eligrba

tdawg disagrees

Well said.
Thanks for the reminder. 

Tyler Skaggs is gone. Unfortunately for Angels fans, this is an all-too-familiar place. We’ve been here before. It’s not a comfortable place. It’s a very sad and very confusing place and we will never, ever get used to it.
 
We Angels fans, like every other fan base often use terms like “us” and “we” when discussing our favorite team. That speaks to the level of connection we have with our team. We experience the emotional highs and lows that go along with winning and losing. Even though it may be a bit silly, we feel that the team’s victories are also our victories. So when I say “we lost Tyler Skaggs” – that “we” is real. It’s tangible. It’s meaningful. 
 
But… this loss is not about us.
 
This time is about Tyler’s family and those that were close to him. Our thoughts and our prayers go out to them as they try to manage their grief, their sorrow and their pain.
 
I don’t know how the Angels move forward from this. I really don’t. Baseball is hard enough as it is. 
 
Perhaps we fans can play a role in helping the team move forward by simply showing up. It’s time to show how much we care and that when we say “we” and “us” we really mean it.
 
It is my hope that on July 12 when the Angels return home for their first home game since Tyler’s passing, Angels fans show up in huge numbers. We need to show up even if it's hard. We need to show up even if we don't want to because again - it's not about us and showing up matters.
We also show up by telling stories. It’s important to tell the stories that speak to a time when we might have had an interaction with Tyler that meant something special to us. We share the good things we’ve read or heard about Tyler too. We recount those stories to others and in doing so we all remember.
 
We remember that Tyler Skaggs was one of us. We remember that Tyler Skaggs competed at the highest level and he sought out victories so that we could experience joy. 
 
We are thankful for having had the opportunity to be connected to him in some small way. He may not have known our names, but he definitely felt our presence every time he stepped on a baseball field. Tyler showed up for us and now it's time for us to do the same.
 
We will all miss Tyler Skaggs, but more importantly – we will never forget him.
 

Sorry to see you go again, Cash Considerations. You're always a cool customer. See you back in a few weeks.

Like I said, the Mariners are the Angels bitches.

Like I said, the Mariners are the Angels bitches.

Like I said, the Mariners are the Angels bitches.

I think I see the second shooter on the grassy knoll

Since the hearing.

