mustard relish sauerkraut

(I wrote this in a rush, so forgive any factual errors).
While the Angels have had numerous problems over the last decade, probably the biggest one—at least in recent years—has been the starting rotation. The Angels have had misfotune upon misfortune, beyond the point of black comedy into sheer tragedy. I call this the Curse of Jered Weaver.
Why poor old Jered? Well, the run of terrible luck could begin with the preternatural decline of Weaver from staff ace to batting practice pitcher, in just a few short years. Weaver was a very good pitcher from his debut in 2006, peaking in 2010-11 when he pitched 460 innings, accrueing 11.3 fWAR and an ERA well below 3.00. The following year he won 20 games with a 2.81 ERA, but his strikeout rate continued to plummet and with it, his WAR dropped to 3.1 from 5.4 the year before. You can also track the clear trajectory of rising FIP that pretty accurately predict the next year’s performance. By 2015 he was a replacement level pitcher.
What happened? Very simply, his arm turned to mush. His velocity dropped from reaching the mid 90s into early 2012, to never touching 90 from 2015 on (I literally think he didn’t throw a 90 mph fastball after 2014). Or take a look here. Notice the big drop within the 2012 season, when Jered Weaver injured himself here. Despite what the broadcasters say, it wasn’t his knee but his back. 
That 2012 rotation looked great on paper: with Weaver was CJ Wilson, Ervin Santana, Dan Haren, and trade deadline import, Zack Greinke (who cost the Angels Jean Segura). But Weaver was starting to slip, Wilson was solid but not great, Santana had an off year, Haren was in decline, and Greinke would leave for a big payday.
2012 was the year that Arte and Jerry had made their big splashes in Pujols and Wilson, and Trout’s amazing rookie season. It was supposed to be the beginning of a new era. The Angels did win 89 games, but fell short of a playoff berth.
The 2013 rotation (and team) was a trainwreck. Not only did Pujols continue to get worse, but the Angels brought in Josh Hamilton, who was a huge disappointment. But the focus here is on the rotation: Wilson had his best year as an Angel and Weaver broke his non-throwing elbow in April, although came back a the end of May and, while throwing softer, was still able to get by on guile, somehow managing a 3.27 ERA . But Dipoto filled out the rest of the ranks with mediocrities like Jerome Williams, Jason Vargas, Joe Blanton, and Tommy Hanson. 2013 also saw the debut of a promising, if raw, rookie in Garret Richards, and a single start by a minor league veteran, Matt Shoemaker.
2014 was a bounceback year for the Angels, the sign that the promise of 2012 might actually be fulfilled. The rotation was revamped with a young stud in Richards, a surprise performance by Shoemaker, the return of former farmhand Tyler Skaggs, and the import of Hector Santiago, the four of whom looked to form the core of a new, younger rotation.
In the offseason, Dipoto traded Howie Kendrick for promising young pitcher Andrew Heaney, and Hank Conger netted them Nick Tropeano, further depeening the young staff. So in 2015, the Angels had a younger, fresher rotation with plenty of promise. But Richards wasn’t quite the same, although still solid. Santiago had his best year, but Shoemaker struggled for the most part. Heaney looked solid in 18 starts, but Skaggs was out for the year with Tommy John Surgery, the first of many.
By 2016, a rotation that should have been starting to come into its own was in shambles. It was Weaver’s last and worst year as an Angel (he started a few games for the Padres in 2017 and was even worse). Santiago continued to be erratic and never took his talent to the next level. Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, and Tropeano were all in various stages of Tommy John past, present or future. Matt Shoemaker was the one ray of light, pitching at an elite level for a stretch of time and good overall.
2017 was supposed to be the year that everyone came back strong and healthy. But Richards hurt himself (again). Shoemaker struggled with injury, Skaggs pitched half a season, Heaney was out most of the year, Tropeano the entire year. Eppler brought in a host of peanuts, one of whom proved to be clean and shiny: promising Alex Meyer, who then proceeded to get injured and never came back, retiring earlier this year.
2018 finally saw what looked to be a healthy staff. But, you guessed it, Richards was injured again and finally went under the knife for Tommy John Surgery. It was the last we were to see of the pitcher who was supposed to inherit the title of “Angels Ace” in the line of Weaver-Lackey-Washburn-Finley-Witt-Tanana-Ryan-Messersmith-Chance. Heaney was finally healthy and had a solid, if unspectacular year. Skaggs came back and was also solid but unspectactular. Tropeano was passable, as was newcomer Felix Pena. Rookie Jaime Barria was a bit of a surprise, but it was also clear was getting by on a bit of smoek and mirrors. And then we had the biggest splash of them all: Shohei Ohtani, who looked brilliant if a bit erratic. But he eventually went under the knife for TJS.
Consider the names of Angels who have undergone TJS over the last half decade: Skaggs, Richards, Heaney, Tropeano, Meyer, Ohtani, and I’m probably missing someone. Shoemaker had his own injuries.
Eppler tried a patchjob this year. He let Richards and Shoemaker go and brought in Trevor Cahill and Matt Harvey, both of whom were awful. Heaney struggled with more injury and Skaggs died. None of the young pitchers—Barria, Canning, Suarez, Sandoval—proved to be instant successes, although  all showed varying degrees of promise, or at least usefulness. The end result, of course, has been what looks like the worst Angels season in two decades.
Maybe, hopefully, 2020 will be different. As has been stated many times, the problem for the Angels pitching staff is not only injury, but elite talent - or a lack thereof. What is strange, odd, darkly comic and even tragic, is that none one of that promising group turned out to be even a consistent #3 or better starter. One or two still might, and we can still hope that Ohtani will fill his ace potential and transfer the dominance on the mound he showed in Japan and for many of his ten starts last year. But the return rate on this group has just been terrible.
But it all goes back to Jered Weaver, that back injury in 2012, his gumby arm, and the tragedy of injury and (in one case) death that has been the Angels rotation from 2013-19.

