steveuk

Yes, true, but the Angels also have to play Texas, Houston, and Seattle a lot more - and there's no guarantee that they'll do all that well.
The Angels can theoretically beat out the Red Sox and Mariners - I don't think they'll have to win 92+ games to do so. But it gets dicey once you get to Toronto and Baltimore - and they have to beat both out (or one of Tampa Bay, New York, Texas, or Houston has to collapse).
But sure, maybe the third wildcard sneaks in with 90 wins. But I think that's the bare minimum, and it might be more like 92-94.

Wards needs a trip down to AAA and rediscover his swing/mechanics.
I'd love them to move Gio up to the 2 spot. He going to make contract and you can put hit n runs and so much more. 
Trout and Othani 3rd and 4th. Until Rendon returns I'd have Renfrore and Walsh 5th and 6th. Drury at 7th hole is the perfect spot, Neto and Thaisis to round it up.
 

That’s my whole point. The team has way too many needs to just put all their eggs into one basket 

People will criticise Arte if he doesn't get Ohtani signed up at 50m a year and yet, if the other pieces on the team are mediocre, it's going to stay that way if he commits over a third of payroll on just two players. 

We have two of the greatest players who have ever played the game on our team.  Think about that.  Kids and adults from all over the globe have dawned a mit and bat from the early ages of life and among the final top 20 in all of time, we have two of the best to every do it.  Blessed.
Is it too much to ask they produce when the moment calls for it?  There has been numerous times over the past few weeks (or longer?) where Mike or Shohei have had an opportunity to strongly impact the game's result and they have come up short.  If it weren't for the fact that I'm an Angels fan and am always willing to dismiss their struggles, I'd place blame.  However, that almost seems sacreligious.  Can't do that.
Tonight, like many, many others, both players had an opportunity to "come through" and impact the game.  Both came up short.  I get we as fans we don't like to point the fingers at our future HOF's.  But man, it's getting tiresome.  I just want to say, "F-, make an impact!"
Tonight's game got to me.  I get it.  Matt didn't step on the plate, Mickey f-d up, etc.  But be one of the best players on the planet when the situation calls for it.  It's baseball, shit happens.  Be the difference.
With regards to Shohei in particular, sometimes it feels like we might not sign him because he wants to play for a winner.  Hell, I get that.  But that line of thinking places the entire burden of the team's success on everyone else.  How about making an impact on your team to drive them to success?  
I know I'm emotional after tonight's debacle.  I get we can rightfully place blame on a number of folks....Phil, Matt, Moniak, and others.  But how would the game have gone if our stars had performed just a bit better when the situation called for it?  Would all of the other shit even happened as it did?
 
Rant over.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

Standard answer on here is 'sample size', but I like this kid. He just looks like he belongs already.

I'm really liking this guy.
Disarcina was my SS as a kid. Eckstein and Aybar were good, probably better than Disar,  but for some reason I still viewed Disar as MY SS. Cabrera was very good but had a shorter tenure. Simmons was extremely underrated. We definitely landed him on the 2nd half of his career, but he was unbelievable.
I think Neto might become my favorite Angel SS going forward. 

Moniak will put on the Samurai helmet today

I honestly believe they'll extend Renfroe. When Perry traded for him, they had a preliminary discussion about how he's been traveling a lot, and that "down the stretch, they'd like to talk about ending that."
I don't think Ohtani is coming back, personally. And so they'll take the 30 million coming off the books there, use 15 of it on bringing Renfroe back, another 15 or so on another starting pitcher, and then use the DH spot to rotate guys in and out of the lineup to keep them fresh, mostly Trout and Rendon. 
So whoever they 4th outfielder is, is probably going to log a ton of playing time. Maybe it's Moniak. His left handedness fits well atop the lineup and he's a very good defender. Maybe it's Adell. If he's figured it out at the plate, that's a middle of the order bat. Maybe Ward struggles add both Adell and Moniak impact next year's team. 
Lots of things can happen. 

And I’ll say it again, Trout can’t fly cross country first class and play but Wade Boggs could sit in coach and drink 50 beers and absolutely rake the next day… be tougher Trout. 

Yep agree, while this season has been somewhat of a disappointment (to this point), there is still time to get on a roll and make the playoffs like Philadelphia did last season. 
With that said, I have to say the biggest highlight so far this season, has been the two rookies Neto and O’Hoppe. The future looks bright for two important positions moving forward…..
And it’s not just their talent and ability. It’s their character that’s also been impressive. 

 

seriously... the kid seems like he's been playing in the bigs for 5 years instead of 5 weeks. Not just on the field, but in his postgame interview too. I'm so impressed with how MLB-ready he seems, and I felt the same way about O'Hoppe before he got hurt. It's such a change from watching Jo Adell struggle to adjust to the MLB level for years

Neto/Moniak > Trout/Ohtani 

...and Orioles....

Terrible news. Have to feel for the lad, he was doing superbly

Terrible news. Have to feel for the lad, he was doing superbly

Terrible news. Have to feel for the lad, he was doing superbly

Bratwurst purchased, I am ready for baseball!

I don't know if you guys have similar but there is a TV show over here called "Four in a bed" (nowhere near as exciting as it sounds!) The owners of four different small hotels take it in turns to spend a night at each others establishment. And then they critique how they found it. And it can get a bit nasty sometimes - people don't like their pride and joy business being slated. But one of the frequent discussion points is baked beans with breakfast. Some will say, "we are posh, we don't serve beans" others, "breakfast without beans? WTF?"
The latter is most definitely the correct attitude!
But fried pigs blood? Hmm.... 

I don't know if you guys have similar but there is a TV show over here called "Four in a bed" (nowhere near as exciting as it sounds!) The owners of four different small hotels take it in turns to spend a night at each others establishment. And then they critique how they found it. And it can get a bit nasty sometimes - people don't like their pride and joy business being slated. But one of the frequent discussion points is baked beans with breakfast. Some will say, "we are posh, we don't serve beans" others, "breakfast without beans? WTF?"
The latter is most definitely the correct attitude!
But fried pigs blood? Hmm....