The Time is NOW

[IowaAngels27]

After 93 games of the 2013 season our Angels sit at 44-49 and 11 games back.  To the great fans of Angels baseball and diehard fans who post on these forums, we know this is just plain BAD.  However, I thought I would give my thoughts about the rest of July and the opportunity that lies in front of us.

 

Through the rest of July we play 13 games, and 10 of them are against the A's and Rangers.  The reason to be excited about this is that if we are going to get back into the division race what better to do it than just beat the teams ahead of us head to head?  The first series looks good for us, as we have favorable pitching match ups in 2 of the 3 games. Weaver has made the A's look like they're a pee wee team as of late (I believe he has a sub 1 ERA against them since '11).  And Wilson has been great lately.  And we might not have the favorable pitching match up on Sunday, but this could be Bartolo Colon's last appearance of the year after the Bio genesis suspensions are handed out.  The A's will be tough to beat, but I believe that they are still not as good as Texas.

 

My thoughts about playing Texas for the first time in 3 months are the same as any Halo fan, I'm EXCITED.  I HATE THE TEXAS RANGERS!  I am tired of playing little brother to them and tired of getting beat by them.  And I hope the players feel the same way. To me, there is nothing better than beating Ron Washington's crew. I don't need any statistics because about this series because it really doesn't matter.  The Rangers play hard every night and we will have to one up their intensity.

 

Finally, I will provide, what I think, are the 5 keys to turning the season around and eventually making a run.

 

1. Get Mike Trout as many At Bats as possible- Bat the man first! We all saw what he did in the All Star Game and all of last year.  When he gets on base to start a game, there will usually be a run to follow and the pressure is immediately put on the other team.

 

2. Pitch Weaver on 4 days rest ASAP- I realize this can't happen now, but I would hope by the middle of August.  The whole season relies on how Weav pitches.  If he can continue to pitch well we will be in good shape and be in line to win games every 5 days.  The problem is that I'd rather see him every 4.  We need our Ace to step up and come through for us.

 

3. Get Healthy- This is a no brainer, but it's been a huge problem. Get Peter back in the line up, Burnett and Madson in the bull pen and Jason back in the rotation.  Tommy Hanson and Joe Blanton can get butt splinters for the rest of the season.  Jerome will get back to form, I promise you that.  The man had too much heart to accept anything but excellence.

 

4. Win divisional games- As I mentioned in my paragraphs above, the easiest way to gain ground is to win the head to head match ups.  We have 20 games with the A's and Rangers left in the season.  And we have to take care the Mariners and Astros.  No more getting swept by these teams.  We should win every series against these two teams.

 

5. EXPECT TO WIN- Players, coaches, executives and fans should expect to win every time the team takes the field.  Let's go back to the attitude we had in December when we signed Josh, and have that kind of confidence when we talk about our team.    

 

Lastly, I would like to share what I think the line up and rotation should be once healthy.

 

1. Trout                                                                       

2. Aybar                                                                      

3. Kendrick                                                                  

4. Hamilton

5. Trumbo

6. Pujols

7. Callaspo

8. Conger/Iannetta

9. Bourjos/Shuck

 

1. Weaver

2. Wilson

3. Vargas

4. Williams

 

I hope many of you agree with my opinions and thoughts, as well as disagreed with some to so I can learn some new information.  I love this team and spend too much time watching, reading and listening about them to ever give up.  I hope everyone is excited for a second half because I sure am! Take care guys and gals. Go Angels!

 

 

[Mile High Dreams]

If you pitch one on 4 days rest...dont you have to do that with everyone? Pitchers are not developed to be on 4 man rotations anymore.

 

And Williams is not the 4th you're looking for (or 5th for that matter).

[gotbeer]

Cool.  Try to win now, when it's very improbable to make the playoffs.  And ruin the career of your ace.  

 

I like it.  

