What a tough game to lose. Can't say much more than that without it getting ugly.
The 4th featured a pair of 2-run HRs by Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera to finish off a 5-run 4th. Two more runs were added in the 5th after some nicely timed hits, chased away the Texas SP CJ Wilson, and giving the Angels a nice 7-3 lead.
Unfortunately, Jered Wever couldn't get past the 5th either as he gave up another 2R-HR and left 2 batters on base (who were able to score after Bell's 'brilliant' pitching). And that caused the game to be knotted up at 7.
Can't break a tie if you don't score runs... or get a hit for that matter. The Angels flailed away for the rest of the game with only a single hit. The Rangers were able to chain two hits together to score the deciding run... winning the game 8-7.
Another tough loss. And technically a sweep since it's a dinky 2-game series. But what hurts more is all the ground we made by beating up on Oakland, has pretty much disappeared. It's still only a 4.5 game difference... It's just a little ugly, but it's still good. It's still good... ...
0 recs | 212 comments
Bell and Weaver
~MMP~ - May 18, 2010
I think 44FAN just took the lead
Bold move my man
Raaddad - May 18, 2010
If just for one day....
44FAN - May 18, 2010
Oh, my goodness
The smoke monster just zapped Richard Alpert.
Just remember, the smoke monster is always lurking. Don’t get too comfortable.
vladtheimpaler - May 19, 2010
Hahaha
Alpert may still be alive…
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
Jack is going to take over the Island.
I knew it the minute I saw the names written on the wall inside the cave.
44FAN - May 19, 2010
Well, he has to defeat "old smokie first"
Cue in Desmond
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
I know you are entitled to your opinion,
but the general and loud consensus on Lone Star Ball is they can’t wait to see Ron Washington go for the way he manages that team.
44FAN - May 19, 2010
(reply fail)
44FAN - May 19, 2010
lol
Happens to the best of em eh?
(You would just rather talk about Lost…)
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
I thought Smokey couldn't kill Richard.
red floyd - May 19, 2010
Richard couldnt die... as long as jacob was alive
Balls and Strikes - May 19, 2010
2.5 HOURS OF FINALS GOODNESS
i THINK I will have a fan boy boner for the whole night
DAD OF VLAD - May 19, 2010
And then we still won't understand half of what happened...
Hey, your post with baby Vlad on computer was very funny
And How is one of our youngest fans doing?
(Btw, 2 other Halofan babies made it to the May 15th game)
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
I voted Weaver
but I think a lot of people would vote for Soth if he was up there. That 5th inning was brutal. Weaver was done well before he got taken out in a futile attempt to get a W…….
Then important situation with our whole bullpen well rested Soth calls on Bell who is unproven in the majors, hasn’t even relieved hardly at all in his pro career……
Angels need to make Kohn their 2 to 3 inning guy. He’s already thrown 46 pitches in a game, he’s flat out dominating AA after doing the same in ST and last year at Cedar Rapids and RC.
And Wood is not going to get it done…… someone posted a video of him in SLC and his swing was FAST, right now he’s either using a bat about 10 oz too heavy for him….. or he’s so focused just on making contact that he forgot what made him a prospect in the first place…. hitting the ball a LONG way…..
MH252525 - May 18, 2010
I'm not sure if Kohn should be headed to Anaheim right now, but I do think he should be promoted to AAA
~MMP~ - May 18, 2010
Still on DSL isn't he?
Raaddad - May 18, 2010
AA is th new AAA
AAA is roster filler and guys who just want one more September callups. Yea the Angels have some decent prospects at their AAA team, but a lot of teams don’t put them there anymore at least for not any length of time.
MH252525 - May 18, 2010
I have to disagree
The Angels have the third worst bullpen in the league. So, sure, bring in Trevor Bell to face Josh Hamilton. Does he go yard? Who knows. But I don’t think this is on Scioscia, not with the team as presently constructed.
scareduck - May 18, 2010
Rodney, Jepsen, and Bulger were all very well rested
and all of them are unquestionably better than Bell. Bell now has the highest ERA on the staff, and the highest WHIP….. Sure makes sense put an inexperienced guy into the game, in a huge situation, against our main rival this year. Bulger ended up pitching in the game anyway and doing well, retiring the same guys Bell couldn’t. If Bulger does that in the 5th and 6th. Then they could have gone some combo of Jespsen, Rodney, Fuentes to close out the game and they likely would have had a 2 run lead going into the 6th.
MH252525 - May 19, 2010
+1
Fred Fredrix - May 19, 2010
Meh...
give Texas a little fun at this juncture… then our boys will turn it on at the end and dash their hopes again.
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
I think the Angels will play better too
but 2006 Soth mismanaged them right out of the playoffs by choosing to send WTY to SLC instead of his older brother…… Just hope its not a repeat…..
MH252525 - May 19, 2010
Agreed...
that 2006 sharade was quite forgettable.
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
I agree with you here
I’d like to see Scioscia use his pen occasionally according to the leverage situation, rather than always have them slotted into roles based upon score and inning. He needs to include leverage in his matrix. Just because it’s the 4th inning, doesn’t mean it’s not important to get that 3rd out. This is the 2nd time this has happened to Weaver over the last couple of starts, I’m sure he’s not happy to see a crappy reliever come out of the pen to blow his ERA either.
