LAA Road Tripper

Really, there’s got to be a team out there that sees Sandoval’s stuff and will take a chance on him. If so, package him up and send him off. I’ve never seen a player with such talent and so little mental fortitude. Head case supreme.

True but 1980 came right off the heels of a breakthrough ‘79 season and only two years later they were a game away from the World Series. (Three times. Don’t get me started but I digress.)
Everything went wrong that year but I truly can’t remember any team in any sport dealing with the amount and impact of injuries like this year’s Angels have. Couple that with the unexpected drop in starting pitching effectiveness which somehow stayed pretty healthy, a crap bullpen, subpar defense and you get what you got.

True but 1980 came right off the heels of a breakthrough ‘79 season and only two years later they were a game away from the World Series. (Three times. Don’t get me started but I digress.)
Everything went wrong that year but I truly can’t remember any team in any sport dealing with the amount and impact of injuries like this year’s Angels have. Couple that with the unexpected drop in starting pitching effectiveness which somehow stayed pretty healthy, a crap bullpen, subpar defense and you get what you got.

Sure, trade Trout. Eat a bunch of money and restock the farm as much as possible. It’s far past the time to bulldoze this pathetic shack down to the stubs and start over. Not that I believe the current regime has the capability of building it up again, though. That would require an Arte-less future which right now looks about as hopeful as the PAC 12’s does.

Hey, some good news! With their 63rd win, the Angels remain one of two franchises (the other is Colorado) to never lose 100 games in a season. So there’s that.
BTW, if someone told me before the season that by the end of August the Angels would have a better record than both the Mets and Padres, I would have thought that we’d be looking at a pretty good season. Yeah, I would have thought that.

Oh sorry. Though you were commenting on the 100 loss seasons. My bad.

I know that Velasquez isn’t a very good hitter, MLB.com. But you don’t gotta be so mean.

I know that Velasquez isn’t a very good hitter, MLB.com. But you don’t gotta be so mean.

All of the current 30. I got to most of them through work travel, some on vacation and I took a special trip to hit the new Texas and Atlanta parks two years ago. I’ve hit another dozen or so old stadiums, too.

This is an undisciplined, dysfunctional mess of a franchise. What is particularly galling is that I see no fire, no sense of “this shouldn’t be happening all the time.” Instead, the same mistakes keep occurring, one bad play leads to a 5 run inning, etc. No accountability and a public face that shows the fans that mediocrity or worse is just fine. Can someone in this organization show us that they care?
If this disaster ever turns around, I really believe it will be the Neto, O’Hoppe, Joyce group to lead them. Trout will still put up great numbers but is undependable compared to the brightness of his star and seems to hardly ever deliver when it counts, Ohtani’s gone, Sandoval’s a head case, Ward’s all over the place.
Could they turn it around? Well, the talent’s there. Will they? They’ve shown no evidence that they will and a lot that it’s just business as usual. 
This very well be the most underachieving franchise in professional sports over the last decade. Agreed, tear it down but with Arte, Carpino, etc. still in the mix, I’m not sure it will matter.
 
 

This is an undisciplined, dysfunctional mess of a franchise. What is particularly galling is that I see no fire, no sense of “this shouldn’t be happening all the time.” Instead, the same mistakes keep occurring, one bad play leads to a 5 run inning, etc. No accountability and a public face that shows the fans that mediocrity or worse is just fine. Can someone in this organization show us that they care?
If this disaster ever turns around, I really believe it will be the Neto, O’Hoppe, Joyce group to lead them. Trout will still put up great numbers but is undependable compared to the brightness of his star and seems to hardly ever deliver when it counts, Ohtani’s gone, Sandoval’s a head case, Ward’s all over the place.
Could they turn it around? Well, the talent’s there. Will they? They’ve shown no evidence that they will and a lot that it’s just business as usual. 
This very well be the most underachieving franchise in professional sports over the last decade. Agreed, tear it down but with Arte, Carpino, etc. still in the mix, I’m not sure it will matter.
 
