Is it just me or does it feel like the season is slipping away from us?

[Angelsjunky]

A week and a half ago there was a real feeling of hope. The Angels went on an 8-1 run (and then 11-3) and reached 8 games over .500 (40-32, then 41-33) and were in a wildcard slot. It felt like the team was finally playing to its potential. Since then, they're 3-7 and just 4 games over .500. Again. It is like .500 has this immense gravitational pull that they can't get away from.

The next seven games before the ASB will really set the tone for the second half: two more games against the Diamondbacks, 3 against the Padres, and 2 against the Dodgers. If they just win 2 of the 7, they'll still be above .500 (46-45) at the ASB, but whoopty-do. I'd really like to see them go at last 4-3 to feel like this is a team that has a chance at the postseason. 

It feels like these next three months will set the direction of the franchise for years to come. Unless the team catches fire and pulls in a playoff berth, I've got to think Perry is going to get the boot. Who knows what Ohtani will do, but you've got to imagine his decision will at least somewhat be based on whether or not the Angels make the playoffs. 

One problem is that the farm system sucks. It is really quite barren of high level talent. People have been saying for years that it is "pooled in the low minors" - but that was based on the idea that guys like Arol Vera and Alex Ramirez were going to develop. They really aren't, and as things stand now it turns out that outside assessments were mostly right about how bad the farm was.

Farms can be improved by trading away major league talent for prospects, but the Angels are unlikely to be far enough out of contention at the deadline to do that. If anything, they'll likely trade away prospects for pitching help to try to squeeze out a playoff spot.

I have no idea how to fix this team that doesn't involve a five-year rebuild. I used to work at a used book store and noticed an inherent problem with the business. The problem is that only a small percentage of books are turned over quickly, maybe 10% of books you bring in. Then another percentage (say, 20-30%) will eventually sell over six months or a year. That means that 60-70% of books you buy won't sell, or sell very slowly. So you continually have a stock of unmovable books. The store I worked at had a giant fire-sale once a year in which they sold such books at cheap prices - it helped clear shelf space, and at least they got something for those books. But tons of used book stores don't do that, so they end up with stock that doesn't really change, and they don't have room for new books. 

I feel like the Angels have been in such a spot for the better part of a decade: they won't do the fire-sale, first because of Trout and now Ohtani, and because they're just good enough to keep trying but not good enough to ever win. There's a feeling of having too few moves to make. Paying two players $75M a year makes it hard to rebuild (and more so if they end up paying three players $125M). The lack of moves would be workable if they had a thriving farm system, but they don't - and there's really little sign of that changing.

So here we are, where we've essentially been for the last 5+ years. This year will be different right? OK, if not, what about next....

[BTH]

yes, it does feel that way.

they have time to turn it around, but they need to end the slide and turn it around quickly.

[Taylor]

I've rarely felt good about this team since 2015. It's the same crap every year.

[BTH]

33 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

I have no idea how to fix this team that doesn't involve a five-year rebuild.

my hope would be an overhauled coaching staff that brings in fresh ideas and coaching from the best and most innovative orgs that results in development of players.

right now for 2024, with no moves, you're looking at:

C- O'Hoppe/Thaiss/Stassi/Wallach

1B- Thaiss/Walsh/Cabbage

2B- Drury

3B- Rendon/Escobar? ($10M club option)

SS- Neto

LF- Ward

CF- Trout

RF- Moniak/Adell

DH- Thaiss/Adell/Cabbage

 

SP- Detmers/Canning/Sandoval/Anderson/Suarez

SP/RP- Barria/Bachman/Mederos

RP- Estevez/Soriano/Webb/Joyce + AAA guys (Herget/Ingram/Torres/Wantz)

[Angel Oracle]

Remember that after starting 27-17 in 2022, they went just 20-48 over the next 68 games.

That won’t happen with this team.

But this 4-8 stretch does bring back bad memories.

Rendon needs to stay healthy.

Neto needs to return in no more than 3-4 weeks.

Even then, they just started the brutal 51 game stretch through August 30 in not a very good way last night.

