Final Score in Boston: Red Sox 3, Angels 1 ... The Angels lost their 6th straight game with John Lackey as their opponent for the first time ever. He was given the single widest strike zone of the season as a welcome to the biased Boston umpiring ... and it was not just at home plate as the 3B (James Hoye) umpire called a Bobby Abreu double foul, even though replays showed it clearly on the line, meanwhile the 1B umpire (Laz Diaz) failed to call a simple 3rd out on a triple play, again ... replays showed it obvious but MLB flirts instead with a Tim Donaghy-like scandal. One day in the near future this scandal of umps on the take will make us all forget steroids when we learn that umpiring in favor of the Red Sox is the single reason the team has dominated its opponents since becoming a darling of the ESPN ratings drive in the late 1990s. The Boston Roid Umpx have heaps of shame headed their way for their dirty decade-plus of cheating.
Just as "coincidentally" when the Angels and low-strike tossing Joel Pineiro faced the "on the corner" pitching of the Yankees' Andy Pettitte, the umpiring gave a wide horizontal strike zone and a thin vertical one courtesy of homeplate umpire Wally Bell - wonder how many people were tipped on the line in Vegas for this one. We need robots.
Relive the nightmare at GAME THREAD 1 and GAME THREAD 2 and roll call is after the jump...
Roll Call: Xeifrank, red floyd, Funke5ive, ryanfea, dkane626, M.Napoli For President in 2012, ~MMP~, Epic Dean, BigBangRobbDawgg, angels all star 2010, SCHalo, Quinlan's Goofy Swing, Halowood, Rev Halofan, 101halo, desecrator09, OC Awhole1, K3YEROUT, HalosFanInNorCal, NJinHB, agent_99, AngelKeith, firebird81, princeton11loveshalos, Downing Rules, TheKingfish, RexTookMyStash, blochead, Gorbachav5, b0rd3rline, bc56274, Commander_Nate, AlanFalcon, SMUangelFan, Figgi4life, mattwelch, Fred Fredrix, RedHatHalo, snowhor, clover_black, muddybox, hobbit_86, UCIHalo, phoenix15, Suboptimal, chairmanofthebar, LAASurfin, rmhalofan, MH252525, hbhalofan, gyoung08, SalmonStream, NW angels Fan, WiHaloFan, Dono Romantico, angelfan1954, angelsfan7, HaloBaseball4Life, Drizzy23, raskul, Bento Box, lightupthehalo, Angelsrthebest101, jhens76
Total Users: 64
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Total Threads: 2
0 recs | 175 comments
Its not even fair every single game its the same story the umpires have been screwing us
other than that one call in the Indians game where torii should have been out, other than that we have not gotten any breaks
Angelsrthebest101 - May 5, 2010
The parking lot halo was as dark as the night ,
anaheim had never looked so bleak.
Nary a soul could muster the might,
boy do the Angels stink.
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
stink doesn't rhyme with bleak
how about, “boy are the Angels weak.”
Fred Fredrix - May 5, 2010
critic
ladybug - May 5, 2010
kendry got absolutely hosed on that one 3-1 fastball that was two feet out of the zone
ghsu - May 5, 2010
What innings did all of these bad calls occur
I want to see the miscalled double, the non-triple play call, and the 3-1 pitch to Kendry. I have MLB.TV and will watch them later, can someone let me know what innings they happened in?
MH252525 - May 5, 2010
I started sort of watching the game in the 7th and saw some of the expanded strikezone.
First pitch of the inning was a strike that had to be at least 6 inches off the corner.
MH252525 - May 5, 2010
Triple play is in 2nd
Figgi4life - May 5, 2010 via mobile
Abreu double
in the first inning
Rev Halofan - May 5, 2010
This team is sucking harder than Paris Hilton at a Hollywood party
chairmanofthebar - May 5, 2010
I'm gonna take a risk here.