 

This is an undisciplined, dysfunctional mess of a franchise. What is particularly galling is that I see no fire, no sense of “this shouldn’t be happening all the time.” Instead, the same mistakes keep occurring, one bad play leads to a 5 run inning, etc. No accountability and a public face that shows the fans that mediocrity or worse is just fine. Can someone in this organization show us that they care?
If this disaster ever turns around, I really believe it will be the Neto, O’Hoppe, Joyce group to lead them. Trout will still put up great numbers but is undependable compared to the brightness of his star and seems to hardly ever deliver when it counts, Ohtani’s gone, Sandoval’s a head case, Ward’s all over the place.
Could they turn it around? Well, the talent’s there. Will they? They’ve shown no evidence that they will and a lot that it’s just business as usual. 
This very well be the most underachieving franchise in professional sports over the last decade. Agreed, tear it down but with Arte, Carpino, etc. still in the mix, I’m not sure it will matter.
 
 

This is an undisciplined, dysfunctional mess of a franchise. What is particularly galling is that I see no fire, no sense of “this shouldn’t be happening all the time.” Instead, the same mistakes keep occurring, one bad play leads to a 5 run inning, etc. No accountability and a public face that shows the fans that mediocrity or worse is just fine. Can someone in this organization show us that they care?
If this disaster ever turns around, I really believe it will be the Neto, O’Hoppe, Joyce group to lead them. Trout will still put up great numbers but is undependable compared to the brightness of his star and seems to hardly ever deliver when it counts, Ohtani’s gone, Sandoval’s a head case, Ward’s all over the place.
Could they turn it around? Well, the talent’s there. Will they? They’ve shown no evidence that they will and a lot that it’s just business as usual. 
This very well be the most underachieving franchise in professional sports over the last decade. Agreed, tear it down but with Arte, Carpino, etc. still in the mix, I’m not sure it will matter.
 
 

I would describe this team as just sloppy. They’re an undisciplined mess reflective of the entire franchise for the last decade. After last year’s improvement of the rotation plus the added depth in the off season, I had some legitimate hope going into the season. Would love to be proven wrong but I don’t see a playoff team here at all. And as much as I respect Trout as one of the greatest ever, if I had my choice of hitters down a run and bases loaded bottom 9, right now I would pick 20, maybe 30 other hitters in the game before him to deliver the big hit. I wish I didn’t feel that way.

I would describe this team as just sloppy. They’re an undisciplined mess reflective of the entire franchise for the last decade. After last year’s improvement of the rotation plus the added depth in the off season, I had some legitimate hope going into the season. Would love to be proven wrong but I don’t see a playoff team here at all. And as much as I respect Trout as one of the greatest ever, if I had my choice of hitters down a run and bases loaded bottom 9, right now I would pick 20, maybe 30 other hitters in the game before him to deliver the big hit. I wish I didn’t feel that way.

I would describe this team as just sloppy. They’re an undisciplined mess reflective of the entire franchise for the last decade. After last year’s improvement of the rotation plus the added depth in the off season, I had some legitimate hope going into the season. Would love to be proven wrong but I don’t see a playoff team here at all. And as much as I respect Trout as one of the greatest ever, if I had my choice of hitters down a run and bases loaded bottom 9, right now I would pick 20, maybe 30 other hitters in the game before him to deliver the big hit. I wish I didn’t feel that way.

I would describe this team as just sloppy. They’re an undisciplined mess reflective of the entire franchise for the last decade. After last year’s improvement of the rotation plus the added depth in the off season, I had some legitimate hope going into the season. Would love to be proven wrong but I don’t see a playoff team here at all. And as much as I respect Trout as one of the greatest ever, if I had my choice of hitters down a run and bases loaded bottom 9, right now I would pick 20, maybe 30 other hitters in the game before him to deliver the big hit. I wish I didn’t feel that way.

Not really worried about the record. Very concerned about how this team has approached the first 15 games, however. There have been so many mental errors, misplays in the field, etc. Five games already given away by stupidity, one they clawed back (the middle game against Toronto) and just an overall lack of any sense of urgency or responsibility. Disappointed by the general attitude. Obviously, it’s early but this franchise has a long way to go to earn any benefit of the doubt. I was hoping that they’d get off to a start like last year and sustain it this time. 