LosAngel - May 19, 2010
Life sucks when the angels lose
I better get laid tonight
DAD OF VLAD - May 18, 2010
ScottNak
I love that the bets are up this quick
+1 to you brother
DAD OF VLAD - May 18, 2010
Angels are so streaky right now.
Win a bunch in a row, lose a bunch. A lot of our losses this season are extra frustrating because they’ll play really well except for one area of the game and then lose. Tonight I was STOKED to see offense but Weaver didn’t have it and then Bell couldn’t do any better. Other games it’s been errors or no run support. I just want to see a stretch of games where the team puts it all together. Not too worried about Texas sweeping a two game series. The Angels schedule will get easier. Got to make sure we win the ones we’re supposed to.
NW angels Fan - May 18, 2010
I think the heat in Arlington got to Weaver, he was really sweating out there.
Bell, wrong pitcher in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
44FAN - May 18, 2010
boo hoo. it was too hot.
he’s a professional. no excuses. Weav’s couldn’t handle the wheel of this rudderless ship tonight. We could have really used an ace tonight.
Dono Romantico - May 18, 2010
I remember an Angels Ace hit the first two batters and then get tossed from the game once in Arlington.
44FAN - May 18, 2010
I think it was hit one batter after two pitches. First pitch at the guys head and second pitch hitting it's mark.
firebird81 - May 18, 2010
My mind is slipping I guess.
I was never so mad at a player than I was that day for how Lackey acted.
44FAN - May 18, 2010
for all of Lackey's faults
I gotta say i was glad he did that. Kinsler is the same guy who told the Angels to get the F off his field after a Texas win, so feel free to throw at him all day.
thats the only thing I miss about Lackey, his hotheadedness gaainst the Angels opponents.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
It seems it was only last year
Maybe that’s because it was May 16, 2009.
scareduck - May 18, 2010
your sarcasm detector is broken
Downing Rules - May 18, 2010
ace?
is Dan Haren available?
SenorChuckles - May 18, 2010
honestly its not hot here
i live 20 mins away from the ballpark and if the heat was bothering him tonight it will be a loooong summer
sctrojan13 - May 18, 2010
the better team won
and it’s very clear to me that the Rangers are not intimidated by the Halos either. The Angels are a heartless leaderless team looking for an indentity.
Grow a pair boys
Dono Romantico - May 18, 2010
You made a good point
Which player is the leader on this team? Matsui and Abreu are hired guns. Hunter should step up. Napoli should step up. Weaver should be able to step up.
Some player(s) need to grab this team by the scruff of the neck and shake it until it starts to perform.
rmhalofan - May 19, 2010
That was vomit inducing
But as much as I want to ream the pitching staff, what the hell can you do with such a ridiculous strike zone? Weaver has been so good because he commands the corners, but the ump wouldn’t give him anything. He legitimately K’d Kinsler before he blooped a homer, and Bell would have nailed Young in the next inning if the ump had just done his job. The more I watch this sport the more ridiculous it seems to me that balls and strikes are still being called by humans instead of computers.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
both pitchers each got lit up for 7 earned
in the end, the other two aspects of the game were won by the Rangers. They could have been won, just as the game could have been won, by the Halos. If this team had any heart, they would have won tonight. Hell, they should have won last night. Excuses are getting old.
Dono Romantico - May 18, 2010
It's not a lack of heart
It’s a lack of plate discipline. The ump’s calling a small zone, but the Angels are swinging and giving away strikes instead of just slowing down and taking a few. If you swing at garbage, you’re going to get garbage, no matter how tight the zone is.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
than.....let's just say the Angels are "Lacking"
Dono Romantico - May 18, 2010
x
LAASurfin - May 18, 2010
graphics with numbers and colors and zones? DATA DATA DATA
MUST BE FACT.
I mean, it’s obviously lacking three dimensionality which, is a strike zone. But hey, its a chart, and how can you argue with a fucking chart?
clover_black - May 18, 2010
Kiss me
Also does not indicate the particular strike zone as defined by the ump that game. Point is, they were damn close pitches. Ump called an inconsistent zone. Torii was called out on “strikes” waaay further out.
And what’s your particular fear of numbers and technology, Cro-Magnon Man?
LAASurfin - May 18, 2010
These graphs are always too damned small to read
And I’ve got a reasonably large display.
rspencer - May 19, 2010
Angels 2010 = Team with no Guts
They are heartless and lack luster. They make errors and do not care they mentally mess up and they do not care. It is terrible to watch this team play. They need some kind of shot in the arm. Maybe a DFA or a trade or call-up send down situation. Something, anything im calling out to you FO do something!!
angelskid2210 - May 18, 2010
Can I get a Hallelujah !
Dono Romantico - May 18, 2010
I wonder if they are feeling less than devoted to the team after the team let so many core players go without much effort.....
firebird81 - May 18, 2010
I don't understand
Why people presume to know the emotional state of the players on the field. Most of them probably want to win even more than the fans want to see them win. Or supposing they don’t care, does it even matter? Manny Ramirez has pretty much made a career out of not caring about any of those things you’re talking about, but that’s never stopped him from raking at the plate. He’s just really, really good at hitting.
