We are now in First Place by 3.5 games over an overachieving amalgam of crafty trades and bandaged veterans - there is no threat, there is no second place team, our cakewalk continues.
We will win the division title handily whether or not we score more than one run in the next 40 games. There is no threat. We are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, this division is our birthright and there is no team currently assembled that will deny us the American League pennant.
Big whoop, we lost a baseball game tonight. Well... Ooops... that is all. I am still pumped up by the fantastic squad of depth and focus assembled by Bill Stoneman and Tony Reagins and paid for by Arte Moreno. And you should be as well - it is a privilege to root for this historic assembly of baseball players.
That said, someone left a lot of men on base and popped out in situations where he is expected to crush the shyte.
Blame of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero
0 recs | 88 comments
ah boo.........you went with an actual player.......instead of poster......
weak sauce…...im placing blame on HUNTER…...again…......piece of shite….....
norcaliangelsfan - June 30, 2008
The Angels aren't superior at anything
The A’s have better hitting and pitching, stop being a god damn homer for once
edhoo - June 30, 2008
Beginning the ban count for edhoo...now.
cardinalwraith - June 30, 2008
I ban spamwhores and trolls
not fans with just the average conventional wisdom wrong opinion.
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
Huh?
It is my blog, I can be whatever I want. Go spend a night with Joe Blanton and tell me he gives it to you better than Jon Garland. Whiner.
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
Garland thowing seeds
tresselfan - July 1, 2008
last i heard, the A's are in second place
yeswecan - June 30, 2008
and you weren't a cheerleader in high school
hard to believe!
ladybug - June 30, 2008
I agree you that we're the superior team.
But it sounds like we’re all trying to convince ourselves of that. Let’s hope this funk ends soon.
cardinalwraith - June 30, 2008
word!
Los Angeles de Anaheim - June 30, 2008
it's a long season
the Angels are suffering right now offensively, but they are going to BOUNCE BACK from this. this team is too good to perform like this over the long haul.
YES WE CAN!
yeswecan - June 30, 2008
Insert incoherent Obama reference here.
(yes, i am aware of the history of ywc and the halos)
cardinalwraith - June 30, 2008
the season isnt as long now.......less than halfway to go......
norcaliangelsfan - June 30, 2008
That sounded like it was penned by a Yankee fan.
bc56274 - June 30, 2008
i'd say Johnny Rivers for BOTG
that error was waaaaaay costly
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
yeah but if you can't hit the ball, it doesn't matter
yeswecan - June 30, 2008
good point
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
you mean you have to hit the ball and get on base first??
ladybug - June 30, 2008
Well there's also such thing as a Base on Balls
But you have to see at least 4 pitches in 1 at bat to get one of those.
TheTypingFiend - June 30, 2008
How costly?
Would the Angels have scored more runs without the error?
TheTypingFiend - June 30, 2008
p r e c i s e l y
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
he didnt do too much with the bat, either
the error was just icing on the bitter cake
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
yawn. Only 79 games to go.
Boring game. But it was just that; one game. More importantly, there’s that rumor that the Angels will go after free agents Jim Thome and Pat Burrell during the offseason. ;)
Fan Since 1981 - June 30, 2008
WHY?
So Vlad’s knees turn to confetti by 2010? NO way.
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
Maybe not Thome, but I expect the Angels to throw significant dollars at a free agent OF
GA and Juan won’t be resigned after 2008, which would leave an opening in LF.
Fan Since 1981 - June 30, 2008
GMJ is stuck there
no-trade clause thru his 3rd season – he is here at LEAST until after 2009.
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
Or he becomes the most expensive 4th OF in baseball in 2009.
Fan Since 1981 - June 30, 2008
Thome will be 38 years old next season
do we want to go back to signing over the hill players?
tanana40 - July 1, 2008
If Thome can be signed to a 1 year deal at a reasonable cost, I'm for it
Frank Thomas in 2006 at the age of 38 put up.270 /.381/.545 (including 39 homers) and helped the A’s win the AL West. It was a low-cost/high reward signing. The Angels haven’t had a legit DH since Brad Fullmer. Thome’s high OBP and good SLG would be welcome relief to the DH spot for the Halos.
