Halos Heaven

Nope. I’m one of those fans who has relocated from Yorba Linda to Missouri to South Carolina to Georgia to Missouri to Kansas to Arizona thanks to the Army so don’t really have the opportunity to go to every (or barely any game). I’d still go if I was in SoCal still, but I’m not. I will be going to all three games agains the D-Backs though.

BrentSchmidt - May 30, 2009 reply

When will the carnage end?

Terry Smith is the Angels official apologist.

I like Terry but I wish announcers were hired by independent radio stations who had contracts to do the games

today, all sports “journalists” arel just corporate apologists

tanana40 - May 30, 2009 reply

I agree

The problem with someone who is “independent” is that he might start talking abut east coast teams or college football if things are in a lull…

Rev Halofan - May 30, 2009 reply

Just got home from the game…

I agree Fuentes for BOTG, and Arredondo for a loser’s share.

I also want to add GMJ. He went from partial hero to BOTG-runner up in about 5 seconds. He had a great hit to give us a 3-0 lead…and then he rounded 1B and got picked-off. STUPID. I get REALLY frustrated with these BONE-HEADED base-running blunders. It killed yet ANOTHER rally, another chance to extend the lead we had. How many times have we seen this stupid over-aggression on the base-paths? Instead of 1st and 3rd with 2 outs on a reeling pitcher, we again gift the other team a 3rd out…INNING OVER.
What made it so idiotic is there was really no up side to taking the risk of reaching 2B. Ichiro was playing at moderate depth, and Morales had no chance to score from 2B. There was absolutely NO REASON to round 1B as much as he did. NONE.

I N E X C U S A B L E

NOTE: This isn’t as much a dump on GMJ comment as it is a dump on stupidly over-aggressive Angel base-running that happens FAR TOO FREQUENTLY.

If anyone knows, I would love to find statistics showing he number of runners thrown out on the base-paths. If we don’t lead MLB in that statistic, I will be quite surprised.

Smart-aggressive…yes! Stupid-aggressive…no. We just give up too many opportunities.

Pisses me off to NO f’n end…

sothball - May 30, 2009 reply

+1

PitPerc - May 30, 2009 reply

Damn straight

YES.

Angels run themselves out of innings constantly. And when we rely on singles to score runs, that cannot happen

UpStream15 - May 31, 2009 reply

don’t forget that Eybar was picked off 3b, but the ump blew the call…

K3YEROUT - May 31, 2009 reply

rec'd

just for the passion…..

Awesome

norcaliangelsfan - May 30, 2009 reply

...thanks, although I'd be much less angry and far less passionate if we had just won this DAMN GAME.

FRUSTRATING…just bloody f’n frustrating. I just can’t formulate the right words.

I still believe this team is better – much better – than a .500 team.

I thought we had exorcised the demons from the first 6 weeks of the season with the 1-0 victory over the Royals/Grienke (with Torii’s Superman catch).

I thought we had really turned a corner taking 2 of 3 from the Dodgers (the hottest team in baseball with the bst home team record) at their stadium last weekend.

Then this craptastic home stand.

No B U E N O.

sothball - May 30, 2009 reply

Arte Moreno

for installing those damn foul ground seats. If they’re not there, Izzy catches Beltre’s foul pop and it’s two down.

Wansn't that Kendry over there?

The funny part about this game is we just screwed Seattle for the next couple of years

Seattle is not going to win anything this year. They don’t have the team and even if they managed to get into first place, they have demonstrated an inability to maintain a lead once the pressure is on.

All this series has done is energize a dying fan base and put pressure on the front office to hold onto players that could be used as trade pieces to restock the team. i.e Bedard and Beltre. When the end of the year comes and Seattle finishes last. Those guys will do the Ibanez shuffle and head off to a contender. Thus leaving Seattle with an even crapper team next year that will undoubtedly mitigate their ability to resign the Queen

So thank you Jose Lopez and Brian Fuentes for showing us that it’s not only blood that moves the wheels of history.

The game ended a 9:18 PM

it took you 59 minutes to find this silver lining. Wow. I would not have found this silver lining if I had been looking for three weeks.