Why can’t we just blame the things we see for the poor performance? I see Angel pitchers getting behind in the count and then surrendering walks or hard-hit balls in an attempt to catch up. I also see Angel hitters taking pitches over the plate and swinging at pitches off of it. And then there is poor defense by some aging outfielders and hitting catcher. They’re not suffering from some vaguely defined psychological condition. Other teams are just exploiting their weaknesses. That’s what good baseball teams do to teams that aren’t as good.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
Hear, hear
This is just a bad team.
scareduck - May 18, 2010
so we let players walk because our only option is this team?
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
I neglected to mention
The silly base running mistakes. Getting thrown out at the plate, caught stealing a base at an inappropriate moment, or being doubled off on a flyball are great ways to cost yourself in the long term. The coaching staff is really at fault here. This team is just not very fast on the bases, but I wonder how many times we’ll have to watch Torii Hunter caught stealing second or Hideki Matsui gunned down at the plate before they realize this.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
We presume to know...
based on body language and facial expressions. Take a class in Psychology. It’s quite simple.
Downing Rules - May 18, 2010
I've taken enough psychology classes to know
That they don’t teach you how to read body language and facial expressions in psychology classes. They teach you about classical conditioning, cognitive dissonance, and the Milgram experiments.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
I'm drooling right now...
someone just rang a bell.
Downing Rules - May 18, 2010
on a serious note...
not sure what classes you took, sub…
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Facial_expressions
snippet:
" A facial expression results from one or more motions or positions of the muscles of the face. They are closely associated with our emotions. Charles Darwin noted in his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals:
…the young and the old of widely different races, both with man and animals, express the same state of mind by the same movements."
Downing Rules - May 18, 2010
dude. these are professional athletes
who keep their bodies in peak condition, so their body language is very obvious. A bat flip when a player thinks he’s gone deep, a fist pump when the final out is made in a close or important game, shaking one’s head in disgust when called out on strikes. Oh wait, there is no body language in baseball.
Hahahahaha
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
They are robots, evidently, and don't express themselves like normal people ...
:)
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
I'm not here to argue the fact that they don't want to win.
I’m just saying what I see is a bunch of professionals who need some kind of rude awakening. To me it just seems they have a lack luster approach. It seems they are going through the motions, they lack the fire they’ve had in years past. All this is leading to the poor performance you are mentioning above.
angelskid2210 - May 18, 2010
and where is our manager of the year during all of this
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
pimpin' TVs at Howards
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
Eating Lasagna of course
and down in AAA rubbing Q’s nipples.
angelskid2210 - May 19, 2010
We're all just trying to make sense out of what we're seeing on the field
It’s hard to reconcile this team with the seemingly quite similar one that played with such dogged spirit last year through an epic string of tragedies and mishaps that would have beaten most teams into submission.
In my daily life I must strive to see things as they are, uncolored by emotion. I go to baseball to get some respite from this struggle. While the evidence is mounting that this team is indeed mediocre, there is no harm, and much less misery, to hope that this is just some funk that they are soon to break out of. If this leads to disappointment at season’s end, I can bear that with grace, but if I bite that bullet now I will be insufferable all summer.
rspencer - May 19, 2010
^this^
Well-stated…again
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
Is it possible that the Mariners weren't
the only ones to outperform last year? Just sayin’. Maybe we took last year and thought it would all be good this year. Yeah, I know. This team has a track record of performing well. I think that with the churn in the roster that we have seen in the last two years may have caught up to us.
rmhalofan - May 19, 2010
Good explanation of OPTIMISM
I think it’s better to be hopeful now, and delay the disappointment as long as possible, rather than be miserable all along in some misguided attempt to avoid pain later. It doesn’t really work anyway. If the Angels are lousy all year, someone who spends all season being negative will still be negative in the end. It’s a meager consolation to be able to say, “I told you so,” when the team fails. However, it’s wonderful to get say, “I told you so,” when the team turns it around and wins it’s 4th straight division title.
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
so let's see...
what has changed from last year and recent year’s past to this year???
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
First Hand
I witnessed this game first hand, and watched our demise… Pretty brutal. After we went up 7-3, I had a few words for the Ranger fans, only to get backhanded by Trevor Bell’s Bozo the Clown pitches. (By the way, they play the Bozo the clown music when he was warming up). I’ve been a fan for a while and seen my fair share of games, but this team doesn’t play with the same sense of urgency they used to have. They have a bunch of veterans, yet I don’t see any of these veterans being major leaders. Sure Torii is a leader, but something feels different about this years team…. Maybe they don’t want to follow his or the other veterans lead?
Something has to change, and it’s going to fall on the veterans shoulders. Torii has tried helping Wood, but he can only do so much. I’ve been a huge fan of Woody since his huge year in the minors, but something has to give, and he’s A). another Dallas McPherson or, B). just needs some time in AAA to find his swing again. Something needs to light a fire under this team. After sparking the team with 3 straight against Oakland, you come out dance around in Texas?
