70runner

Albert needs protection?...from who, the IRS? Trout is the only guy in this lineup that merits protection. Because Albert is behind him in the Sciosciaplan, Trout will lead the world in walks. Calhoun cleanup, Cron, and then Albert if he recovers from yet another old, overweight guy injury.

Wouldn't be even close to the worst thing the Angels have ever done. Especially with the uncertainty around mr cleanup. My guess is Pujols returns as a shadow of his shadow. At which point it might be useful to have a guy who can hit cleanup and use the glove.

He's old - check He has a huge contract - check On the downside of a productive career - check Wanting to be on a winner - oops

This forecasting assumes 1B is "average to above average", that is, Pujols recovers from yet another overweight, old guy condition to resume his solo HR and crappy RISP production. Even when he's healthy he can't run. His glove is still good but his range is arms length. Someone is going to have to hit cleanup and play 1B until he returns. Will the "average to above average" version of Pujols return? Seems pretty optimistic given his trend.

Did the Angels just fix something that wasn't broken?...with VERY expensive parts? Getting younger is great and the guy is a SS phenom, but Aybar remains a solid SS with good speed (rare commodity in the Angels lineup) and could probably play effectively for 2-3 more yrs. This wasn't/isn't a problem area.

This will get ugly. No preseason. Shows up one day when the games count having pronounced himself fit and healthy at age whatever, hitting 4th of course. Struggles for 2mos, bogging down the offense (especially with RISP), telling doubters to check his career stats. Meanwhile, Trout leads the world in intentional walks. Scioscia considers moving him down in the lineup and no longer allowing him to play 1B on crutches.

Allow me to summarize...the Angels are too old, too slow, and too offensively dependent on one exceptional player. Lotsa good ideas here. The team absolutely needs to get younger, more athletic, and more OBP. There are some bright spots, of course the guy in CF, a decent starting staff with Richards having the potential as solid #1 guy, Perez showing promise with more playing time (Scioscia finally throwing in the towel on Iannetta), Aybar remains a top flight SS and can still run (a rare commodity on the Angels), Calhoun, Johnny D's clutch hitting albeit with mediocre defense, Cron with some power, and a decent relief crew. However, no matter what OBP improvement is accomplished in front of Trout, the RISP black hole remains behind Trout. Hoping for a turn around at Pujols age (whatever it is) and condition is fools gold. How many potential rallys did he kill with either an inept AB or GIDP? He was mush at the plate down the stretch. Scioscia sticking around only cements Pujols hold on cleanup hitter. Unless Cespedes or someone of that ilk appears in an Angels ST uniform, hit Calhoun at cleanup, Cron (while teaching him to hit offspeed stuff), then Pujols. Street, usually dependable but increasingly reliant on offspeed deception. Bullpen version of Weaver, ultra competitive but not someone who will crush the 9th like so many of the top flight teams. Gott has the stuff to become a crusher and should be given the opportunity. Teach him how to throw a consistent changeup to offset his 98mph heat. If nothing changes in front of (and directly behind) Trout, the Angels are a 500 team in 2016, miss the playoffs, and Scioscia is gone.

Apparently the Angels are out of order as well. The owner and manager picked the GM. So the GM will turn around and select the best manager? Not in Scioscia's kingdom. Bring Erstad on board as hitting coach, groom him to take over when Scioscia's team misses yet another playoff in 2016.

Long time Dog Scioscia managing the Angels, long time Angel Erstad managing the Dogs...

BB is a class act and I wish him success regardless of where he hits Harper.

Stats?...we don't need no stinking stats!

As to the offensive challenges, Angels were near the bottom in OBP. Greinke, even if he jumps off the dogs (unlikely), won't change that. Must get more (and ideally mobile) guys on base ahead of Trout and station someone at cleanup to make pitchers deal with him. Money well spent would be 1-2 OBP guys ahead of Trout and legit protection behind him. Pujols has deteriorated into a one dimensional (HR or nada) hitter who turns to mush with RISP and was MIA during September. He will only get worse. Got any money left?...hire someone to teach Richards to throw a consistent changeup.

Scioscia not going anywhere. No opt out, followed by no playoffs. Again. Then we'll be reminded he is the most successful Angels manager of all time because he won 1 WS in 15yrs. Breathtaking.

as does Pujols .237 with RISP and .188 in September when they really needed him

Exc idea. Teach him to casually stare at the first pitch even if its down broadway, then swing at crap. Then teach him how to consistently fail with RISP.

and that RISP hole in the lineup behind him. Acquire a high OBP guy to leadoff (Span?), Calhoun, Trout, TBD, Pujols (if you must)...etc. You don't lead off with your best hitter, you put some guys on base ahead of your best hitter. You also don't follow your best hitter with a terrible RISP guy even if he hits home runs. Pujols hole in the lineup was easily worth 4-5 games. Fix this and leave Trout where he is.

As to Cespedes/Davis, short of Goldschmidt showing in an Angels uniform, Scioscia will ink Pujols at cleanup. He'll hit some bangers, but will continue to leave an army of RISP and snuff out rallys with his GIDP skills. Though with Cespedes or Davis hitting 5th, the Pujols hole in the lineup will get even more conspicuous. Perez should be given full opportunity to be the #1 catcher and the Angels could do worse than Gia at 2B (I like his spunk, not so much his D). He brings energy and clutch hitting, attributes not abundant on the Angels roster. Aybar is still a solid SS with speed. Span would be a ++ acquisition, both for OBP ahead of Trout and filling the hole in LF. Richards still has #1 potential, but the Angels would be much stronger with another #1ish type pitcher, but then who wouldn't.

Expected win total 79, he got 85. Marginal overall talent in a playoff hunt. Job well done. Turns the page better than anyone. His job is to get the Angels to the playoffs. One (very short) playoff in last 6 tries, lower percentage than Iannetta's batting average. Angels will likely dump Iannetta, but Scioscia lives on because of a "job well done"? Mediocrity reigns supreme in this organization.

I just wish he'd go away, somehow. Very old, slow, and overweight...nearly all the attributes MLB teams try to avoid. Thx also for teaching Trout it's OK to start every AB 0-1.

You may have this a little backwards. Scioscia is in charge of page turning. Eppler must find Scioscia's page or he'll get turned like Dipoto.

Must get younger and more athletic. Do not trade away youth. Trade the old guys, Angels have a roster full of them. One exception, keep Aybar, still a good SS with speed. The good news, with Perez and Gia looking good during the stretch run, the major holes are down to 3B and LF. Of course you can never have enough pitching.

It's good the Angels finally hired an asst GM to Scioscia. The two jobs were obviously weighing him down (pun intended). Eppler, reporting on board with the requisite "metrics?, metrics?, we don't need no damn metrics" and "improved communication" Scioscia check boxes. Improved communication is likely defined as doing nothing substantive without Scioscia approval, a rule Dipoto broke. The Scioscia empire remains intact.

The problem with this logic is the new GM will have to be approved by Scioscia and instructed to work within the Scioscia empire. Only chance of Scioscia leaving the dugout is to move up in his empire as GM, then he'll choose his successor. He does need to leave the dugout, not because of today or this season, but because his teams have underperformed for several years now. No other measuring stick is needed.

Only if votes are needed from the largest welfare state to get Democrat (fill in the blank) elected. Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer approve this message.

Can't imagine how anyone would laugh at or cheer a blatant attempt to injure someone. He wasn't breaking up a DP, with cleats up he was targeting Gia who was well behind the base with no chance at a DP. Bring in Gott for one at bat and send Odor a special delivery.