Mike Trout to have Knee Surgery

[totdprods]

Just now, BTH said:

 

I feel like Fletch wouldn't just put this out there for no reason. I'm guessing he must've heard his name come out from somewhere.

Got cut from the WHITE SOX who maybe have not even won a game yet. 

Heard Aaron Hicks is a free agent too. 

[Taylor]

1 minute ago, jsnpritchett said:

Yes? 

Margaritas are too masculine for cals.

[katie]

WAIT WHAT

[jsnpritchett]

I mean, I'd rather even see @Chucks guy Jason Martin up here before some rando like Calhoun or Pillar.

[Angelsjunky]

17 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Nothing about AP's decline or performance was injury related save for the season he hurt his leg.  The single biggest factor into his demise was the shift. 

I'm reminded of something Rob Neyer said....I found the quote:

"And that's why the shift doesn't make much difference. Sure, it might make the manager look smarter. But it probably doesn't make the great hitter any less great, unless he's both stubborn and stupid."

That said, if I remember correctly, the shift took off after Pujols was already in rapid decline. Albert seemed to have an off year in 2011, his last with the Cardinals, and then had a terrible start in 2012, depressing his overall numbers. But at the end of 2012, there was hope he'd bounce back. But it turns out that the "off" year in 2011 and the slow start in 2012 wasn't that after, but actual decline. And yes, I think Neyer's description fits Pujols and his approach. Quite a few of us, including both you and I iirc, said that Albert could probably hit .290+ with 25+ HRs if he just changed his approach. But he wouldn't.

Not saying the shift wasn't a big factor, but there were others...including the significantly possibility that he's actually 2-3 years older than advertised. 

While I agree that they differ in that Trout's and Rendon's decline is mostly injury related, I do wonder about the approach factor - particularly with training. Whatever Trout is doing, no matter how many tires he flips, isn't working. His body is injury prone, and I think that's at least partially due to its bulkiness - and emphasis on strength over flexibility. The guy should be doing yoga, not flipping tires. But that is mostly speculative.

Anyhow, the similarity I referred to is mostly decline, and the understandable disappointment we all share. Pujols was one of the best players of the 2000s, and he became one of the worst free agent signings in baseball history for the Angels. Trout was the best player of the 2010s with arguably the greatest first eight seasons in baseball history, and has been a shadow of his former self for five years now. Rendon...well, you know. So again, the similarity is the vast gulf between reasonable expectation and actuality. All three are huge disappointments with terrible contracts.

Edited April 30 by Angelsjunky

[Angelsjunky]

Arte really should have taken the best offer. What an idiot.

[Swordsman78]

Couldn't even get through April before we lose $700,000,000 + of payroll for the season.

The wheels have officially fallen off the wagon.

[UndertheHalo]

18 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

He's been in cahoots with Rendon, they were planning this out.  When they are done playing baseball they are going to be evil secret agents. 

Sounds gay, but I’m not judging. Go with god etc. 

[Duren, Duren]

Willie Calhoun? Might as well bring Cole Calhoun out of retirement.

Ironic that Trout still leads in home runs. Now even that little statistical competition will be over. 

Just speculating...

The consensus is that Trout is an automatic first ballot HOFer.

But will all his incomplete seasons reduce that assumption? Especially if his play continues to stagnate going forward. Add in basically no playoff resume or post season hilites. 

He already has built up as solid a foundation as anyone so I think the HOF is certain. But long into history I don't think he will have that ultra elite all time great status that the biggest icons share. He was on pace for getting there but obviously various things have derailed his ascent to the top of that list. 

Maybe he comes back and still puts in some more above average seasons. But unlikely to match his peak years. And how many healthy seasons can be expected? 

Kind of similar to Mantle, though Mick had serious injuries right since his rookie season. And still fought through them with great production right till his last few years. Hopefully Trout does come back relatively healthy and plays some more years. But expectations can't really be the same as his prime years. 

[Chuck]

18 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I mean, I'd rather even see @Chucks guy Jason Martin up here before some rando like Calhoun or Pillar.

Or Teodosio. Superb defense, steal some bags and he's finally hitting. 

Odd that they haven't added Brandon Belt to be the DH yet. 

Also, what's up with Miguel Sano?

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, Chuck said:

Or Teodosio. Superb defense, steal some bags and he's finally hitting. 

Odd that they haven't added Brandon Belt to be the DH yet. 

Also, what's up with Miguel Sano?

There's no point in adding Belt now.  Why spend a couple/few million on a guy who's not going to change the outcome of the season? 

Sano, who knows? He'll probably go on the IL, too. 

 

[Justin]

7 minutes ago, Duren, Duren said:

The consensus is that Trout is an automatic first ballot HOFer.

But will all his incomplete seasons reduce that assumption?

No

[DMVol]

54 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Welcome back, Aaron Hicks!

That would be my guess, if he clears waivers. 

[Inside Pitch]

32 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

I'm reminded of something Rob Neyer said....I found the quote:

"And that's why the shift doesn't make much difference. Sure, it might make the manager look smarter. But it probably doesn't make the great hitter any less great, unless he's both stubborn and stupid."

LOL..  Good lord man, he wrote that tripe at a time when Troy Glaus was still playing for the Angels.  It's pretty fair to say that the more teams employed it the more everyone saw how impactful it was, so much so in fact that MLB implemented rules to limit it.  

Anyway someone at FG or BBP looked at the numbers somewhere around 2020 and came to the conclusion that he'd been dinged more than any other RHB in MLB, if I cared enough about the topic I'd find it for you but I'm okay with you sticking to what Neyer said in the early 2000s.. Anyway IMO it was pretty obvious watching him play the shift was murdering him.  As his bat speed slowed he became more and more prone to trying to cheat on his swings and became even more pull happy.

Side note, I can't recall anything Rob Neyer said that was remotely insightful after 2001 or so.  He did some great stuff while he was working under Bill James and at STATS INC, but his stuff at ESPN was pretty banal -- I think that had more to do with the nature of the position there than anything else, but it was pretty disappointing as he had been one of my favorites. I have been told his book Power Ball was really good but haven't checked it out yet, have you looked at it al all?  It would be nice to see that he returned to the sort of writing he did at STATS INC.

[greginpsca]

Arte was probably waiting on Sano to get knee surgery, so he could get a 2 for 1 price deal.

[Swordsman78]

In retrospect, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to green light Trout steal those bases and risk injury.    The staff playing with fire regarding their #1 asset.

 

Edited May 1 by Swordsman78

[Inside Pitch]

38 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I mean, seriously fuck this shit if Pillar is the move 

 

 

LOL..  Every time I see your tweets, I can't help but notice how much more aggressive the rally monkey looks in that cropped avatar.

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, Swiss Angel Fan said:

Watch them call up Willie Calhoun

Before Calhoun, I’d maybe expect Hicks, if he has cleared waivers and doesn’t choose Free Agency….or they might sign Pillar.  

[tdawg87]

I give up.

[full circle]

45 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Margaritas are too masculine for cals.

You two should get a room already.  

[JAHV76]

Bummer hopefully he recovers by the all star break I 

[jsnpritchett]

Just now, JAHV76 said:

Bummer hopefully he recovers by the all star break I 

I highly doubt that happens.

[jsnpritchett]

9 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

LOL..  Every time I see your tweets, I can't help but notice how much more aggressive the rally monkey looks in that cropped avatar.

I use the same avatar for my fantasy football team, which is called "Angry Monkeys."

[eligrba4ever]

The Cole Tucker Era may last for awhile.

[Slegnaac]

When do they start lowering ticket prices?