This write-up sucks. Rev, do you honestly think it’s the umpires fault we lost? Or is it just that you don’t know where to begin analyzing this sucky-ness? (I know that last sentence sounds sarcastic, but I’m honestly asking…)
Figgi4life - May 5, 2010 via mobile
+1
deejayelleseven - May 5, 2010 via mobile
rec'd
weak post, if i was a OTM poster I’d be laughing my ass off at this blame game shit.
clover_black - May 5, 2010
folks i do not come on to goad or gloat
your team has had the RED SOX # FOR A LONG TIME !. but rev i don’t know what tv you are watching but that call at third when the ball hit JUST in front of it was fair!. you might have a point on the play at first the ump was a lot closer then you or i !. to say the ump’s have it out for your team is a sad play at trying to fix a loss and that is what it is and that is all it is . the calls have gone both way’s over the years . anyway like i have said your team is a lot better then they are playing now . hey we got swept by the O’s and not to knock them but we are better then that! it will all come out in the wash as they say :)
RED SOX are #1 in my heart - May 5, 2010
Flagged!
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
Don't know what that means ?
but i am not trying to start anything
RED SOX are #1 in my heart - May 5, 2010
It means I don't know where'd I'd be without your insightful comments.
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
Actually I think you are being pretty cool thus far
Not the usual buffoonish troll invading HH
I think you envision the big picture as well—both teams have been playing below their level, and we know that both will rise up to kick some butt in the long run (well, they better…).
It will most likely “all come out in the wash again” as you say, and this rivalry will continue in the post-season—if not this year, then next.
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
Well thanks for that ! i love this game and i know WE can get caught up in it !
have a good night folks!
RED SOX are #1 in my heart - May 5, 2010
We're gonna kick your butts tomorrow!!
(fingers crossed)
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
It's Rex's illiteracy and lack of stash getting the best of him again
;)
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
the truth hurts
ladybug - May 5, 2010
How about this: Umpires + Angel's suckiness = L
It’s not like Wood has to strike out with the bases loaded, he just does. His homer was probably a product of this thinking:
Lackey: this guy sucks ass, he couldn’t hit it if I groove him one
(Wood homers)
Lackey: OK, I guess he can hit it if it’s grooved.
Wally's World - May 5, 2010
Replays don't lie...
and that x-mo thingy box grid that shows where the pitches are located doesn’t fib too much either. Neither of them are influenced by the fans at Fenway either.
Cut Rev some slack…..bad calls + Angel team sucky-ness = another loss
hbhalofan - May 5, 2010
I understand that the calls sucked.
Not arguing that. But he only mentioned one part of that equation (the calls) and neglected the equally important if not more important angel sucky-ness.
Figgi4life - May 5, 2010 via mobile
Sorry to say, I gotta agree
I saw the first 2-3 innings via Gameday at work and noted the umps non-existant lower strike zone. However, Lackey also had several pitches well within the Gameday K-Zone that didn’t get called. To say he was pitching his best would just be a lie.
Brandon Wood striking out on the high fastball in the 2nd inning to leave ‘em loaded and then going deep in a big way later perfectly summarized the irrelevancy that has been this team’s efforts so far. Our starters have given up a total of 3 earned runs over the last 13 innings and we could only muster them 2 runs of support in the same time frame, meanwhile leaving the bases loaded/RISP several times. How many times has that happened already this year? I can now think of two losses that Pineiro got tagged with where he realistically could not have been asked to do anything better than he did. Ervin now has 3 no decisions and Weaver and Kazmir each have at least 1 under similar circumstances. That’s not the ump’s fault, that’s completely on us.
Someone call FEMA, there’s a disaster in Anaheim.
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
agreed.
it’s just an easier way to excuse a crappy stretch. No one complains when we win…
BigSnyan - May 6, 2010
There were some questionable calls, but I can't blame the umpires for our anemic play.
We are just super shitty right now.
bc56274 - May 5, 2010
agreed +1000
OC Awhole1 - May 5, 2010
with what?
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
our anemic play is the reason, not the umps- missed the reply button
OC Awhole1 - May 5, 2010
With Kaz going tomorrow, it should be 7 straight. We will need at least 6 or 7 to even offset the damage.
gyoung08 - May 5, 2010
I think Kaz will be solid; it's our hitting that's enemic
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
it's ok though
Torii is well rested, we’ll get that 8 game winning streak in August. Just in time to move us from the 5th pick in the draft to 16th and lose it when we sign another OF over 30 to a huge contract this offseason.
