WestistheBest

Agree we can't go .500 we gotta go .800 easiest month by far.

Yes it is the easiest month

I'm being conservative on Weaver, he could be back sooner than the end of the month, That puts (I assume) Williams back in the pen. Is it a long shot? Yes. 

Completely out of the question? Not completely. Keep your eyes on Weaver and Madson.

Has any team ever been this far under .500 at the end of May and saw the post-season?

I can only right away think of the 1914 Miracle Braves.

I doubt it, but what if the team is only 4-5 games back at the end of May?

Ok, who here disagrees?

No way, he's right. There is no manager who could manage this mess of pitching. NONE. We take the lead, it's taken back, we take the lead it's taken back. 

It is interesting that he said it. I'd like to be a fly on the wall in some of the "meetings"

The good news, is we have a softer schedule this month. The bad news, no pitcher looks to return until the end of the month. (Weaver is in the pen throwing, then I assume he does a couple rehab games) (Same for Madson)

Now, 'softer' may be too optimistic, but the point stands. 

1) pad wins against the Astros or forget it. (7 games)

2) win the Series against the Mariners. (forget the last one)

3) Royals are in first place, still beatable, win 4 out of seven (7 games)

4) White sox, worse than last year..beatable. must win Series.

5) Cubs, two games, win them both.

Dodgers at the end, we'll see where this team is sitting.

this is the month to gain some ground, and then ideally (June) all hurt pitchers haved returned and we see the offense we expected.

We HAVE to gain ground this month. No way around it.

They should sit Puljos for the series. Let him rest or we may be saying goodbye for the rest of the season.

I predict we should win two of three, but getting swept would barely surprise me.

Why do I care exactly?

Weaver and Madson both throwing bullpen sessions. Weaver claims his elbow feels "great"

Jepsen is throwing, possibility of being ready at end of month.

The way things look, this is no better than a third place team - and the only reason they are that good is that the Mariners and Astros are in the same division.

But we aren't better than the Mariners. Not currently. How about 4th place?

Has there been even one series this year where you looked at the series preview and genuinely felt the pitching match-ups favored the Angels? For most of this season it's felt like the team has gone into the bottom of the first already behind..  

 

It starts with the rotation and this is the weakest its been in a generation.  The really funny part is there will be Angels fans who think the solution next winter will be to sign Headley to play 3b.

No, after Weaver it was pretty obvious this was one of the worst Rotations in the league

The answer is that they just aren't a good team. Playing with more fire and heart or whatever won't make them magically pitch better or win more games

 

they suck. It's that simple. Bad teams lose and lose a lot, and this team loses a lot.

Pretty much

.....

Trumbo is just murdering baseballs right now.

Thank God.

I am pretty sure anyone on the team could teach Hamilton a thing about hitting in general.  Starting with pitch recognition of a change-up from a right hander and a curveball from a left hander. 

That isn't true, with Hamilton or any hitter of his caliber, it's always mental. They don't need lessons, they need shrinks. I'm sure without even looking at a stat, that Hamilton (many times in his career) was one of the best at hitting balls out of the zone, (because of his bat-speed and power, naturally) and that's exactly what's getting him in trouble, now he's trying to press by hitting the un-hittable. Change-ups, lefty righty, doesn't matter. Pitchers haven't "figured Hamilton out", that always cracks me up. Like any pitcher WAS EVER feeding Hamilton fastballs on purpose. Never. If he doesn't start taking balls like he should be, they'll have to nibble those corners and he will crush those corners.

Guaranteed

Get a shrink Hamilton, Jesus can't help you. 

And I got nothing against Jesus.

Marginally.

No.

Is Pujols capable of hitting one off of the wall, and getting thrown out at 1B without reaching it?

No, and this is where Hamilton's slump is really hurting the offense. If Hamilton was hitting well, I would drop Puljos to 4 as fast as possible, then you could see a nice tick-up in production. Hamilton's speed on the paths is often overlooked as a great tool, if he could only manage to get on base.

That's a nice scenerio, Hamilton hitting (like he should be) behind Trout (whether Trout is number 1 or 2) and then Puljos hitting behind Hamilton.

That would be a thing of beauty.

Halomagic or lt, was the ball catchable?

Probably not, but it was clearly misplayed. And that one hurt, he'll settle down.

Trout is just leveling out. He had one of the best rookie seasons EVER. But defense normally doesn't slump or regress dramatically. He's missed plays in the OF that are baffling.