I’ve always been optimistic, but something has to change or this season will end in Texas in the first week of October.
SMUangelFan - May 18, 2010
I don’t have the heart to pile on Weav since he’s been one of the few bright spots of this season
…but the one player who consistently looked like total crap this entire two game series was Ice Coldsui with his 0 for 7, 3K performance
Quad Fin Rider - May 18, 2010
godzilla moves jerseys
Not by anyone who gives a F about baseball, but he moves jerseys.
Eternal panther. Or whatever the Japanese equivalent to panther is. (prius?)
clover_black - May 18, 2010
Thank God we have Godzilla
because this year all of Japan get’s to see how shitty we are. That’s Great!
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
Steve Finley 2.0?
rspencer - May 19, 2010
Brandon Wood not an option?
Have we finally gotten to the point where we expect him to put up an O-fer every night, and if he somehow gets a broken bat blooper, we scream with hopeful glee?
This guy is so awful.
My vote would probably be for Mike Napoli though.
bc56274 - May 18, 2010
+1
Wally's World - May 18, 2010
I'm hoping the Red Sox release Mike Lowell
He can still hit and field a bit, and he’d play essentially for free. If Wood needs to be DFA’d, so be it. The way he’s going right now, he might even clear waivers, which would mean the Angels could park his below-replacement ass in AAA where it belongs.
Suboptimal - May 18, 2010
AAA
Can we not send him down to AAA to work on some things???
SMUangelFan - May 18, 2010
Nope
Out of options. 2010 is his put up or shut up year.
scareduck - May 18, 2010
That was some brilliant player development, wasn't it?
“Sink or swim, Brandon!”
rspencer - May 19, 2010
Well, we will never know since he was left twisting in the wind in AAA for so long
and when we got to see flashes of potential in the bigs in seasons past, he was immediately benched or sent back down before he could keep his groove going.
We can only say “What If…..”
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
C'mon, it's not like he's 36 and at the end of his career. He's still a kid. He has never produced regularly at the Major League level when given the chance.
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
He has less than 350 MLB at bats. That's nothing
After he has 600+ AB and still has that dear in the head lights look, then I will say cut him loose. But you have to give the kid a chance. Some players are able to produce right away but that is rare. Since the whole team not hitting, it makes it all the more difficult as I am sure he is putting undue pressure on himself. If and when the players around him start hitting, I bet we will see a big improvement in him as well.
Halo84653 - May 19, 2010
AAA
Can we not send him down to AAA to work some things out???
SMUangelFan - May 18, 2010
No. He's out of options.
We would have to place him on waivers, and, the feeling around here last discussed was that he wouldn’t clear waivers.
Raaddad - May 18, 2010
That may be a blessing in disguise...
if he didn’t clear waivers, that is.
rmhalofan - May 19, 2010
BOTG = TONY REAGINS
For giving away Darren O Day, who pitching in Texas has proven that he is better than 90% of the guys that were protected instead of him.
For failing to resign Darren Oliver, our best reliever last year, and would be again this.
For allowing marketing BS to get in the way of fan love, AND production, by replacing Vladdy, with a washed up Skankee cast off.
For obviously failing to properly evaluate our black hole of a 3B, who once again was a big fat O’fer.
Wally's World - May 18, 2010
+1
That’s what I wanted to tell Reagins on Saturday. I choked like Wood with bases loaded
Anaheim71420 - May 18, 2010 via mobile
I don't understand what you think should have been done with 3B
Obviously the Wood experiment is not going well, but he’s been highly touted for a while now, as the 3B(or SS) of the future.
It seems like the options were A) Let Wood play and see what he can do, hoping he lives up to the hype
or
B) Re-sign Figgins or whoever, and just let Wood go to another team, without even really seeing what Wood can do
~MMP~ - May 18, 2010
hindsight is 20/20
but how about a backup plan that is not Q at 3rd. Izturis is the backup utility infielder, not the backup potential everyday 3rd baseman. Instead of having Q or minor leaguer du jour as the emergency plan he could have come up with a better contingency plan.
I can’t say I’ve researched this at all, but someone like Hank Blalock, Melvin Mora comes to mind.
On second thought, maybe there was no one available better than Q????
LosAngel - May 18, 2010
I'm guessing Freddy Sandoval was the backup plan, and he would be a pretty good one
Except he’s currently on the DL too.
I would take Izturis playing 3rd with Sandoval as a utility infielder, or Sandoval just playing 3rd, over Blalock definitely.
The Angels were rumored to be talking to Mora’s agent, though nothing came of it.
~MMP~ - May 18, 2010
Plan B was undoubtedly Sean Rodriguez
who eventually became Scott Kazmir.
scareduck - May 18, 2010
Well I think Freddy Sandoval became Plan B after Rodriguez was traded
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
There were signs
That Wood was not all right. He was pretty consistent at Salt Lake the last two seasons, and any front office can use an industry-standard MLE projection to see that Wood’s level of performance in AAA has a major-league equivalent of about a .240 / .290 / .420 batting line. That’s basically Khalil Greene or Kevin Kouzmanoff: good power, but too many swings and not enough contact to approach a league average OPS.
