DoubleOffTheWall

Blah blah. Cardinals and giants havent run into any buzzsaws over the last few years. They play competitive series and sometimes come out on top, sometimes they lose. This is just another angel team that couldnt hit, had poor energy and made dumb mistakes.

No more big signings.
 
The Giants have changed the blueprint for success in this modern era.
 
Their signing of TIm Hudson is the type of signing we need to make.
 
If Lester comes here, he will start to decline and suck just like the rest of the big names we have brought over.
 
The only people who should get paid are homegrown talent that is worth it (like Trout, and probably Richards down the line), and modest signings like a Hudson. 
 
I'm seriously done with all these rich underperformers. 

A few things:
 
1) The 116 win mariners made it to the ALCS, they weren't eliminated in the ALDS. Still, they lost to the Yankees so I guess that is a disappointment.
 
2) I don't believe this playoffs is a crapshoot thing. I do think that luck plays a factor, for sure. But why do the Cardinals, Red Sox, and Giants routinely have success in the playoffs? They may not always win it all, but they advance, they fight hard, and they don't routinely get swept out of the first round. The fact is, those teams know how to play when the stakes are high. The Angels from 04 onwards have shown they continually can't hit, make errors and dumb mistakes, and generally have poor energy.
 
3) This season was good but the only thing I'll really hang on to is how good Richards is and will be. 
 
4) In the words of our very own CJ Wilson, "I am not impressed". 

It would be nice if we could at least win some games in these series, rather than getting woefully swept most of the time. 

A few things:
 
1) The 116 win mariners made it to the ALCS, they weren't eliminated in the ALDS. Still, they lost to the Yankees so I guess that is a disappointment.
 
2) I don't believe this playoffs is a crapshoot thing. I do think that luck plays a factor, for sure. But why do the Cardinals, Red Sox, and Giants routinely have success in the playoffs? They may not always win it all, but they advance, they fight hard, and they don't routinely get swept out of the first round. The fact is, those teams know how to play when the stakes are high. The Angels from 04 onwards have shown they continually can't hit, make errors and dumb mistakes, and generally have poor energy.
 
3) This season was good but the only thing I'll really hang on to is how good Richards is and will be. 
 
4) In the words of our very own CJ Wilson, "I am not impressed". 

A few things:
 
1) The 116 win mariners made it to the ALCS, they weren't eliminated in the ALDS. Still, they lost to the Yankees so I guess that is a disappointment.
 
2) I don't believe this playoffs is a crapshoot thing. I do think that luck plays a factor, for sure. But why do the Cardinals, Red Sox, and Giants routinely have success in the playoffs? They may not always win it all, but they advance, they fight hard, and they don't routinely get swept out of the first round. The fact is, those teams know how to play when the stakes are high. The Angels from 04 onwards have shown they continually can't hit, make errors and dumb mistakes, and generally have poor energy.
 
3) This season was good but the only thing I'll really hang on to is how good Richards is and will be. 
 
4) In the words of our very own CJ Wilson, "I am not impressed". 

A few things:
 
1) The 116 win mariners made it to the ALCS, they weren't eliminated in the ALDS. Still, they lost to the Yankees so I guess that is a disappointment.
 
2) I don't believe this playoffs is a crapshoot thing. I do think that luck plays a factor, for sure. But why do the Cardinals, Red Sox, and Giants routinely have success in the playoffs? They may not always win it all, but they advance, they fight hard, and they don't routinely get swept out of the first round. The fact is, those teams know how to play when the stakes are high. The Angels from 04 onwards have shown they continually can't hit, make errors and dumb mistakes, and generally have poor energy.
 
3) This season was good but the only thing I'll really hang on to is how good Richards is and will be. 
 
4) In the words of our very own CJ Wilson, "I am not impressed". 

Many point to the offense sucking as the reason we are about to get swept.
 
The Angels' offense has pretty much sucked in every postseason since 02. 
 
The three constants in all of the playoff appearances are:
 
1) Crappy offense showing
2) Boneheaded mistakes
3) Lack of energy and attitude
 
Rosters change significantly every year but the same problems exist.
 
