Its hard to be optimistic

[Angelsjunky]

Part of me thinks, this team is too talented to suck next year. With a new starting pitcher or two and a rebuilt bullpen, and modest rebounds from Hamilton and Pujols, this could be a 90+ win team.

 

But here's the problem: Not only has Arte Moreno's meddling led to three gargantuan disasters (Wells, Pujols, and Hamilton), but our supposedly savvy once-golden boy GM can't seem to make a single good trade or free agent signing (remember the "JeDi" posts and "In Dipoto we trust"? That seems like a distant memory now).

 

OK, that's an exaggeration - but look at his track record. Almost every trade or free agent signing he has made has turned out poorly for the Angels and better for the other team. This goes back before Dipoto's era, of course, but look at his track record: not good. In fact, I can't find ANY move - except for CJ Wilson - that hasn't worked out poorly. Callaspo for Green is too soon to say, but I have a hard time believing that Billy Beane would just let Green go so easily unless he was convinced he wasn't going to be more than a bench player.

 

So the problem isn't the players on the field; with a bit of augmentation, they could be a good team. The problem is the front office and their inability to make moves that actually improve the team.

 

Unfortunately Arte Moreno isn't going anywhere, not when the Angels are bringing in a $100M profit. I think our only hope is that he learns from his mistakes and stays out of baseball operations, and then hires someone who actually knows what he's doing. I want to believe that Dipoto can turn things around, but he needs to show us SOMETHING and he hasn't shown us much of anything.

 

I'm starting to think that Arte Moreno is a world class terrible owner, on the level of Peter Angelos. Angelos learned his lesson and now the Orioles have a strong young team. But what seems clear now is that the success of 2004-09 is largely the work of Bill Stoneman, even the last couple years - which we could consider the "wake" of the strong organization he build in the first half of the decade. But this team has been utterly clueless in the six years since Stoneman stepped down.

 

This team needs new leadership and I for one think Dipoto AND Scioscia should go.

[HaloCory22]

Bring in Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen. They'll right the ship!

[Jay]

Agree with you AJ, except I would like to see us keep both Dipoto and Scioscia, if they can get on the same page and if Moreno could butt-out.  That's a couple of pretty big "ifs".

 

If I were a really rich guy and decided to buy a professional sports team, I would want to be involved, that's the fun of being an owner.  But as an owner you have to defer to the judgement of the guys you hire as experts to evaluate talent and manage the team.

 

In all these scathing articles and reports we've been reading about how dysfunctional the Angels are, I haven't seen one that says there's a problem in the clubhouse, or that the players don't respect Scioscia.  Love him or hate him, the fact is that guys like Scioscia don't grow on trees.  A guy who can walk into a clubhouse full of players including future HOF players, and say, "ok this is what we're going to do."  If the players didn't respect him I think we would have heard about it by now.

[AngelArcher]

When most if not all trades end up one sided, then scouting and talent evaluation is a problem.

[Angelsjunky]

Great post, Jay - way to keep things in context. Yeah, I could be convinced that both Scioscia and Dipoto need one more chance.

 

Actually, if we want to go the other way and be optimistic we can say that:

 

1) The Angels had a good offense this year, with two former-MVPs that should bounce back next year, making it a great offense

2) They've got the beginnings of a solid rotation in Weaver, Wilson, Richards, and maybe Vargas, and only need 1-2 more starters to make it viable for contention

3) They've got an owner who is willing to spend money, and last but not least

4) They have the best player in baseball

 

It could be worse. Even if we write Hamilton and Pujols off, one way to look at things is that the Angels are still a $100 million payroll club. In other words, after those two they still have more money to spend than most teams in baseball. Now of course Weaver, Wilson, Aybar, and Kendrick add a lot to that, but they are all strong contributors and basically worth the money.

