Strat-O-Matic Simulates the Season: The Official Thread (Angels 83-79, 3rd in AL West, 7 GB Wild Card) ** SEASON ENDED, DODGERS WIN WORLD SERIES

[Angel Oracle]

Buttrey is definitely not Strat-O-Matic friendly. 

Halos are on pace to threaten the franchise low winning pct (in 1980).   So they have that going for them.

Edited May 14, 2020 by Angel Oracle

[Capital_Dave]

Angels explode for 8 runs over the first two innings, chasing Sean Manaea who had been stellar so far this season (he now has a 2.92 ERA after giving up 8 ERs to the Angels in today's game... you do the math).  Matt Andriese continues to be a Strat-o-matic darling, earning his sixth win of the season after going 6 innings in this one.  Angels win 10-2.  Trout, Simmons, Rendon, and Upton get home runs for the Angels, who also go 4-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

 

[Capital_Dave]

Might be a bit of a closer controversy brewing in Anaheim, eh @Jeff Fletcher?  Hansel Robles has yet another shaky outing, as he comes in in the top of the ninth to hold a 4-4 tie but a walk to Robbie Grossman , a balk to move Grossman to second, and an RBI double for Matt Chapman give the A's the go-ahead run.  Robles' ERA is up to 4.70.  The A's go on to win 5-4.  Trout gets a rare day off (though he does come in to pinch hit for Jason Castro late, delivering a single).  

 

[Capital_Dave]

DRIVE HOME SAFELY.  Heaney goes down with injury in the second inning (pretty realistic) but will only be out for 15 games (not at all realistic).  Cam Bedrosian comes in with a tie score in the ninth (!) and holds the line.  The Angels then load the bases in the bottom of the ninth when Andrelton Simmons hits a walk-off single to score Mike Trout from third.  Angels win the game and the series, 2-1.  Gold stars for the Angels relievers who combine for 7.1 innings of shutout, four-hit ball.  Shohei Ohtani gets his fifth homer of the year to account for the other run.

[eligrba4ever]

Pretend Heandog  is indeed very realistic so far in this fake season.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Griffin Canning is joining the rotation to take Heaney’s place. He’s starting this weekend. 
 

As for the relievers, Buttrey, Middleton and Robles have all struggled. It’s one of the Fake Angels biggest issues. 

[Angel Oracle]

All the while, Buchter and Barnes have come to the rescue.

[Capital_Dave]

The Angels started their road trip very successfully in Kansas City.  Julio Teheran had a terrific start, giving up just 2 ER in 7 innings.  Andrelton Simmons led the offense, going 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored, and the Angels walloped the Royals, 11-5.  The Angels now have three regulars (Trout, Rendon, Simmons) hitting above .310 on the season.

[Slegnaac]

Luck this was a blowout.  Bard gets called up and manages to give up 3 runs on 2 Homeruns in the 9th.  ERA 27.0, yikes.

[Glen]

@Jeff Fletcher what fake questions are you asking fake Joe Maddon at the fake postgame interviews?

[Capital_Dave]

Not a lot going on for the Angels in this one.  The Royals lose their first two pitchers of the game to multi-week injury within the first three innings, but the KC bullpen steps up and the Angels sputter to a 5-3 loss.  Hunter Dozier with a big day at the plate for the Royals, going 3-for-4 with a triple and a homer.  The worst-performing pitcher for the Royals (Greg Holland, 1IP, 3H, 1BB, 2ER) gets the win because wins are dumb.

 

[Capital_Dave]

Shohei Ohtani continues to struggle on the mound to start the season.  Today, it's Jorge Soler who proved his undoing, as Soler homered in his first two at bats, accounting for all 5 Royals runs.  KC wins 5-4.  

[Angel Oracle]

Jorge Soler the current AL MVP with those numbers?

[Capital_Dave]

Angels drop their third straight in KC by a score of 4-2 and lose the series, three games to one.  Jorge Soler continues his assault on pitchers, blasting his 21st homer and his 57th RBI.  (He leads the major leagues in both categories.)  Matt Andriese takes the loss, though two of the runs he gave up came on a costly Justin Upton error.  Don't look now, but Matt Thaiss and Jo Adell are playing pretty well lately.  They've both seen their batting averages perk up above the Mendoza Line.  (This is what we're counting as progress these days.)

Angels head to Oakland next to visit Tarpy and the Athletics, who lead the Wild Card standings.

[eligrba4ever]

Gotta hand it to the pretend Padres' ace Garrett Richards. He started May 21 against the pretend Marlins and led the 8-0 shutout. He's had a hot pretend start and stands 5-2 as of today (5/21). LOL!!!

[Angel Oracle]

Showing how crazy closer stats can be, the Royals’ Ian Kennedy has 17 saves already, but also a 5.00+ ERA.

[Capital_Dave]

Trout gets his 15th home run of the year, now batting .340, and Ty Buttrey works to turn things around for his season, going two strong innings to earn the win, as the Angels top the A's, 7-2.  A's starter Frankie Montas needs to go back on the PEDs.  He doesn't make it to the end of the third inning, giving up 7 earned runs.

[eligrba4ever]

Pretend Mike Trout seems to be most of what separates the 20-30 pretend Angels from the 16-36 pretend Mariners. Keep it up pretend GOAT!

[Capital_Dave]

Griffin Canning is back.  Um, allow me to rephrase.  GRIFFIN CANNING IS BACK.  Canning comes off the IL in a big way, throwing 6 one-hit shutout innings in his season debut en route to a 2-0 Angels victory.  Robles pitches a perfect ninth inning to earn the save.  Angels clinch a series win against the AL Wild Card leaders and look to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Capital_Dave]

Angels complete the sweep over the Wild Card-leading A's.  A solo shot by Brian Goodwin in the top of the 10th proves the difference.  The closer controversy that seemed to be brewing a week ago is certainly cooling now, as Robles comes out of the bullpen for the third game in a row and throws an immaculate inning (1 inning, 3 K's, 9 pitches) to dominate the A's and earn the save.

 

[eligrba4ever]

Fans of the pretend Angels everywhere hope pretend Shohei Ohtani (.220) snaps out of the pretend hitting doldrums.

Just wondering: Will the simulation continue if a "real" season launches in July?

[Slegnaac]

I would hope so.

54 minutes ago, eligrba4ever said:

Fans of the pretend Angels everywhere hope pretend Shohei Ohtani (.220) snaps out of the pretend hitting doldrums.

Just wondering: Will the simulation continue if a "real" season launches in July?

 

[Capital_Dave]

1 hour ago, eligrba4ever said:

Fans of the pretend Angels everywhere hope pretend Shohei Ohtani (.220) snaps out of the pretend hitting doldrums.

Just wondering: Will the simulation continue if a "real" season launches in July?

I suspect the simulation will continue.  I suspect my daily updates will not.  

[Jeff Fletcher]

20 minutes ago, Capital_Dave said:

I suspect the simulation will continue.  I suspect my daily updates will not.  

I suspect I will also stop making the lineups. 

[Justin]

If the real season starts and the Angels are good, can I still complain about how bad the pretend Angels are?