[tdawg87]

Realistically, the best the Angels will do during those 10 games is win 7 of them (5 of 7 against Oakland and 2 of 3 against Texas). So if the Angels win 2 of 3 from Minnesota, they would have a 9-4 stretch. That's very good. The only problem is, if Texas and Oakland both go 6-7 during that same stretch, the Angels would be 8 games back of Oakland. In other words, big f**kin whoop.

 

The only way they are getting back in this is if they win all 10 games, and that just isn't happening.

[Troll Daddy]

Once we get a healthy PB back in the lineup ...  I suspect he will be leading off. If that's the case then I would bat Trout third in the lineup. I would then bat Howie in the second spot. One of Pujols, Hamilton, or Trumbo batting cleanup ... put whomever is hot at the time.

 

I know Howie hasn't been the most successful #2 hitter in the past but ... I don't give a flying F**k!

[WallyWorld]

re: your lineup proposal . . .

 

when are people going to stop fantasizing about Howie hitting higher than 5th? Doesn't matter how hot he is, stick him in the 3rd spot and he goes to shit.  He's comfortable in the 5th/6th spot, leave him there.  Also, you're delusional if you think Pujols is getting dropped to the 6th spot, or anywhere but the 3rd spot, frankly.   

 

Agreed that Trout should be first, but how does a person who (rightly) claims that Trout should be getting the most ABs, reason that Aybar should be hitting 2nd???  You want Aybar getting the second most ABs?  Erick Aybar is a prototypical #9 hitter.  It baffles me why he is ever put anywhere else in a lineup.

[AZMike]

re: your lineup proposal . . .

 

when are people going to stop fantasizing about Howie hitting higher than 5th? Doesn't matter how hot he is, stick him in the 3rd spot and he goes to shit.  He's comfortable in the 5th/6th spot, leave him there.  Also, you're delusional if you think Pujols is getting dropped to the 6th spot, or anywhere but the 3rd spot, frankly.   

 

Agreed that Trout should be first, but how does a person who (rightly) claims that Trout should be getting the most ABs, reason that Aybar should be hitting 2nd???  You want Aybar getting the second most ABs?  Erick Aybar is a prototypical #9 hitter.  It baffles me why he is ever put anywhere else in a lineup.

 

I would have no objection to the following lineup:

 

Bourjos

Hamilton

Trout

Trumbo

Pujols

Kendrick

Callaspo

Iannetta 

Aybar

[Quinlanforthewin]

No the time was two months ago. The time is now to sell. 

[Quinlanforthewin]

Also I think 2 and 3 contradict each other. 

[Ohtaniland]

The time is NOW.....

Please post this message next April. Maybe they will finally get it that screwing around for 2-3 months doesn't work.

[Homebrewer]

The time is NOW.....

Please post this message next April. Maybe they will finally get it that screwing around for 2-3 months doesn't work.

The new manager and coaching staff will, hopefully, have figured out that vacation is over when ST begins, and that the season begins in April, not  late June.

Scioscia KNEW that a good start was important, and he mentioned it several times in ST.

He didn't get it done, and hasn't gotten the job done in a few years.

This org, that can't even do something as simple as replacing an ineffective and failing manager and coaching staff, is becoming more of a joke with each limp season.

[fan_since79]

Suspensions will probably take effect in 2014. Colon will win another 8 games at least and vie for the Cy Young award.

 

Take away his 20 (at least) wins and Oakland misses the playoffs by a good margin.

 

I'm assuming for the sake of argument he is on the list for sanctions.

[Homebrewer]

Those kids on the Astos, especially the pitching staff, must all be juicin' too.

[fan_since79]

Bartolo at 40 with a 96 mph heater, when he struggled to hit 88 four years ago.

 

That's not normal.

[AZMike]

Bartolo at 40 with a 96 mph heater, when he struggled to hit 88 four years ago.

 

That's not normal.

 

I now what it is about Oakland but they always seems to bring out the best in their players

 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Those kids on the Astos, especially the pitching staff, must all be juicin' too.

