Hubs

FYI if you can't go tonight, don't answer the question

They need an assistant hitting coach.

In April the team went 9-17. In May they face the Dodgers three more times and the Astros once. Three wins puts them at 17-12 for the month, 26-29 overall. June features 3 home games with Houston, 2 with the Cubs, 4 with Seattle, 3 with the Yankees, and 3 with Pittsburgh. They get 3 road games against Boston, 3 against Baltimore, 3 against Detroit, and finish the month with 3 against Houston. Not a bad 27 game schedule overall. If they go 17-10 I'd be really happy. If they go 15-12, It'd be okay. 17 wins puts them at 43-39 for the year. July features 3 home games against the Cardinals (best record in MLB), 3 against Boston, 3 vs Oakland, and 3 vs. the Twins. They get road games against the Cubs in Wrigley for 2, go to Safeco for 3, 4 against Oakland, and three in Texas. 24 games featuring 12 on the road and 12 at home. They play much better teams, so a .500 record is okay, but hopefully a 14-10 record. 14 wins puts them at 57-49. The Dog Days of August begin with 4 at home versus Toronto, then three against Texas, then later in the month Houston, and Cleveland three each. There is a mid-month road trip with three in Cleveland, and 4 in New York, and they close the month with three in Seattle, three in Tampa and Two in Milwaukee. 28 games featuring 15 on the road and 13 at home. Good teams and bad teams. If they go 17 and 11, I'd be really happy. If they go 15-13 I'd be okay. 17 wins puts them at 74-60. September features 1 on the road in Milwaukee, 1 in Minnesota, three in Toronto, three in Houston, and three in Oakland followed by four in Texas to finish the month. In between there are 4 at home with Tampa Bay, three with Texas, three with Seattle and Three with Oakland. 28 games again featuring 13 at home, and 15 on the road. They need to go 16-12. Which would put them at 90-72 for the year. To get to 95 wins, they'd need to do maybe 18-9 in June, 15-9 in July, 19-9 in August, 18-10 in September. That's a lot of wins. But they can start by winning tonight.

Look, this wasn't an article it's a Yahoo contributor blog. Still….not that far from reality. 51 games into the season the Angels are 23-28. Considering they were 9-17 in April that's pretty good. Especially when you factor in their first few games of May. (6-8 through the 15th). At 23-28, they need to play well in the next 7 games against the Dodgers and the Astros, then they get the Cubs at home for two before an off day, and venturing to Boston for a weekend set. Next Thursday, they will have played 60 games, with 102 to play. If they are at 32-28, that's awesome. It'd be a 9 game winning streak. I'm hoping for 7-2, which is doable, considering who they are playing. The Dodgers have scored the second least amount of runs in the league, Cubs are 21st, and Houston in 20th. The Angels have allowed the third most, but have been much better in the last 2 weeks. They allowed 36 runs in the last 11 games while scoring 70. When they go to Boston on the 7th, they'll have 102 games left. With 30 wins, it would take somewhere between a 60-42 and a 65-37 record to firmly grasp a playoff spot. No doubt they are in a hole, but hopefully they can dig their way out

Or I guess they go with Enright. That's not being creative. That's ridiculously uncreative and it starts a weekend series with the possibility of overworking our pen. Jeebus.

If Hanson can't make tonights start… as reported by Alden Gonzalez, what should the Angels do? According to Alden, they could bring up Orengal Arenas (6.75 ERA) or push Williams ahead to normal rest but then they'd need a starter for Saturday so apparently that's not an option? Okay maybe I'm reaching here, but why couldn't they do something a little more creative? Like say, bring Wiliams forward a day and use the SLC starter from Monday's game on Saturday? That would be Buckner, I think. Or they could bring up a AA guy I suppose. Manny Correa is the starter up for Saturday I think if they pitch Williams tonight. Or Is it Possible Hanson could be back on Saturday, and they just swap he and Williams? They can also pitch Wilson Saturday on three days rest and slot Hanson back in on Sunday or go with different starters from SLC (Schugel?) or Lay Batista from AA. They can also use Roth again I suppose though his first start wasn't the best.

Last time I checked, it wasn't Scioscia swinging and missing on pitches in the dirt or throwing hittable pitches up in the zone. They need better starters after the 1-2-3 of Weaver, Wilson, Vargas.

