I don't think his shoulder has allowed him to play much at Catcher this year
Actually Mathis has given me more reason for optimism in the future. He had an absolutely brutal May but his other months haven’t been that bad. He’s a good receiver and I just get this feeling his bat will improve with time.
If GMJ isn’t going to catch the tough balls in RF then his ass needs to meet the bench. The only thing that motherfucker (July F-bomb) brings to the table is slightly better than average defense. If he is going to suck at catching the damn ball his butt needs to sit. Rivera is a proven major league ball player – not something that we can say about HgH. He has been cut by a half-dozen teams and had one year that was still not as good as Rivera’s 2006 and he gets $50 million? I am befuddled. He stinks so bad, I smell him over the friggin’ cows here in Bakersfield.
I hated that signing the second it occurred, but it is even worse than I thought it would be. He is a monumentally craptabulous player in every aspect of the game.
Also, Aybar batting 3rd? Are you fuckin’ kidding me? (That’s June’s F-bomb, Rev).
Why you dont pull the trigger for a young outfielder with upside, when you know the dodgers are selling him at a discount due to their need for a SS astounds me. Especially when you can get him for a surplus infielder plus a outfielder who the manager never plays anyways.
As if I really have to announce that I have not been on the GA bandwagon for at least three years now, but there it is. Imagine my surprise when I see myself coming to GA’s defense!
Even I can see that the guy has been hot lately. He is hitting .333 with 9 RBIs over his past 10 games. He has a 2-0 count on a pitcher with some shaky control problems with his breaking ball (GA’s weakness being breaking balls from lefties) so he has to depend more on his fastball. And now his fastball isn’t finding the strike zone. Against a seasoned pro like GA, this adds up to trouble for the pitcher.
Meanwhile, you have the tying run at 3rd.
So why do you send Kendrick and free up 1B? (Or, if it was Howie’s idea, ALLOW him to advance?) The next pitch is ball 3. Walking him intentionally puts the go-ahead run in scoring position. Late in the game, who (other than Frankie!) volunteers for that?
What would GA have done with a grooved fastball on a 3-0 count, knowing full well that it was coming? Take? Foul? Swing and miss? No problem! It’s 3-1 and we get to do it all over again. The odds of GA blowing up twice in that situation are far less than sending in Rivera cold with a force out at any base.
you have a tie game against the Rangers’ bullpen, with the go-ahead run at 3rd and GA at least at first. And you STILL have the chance to PH Rivera for Q.
A) you have staved off the loss, and B) you are still threatening, and C) you have used BOTH GA and Rivera, rather than just just Rivera.
I sound like a broken record, but it is disheartening/maddening/confusing/disturbing (all of the above) that the Soth (a) believes that he is a better player than Rivera, and/or (b) is or feels compelled to play him, based on his contractual status, while a truly better player rots on the bench. It’s downright criminal.
That line up the Angels runs out there is god awful.
Isn’t Rangers Ballpark a hitters paradise?
A rookie making his major league debut shoved it up the Angels azz tonight and all they can do is say thank you. Something has gotta change and quickly.
Matthews was #2, Aybar was #3, and Q was playing, I knew we lost. Ask my wife. I said, “Does Sosh NOT want Saunders to get his 13th?” Damn, should’ve just let Saunders go be with his wife.
How many MLB debut pitchers have the Angels lost to this year? It’s getting ridiculous. The word is going to get out, if you want to beat the Angels, just bring up an all AA pitching staff.
Sosh--who in their right mind pitches to Hamilton in a tied game, runner on 2nd with the count 2-0, with one out. Walk him—-but no, let’s pitch to him and give him the GWRBI.
Rivera-down one run, 9th, bases loaded, inside pitch—get out of the way. LET IT HIT YOU AND TIE THE GAME!
Baseball for dumbasses, your 2008 Angels.
By the way, GMJr received a ton of boos all night long, not a smattering.
I know it's probably way too late to comment on this...
and I’ll probably catch hell for it, but I can’t help it. I really feel sorry for GMJ. I know he’s the favorite bashee around here, and I know he has not lived up to his expectations, but I feel bad for him every time I see him eat it. I know people will say how well he gets paid to under-perform, and I get it, but it pains me to see him struggle. I know that he is a good ball player, and even though I talk a lot of shit, I feel bad for him for some reason. It’s gotta suck knowing how important your role is to a great team, and just not being able to get it done. This is such an easy group of ball-players to get stoked about, and then you got Gary. I love this team too much to have to feel that way about one of them. Is it just me?