 

Here are some sobering numbers. The Angels are 6-7 against the Houston Astros. The Astros have won 33 games in 2013, meaning that 21 percent of their wins are against us. Their MLB rankings in key categories:

 

Offense

Runs: 28  

Batting average: 29

On base percentage: 29 

Slugging: 29

 

Pitching:

ERA: 30

Quality Starts: 26

WHIP: 30

BAA: 29

 

They basically suck at everything they do, and we're under .500 against them. Their record against the rest of the division:

 

Texas: 2-7

Oakland:0-9

Seattle: 5-4

[Jay]

I expect the Angels to go .500 against OAK/TEX

[JAHV76]

I now what it is about Oakland but they always seems to bring out the best in their players

 

That gut with the number 16 sounds sore.

[nate]

The time has passed.

[Jimmag]

Wake up Angels play with a purpose. Play with an attitude. Beat the A's and Rangers and you just might get back into this.

[IowaAngels27]

Let me explain my ideas a little better.  Regarding the idea that if Weaver is on 4 days rest than everyone else would be too.  That is correct and I didn't mean that.  I would utilize the off days and only pitch Blanton or Hanson if it is absolutely necessary.  But Weaver, CJ, Jason and Jerome are our 4 best starting pitchers.  And let me explain my lineup reasoning.

 

1. Trout- No brainer here, Best average on the team and possibly the fastest guy in baseball.

2. Aybar- I put him here because of his new found patient approach at the plate.  The reason Torii was a successful 2 hitter was that he saw a lot of pitches and that will allow Mike to have more of an opportunity to steal bases and get into scoring position.

3. Kendrick- Second best average on the team, why not put him here? He has been solid at the plate and if Trout can get to second a single scores him every time.

4. Hamilton- At this point he is hitting the ball for power more consistently than Trumbo.  Josh would do just fine if he was hitting 4th or 5th.  This will also give him a chance to see more pitches with the 3 in front him.  Anything is better than watching Albert's quick at bats in the on deck circle.

5. Trumbo- Can hit the ball a mile.  Needs to hit here or 4th.

6. Pujols- Wasn't sure where to put him.  But this seemed to be the only logical place.

7. Callaspo- He has been hitting pretty well as of late and could potentially hit higher if he continues to produce.

8. Conger/Iannetta- Both are good for the occasional home run, and Hank for a base hit. Most catchers bat here.

9- Bourjos/Shuck- Speed with the both of these.  Could steal bases with Trout being a patient hitter

 

Hope this helps clear anything up

 

[WallyWorld]

 

2. Aybar- I put him here because of his new found patient approach at the plate.  The reason Torii was a successful 2 hitter was that he saw a lot of pitches and that will allow Mike to have more of an opportunity to steal bases and get into scoring position.

 

 

So after a decade in professional ball of being an absolute hacker, you think Aybar is all of a sudden becoming a patient hitter?  The man has swung at pitches that hit him!!! Good lord.

[SoWhat]

Wow, that line up a few posts above is horrible

[70runner]

Wow, that line up a few posts above is horrible

 

Yea, the current lineup...how's that working out?  11 games back

 

Trout should be hitting 3rd.  Put guys who can get on base ahead of him, very few on this team.  PB (when he comes back) and HK perhaps.  Move the Albert Pujols down the lineup to where an old, slow guy belongs, 6th or so.

 

None of this will happen of course while Scioscia is at the helm of this sinking ship.

[IowaAngels27]

Yea, the current lineup...how's that working out?  11 games back

 

Trout should be hitting 3rd.  Put guys who can get on base ahead of him, very few on this team.  PB (when he comes back) and HK perhaps.  Move the Albert Pujols down the lineup to where an old, slow guy belongs, 6th or so.

 

None of this will happen of course while Scioscia is at the helm of this sinking ship.

I thought about hitting him third.  But like you said who is going to get on consistently?  How much do you think the Twins want for Byron Buxton?