Wood himself validated this comparison in almost 250 major-league PA before the season started, which is not an insignificant sample. It doesn’t mean he’s this terrible, but alarm bells should have warned that Wood was very, very unlikely to be the next Troy Glaus. Yet they keep trotting him out there like they expect him to be.
Retaining Figgins probably would have been the optimum solution, but man, when you factor in aging, the Mariners really overpaid. The Angels don’t have another power-hitting 3B coming down the pipe any time soon, but Figgins could have slid over to second when Kendrick’s time is up anyways. It was a tough decision, but it’s time to accept the consequences and find a third baseman who can bat his weight.
Suboptimal - May 19, 2010
I thought the sample sizes were too small...
however upon seeing his BP’s in spring training (see link HERE for my comments about them) and watching him today, he looks consistently bad in 2010. What happened to the Wood from 2009 who could square up a baseball once in a blue moon? Now, he is the foul-ball/poor contact king a la Shea “Hillenbloop.”
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
this is what he looks like when he plays every day.
He’s never shown much of anything at all at the major league level. I never understood everyone’s man crush on this kid. Baseball is full of stories of guys who can play good AAA ball, but can’t hang in the Majors. Maybe the reason is…….it’s quite possible that there are better PLAYERS in the Majors???
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
Well there was always option C which the Angels didn't even come close to taking
Option C) past few years they could have given Q’s abs to Wood because EVERYONE knew Q was never going to be a major member of the Angels. Instead whenever Wood got hot in AAA they called him up only for him to sit on the bench and watch Q start when someone needed a break. If Wood would have gotten the abs he did get and the ones that Q got, then who here doesn’t think that Reagins/Soth would have had more information to make a decision on about who should have been our everyday 3B. Instead he got jerked around and played the shuttle game and the first time they gave him a decent number of abs was the time when they had gotten rid of or allowed our other options to leave……
MH252525 - May 19, 2010
I agree that would've been a good idea, but I was talking about options this offseason
At which point, that ship had sailed
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
+1
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
BOTG: Dream Weaver
Starter gives up 7 (earned) runs in less than 5, automatic blame.
vladtheimpaler - May 19, 2010
silver lining...
i went all-in on my pregame wager and am now out of last place! Picked a good day to get one right!
Oh, and I also saved a few bucks on my car insurance.
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
over 40 games played and we have yet to win 20...
This edition of the Angels is absolutely terrible…no heart, no chemistry, an embarrassing third baseman, and horrible pitching…I blame Sosh for the lack of heart, and management for the Figgy, Vlad and Lackie disasters…this club will be lucky to go .500
Halopauly - May 19, 2010
Heartaches, nothing but heartaches !!!!
I came away from watching this mini series with the thought that Oliver pitched well, our bullpen gives the Angels access to FEMA disaster funds, Vlad hits home runs and gets good hits at opportune times and Matsui (who is batting .160 or so in May) gets K’d with his bat resting on his shoulder. Vlad’s H.R. off of Weaver was about 4" high and he golfed it out of the park, how you ask, because he swung the bat, and maybe he played “Cricket” as a child.
steelgolf - May 19, 2010
"la placa" not cricket
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
Vlad over Matsui any day of the week !!!
Dono Romantico - May 19, 2010
It's too easy to say Vlad would be doing the same thing in Anaheim right now.
We have our team and we need to win with them. Shuffling the lineup and getting rid of people offers no guarantee of a turn around.
I know these guys can play baseball because I’ve witnessed it first hand. They just need to start playing together with a renewed sense of urgency.
People can slam the team all they want but we aren’t exactly the Mariners yet. Over on lookout landing their already talking about next season.
RexTookMyStash - May 19, 2010
I think the change of scenery was what Vlad needed.
He would not have done this in LA-of-A. IMHO, of course. The new digs gave him something to work for in the off season.
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
Texas..
..Rangers
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Yes, that is the team's name.
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
Remember it, you'll be looking up at it for a long time to come.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Yeah, you said that last year too
Troll
chairmanofthebar - May 19, 2010
"get off our f@@king field" ring a bell? Don't count your briskets before they're cooked, cowpoke.
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
Ian..
..gotta love the attitude he plays with.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Cute little attempt to ridicule a Texan, very cute.
Maybe I should play jungle-gym with you? Perhaps I can say, “Don’t count your trees before they are saved.” or “Hope your southern California works out, lol”.
Of course, though.. this is baseball and I couldn’t give a hoot about your troubling state.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
That was supposed to say, “Hope your southern California ECONOMY works out, lol.”
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
fail
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Thanks. Sure hope the rich Texans can bail us out over here.
Glad we have you guys holding us together. ;)
Downing Rules - May 19, 2010
Lol.. and that we are.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
You are the mirror image of the Taliban.
XYZ123 - May 22, 2010
After we legalize and tax marijuana, we'll be fine.
Commander_Nate - May 19, 2010
Let's not fight.
We’re all becoming North Mexico together!
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
because the average income in texas is what, like 25000?