I was working at an executive suite at the City Tower, a good long walk from the stadium. I went to every ALDS and ALCS game except for Game 4 against Minnesota but got shut out when I arrived early morning to get in line for World Series tickets. So I slinked back to my office and remembered a rumor that Ticketmaster might occasionally release single tickets later in the day. So I constantly refreshed my browser and at around 2:30PM I got a bite for Game 1. Immediately I opened multiple screens and bought about 20 tickets for all four home games on credit which I couldn’t really afford. The plan, as quickly and maybe poorly thought out as it was, was to sell my brother a ticket for a couple of games, sell the rest for a profit and attend every game basically for free. I’ve miscalculated on many things over the years but this time I calculated perfectly.     
 
There’s a landscape picture of the final out from about 20 rows back of the third base dugout that is available (or was) at Art.com that I have hanging in my office.  I didn’t see the photographer but whoever it was couldn’t have been more than a few feet away from where I was standing. What a tremendous time. Stan Kroenke, Joe Lacob or whoever gets this team, make it happen again.

I was working at an executive suite at the City Tower, a good long walk from the stadium. I went to every ALDS and ALCS game except for Game 4 against Minnesota but got shut out when I arrived early morning to get in line for World Series tickets. So I slinked back to my office and remembered a rumor that Ticketmaster might occasionally release single tickets later in the day. So I constantly refreshed my browser and at around 2:30PM I got a bite for Game 1. Immediately I opened multiple screens and bought about 20 tickets for all four home games on credit which I couldn’t really afford. The plan, as quickly and maybe poorly thought out as it was, was to sell my brother a ticket for a couple of games, sell the rest for a profit and attend every game basically for free. I’ve miscalculated on many things over the years but this time I calculated perfectly.     
 
There’s a landscape picture of the final out from about 20 rows back of the third base dugout that is available (or was) at Art.com that I have hanging in my office.  I didn’t see the photographer but whoever it was couldn’t have been more than a few feet away from where I was standing. What a tremendous time. Stan Kroenke, Joe Lacob or whoever gets this team, make it happen again.

I was working at an executive suite at the City Tower, a good long walk from the stadium. I went to every ALDS and ALCS game except for Game 4 against Minnesota but got shut out when I arrived early morning to get in line for World Series tickets. So I slinked back to my office and remembered a rumor that Ticketmaster might occasionally release single tickets later in the day. So I constantly refreshed my browser and at around 2:30PM I got a bite for Game 1. Immediately I opened multiple screens and bought about 20 tickets for all four home games on credit which I couldn’t really afford. The plan, as quickly and maybe poorly thought out as it was, was to sell my brother a ticket for a couple of games, sell the rest for a profit and attend every game basically for free. I’ve miscalculated on many things over the years but this time I calculated perfectly.     
 
There’s a landscape picture of the final out from about 20 rows back of the third base dugout that is available (or was) at Art.com that I have hanging in my office.  I didn’t see the photographer but whoever it was couldn’t have been more than a few feet away from where I was standing. What a tremendous time. Stan Kroenke, Joe Lacob or whoever gets this team, make it happen again.

Admittedly, I nor anyone else knows what’s going on in Trout’s head but if I were a betting man I’d predict that he will be on another roster by next opening day or by the latest, opening day ‘24. His denial a few days back was the only thing he could say when asked the question just to keep speculation at bay.
As much as I would hate to see him leave, I’d have more respect for him as a competitor. I have less hope in this franchise right now by a long shot than I ever have in 45 years as a fan. Almost nothing looks promising. It very well may be the worst run team in the four major sports. It really is that bad. 
 
I would love to be wrong and next year the Angels are competitive, the young players somehow find their stroke, Trout’s happy, Ohtani buys in and re-ups, blah, blah, blah…. I’d love to. I can’t see it. Right now, about the only thing that would create some optimism in me for them to be a contender in 3-5 years short of Arte selling the team is him handing the keys over to Theo and locking himself away in a shed.