Rev Halofan - May 30, 2009 reply

Trust me when I say there are plenty of us who aren't re-energized by this and are anxious to see what Jack Z. can do with certain pieces of this roster.

You’re right to some extent, though. There are probably certain fans thinking we might be able to pull this off, but quite a few of us know that this team does not carry us into the future. I’m still expecting moves to be made before the trade deadline.

JLProck - May 30, 2009 reply

More good news

Beltre and Bedard will most likely be classified as only “Type B” free agents, so I hope the M’s hang on to them under the delusion that they have a contending team. As of this writing, Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA adjusted playoff odds has the M’s at just a 13.8% chance of making the postseason (compared to 43.9% for the Rangers and 41.7% for the Angels). From a third-order win perspective the M’s are currently a 22-29 team.

So let the M’s think they’re a contender, hope that they hang on to Bedard, Beltre and Washburn, and watch the playoff drought for the Mariners continue into the next decade.

Fan Since 1981 - June 1, 2009 reply

However, there is some optimism for the M's

~~They have a terrific centerfielder in Adam Jones. And thanks to last year’s craptastic 101 loss season they’ll get to draft Stephen Strasburg.~~

Fan Since 1981 - June 1, 2009 reply

No, Strasburg is going to the Nationals because they have the first pick.

M’s will get Ackley.

44FAN - June 1, 2009 reply

it was a joke, hence the strike-outs. Note that you also could have argued “But, but … Adam Jones got shipped out for Erik Bed-Tard!”

Downing Rules - June 2, 2009 reply

Last add for this game...

Matt Palmer pitched another great game, and deserved a victory. 7 innings, 0 runs, 4 hits on 111 pitches. We just could not ask for better than that.

sothball - May 30, 2009 reply

well we could........

but that would just be greedy

The Mariner offence is awful though.

Put him in front of a proper ML lineup and he will struggle with his slop, especially against a lefty heavy lineup.

EnglishMariner - May 31, 2009 reply

Since you're a Mariner fan, I'n not sure you are aware...

….his 5 victories have come against the Tigers, Yankees, Royals, Red Sox, and Mariners. I won’t dispute your claim the Mariners offense is awful. The other 4 teams have above-average to excellent line-up’s. The Yankees are loaded with lefty hitters…IIRC, they started only 1 RHB against Palmer when he faced them.
Not bad for a guy that was simply looking for any opportunity this past Spring….although I think some of us agree he may soon turn into a pumpkin.

even if he's a pumpkin in his next 4 starts...

is does NOTHING to diminish what he has accomplished. He’s better than Lackey and Santana combined right now. Movement, velocity, etc.

Forgive a Mariner fan

He hasn’t seen actual quantifiable baseball being played since 2002…

Rev Halofan - May 31, 2009 reply

Escobar for closer

…and everyone else in the pen moves down a notch. Don’t look now, but the closer and top 2 set-up men all have ERAs over 5.00. Performance-wise thus far, this is easily the worst Halos bullpen in the last 10 years.

dzanr - May 30, 2009 reply

Still early...

but DAMN, that game summed up everything that’s wrong with this team this season.

moosemastr - May 30, 2009 reply

My thoughts EXACTLY

this was a summary of what we’ve seen this year. It started with this shit bullpen blowing Adenhart’s great start.

Blame of the Game Soth

He takes pitchers out who are pitching well. Fuentes doesn’t deserve to just be handed save opportunities. Oliver pitches well and gets his 3 outs in 10 pitches. Yet I know…. lets take a risk that the next pitcher won’t have his best stuff and he will blow it.

When a pitcher is pitching well just let them pitch. This is not a bullpen lead by Frankie anymore where he clearly has the best stuff on the staff. If a guy is making his pitches and he’s only thrown 10 pitches. Let him pitch a bit more.

Yeah, defined roles be damned this year.

This incarnation of this bullpen doesn’t deserve that deference. Like you said, go with the hot hand. That might mean Bulger gets a few opportunities…

Whoever is getting the outs should get the opportunities.

jimmuscomp - May 30, 2009 reply

Actually I wouldn't mind Bulger as closer right now

if he can keep putting up numbers anything like he did in May

Fuentes

Was our hot hand. We had won his last 10 appearances. He was 8 for 8 in save opportunities, and had given up only one run in those 10 innings.

