When was/is the worst time to be an Angels fan?

[Angelsjunky]

As you can see, the options cover most of Angels history. Really, there were only a couple good periods - the late 70s that saw their first playoff berth; the 82-86 mercenary years, that still saw a couple playoff runs and three 90-win seasons; and of course the Golden Age of 2002-09, and the "Silver Age" that followed when there was still hope that they could return to glory (2010-15).

Obviously the eras overlap, but I tried to tease out short to medium periods that had their own tone or theme of suckitude. Which era was the worst, or did you personally find the hardest? Which had the least amount of reasonable hope and/or a feeling that there was no way out?

It could be argued that 2024 is a different era than 2021-23, because we are now Ohtani-less. But I'm more going from the perspective that 2024 is the result of compounded bad decisions from the Eppler and Dipoto eras, compounded by Minasian's inability to shift the organization's direction, at least in a meaningful way.

 

Edited May 7 by Angelsjunky

[Second Base]

The thing about the 80’s and 90’s was that there wasn’t an expectation of winning and so the losing wasn’t as big of a disappointment. 
 

The last 15 years have been singularly the worst because they spent enough to win, there was an expectation of winning and they simultaneously had two of the greatest players ever in the lineup and they still lost. Every time it has been a disappointment and now we’re left with a fan base that expects the worst.

Two tragic unexpected deaths. Uniforms 20 years outdated? Stick with it. Need a new stadium? Nope. Relocate? No. Need to rebuild the farm? Never. 

[Make Angels Great Again]

Hard to imagine it being more difficult than now.

 

This org is allergic to sustained success.

[Dtwncbad]

8:00am May 7, 2024.

[Dtwncbad]

I would like to update my answer.

8:01am May 7, 2024.

[fan_since79]

My fear is that we will sink to last place and remain there for years to come. The organization is without a plan and Arte just might hang on until old age sets in. We're not that far away from breaking Pittsburgh's streak of 20 straight losing seasons. But there will continue to be bobblehead promotions and weekend fireworks, so all is well.

[halodground]

I've been a fan since I was old enough to have an interest, I'd say since 1980 or so when I was 8.  I can clearly remember the 82 playoffs and was lucky enough to go to one of the home games. There wasn't much to be excited about from 88-94, that was a rough period. At least the late 90's had some exciting talent coming out of the system. It was fun watching Salmon, GA, Edmonds, Disar, and that group play, even though they never won anything in that decade. What makes the current era the worst one (and by a lot IMO) isn't just the expectation of winning with the continuous let down of then losing.  It's that 2002-2009 was such a tease. It seemed like the organization had figured it out.  We were becoming a model organization that was a perennial winner with an owner who would spend and seemed to let the baseball people do the baseballing. The system provided continuous talent.  There seemed to be an organizational plan. Stability in the front office and the on field manager. Then we drafted Trout and the future looked that much brighter.  Was Stoneman retiring the catalyst for the unraveling? Was Arte always a meddling owner and those years of success were just the residual product of what Disney did before he bought the team? Having the two most talented Angels of all time during the worst period just compounds the frustration.  It feels like the only way out of the current situation is to burn it all to the ground and start from scratch. 

[T.G.]

52 minutes ago, Second Base said:

The thing about the 80’s and 90’s was that there wasn’t an expectation of winning and so the losing wasn’t as big of a disappointment. 

^^^^ This ^^^^

[Blarg]

I became an Angels fan in '66 so I've seen almost every decade of failure. This latest one has probably been the worst to suffer through. It is like the Ryan years where we had one of the best pitchers on the worst team. 

[Angelsjunky]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

I became an Angels fan in '66 so I've seen almost every decade of failure. This latest one has probably been the worst to suffer through. It is like the Ryan years where we had one of the best pitchers on the worst team. 

Well, the sad thing about 2024 is that we don't even have one of the best players anymore. We had the best from 2012-19, and we can even throw 2020 in as Trout was healthy and it wasn't a long enough season to say that he was in decline yet. So then in 2021-23 we had Ohtani in his fully glory. But now, in 2024, no Ohtani, and post-peak Trout, who is no longer one of the best players in baseball. 

[fan_since79]

Trout's main problem is he hasn't been on the field very much in the last few years. Constant injuries with long absences.

[No Roles]

1 hour ago, halodground said:

I've been a fan since I was old enough to have an interest, I'd say since 1980 or so when I was 8.  I can clearly remember the 82 playoffs and was lucky enough to go to one of the home games. There wasn't much to be excited about from 88-94, that was a rough period. At least the late 90's had some exciting talent coming out of the system. It was fun watching Salmon, GA, Edmonds, Disar, and that group play, even though they never won anything in that decade. What makes the current era the worst one (and by a lot IMO) isn't just the expectation of winning with the continuous let down of then losing.  It's that 2002-2009 was such a tease. It seemed like the organization had figured it out.  We were becoming a model organization that was a perennial winner with an owner who would spend and seemed to let the baseball people do the baseballing. The system provided continuous talent.  There seemed to be an organizational plan. Stability in the front office and the on field manager. Then we drafted Trout and the future looked that much brighter.  Was Stoneman retiring the catalyst for the unraveling? Was Arte always a meddling owner and those years of success were just the residual product of what Disney did before he bought the team? Having the two most talented Angels of all time during the worst period just compounds the frustration.  It feels like the only way out of the current situation is to burn it all to the ground and start from scratch. 

this team is pretty much burnt to the ground ! Unless you say trade our best prospects for even less experienced prospects and trade the whole starting pitching staff?

