Albert Pujols

[ScottT]

Astros haven't improved (nor do they care if they have at this point).  Yankees were playing over their heads.  

 

Angels have been better (still a big disappointment, though) than their record shows.  Yankees are fortunate to be where they are. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/

[tdawg87]

Okay Ed in Tustin is this what you want me to say. The Angels suck and will never ever win another World Series. In fact they will never win another division championship.  We are all doomed as fans. LOL

 

That's what you were saying last week, so why not?

[austin724]

You are definitely in rare form tonight tdawg.

[Brandon]

If Austin is really a chick she is the Daddy27 of females.

[Stradling]

This is what years of steroid use does to an athlete's body.

Ignorant posts like this are fun.

[stormngt]

I had really hoped (and thought) we would get at least 2-3 years of MVP-caliber Pujols before he started his inevitable descent into mediocrity. Unfortunately we got that in year 1.

when was the first year?

[EDinTUSTIN]

Astros haven't improved (nor do they care if they have at this point).  Yankees were playing over their heads.  

 

Angels have been better (still a big disappointment, though) than their record shows.  Yankees are fortunate to be where they are. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/

The Angels are exactly what their record shows, a team struggling just to reach mediocrity. Besides, even if it is true that they are better than what their record shows, that does not translate into victories in the win column nor does it get a team into postseason. So that is a moot point. The only thing that matters is the win/loss record.

[SmallSampleSize]

[mota_madness]

BFWOM.... 

BIG

Effing

WASTE

OF

MONEY

[ScottT]

The Angels are exactly what their record shows, a team struggling just to reach mediocrity. Besides, even if it is true that they are better than what their record shows, that does not translate into victories in the win column nor does it get a team into postseason. So that is a moot point. The only thing that matters is the win/loss record.

 

If you believe that first sentence, I'd like to make a wager with you that the Angels will finish with a better record than Cleveland or Kansas City.  Take your pick.  

 

It matters. It shows how bad things have gone.  They won't finish the season with a .435 winning percentage.  They still can make a run at it.  

[EDinTUSTIN]

They just might finish better than Cleveland or Kansas City, but so what? The only thing that counts is that they finish better than the Rangers, and A's, and if not that at least 10 other teams. Finishing better than two other scrub teams with minute payrolls is rather meaningless IMHO.

[ScottT]

What moves did you hate?  What moves do you think they should make now? 

[Chuck]

Jeff Fletcher and I go back and forth on Twitter.. Prompting an article (subscribers only) http://www.ocregister.com/angels/pujols-513047-angels-lack.html

 

Here's the free Twitter screenshot of our convo. https://mobile.twitter.com/ChuckRichter70/status/346396558062936064

[Angel Oracle]

Giving Hackilton 5 years was a definite brain dead move, given how he ended the 2012 season and stunk it up in the 2 middle months.

Why sign Blanton as well?

Right now, this past off-season reeks.

[ScottT]

Ok.  If the Angels have Hunter instead of Hamilton and Williams instead of Blanton, what do you think their record would be?  If you go by Baseball Reference's WAR, they'd be about +3 in the win column.  33-36.  That's being generous with Williams' innings.   That was also totally unexpected... which is the point.    

[Docwaukee]

I am not saying that pujols is expected to come thru vs. Rivera in that situation.  I know that's a tough way to lose after coming all the way back but that's a pretty tough spot. 

 

That said, regardless of who was at bat, the reason why this team is 10 games below .500 is because there have been too many situations where someone has had an opportunity to step up yet they haven't.  Borderline teams that 'get lucky' own these moments.  The A's.  The Orioles etc. 

 

It's just not meant to be. 

[ScottT]

Jeff Fletcher and I go back and forth on Twitter.. Prompting an article (subscribers only) http://www.ocregister.com/angels/pujols-513047-angels-lack.html

 

Here's the free Twitter screenshot of our convo. https://mobile.twitter.com/ChuckRichter70/status/346396558062936064

 

That first pitch to Pujols was a terrible call and changed things.  He called that pitch a ball to Trout, and righfully so. 0-1 then the guy throws a pitch inside... you feel like you have to swing.... makes a big difference.   0-2, you are desperate.  

[HaloMagic]

LOL. The bad strike call was the first pitch. Pujols still had a whole at bat to make a difference. But keep blaming the umpire.

[disarcina]

OUCH. Half swing for strike three with two out and bases loaded in the 9th.

 

Tying run 90 feet away, winning run 180 feet away, some speed on the base-paths for the runners that count.

 

HALF SWING STRIKE THREE????

 

I mean, if he ripped a line drive that got snagged, that's one thing........

 

OH WELL. It was a nice five run ninth........a sweep of the Yankees would have been real nice.

 

Well, at least they won the series -- but with the hole the Halos have placed themselves in with a poor April/May and so-so June -- at this point they need to more than win series......being swept at home by Houston does that to you........

 

24 games remaining before the All Star Break. Halos are what? 9/10 games under .500?

 

They need to go 17-7 or so to reach the .500 mark by the All Star Break which is where they need to be IF there is to a second half stretch run for the playoffs.

 

I just don't see this happening.........17-7 is what they need;  13 of the 24 games are at home; 4 vs. Seattle this week, 3 vs. Pittsburgh - they need to go 6-1 this week vs. these teams at home to have a shot at reaching .500 by the All Star Break........the way they've been playing, 13-11 is more like what the Halos record will be over the next 24 games -- they need to pick up more games than that.

[ScottT]

Pujols would be doing a good job if he came through in 35% of those situations against Rivera.  Maybe closer to 30%.   

[HaloMagic]

Well he's at 0% right now.

[Mudville]

The batting order looped in the 9th, Pujols had gone 2-3, walked and scored in the 9th and you turkeys are gobbling about who didn't step up their game?

 

Weaver didn't step up his game until he had let 5 Yankees score with 2 outs. That is who wasn't playing worth crap today, not the other 11 guys who tried to take back the game in the 9th.

[HaloMagic]

Pujols went 0-4, including a rally killing double play in the first. What game were you watching?

[Mudville]

Sorry, read wrong stat line. Fathers day, I was at a sports bar catching what I could between conversations. Still, he walked and scored in the 9th. Had Weaver not vomited up 5 runs early the Angels probably would have had a better chance to win this game.

[ScottT]

Well he's at 0% right now.

 

Cool sample size, bro.