As the 2019 season ends (for us)........

[disarcina]

It's been another disappointing season for Halos fans,

We're going to finish well under .500 -- perhaps 15 games under or more.

I think even with the thin rotation and some holes in the line-up, all of us expected better than this,

The injuries and certainly the tragic loss of Tyler Skaggs took its toll -- but honestly, the season was lost by the time of Skaggs' demise and that horrific occurrence increased the velocity of the downward spiral.

The Halos have blamed poor records and poor finishes on key injuries each year after year.  It was difficult to tune into Halos games by mid-summer ; came real difficult after the Skaggs tragedy in Texas (save for that miraculous 'next' Skaggs start that came from the heavens) and then near impossible after Trout was deemed out for the rest of the season (still an MVP type year for him),

It's just hard not to come to the end of the 2019 season with a real feeling of disappointment, a feeling that despite having the best player in MLB not just now but one of the top ten of all time on the roster and signed through what should be the rest of his career, a core of some very good players (Simmons, Ohtani) -- the feeling is this organization is headed in the wrong direction and seem incapable of producing a winning team on the field.

Part of the 'problem' may be, ironically, that the Angels draw 3 million fans a year (will the Halos hit 3 million this season? I think so, but not sure. 3 million in tickets sold anyway, not necessarily butts in the seats) win, draw and mostly lose as of late. So there's not a lot of incentive there. And, I guess that's OK.

Is it just me - or have the Angels sort of sunk back to where they always were for years -- the second (almost forgotten) team in the greater Los Angeles, Southern California market going nowhere fast -- and sort of the perennial second fiddle.

When the Dodgers had their issues and the McCourt ownership almost literally destroyed a storied, successful MLB franchise in a few short years, I thought the Halos - with a new LA name and the potential of a new ballpark had a chance to truly compete and be that perennial contender on par with the team up at the Latrine -- but those hopes not only appear elusive now -- but almost as if the window of opportunity to make that leap has passed us by.

Oh well, sort of a rant - I'm sorry - but I really expected a bit more of this year's team - at least a near .500 record.  It's been how many years since we were in the playoffs?  Oh well. I can't say we end 2019 on any kind of high note,

[Claude]

Great thread with a lot of truths. It’s too late to back up the car so be prepared for the long and winding road ahead. 

Edited September 24, 2019 by Calzone 2

[yk9001]

You really thought the LA name change would lift the franchise, huh?

Ha ha, wow.

[yk9001]

This franchise is in its early 1990s phase, except with Trout added.

Completely faceless and non descript.

It's only identity nationwide is "that crappy team that Trout plays for".

We're the Padres North.

[TroutAdell]

For 2020 to not end the sane way it is vital that the core players remain healthy. Losing Upton, Ohtani and Simmons for several weeks hurt the club tremendously. Secondly, of course, is acquiring pitching that can matchup with the A’s, Astros and other top teams. One big negative is a 40+ Pujols playing 1B/DH with his huge salary and declining production. If only the Halos could use his 30 mil. On pitching.  

[Justin]

When I was a little kid in the 80s and in high school in the 90s (outnumbered by Dodgers friends 20:1) it seemed inconceivable the Angels could ever experience a decade like the 00s. 

It happened once; it could happen again. With a core of Trout, Ohtani, Adell, Canning, etc., it won't take a tremendous amount of good luck. It will take the absence of terrible luck.

In a four-year span from '14-18, the organization suffered torn UCLs by Skaggs, Ohtani, Heaney, Ramirez, Tropeano, and Richards TWICE. That's terrible luck. Maybe average luck - hell, maybe even good luck - is right around the corner.

[Claude]

46 minutes ago, TroutAdell said:

 One big negative is a 40+ Pujols playing 1B/DH with his huge salary and declining production. If only the Halos could use his 30 mil. 

My erection lasted for more than four minutes. Thank you. 

[cysomeawfulpitcher]

[stormngt]

I didnt think we would make the playoffs but I thought we would have been better than last year.

[disarcina]

yk9001 -- I do think the Los Angeles Angels name change increased the Halos national profile. 

I know that's not a popular view here - but I was in support of Arte's move to change the name from Day One.

Actually, when you think about it -- it's about the only thing that the Cowboy (Gene Autry for the younger folks here) got from Walter O'Malley (former Dodger owner / patriarch - again for the millennials here) - the Angles paid for 'the second Los Angeles franchise' and for what? Four years? - 1962-65 they were O'Malley's tenants at the Latrine receiving ZERO concessions sales / parking revenue and garnering ONLY ticket sales revenue.

Orange County locals don't like the name change -- and that's expected and OK - but the name change has increased the Angels national profile and set the franchise top to be a major market player -- unfortunately the product on the field just hasn't measured up in recent years,

oh well - Orange County locals will never agree with/ like/ support the name change and that's OK.