Even though the All Star game doesn't happen exactly after game 81, it is usually considered the unofficial halfway point of the season so, since we are stuck with no games until Friday (and I'm bored), I thought it would be fun to take a look at the performances so far:
Hitters:
Mike Trout - A+: Let's get the obvious out of the way first and just revel in his magnificence - .301 .453 1.098 OPS 191 OPS+ 5.9 WAR in 87 games.  Additionally, he leads the A.L. with 28 HR, 76 BB, 11 IBB, .453 OBP, .656 SLG, 1.098 OPS, 191 OPS+, 195 Total Bases, and, a new wrinkle for him, in RBI with 67 while batting 2nd.  
Shohei Ohtani - A :  So far, for his career, he is hitting .292 .358 .924 OPS 147 OPS+ in 157 games which means, at only 25, he is one of the better offensive players in the league.  After missing time due to Tommy John surgery, and no rehab games, he stepped on the field an offensive force - it's quite astonishing when you kind of take it all in.  
David Fletcher - A : You kind of forget that David Fletcher was never considered a top prospect by anyone but, yet, after 164 games he has a pretty nice 4.5 WAR at only 25.  Additionally, he has improved in every aspect of his offense game including average and OBP, he has increased his OPS 90 points, he leads the entire MLB in SO/AB and has walked more than he's K'd (30 BB 25 K).  If you have an injury (Simmons, La Stella, Cozart, Upton), Fletcher can fill in and, regardless of position played, it won't impact his performance.  
Kole Calhoun - B : His average is a bit ugly but he's putting up one of the higher OPS of his career, is getting on base at a decent clip (.323) and could eclipse his career HR total by mid-August and pass 30 for the first time in his career.  After getting to an abysmal start last season, Calhoun 2.0 has evolved offensively while still providing solid RF defense.
Andrelton Simmons - B : The hitting is down a bit from last season but, considering his game-changing defense at SS, the offensive contribution is almost a bonus at times.  Still, he has demonstrated he is capable of better offense and hopefully his 2nd half will improve post-injury.  
Albert Pujols - C- : He is what he is at this point so there is no use banging too hard on him since he's been pretty much reduced to a platoon role.  Still, it a stark contrast to see historic milestones fall while the seasonal offensive performance continues to dwindle.  The positives, though, is he is much better 2018/2019 than his rough 2017 (-1.9 WAR), and is actually on pace to better his 2018 season overall. 
Tommy La Stella - A :  For a guy acquired for a PTBNL (eventually Connor Lillis-White has hasn't played this year), he's been a hell of a return.  His history has been one of those scrappy type of hitters that could get on base at a decent clip, play adequate defense, and lightly regarded.  However, his 2017 season showed he was capable of showing some pop (.288 .389 .861 OPS 122 OPS+ in 73 games) and his lifetime .350 OBP showed he was a lead-off candidate that could be paired with Fletcher as a 9/1 order tandem that finally put some men on base for Trout.  His unfortunate leg injury sucked the wind out of his All Star season a bit but his value in the first half should not be understated.
Luis Regifo - B : Speaking of PTBNL, that's exactly what Rengifo was in the C.J. Cron deal.  Prior to his acquisition, Rengifo had never really distinguished himself in terms of offensive but that changed in 2018 when ripped through High A Inland Empire and AA Mobile to get him to SLC before the end of the year and on to the depth chart.  After hitting .174 .250 .511 OPS in his first 14 games, Rengifo has caught fire and raised his average to .260 .333 .712 OPS along with taking some of the sting away from losing La Stella.  While his defense has been spotty at times and his run game has not quite come together yet (0-3 in SB attempts), at 22, he's made an impact as an everyday contributor.
Jonathan Lucroy - C- :  Stop gap, one year deal solution.  Everything about him so far has been "meh" - from the offense to the catching defense to the pitch calling.  You know you are doing some interesting stuff offensively when you are beating Pujols, and the entire AL for that matter, in grounding into double plays.  Looks like he'll be down for a bit after a brutal home plate collision.
Justin Bour - D- :  Signed for 1/$2.5 mil, it was a decent free agent gamble but - yeesh - he sucks.  Through 43 games, he's hit an anemic .181 .260 .651 OPS 72 OPS -0.4 WAR.  With Upton healthy and Thaiss on the verge, his days on the 25 man roster appear to be numbered.
Brian Goodwin - B+ : Selected off waivers, he filled in admirably in Upton's absence and has put up one of the better season of his career.  Nothing special but he was a steady line-up presence at the beginning of the season and should be a solid 4th OFer the rest of the season.
Justin Upton - Too New to Rate : It's been a solid 14 games I guess between injuries
Pitchers: 
Andrew Heaney - C : Got off to a slow start due to elbow inflammation, he hasn't lived up to the steady rotational presence he was in 2018.  The 2nd half with be a chance for him to re-set and attempt to lower his walks and HRs and pitch well enough to start averaging 6 IP per start again.  The encouraging part is his H/9 are the lowest his career and his K/9 are the highest of his career respectively.
Griffin Canning - B :  Yeah, the overall numbers are a bit rough(4.43 ERA 1.02 ERA+) but, despite his youth, he's been the steadiest presence in the rotation with 8 straight starts in May/June where he averaged 6 IP, including 7 shut out innings against KC.  His last start (3.1 IP 6 ER) should be taken with a grain of salt considering it is on the road in Texas and it was very close in time to Skaggs' death.  Overall, his peripherals look great - 1.092 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 2.4 BB/9, 9.6 K/9 - he's poised to have a great 2nd half.
Suarez/Barria - B- : The overall numbers between the two of them are not great but their relative youth and constant shuttling between SLC and MLB means they get a bit of a pass.  Barria showed last year what he was capable of and he will likely be leaned on in the 2nd half to provide a predictable rotation presence.  Suarez has looked really good times along with looking like a rookie.  The talent is there...hopefully we get to see some development soon.
Cahill/Harvey - D- : The Gutter Twins.  If they somehow managed to just repeat their respective performances from last season, the Angels would be a serious threat for the 2nd Wild Card.  Instead, the Angels got the pitching equivalent of a broken sewer pipe.  While Harvey is on the IL, he is poised to demonstrate once and for all if he belongs in rotation, the BP, or on waivers.  Cahill has been a miracle in that I'm not there is an inning that goes by without him giving up a run - wait, yep, he just gave up another one someone on a day off.  DFA sooner rather than later and, in the end, it was only money.
Felix Pena - C+ : He's a guy with good "stuff" that has seen his H/9 and K/9 improve but his HR/9 increase and has been more susceptible of the big inning (especially against the A's).  While the "opening" is the latest thing that has shown moderate success for some teams with rotational issues, Pena hasn't really responded well to the change but, with JC Ramirez and Harvey coming back to the rotation, he could be a valuable multi-inning reliever or spot starter down the road.
Noe Ramirez - B-:  He's never been fantastic but he has improved over his mediocrity from last season and gives the Angels another BP option that can go more than one inning.
Luis Garcia - D :  He throws hard...which mean the balls that are hit off of him travel pretty far.  4.64 ERA 98 ERA+ is really reflective of his irrelevance - he walks too many, gives up too many HRs, doesn't strike out as much as he should, and he makes me  long for the days of Fernando Salas.  
Justin Anderson - C : If this Ass Hat could figure out already if he wants to be good or not that would be terrific.  He gives zero predictability with occasional flashes of brilliance and absolutely no reason to trust him in a close and late situation.
Cam Bedrosian - C+:  Ah, Bedrosian...just when it seems we've reached the point where we can look to you for BP leadership, you shit yourself like someone who downed a 5th of gin while consuming a plate of rancid potato salad.  The "good" is he doesn't give up many hits, strikes out more hitters than innings pitched, has a nice 1.163 WHIP, and 127 ERA+.  The "bad" is he'll save his runs for the most crucial, heartbreaking moment.  Please, Cam, give us something to work with in the 2nd half.
Ty Buttrey -  A :  Acquired for a super disinterested Ian Kinsler at last season's trade deadline, he's been the fireman out of the BP and given us a glimpse of a future closer we haven't seen since the days of Percival and Frankie.  In a short time, he has made presence in the BP felt and is invaluable in regards to the Angels competitive chances going forward.
Hansel Robles - A : The chosen "closer" has performed his role well and has almost matched Buttrey for best in the BP and has no peer when it comes to intro video.  Selected off waivers from the Mets last season, he's a testament to Eppler's waiver wire acumen - not easy to grab a guy who can wing it 99 MPH and is capable of putting up 2.74 ERA 1.102 WHIP 165 ERA+ 8.9 K/9 without giving up a key prospect or laying out some serious coin.
Tyler Skaggs - Incomplete : Like Adenhart 10 years earlier, his death was shocking and without warning.  Snatched from us too soon, it again demonstrates the overall irrelevance of the game in the face of real tragedy but, ultimately, it will be this game this will help the team heal from his absence.
Forever young...

