This could be the worst season ever

[ScottT]

No way. In part, because I think there's no way they continue to play at this pace.  

 

1992 should be in the discussion.  While they had Finley, Langston, and Abbott.... only Abbott had a good year.  The offense was disturbing.  Gary Gaetti led the team with 12 home runs.  Von Hayes, Hubie Brooks, and Junior Felix.  Journeyman part-timer Rene Gonzales had the highest OPS+ on the team at 112. Chad Curtis was the only other player over 89.... at 100.  They were dead last in the AL with 3.57 runs per game.  Three average starters and a good bullpen kept them from being a complete disaster.

 

1993 was as bad, record-wise, but it was Tim Salmon's ROY season.  Those things make a difference to me.   This team has legitimate stars, even if you don't include Pujols and Hamilton.  One player whose at-bats I don't want to miss. The 1992 team had one non bullpen guy that had a good season... Jim Abbott... and he went 7-15.   I'll take this roster, even if they finish near .500... over that 1992 team.... all day long.  

[Lou E Ville]

What year did we have Dave Winfield and Dave Parker (coming off a great year average wise) and Winfield said "Mama said there'd be Daves like this", and Parker proceeded to hit like .200? Was that 92? I remember the Sports Illustrated preview that year. Had two Angels rounding the bases in a Spring Training game with the words "Here Come the Halos".

 

We seem to struggle when expected to do well.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

What year did we have Dave Winfield and Dave Parker (coming off a great year average wise) and Winfield said "Mama said there'd be Daves like this", and Parker proceeded to hit like .200? Was that 92? I remember the Sports Illustrated preview that year. Had two Angels rounding the bases in a Spring Training game with the words "Here Come the Halos".

 

We seem to struggle when expected to do well.

1991

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CAL/1991.shtml

[stormngt]

I became a fan in 1999 but was just getting into it so I can't recall the whole vibe of the season, I remember Collins getting fired and the team sucking but not much else.

 

 

  2003 was bad but we had several key guys on the DL so there seemed to be a valid excuse. 

 

We haven't had key guys on the DL this year?

 

Not saying this year isn't a disappointment, but can't you say the same argument?  After all, we lost our #1 Starter, our # 3 Starter, our closer (Madson), two of our top relief pitchers (Jepson and Burnett), Our left side of our infield, our CF, and our 1b is playing half strength right now.

[stormngt]

At least that team was in that spot. This team has been a world series favorite for 2 straight years and has utterly disappointed. 

WS favorites based on off season acquisitions are not true favorites.  

[austin724]

You had to be there Angels_Baseball.  It was like somebody took a knife and stabbed you in the back.  It was that crushing of a defeat.

[Halononymous]

There was no worse season than 1980. Period.

 

Imagine the Yankees from the 2012 ALCS. Now stretch that out over 162 games. That was the 1980 Angels.

 

You kids these days have it lucky.

[Lou E Ville]

Weren't the 1983 Angels pretty bad, too? 1985 and 1986 marked the first time ever this franchise had two successful seasons in a row. The 85 team was one of the surprise teams but lost three of four at KC in the last week to lose out by one game. That KC team won the Series. Before then what you're seeing now was the norm.

[Angel Oracle]

The 1968 team was the first to truly disapoint, as it still has the worst record in franchise history (65-96) after coming off of a pennant contention season in 1967.

The 1971 team was supposed to build on 1970's 86 win season through adding Tony Conigliaro, Jerry Moses, and Ken Berry. Instead, Conigliaro had just 4 HRs and retired mid-season, Jim Fregosi and Alex Johnson drastically fell off from their 1970 production, and that team won just 76 games.

The 1977 team was supposed to build on a 37-29 finish in 1976 and added Baylor, Rudi, and Grich. But that team was swept 4 straight early on by a bad Oakland team that lost most of its' stars to the first FA off-season. Then Baylor struggled and was booed, Rudi and Grich were injured for a lot of the season, and the team won just 74 games.

1980 was terrible throughout, beginning with the 4 game sweep by Oakland early on. It finished just half a game better than the 1968 team (65-95).

1983 was solid the first half, Lynn then hitting the first ever ASG grand slam, and then the wheels fell off with a 27-56 finish.

1992 team's hitting was about as bad as it ever was in franchise history.

1999 was horrible until Maddon replaced Collins and went 17-12 to close out the year.

2013 is threatening to challenge 1968, 1980, 1983, and 1999 for futility.

[Angel Oracle]

Also consider that the past 29 games all came vs. currently under .500 teams, and the best they could do is 15-14?

The next month may become UGLY.

[gurn67]

The 1977 team was supposed to build on a 37-29 finish in 1976 and added Baylor, Rudi, and Grich. But that team was swept 4 straight early on by a bad Oakland team that lost most of its' stars to the first FA off-season. Then Baylor struggled and was booed, Rudi and Grich were injured for a lot of the season, and the team won just 74 games.
 

I remember Joe Rudi driving 26 runs in the first 18 games in '77. Josh has 18 in the first 60 games which puts him on pace to get number 26 on June 26th in Detroit.

[fan_since79]

Yes, 1983 was a bad year. Reggie Jackson hit .194 for the entire season.

[Cool_Herc]

The Angels have never won more than 79 games in seasons ending in 3.

 

1963 won 70 games

1973 won 79 games

1983 won 70 games

1993 won 71 games

2003 won 77 games

 

2013 Angels are on pace to win 70 games.

 

Great stat! Given that, when 2023 rolls around I'll definitely be keeping my expecations in check and will expect a certain degree of absolute sucktitude throughout the season.