Brody - May 31, 2009 reply

um...

fuentes blows

Hutch83 - May 31, 2009 reply

Must qualify as the worst game of the season (so far)...

This is like that episode of Seinfeld when Elaine realizes that she’s turning into George Costanza. Except it’s the Angels exclaiming… “Oh my God! We’re the Mariners!”

3rd Echelon - May 30, 2009 reply

Not quite

The May 1st lose to the Yankees was worse. Angels were up 9-4 entering the 8th. Arredondo pitched like crap and gave up 4 in the bottom of the 8th. Fuentes pitched like crap and gave up 2 in the 9th without even recording an out. But I think I see a pattern here…

dzanr - May 30, 2009 reply

I agree with you on that one

This one is one of the worst, but a 5 run lead being blown that late has happend twice in the Soth-Era and not since 2001 prior to that.

Rev Halofan - May 30, 2009 reply

When are we gonna realize

the pitching might have given up the runs but our offense is terrible!! We can’t hit I dont care what lineup you throw out there. This is now 5 games in a row where we have sucked ass on offense. Can’t put it all on the bullpen. If we can just get a couple clutch hits then who knowsbut this offense needs a fire or new players or something. I blame mickey slap hitting hatcher.

angelskid2210 - May 30, 2009 reply

I think most people realize the Angels offense isn't good

The Angels starting pitching has carried them for a LONG time which overshadows how bad their offense has been. This year though, Frankie and Shields whom have put up GREAT numbers during that time, suddenly aren’t.

As long as Palmer doesn’t turn into a pumpkin I’d put Escobar in the bullpen. We don’t have any reliable relievers out there right now other than Oliver, and how old is he?

Ding ding ding ding

I kept getting shouted down when I pointed this out earlier.

The Angels’ offensive strategery is crap. It is being exposed now.

oh i've been there all along.........

this offense is streaky at best……….and right now…..its pitiful

What Do You Mean?

Frankie is still doing great. He’s 13 for 13 in save opportunities with 0.73 ERA, although those are just AAAA minor league stats.

ttsec - May 31, 2009 reply

he's not doing it for us is what I meant

MH252525 - May 31, 2009 reply

I was at this horseshit debacle of a game...

Fuentes sucks.

By the way, obviously didn’t see a replay, but did the guy leave 3rd base early on that 10th inning sac fly??

bc56274 - May 30, 2009 reply

No

but it was a good call by Scioscia to see if anyone else noticed.

When you suck and are desperate you just kinda hope someone gives you a call at that point.

PhiSlamma - May 30, 2009 reply

Okay...thanks.

By the naked eye, I thought he might have….guess not.

This team is just…..yaaawn.

bc56274 - May 30, 2009 reply

Halos must think this is 1909

We’re 48 games into the season and our starting 2nd baseman, 3rd baseman and SS have a combined 1 HR and 34 RBIs. Someone needs to remind Moreno this ain’t the deadball era.

dzanr - May 30, 2009 reply

Hey, its not like we have any MI depth in AAA to fall back on

…

PhiSlamma - May 30, 2009 reply

Figgy is not the problem

And Aybar is doing much better recently to the point where he isn’t a problem. HK and Izzy are the problem. Izzy had a horrible ab with first and 3rd and one out tonight.

I partially disagree on Izzy...

…his AB’s last night;
1st AB – Solid line drive BH to center.
2nd AB – The dreadful one you described above…GIDP.
3rd AB – RBI GO/FC to 2nd base (he did his job pulling the ball to 2B)
4th AB – GO to SS

2 of his 4 AB’s were productive…a hit and an RBI. No the best, but not bad either.

Plus,Izzy had plenty of company in the GIDP department (Abreu TWICE, Hunter once…in the 10th inning!).

his OPS is 586.

How low does it have to go to be horrible?

MH252525 - May 31, 2009 reply

I mean HK has an OPS over 40 points higher and I think most people here think

he needs to find his swing in AAA

MH252525 - May 31, 2009 reply

It's somewhat relative.