MH252525 - May 5, 2010
if Kaz brings 88mph heat it will be a long day
OC Awhole1 - May 5, 2010
Well
the offense has been bad, but the hitters may feel forced to try and attack the outside strike zone resulting in weak contact. Lackey threw the ball there the entire time for strikes, even getting some freebies, while Pinerio threw at the exact same place, but wasn’t called strikes. The Sox hitters don’t have to hit the outside corner pitch as Pinerio barely gets the borderline pitches. It is weird as Lackey has been having issues with command and gets his borderline pitches, while Pinerio, known as a strike artist, barely got the borderline pitches.
phoenix15 - May 5, 2010
i'm praying we are getting this suckage out of our system now
bright spots: joel pitched well, bulger didn’t give up a GS and BWood hit a bomb…though 1 AB too late.
thank God it’s May and we’re in the AL West
SCHalo - May 5, 2010
The strike zone was iffy for BOTH pitchers
Here’s Horse Face’s:
As you can see, the HP ump screwed him on those down in the zone strikes (Izzy BB was a gift) and gave him some on the outer part (especially Bobby 3-1 count)
Julio Lugo - May 5, 2010
Here's Piniero's
Julio Lugo - May 5, 2010
Your name is Julio Lugo...
Therefore, even though I pretty much agree with you, I still have to say you fail.
Just sayin’…
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
I don't see it as consistent... looking at the left side, at least
I see FIVE little red squares to the left of the “box” in Lackey’s plot and only two little red squares to the left in Pineiro’s plot.
Furthermore, the two “out of the zone to the left” strikes that Pineiro was gifted were within 2 increments (1 increment equals 1-1/6 inches) out of the zone.
Lackey’s out of the zone to the left gifted strikes were 1, 2, 2, 3, and 5 increments away.
The low end is consistent and there are two balls that Lackey got screwed on.
It’s lame, but we cannot use this as an excuse for losing the game. Wood blew it by striking out with the bases loaded.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
Called a lot of strikes balls
For both teams.
Figgi4life - May 5, 2010 via mobile
Absolutely
That’s why I don’t see where Rev claim about the wider strike zone is coming from! This team pitched poorly by giving BBs and HRs and they were actually lucky that the Sux batters (Hermida and Martinez IIRC) lined out in 2 DPs! They fielded poorly too (Wood on Beltre grounder, Matsui on Scutaro 2B) and they managed 2 hits!!!
Pathetic all around team effort!
Julio Lugo - May 5, 2010
Consistent
Ump had an outside strike zone for Piniero and Lackey. He didn’t call anything high or low out of the zone for either pitcher. He was consistent, which to me means he called a decent game.
1970cs - May 5, 2010
Yap
RedFog - May 5, 2010
PItch 5 to Kendry Morales in 4th inning on 3-1 pitch was clearly a foot outside...
Instead of a leadoff walk and Lackey into the stretch, he grounds out to 1b on the next pitch. This is just an example of what is being discussed…it is embarrassing to watch and frankly frustrating. Let the players lose the games on their owns please…
K3YEROUT - May 5, 2010
+1
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
You raise a good point
In judging the validity of Rev’s accusation, it’s not necessarily meaningful just to look at graphs of pitch locations identified by the result of each one. You’d have to look at each pitch in context. The pitch in question was so far outside that it was almost off the Fox Box; and its influence on the inning was decisive. It would be interesting to relate each missed call to its context in the at-bat and inning. A similarly erroneous call against the Sux occurring on a 1-0 count with no outs would look the same in the graphs, but its effect would be far less significant.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
^ ^ this ^ ^
tables turned and there would be MLB investigations and ESPN wanting a refund on their broadcasting fee.
Rev Halofan - May 6, 2010
or this
There isn’t a monopoly on bad calls in Anaheim, it’s spread out.
For me, CB Bucknor and Greg Gimble should have already been fired for being incompetent. But the thing is, when either of them are behind the plate or in the field both dugouts are usually throwing up their hands in disbelief and disgust.
Ask Twins fans weither they believe their team was given a fair chance in the ALDS last year against the Yankees by the umpires or TBS?