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney delivers against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons (2) throws out New York Yankees’ Cameron Maybin (38) during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu watches the ball after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts after giving up a three-run home run to DJ LeMahieu of the New York Yankees in the second inning at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts as DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees rounds third base after his three run home run in the second inning at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

New York Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu celebrates with Austin Romine (28) after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Kevan Smith #44 of the Los Angeles Angels sends a hit by Didi Gregorius #18 of the New York Yankees to first for the out in the third inning at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts as he is about to be pulled during the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka leaves the field during the third inning of a baseball game Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Kole Calhoun #56 of the Los Angeles Angels runs the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of their game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun (56) celebrates with third base coach Mike Gallego after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun scores after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner celebrates with third base coach Phil Nevin (88) after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner, right, watches his RBI-double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees’ Brett Gardner gestures from second base after hitting an RBI-double during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Matt Thaiss #23 of the Los Angeles Angels sends a hit by Austin Romine of the New York Yankees to first but does not make the out in the second inning at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels flies out to Didi Gregorius #18 of the New York Yankees in the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Kole Calhoun #56 of the Los Angeles Angels high fives Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of their game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Cameron Maybin #38 of the New York Yankees celebrates his solo home run in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Gio Urshela #29, Cameron Maybin #38, and Luke Voit #45 of the New York Yankees celebrate their 9-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: The New York Yankees celebrate their 9-1 over the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Andrew Heaney #28 of the Los Angeles Angels and Kevan Smith #44 of the Los Angeles Angels lead their team on to the field prior to their game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 19, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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Expand NEW YORK — The resilient New York Yankees powered their way to the club’s first American League East division title since 2012, routing the short-handed Angels 9-1 Thursday night behind three RBIs each from old mainstay Brett Gardner and newcomer DJ LeMahieu.
A day after wasting a chance to clinch first place, the homer-happy Yankees went ahead when LeMahieu hit a three-run drive in the second inning and breezed to their 100th win.
Gardner, among just two holdovers from their last World Series championship team in 2009, added a solo shot in the fourth and then hit a two-run double in the sixth. Cameron Maybin and Clint Frazier homered for good measure in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman struck out Albert Pujols to end it as fans’ cellphones flashed to record to moment.
Players lined up for handshakes and hugs, more exuberantly than usual, but there was no wild celebration on the field.
“We got a lot bigger fish to fry, but this is the first step along the way,” Boone said. “Nothing has got in their way. Whatever has come adversity-wise, they faced it and powered right through it.”
Despite putting 30 players on the injured list this season, New York (100-54) wrapped up first place with eight games to spare and made Aaron Boone the first manager to win 100 games in each of his first two major league seasons.
