Second Half

[Torridd]

I'd just like to get on record what people think the team will do without making this an "official" poll.

 

I just think the complaints after the team gets swept to the Mariners are unfounded considering we were on the road and faced their best guys. We also pitched two of our worst guys, as Williams seems to be in a funk.

 

Enough "excuses" though, as an optimist, I think the team will do better in the second half despite the stronger schedule.

 

The other choices are - more of the same or even worse than the first.

 

My optimism stems from better halves from Pujols, Hamilton, and Trumbo, our main so-called run producers and better health (looking forward to Bourjos, Hanson, Vargas, and at least one of the Madson/Burnett tandem returning). Besides Kendrick, I really don't see anyone cooling off that much and the Angels seem to play up to their talent (sweeping the Detroit series and playing tough against the Yanks, Cards and Sox.) My general testament is that there's too much talent to fall off the cliff.

 

I'd appreciate you marking your X no matter how you feel.

[gotbeer]

They have the potential to do much better.  Health will have a big factor in it.  Burnett in the pen was a big loss.  Starter wise, I have hopes for Hanson, and hopefully he is past his personal issues and has his head on straight.  That will be a big plus if he is.  And if Hamilton will show just a bit more streak, the offense should be fine.  

 

While I don't think we will win the WC or the Division.  I think we will be able to close the gap quite a bit.  

[bloodbrother]

With this rotation and pen, don't see how they can string together any type of long run. I think they'll spend the majority of the 2nd half alternating from being 3-5 games over .500 to 3-5 games under .500, eventually settling in as a 78-82 win team

 

I'd really like to hope that Blanton isn't on the roster by September...or at least he won't be on the team next season. Hanson too

[TroutAdell]

I don't see this team winning more than 75 games. Starting pitching is too weak and the offense, other than Trout, too inconsistent. The other issue I see is the totalkack of veteran leadership. This team lacks passion and therefore, I think, they will not compete hard enough in late August and September to make up any ground. The second half schedule is much more difficult which is also a factor.

[Tank]

They won't do much of anything though we'll see some flashes of less suckiness.

[Angelsjunky]

Technically it isn't "half" but quite a bit less - only 69 games equals a bit more than two-fifths.

 

Anyhow, I think they'll do well. The question is how well. The lower end would be about 35-40 wins and a finish around .500. But to make things interesting and challenge for a wildcard they'll have to win 45+, probably quite a bit more. That's winning two-thirds of their remaining games which, while possible, is unlikely.

[Angel Oracle]

I just don't see much coming from Pujols or Hamilton.

Pujols seems to be in a bad rut.    Even with his recent spurt, Hamilton still went 1-12 going into the break.

The starting pitching is very thin after Weaver, Wilson, and Vargas.

This is a team that had 2 good 2 week spurts (one against garbage opponents),

and otherwise has stunk it up real bad with a 23-44 record.

They have a rough first month's schedule out of the ASB.

 

Prediction:  73-89 record (29-40 post-ASB record) and squeezing into the top 10 draft picks for 2014 

[stormngt]

They have the potential to do much better.  Health will have a big factor in it.  Burnett in the pen was a big loss.  Starter wise, I have hopes for Hanson, and hopefully he is past his personal issues and has his head on straight.  That will be a big plus if he is.  And if Hamilton will show just a bit more streak, the offense should be fine.  

 

While I don't think we will win the WC or the Division.  I think we will be able to close the gap quite a bit.  

 

Who is Hanson????

[stormngt]

I see us pretty much the same.  The starting pitching is the reason why we can't break out and make a run.  This weekend clearly showed that.  We were playing well and what happened?  We lose to Seattle against their mediocre pitcher because Williams.  Then Weaver has to face their best, and then we throw the worst pitcher in baseball against Seattle's all star.

[WallyWorld]

9 of the first 12 games out of the ASB are against OAK and TEX.  If this team has any chance of getting back in the race, they will have to do extremely well in those 9 games.  I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see it happening, for a laundry list of reasons.

[xboom28x]

This team will probably mail it in come september when they are still 10-15 games out. Like AO, I predict a paltry "second half."

 

29-40 sounds about right. Although, I think they will be 25-25 in early Sept.

[DEATHRACERCHEVY]

I love the optimism, however there are dozens of different reasons why one wouldn't have high hopes. I have honestly been phoning it in with the Angels for about the last month and a half. I don't bother to watch the games anymore because at the end of the day the box score tells me all I needed to know and realizes my worst fears.