No one likes to see another human being suffer, and even though we treat these guys like our personal toys, they are human beings. I don’t blame GMJ as much as I blame Scoscia for playing him. I just don’t understand it. I think Scoscia gets it into his head that certain people have talent (usually veterans like Finley, who really had a track record, but GMJ? He really did just have one good year), or that they don’t (see Juan Rivera), and then he will stick with them way past when it makes sense (in the former case) or never give them a real chance, even when they have shown what they can do (hello 2006) in the latter.
It is particularly hard because we have been struggling offensively, JR steps in and gives us a boost (2 HR in 3 games) and his reward is the bench on the same night Kotchman sits in favor of Quinlan and Aybar bats third!.
Scoscia is clearly a great manager: just look at his record, and the way his teams win. He also seems to know a lot about getting a bunch of multi-millionaire athletes to swallow their egos and think of the good of the team, which is a huge deal in this day and age. However, he just seems to have these occasional massive brain farts when writing out the lineup card that seem infuriating.
Oh, well, just be glad we aren’t (fill in your favorite team that is tanking right now) fans.
I would guess this expresses what a lot in here think…anyway, PotG/BotG should be strictly between the lines, however perhaps a new category could be wrought, the ???!!! of the game or WTF?of the game for managerial/coaching “decisions”. Seems this game would be perfect for the first one to be awarded and I think actually Quinlan in for Kotchman is a bit worse than GMJ at #2. GMJ was up and down the lineup last year from 1 to I think 5 and seemed to have an OK time doing whatever job was required of the batting position but this year his job (no matter where in the order) appears to be to try to pull everything and ground out to the middle infielders; he is redefining FEEBLE. Scioscia displayed confidence that GMJ could do the job at #2 and he repaid that confidence with an abysmal performance, a perfomance so abysmal that (if it wasn’t before) it should now be perfectly clear even to Scioscia that he CANNOT be allowed to play instead of Rivera…so, I see another 6-7 weeks of feeble GMJ at bats…
Quinlan was a good process, bad result. He has hit lefties well over the last few years and Kotch needs to have some days off.
GMJ was bad process, bad result. No reason to expect him to do anything, and he didn’t. Maybe they figured since he had his best year in Texas, the park might help him. But after this series I don’t want to see him starting unless the rest of the OF has a hangover.
agree
0-4 from the 2 spot, yuck
halofan4life - July 8, 2008
he was put in the 2 hole by Sosh
tanana40 - July 8, 2008
yea what he is thinking there
Does he like GMJ’s on base abilities? .315 OBP
His power? .356 SLG
His speed? 6 Stolen bases
At least when Finley was busy putting up his 71+ OPS Soth got him out of the 5th spot a lot earlier than this.
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
Only saw
The first, eight, and 9th, so I can’t give a BOTG recommendation.
red floyd - July 8, 2008
I say Scioscia
with HGH and Q-suck battling it out for second
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
It is a PLAYERS ONLY thing
Scioscia is not on the 25-man roster, even though he should be…
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
If Mathis goes down, we might need him on it.
snowhor - July 8, 2008
I'd bet he couldn't hit much worse than Budde.
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
We've given a blame to Scioscia in the past though.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
didn't Dino Ebel get a BOTG
either last year or two years ago?
tanana40 - July 8, 2008
found it in the archives
Ebel was a botg in 2006
tanana40 - July 8, 2008
Seems like there's a game or two every season
that we put on the Coaching staff.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
Gave TWO to Scioscia in 2006 in fact.
Link to Panther/Blame standings 06
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
I like how they had BOTG
Nobody
and Everyone
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
Other notables from that season:
Ebel got a Panther as well.
1 BOTG went to “Everybody”
4 BOTG went to “Nobody”
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
and then i changed my min about who was eligible … sorry i did not notify the television networks of my decision.
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
That's one of the 1st moves you need to make
in today fast paced media world.
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
Networks are passe.
start with a wiki. then folks can debate and edit it endlessly.
oh, wait…
Stirrups - July 8, 2008
It's your system.
I just enjoy looking back at the wild and untamed past.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
then it's a toss up between HGH and Q
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
It's as if Sosh was trying to lose.
snowhor - July 8, 2008
Terrible Line Up
Matthews is really painful in the 2 spot. I’d rather see Q there.
That 1st inning double play killed all my expectations of a good game.
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
GMJ4BOTG
So simple I don’t even need a sentence.
Seriously, Junior, leave your feet if you need to. Catch that sh*t.
