Homebrewer

I agree totally, Chuck.
With the potential in this offense, playing for one run early in games will hurt, especially with the pitching situation.
Can Scioscia keep himself from doing it? I would like to think so, but experience tells me no.
I am still in the Kendrick corner to bat 2nd, but realize I am nearly alone there.

After watching some of the crap the Angels have been running out there this spring, anyone that knows where the pitching rubber is located should be invited to "come on down".
Kenny Powers anyone?
 

Ginger Kaz

The problem I have with the "Contact" play...is having a runner go on any contact. The guy on 3rd should be able to decide.
If the ball is grounded to the right side of 2nd..it is a decent play. (again depending on the score, who is on deck, etc)
A ground ball to short or 3rd is almost always a sitting duck situation.
To me, (and this is clearly IMO), the total "contact play"...meaning the player goes home on any contact...is a bad play. No better than a squeeze, and "probability" wise, worse.
One of my biggest beefs with Scioscia is, and always has been, his tendency to play for ONE run.
Look at this new lineup. This is a power style AL lineup.
My opinion is, with this team, unless you are trying to TIE a game in the late innings, and you are playing at home and have a bunch of slumping players coming to bat next, and have nobody on the bench that can get the ball out of the infield....
The contact play is a chump bet.
It is a low percentage, 1 run, desperation move, IMO equal to a squeeze bunt.
NOT something that should even be considered before the 7th or 8th inning.
My problem with the way Scioscia uses it, is he uses it in early and middle innings.
Scioscia needs to stay out of this 2013 Angel team's way, and let them play for big innings....not micro-manage to manufacture single runs.

Some winning will do wonders for this board. Fans are understandably upset over last season, and 3 years without playoffs.
I have my doubts about Scioscia and his staff (Butcher) but hey, it is a new year, a better team, with new bats and new pitching, and I am stoked about the talent going into the season.
This looks like a group that could come together, a group of MEN. If they come together and play the damn game, the right way, Scioscia and Butcher, and Eppard, will be in the background where they belong.
Instead of being responsible for failure, a coaching staff should be quiet helpers towards success.
The players can take a lot of heat off Scioscia and of the whole organization, by going out and winning ballgames.

I think In N Out is by far.. the best fast food.

Some winning will do wonders for this board. Fans are understandably upset over last season, and 3 years without playoffs.
I have my doubts about Scioscia and his staff (Butcher) but hey, it is a new year, a better team, with new bats and new pitching, and I am stoked about the talent going into the season.
This looks like a group that could come together, a group of MEN. If they come together and play the damn game, the right way, Scioscia and Butcher, and Eppard, will be in the background where they belong.
Instead of being responsible for failure, a coaching staff should be quiet helpers towards success.
The players can take a lot of heat off Scioscia and of the whole organization, by going out and winning ballgames.

Chuck and crew..... I'm sure this has taken a lot of work.
Had a few issues that turned out to be my own browser, or lack of experience with some technical stuff I wasn't familiar with.
Really slick, guys.
Nice work. I'm impressed.
Now the Angels just need to play some great baseball, to make all your effort even more worthwhile.

Listening to an interview with Joe Maddon on MLB the other day. When asked why he has such success developing young players, he said one of the keys was NOT to send them back and forth to the minors.
"Do that enough times and you can ruin their confidence....sometimes forever" 

Hamilton might do everyone a favor with some silence on his part. Replacing Torii in RF doesn't mean he needs to replace him at the microphone.

Hamilton might do everyone a favor with some silence on his part. Replacing Torii in RF doesn't mean he needs to replace him at the microphone.