Gameday Thread: Rangers @ Angels (9/6/21 6pm start): Barria on the mound

[Blarg]

Kinda felt that was going to happen. 

[Blarg]

Just now, jsnpritchett said:

Othani is down to .255.

Making him less Babe Ruth like than the end of July. 

[Jay]

Ohtani is trying to carry the team.

 

[Jay]

Or maybe he's just trying to pad his stats, who knows.

[Angel Oracle]

44 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Maybe it’s time for Ohtani to do two things.  One, use the whole field like earlier in the season.  Two, expand the zone and hit those pitches to left. 

Three, rest these next three days.

Maybe a clear head can reverse the Mendoza line hitting since August 1.

He’s become an extreme three true outcomes guy.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Revad]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

Three, rest these next three days.

Maybe a clear head can reverse the Mendoza line hitting since August 1.

I think Stassi needs rest as well.

[Angel Oracle]

Just now, Revad said:

I think Stassi needs rest as well.

Yep, .189 BA since August 1

[Angel Oracle]

Hate to say it, but that end of season slump may be upon the Halos.

21 of remaining 24 games against well over .500 teams 

We don’t even know when Cobb, Detmers, and Warren are returning.

Fletcher, Ohtani, and Stassi have all gone into virtual hibernation at the plate since August 1.   So did Upton, but he’s IL’d anyway.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[fan_since79]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

Hate to say it, but that end of season slump may be upon the Halos.

21 of remaining 24 games against well over .500 teams 

7-14 in those 21 games entirely possible. Or worse.

[HaloBronco]

44 minutes ago, ScottT said:

It's time for an electronic strike zone.

I do agree that Ohtani could hit some of those pitches, though. He was earlier in the season.  Hitting is difficult 

Couldn’t agree more. 
I’ve been screaming for it all year. 
 

Imagine having a consistent strike zone, what a concept!

[Angel Oracle]

Are the umps worse than ever at ball/strike calls?

If so, due to pitches having more movement than ever?

Or just not nearly as good any more at it?

[daygloman]

Disappointing series.

Go Halos!

[eligrba4ever]

Oh well. Need 2 wins to reach .500 for the 26th time. Not seeing that against the Padres. Then it will be 4 wins to reach .500. The final run through the schedule looks pretty tricky to reach 81 wins.

[eligrba4ever]

Encouraging performance by Barria. The hitters? Not so much.

[Angel Oracle]

13 minutes ago, eligrba4ever said:

Oh well. Need 2 wins to reach .500 for the 26th time. Not seeing that against the Padres. Then it will be 4 wins to reach .500. The final run through the schedule looks pretty tricky to reach 81 wins.

Game 136 is very likely the last one for 2021 for being at .500.

[Revad]

27 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Game 136 is very likely the last one for 2021 for being at .500.

I agree

[fan_since79]

11 hours ago, eligrba4ever said:

Oh well. Need 2 wins to reach .500 for the 26th time. Not seeing that against the Padres. Then it will be 4 wins to reach .500. The final run through the schedule looks pretty tricky to reach 81 wins.

Oakland, Seattle, and San Diego are scrambling for playoff spots. They will surely bring their A game. 

[namssa]

Mayfield hitting 3rd isn't much protection for Ohtani.  I'm shocked he even gets any pitches to hit.

[Blarg]

33 minutes ago, namssa said:

Mayfield hitting 3rd isn't much protection for Ohtani.  I'm shocked he even gets any pitches to hit.

Mayfield hitting bench'th would have been more effective. 

[Blarg]

Then again, this is what Ohtani saw for pitches with a man on in the 8th inning and did nothing with them. All three were four seam fastballs at basically the same speed. He swung at all three and popped up to end the inning.

 

[Angel Oracle]

19 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Then again, this is what Ohtani saw for pitches with a man on in the 8th inning and did nothing with them. All three were four seam fastballs at basically the same speed. He swung at all three and popped up to end the inning.

 

Three days of rest from hitting, and hope he regroups.

[Chuck]

10 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Then again, this is what Ohtani saw for pitches with a man on in the 8th inning and did nothing with them. All three were four seam fastballs at basically the same speed. He swung at all three and popped up to end the inning.

 

Baseball is hard, @Blarg. Even the best of them have at bats, games and bad stretches. 

Let's focus on the positive here. Ohtani is doing stuff that no other player has ever done at this level. 

Also, I would add. That when you're getting pitches called well out of the strike zone it causes you to expand your zone as a hitter rather than that mental box you have in your head of where you need to attack a pitch. 

This is just absurd. 

Here's more...

 

[Jason]

1st half Ohtani>>>>>>2nd half Ohtani 

[DCAngelsFan]

32 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Three days of rest from hitting, and hope he regroups.

He doesn't look like he's having nearly as much fun as before - I think the intense scrutiny and high expectations, however well-intentioned, puts an unreasonable amount of pressure on him, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's all stressing him out.    

Some physical and mental rest might do him some good

[Chuck]

12 minutes ago, Jason said:

1st half Ohtani>>>>>>2nd half Ohtani 

His pitching has been better in the second half, by quite a bit. 

First half: 3.49 ERA, 1.21 WHIP with 35 walks

Second half: 2.20 ERA, 0.87 WHIP with 6 walks. 

You can't have it all @Jason. Be thankful for the historical season we're witnessing by Ohtani. 

Every player has ups and downs at the plate and on the mound. He's way more in a groove from the mound than he is at the plate right now... I would argue not having a Trout and Rendon hitting behind him (Gosselin, really?) has something to do with him getting pitches right down the middle to hit... Which has been identified by all of the called strike pitches out of the zone that he's been getting called out on.