Fan Since 1981 - July 1, 2008
It'll be the 70's and 80's all over again.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Or Steve Finley again. Old players are risky and that strategy did backfire badly in the past.
But last night’s game was a text book example of no patience. Wouldn’t it be nice if just one player could work a count? It’s too late to make drastic changes mid-season, but in the future I hope the Angels acquire or develop guys who can draw a walk. If the Angels could get him at a reasonable price, Thome would be a good DH and back-up first baseman.
Fan Since 1981 - July 1, 2008
Aybar got to 2-0 in both his BB AB's...
on really obviously outside pitches (from my vantage point out in shallow left). So, yeah, I think that nobody actually worked a count last night. Not one player in all the 27 outs.
I’m not a big Jim Thome fan, but if he can hit 15 jacks in the 2nd half, sign him up.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Vlad...
Damn
infant - June 30, 2008
Vlad and Tori
Thrashers!!
Too bad they’re not hittin’ but A’s will take it!!
One won lost won - June 30, 2008
as I posted in rally f'n thread a minute ago....
it’s hard to ignore the numbers of hotlanta’s brian mccann and pitt’s ryan doumit, would someone dare claim that an upgrade at catcher wouldn’t go a long way towards taking this team to where everyone wants it to go?
AHaloInSF - June 30, 2008
Yes but they would demand Mathis or Napoli and Kendrick or Kotchman
McCann and Doumit are their gems, we cannot expect to underpay for them.
Rev Halofan - June 30, 2008
Naps and Mathis are not the reason this team is struggling to score runs.
The lead the league in homers from that position.
MH252525 - June 30, 2008
yup
his average may not be high, but Naps’ power and D merits him a starting position.
plus, he has driven in BOTH of our runs in the last 4 games.
...wow, that hurt to write.
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
The Soth on Angels Batters v. Greg Smith
“For some reason we didn’t get too many good looks”
TheTypingFiend - June 30, 2008
Start taking some pitches...
infant - June 30, 2008
"some reason"
that’s precision in speech if I have ever seen it.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
That bitch...
fell out of the Ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.
Scuff - June 30, 2008
OT: According to Hud
Even HATCHER says they’re swinging at bad pitched.
red floyd - June 30, 2008
Whoops
That was supposed to be a reply to infant, two posts up.
red floyd - June 30, 2008
But he told them to :-)
infant - June 30, 2008
you mean exactly like Mickey did when he played?
MH252525 - June 30, 2008
BOTG = Hatcher
I came home tonight from the movie and watched the game on DVR. I knew after the first inning the Angels would lose.
V Guerrero flied out to right.
T Hunter flied out to right.
Both of those occurred with 0 strikes IIRC.
Infact let me run down all the abs for Vlad, Torii and HK
V Guerrero flied out to right.
T Hunter flied out to right.
H Kendrick flied out to right.
V Guerrero popped out to second.
T Hunter flied out to right.
H Kendrick flied out to right.
V Guerrero popped out to second.
T Hunter flied out to center. (which was right center)
H Kendrick flied out to right.
V Guerrero flied out to right.
T Hunter struck out swinging.
H Kendrick grounded out to shortstop.
Now I know I don’t know more about hitting than Mickey Hatcher but I’ll tell you what I do know. I know that when you don’t take pitches your OBP isn’t going to be very high, certainly no one can say the Angels were taking pitches, because their pitcher only threw 100 pitches total. I also know that when you hit to the opposite field you don’t hit with nearly the authority you do as when you pull the ball.
So basically what appears to be happening to me is that the Angels are following a strategy that limits their OBP and SLG and the same damn time. Their approach works when the team hits over .300 as a team but seriously how often is that going to happen.
Hatcher must go, seems blatantly obvious to me after tonight. And yes I realize it’s a whole organizational philosophy that extends beyond Hatcher, but this just isn’t working at all.