Balls and Strikes - May 19, 2010
I have no idea what it is but it’s all relative. $25,000 in Texas goes a lot further than $25,000 in California. The exact number isn’t what counts.. it’s the space between. Cost to live in comparison to the average income is much better in Texas than in Cali. You already know this, not sure why you’re attempting to belittle the fact.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Looking up at it for a long time to come?????
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
YOU should know! The Angels have finished ahead of the Rangers for TEN consecutive seasons.
XYZ123 - May 22, 2010
Ah..
..and I’ll merely repeat Torii’s comment from last night, “Last year was last year.”
If you think by any sort of measure that your Angels can possibly overcome playing as one of the bottom five teams in all of baseball, well, you’ve got some true spirit. The reality of things is that your team has played as one of the bottom five teams in all of baseball. In EVERY major category known to the sport. Defense is horrid, pitching stinks and your offense is below-average. You all know it as well as I do, your time is up in this division. Texas simply has too many weapons.
As for last year’s comments, let’s just say I was a year early. It’s like when you absolutely know something is coming yet can’t point to when, well, I pointed wrong.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Well, I guess we'll see who's right in October, won't we?
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
Bullshit. You have no idea what's coming.
XYZ123 - May 20, 2010
October?
Wouldn’t you just love it if we didn’t already know before then.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
True, we'll probably know in September
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
..or August, unless the A’s somehow stay afloat.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
I know exactly what you're up to, you're trying to bait people into arguing with you.
I’m not going to though.
~MMP~ - May 19, 2010
Good..
..you’re smart. Others, not so much.
I don’t mean to argue purely for the sake of arguing.. I want to face your fans with exactly what’s going on with your team, it’s not pretty. I want them to hear it from a division rival.
I want them to burn in hate for me, despise me. You know why? Because for so long I’ve had to do the same defending the Rangers…
Time’s up, gentleman.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Bullshit
You only argue for the sake of arguing. I see you on the Angels site trolling all the time. We’re not falling for it.
chairmanofthebar - May 19, 2010
Try me..
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
you must not be a farmer...
…because it sounds like you’re counting your chickens a little early dude.
pretty sure last year the Rangers had a lead for at least the first half of the season, then what happened? thats right, they finished 10 games back. I’m glad you’re feeling really good about your team, but just remember that its May. let me repeat that, ITS MAY. and the Halos are only 4 1/2 back. come back and talk smack in September, assuming of course the Rangers don’t blow another division lead.
either way, you seem like a top-shelf douche. good day
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
We were up 6 games on your Angels at one point.
All I’m saying is THIS Angels team (much different than 2009’s Angels) is going to have to find a way to play better than they’ve shown to be.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
no shit
I think just about everybody on this site agrees that they need to play better. but thanks for the insight.
the point where we differ is that we think they can play better, whereas you do not. but thats expected from a fan of a division rival, so no hard feelings.
btw, up 6 games during the first half, down 10 by the end. you could be setting yourself up for a big dissapointment buddy, yet again.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
If only you had the same team with the same drive and talent as you did in 2009, this may be the case, yet you don’t and that’s not even stating the improvement the Rangers have made. Young players getting better and more mature, VLAD, rotation getting settled… you know the drill.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
if only...
…the MLB season was 40 games. then you would actually be making sense. but since its not, and since the Rangers have a pretty good recent history of blowing it once the Summer heat comes in, I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself. Tha rangers are a pre-all-star break team, plain and simple.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
…lol, again unless the Angels somehow find a way to play better than a bottom-feeder, it won’t matter what the Rangers do in the 2nd half. They could melt and still win the division.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
How did the Toronto series work out for the Rangers?
You got swept did you? And Rich Harden the ace. Got shelled worse than C.J.Wilson did last night? The Rangers team has flaws too. It is way too early to claim victory on the season, but if you were intelligent in the first place, you would’nt be trolling over here.
44FAN - May 19, 2010
+1
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Rich Harden is/was an experiment.. it won’t last if it continues. Tommy Hunter is patiently waiting in OKC.
You’re going to base this arguement on one series? I do believe your Angels are 5 games under .500, would you like me to base any of my arguements on any select series that your Angels have played? Doesn’t seem too smart for you to go there.
Of course the Rangers have flaws.. minor as they may be.
No team escapes this.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
you’re basing your argument on 6 weeks of play. its a marathon, not a sprint. like I’ve said, we’ll see how your team is fairing once September approaches.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
I’m basing all this on the production of play on the field from both teams along with other variables. Talent being one of them. Texas has you in basically every category up to this point of the season. We’re a 1/4th of the way into this thing, now is the time to start judging what is and what isn’t.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
now is also the time that many proven MLB players start to play up to their level after slow starts. not saying this is gauranteed, but it is very common in baseball.
the Rangers are going to blow their load once again too early
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
btw, an experiment??? more like a bad signing.
you truly are a piece of work dude.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Perhaps a bad signing.. and an experiment, yes. Everyone knew Harden’s control issues coming into this.
Again though, it’s not like he’ll stay on the staff if this trend continues with him… Hunter is waiting.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Let’s try this; what do YOU think your team has that’s going to allow them to take anything in the AL West?
