SmallSampleSize

One other thing I noticed in my strange transition (and yes, Always an Angel fan first but I'm having fun following the Doyers now)...

Think about all your Laker friends.  Do any of them hate the Clippers?

Of my 12~14 Laker friends or work associates, none hate the Clippers when I actually thought about it.  I know a few Clippers fans that don't care for the Lakers.

The same thing with Doyer fans.  None of my family and close friends hate the Angels.  They follow all the stats and stories along with their team.

But strangely, it seems many Angel fans dislike the Doyers.   And the Clips CAN affect the trajectory of the Lakers during the season where the Doyers can never really affect us minus interleague for a few.

The only common thread for the Clippers/Lakers and Angels/Doyers is that one has always lived in the shadow of the other (press-wise).  Yes, the Doyers and Lakers have tradition, history, etc.

While the Angels are creating their own...and the Clippers might get their first soon (I hope!), they can never catch up and make it "their" town.  Really, I hated everything about the Doyers because I was sick of only hearing everything-Blue and rarely talk about my Angels till 2002.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but as SoCal sport fans, we're really blessed.

Two great NBA teams.  Two great MLB teams.  And while it *!&@# no NFL team, with fantasy football and Direct TV...I lose 3 days a week of any productivity (ok, well most Thursdays the last couple seasons).

Maybe before I pass this fine earth, I might live to see that real Freeway series and the Angels walk away with it all.

Maybe...

There definitely is trouble at the Ravine.

While it won't go over well on a board like this, the real trouble is that I think I'm now a full-blooded Doyer fan.

Never ever ever in a million years did I think this was possible.  I've been heads down into NFL the last couple months, preparing for the season, fantasy drafts for leagues, etc.

The play of the Angels has all but left baseball 3rd behind the NFL and NBA for me last few seasons - though I'm very active in all three.

I got caught up in watching every inning of their games since Puig and their energy surge, and sadly (or incredibly), it's the most fun I think I've had following baseball since 2002.

At first I was entirely conflicted.  

But I couldn't deny the fun I was having and most of my friends and family (many on wife's side have really nice season seats) are Doyer fans, so instead of arguing with them...I finally just started enjoying it.  And REALLY have had fun watching baseball.

I have a mancrush on Mattingly and LOVE how he actually manages the team.   What he did to Puig almost seemed unthinkable after watching Scioscia for so long.  I forgot that can actually happen.

I'll always love the Angels but it's nice now to have another local team I can enjoy.

So yeah, there is trouble in the Ravine.  I have to find time to fit in Doyer games with drafts this weekend

I know most on here can't stomach the idea of being fans of both teams, but the few that are and probably aren't vocal about it on an Angel fan site are in baseball heaven right now.

Sometimes it's ok to just enjoy something and not fight it. 

"You guys are all wrong!   The moment I left, so did the winning and fun of Angels baseball.

Join me in a prayer circle with Hamilton as we ask the gods for my return.

Until I'm back, you will forever have only the aftertaste of a Scioscia redeye special"

-Rex

Soooooooo...

Let me get this straight.

Author writes something negative (allegedly) about a negative situation...    LIES!  BLASPHEMY!  INSTIGATOR!  AVACADO!  ARSONIST!

Author writes something positive when we're in a positive situation...  

PULITZER!

It's the hypocrisy that actually lends credibility to the other side.

Ok, everyone chill.

Doyer game on soon.

Until then it's safer to guess who our next manager is. Someone start a thread...

Implying he ever had it ...

I'd give anything to trade Hunter for Pujols.

They can have his stats too.

Salmon is coming back and is going to CRUSH it** next year as well...with a hometown discount!

** According to 2013 Fangraphs ™ statistics as compared to probability of Pujols doing the same next year using real world math.

Albert Pujols is dangerously close to passing Joe Blanton as my second least favorite player on the Angels.

So you go against the Jesus?

Well, no way to tell if Texas fans are really happy he is gone...

And I can safely say not a SINGLE Angel fan I know will be happy when he is gone.

They will be ecstatic.

.

So you're saying extend Scioscia another 6 years?

Sonofab...

I fully expected this thread to be full of empty responses.

It's not April 1st either.

Ok, you guys got me! Let me in on the inside joke. C'mon!

If the NFL wasn't here already (FFL's and drafts for now), I think the sheer black hole level of The Suck this team has...might make me weep openly.

Thing is, do you _really_ want them to score knowing it only detracts from any chance the team gets better, both from a manager/GM position to draft slot?

I take solace in knowing, if nothing else, they are consistent.

Well...

Green and Nelson so far tonight 0-9 with 7 strikeouts.

We got this.

He just left Cleveland. I think he'd be a decent pickup, much better than Blanton

Well, at least I told you Nelson was going to be a HUGE help for us - but you mocked me.

You laughed at me openly...

...

But you'll see...and then you'll apologize.

Guaranteed he'll at least get us 1-2 draft slots higher.   And then you'll thank me.

It's about two years too latetime.

FTFY

Scioscia's a goner for sure, and I wouldn't be shocked to see Dipoto fired too.  Last year Arte was quick to defend both near the end of the season.

If that happens, I'd be so happy I'd dry hump you with Scioscia's arm.

Not even sure how that would work, but we'd enjoy it.

We can probably put a nice package and some offshore investment accounts together for Greinke.

Would be cool to have someone like that pitch for the Angels.

Even in my most negative mindset I can't imagine the HoF auto-world series win team is going down as one of the worst all time in club history.

C'mon fantasy drafts! (Spiller or Martin?)

I don't mind if the Doyers win the title. 

I'm actually enjoying watching them play.  It's nice to have some historical baseball being played in your own backyard (West LA Angel fan :/). 

Should have equally great play across town with the Clippers next year.

Hopefully soon the Angels will join the big boys again.

Until then,

It doesn't make any sense to me.

We have, BY FAR, the better manager according to everyone.

How is this... I don't even...

Anybody who wants to convert to a Dodger Fan is not Angel Fan.  How many people went from being Dodger fans to being Angel Fans in 2002?

With logic like this, we might need to start outsourcing Angel fandom to India and China.

Sh|t.

Can't remember the exact category in how they phrased the stat, but I guess it's been since the 50's that a team in NL has been playing so well over a stretch.

I guess watching some relative history ain't so bad given our alternative.

I'm not even sure why I dislike the Doyers - other than their fans.  They never affect the Angels, but I think I hated growing up with the Angels always in the shadow of the Doyers. 

Unfortunately, I'm enjoying their play a lot.