The Yankees open the playoffs on Oct. 4, likely against Minnesota, which leads the AL Central, or the wild-card winner.
Masahiro Tanaka (11-8), in line to start the opener, allowed Kole Calhoun’s home run leading off the fourth. The Angels (69-84), who are playing the final weeks of the regular season without AL MVP frontrunner Mike Trout, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and outfielder Justin Upton, had just four hits in seven innings off Tanaka, who struck out six and walked one.
Angels starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (4-6) gave up six runs and five hits in five-plus innings.
The Yankees might go to the postseason without their winningest pitcher, Domingo Germán. The 27-year-old right-hander, who is 18-4, was placed on administrative leave under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy earlier in the day.
New York’s 19th AL East title was its first following a run of 13 in 17 years that started in Derek Jeter’s rookie season. The Yankees, led by young stars Aaron Judge, Gary Sánchez and Gleyber Torres, will be making their 21st postseason appearance in 25 years and 55th overall – 22 more than any other team.
And they will head to October following their 21st 100-win season, their first in back-to-back years since 2002-04.
New York moved into sole possession of the lead for good on June 15 with the start of an eight-game winning streak, beginning a spurt of 13 victories in 14 games that ended the month. The Yankees led by 6-1/2 games at the All-Star Game, won seven of their first nine after the break and have led by seven to 11-1/2 games since. And they achieved their success despite so many players landing on the injured list, the most in the major leagues since at least 2004.
After Wednesday’s 3-2 loss, the Yankees waited in their clubhouse for three hours until just before 1 a.m., hoping second-place Tampa Bay would lose to the Dodgers in Los Angeles and ensure the division title for New York. But the Rays rallied in the ninth and defeated the Dodgers in 11 innings.
“It was probably actually a good little team building, bonding, one of those times you enjoy being together,” Boone said,
Protective plastic remained overnight wrapping the six large-screen televisions in the Yankees clubhouse, a sign that the bubbly and beer celebration was not too far off.
LeMahieu’s homer, which followed a rare infield hit by slow-legged catcher Austin Romine with two outs, landed about three rows over the scoreboard in right-center, giving him career bests of 25 homers and 97 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. Gardner also set career highs for homers (26) and RBIs (69), and New York extended its team record with 292 long balls.
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Short-handed Angels make Yankees wait a little longer for AL East title Report: DEA launching probe into how Angels’ Tyler Skaggs obtained drugs Forget the home run. Baseball’s golden age for stolen bases is now Angels blanked by Yankees in Luis Severino’s season debut After 3rd straight season with an injury, Angels are thinking about Mike Trout’s long-term health In his second game back from an injury layoff of nearly three months, Giancarlo Stanton was 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts as a designated hitter his second game back from a layoff of nearly three months.
STAR TURN
Pujols had a .328 career batting average when he left the St. Louis Cardinals after 11 major league seasons and joined the Angels for 2012. His career average dipped to .29995 with an 0 for 4 night. His average had not been below .300 at the end of a game since a 4-for-14 start as a rookie in 2001, according to the Elias Sport Bureau.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances has been told surgery is not recommended for the partially torn left Achilles tendon that ended his season after eight pitches. Boone said the foot will be in a walking boot for another four weeks. … Judge was given a day off after he landed on his right shoulder during an attempt for a diving catch on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Jamie Barria, 4-9, 5.95 ERA) at Astros (RHP Zack Greinke, 16-5, 2.95 ERA), Friday, 5 p.m., Fox Sports West, 830 AM
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11 more years. 

How'd they get a picture of Bartolo Colon in the flying wing uniform?

"Don't forget me!"
 