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
talent...
…plus a manager and cleanup hitter who aren’t crackheads.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Nice… but I do believe those two players are tested multiple times a week and are over their “problems”. Moot point to the highest of degree.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
moot, maybe...
…but funny, yes
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
I reckon.
Still doesn’t hurt nor help anything on the playing field.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Talent..
..like Brandon Wood being “talented”? This is MLB, they’re all talented.
A sober manager isn’t going to be able to make a bad team a good one.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
so are you saying
that you’d rather have Washington than Scioscia? be honest…
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Oh no..
..Mike’s a better manager. Washington is a better coach.
Unfortunately for you, the players win these games.. a manager only manages the game and a coach only coaches his players.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
just curious
how do you know Washington is a better coach? have you been out there and seen his hands-on approach or something?
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Yes actually, I have.. ST for both teams.
Many other things play into it, as well.. reputation being one. Can’t argue with the majority of baseball officials and scouts, for the most part.
Washington has long been revered as one of the best defensive and player’s coaches in the game. Scioscia has long been revered as a great manager.. in order to be a great manager, you have to take a hit at being a good coach. Never seen anything out of Mike that would suggest he is a great teacher anyhow.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
have you ever watched Scioscia in ST and payed strict attention, or read up on what scouts and other baseball people think of his coaching abilities? doubtful, which means your knowledge is pretty one-sided.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
I pay very close attention to these things.. hence my comment.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
maybe, but that doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
I’m merely a reflection of the ones who DO know what they’re talking about. I’m not granted the access that others are, I take their opinions and form my own. Washington is a better coach than Mike, Mike is a better manager than Ron.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
“merely a reflection”???
get over yourself dude. seriously
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
It is what it is..
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
you mean, you are what you are. and you are clearly a pompous troll
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Clearly… but the question is, are you going to stay and argue a meaningless point about who is a better manager/coach or are you going to dive into the parts that matter? The players play this game.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
I think we can both agree that I don’t need to argue about managers considering our manager just won manager of the year while your manager just got caught doing coke.
and my last few posts haven’t been about managers, they’ve been about you, and how you obviously think VERY highly of yourself. which is comical.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Your manager just voted our manager for MOTY… irony, isn’t it?
Comical as it may be.. it wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t deserving.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
he had to vote for someone, might as well be the guy who keeps handing us the division title.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Yes.. I’m sure this was why.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
let me guess, its you who determines that its deserving? lmao
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Apparently not, apparently your own manager is the one who does so… at least deserving enough for his vote.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
touche
…Wood is awful.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Yes, yes he is. Dallas?
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
The botton 3 in Texas' lineup is pretty weak as well
Though the top 6 look awesome; still, that didn’t help them last year ultimately. In addition, we’ll see how the pitiching staff holds out over the course of the year, especially with their history of melting down (literally) every year.
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
The bottom three have immense talent outside of Treanor. Borbon and Smoak? These cats can hit.. they are just in a groove. Well actually, Borbon is hitting .400 in his last 15 games. Smoak is a rookie who squares the ball up very well and just happens to be the number one rated 1st base prospect in the game.
The bottom three being “weak” is a pretty “weak” arguement.. take a look at the top 6 and their numbers.. they are by far VERY strong and dangerous.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
a high prospect rating does not a good MLB player make. case in point: Brandon Wood
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
Brandon Wood dropped every year in the prospect polls.. there is a reason for this. Plus, he always struck out a lot in the minors and majors.. he has a hole in his swing that everyone knew would be exposed when getting the gig.
Smoak, on the other hand, has already one of the best eyes in the game with the same sort of patience at the plate. This creates a player that will translate to the big leagues with much more ease and little transition time.
Two completely different prospects.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
he’s batting .181, lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here.
2pintsofbooze - May 19, 2010
I think he's all smoak and mirrors
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
He’s also gotten on base 21 out of the 25 games he’s played.. his FIRST 25 games played in MLB.
Wouldn’t you like to say the same about Brandon Wood? Don’t let Smoak’s BA fool you..
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Become a Red Sox fan.
If you want us to hate you, become a Red Sox fan. We don’t waste our time hating the Rangers. We hate the teams that are actually troublesome to us.
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
In time, monkey boy, in time. Your fans may not “hate” us but guaranteed your team gets amped up to play us..
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
meh
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
This guy is a troll, in every sense of the word
He trolls the Angels MLB site and picks fights. Rev, I would suggest you axe this guy.
chairmanofthebar - May 19, 2010
What’s wrong with a little discussion? Hard to swallow, isn’t it?
HaloLand has fallen below the depths of Earth.. ain’t so Heaven-like now, is it?
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
And what’s with this “Blame game” you cats play on this website? What kind of fans and what kind of blog is this? I mean.. I understand the liberal California deal and all that but you guys VOTE on who to blame the losing game on??
THAT is a bad sign. Whether it be a bad sign of fans and loyalty or a bad sign of your team.. it’s a bad sign.