Weaver needs to come back soon. Please. Wilson's been good in his four last starts, but he's not throwing enough innings. He's getting behind in too many counts, walking too many guys. Quick GB outs are your bread and butter. Stop trying to nibble at the corners and get ground ball outs. Blanton's first three starts were awful. Then his next one was okay, he was a little lucky. His last two have been good. The difference? He gave up 6 Home runs in three starts, then one in the three since. He walks none, but gives up two many hits for my taste. Keep the ball down. Vargas was great in his last two starts, poor in the one in Minnesota, then bad luck in the one in Oakland, and maybe could've got through the inning that Jepsen destroyed. In Texas he was good. In his three good starts, he's had more strikeouts, more flyballs. In the two bad ones, he was allowing more groundball hits. Stay with what you did last time in Seattle. Minnesota wasn't all your fault as it was below 40 degrees for part of that game. Stay strong. Hanson was pretty great in three of his four starts actually. In the game he didn't do well, he gave up HR, but was basically a little unlucky. He needs to go a little deeper into games, but otherwise keep doing what you've been doing. Richards needs to be the guy he was against Detroit at home, and against Houston. In his start against Oakland and Seattle, he was too hittable. Better off with him in the pen, when Weaver returns. Williams should be commended for his work. He's done pretty darn well, with one game where he's done poorly. Instead of going to guys like Roth and Carpenter, maybe Williams should get more work in early innings. Burnett needs to come back soon and be the guy we thought you were going to be. Frieri, what were you doing last year that you're not doing this year? Too many hittable balls mean runs scored in close and late situations. Three runs isn't a lot, but it's meant at least two losses. Downs…look at 2011 game tape and figure out what's been going wrong. Too many late leads or close games blown. Roth, we're sorry about the emergency start. You're work in the pen has been good. Keep it up. De La Rosa, we like what you've been doing. Should be the 8th inning guy against righties. Lowe…you looked great, then awful. Stay on the DL until you can get guys out. Jepsen…see above. Kohn…at least you don't let anyone on base. Stay healthy. Maronde…maybe stay in the minors as a starter. Working in the pen isn't working out too good. Brasier…tough luck man, but it's not a big deal. Shake it off. Enright…Maybe as an emergency starter? Maybe otherwise enjoy SLC life. Carpenter…keep the ball down. You've been way too hittable.

I have four tickets on Friday, May 3, in Section 111, Row P. These are some of the best tickets in Angels Stadium, so I really don't want to sell them. I want to swap them for another set of equal four tickets, later in the season, on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Or I'll sell them at face. $125 each.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pitchinglogs.php?p=gubicma01&y=1997

I'd rather have an Angels Ex-Player, not a former pitcher who lasted all of two starts with the Angels after 14 years with the Royals. The guy should be in Kansas City doing Royals games instead of Hudler, or in Philadelphia, the team he openly roots for, despite working for a different club. Yes he was born and raised in Philly, so I have no problem with him being a Phillies fan….except he shouldn't ever talk about it, while employed by a different club. The week after the Angels lost in the ALCS to the Yankees in 2009, he was on Mason and Ireland discussing his love of the Phillies, for 10 minutes. A quick, cursory, Angels question. Nothing about the screwed up calls, virtually nothing about the Angels at all…instead…all Philly love. Scioscia is from Philly too….do you think he'd be caught dead talking about how good they were only days after the Angels were eliminated? No.

Aybar was never my favorite player, but he has put up good numbers in back to back seasons after struggling in 2010. Considering he is on par defensively with Elvis Andrus, and as capable of a hitter if not better, I'd say keeping him is a good thing. Andrus's contract is freaking ridiculous, as is Kinsler's. Kendrick may be able to bring you back a starter like Matt Garza, if he is swapped in a deal which also gives them solid prospects from our A/AA teams. Callaspo honestly might get you as much in that same type of deal seeing as he can play 2nd, 3rd, and SS in a pinch, plus is a switch hitter (which people actually think he can do) and the prospects are really the key there anyway. The Angels do have Taylor Lindsey in the minors as an eventual 2nd base replacement, but he's not ready yet.

5 walks to 14 strikeouts is actually a good number for Trumbo. If you push that to 650 plate appearances, you're looking at close to 50 walks and yes 135-150k's. He can hit. And the last two months where he was awful can truly be 100% attributed to his rib cage injury. Even after he recovered, his swing was off. And he was trying to push himself back into playing shape without really taking any time off.

Anyone going tomorrow (Saturday)?