 

In other words, Dipoto's job isn't the hardest in baseball, but nor is it the easiest. He's got some significant challenges but also a lot to work with.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Angelsjunky

[wopphil]

I think this team is far better than it is shown this year.  If Pujols can come back healthy and Hamilton can hit more like he has the last month than the first few months, the offense could go from being good to being one of the best in the league.  I think a starting four of Weaver/Wilson/Vargas/Richards is solid enough to keep us competitive (with a good offense, that is).  Of course, I am by no means assuming Vargas will be an easy re-sign, and the team definitely needs to bring in another high end arm to fill out the rotation. 

 

The bullpen will be far trickier to repair, IMO.  Our two best relief pitchers have been DDLR and Kohn, and both of those guys should be the third or fourth setup arms out of the pen, not the first or second.  They really must add two top relief pitchers, and I think that is going to be very hard to do.

 

But luck plays into things as well, and I expect it will be a component next year. 

[Chuck]

Fix the bullpen, beef up the rotation and this team is a VERY good team next season. 

[nate]

They will probably sign Beltran and McCann and trade Bourjos for a SP that has spent 6 years in AAA because of a high walk rate.

[Pbonetheman]

I have a hard time not being optimistic before each season. There are too many variables year to year to know exactly what to expect. It took injuries and severe underperformance to find this team where they are today. It is hard to compete when the poorly constructed, injury-depleted rotation gives the game away in 3 innings or less. It is hard to come up clutch when the pen just hands it away in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. It is safe to say you cannot build a pitching staff on reclamation projects and prayer alone. This coming offseason will shed plenty of light as to whether or not the Angels can be competitive. 

[Docwaukee]

I hope dipoto stays.  I think that given the appropriate authority he can do much better. 

 

As far as Arte is concerned, and from a purely speculative standpoint, I think he recognized that Reagins wasn't going to be a good GM pretty soon after he was hired.  Like any owner of any business, he saw a weak spot that he couldn't immediately patch and felt like he needed to fill the gap himself in order to make things ok until they could get someone else in there.  The problem is that he got a taste of it, and I think he likes it.  So even when he brought in capable people he still created the conflict of who was actually running the show.  Hopefully he will back off a bit now after seeing that his directives have been a detriment to the franchise.  OR, he'll go on doing what he has been doing and sink the ship. 

 

I am indifferent about MS.  He does seem like a fish out of water to some degree but the bottom line is that every mechanic gets comfortable using certain tools.  Not only did someone change his tools around, but they gave him fewer. 

 

I cannot stress enough how I feel about the importance of a good bullpen to this team.  I think it will make all the difference in the world.  That a no Joe Blanton. 

 

The reason I am optimistic is that we aren't the Astros or Marlins or Twins or Padres.  We don't need an act of God to win next year so there is hope.  We have players that can perform much better.  Which is different than those players not being very good. 

We also have players that just aren't very good, but we have some resources to make that better. 

 

Even if, God forbid, Arte tries again to buy his way out of this mess, it will be to replace Blanton with Garza, re-sing Vargas, and to buy a few bullpen pieces. 

 

That still makes the team potentially pretty good.  Doesn't make 5 years from now any better, but at least they would be good for 2014.  Not what I want by any stretch so let's hope he moves forward the right way, but at least there is a right way. 

[Chuck]

I hope Dipoto stays too. He's a tireless worker, unlike Scioscia who has a cushy contract and hates going to work every day. 

[PTBNL]

I hope Dipoto stays too. He's a tireless worker, unlike Scioscia who has a cushy contract and hates going to work every day. 

 

 

? ?

[FireThemAll]

I think this team might have a rough next 5 years. Looking at the terrible contracts that Pujols and Hamilton have, the soon decline of Weaver and Wilson, and the lack of pitching talent in our farm system...we just might be screwed. I think we're the new Mets.

[Glen]

Chuck dropping some inside information!

[Jay]

not really

[Tank]

I hope Dipoto stays too. He's a tireless worker, unlike Scioscia who has a cushy contract and hates going to work every day.