Zoe Necrosis - July 8, 2008
you just created the offical vanity plate for this blog
SCHalo - July 8, 2008
As in
Stirrups - July 8, 2008
nice work!!!!
panther
SCHalo - July 8, 2008
PANTHER
Red - July 8, 2008
I have not laughed like that in a while. Thanks Stirrups!
LosAngel - July 9, 2008
panther
halofan4life - July 9, 2008
So sweet!
Now if you can do a British number plate version I’d be really impressed. Maybe I’ll do one myself when I get back home from off the road.
highlandhalo - July 9, 2008
As in?
Stirrups - July 9, 2008
Scioscia BOTGs
Dominated the game thread. If we have to pick a player, I go with Juice though.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
2nded
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
All in favor
Aye.
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
Ok, no Sosh. My vote goes for GMJ with an honorable mention to Q.
snowhor - July 8, 2008
It's hard to win when you play with only 6
minus the “contributions” of GMJ, Mendoza Line Mathis, and that sloth Quinlan. Someone please start a “Countdown to Conger” counter please!
PieceOfAase - July 8, 2008
I don't think his shoulder has allowed him to play much at Catcher this year
Actually Mathis has given me more reason for optimism in the future. He had an absolutely brutal May but his other months haven’t been that bad. He’s a good receiver and I just get this feeling his bat will improve with time.
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
Also
That .382 BA with RISP is pretty sweet.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
he's almost pulled his average to even with juice
halofan4life - July 9, 2008
Mathis has a better OPS than Aybar though.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
yea him batting 3rd is almost as bad as Juice batting 2nd
How hard is this Soth
Figgins
Maicer
CK
Vlad
Hunter
HK
GA
Rivers
Mathis/Budde
MH252525 - July 8, 2008
Maicer's ridiculous RISP stats plus Kotch's seeming immunity to whatever plagues our #2 hitters
lets me be okay with Izzy hitting third.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
izzy is baller in the two spot tho
and if he and figgins get on, CK is gonna get some pitches to hit cuz the pitcher does not want the bases loaded for vlad
anaheim angels - July 9, 2008
Countdown to Conger
Started … as of 23.42 Greenwich Mean time, 9th July 2008.
Hey, at least we have a reference point.
highlandhalo - July 9, 2008
GMJ
Needs to be replaced with Rivera NOW
infant - July 8, 2008
Word.
tbone_cutter - July 8, 2008
Seriously
It’s painful to watch GMJ
infant - July 8, 2008
Agreed
If GMJ isn’t going to catch the tough balls in RF then his ass needs to meet the bench. The only thing that motherfucker (July F-bomb) brings to the table is slightly better than average defense. If he is going to suck at catching the damn ball his butt needs to sit. Rivera is a proven major league ball player – not something that we can say about HgH. He has been cut by a half-dozen teams and had one year that was still not as good as Rivera’s 2006 and he gets $50 million? I am befuddled. He stinks so bad, I smell him over the friggin’ cows here in Bakersfield.
I hated that signing the second it occurred, but it is even worse than I thought it would be. He is a monumentally craptabulous player in every aspect of the game.
Also, Aybar batting 3rd? Are you fuckin’ kidding me? (That’s June’s F-bomb, Rev).
I feel better….
Off to bed – after another Newcastle.
jimmuscomp - July 8, 2008
Good Points
don’t wet the bed
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
They have Newcastle in Bakersfield?
Merle would be so ashamed.
Downing Rules - July 9, 2008
Hey Rev
Why can’t Sosh be the BoTG
Why blame the working man for managerial mistakes.
Northwest - July 8, 2008
The saddest words
to ever be spoken:
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
And BTW
Aybar + whoever for Kemp needs to happen now
Northwest - July 8, 2008
Aybar plus Juan Rivera for Matt Kemp and GMJ rides the pine
until he dumps his no-trade clause…
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
Either that or just let Juan play.
But it needs to be one of them.
Zu Long - July 8, 2008
i'll take either of those
although a YOUNG outfielder with Kemp’s upside would be killer to have…
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
Exactly
Why you dont pull the trigger for a young outfielder with upside, when you know the dodgers are selling him at a discount due to their need for a SS astounds me. Especially when you can get him for a surplus infielder plus a outfielder who the manager never plays anyways.
Northwest - July 8, 2008
who knows...
maybe the Doyers are really asking for more?
maybe we’re retarded too?
maybe we’d rather not swallow our pride for the good of the club?
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
"Pride comes before a fall"
Northwest - July 8, 2008
i can see that happening in October...
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
What about LaRoche?
For some reason the Dodgers don’t seem all that keen on him anymore.
Think a shortstop + Willits could get him?
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
No!