As for the pitch in question being a foot outside, I listened to the game so I didn’t see it, what preceeded it? Did he take a step towards first before the call? Look to flip the bat? I don’t know if something was said, and it was a case of ’I’ll show you’.
My overall feeling about umpiring is that increasingly they are making themselves and their egos part of the game, with no accountability. Joe West made his comments about slow play the same week his new book was being released.
Rev, your argument would hold a lot more water if you made it when the Angels go on a six win streak, not now.
1970cs - May 6, 2010
uh
Gibson, not Gimble
1970cs - May 6, 2010
Your argument lacks evidence
With all due respect, it seems to reflect your philosophy rather than actual observation.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
I missed the whole game working
but I sure didn’t miss much, I guess—
other than Woody’s HR and a good performance from Pineiro.
If we’re sucking, at least much of our starting pitching is been decent, which is the best area of perfornmance to build on: solid starting pitching
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
I guess we have a decent chance to win tomorrow with Matsuzaka pitching
~MMP~ - May 5, 2010
we will have trouble hitting a BP pitcher right now
OC Awhole1 - May 5, 2010
sad but so true
deejayelleseven - May 5, 2010 via mobile
Has Matsuiland filed for Chapter 11 or what?
Meanwhile, Vladdy is tearing it up
PieceOfAase - May 5, 2010
Vladdy Who..?
Rangers blog is down the hall to the left if you really wanna wash Vladdys balls some.
deejayelleseven - May 5, 2010 via mobile
you know
the guy who use to be an Angel. who got kicked to the curb for some Yankee scrub. Matsui looks like a bad signing compared to what it would have cost to keep Vlad
HALO_86 - May 5, 2010
Judging signings based on the past half a dozen games while ignoring the games before those is awesome
~MMP~ - May 5, 2010
really
who has the better stat right now up to this point in the season?
HALO_86 - May 6, 2010
Sorry, but I'm still a Vladdy fan.
I want him to suck when we face him, but I wish him the best otherwise.
Rally Manatee - May 5, 2010
My, how quickly we forget. . . .
Maybe you are a closet Yankee fan. You probably wanted Damon too. Meanwhile, Vlad still rules.
Wally's World - May 5, 2010
We need a "heart" infusion right now, need some spark
OC Awhole1 - May 5, 2010
Time to start the Q
neochoa - May 5, 2010
Sell the farm
and trade for a younger stud that will be with us for years. I’m sure the AARP will understand
adirondackangelfan - May 5, 2010
What really sucks is
that we sure made Lackey look good today.
Jeez, if there was one game this early part of the season we needed to show up
it was this one.
I’m gonna go home, immerse myself in family, watch last night’s Lost, and
forgetaboutit…
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
last night's LOST isn't going to make you feel any better.
neochoa - May 5, 2010
o boy...
Raaddad - May 5, 2010
No shit. Just watched it online.
red floyd - May 5, 2010
With or without the umps helping Lackey...
…this team is looking pretty damn gutless right now. I personally didn’t perceive any monkey biz from the umps, just a team with a long-in-the-tooth outfield phoning it in.
KennyKatella - May 5, 2010
Neutered
Dono Romantico - May 5, 2010
Wood may have gotten an HR but his defense helped the Red Sux win
basic baseball defense drill #1: square your body up IN FRONT OF a ground ball, don’t try to be fancy and backhand glove it and then make the throw to first because baseballs thoughout the years have always may weird hops. If Wood would have played it correctly the Sux would not have scored on the play. Time for Wood to ride the pine, and contemplate his defense for nine.
steelgolf - May 5, 2010
his HR should have come earlier
than his D would have been irrelevant.
princeton11loveshalos - May 5, 2010
A lousy RBI single with the bases loaded
would have had more impact on this game than the idiotic solo homer.
scareduck - May 5, 2010
so what you're saying is...
1 RBI =/= 1 RBI?
howiestheman - May 5, 2010
Wood's contributions seem to add up to a whole lot of L's.
It’s about time to face facts boys, Wood ain’t nothing but a scrub.
Wally's World - May 5, 2010
That's what Princeton is alluding to...