Izzy is playing a position where defense is more important than offense. At that, his numbers are not that bad, especially since he is a part-time player. He has shown over a few years to be one of the Angels clutch hitters.

His OPS appear worse because;
1) He is another slap hitter on a team that has too many slap hitters.
2) There is a power-hitting SS once again languishing in AAA.

I like Izzy…if he were "given’ the SS job on a permanent basis, and if he stayed healthy, I think his OPS would improve over time. Izzy is not nearly as flashy as Aybar, but he is a solid, dependable SS.

I realize I made an error...

Izzy’s 3rd AB he reached on an error by Branyan,and scored on Aybar’s double. What I listed above as 3rd ABwas 4th, and 4th AB was actually his 5th.

Howie has 4 HR

& 20 RBI all by his lonesome

TheTypingFiend - May 30, 2009 reply

And for a guy who doesn't really walk a lot

He is stuck at .230…

BBFan1 - May 30, 2009 reply

So Figgins and Aybar are Negative Players

with negative HR’s. We’re better off having Scoscia play SS and 3B by himself.

ttsec - May 31, 2009 reply

Blame of the game

Garbage Man Jr., for yet another baserunning blunder that ended a good inning. complete idiot.

UpStream15 - May 30, 2009 reply

Fuentes...

Is that you posting?

clover_black - May 31, 2009 reply

nope......

its his mom

No way

GMJ gets blame of the game. At least he got a big hit. He almost made a great play to nearly throw out the winning run. I could name at least seven who are more blameworthy.

Brody - May 31, 2009 reply

you're an idiot

Hutch83 - May 31, 2009 reply

This blown save brought to you

by the 232 voters who voiced their opinions here.

Stirrups - May 31, 2009 reply

still not at 7 which frankie blew........

so those us of who voted are in the clear……….

(for now)

That's neither here nor there.

44FAN - May 31, 2009 reply

No. It's everywhere.

Stirrups - May 31, 2009 reply

I think the results would be quite different if you put that poll up now

I would still stick by my we’ll miss him vote.

linkbruin - May 31, 2009 reply

Brian Fuentes SUCK MY DICK! YOU blew this! No one else. Brian Fuentes needs to pull his head out of his ass!!!!!!

firebird81 - May 31, 2009 reply

We're getting the best Fuentes has....

…this is how he’s always been: six or seven good outings that provide a false sense of security, then a handful of innings that are hideous. There’s a reason why he lost the closer role in Colorado a couple of times over the past several years. He’s not and never will be an elite closer.

K-Rod is being paid $9.1m in 2009; the Angels are paying Fuentes $8.5m in 2009. Yes, I understand that Frankie is under contract to the Mets longer than we are stuck with Fuentes. However, K-Rod is not too expensive. Please – you get what you pay for.

mustard_man - May 31, 2009 reply

Remember that K-Rod was wanting more like $15 million a year and when he wasn’t going to find that money he had to settle for “only” $9.5 million.

Brian 666 - May 31, 2009 reply

fuentes throws like a bitch

Hutch83 - May 31, 2009 reply

Angels on TV

I live in Pennsylvania and the Angels aren’t on tv a whole lot here, but the other day my dad pointed out that this year they seem to have been featured less and less on ESPN or any other station….i didn’t have a good answer to that but now i do…the fact we blow a 3 run lead with 2 outs in the 9th inning….is the reason i don’t see the angels on tv anymore….

aray627 - May 31, 2009 reply

I am not real big on predictions...

…but what the hell…I will go out on the gang plank.

I predict the Angels will get their course corrected in the next month or so, and will be closing in on 1st place by the ASB.

Then, they will make a trade or 2 by 8/1…just like last year (some teams will be having fire sales due to the economy).

And so, you will likely be seeing much more of the Angels in August and September!

They aren’t on ESPN even when they are winning. ESPN has to show the Yankees and Red Sox constantly even if they suck as well. It’s rare that they show west coast teams.

Brian 666 - May 31, 2009 reply

Dodgers have been on quite a bit on ESPN

I think when they lose as miraculously as last night...

you are going to be seeing a LOT MORE of the Angels than you ever wanted to see on ESPN.