he sucks.  Through 43 games, he's hit an anemic .181 .260 .651 OPS 72 OPS -0.4 WAR.  With Upton healthy and Thaiss on the verge, his days on the 25 man roster appear to be numbered.

Brian Goodwin - B+ : Selected off waivers, he filled in admirably in Upton's absence and has put up one of the better season of his career.  Nothing special but he was a steady line-up presence at the beginning of the season and should be a solid 4th OFer the rest of the season.

Justin Upton - Too New to Rate : It's been a solid 14 games I guess between injuries

Pitchers: 

Andrew Heaney - C : Got off to a slow start due to elbow inflammation, he hasn't lived up to the steady rotational presence he was in 2018.  The 2nd half with be a chance for him to re-set and attempt to lower his walks and HRs and pitch well enough to start averaging 6 IP per start again.  The encouraging part is his H/9 are the lowest his career and his K/9 are the highest of his career respectively.

Griffin Canning - B :  Yeah, the overall numbers are a bit rough(4.43 ERA 1.02 ERA+) but, despite his youth, he's been the steadiest presence in the rotation with 8 straight starts in May/June where he averaged 6 IP, including 7 shut out innings against KC.  His last start (3.1 IP 6 ER) should be taken with a grain of salt considering it is on the road in Texas and it was very close in time to Skaggs' death.  Overall, his peripherals look great - 1.092 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 2.4 BB/9, 9.6 K/9 - he's poised to have a great 2nd half.

Suarez/Barria - B- : The overall numbers between the two of them are not great but their relative youth and constant shuttling between SLC and MLB means they get a bit of a pass.  Barria showed last year what he was capable of and he will likely be leaned on in the 2nd half to provide a predictable rotation presence.  Suarez has looked really good times along with looking like a rookie.  The talent is there...hopefully we get to see some development soon.

Cahill/Harvey - D- : The Gutter Twins.  If they somehow managed to just repeat their respective performances from last season, the Angels would be a serious threat for the 2nd Wild Card.  Instead, the Angels got the pitching equivalent of a broken sewer pipe.  While Harvey is on the IL, he is poised to demonstrate once and for all if he belongs in rotation, the BP, or on waivers.  Cahill has been a miracle in that I'm not there is an inning that goes by without him giving up a run - wait, yep, he just gave up another one someone on a day off.  DFA sooner rather than later and, in the end, it was only money.

Felix Pena - C+ : He's a guy with good "stuff" that has seen his H/9 and K/9 improve but his HR/9 increase and has been more susceptible of the big inning (especially against the A's).  While the "opening" is the latest thing that has shown moderate success for some teams with rotational issues, Pena hasn't really responded well to the change but, with JC Ramirez and Harvey coming back to the rotation, he could be a valuable multi-inning reliever or spot starter down the road.

Noe Ramirez - B-:  He's never been fantastic but he has improved over his mediocrity from last season and gives the Angels another BP option that can go more than one inning.

Luis Garcia - D :  He throws hard...which mean the balls that are hit off of him travel pretty far.  4.64 ERA 98 ERA+ is really reflective of his irrelevance - he walks too many, gives up too many HRs, doesn't strike out as much as he should, and he makes me  long for the days of Fernando Salas.  

Justin Anderson - C : If this Ass Hat could figure out already if he wants to be good or not that would be terrific.  He gives zero predictability with occasional flashes of brilliance and absolutely no reason to trust him in a close and late situation.

Cam Bedrosian - C+:  Ah, Bedrosian...just when it seems we've reached the point where we can look to you for BP leadership, you shit yourself like someone who downed a 5th of gin while consuming a plate of rancid potato salad.  The "good" is he doesn't give up many hits, strikes out more hitters than innings pitched, has a nice 1.163 WHIP, and 127 ERA+.  The "bad" is he'll save his runs for the most crucial, heartbreaking moment.  Please, Cam, give us something to work with in the 2nd half.

Ty Buttrey -  A :  Acquired for a super disinterested Ian Kinsler at last season's trade deadline, he's been the fireman out of the BP and given us a glimpse of a future closer we haven't seen since the days of Percival and Frankie.  In a short time, he has made presence in the BP felt and is invaluable in regards to the Angels competitive chances going forward.

Hansel Robles - A : The chosen "closer" has performed his role well and has almost matched Buttrey for best in the BP and has no peer when it comes to intro video.  Selected off waivers from the Mets last season, he's a testament to Eppler's waiver wire acumen - not easy to grab a guy who can wing it 99 MPH and is capable of putting up 2.74 ERA 1.102 WHIP 165 ERA+ 8.9 K/9 without giving up a key prospect or laying out some serious coin.

Tyler Skaggs - Incomplete : Like Adenhart 10 years earlier, his death was shocking and without warning.  Snatched from us too soon, it again demonstrates the overall irrelevance of the game in the face of real tragedy but, ultimately, it will be this game this will help the team heal from his absence.

Forever young...

You inflated Harvey and Cahills grade!

[Troll Daddy]

Ty Buttrey  B+

Bedrock  B-

 

[Duren, Duren]

Nice commentary here.

 

Bottom line is that the team is a work in progress. The core offensive and defensive pieces seem in place longer term, and maybe four or five pitchers.

Secret will be to compliment this core at first, catcher, possibly another outfielder. And a couple of better starters. The bullpen should sort itself out as is, with more experience and defined roles. Another live arm wouldn't hurt.

Things are pointing to a positive 2020 season with a few more tweaks and additions. And remember, Asmus is a rookie and learning too.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

4 hours ago, Torridd said:

What about Kevan Smith?

Are we reviewing Clerks?

[floplag]

Great job.  
I wonder, since most feel Lucroy hasnt been up to par, how much his issues behind the plate might be affecting the pitchers? 
Just a random thought.

[Tank]

5 hours ago, mulwin444 said:

Justin Upton - Too New to Rate : It's been a solid 14 games I guess between injuries

you blew it, bud.

Justin Upton - Too late to rate

the 2019 equivalent of too blessed to be stressed but with a lot more promise of something better.

[Lou]

15 minutes ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

Are we reviewing Clerks?

Great movie.

"Try not to blow any guys on your way across the parking lot!....Hey you get back here!"

[eligrba]

Is there a possibility for earning extra credit?

[tdawg87]

11 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Is there a possibility for earning extra credit?

Yeah but it'll cost ya

*Unzips pants*

[Lou]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

Yeah but it'll cost ya

*Unzips pants*

when did you start wearing pants? 

[tdawg87]

Just now, Lou said:

when did you start wearing pants? 

Since the hearing.

[Troll Daddy]

7 hours ago, Duren, Duren said:

Nice commentary here.

 

Bottom line is that the team is a work in progress. The core offensive and defensive pieces seem in place longer term, and maybe four or five pitchers.

Secret will be to compliment this core at first, catcher, possibly another outfielder. And a couple of better starters. The bullpen should sort itself out as is, with more experience and defined roles. Another live arm wouldn't hurt.

Things are pointing to a positive 2020 season with a few more tweaks and additions. And remember, Asmus is a rookie and learning too.

I didn’t realize Ausmus was a rookie ... Thxs for the heads up