Everyone on this board seems to have a least favorite player, but who is everyone's favorite player? And for kicks, who is your least favorite player? Let's do position players separately than pitchers. My favorite player on the team was Torrii, but since he's gone, I'm really digging Trumbo, Kendrick, and of course Trout. My least favorite player is easily Alberto Callaspo (shock!, I know). Other least favorite players have been Benji Gil, Ben Weber, Juan Rivera, Rodney, Bobby Abreu. My favorite pitcher on the team is CJ Wilson, now that Santana is gone. Least favorite pitcher is easily Joe Blanton. I didn't understand the signing and unfortunately it looks like I was right. SO for me: Trumbo / Callaspo and Wilson / Blanton

If they fired Scioscia, which IMHO would be a bad decision, Dino Ebel is the likely candidate for the interim job. Butcher would likely be fired too. There aren't any candidates I'd rather have than Scioscia, who is regarded as a very good manager. Think about who the Dodgers have had since Lasorda retired. They had Walter Alston, Lasorda, then these guys. Bill Russell (3), Glenn Hoffman (I), Davey Johnson (2), Jim Tracy (5), Grady Little (2) , Joe Torre (3), and now Mattingly (3). In the same time frame the Angels had Marcel Latcheman (3), John McNamara (I), Joe Maddon (I), Terry Collins (3), Maddon again (I), then Scioscia (14). Stability is underrated in Managers. Scioscia is the 23rd manager (by tenure) in Angels history. Given that 5 of the other 22 have had multiple stints, (Mauch, McNamara, Lachemann, Rodgers, Maddon), that means only 18 guys have held that job. Best Managers in the game have been there for many, many, years. Taking Scioscia's tenure out of the equation, the other 17 have then covered 35 years. Which is just over two seasons per guy. Seeing as a lot of these guys lasted less than a year or were interim managers, you really have eleven guys helming the club for more than two years. Scioscia is in his 14th season. Rigney had 7 1/2 seasons. Mauch had 4 1/2 seasons. Lefty Phillips had parts of three. Dick Williams had parts of three. Fregosi had parts of three. Doug Radar had parts of three Buck Rodgers had three. Marcel Lachemann had parts of three Terry Collins had parts of three. McNamara had two. We're spoiled to think that there is someone better out there. Looking around the majors, after Sciocia, the longest tenured guy is Gardenhire in Minnesota. Then in the AL, you have guys hired for 2006 in Joe Maddon and Jim Leyland. Then guys for 2007 in Ron Washington and for 2008 in Joe Girardi, Everyone else has been replaced in the last three years. In the NL, Charlie Manuel has been leading the Phillies since 05. Bruce Bochy and Bud Black since 07, and Dusty Baker for 08. Everyone else has been replaced in the last three years. Do you want to replace a manager every three seasons, as is the evidence for the trend in baseball? How many guys have World Series rings in the group who has lasted more than three seasons? Manuel, Bochy, Scioscia, and Girardi. That's it. The Tigers have been there and lost. Gardenhire never has been. Baker has been and lost. If they aren't going to upgrade to a better manager, it's best if they just hope Scioscia pulls something out this year, or we'll end up in a manager search every three years. I don't want that.

Jimenez, 4-4 hits for the Cycle.

For Love of the Game makes my list despite Costner's overacting. That movie is the only movie that shows the game like a game. For those that haven't seen it, it's the story of an aging veteran pitcher (think Chuck Finley) who has been on one team for years, but still pitching well, As trade rumors fly, it's the last game of the year against the Yankees, in a dismal Tigers season. And the story unfolds of his career, in between the innings, as he pitches 1-2-3 inning after 1-2-3 inning. Until he realizes in the 8th inning, that he's five outs from perfection. It shows a game as a game, and the emotion of a perfect game as a perfect game should be. It captures that aspect better than any other baseball movie I've seen in the same way Bad News Bears does for Little League, Bull Durham does for the minor leagues, The Natural does for old time baseball. I liked Eight Men Out and The Sandlot, but neither of those movies depicts anything about baseball I love. 61 was pretty good. A League of their Own was good… Major League was great… I love the Rookie (about the Tampa reliever) even though it's sappy. And Field of Dreams is a great movie with baseball, but is it really a baseball movie? Moneyball was good, except they don't tell you the Angels won the series or that the three aces the A's had that year had a ton to do with their success (Hudson, Mulder, Zito) I've yet to see 42, and may do so today. One thing for sure, there are way too many ridiculous baseball movies like Angels in the Outfield or Mr. 3000, or Rookie of the Year….etc. My List: 1. Field of Dreams 2. Bull Durham 3. The Natural 4. For Love of the Game 5. Bad News Bears 6. Major League 7. 61 8. A League of Their Own 9. Moneyball 10. Eight Men Out

To re-address the same points. Callaspo is a reliable defender, but he's not Adrian Beltre. As for hitting for contact, his average fell .30 points from 2011 high to his 2012 low. And his 2010 was pretty close to 2012. Which is the outlier? He has zero power, and not enough speed to leg out doubles. Lucho is major league ready now after a successful year in AAA in 2012. He's not necessarily ready to start full time, but neither were Aybar, Sean Rodriguez, Kendrick, Callaspo, Amarista, Figgins, or any of the other infielders we've had recently. All had part time stints in their first years in Anaheim, or elsewhere, so that is what I wanted to see. Plus if you had signed Bill Hall for insurance or Luis Rodriguez, or Brendan Harris, they'd have had veteran insurance. Callapso did nothing to earn a full-time gig in 2012. And they'd have saved money they could have used to upgrade over Blanton. Plus if they had let Williams walk as well, they could have got a guy like Sanchez into the budget. I also think the Hamilton deal was not in the plans, and that's why they signed Blanton. They'd have been happy going into this year with Vargas, Hanson, and Richards at the 3-4-5 spots. Callaspo doesn't have any trade value right now, but maybe he would get it worked out.