Little birdy been talking to you?

[Homebrewer]

If there is much respect for Scioscia, it certainly isn't showing on the field of play. Shoddy defense, bad base-running, Hamilton's atrocious AB's and lackadaisical attitude....this is NOT how you play for a manager you "respect".

What goes on in the clubhouse is private, and frankly, I don't give a %@ who likes who, or doesn't.

What matters to me, and what really matters in baseball, is what goes on when the team takes the field.

I see very little evidence of any "respect" watching the effort on the field.

Respect for the game, respect for the fans, respect for your team-mates...it means being prepared, being "in the game", and putting your best effort out there each and every night.

Scioscia certainly deserves some blame for the crap baseball being played these days.

Nobody fears being benched or barked at when they play like boneheads, and we have all seen a lot of boneheaded lack of effort this season, and the last few seasons, really.

 

Anyone who hasn't read Ryne Sandberg's HOF induction speech should absolutely take the time to check it out...it is all about respect.

 

Ryne Dee Sandberg - Induction Speech _ Baseball Hall of Fame.htm

[mtangelsfan]

This isn't high school or college sports.  These are multi-millionaires.  Why would they "fear" getting yelled at.

[Homebrewer]

This isn't high school or college sports.  These are multi-millionaires.  Why would they "fear" getting yelled at.

They should fear sitting on the bench and watching a few games, or being booed (and this team in NYC or Philly would be crucified)

So, there should be no accountability, or consequences, for not doing your job, because this is the big leagues and they make tons of money?

Sorry, but I disagree.

[Stradling]

I don't find it hard to be optimistic.

[Homebrewer]

I don't find it hard to be optimistic.

Believe it or not, neither do I. Baseball is a game of optimism.

I will be 60 next year, and have been a Cubs and Angel fan. I have one WS in over a half of a CENTURY, and I go into every season with optimism. But I have also been watching and following this game long enough to see dysfunction when it rears it's head.

I LIKED a whole bunch of Cubs and Angels teams when they were not very good, but they played hard and they tried hard and they showed some respect for the game. I grew up in a family who owned season tickets during the 60's-70's-80's and 90's.

I grew up in Anaheim Stadium.

People look back and bemoan those years, but to me, they were some of the best years in this clubs history.

2002 wasn't a team of stars, it was a team that came together and refused to lose.

69 Cubs, 84 Cubs, 79 Angels, 82 Angels, 86 Angels I can name most of the players on every one of those teams.

 

I know I rub people wrong a lot of the time, but I am here, posting about baseball, and a team that has come out flat for two straight seasons with high hopes (optimism)  and I see the manager and coaches as the main reason this is happening.

Take it for whatever it is worth. I am not an LT type that will spend two days arguing my points with you.

My opinion is what it is.

[Glen]

As far as this season goes I'm no longer optimistic or pessimistic - whatever happens, happens.  I still get a bit excited when they win but the losses don't bother me as much.  I'm already in "let's see what happens during the offseason" mode but I'm sure that when spring rolls around again I'll get my hopes up a bit. 

[Stradling]

As far as this season goes I'm no longer optimistic or pessimistic - whatever happens, happens. I still get a bit excited when they win but the losses don't bother me as much. I'm already in "let's see what happens during the offseason" mode but I'm sure that when spring rolls around again I'll get my hopes up a bit.

Exactly this

[Blarg]

I don't find it hard to be optimistic.

 

It appears many have taken the easy route and decided to dedicate themselves to being pessimistic.

[Ohtaniland]

As far as this season goes I'm no longer optimistic or pessimistic - whatever happens, happens.  I still get a bit excited when they win but the losses don't bother me as much.  I'm already in "let's see what happens during the offseason" mode but I'm sure that when spring rolls around again I'll get my hopes up a bit. 

 

Does this mean you've stopped caring about our Angels? (sarcasm)