You got to start looking at the fixtures on this team and asking what effect they have on the repeated poor showings. 

the angels have continually failed in the playoffs since 02, and perhaps only 09 was a respectable run, considering the talent we have developed and talent that we have bought. 
 
the angels lose in the same way in every playoff run - terribly poor offensive showings and boneheaded mistakes, highlighted by the use of strategies rarely ever utilized during the regular season.
 
If the same types of mistakes and poor play are responsible for early or disappointing exits almost every time, but the players and rosters have changed over the years, you got to start looking at the constants and wondering about their effect on the various teams' performances. 

the OP is nicely written and well thought out.  It's an interesting take and I pretty much disagree with the entire post. 

I swear, the most bizarre things happen to the angels in the playoffs.
 
Some if it is poor decision making, some it seems like bad luck borne of an uptight team. 
 
Like in the 04 ALDS, all year saying that we don't need a lefty reliever, and then putting washburn in against Ortiz and witnessing that walk off.
 
Then in the  05 ALCS, keeping that 3rd string catcher in the game in the latter stages of game 2, and he doesn't ensure AJ Pierzynksi is out. 
 
Then in 08, I think it was Game 4 in Boston, Sosh calls for that dumb sac bunt play. We seriously could have won that series. 
 
Then in 09, Figgins and Aybar acting like idiots letting that ball drop between them. Bizarre shit like that was just a harbinger of bad things to come, like the Arod opposite field homer in the rain in Game 2. 
 
Then ah, in this ALDS, making Calhoun bunt on a 3-1 and popping it up. Then Cowgill losing his mind on that Ianetta pop-up.
 
After 10 years of this, all I can really say is that Mike makes some horrible decisions come playoff time, mostly trying to do things that he never tried during the regular season. Then, this is compounded by our players turning into complete boneheads - whether its nerves or not, in the big games. 
 
I seriously do not see teams lose like this. Teams do choke (see Oakland, or the Reds against the Giants in the 2012 NLDS), or slowly lose their grip on a series, but the way these angels do it is just bizarre. 
 
 

I swear, the most bizarre things happen to the angels in the playoffs.
 
Some if it is poor decision making, some it seems like bad luck borne of an uptight team. 
 
Like in the 04 ALDS, all year saying that we don't need a lefty reliever, and then putting washburn in against Ortiz and witnessing that walk off.
 
Then in the  05 ALCS, keeping that 3rd string catcher in the game in the latter stages of game 2, and he doesn't ensure AJ Pierzynksi is out. 
 
Then in 08, I think it was Game 4 in Boston, Sosh calls for that dumb sac bunt play. We seriously could have won that series. 
 
Then in 09, Figgins and Aybar acting like idiots letting that ball drop between them. Bizarre shit like that was just a harbinger of bad things to come, like the Arod opposite field homer in the rain in Game 2. 
 
Then ah, in this ALDS, making Calhoun bunt on a 3-1 and popping it up. Then Cowgill losing his mind on that Ianetta pop-up.
 
After 10 years of this, all I can really say is that Mike makes some horrible decisions come playoff time, mostly trying to do things that he never tried during the regular season. Then, this is compounded by our players turning into complete boneheads - whether its nerves or not, in the big games. 
 
I seriously do not see teams lose like this. Teams do choke (see Oakland, or the Reds against the Giants in the 2012 NLDS), or slowly lose their grip on a series, but the way these angels do it is just bizarre. 
 
 

Except he did change this year during the regular season. Players had shorter leashes, they bunted less, they had fewer mental errors, they had fewer defensive errors and we had a pretty consistent line up. Those are all changes or signs of improvement during a much longer sample size. Like I said before I don't care if they change managers, but if you think this offensive drought is all on Scioscia you are only fooling yourself.

I swear, the most bizarre things happen to the angels in the playoffs.
 
Some if it is poor decision making, some it seems like bad luck borne of an uptight team. 
 
Like in the 04 ALDS, all year saying that we don't need a lefty reliever, and then putting washburn in against Ortiz and witnessing that walk off.
 
Then in the  05 ALCS, keeping that 3rd string catcher in the game in the latter stages of game 2, and he doesn't ensure AJ Pierzynksi is out. 
 