LaRoche is shite. And we don’t do well with sons of former Angels on our team.
highlandhalo - July 9, 2008
I'd go along with either of the Rev's or Zu's recommendations
GMJ just gotta get some splinters in his ass. That’s all there is to it. And Arte’s got to bite the bullet for that unfortunate Stoneman cock-up.
highlandhalo - July 9, 2008
My favorite line from the radio broadcast
“Matthews still recieves a small amount of boo’s in arlington”
the boo’s are getting stronger in Anaheim Mister Announcer Man.
Northwest - July 8, 2008
...especially when I am there…
Rev Halofan - July 8, 2008
I thought it was booze...
they are throwing bottles at him, now.
Downing Rules - July 9, 2008
If it can't be Sosh
then I pick GMJ. That “DP” in the first killed our momentum. No one on with 2 outs just isn’t like 1st and 2nd with no outs.
halofan91 - July 8, 2008
Ok. Prepare for hell to freeze over.
As if I really have to announce that I have not been on the GA bandwagon for at least three years now, but there it is. Imagine my surprise when I see myself coming to GA’s defense!
Even I can see that the guy has been hot lately. He is hitting .333 with 9 RBIs over his past 10 games. He has a 2-0 count on a pitcher with some shaky control problems with his breaking ball (GA’s weakness being breaking balls from lefties) so he has to depend more on his fastball. And now his fastball isn’t finding the strike zone. Against a seasoned pro like GA, this adds up to trouble for the pitcher.
Meanwhile, you have the tying run at 3rd.
So why do you send Kendrick and free up 1B? (Or, if it was Howie’s idea, ALLOW him to advance?) The next pitch is ball 3. Walking him intentionally puts the go-ahead run in scoring position. Late in the game, who (other than Frankie!) volunteers for that?
What would GA have done with a grooved fastball on a 3-0 count, knowing full well that it was coming? Take? Foul? Swing and miss? No problem! It’s 3-1 and we get to do it all over again. The odds of GA blowing up twice in that situation are far less than sending in Rivera cold with a force out at any base.
Stirrups - July 8, 2008
I think the idea of sending Howard
was to get the winning run in scoring position for a hot bat.
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
If you assume that GA comes through, then
you have a tie game against the Rangers’ bullpen, with the go-ahead run at 3rd and GA at least at first. And you STILL have the chance to PH Rivera for Q.
A) you have staved off the loss, and
B) you are still threatening, and
C) you have used BOTH GA and Rivera, rather than just just Rivera.
Stirrups - July 8, 2008
To clarify:
if you assume that GA comes through with runners at 2nd and 3rd, you can also asume that he comes through with runners at 1st and 3rd.
Stirrups - July 8, 2008
GMJr. is Worthless
I sound like a broken record, but it is disheartening/maddening/confusing/disturbing (all of the above) that the Soth (a) believes that he is a better player than Rivera, and/or (b) is or feels compelled to play him, based on his contractual status, while a truly better player rots on the bench. It’s downright criminal.
jjackflash - July 8, 2008
i honestly think it's because of the contract
nothing more, nothing less.
okay, maybe a little bit more… Sosh stays with vets no matter what, thinking they’ll eventually not suck. as we’ve seen, that’s not always the case.
howiestheman - July 8, 2008
sorry GMJ
not even i can defend you. how did this guy earn 2 panthers?!
SCHalo - July 8, 2008
The one thing I can say in his defense
is lately he’s been getting some full counts, though that point becomes moot if you force a double play.
TheTypingFiend - July 8, 2008
colorless and the font’s a lil’ wonky. Had to use a friend’s computer to do this…
scottnak - July 9, 2008
BOTG
The Angels “O” is O SO BAD!!
It is offensive
That line up the Angels runs out there is god awful.
Isn’t Rangers Ballpark a hitters paradise?
A rookie making his major league debut shoved it up the Angels azz tonight and all they can do is say thank you. Something has gotta change and quickly.
Angel Aviator - July 9, 2008
the "O" has been turning it around
tonite it was sosh’s pencil that doomed the lineup
sosh – “and at first base…”
pencil – “PUT IN QUINLAN!”
sosh – “but ck is so good”
pencil – “PUT IN QUINLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!”
sosh – “no enuf upside plus ck can hit lefties as well as anybody, id be crazy to [put in anyone there besides him.”
pencil – “YOU MUST PUT IN QUINLAN FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE TEAM, YOU HAVE TO KEEP HIM FRESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
sosh – meekly “ok” “now who do we put in the 2 spot?”
halofan4life - July 9, 2008
The second I heard
Matthews was #2, Aybar was #3, and Q was playing, I knew we lost. Ask my wife. I said, “Does Sosh NOT want Saunders to get his 13th?” Damn, should’ve just let Saunders go be with his wife.