Honestly, bullshit aside, you cats need to get rid of that shit ASAP. Very shallow and un-fanlike.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
I blame you for being a Rangers fan...
but acting worse than Yankees fans and Red Sox fans combined.
chairmanofthebar - May 19, 2010
You don’t understand SHIT if you think the “liberal California deal” in any way resembles Orange County, where the Angels are from……
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
I understand southern California is more conservative than other parts of California, sure..
Regardless, the majority as a whole is still a bit liberal. Comes with the territory.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Twisted
Let me help you out. Let’s travel up the coast together from Angels Stadium.
Orange County = conservative
LA County = liberal
Ventura = conservative
Santa Barbara = liberal*
Santa Maria all the way to the Bay = conservative**
SF = liberal
above SF = conservative
except for me
*except for college towns
Also, anything inland is pretty much conservative. The trouble is, the most populated cities are the most liberal (LA and SF). Bottom line, there are more conservative sq. ft. in Cali than an ignorant Texan would realize.
BTW, I’m a teacher who is really hoping the conservatives in TX win out on that social studies curriculum vote today.
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
Let me state this in a very simple manner, politics aside;
You see this video of your REV blogger on the main screen? The faggot waiving his hand around like a woman? You see, you don’t find this type of mannerism from a Texan man. Liberal or conservative may be a state of mind politically.. but in action, Orange County and most other parts of California are very liberal.
Understand?
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Rev’s wife will be so pleased that you think her husband is gay….
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
No, I don’t “think” the man is gay.. but actions present a case to the opposing party. He just has, how do I say it, “gay” mannerisms.
You don’t find that down here.. it’s a very liberal act.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Arlington laughs in your face.
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
Ok? ..not sure the meaning behind this.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
I really hope you’re not suggesting Arlington has a gay community or anything close to it.. I live in Mansfield, a suburb just south of Arlington and about 15min from The Temple.. believe me, there arn’t many gays.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Well that's their loss, dude
And we don’t appreciate terms like “faggot,” either. Your prejudice shows that you are the worse kind of asshole and deserve to be banned from this site or any other that celebrates the equality, diversity and freedom of choice that is endemic to this country and for which many of our veteran bloggers here have served their country to defend. Please go away and take your idiotic prejudiced opinions elsewhere—or better yet, nowhere.
Raaddad - May 19, 2010
+1
chairmanofthebar - May 19, 2010
I've got family in your area
and they would be embarrassed by you. If you want to make Angels fans hate you, do it as a Rangers fan, not as a homophobe redneck.
Rally Manatee - May 20, 2010
SirChris4; you are an expert in these "mannerisms".
Why is that?
XYZ123 - May 22, 2010
Thank you for that. Honestly.
But back to the subject matter, what’s with this “Blame Poll”? What does that accomplish?
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
The funny thing is, you have more votes on who to blame the game on than you do comments on the game thread!
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
No, the funny thing is
you have more comments on HH than on your own site.
It’s pretty simple, if the Angels lose we discuss who to blame, if they win, we discuss who is panther.
Rally Manatee - May 19, 2010
I don’t post on LoneStarBall.. I’m not much of a “blogger” especially the fools who post while the game is on, call me “old school” (at a young age) but when the game is on, I watch not type. There are other places I go to express my opinion after the game is over.
As for the “Blame Poll”, you don’t see the troublesome in such an act? Fans voting on who gets the blame? Purely lame, bub.. purely lame. Bad fans.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
you don't post on Lone Star Ball???
So, that was someone ELSE named sirchris4 who posted “F—k you Angels” over there just yesterday???
firebird81 - May 19, 2010
Um, I guess so… It surely wasn’t me. I’ve made maybe five posts in the last two years since signing up. Unless you or another Angel fan is playing tally-whack with the same moniker as I have then what you just stated is false.
No.. I did not post anything about the Angels or any other subject yesterday.
No.. I did not post anything about the Angels or any other subject yesterday.**Figured I’d re-post this where it’s supposed to go.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
Yeah. You're not much of a blogger. You're not much of anything.
XYZ123 - May 20, 2010
Um, I guess so… It surely wasn’t me. I’ve made maybe five posts in the last two years since signing up. Unless you or another Angel fan is playing tally-whack with the same moniker as I have then what you just stated is false.
No.. I did not post anything about the Angels or any other subject yesterday.
SirChris4 - May 19, 2010
How cute, "SirChristy" found his way from the 2009 Angels MLB message boards over here!
I like how you disappeared from those boards last September and look forward to the same this year. That is, unless Rev bans you before then, which is highly probable.
Nice to see you still like to hang around your superiors more than your peers.
Commander_Nate - May 19, 2010
Trash talk from a Rangers' fan. Now that's funny stuff!
Yawn. The Rangers have accomplished nothing. Nothing.
This Ranger bravado happens all the time. The team does well for a brief moment and the trolls come out.
Then reality hits and they disappear.
FYI
The Angels have finished ahead of the Rangers for TEN consecutive seasons. At some point the Rangers will finish ahead of the Angels. But that isn’t something to celebrate. That’s just damn embarrassing that it would take so long. It’s almost like the Rangers are being run by bankrupt morons or people on drugs.
XYZ123 - May 20, 2010
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