[AngelsLakersFan]

The thread title sounds like the name of the last track on a mid 2000’s emo album.

[Blarg]

[Kendo36]

Our schedule is brutal. This was the month to make up ground and they failed to do so. 

[fan_since79]

It's not just you. It's actually an annual occurrence with this team. Get our hopes up, then slowly fade. Injuries galore, inconsistent pitching, bullpen woes, etc

There's often a late-season win streak that ignites our playoff hopes again, then a final crash. I don't recall what year, but we were leading the division before going into Texas and getting buried during the final week.

[Stradling]

Yep it feels that way. 

[Angel Oracle]

18 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

It's not just you. It's actually an annual occurrence with this team. Get our hopes up, then slowly fade. Injuries galore, inconsistent pitching, bullpen woes, etc

There's often a late-season win streak that ignites our playoff hopes again, then a final crash. I don't recall what year, but we were leading the division before going into Texas and getting buried during the final week.

1998, the Rangers won all 5 games against the Halos late in September, and that was it.

[Reveille1984]

Same story every year, unfortunately. 

Until we actually rebuild we'll be floundering in mediocrity.  Feels like we've had a bottom five farm system for over a decade.

[Slegnaac]

1 hour ago, Trendon said:

my hope would be an overhauled coaching staff that brings in fresh ideas and coaching from the best and most innovative orgs that results in development of players.

right now for 2024, with no moves, you're looking at:

C- O'Hoppe/Thaiss/Stassi/Wallach

1B- Thaiss/Walsh/Cabbage

2B- Drury

3B- Rendon/Escobar? ($10M club option)

SS- Neto

LF- Ward

CF- Trout

RF- Moniak/Adell

DH- Thaiss/Adell/Cabbage

 

SP- Detmers/Canning/Sandoval/Anderson/Suarez

SP/RP- Barria/Bachman/Mederos

RP- Estevez/Soriano/Webb/Joyce + AAA guys (Herget/Ingram/Torres/Wantz)

No David Fletcher?

[fan_since79]

14 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

1998, the Rangers won all 5 games against the Halos late in September, and that was it.

Yeah, that was brutal. In one of the series when it counted most we lost by scores of like 9-1. Just awful.

[Slegnaac]

12 minutes ago, Reveille1984 said:

Same story every year, unfortunately. 

Until we actually rebuild we'll be floundering in mediocrity.  Feels like we've had a bottom five farm system for over a decade.

Didn't the Trash City Pandas win the Championship last year?

[fan_since79]

I've got some 20 years to go before I hit 90, assuming I live that long. I still believe we'll get back in the postseason by then. I'm also hoping Arte sells the team by then.

[Blarg]

No.

20 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

Didn't the Trash City Pandas win the Championship last year?

No, but they did go to the playoffs. 

[Slegnaac]

6 minutes ago, Blarg said:

No.

No, they did go to the playoffs. 

Right,  they lost game 3 in the finals

Edited July 1, 2023 by Slegnaac

[Angel Oracle]

15 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

Yeah, that was brutal. In one of the series when it counted most we lost by scores of like 9-1. Just awful.

Yep, the 3 game home series, outscored 25-3.

[fan_since79]

Okay, those three brutal losses to the Rangers in the final week of 1998 were HERE in Anaheim. Scores of 9-1, 9-1, and 7-1. That was the division right there.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

 

[Ender]

Your recent string hasn't been great but I think you'll be ok. You'll have to fight for the wildcard though. The division is the Rangers now ... Houston still annoying ... The mariners are a gigantic mess and will finish below .500 leading to the firing of Dipoto and Servais (I can't wait)

As with most teams you just need to stay healthy ... Which is obviously easier said than done.

[totdprods]

Man you all give in quick, jeez. They're still in it.

[fan_since79]

https://fb.watch/lwh6AlsGX_/?mibextid=Nif5oz

(don't quite know how to embed this)

[Angels 1961]

56 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

Didn't the Trash City Pandas win the Championship last year?

Yes they did but without a parade,