[disarcina]

the Angles !! LOL -- now that's a name change !!

 

[Pancake Bear]

Counter point: The Angels are in great shape for the future and the next five years overall will be as good as any in franchise history (although no guarantees on a WS, since that takes a bit of luck). 

[mmc]

20 minutes ago, disarcina said:

yk9001 -- I do think the Los Angeles Angels name change increased the Halos national profile. 

I know that's not a popular view here - but I was in support of Arte's move to change the name from Day One.

Actually, when you think about it -- it's about the only thing that the Cowboy (Gene Autry for the younger folks here) got from Walter O'Malley (former Dodger owner / patriarch - again for the millennials here) - the Angles paid for 'the second Los Angeles franchise' and for what? Four years? - 1962-65 they were O'Malley's tenants at the Latrine receiving ZERO concessions sales / parking revenue and garnering ONLY ticket sales revenue.

Orange County locals don't like the name change -- and that's expected and OK - but the name change has increased the Angels national profile and set the franchise top to be a major market player -- unfortunately the product on the field just hasn't measured up in recent years,

oh well - Orange County locals will never agree with/ like/ support the name change and that's OK.

LA people hate it too.

[disarcina]

yeah I am sure the Dodger crowd can't stand it.

oh well.

these days we really can't say much about the Dogs these days -- this could be their year - finally.

unless a peaking at the right time Cardinals knock them out or the just better team Houston beats them in the World Series again,

[cysomeawfulpitcher]

1 hour ago, disarcina said:

yeah I am sure the Dodger crowd can't stand it.

oh well.

these days we really can't say much about the Dogs these days -- this could be their year - finally.

unless a peaking at the right time Cardinals knock them out or the just better team Houston beats them in the World Series again,

We’ll always have the freeway sweep.

[disarcina]

yeah - we did sweep them and I think the LA Times actually got it right -- one of the quietest , ho hum what should have been a big Freeway Series buzzing with excitement - sweeps.

Dodgers drop three games to cross town rival and remain ten games in front of their NL West 

Angels win three games and remain (then) in third place - gain no ground on Houston and maybe a game in the just then getting started Wild Card Spot(s) races -- (at that point in the season when your team officially becomes an also ran),

Oh well -- my Dodgers fan pal said about the sweep -- 'well, there's your team's (Halos) version of the World Series this year,... all down hill from here"

 

 

[Claude]

On 9/24/2019 at 10:10 PM, cysomeawfulpitcher said:

We’ll always have the freeway sweep.

 

[Claude]

11 hours ago, RBM said:

I do not understand why any fan would have an issue with using the Los Angeles Angels as our team name.

It was our team name in 1961. I never really identified with the team name becoming the California Angels but had no issue with it.

When Disneyland bought the team and renamed them the Anaheim Angels it was done purely for business reasons.

So now we are back to the beginning. Los Angeles Angels sounds right. If you disagree, get over it. 

We need three starting pitchers, not another name change.

The Angels are like BF Goodrich 

“we’re the other guys”

[Stradling]

Narrative

[Blarg]

33 minutes ago, Calzone 2 said:

The Angels are like BF Goodrich 

“we’re the other guys”

With the last World Series trophy ever won in the LA basin. 

[Claude]

29 minutes ago, Blarg said:

With the last World Series trophy ever won in the LA basin. 

this is true

[yk9001]

On 9/24/2019 at 7:51 PM, disarcina said:

yk9001 -- I do think the Los Angeles Angels name change increased the Halos national profile. 

I know that's not a popular view here - but I was in support of Arte's move to change the name from Day One.

Actually, when you think about it -- it's about the only thing that the Cowboy (Gene Autry for the younger folks here) got from Walter O'Malley (former Dodger owner / patriarch - again for the millennials here) - the Angles paid for 'the second Los Angeles franchise' and for what? Four years? - 1962-65 they were O'Malley's tenants at the Latrine receiving ZERO concessions sales / parking revenue and garnering ONLY ticket sales revenue.

Orange County locals don't like the name change -- and that's expected and OK - but the name change has increased the Angels national profile and set the franchise top to be a major market player -- unfortunately the product on the field just hasn't measured up in recent years,

oh well - Orange County locals will never agree with/ like/ support the name change and that's OK.

oh I think most here supported the name change wildly.

If Arte farts, most on this board hear Beethoven.

Unfortunately, the Halos national profile is terrible.  "The anonymous, mediocre, nondescript team that Trout plays for."

[Lou]

2 minutes ago, yk9001 said:

oh I think most here supported the name change wildly.

I disagree.

I think most here didn't give a shit. 

[mulwin444]

5 minutes ago, Lou said:

I disagree.

I think most here didn't give a shit. 

Yep...I supported the name change but to say "wildly" would be an overstatement...

[Stradling]

Rack em