He's horrible playing balls of the wall, it's been a little depressing. Good news, probably just a over-anxious (kinda)-rookie thing, he's not adjusting his speed well. It isn't something I'd worry too much about in the long run.

Assuming anyone is actually worried.

Over the past couple weeks, he's been our best starter.

 

 

:sigh:

and the guy sucks, that's how bad this rotation is. I'll grant he's been better, I wouldn't bet a penny he's going to get any better

Ya, Bourjos's injury makes it that much harder to give him a game or two off. 

 

No reason he needs to continue to bat cleanup and flail away after they pitch around Pujols, though.

I'd keep him behind Trumbo for now, less bats won't help Hamilton. Might make fans feel better, but ultimately the wrong move. 

Bench him a couple? Ya, maybe, but like you said...

Best case scenerio is Hamilton does start hitting like Hamilton, I'd move him to the the 3 hole. 

He CAN run, no brainer there. It's been said that Hamilton can carry a team when he's hot, and that's partly true.

But not this team. The rotation is too horrible. That being said, of course Hamilton shouldn't be flailing at balls, also known as pressing, (for those of you who think he's forgotten how to hit) he might be the worst (best) hitter to press so hard (currently playing). He'll come around, the idea that Hamilton is not able to adjust is not true. What is true, is that you'd like to theoretically strangle the guy for giving away his bats.

With all that talent, it's downright maddening.

I would say that anyone that thought Hamilton would make a smooth transition to a division rival was kidding themselves, it's my opinion, he REALLY did not want to leave Texas, never wanted to test the market, that was a Dallas media driven fairy-tale. 

It's mental folks, and it will pass. My feeling was the offense would be good enough to absorb a season starting slump, and they have been to a point.

But when you look at the pitching stats, it tells the real story whether you like it or not.

I'm betting that Hamilton is better at hitting LHP than you.

I would second that. But this poster would be cheaper.

Trying to think logically here. It would not have to be a full rebuild, but more of a quick 1-2 year retool. You could deal Howie, Aybar, Callaspo, Iannetta, Trumbo and Vargas, Frieri, CJ... That would net some serious prospect power close to

MLB ready.

You have Lindsey, Stamets, Romine, Harris, Jimenez, Yarbrough that could help in the infield at some point.

Would it be so far fetched?

Not really, I'd pull that trigger

The pitching is bad enough to warrant it, no question. They won't do it of course.

Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols got paid. They are on the final big contract they will ever receive in this lifetime. They have 0 incentive to improve. This is the team and we are stuck with it for years to come. This team is like last years team, except we have Blanton instead of Greinke.

I have to call BS on this frequent claim when normally great hitters aren't hitting well, because they hit a payday.

That claim has been levied against a lot of great players and ultimately wasn't the truth.

They have ego's believe ME. It's a long grind as we all know, you really think they don't care if they go out game after game and completely suck? Of course they CARE.

The team is horrible, no question, it started with the pitching and I warned many times, it could demoralize the offense. It's called pressing. And the better the player may be, and the more money they make, the more they may feel like they have to make something happen, which typically ends up in what we are seeing. Fans don't want to hear excuses, I get that. But I predicted it.

"you see the ball, you hit the ball" too much thinking beyond that is trouble. And Hamilton especially, better shake it off fairly soon, and I think he will.

Yes, the offense has sucked. No, it won't last. The pitching is ultimately the problem and worse a problem that doesn't seem to have any solutions.

There are good/great hitters around the league not getting off to great starts, the ones with better teams won't get as much blame. 

The good hitters on teams expected to do nothing don't get the press anyway.

All I can think is try and stay as close as possible until the ASB. Maybe a miracle second half of the season. I doubt it, but you never really know.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

i'll trade ron washington for scioscia

Dumb, you must be one of those "hate the winning Ron Washington fans", you guys are a hoot.

This thread is liking complaining about how Scioscia rearranged the deck chairs when he worked on the Titanic. The bullpen, hell, this pitching staff, is a total wreck and it has nothing to do with Scioscia, or Butcher.

No kidding, like I said before people are complaining that Sosh is giving a bad wax job to a car that has no engine.

Ridiculous.

I was mad last night and said "fire them all", but I've calmed down since then. Still think it will be a battle for 3rd place. And still taking a break from watching these games, it amazingly contains not a shred of enjoyment.  Things may pick up, it is baseball afterall.