DCAngelsFan

Thaiss was naturally a very good hitter before the Angels drafted him. And typically, I place results on the player themselves, but in this case, the Angels effed up his development about as bad as you can. 
He was a catcher in college, and most scouts thought he had a 50/50 chance of sticking there, but would ultimately move off the position because his bat would develop too quickly for his glove to catch up. The Angels drafted him and moved him to 1B, completely understandable. Thaiss started off as a very good hitter, but the Angels tried to get him to increase his launch angle to create the offensive profile of a traditional 1B. It didn't work, his bat only got worse. The Angels then moved him to 3B and Thaiss became a solid defender over there, but it took the focus off his bat and he floundered even more offensively. Then the Angels started putting him at 2B and LF before he got sick of it. 
Thaiss came to the Angels and said he was going to play catcher. The organization was reluctant at first, but developmentally he.had stalled and was blocked everywhere else, so they went along with it, not expecting anything. Thaiss continued to put all his focus into developing as a catcher, so his bat was once again ignored, since basically 2019. 
This year, he's made the decision to stop implementing what the Angels put on him and just do what comes naturally in the batters box. The results are promising, he's a good hitter with good discipline, but he can't sell out for power, it isn't who he is and while he's struggled defensively, he's not a total liability either. 
I think Thaiss is just one of those guys that needs to play one position and be left alone. Some guys can be utility players and tinker in the box. I expect he's going to be a solid major league catcher for the next half decade. 

With a runner on 3rd and less than 2 out, the hitter you would want to see the most at the plate in this lineup is Rendon IMO.

To be clear, it's not definitive that his issues are related to having Covid multiple times.  It's speculation from Walsh and his doctors since there hasn't been any other clear finding regarding what's causing it.

I feel bad for Cardinal fans.
I also feel proud, like this was pissing on Albert's forehead.

Here are his stats for those who were wondering!
 

I love that he doesn't chase balls out of the zone very often.  And his defense has been WAY better than I anticipated.  

I agree, starts with a baseball knowledgeable President of Team Operations instead of a billboard buddy.
But, I think letting a GM dictate bullpen usage or strategy in the game itself is bullshit. I think they need to make the decisions in a broader way, not dictate who comes in from the pen and when, what pitches they throw and when, etc. Famously in Moneyball, Beane traded Carlos Pena so he the manager would have to play Hatteburg at first.

It's within his right but he doesn't know jackshit about how to build a successful organization in today's game, so he really has no business controlling the way executives who actually do and have been a part of them run their baseball operations.  

Joe reminds me of that line in Bull Durham about shower shoes - "If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press'll think you're colorful.   Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you're a slob."
When his teams were winning, he was a colorful genius.
When not, he was a senile weirdo living in his van down by the river.
Unemployed, he's a bitter, senile weirdo, living in his van down by the river, shouting "Notice me!" at passers-by.

Joe reminds me of that line in Bull Durham about shower shoes - "If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press'll think you're colorful.   Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you're a slob."
When his teams were winning, he was a colorful genius.
When not, he was a senile weirdo living in his van down by the river.
Unemployed, he's a bitter, senile weirdo, living in his van down by the river, shouting "Notice me!" at passers-by.

Joe reminds me of that line in Bull Durham about shower shoes - "If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press'll think you're colorful.   Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you're a slob."
When his teams were winning, he was a colorful genius.
When not, he was a senile weirdo living in his van down by the river.
Unemployed, he's a bitter, senile weirdo, living in his van down by the river, shouting "Notice me!" at passers-by.

I'm probably just reading too much into some of the comments there. But reading Ohtani's agent saying he's always been open to signing an extension with the Angels...
Not sure how true that is. But if so? We're beyond stupid for not trying to lock him up 2 years ago.
I know 2020 was ugly, and he was hurt the first two years..
.. but you have to assume theu scouted him enough, and saw enough before TJ, to say "this guy can hit. And he can pitch, too"
It would have still been a gamble, but they should have gambled it back before he blew up in 2021. 
Once he did, they should have made that the priority that offseason.
But here we are.

Joe reminds me of that line in Bull Durham about shower shoes - "If you win 20 in the show, you can let the fungus grow back and the press'll think you're colorful.   Until you win 20 in the show, however, it means you're a slob."
When his teams were winning, he was a colorful genius.
When not, he was a senile weirdo living in his van down by the river.
Unemployed, he's a bitter, senile weirdo, living in his van down by the river, shouting "Notice me!" at passers-by.

