Tonight is Opening Day for the middle-third of the season.
162 divided by 54 = 3, so pie slice #2 is about to begin.
Historically, by this point in the season, most teams who have the key injuries we have suffered are planning for next year and their fan base is composing the What-If-'N-Woe's-Us symphony. But we are on a pace to win 96 games. Can the Angels keep it up? Pythagoras says nope, but the depth and balance (some would say the extreme pendulum action) of our roster bode well for counterbalancing the lows with highs in other areas. Instead of the Vlad-only offense of 2005 and ERA gauntlet in 2007, this multi-dimensional 2008 squad has produced a startling consistency.
Startling, as in, as frustrating as many of these games have been I look at the standings and I'm startled, aren't you?
0 recs | 23 comments
On pace for 96
32 * 3 = 96.
That’s still very good. And as Arizona showed us last year, having a record better than your pythagorean mark isn’t always a bad thing.
gilbert - May 28, 2008
fixed
Thanks. 96 wins would be the 2nd best season total ever produced by an Angels team.
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2008
and quite a respectable number at that
halofan4life - May 28, 2008
May's 2.50 ERA as a starter says hello.
hauldog - May 28, 2008
a-MAY-zing
Rev Halofan - May 28, 2008
as YWC would say
AHHHHHHHmaziiing!
cupie - May 28, 2008
Call me a scareduck
but i don’t really know how much our pitching can hold up night in and night out with any offensive support.
I believe we have been very lucky and also very good with our pitching this season. That being said, at some point we are going hit a bad series or week with our pitching and if our offense is not producing it could get bleak very quick.
I hope this is not the case, but gutting out wins with 1,2,3 runs a game is getting a lil’ stressful for Cupie and this type of baseball will not win playoff games.
And Rev thanks for posting like 18 different stories today. Apparently, you got that dog out from under house.
cupie - May 28, 2008
Personally
I agree there will be a tough stretch, there always is.
Although I am not putting any stock into the offense right now. The return, and acclimation of HK and Figgy will change things very quickly.
hauldog - May 28, 2008
Rumour has it
that HK might be playing this weekend.
cupie - May 28, 2008
I heard that
I like that rumor.
hauldog - May 28, 2008
0-2 with a K last night
In SLC. Played 5 innings in his first rehab start.
In other Bees news, Adenhart lost his 3rd straight decision, the team has lost 10 of 13, and Bobby Wilson was placed on the DL with a left wrist contusion.
And that’s your SLC minute. Back to you, cupie.
ReggieBullits - May 28, 2008
Can't wait for your play by play for UCI tonight.
cupie - May 28, 2008
What-If-'N-Woe's-Us
aka Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees
BrianDowningFan - May 28, 2008
Mayhem math says we're on pace to kick other team's asses more than they kick our ass.
I also think that this year is Vlad’s opposite year. He’s going to kinda struggle in the regular season, then blow the F up in the playoffs.
Mayheminthehood - May 28, 2008
it's all about the depth
You simply cannot overstate it, by building a solid team with a strong foundation, and lots and lots of depth (read that as “role players who have thankfully checked their ego at the clubhouse door”) you can prevail over the toll that injuries take on a team over a 162-game season. So Vlad isn’t hitting the crap outta the ball like we’re used to seeing by now, big deal, Hunter has been MONEY, and
goodgreatoutstanding pitching has carried the Halos to the most wins in the bigs so farAHaloInSF - May 28, 2008
Go for broke.
I say we win 100 for the first time ever.
Santana and Saunders continue to be studs. The Lackinator is back. Howie’s coming back soon. Figgy in a little while. And you just know Vlad will get hot.
If you don’t share my optimism, then prepare to endure a wedgie and get thrown in a dumpster.
Higz - May 28, 2008
"they" say you are as only as good as your record indicates..
well…..who ever “they” are havent watch the way the angels have been winning lately…..but I’ll take a win any way that i can get it…...even if it means going through a pack of tums a day….......
norcaliangelsfan - May 28, 2008
i'm the usual pesimist BUT....
looking back at the 2005 year in which we had good pitching and patchwork offense, I refuse to think that with all the talent in this lineup (i,e, figgy, GMJ, HK, GA, Vlad, hunter, etc) ....come on!....this offense is better than most playoff teams (maybe even 2002) that we’ve seen these last years.
Halofanatic - May 28, 2008
With Santana figured out, and Saunders/Weaver being effective
It may even have a better rotation than 2005 as well.
Zu Long - May 28, 2008
The word 'depth' really just doesn't cover the incredible ability
of this team to go with a plug n’ play approach to our pitching and defense. There aren’t really any stats that could show it, but the fact that this team has rotated more than 8 players through 2B, SS, and 3B with no discernable breakdown in defense or teamwork is amazing. Some guys aren’t as good as others, of course, but they’re still pulling the load and working well together, and it shows. The only other Angels team I can think of that suffered this many injuries to key players was the ‘04 team, and it didn’t fair nearly as well during the stretches when everyone was on the DL.
TheOptimist - May 28, 2008
The Pace
I whipped up some numbers based on Pythagoras of 2007 and 2008, and what has been accomplished so far. These are the projected wins for the AL this year:
Boston: 96.2
Angels: 90.2
NYY: 87.8
Fremont: 87.3
Jays: 86.2
Cleveland: 84.9
Rays: 82.2
CHA: 80.5
Twins: 80.4
Tigers: 78.8
Texas: 78.4
Orioles: 75.2
Seattle: 68.3
Royals: 67.2
What do you think, makes sense?
elricsi - May 28, 2008
90.2 seems a bit low. is that really with the record we have right now? id slam the over on that one. anyway, i think things can only get better for the angels. lackey returning would give us a big boost or at least counter one of saunders/santana’s awesome starts to date. hk/figgy returning in the near future means we would see less wood/srod in RISP situations anymore. and remember, vlad is still having a huge subpar year.
+90 for sure
stezo - May 29, 2008
If we get healthy we will pass 90 by 4-10 wins.
hauldog - May 29, 2008
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