Our Picks

Pretty simple yes or no poll. Is Anthony Rendon a bust, or is it too early to tell?

More discussion here: 

 

Gameday Thread (6/14/22): Angels @ Dodgers - Ward back and leading off

Go ahead and start asking your questions about the draft, Angels prospects and the major league club here now and @taylorblakeward will get to them from the 4-5pm PST hour. 

Lol

Gameday Thread (6/11/22): Mets vs Angels - Trout is back, City Connect jersey debut

Gameday Thread (6/10/22): Mets vs Angels - Rendon is back, Trout is not

Gameday Thread (6/8/22): Red Sox @ Angels - No Trout

Worth it's own thread, I think:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/with-their-losing-streak-at-12-the-angels-do-something-by-firing-joe-maddon/

I think Jay Jaffe sums it up really well. Some interesting bits about Maddon's more "conservative" managing style in recent years, and Minasian's bullpen issues. He points out that aside from Raisel and Ortega, there are no power arms. 

You might be wondering at this point: How many teams lost 13(+) games in a row, but still managed to reach the playoffs? 

You're not going to like the answer: none. Or rather, none in the 21st century: 2000-21 (ignoring 2020, because there were only 60 games and 14 playoff teams).

In fact, the only other playoff team to lose 10 or more games in a row were the 2017 Dodgers, who lost 11 in a row as part of a 1-15 (or 5-19) slump near the end of the year. But the Dodgers were 91-37 at the beginning of their losing streak, and 20 games ahead.

Every other season saw the worst losing streaks by playoff teams ranging from 6-9 games, with 8 being the most common.

In other words, ignoring 2020, we have:

21 seasons, 186 playoff teams, not a single 12+ game losing streak, and only one above 9 games, and that from a team that was 20 games ahead of second place.

But there's a chance, right?

Anyhow, when I have a bit more time later tonight, I'll try to keep going back until I find a longer losing streak - I mean, in 120ish years of two-league baseball, there's got to be one. Right?

Gameday Thread: (6/7/22) Red Sox @ Angels - Nevin’s first game as Angels manager

From the USA Today:


"It was a year ago when Albert Pujols was released by the Angels that he informed Minasian and president John Carpino that they would never win as long as Maddon was the manager. Several veterans privately thanked Pujols for speaking out. The Angels finished with their second consecutive fourth-place finish, but they stuck with Maddon, believing he deserved one more chance."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/angels/2022/06/07/joe-maddon-fired-los-angeles-angels-manager/10004728002/

So we all know Trout is slumping hard. But just how hard?

There are two time-frames to consider: the last 7 games and the last 11 games. He had a five-day slump in mid-May, but then went off for a week with a couple huge games. So really, we're talking about May 25 to present, with the last 7 games being particularly bad.

So how bad is it? Well, I did some research, and both are the worst such spans of his career -- and it isn't particularly close. Compare:

Gameday Thread: Angels @ Yankees 6/2/2022 Ohtani on the mound 10:05 a.m start

Gameday Thread: Angels @ Yankees (5/31/22 4pm): Syndergaard on the mound

Gameday Thread: Blue Jays @ Angels (5/29/22): Sandoval on the mound, Ward back in RF

Gameday Thread: Blue Jays @ Angels (5/28/22 7pm): Lorenzen on the mound, Ohtani is back, no Ward

Gameday Thread: (5/26/22) Canada @ Angels - Lagares 2022 debut, no Ward

Four home games vs solid Jays

Three road games vs really good Skanks

Three road games vs under .500 Phillies

Four home games against red hot Red Sux

Three home games against really good Mets

Two road games against really good Dogs

By just comparing the number of personnel listed on the Angels "Front Office- Scouting" page on their media guide, it's clear that they've increased the number of scouts they employ within the organization.

It also looks like they've re-structured the department. But, most importantly, it's good to see that they have seemingly increased their investment in scouting.