Rally Manatee - July 9, 2008
And another thing.
How many MLB debut pitchers have the Angels lost to this year? It’s getting ridiculous. The word is going to get out, if you want to beat the Angels, just bring up an all AA pitching staff.
Rally Manatee - July 9, 2008
Co-BOTG, from behind home plate.
Sosh--who in their right mind pitches to Hamilton in a tied game, runner on 2nd with the count 2-0, with one out. Walk him—-but no, let’s pitch to him and give him the GWRBI.
Rivera-down one run, 9th, bases loaded, inside pitch—get out of the way. LET IT HIT YOU AND TIE THE GAME!
Baseball for dumbasses, your 2008 Angels.
By the way, GMJr received a ton of boos all night long, not a smattering.
Jack Kerouac - July 9, 2008
I know it's probably way too late to comment on this...
and I’ll probably catch hell for it, but I can’t help it. I really feel sorry for GMJ. I know he’s the favorite bashee around here, and I know he has not lived up to his expectations, but I feel bad for him every time I see him eat it. I know people will say how well he gets paid to under-perform, and I get it, but it pains me to see him struggle. I know that he is a good ball player, and even though I talk a lot of shit, I feel bad for him for some reason. It’s gotta suck knowing how important your role is to a great team, and just not being able to get it done. This is such an easy group of ball-players to get stoked about, and then you got Gary. I love this team too much to have to feel that way about one of them. Is it just me?
Red114 - July 9, 2008
Sort of
No one likes to see another human being suffer, and even though we treat these guys like our personal toys, they are human beings. I don’t blame GMJ as much as I blame Scoscia for playing him. I just don’t understand it. I think Scoscia gets it into his head that certain people have talent (usually veterans like Finley, who really had a track record, but GMJ? He really did just have one good year), or that they don’t (see Juan Rivera), and then he will stick with them way past when it makes sense (in the former case) or never give them a real chance, even when they have shown what they can do (hello 2006) in the latter.
It is particularly hard because we have been struggling offensively, JR steps in and gives us a boost (2 HR in 3 games) and his reward is the bench on the same night Kotchman sits in favor of Quinlan and Aybar bats third!.
Scoscia is clearly a great manager: just look at his record, and the way his teams win. He also seems to know a lot about getting a bunch of multi-millionaire athletes to swallow their egos and think of the good of the team, which is a huge deal in this day and age. However, he just seems to have these occasional massive brain farts when writing out the lineup card that seem infuriating.
Oh, well, just be glad we aren’t (fill in your favorite team that is tanking right now) fans.
halofan91 - July 9, 2008
PERFECTLY said.
I would guess this expresses what a lot in here think…anyway, PotG/BotG should be strictly between the lines, however perhaps a new category could be wrought, the ???!!! of the game or WTF?of the game for managerial/coaching “decisions”. Seems this game would be perfect for the first one to be awarded and I think actually Quinlan in for Kotchman is a bit worse than GMJ at #2. GMJ was up and down the lineup last year from 1 to I think 5 and seemed to have an OK time doing whatever job was required of the batting position but this year his job (no matter where in the order) appears to be to try to pull everything and ground out to the middle infielders; he is redefining FEEBLE. Scioscia displayed confidence that GMJ could do the job at #2 and he repaid that confidence with an abysmal performance, a perfomance so abysmal that (if it wasn’t before) it should now be perfectly clear even to Scioscia that he CANNOT be allowed to play instead of Rivera…so, I see another 6-7 weeks of feeble GMJ at bats…
LUVtheLAA - July 9, 2008
I like your sympathy...
but I have a problem with this statement:
“I know that he is a good ball player”
Downing Rules - July 9, 2008
I got a laugh out of that.
I also got one from reading my own comment which was brought to you courtesy of Guinness Stout. Apparently I’m an emotional drunk.
Red114 - July 9, 2008
wonder how many broke their tv's
after the loss and Angels Live, none other than GMJ’s “in his own words” appeared on FSN West. bad night for gary.
SCHalo - July 9, 2008
the end of you GMJ
Quinlan was a good process, bad result. He has hit lefties well over the last few years and Kotch needs to have some days off.
GMJ was bad process, bad result. No reason to expect him to do anything, and he didn’t. Maybe they figured since he had his best year in Texas, the park might help him. But after this series I don’t want to see him starting unless the rest of the OF has a hangover.
elricsi - July 9, 2008
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