Then in 08, I think it was Game 4 in Boston, Sosh calls for that dumb sac bunt play. We seriously could have won that series. 
 
Then in 09, Figgins and Aybar acting like idiots letting that ball drop between them. Bizarre shit like that was just a harbinger of bad things to come, like the Arod opposite field homer in the rain in Game 2. 
 
Then ah, in this ALDS, making Calhoun bunt on a 3-1 and popping it up. Then Cowgill losing his mind on that Ianetta pop-up.
 
After 10 years of this, all I can really say is that Mike makes some horrible decisions come playoff time, mostly trying to do things that he never tried during the regular season. Then, this is compounded by our players turning into complete boneheads - whether its nerves or not, in the big games. 
 
I seriously do not see teams lose like this. Teams do choke (see Oakland, or the Reds against the Giants in the 2012 NLDS), or slowly lose their grip on a series, but the way these angels do it is just bizarre. 
 
 

I swear, the most bizarre things happen to the angels in the playoffs.
 
Some if it is poor decision making, some it seems like bad luck borne of an uptight team. 
 
Like in the 04 ALDS, all year saying that we don't need a lefty reliever, and then putting washburn in against Ortiz and witnessing that walk off.
 
Then in the  05 ALCS, keeping that 3rd string catcher in the game in the latter stages of game 2, and he doesn't ensure AJ Pierzynksi is out. 
 
Then in 08, I think it was Game 4 in Boston, Sosh calls for that dumb sac bunt play. We seriously could have won that series. 
 
Then in 09, Figgins and Aybar acting like idiots letting that ball drop between them. Bizarre shit like that was just a harbinger of bad things to come, like the Arod opposite field homer in the rain in Game 2. 
 
Then ah, in this ALDS, making Calhoun bunt on a 3-1 and popping it up. Then Cowgill losing his mind on that Ianetta pop-up.
 
After 10 years of this, all I can really say is that Mike makes some horrible decisions come playoff time, mostly trying to do things that he never tried during the regular season. Then, this is compounded by our players turning into complete boneheads - whether its nerves or not, in the big games. 
 
I seriously do not see teams lose like this. Teams do choke (see Oakland, or the Reds against the Giants in the 2012 NLDS), or slowly lose their grip on a series, but the way these angels do it is just bizarre. 
 
 

Royals will score in the 9th, everytime we make the postseason, something likr this happens. We field some of the dumbest teams out there

He looks sick these days.
 
His eyes have this sort of hobo-like glossiness to them.
 
I'm actually worried about the guy.
 
He shouldn't even be trying to play baseball if he has some sort of issues going on. 
 
That's just an outsider's view obviously, but he doesn't look well at all.

From Steve Finley to Gary Matthews to Vernon Wells to Raul Ibanez to Josh to... 

Scioscia looks like a bumbling idiot in comparison 

The notion of knowing how to win and knowing how to lose is, well, silly. It's a baseball game, you win by scoring more runs than your opponent. They did that last night because of our offensive ineptitude, a couple of nice catches, an incredibly lucky catch (that Aoki one where he ran in a circle about 400 times before finally deciding he should catch it) and a stupid decision to bring Salas in. We win tonight by not doing that stupid shit and actually having a couple of our hitters contribute this time.

if we face baltimore, it will be laughable. Can you imagine CJ throwing to the likes of Cruz and Adam Jones? Those guys will make the angels pay dearly, as they did during the regular season.
 
Our only hope would be to try and win our home games, since we have HFA. Not that that worked in the current series vs the Royals

hamilton looked so completely lost on his at bat in the 8th or 9th inning, where he was literally flailing at a pitch that almost hit his chest. it was a swing major leaguers never ever make.
 
he's so lost up there, and i don't think he has anything to contribute in this series or this post-season.
 
i want cowgill in there tonight and until we're eliminated/win it all.

Rosie O'Donell as sugar mom.

Why would you change what worked for you in the regular season, and start bunting. Incredible. 
 
Trout Pujols and Kendrick with a nice 0-13 was pretty beautiful too. 

Lots of broke dick commercials. If you can't get it up for that Aussie lass then I doubt a pill will help.