The rotation is still lacking

[Marsaka]

Wait, are we trying to say that Rodney or Krod would be the difference in us being contenders or not?  Would not both of them be as much as a question mark as any of the others? 

 

im saying a dominant, established closer would help the bullpen a great deal and possibly make them contenders especially if the closer takes appearances away from the likes of jepsen.  and yes they are question marks but both of them were pretty cheap and it would have been worth it to take a shot at.  instead they took a chance on brandon lyon, and a bunch of rule 5 guys.

[Marsaka]

Do you remember Rodney when he was here?  Do you know what he did last season?  He would not be a huge upgrade over Frieri, he wouldn't even be an upgrade at all.  Not to mention there is no way in hell they would bring him back after he badmouthed the team when he left.

 

badmouthed the team or scioscia?  everyone bad mouths scioscia after they leave and it's well deserved...hes a terrible manager.

[nando714]

How do we expect mulder to come in and just throw 200IP after not pitching in years? He'll be a solid spot starter/long relief guy? if he makes it out of Arizona.

[mtangelsfan]

Except Rodney isn't that.  Oh and I do agree that the pen could be better.  I just don't think there were that many guys to make it better.  To sign a contract you must have two parties agree to it.  It's quite possible that Krod didn't want to come back.

 

Sometimes you can't go home again. 

[mtangelsfan]

badmouthed the team or scioscia?  everyone bad mouths scioscia after they leave and it's well deserved...hes a terrible manager.

 

Everyone?  LOL

[Glen]

thought this was worth bumping, since we're now a couple days away from pitchers and catchers reporting.

 

what do all of the "Dipoto is not done!" people think?  This the rotation we're going into the season with?

 

 

 

I sorta admire the way you hold on to your pessimism about this team.

[mtangelsfan]

Napoli, Rodney and Guillen = everybody.

[Marsaka]

Except Rodney isn't that.  Oh and I do agree that the pen could be better.  I just don't think there were that many guys to make it better.  To sign a contract you must have two parties agree to it.  It's quite possible that Krod didn't want to come back.

 

Sometimes you can't go home again. 

 

money talks, krod will go to whomever pays him the most and gives him a legit shot at closing.  although i wouldnt blame him if he doesnt want to play for scioscia again even for more money - that speaks volumes on the type of manager this guy is.

[nando714]

Is Sosh the Tom Caughlin of the MLB?

[mtangelsfan]

Is Sosh the Tom Caughlin of the MLB?

 

I'll be convinced when marsaka gives me that exhaustive list of players who have badmouthed Sosh after they have left the Angels.  Shouldn't be any trouble since it's "everyone".

[Marsaka]

Napoli, Rodney and Guillen = everybody.

 

tori hunter, jerry dipoto, trevor bell.  that sure is a lot of people who badmouth him.

[mtangelsfan]

Hunter did not bad mouth Sosh.  Neither did Dipoto.  What are you talking about?  Sosh has been manager for 14 seasons and he has pissed off four people.

 

OMG!!!!!!!!

[Inside Pitch]

Trevor Bell was born on the most unholiest of days for ANY Angels fan...    I don't even acknowledge his existence, the little spawn of Satan.

[Marsaka]

Google is your friend.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/26/torii-hunter-called-out-manager-mike-scioscia-after-loss/

 

http://www.halosheaven.com/2012/4/26/2976533/thursday-halolinks-team-beginning-to-question-scioscia-still-not

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/los-angeles-angels-manager-mike-scioscia-gm-jerry-dipoto-relationship-conflict-092112

 

we really want this guy managing the 2014 team?

[Stradling]

Goody another shitty opinion about the Angels given to us by Marsaka. How difficult was it for you to not find a way to blame the bad pitching on Howie? You are such a troll with this Scioscia is a pathetic manager crap. He pissed off four people in 14 years , Billy Martin calls that Monday.

[WallyWorld]

who changed the title of this thread?  Not too happy about that . . .

[Marsaka]

Goody another shitty opinion about the Angels given to us by Marsaka. How difficult was it for you to not find a way to blame the bad pitching on Howie? You are such a troll with this Scioscia is a pathetic manager crap. He pissed off four people in 14 years , Billy Martin calls that Monday.

 

this is silly rambling.  

 

how am i trolling even though i provided actual evidence?  if you have evidence that the players enjoy playing for mike and he gets the most out of them, then provide it, otherwise stop the childish rambling.

[Docwaukee]

there are big differences between need, want, and opportunity.  

 

the rotation and pen were dreadful in 2012 and they went into the offseason needing three starters and basically a revamped pen. 

the moves failed in general as the team was in a similar position at the end of 2013.  The bullpen improved a touch however.

 

The actual pitching performances between 2012 and 2013 were eerily similar yet the team won 11 fewer games. Why?  Bad defense, an under performing offense, injuries, and malaise.  