Actually, before this year, the pitching that was in bad sorts actually performed quite well. Sub 700 runs allowed in each year of the past three, but I agree Haren, Wilson, Santana all had question marks. Greinke too expensive. Relievers in question. I like Vargas, Hanson moves, but don't get Blanton at all. Hoped he could put up 200 innings at a mid 4 ERA and the offense would carry the team. Certain guys are hitting well right now, others are not. Iannetta isn't hitting since his first few games. Hamilton struggles for the first weeks. Pujols has been hitting well. Bourjos up and down. Trumbo has been okay. Aybar hitting well. Kendrick hitting well. Callaspo has been ok. Trout hasn't been great. Jimenez, Conger have been doing well in limited time. Shuck, Harris, Romine, not much expected or delivered in limited action. Yet the pitchers have not been good. Replacing 3/5 of the rotation is a daunting task, but Hopefully Richards bumps Blanton to the long relief role, or to the DL...

I wondered when they signed him, WTF? The way he's pitched the past few seasons, they paid way too much, and I'm sure he was eager to sign. I brought this up in the Callaspo / Jimenez thread, but my contention going into the off-season, was Callaspo and Blanton or Jimenez and a $12.5 M a year starter. I know what they pay the guy isn't always the best indication of what they'll do. I know DiPoto didn't like Santana, but Santana or Haren could've signed for 2/25 which is what they'll end up paying Callaspo and Blanton. Innnings Eater was the thought, always, and this was pre-Vargas trade, so I understand not going after McCarthy or Saunders, but I don't get Blanton. Who cares if he pitches a lot of innings, if they are bad innings?

This was my big point in the offseason. I didn't understand paying $4+ M to a guy in arbitration (let alone guaranteeing a second year) when you had a capable replacement. Callaspo had an awful year in 2012, and was not under any sort of obligation payment wise as they could've non-tendered or traded him. Izturis was a free agent, and I'm sorry but I'd have rather seen them open with Izturis and Jimenez than Callaspo and Brendan Harris. They could've resigned Izturis instead of Callaspo, but Izturis was also coming off a down year. Jimenez had a really good year in AAA, but there were red flags. Worst case, you say, we're going with Jimenez, and hope Cowart is ready by the end of the year if Jimenez doesn't work out or you find a guy in the trade market or someone like Bill Hall. And you devote the savings to pitching. I wanted Haren and or Santana back, but they went with Joe Blanton. Joe Blanton is making 6.5 Million this year, plus a signing bonus. Callaspo makes $4.1 M. Annibel Sanchez signed for $13M per season, which obviously is a bigger investment long term at 80M overall versus $25, but there were other options. Kyle Lohse signed for 11M per season, for three seasons. I had doubts about Lohse in the American League, but Blanton has incurred the same doubts. Lohse was at least effective in the National League. Yes he would've cost us a first round pick, but so did Josh Hamilton. So we would've lost our second round pick. The difference between having Callaspo and Blanton versus Jimenez and a different FA starter like Lohse or Sanchez is pretty clear.

I really like this lineup. With Aybar back and hitting 9th, I'd be happy if this was the lineup all the time. I also think they could switch Trout and Bourjos and be fine. Bourjos has the best average on the team besides Conger.

Sweet. Lucho deserved a shot at the third base job after a pretty great year in AAA last season and a great start to spring. He's hit at every level of the minors, and it's been consistent at every level. I feel like the guys who end up flopping prospect wise are the guys that had an amazing year at one level, but then drastically different numbers at other levels. Example: Howie Kendrick was great in 04 at Cedar Rapids, 05 at Rancho, 05 at Arkansas, 06 at AAA. Consistent numbers. Now he's never hit to those numbers in the majors, but he is a solid second baseman. Brandon Wood had an amazing year in the California League in 05, then disappointed in 06, then was okay in 07 in AAA, then good in 08…Up and Down. Peter Bourjos was consistent in his A, AA, years then has a great AAA. Trumbo same thing. Jimenez has been consistent even more so than these guys. I know players take a step back when they transition to the majors, but I honestly believe Jimenez can be the same guy he has been over the past three or four years in the minors.

I'd be fine with Bourjos Hamilton Trout Pujols Trumbo Kendrick Callaspo Iannetta Harris/Aybar