I'm more and more convinced . . .

[Jay]

If this season gets much worse (I don't see it getting better) then somebody will be fired.  Scioscia would land a job in about 3 seconds and that would be embarrassing for Moreno because all the media will wonder why he didn't fire Dipoto.

 

So I think it will be Dipoto, unless for some reason Scioscia steps down.

[xboom28x]

DiPoto gambled on two bullpen guys that were supposed to help strengthen the pen. (Madson, Burnett). Had they turned out healthy, the pen wouldn't be as terrible as it has been. That said, I think this team would only be a .500 team with a healthy Burnett and Madson.

 

I don't recall the offseason having plenty of solid bullpen guys available through free agency. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's not like there were several he could choose from.

[YouthofToday]

A good pen is usually built with failed SP prospects. We have no farm system. This we have a bad pen.

Again, I blame Arte more than Dipoto.

[WallyWorld]

Dipoto deserves a hand in this, absolutely.

That being said, consider a few things. He came to a team with a weak farm system, and when the 'big bang' 2012 team didn't work out, he was almost forced to trade what little we had left. Pujols and cj left little wiggle room...he had a small budget after, and very few frade pieces.

He then had to fix a bullpen (flawed when he got here) and replace a previously dependable haren and santana (again with little to trade). He HAD to do that because of how heavilly the boss invested into 'win it now'.

He's made some foreseable bad decisions, like blanton. Hes made some 'you'll regret it but enjoy it now...oh it sucks now' choices like hamilton (but that was arte).

All the while he's har to manage a superstar payroll while staying under a spending cap...

And that doesn't include pujols' foot...weavers broken arm..vargas' blood clot....burnetts season ending injury...bourjos...sybar missing a month....etc etc.

The prob is, this season we gambled, and the dealer won. Plain and simple.

 

which is why for most of the year I've felt like Scioscia should be fired but Dipoto given another year or two.  Maybe it's just the recent suckiness getting to me, but I see a team full of awful players, cast-offs, and the like, and while I understand there's only so much Dipoto can do right now, I've really lost faith in him.

[70runner]

there is enough wrong with this team to fill up the inbox of Scioscia, Dipoto, and Moreno

 

Scioscia and his coaching fraternity have run their course, time for a change in leadership

 

don't think there is nearly the gaggle of teams breathlessly waiting for him to be available that some predict, but who cares

 

Dipoto, give him another year, with different leadership in the dugout, to show progress toward a more balanced, competitive team

[mtangelsfan]

Or he could continue to dig the hole deeper for this team.  It's not like the team has been slowly improving under Dipoto, it's gotten much worse.

[WallyWorld]

Or he could continue to dig the hole deeper for this team.  It's not like the team has been slowly improving under Dipoto, it's gotten much worse.

 

this.

[shellback]

on firing DP, be careful what you wish for. could wind up with a bavasi or somebody alot worse.

the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

[tdawg87]

on firing DP, be careful what you wish for. could wind up with a bavasi or somebody alot worse.

the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

I don't think Bavasi is a whole lot worse than Dipoto has been.

[Kevin]

The angels did get better in the win category I believe in 2012 under jerry than they did in tony's last year in 2011. I do understand what you're saying though mt.

[m0nkey]

Fire dipoto and let him do his job somewhere else. Then bring in a gm to sign cano. When that doesn't turn out well, blame the new gm. Repeat

[Sciosciapath]

The honeymoon with Dipoto is 100% over.

 

Is Mancini gonna tell me no it's not AGAIN?

[Abbott25]

We're terrible. Fire everybody. If only Pujols would retire. And we would have never signed Rangers cast offs. And we borrowed that time machine from back to the future. In fact we could just go back to 1985 and start all over except for 2002. And don't look now but the Rangers are almost 20 games ahead of us. 20 games!

[Bruce Nye]

If you wish it, it will come.  This website has magical powers.

[MacNasty]

If JD get one more year, it means that Arte was more responsible for the large contracts to Pujols and Hamilton.  Maybe not entirely, but to the point that Arte recognized that bringing those guys in has limited JD in what he was able to do in other areas.  Granted, even with those limitations, JD should have done much much better.  But enough to warrant a little grace.

 

As it stands, this team was constructed without any balance.  Relying solely on offense to carry the squad.  The offense performed below expectations exposing everything else as a significant weakness.  They put all their eggs in one basket and that basket broke and left no margin for error. 