 

Would I love to see them surge and make a amazing run at it? Sure, I would.

Do I believe in my heart of hearts it will happen? Not a chance in hell. 

[Ohtaniland]

I'd just like to get on record what people think the team will do without making this an "official" poll.

I just think the complaints after the team gets swept to the Mariners are unfounded considering we were on the road and faced their best guys. We also pitched two of our worst guys, as Williams seems to be in a funk.

Enough "excuses" though, as an optimist, I think the team will do better in the second half despite the stronger schedule.

The other choices are - more of the same or even worse than the first.

My optimism stems from better halves from Pujols, Hamilton, and Trumbo, our main so-called run producers and better health (looking forward to Bourjos, Hanson, Vargas, and at least one of the Madson/Burnett tandem returning). Besides Kendrick, I really don't see anyone cooling off that much and the Angels seem to play up to their talent (sweeping the Detroit series and playing tough against the Yanks, Cards and Sox.) My general testament is that there's too much talent to fall off the cliff.

I'd appreciate you marking your X no matter how you feel.

The Seattle series has nothing to do with why we are where we are.

April 14th 4.5 games back

May 14th 10 games back

June 14th 11 games back

July 14th 11 games back

So we've kinda sucked all season and we've made no progress to change that.

[dimitrig]

The Seattle series has nothing to do with why we are where we are.

April 14th 4.5 games back

May 14th 10 games back

June 14th 11 games back

July 14th 11 games back

So we've kinda sucked all season and we've made no progress to change that.

 

Actually, this shows the team has played as well the the division leader since May 14th, losing only 1 game in all of that time. What killed this team was the slow start. Same as last year.

[Angel Oracle]

When will we stop sucking so much for the first month? 

[Ohtaniland]

When will we stop sucking so much for the first month?

When Mike Scioscia gets the team to stop dogging it in spring training to get better prepared for April.

[tdawg87]

I predict a 8 game winning streak to get to 3 games over .500 followed by a 5 game losing streak.

Our blue balls will be incredible.

[Ohtaniland]

Actually, this shows the team has played as well the the division leader since May 14th, losing only 1 game in all of that time. What killed this team was the slow start. Same as last year.

 

Well kinda sorta because the division leader back on May 14th was Texas. We trailed Oakland by only 4 games on May 14th so the A's have stepped it up and separated themselves from us. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I just think the complaints after the team gets swept to the Mariners are unfounded considering we were on the road and faced their best guys.

 

"Their best guys"? This is a fourth place team we're talking about. It's not quite like getting swept by the Astros (which also happened), but it's close. Neither team is going anywhere in 2013.

[Mark68]

When will we stop sucking so much for the first month? 

When the first month starts with a letter other than "A".

[70runner]

Not much cause for optimism.  Trout & HK are the only consistent hitters on this team.  Pujols 3rd and Hamilton 4th in the lineup borders on comical many nights.  Scioscia's "even keel" isn't working with this team, their keel is taking on too much water.  I just don't get the Iannetta fan club around here...the guy is barely hitting .200 and his defense is very ordinary.  But he plays every other game like clockwork.  Mathis reincarnated.   The pitching, well, ugh.

 

Even more troubling is looking past the MLB roster to find virtually nothing in the farm system.  Very likely this team is several 2nd halfs away from becoming relevant in the AL West.   

[bloodbrother]

I hate saying this but, More of the same expected a few games below .500. 3-5 win streaks going with 3-5 game losing streaks. Ending to a wonderful below .500 September.

I really could see this group phone it in. There hasn't been any kind of intensity other than Mike Trout and that is too much pressure to put on a kid two years in a row to carry everyone else.

I think we might even become sellers a bit at the Deadline. And for sure through the Waivers process later on. I believe everyone not named Mike Trout will be accessible via waivers by August 31st.

They should become sellers IMO

[dimitrig]

Well kinda sorta because the division leader back on May 14th was Texas. We trailed Oakland by only 4 games on May 14th so the A's have stepped it up and separated themselves from us. 

 

Yes, but that sorts itself out. Oakland also started worse. The reality is that the Angels have only lost 1 game in the standings since May 14th. The problem is they lost 10 games in the standings before that.

[tomsred]

We're going to find out real fast which direction we are headed.  The next 20 games will either put us in it, or send us straight to hell.

[Erstad Grit]

I think we will play pretty damn good but end up a few games back from the WC. Once again too big of a hole to climb out of.