Angels

And considering both players are massive busts already...Dipoto would be gone by now if he advocated any of that. Those contracts are awful and we're only in their beginning stages. Those were owner-driven moves. Can't blame Dipoto for that.

I know you're just a no-life troll and all... But signing Pujols and Hamilton sure seemed like owner-driven moves.

Scioscia is slow to make adjustments. That much is obvious. Sometimes it takes some intervention to put a stop to it.

Of course it's not predictable. But certain games favor certain teams. And certain series favor certain teams (depending on a lot of different factors). It doesn't mean that the difference is large. It could be small or even really, really small. But it's not a flip of the coin. That implies pure luck. Over a large enough sample, playing Game 3 (for example) would look lopsided in the Royals favor. The larger the sample, the more noticeable it would become. That doesn't take away the fact that anything can happen in a single game. It just means that the Angels were at a disadvantage in that game. And a large enough sample would show that. That's the difference. It's a crapshoot in the sense that anything can happen in a single game or series... but it's not just a flip of the coin aka whoever has more luck. Luck can play a role in any single game or series but it's not a flip of the coin as in it's a level playing field and the team with better fortune will win always.

I meant that (example) if a team has 3 excellent starters but 2 awful starters then they are already better equipped for postseason play since those 2 awful starters wouldn't be needed (as they were in the regular season). Or a team having 2 Kershaws and 3 Blantons. That team suddenly becomes better equipped for postseason play. Then picture a team having 5 average starters. They wouldn't necessarily be better equipped for postseason play. But yeah, small sample, anything goes. Can't predict it and you don't know what will happen. It may as well be a flip of the coin even though it really isn't, if that makes sense.

While anything can happen in a short series, it's not entirely a crapshoot. Playing Game 3 with Wilson starting (for example) was anything but a coin flip type of game. That game heavily favored the Royals. Some teams are also way better equipped for the postseason than they are in the regular season. But yeah, with the kind of minuscule sample we're talking about.. "upsets" are a common thing. Had the Angels and Royals played each other 100 times the Angels probably would have won more than they lost. But that's what makes playoff baseball exciting and unpredictable. It's a small sample and anything can happen.

True. Hammy can not give a shit about baseball and just show up weighing 500 pounds in ST and he would still be paid the same amount. Really. Something tells me that if his contract wasn't guaranteed he would be acting a little differently and would probably act like he gives a shit about baseball. Easy to act nonchalant when you're guaranteed $125 million.

True.

The offense gets the blame for collectively sucking. Yeah. But Scioscia also gets the blame for his awful in-game decision making and for playing Wilson and Hamilton.

And some of those comments from Hamilton show how detached from reality he really is. You don't play for the fans? Wtf?! Mr. Moreno may want to have a word with you. You're being paid like a star to produce on the field like a star to help the team win so fans keep showing up so Moreno makes a profit and keeps his business growing. That is why you are paid. Yes, you ultimately do play for the fans because without any fans there is no MLB or millions for you. Why can't he just accept that he has hurt the team and played like shit? Maybe if he just took some responsibility he would be more respected and less disliked. Enough of the martyr bs.

The Angels had amazing talent. Let's not forget about that. Saying Scioscia worked his magic appears to be discrediting what was the best offense in baseball, an amazing bullpen, and a rotation that could've been excellent had Richards not went down but still got their asses saved thanks to Shoemaker and Rasmus + the bullpen that followed him. The Angels were really, really talented. Scioscia didn't turn a garbage team into juggernauts. He had incredible talent to work with.

Hamilton is a little too emotional. Maybe if he didn't suck so hard on the field fans would actually adore to him. Perhaps he should focus more on his play and less on the reactions of those who pay to watch him suck. Fans pay his salary. You do realize that without fans there would be no business and thus no millions for Hammy? The fans pay to watch these guys play. It's not a difficult concept to grasp. If you suck at your job you deserve the criticism. And especially when you're about to become the highest paid player in baseball (or close to it). That backloaded contract is gonna sting. I don't agree with personally attacking the man or making threats. But criticism as far as his play is concerned? That's fair game. If he doesn't like it then earn your paycheck. How do you think Arte feels when he watches the man he's paying $125 million look like an incompetent fool?

Most athletes are probably smart enough to realize that criticism goes with the territory. You do your job, fans love you. You don't, they don't. Simple, is it not? Nobody would say shit if Hamilton wasn't a $125 million thief.

Bye

Another 7th inning collapse

Lmao

And oh yeah, there is no way in hell a statistically savvy GM like Dipoto would advocate starting Wilson in the playoffs. That's an opinion, by the way. And probably a fact.

Again, since when was it a part of GM's job description to tell a manager how to manage? Do you think Dipoto told Scioscia to play Hamilton and Wilson? And Scioscia complied like a good puppet? Please. Just like nobody told Scioscia to bunt Calhoun with a 3-1 count.. nobody told him to play Hamilton in 3 consecutive games or start Wilson in game 3. It's not a matter of opinion, it's common sense. Scioscia's job is to manage and he makes that call.

The Dodgers lost. You mad?

Brian Wilson looks crazy as ****

Haha

Are you kidding? Since when was it a part of a GM's job description to tell a manager how to manage?

You're asking me if I would take on his contract without knowing the facts? I guess my answer would be no, then. I wouldn't.

Impossible to answer. Teams rely on so much info - medicals, doctor opinions, etc. Does anyone really know the extent of his injury besides the Yankees? Do we know whether he will or won't need surgery? Etc. Even if he does need TJ surgery the success rate is pretty high. Plus I'm sure insurance has them covered in the event of a truly catastrophic injury that would rob him of his career.

That's impossible to answer and you know it.