If the HR occurs in the bases loaded situation, the gaffe at 3B is miniscule. Instead, it was a HUGE error that cost the Halos the game. Combine that with the K in the bases loaded situation and you have yourself a BLAME OF THE GAME, yet he accounted for the only run.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
Yeah I know because 3 runs was such a far
Reach to overcome. Stop blaming all this shit on wood. His defense is not what is killing us. Funny how he got one of two hits off horse face. Yeah he struck out with the bases loaded but nobody else did shit. Oh well they’re in a tailspin woody is not to blame the entire offense stinks.
angelskid2210 - May 6, 2010 via mobile
We looked bad tonight
but the umpires sure didn’t help. Bobby’s hit up the line sure looked fair…I can’t imagine it being called foul anywhere else. The ump was giving the outside all to Lackey (my wife was watching the game with me and she couldn’t believe it). When our best players are struggling these kind of things matter. If Abreu was given the double he earned he is going to get out of his current funk much quicker. If the outside of the plate (where Lackey pretty much lived tonight) is given away our batter swing at bad balls.
The loss is our fault but the officiating stunk!
kbrown2225 - May 5, 2010
Will Angel fans go off the deep end because of one bad season. As far as I know every team including the Yankees has had a bad season over the last few years. We have had what 8 or 9 good years in a row!
new horizons - May 5, 2010
2003 and 2006
firebird81 - May 5, 2010
2006 ended up being a good season; Angels won 89 games
The Angels started off poorly (13-17 after 30 games, 31-40 after 71 games).
But they had the best record in baseball from July 1st to the end of the season.
Oakland won the division with 93 wins, thanks in large part to the Mariners COMPLETELY rolling over for them. The A’s went 17-2 vs. the Mariners.
Fan Since 1981 - May 5, 2010
Jeff Weaver
is also a part to blame for the beginning of the year
ryanfea - May 5, 2010
Of course not...
we’ve had LOTS OF PRACTICE dealing with bad seasons pre-Scioscia. I don’t believe this is going to be a bad season. It is a bad stretch.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
John Lackey can go suck a**. I will continue to root for this team no matter what. I have been through the 1970’s and 1990’s. This will turn around soon.
new horizons - May 5, 2010
I singlehandedly got the honors for the only one pissed off at Chili's tonight
no one else gave a crap
ladybug - May 5, 2010
You get my vote for Prez...
…of something. Halo Chili Cheerleader? Don’t touch her wings…
sothball - May 5, 2010
Of course he struck out with the bases loaded
that is a given from a rookie. His defense needs a lot of work and should not be as bad as it is since he has gone through the minors unless the coaches there only cared about his bat.
steelgolf - May 5, 2010
Wood is no longer a rookie.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
Only 1 run on 2 hits?
That’s awful.
But not as awful as this disco version of Night and Day which Frank Sinatra recorded back in 1977.
I want this song blared in the Angels clubhouse every night until this lineup starts producing.
Fan Since 1981 - May 5, 2010
I honestly hope this officiating scandal blows up in MLB's face.
Scar the name of baseball? Yes it will. But it’s also fair. Baseball did nothing about steroids, we’re just now getting over it being smeared in their face. Baseball has done nothing to make the game fair on the field and eventually it will be smeared in their face. This will take another 5 years or so. Then eventually, the Yankees are going to win 6 consecutive World Championships and MLB will have no salary cap be smeared in their face.
MLB, including the commissioner deserve all that comes their way. Until they make the game fair, every game and every champion can and should be held in doubt. I hope one day there’s an asterisk by the Yankees and Red Sox World Championships, like there is next to Bonds and McGwire.
Halowood - May 5, 2010
Look, we’ve been here before. This team is just not meshing right now. Something needs to break and then they will be fine. We’re not hearing of any attitude problems, no one seems to be playing hurt, they just look lackadaisical out there, like they aren’t giving it much effort. Now, when the starting pitchers were horrible I understood, but these last two games our team left Santana and Pineiro standing out there all alone. Basically, someone needs to take the lead in that clubhouse and get people worked up.
firebird81 - May 5, 2010
Suck Boston and Lackey
i should have drop kicked that kid today
DAD OF VLAD - May 5, 2010
Aren't you in the police academy
Don’t you have a taser? Or at least a pistol with some paint rounds?