 

2021:

Directors/Coordinators/Special Assistants: 7
Crosscheckers: 5
Regional Supervisors: 5
Area Scouts: 6
International Scouts: 10
Professional Scouts: 7
Total: 40

 

2022:

Directors/Coordinators/Special Assistants: 10
Crosscheckers: 8
Area Supervisors: 9
International Crosscheckers/Supervisors: 5
International Scouts: 13
Professional Scouts: 5
Total: 50

Gameday Thread: Rangers @ Angels (5/25/22): Detmers on the mound, still no Ward

Through 43 team games and 38 games played, Trout is hitting .323/.434/.699 with 12 HR, a 225 wRC+ and 2.9 fWAR. How does that compare to previous years?

Here's how Trout looked through 43 team games, from 2012-22:

2012 (May 21): 21 G, .350/.413/.600, 4 HR, 178 wRC+, 1.5 WAR (31st, not qualified); Rest of Season WAR: 8.6

2013 (May 18): 43 G, .285/.370/.529, 8 HR, 152 wRC+, 2.2 WAR (14th); ROS WAR: 8.0

2014 (May 18): 43 G, .263/.360/.515, 8 HR, 150 wRC+, 1.9 WAR (10th); ROS WAR: 6.4 

2015 (May 23): 43 G, .302/.395/.553, 11 HR, 158 wRC+, 2.3 WAR (3rd); ROS WAR: 7.0

2016 (May 21): 43 G, .321/.410/.568, 10 HR, 164 wRC+, 2.2 WAR (5th); ROS WAR: 6.4

2017 (May 17): 37 G, .341/.451/.742, 13 HR, 206 wRC+, 2.6 WAR (1st); ROS WAR: 3.8 (injured)

2018 (May 16): 43 G, .298/.440/.616, 12 HR, 183 wRC+, 2.9 WAR (2nd); ROS WAR: 6.6 

2019 (May 15): 40 G, .278/.449/.541, 9 HR, 157 wRC+, 2.0 WAR (7th); ROS WAR: 6.3

2020 (Sept 8): 38 G, .301/.398/.671, 15 HR, 177 wRC+, 2.2 WAR (6th); ROS WAR: 0.4

2021 (May 19): 36 G, .333/.466/.624, 8 HR, 190 wRC+, 2.2 WAR (1st); ROS WAR: 0.0

2022 (May 23): 38 G, .323/.434/.699, 12 HR, 225 wRC+, 2.9 WAR (3rd)

Like a lot of other people, I kind of laughed it off and ignored Perry Minasian's comments about clubhouse chemistry, makeup, etc. but this Noah Syndergaard post-game quote stood out tonight:

"We all mesh really well. And Perry — I don’t know what kind of formula he has —  but everybody in this clubhouse, we’re all pulling for another, we’re all rooting [for another], we’re all trying to make each other better. So it’s a lot of fun and it’s just a really awesome thing to be a part of."

AA preached that same clubhouse chemistry and makeup stuff in Atlanta when Perry was there, and Perry has always spoken about being in the clubhouse growing up and seeing it make an impact. To add on, I just saw Twins players discussing the same thing impacting their own club this season compared to last season.

So it's not quantifiable, but I'm starting to buy into this idea/concept/theory.

By Rob Goldman, AngelsWin.com Contributor

Of all of Nolan Ryan's achievements, few garnered more attention than the 20-second skirmish between Ryan and veteran third baseman Robin Ventura in 1993. The fight has come to symbolize his Texas toughness, and it made Ryan a symbol of middle-age defiance.

Much has been made about the "Ventura Fight" but most don't realize its roots started three years earlier in Florida.

In the 1990s, Chicago's Craig Grebeck was one of baseball's smallest everyday players. Just 5'7", he compensated for his lack of stature with the attitude of Goliath.

Gameday Thread: A's @ Angels (5/22/22): Sandoval on the mound, no Walsh, Ward still out