MH252525 - June 30, 2008
This team is designed to be a singles-hitting offense
They are currently tied with Seattle at .256 for 11th in the league. This team simply doesn’t have enough power, it doesn’t hit for average, and it isn’t getting on base. Even during the team’s alleged June resurgence, they’re still hitting a weak-kneed .256/.309/.367, making them … dead last in the league in runs scored in that month.
I’ve been telling Helen all year that I thought the Angels would win the division but it would be closer than in other years because of Scioscia’s obsession with running his veterans out and frankly the lack of better alternatives in some cases (although cough Reggie Willits cough). I still think Matt was premature in calling for a great Angels offensive resurgence after the return of Figgins and Kendrick; yet Howie has been swinging an unimpressive .248/.271/.327 with only eight extra-base hits since his return. Similarly, Figgy has been similarly cold since his return from the DL on June 13, hitting .268/.339/.286 and going one for his last four games (one of which, in fairness, was only a pinch-hitting role in the Dodgers series). But just about everything that can go wrong with this offense is going wrong, and while that’s not exclusively Mickey Hatcher’s fault, I really do place the blame pretty solidly on the Angels’ defective offensive construction.
scareduck - July 1, 2008
Many good points
Many good pints that have been made here before – I do think if you bench GA or GMJ that you go with Rivera over Willits just for the chance a little more power could be added….
Rev Halofan - July 1, 2008
I've been known to make a few good "pints" here, too
But beer-drinking aside, Ducky makes clear some ghastly woes in the lineup. These holes will soon be filled, my brethren. This lackluster performance won’t continue long. The Angels are too loaded to make this continue for much longer. I predict a July bonanza!
yeswecan - July 1, 2008
I think it goes beyond that
Yes the Angels have a bunch of players who are singles hitters. Figgins, Maicer, Aybar, Willits. But I don’t think the Angels get as much out of them because of their hitting philosophy. It was pointed out in another thread how much DMac has improved his walks this year. It was something like 1 every 17 abs with the Angels to 1 every 6 abs in the Marlins system. That is huge.
I see a lot of baseball, and the Angels sure seem to be the team that is most willing to go the opposite field when they aren’t down in the count.
Basically who is to say that the players the Angels have wouldn’t be doing better under another hitting instructor.
GMJ 2006 OPS of 827 AWAY from Texas (it was 866 overall)
GMJ 2007 OPS of 742
GMJ 2008 OPS of 684
Torii Hunter 2007 OPS of 821 AWAY from MIN (it was 839 overall)
Torii Hunter 2008 OPS of 774
I’m sure Hatcher isn’t entirely responsible for those dips but as they say, if you aren’t part of the solution…...
MH252525 - July 1, 2008
How can Vlad only have ONE BOTG this season?
Good pitching has distracted us from Vlad…
K3YEROUT - June 30, 2008
Agreed
I think he deserves way more than just one BOTG.
infant - June 30, 2008
HUH?
Check again he has three.
Rev Halofan - July 1, 2008
Bullshit
It was 2-1 when HH’s savior dropped the ball.
Juan Rivera gets this one.
ReggieBullits - June 30, 2008
ahhh even better point
different things happen when the game is 2-1. they Angels very well could have scored more runs had the score remained the same. different pitches are thrown, different plays are run, etc.
then again, we could’ve lost it 2-1 and been just as pissed off, if not more.
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
Seriously?
You guys are arguing this?
JUAN RIVERA DROPPED THE BALL. Endo story.
ReggieBullits - June 30, 2008
dude im on your side
i said the same thing about Rivera earlier
howiestheman - June 30, 2008
Same result
A 2-1 loss is the same as a 6-1 loss. Lets not pretend that the bats are not the problem right now.
HungryHunter - June 30, 2008
Also can someone please tell Soth
Darren Oliver does better against righties than against lefties.
MH252525 - June 30, 2008
Also tell Soth
That Oliver looks great on a new plasma from Howard’s.
TheTypingFiend - June 30, 2008
Rivera
Bring Back GA!
;-)
vladtheimpaler - June 30, 2008
That's what I yelled at Juan...