The thing is, almost all of baseball has trended that way. And who knows, maybe it makes more sense? (I have no idea).
But we're seeing what that line of thinking has led to.... and it sucks.
Maybe the new way is more efficient. Maybe it actually works better. But it doesn't seem like it...
GA was always underrated because he didn't walk a lot. But damn if that guy didn't come through a lot with gap hits when people were on.
Side note, I'm a huge fan of guys who hit lots of doubles. And GA was a doubles machine.

I'm pretty much done with the stat excuse making for .240 hitters that hit 25 home runs but strike out 180 times. 

We're Angels fans, from a place where pitchers literally puke live on the mound and 'dehydration' can mean Tommy-John, we know better than to expect nice things.

I'm an LA kid. And I agree with this... to a point.
I grew up an Angel fan because of my Dad, but still liked the Dodgers.
For me it was as I got older, working alongside Dodger fans
 
For the record I give credit where it's due. The Dodgers are by far and away the better org.
And I've met some great dodger fans along the way.
But the masses (of dodger fans) suck. And the org itself with its nose on the air towards the Angels is enough to make me day F*ck them
Tommy Lasorda was cool. My parents eneded up loving to his neighborhood so I ran into him a few times over the years. He was actually really cool to talk trash with back and forth. 
 
And as much as I hate the Dodgers, Vin Scully will always be special.

Much the same, I was probably more a Dodger fan as a young kid, even did the "fan club" thing for a few years.
Can't say why, but the Angels became more appealing to me- the Dodgers were successful and corporate, while the Angels were, in a way, the more relatable, precisely because they weren't that good.
Also, Dodger fans gave me a hard time for rooting for the Angels - *I* didn't create a rivalry, Dodger fans did.  Kinda made me choose - and I chose the Angels.
I still respect and envy the Dodgers organization - there's no denying that org is in a class of its own. 
But Dodger fans and their entitled behavior makes it nearly impossible to root for that team.

Much the same, I was probably more a Dodger fan as a young kid, even did the "fan club" thing for a few years.
Can't say why, but the Angels became more appealing to me- the Dodgers were successful and corporate, while the Angels were, in a way, the more relatable, precisely because they weren't that good.
Also, Dodger fans gave me a hard time for rooting for the Angels - *I* didn't create a rivalry, Dodger fans did.  Kinda made me choose - and I chose the Angels.
I still respect and envy the Dodgers organization - there's no denying that org is in a class of its own. 
But Dodger fans and their entitled behavior makes it nearly impossible to root for that team.

I definitely appreciate what Jo has done in terms of his effort.   He could have sulked in AAA but the dude is having really good at bats and worked so hard on his defense over the winter.  

I've got about 10 years on you.
I grew with both, liked them both.
When I was growing up, I was more a fan of players than teams.
I liked the Angels first, having gone to my first Angels game first in "73, but was a Dodgers fan in "74" because that team was really strong.
I really liked the Ryan and Tanana era & my fondness for the Halos has never wavered after that.
The very first interleague game between the Angels and Dodgers in Anaheim, I was present. 
1997 I think?
Hard to remember the exact date any more?
I remember looking out over everything, not believing what I was seeing?
I had waited my entire life, after the age of 10 hoping for an Angels/Dodgers World Series, and although that never happened, I couldn't believe what I was seeing on the field!
I no longer have any feelings toward the Dodgers, and probably haven't since the 80's, but I don't hate them at all.
I live here in SoCal, and although I've lived in a couple of places outside of here for a few short years, awhile ago, this is where I am from, and where I grew up.
I have a tattoo of the Angels "A", the same as on the hat and the same size, on my right arm.
The Angels are "MY" team, and I doubt that'll ever change, because I'm elderly now, and that's how it is.
Have a good one.

I grew up a Dodger fan in the days of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Duke Snyder, and Maury Wills. I staye a fan of both when Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Orel Hershiser, Davey Lopes, and Steve Sax were playing. I gradually grew to be more an Angel fan and less a Dodger fan until I diffidently became strictly an Angels fan.

It's more Dodger fans that I dislike than the Dodgers themselves.  I actually have great respect for how that org is run and I think Friedman is the best baseball exec there is.  I like watching Kershaw and Mookie.  
I also tend to find that there is a ton of crossover between dog fans and USC fans.  So it gives me a bit of pleasure when that combo has to feel the pain of defeat.  

The Angels still need outfielders next year and to be honest, relievers are complete flakes. If Adell has turned the corner the Angels can promote relievers from the minors but they still need a right fielder. I think he still can be the guy. 

Your heart was in the right place, and that's what counts