 

When you are that unbalanced, the whole has a much less chance of equaling the sum of the parts.  While they don't have many spare parts to equal things out, they do have some parts that could bring value in other aspects of the game whose replacements or potential replacements are enough to offset losses in order to upgrade in other areas. 

 

The end result may not be a great team but a more stable model with an increased over total value. 

 

I am of the opinion that Arte was behind both signings.  He spearheaded them and made them happen.  

 

But here's my problem with the whole thing...  Dipoto should have known that pitching was the key to this season.  That is his job.  Handling Moreno is his job too, though.  He made a huge investment trading for Grienke, only to watch the guy walk when the Angels couldn't afford the bidding.  But they could afford another bat instead????

 

Way I see it, either Dipoto cannot steer his owner to a good decision, OR he is disregarded by the owner.  Either way, it means the owner needs a new GM.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

is it like a 'your and idiot' thing?

 

It's "idoit", Wally. The joke doesn't work unless you misspell all three words.

[Ray McKigney]

I am of the opinion that Arte was behind both signings.  He spearheaded them and made them happen.  

 

But here's my problem with the whole thing...  Dipoto should have known that pitching was the key to this season.  That is his job.  Handling Moreno is his job too, though.  He made a huge investment trading for Grienke, only to watch the guy walk when the Angels couldn't afford the bidding.  But they could afford another bat instead????

 

Way I see it, either Dipoto cannot steer his owner to a good decision, OR he is disregarded by the owner.  Either way, it means the owner needs a new GM.

 

He realized he didn't need Grienke because he had Blanton waiting in the wings.

[ten ocho recon scout]

I am of the opinion that Arte was behind both signings. He spearheaded them and made them happen.

But here's my problem with the whole thing... Dipoto should have known that pitching was the key to this season. That is his job. Handling Moreno is his job too, though. He made a huge investment trading for Grienke, only to watch the guy walk when the Angels couldn't afford the bidding. But they could afford another bat instead????

Way I see it, either Dipoto cannot steer his owner to a good decision, OR he is disregarded by the owner. Either way, it means the owner needs a new GM.

I was pretty vocal about signing a sanchez, as wrll as being pretty lukewarm about hamilton.

That said, the idea that dipoto should somehow have the ability to stop arte is...off. very few of us have that kind of power over our boss....remember, it was arte who called pujols. It was arte who flew out to talk to hamilton.

One thing I will say, in ferms of silver lining. Arte isn't the type to take the money and run. He's not going to allow tje team to continue like this. That cpuld be good or bad, obviously. But the media deal hasn't kicked in yet. When it does, it already covers the current payroll....moreno has shown in his entire ownership that he will outspend his media money. (My only worry is that he's getting older, and may be thinking of selling in the next few years. Hence the 'win now' push).

[CaliAngel]

If we kept Greinke I doubt he'd be having the same season he's having now.

 

I mean, just look at our team. It's downright embarrasing.

[Mark68]

If we kept Greinke I doubt he'd be having the same season he's having now.

 

I mean, just look at our team. It's downright embarrasing.

I don't know about that. If we had kept Greinke, it probably means no Hamilton. Addition by subtraction.

[xboom28x]

Would the owner do all of this without asking his GM what the best move is? I'm sure DiPoto could easily be talked out of it. He's not going to tell the owner no.

[Sciosciapath]

Resigning Torii and signing Greinke would have been nice, but hindsight is 20/20.  If it turned into a bidding war against the Dodgers, I'm sure they would have bid even more on Greinke.  Moot point, wouldn't have signed him even if Dipot0~ wanted to.

[sneaky_flute]

Greinke is one of the most overrated pitchers. You guys would have regretted that contract more than the Pujols and Hamilton ones. 

[xboom28x]

Greinke is one of the most overrated pitchers. You guys would have regretted that contract more than the Pujols and Hamilton ones. 

 

Not right now they wouldn't. Several on this board are only about right now. That is why Weaver is no longer an Ace and Bourjos skus

[YouthofToday]

Greinke is one of the most overrated pitchers. You guys would have regretted that contract more than the Pujols and Hamilton ones.

Wow, what a ludicrous post. Have you and Ron Washington been hanging out late night at a strip club?