“GA woulda had that one!”
But, I cut Juan some slack, he DID just have Juan Jr the other day AND Juan’s birthday is coming up.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
ObGAPost
If GA wasn’t so lazy, he’d have run out of the dugout and caught that ball.
red floyd - July 1, 2008
Disclaimer
GA is actually one of my favorite players.
red floyd - July 1, 2008
bleh!
At least most of us can be happy for this game’s results.
I’m sure we’d rather have it the other way around though…
scottnak - July 1, 2008
"this division is our birthright "
LOL. You must be born-again, Rev – one of these new-fangled fans that signed on in 2002. Cuz last I checked the A’s had MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY AL west crowns as the LA, California, Anaheim, LA Angels of LA.
1 down, 2 to go!
BleacherDave - July 1, 2008
That's 4-4 with 5 more to go, bro.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Oops, I'm not good at math...
That’s 4-4 with 8 more to go.
July 1-2 here
August 25-27 here
and
September 16-18 under the tarps
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Ummmm....
aren’t there 19 intradivision games in the AL West?
BleacherDave - July 1, 2008
you got it...
I’m a little slow. I missed the July 11 – 13 tarp-visit, making 11 more to play. More games for us to pad that lead with.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Ahhh, yesss....
the spiritual juice fathers of the 2002 Angels relief corps!
BleacherDave - July 1, 2008
Twice as many asterisks
for your butt-bashing juice brothers.
Rev Halofan - July 1, 2008
cut him some slack rev,
hes just pissed that the A’s are ACTUALLY moving to freemont. I mean, we are called the LA Angels but we still get to see the angels play right next to our homes, while poor old bleacherdave here has to go through hours of traffic just to sit in the crappy bleacher seats and watch his second (or third place As lose to the first place angels. how pathetic.
anaheim angels - July 1, 2008
Ahhhh, yesss....
the spiritual juice fathers of the 2002 Angels relief corps!
BleacherDave - July 1, 2008
A's History Review: 1988* 1989* 1990*
Today’s A’s aren’t worthy enough to wear the same uniform as the great Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Rollie Fingers.
Fan Since 1981 - July 1, 2008
please explain the history review to the stupid A's fan here
because none of the players you mentioned even played in the same decades you referred to.
SwampyD - July 1, 2008
his history may be wrong...
but 88 – 90 are not decades, they are 365-day chunks of time called YEARS.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
i think
88, and 89 would be in different decades than 90….just me i’m just sayin just just just
SwampyD - July 1, 2008
you are certainly right...
but go ahead and troll elsewhere… go back to AR or whatever it is called. Must be nice to “stop in” conveniently right after a big victory like you might think last night was. Weak on your part swamp.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Dear stupid A's fan,
I marked 1988, 1989 and 1990 with asterisks because those AL West titles were propelled by steroid users.
I gave distinction to Reggie, Catfish and Rollie because I actually liked the A’s teams from the early 1970’s and in no way shape or form want to associate them with the A’s of today.
Fan Since 1981 - July 1, 2008
p.s. to Swampy - your sig is cool
Fan Since 1981 - July 1, 2008
OH I GET IT STERIOIDS.....................................................................................
SwampyD - July 1, 2008
great post rev
surfpunk - July 1, 2008
Blame: Everybody but Aybar and Naps
Vlad can’t hit in the clutch
Torii can’t hit in the clutch
Juan can’t catch a f-ing ball.
Everyone else forgot how to hit, period. Aybar at least still knows how to BB and Naps got lucky with that crusher—thus saving us from a COMPLETELY humiliating defeat.
Clutch - July 1, 2008
Aybar, I think...
doubled his walk totals. He just learned how to walk, somehow.
Downing Rules - July 1, 2008
Hopefully
he’ll share some wisdom around the clubhouse tonight.
TheTypingFiend - July 1, 2008
Napoli has hit 12 homeruns this season splitting playing time equally with Mathis.
12 homeruns is not luck. The guy knows how to hit the damn ball.
44FAN - July 1, 2008
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