Jose Mota found his way to AW.

Ha! You're wrong.
I'll be at a big birthday party for my brother. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maybe.

Link?

I have to admit, the first 411 times it happened I wasn't convinced. However, the next 221 times convinced me that it was true. 
Right @Tank?

Link?

Don't care what he wears to protect his hands. It's weird that someone does.

Don't care what he wears to protect his hands. It's weird that someone does.

Don't care what he wears to protect his hands. It's weird that someone does.

Marisnick should be suspended for as long as Lucroy is off the Angels 25 man roster.

Tomorrow, 6 AM.

Give it a rest. 

What would you call drafting and keeping prospects for the past 4 years?  What would you call trying to limit financial obligations by staying away from from expensive and long term contracts that have been bad investments?
You are correct that the Angels are not rebuilding in the traditional manner of tanking, but they have been rebuilding.  I think it is easy to forget how bad this organization was in before Eppler's discipline.

What would you call drafting and keeping prospects for the past 4 years?  What would you call trying to limit financial obligations by staying away from from expensive and long term contracts that have been bad investments?
You are correct that the Angels are not rebuilding in the traditional manner of tanking, but they have been rebuilding.  I think it is easy to forget how bad this organization was in before Eppler's discipline.

What would you call drafting and keeping prospects for the past 4 years?  What would you call trying to limit financial obligations by staying away from from expensive and long term contracts that have been bad investments?
You are correct that the Angels are not rebuilding in the traditional manner of tanking, but they have been rebuilding.  I think it is easy to forget how bad this organization was in before Eppler's discipline.

What would you call drafting and keeping prospects for the past 4 years?  What would you call trying to limit financial obligations by staying away from from expensive and long term contracts that have been bad investments?
You are correct that the Angels are not rebuilding in the traditional manner of tanking, but they have been rebuilding.  I think it is easy to forget how bad this organization was in before Eppler's discipline.