Admittedly, I nor anyone else knows what’s going on in Trout’s head but if I were a betting man I’d predict that he will be on another roster by next opening day or by the latest, opening day ‘24. His denial a few days back was the only thing he could say when asked the question just to keep speculation at bay.
As much as I would hate to see him leave, I’d have more respect for him as a competitor. I have less hope in this franchise right now by a long shot than I ever have in 45 years as a fan. Almost nothing looks promising. It very well may be the worst run team in the four major sports. It really is that bad. 
 
I would love to be wrong and next year the Angels are competitive, the young players somehow find their stroke, Trout’s happy, Ohtani buys in and re-ups, blah, blah, blah…. I’d love to. I can’t see it. Right now, about the only thing that would create some optimism in me for them to be a contender in 3-5 years short of Arte selling the team is him handing the keys over to Theo and locking himself away in a shed.

Yes and Amen. I may have said this, but at a certain point how can you blame Perry that Jared Walsh, Max Stassi, and Brandon Marsh have fallen into a pit and completely forgotten how to hit? Or that the team completely panics with RISP (especially with 1 out) when they were so good early on, their OPS+ with RISP is still 12th in the league! That's how good they were.
The team should be blamed that Adell and Marsh haven't developed, but I think you put that on the hitting coaches. How can you not help these guys make adjustments to where Marsh is striking out 45% of the time in June and July. But all you have to do is teach him how to work a count a bit. For example, he's taking the first pitch about 75% of the time. After an 0-1 count, he falls off a cliff. He's very good when going after the first pitch (9-23). Why not let him go up swinging first pitch? Also, when he's behind in the count, he's 15-107. Teach him how to work the count! I know that sounds easy but that should be the focus. Adell we know chases FB out of the zone and needs to work on his eye and his defense. 
A few team stats jump out to me.
-They are very bottom of the league in "Late and Close" ABs, and near the bottom with RISP and 2 outs. As I said above, overall the RISP numbers are good because they were so good early on. But the clutch situations have been just awful. I think about Velazquez in the 9th bases loaded twice, Wade with runner on 3rd in extras at home vs KC...so many situations. Their winning percentages when they are tied going into the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and Extras is .333 or below for each of these situations. That means in tied games late, they never win more than 33% of the time. They don't know how to win close games. You have to change how you hit in those situations. Punch the ball away, level out your swing, and be aggressive. 

-Their WAR at C 1B, 2B, SS, LF, and 3B are all between 20-24th in the league. Fletcher and Rendon automatically remedy two of those. Playing Suzuki less helps raise that as he's very negative and Stassi is ok, but still bad. You also figure C and 1B are normally average-above average, but Walsh and Stassi have been playing very poorly. And if Marsh doesn't nosedive, he's average because of his defense. Regardless, having no depth at all and not trading for anything hurts big time. Rengifo and Stefanic already have positive WAR, which probably should have happened earlier. 

-The Starters have the 8th best WAR in baseball. The bullpen? 3rd worst. Pretty clear problem there. They've blown 22 leads. 
I think a lot of this is a coaching and mentality problem, combined with some bad luck. But they don't ever overcome bad luck. They don't have an intensity, a fighting mindset. For how good they were early, they don't have any confidence. I'm not talking about getting angry after losses. I'm talking about when they are behind, or even tied, they don't win. When the other team scores first, they almost never win--like over 80% of the time they lose. Their confidence and mentality is broken, and that is both on the leaders of the team and the GM and coaches for putting guys that can't get it done in positions they cannot succeed in. 

The problem with this underachieving franchise isn’t about money. Never has been. It’s about priorities. In anything, when the foundation isn’t right, the whole enterprise is at risk. Since Arte bought the team, scouting, drafting, player development, all of the things consistently successful franchises do aren’t done here. That’s the story. Until they do, we’ll keep seeing the same results.
Let’s make it simple. You want to be successful? Look at the teams that are, look really closely, and copy that. Notice what they don’t do and don’t do it, too. That’s how the Angels get on the right track.