[Angels 1961]

After game 5 in 1986 playoffs vs Boston. 

[well_red]

It has to be now.  The baseball landscape has changed so much the last 20 years, with so many highly analytic teams who spend money wisely and have a long term vision.  Even getting back to relevancy seems impossible in our current state.  I'm 47 and I've never been so down about this team.  Luckily I went off to college in 1995 so had other things on my mind, and I enjoyed the early 90's because I was a lefty pitcher and we had Abbott, Finley, Langston.  

[Slegnaac]

2 hours ago, fan_since79 said:

Arte just might hang on until old age sets in.

I think it has already.

[Tank]

i'm going with now. we've had two of the best players ever and couldn't even finish .500 with them. one bad trade after another; one awful injury after another; terrible farm system, etc. 

what makes this era so bad is that it comes on the heels of the most successful era in team history. 

there just isn't any reason right now to feel hopeful about the rest of this decade.

[halodground]

35 minutes ago, No Roles said:

this team is pretty much burnt to the ground ! Unless you say trade our best prospects for even less experienced prospects and trade the whole starting pitching staff?

I was referring more to organizational structure and philosophy.  But yes, if they could trade the whole starting staff and/or any of their prospects for players who project to be better down the road, I don't see any reason not to. The current product is crud. Obviously that isn't a realistic idea, but I support the sentiment.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

I was halfway expecting a "Yes" option. 

[floplag]

3 hours ago, Second Base said:

The thing about the 80’s and 90’s was that there wasn’t an expectation of winning and so the losing wasn’t as big of a disappointment. 
 

The last 15 years have been singularly the worst because they spent enough to win, there was an expectation of winning and they simultaneously had two of the greatest players ever in the lineup and they still lost. Every time it has been a disappointment and now we’re left with a fan base that expects the worst.

Two tragic unexpected deaths. Uniforms 20 years outdated? Stick with it. Need a new stadium? Nope. Relocate? No. Need to rebuild the farm? Never. 

This, 100% this.
The lean years we expected to be lean, there was no time under Arte that anyone expected to suck.
For me these last few years have been the lowest ever. 
Ive never been checked out in May before, ever, but i am now. 

[HanfordGuy]

December 9, 2023

 

ME:

[Angelsjunky]

1 hour ago, fan_since79 said:

Trout's main problem is he hasn't been on the field very much in the last few years. Constant injuries with long absences.

Yep, but...that's part of why he's no longer one of the best players. It all adds up. Consider his WAR ranges:

2023-24: 3.9 WAR, #61

2022-24: 9.9, #28

2021-24: 12.2, #34

2020-24: 14.5, #28

2019-24: 22.4, #12

2018-24: 31.8, #6

You have to go all the way back to 2015-24 to get him to #1, and Betts is only 0.1 behind him, so will pass him in the next week. In other words, even taking the last full decade into account--half of which was vintage Trout--and he's no longer the best player of the last decade. That would be Mookie.

Meaning, Trout hasn't even been top 20 in any span over the last five seasons - except for 2022 alone, when he was #15. In terms of overall accumulative value, he's roughly the 30th best position player in baseball over the last half decade. 

 

[Angelsjunky]

"Facts."

~ Debbie Downer

[greginpsca]

6 hours ago, Second Base said:

The thing about the 80’s and 90’s was that there wasn’t an expectation of winning and so the losing wasn’t as big of a disappointment. 
 

The last 15 years have been singularly the worst because they spent enough to win, there was an expectation of winning and they simultaneously had two of the greatest players ever in the lineup and they still lost. Every time it has been a disappointment and now we’re left with a fan base that expects the worst.

Two tragic unexpected deaths. Uniforms 20 years outdated? Stick with it. Need a new stadium? Nope. Relocate? No. Need to rebuild the farm? Never. 

The 80'sup to 86, there was an expectation to win. In 82 they were up 2-0 against the Brewers in the playoffs and lost. In 86 i felt they were the best team in baseball, but the Donnie Moore pitch to Dave Henderson ended that. There were times that they had a former all star at most every position except pitcher.

[Dtwncbad]

38 minutes ago, greginpsca said:

The 80'sup to 86, there was an expectation to win. In 82 they were up 2-0 against the Brewers in the playoffs and lost. In 86 i felt they were the best team in baseball, but the Donnie Moore pitch to Dave Henderson ended that. There were times that they had a former all star at most every position except pitcher.

Gary Lucas is as much of a dog as anybody else in 1986.  He had one guy to get and he plunks Rich Gedman.  Then he gets to leave the mound and be forgotten and off the hook in everybody’s memories.

Edited May 7 by Dtwncbad

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

"Facts."

~ Debbie Downer

When did Debbie Downer say this?