 

So Dipoto was tasked with rebuilding a pitching staff in one off season (some of which is related to his own doing).  So let's be realistic about what anyone would be capable of accomplishing and where the team is as a result.  

 

Is the staff better than the last two years?  I think it has the potential to be much better but it's not totally unrealistic that it will be about the same.  Depth is still a major issue.  Perhaps even more so for this year as they are relying on 3 young players who have yet to spend an entire season in a major league rotation.  

 

As Jeff Fletcher said in another thread, One will likely be pretty good, one will be ok to below average, and one will likely suck or at least not stay in the rotation.  

 

So the fate of this rotation is currently very much tied to Shoemaker, Mulder and Blanton who could see anywhere from 20-50 starts between them.  I am not totally thrilled about that kind of depth at this point.  

[Mark68]

rodney showed in 2012 what he was capable of, he still throws 98-99 so he is still a pretty dominant force in the 9th and a huge upgrade over frieri.  how many teams make the playoffs without a strong/secured closer?

Ahhh...so there is the "That one year he was actually good, he showed what he was capable of" argument. What about Fraudney's non-2012 career?

[WallyWorld]

there are big differences between need, want, and opportunity.  

 

the rotation and pen were dreadful in 2012 and they went into the offseason needing three starters and basically a revamped pen. 

the moves failed in general as the team was in a similar position at the end of 2013.  The bullpen improved a touch however.

 

The actual pitching performances between 2012 and 2013 were eerily similar yet the team won 11 fewer games. Why?  Bad defense, an under performing offense, injuries, and malaise.  

 

So Dipoto was tasked with rebuilding a pitching staff in one off season (some of which is related to his own doing).  So let's be realistic about what anyone would be capable of accomplishing and where the team is as a result.  

 

Is the staff better than the last two years?  I think it has the potential to be much better but it's not totally unrealistic that it will be about the same.  Depth is still a major issue.  Perhaps even more so for this year as they are relying on 3 young players who have yet to spend an entire season in a major league rotation.  

 

As Jeff Fletcher said in another thread, One will likely be pretty good, one will be ok to below average, and one will likely suck or at least not stay in the rotation.  

 

So the fate of this rotation is currently very much tied to Shoemaker, Mulder and Blanton who could see anywhere from 20-50 starts between them.  I am not totally thrilled about that kind of depth at this point.  

 

well said. and that's my biggest issue, is the lack of depth.  A kid who was the #7 starter at the beginning of last year is being counted on as a #3/4 guy at the start of this year.  I know I'm more pessimistic than most, but I find it really hard to see how fans can feel at all good about the '14 rotation after what happened last year, or the last few years for that matter.

[fan_since79]

I think the OP is pretty much spot on . When will the FO realize Pitching wins games. The rotation may be slightly better but it is still filled with too many question marks. We have no depth and if Skaggs . Santiago or Richards have trouble we are in trouble. It makes little sense to me why you pay out big bucks to the offensive side then deplete the pitching staff. I understand the argument of only so many dollars to go around, But it is kind of like building only half a house.  If Hamilton and Pujols get back on track our pitching is still going to struggle to keep us in games. We threw all that money at them for what we never completed the other half of the house to compete. If the front office don't figure out pitching wins games. Trout is doomed to move on to look for success with a club that has it figured out. At this point I will not be buying any season tickets... Lord , How I miss the Cowboy at least he had a little knowledge of the game.

 

If two of those three really struggle and have to be removed, then we're looking at a rotation of Weaver, Wilson, (one of those aforementioned three), Blanton, and Mulder.

 

That scares me.

[mtangelsfan]

Google is your friend.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/26/torii-hunter-called-out-manager-mike-scioscia-after-loss/

 

http://www.halosheaven.com/2012/4/26/2976533/thursday-halolinks-team-beginning-to-question-scioscia-still-not

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/los-angeles-angels-manager-mike-scioscia-gm-jerry-dipoto-relationship-conflict-092112

 

we really want this guy managing the 2014 team?

 

So this post backs up your comment that everybody badmouths Sosh after they leave the Angels?  Hunter was playing for the Angels.  You don't think players and managers disagree once and a while?  And the thing about Dipoto?  LOL

[Brent Maguire]

well said. and that's my biggest issue, is the lack of depth.  A kid who was the #7 starter at the beginning of last year is being counted on as a #3/4 guy at the start of this year.  I know I'm more pessimistic than most, but I find it really hard to see how fans can feel at all good about the '14 rotation after what happened last year, or the last few years for that matter.

Well Richards performed well enough to warrant a rotation spot this season. Where he ranked last year is irrelevant because he took a pretty big step forward last season. 

[Chuck]

I sorta admire the way you hold on to your pessimism about this team.

Yep.

Way to rally behind the team you supposedly love to watch.

I love your support!

[sneaky_flute]

The Angels have some promising young arms in Richards, Santiago, and Skaggs, but Blanton has never been good so I don't understand why they would keep him around.