Yankees/Red Sox with Chris Berman and Joe Morgan announcing

Holy shitting duck tits.
Is there even any doubt that this has been the absolute worst season in Angels' history?
The Angels are 67-80 with 15 games left. The schedule isn't getting easier, so there's a great chance this is a 90 loss team. In fact, now that Ohtani is done for the year (more on that in a minute), and Trout can't get back in the lineup (more on that as well), they have an outside shot at losing out and finishing 67-95. Regardless, this will likely be the first 90 loss season since 1999. Fuckin Bill Ass Clinton with his jazz and office beejays was president the last time the Angels lost 90 games in a season.
Nevermind the damn record, Ohtani needing surgery could potentially effect the 2020 season. Will it have an impact on his hitting, or worse, his pitching? That's now hanging over our heads. 
Then we have Trout's mystical toe injury that apparently will require surgery. How is that going to impact his playing in 2020? Will he be ready opening day? Will it impact his swing? 
Oh, and now Upton's knee is bothering him again. Will he need surgery? Probably not but he's an Angel so yes, he will.
What. The. F*ck.
The shittiness of this season is already seeping into the underpants of 2020. 2020, the year everything was supposed to get better. The year we finally started turning this shit taco around. 
F*ck this season.
Oh and one of our pitchers literally died.

I would gladly watch each game if they would just play the youngsters only. Win or lose there’s nothing we can learn by watching guys that have already played for 13-19 years. Sit their asses down. Start your spring training now. 

Trout to have Tommy John surgery on his foot in 3...2...1...

Angels will be playing their games in China.

.
Angels defense today....

I actually think it’s pretty cool. It adds some character to the game. 

I'm really tired of hearing all of the drums in the crowd.
it's like all 75 people there brought their own snare.

Did you see the Mets-Nats 9th inning tonight? MLB teams were 274-0 in 2019 with a six-run lead in the 9th inning. Now it's 274-1.

Sigh. Let's get this over with

That's a fatal dose of fentanyl next to the penny, 2 milligrams.
The usual clinical dose is 1/40th of that.

We are adults here right? Stop policing this thread. Nobody is taking personal shots at each other or threatening each other, its the reality of a drug OD. You have the crew that are holier than thou and demonize it and can't sympathize with personal demons some people may have and then there is the side that is opposite of that. IF you don't like it, stay the F*ck out of it and stop babysitting these adults. Jesus Christ, its a message board ignore the thread and continue with your day
 
This is truly heart breaking news, I used to be in the camp that would be "holier than thou" to an OD and would lose a lot of sympathy until I started working with people who battle addictions and drug usage. F*ck, even I've battled inner demons with oxycodone, I love the euphoric numbness that you can get from it, thankfully I have enough will power to recognize how dangerous it is and the risks I was taking, so I turned away from it and haven't looked back. 
The family looking to hold the Angels' employee responsible for Skaggs obtaining these drugs is absurd....hold Skaggs responsible. He was an adult who made a conscious decision to put this cocktail into him. Yes it may have been supplied to him, and that person needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent possible, but Skaggs is not innocent here and the irresponsibility should not be diverted from him.
At the same time, nobody should feel "less saddened" by this. Skaggs life was cut short and a husband, son, teammate, best friend was taken away from people who loved him. We don't know what the hell he was going through, the physical amount of pain he was in, or anything else that was going on in his life. All we know is that he made a bad decision and he paid the ultimate sacrifice for it. To sit there and judge him and feel less saddened by this is part of the reason why SOME people HIDE addictions (again, we don't know if skaggs was an addict) from others. This is still just as tragic of a situation as it was on day 1, people are hurting more now than probably ever with this news becoming public. I just hope the justice that needs to be served is served, and that Skaggs is remembered as the bright and energetic man that was loved by so many. Addiction, mistake, irresponsible, whatever it may be...he is still missed and this news makes it worse. 

I just saw a rhino at the Denver zoo on Monday. No way Skaggs took enough booze and drugs to stagger that thick son of a bitch.

Pants off time

I just bought a sweet package for tonight's game.  
It includes 6,000 club level tickets and I get to pitch the first inning.  The cost was $8....total.  It also includes one large domestic beer