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
Bene.... DICK Lackey....... just won
im mourning over this loss! for 2 consecutive days our starting pitchers gave it their best shot but this offense is so dead right now! Rojas was right a while ago its not the losses we are disappointed about but the things that we see bad in this team early in this season… execution, chemistry, mechanics, etc. everything’s not working their way right now!
HalosBurnsRed - May 5, 2010
Get rid of Rojas.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
No no no, you have it all wrong.
Make Rojas the hitting coach, have Jose Mota catch and have Hatcher do play by play
~MMP~ - May 5, 2010
Dude ... that's freakin' BRILLIANT!
Who is going to be the pitching coach, though?
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
I hear Eric Byrnes is available
~MMP~ - May 5, 2010
No he got picked up by a beer league softball team in San Fran
Epic Dean - May 6, 2010
World Champ Mariners keeping pace with the Angels tonight.
Most like going to see a
L-Cliff Lee
Xeifrank - May 5, 2010
Scioscia needs to chew some ass like he did last year after the Tampa Bay series
Chone's Chonies - May 5, 2010
Resetting my expetations in 3...2...1..
3rd Echelon - May 5, 2010
Well Damn
Looks like my 2 hit shutout prediction from earlier in the morning nearly came true. But…
It’s easy to lay it on the umps, and I absolutely believe the umpires rule in favor of Sux/Skankees often, but the Angels are playing like horse shit right now, I might even say in the bottom 3 of worst in baseball. Bad calls have MAYBE cost us one game, and that was a game involving (I believe) Detroit and that was the Matsui home plate slide.
Dontbatvlad4th - May 5, 2010
Good Game for Lackey
I’m glad he called out the Angels earlier in the week. Now he backed it up with his play…what a true Ace, someone the Angels miss. The arrogance of the front office was outrageous…yes, not throw big money at Lackey, but then overpay Joel Pinero. Hopefully the front office takes some responsibility this year. Oh and Vlad is hitting .337 for the Rangers.
oasisman - May 5, 2010
Get ready to get torn up oasisman.
Rally Manatee - May 5, 2010
It's fine
I just feel there are two sides to every argument. Everyone has been siding with the Front Office on almost all offseason decisions this last year, including the Lackey decision. If you want to rebuild, rebuild, don’t overpay for a Pinero.
Anyway, hopefully Napoli’s bat continue’s it’s slow thaw. He wanted the playing time, now he has it all.
oasisman - May 5, 2010
overpay?
2 years 16 mil vs FIVE YEAR 82.5 million.
Look what lackey did last year and what pinata did last year. I’m no fan of the FO but this was a pretty solid decision, and Joel has come through for the most part this year
clover_black - May 5, 2010
Of course
I’ll look at Vlad’s stats at the end of the season and see his BA at .350. Oh, and Lackey wasn’t that good on the mound. Standard for him, but with him getting borderline pitches and how horrible this team’s offense is, even a bottom tier pitcher might’ve pulled a win
phoenix15 - May 5, 2010
Vlad's slugging percentage has been dropping every year
2004: .598
2005: .565
2006: .552
2007: .547
2008: .521
2009: .460
In fact, before he hit the HR last night, Vlad’s SLG was only .447. His slugging average is currently .471
stats
The Angels front office decision to let Vlad go was based on a solid rationale.
Fan Since 1981 - May 5, 2010
How is a 2-year, $16 million deal overpaying for Piñeiro?
If Piñeiro is simply a 4 WAR starter over the course of the contract, he’s well worth it. To provide some context, he was a 4.8 WAR starter in 2009 alone. While I don’t expect him to repeat that kind of success, being a 2 WAR starter this year is very achievable.
On the other hand a 5-year contract given to a pitcher in his 30s represents a significant risk. The Angels weren’t being cheap with Lackey; just prudent.
Fan Since 1981 - May 5, 2010
You are using advanced stats
I can’t compete, you make a good point. Nonetheless, $8 mil a year is steep for a 5th starter, especially, when Palmer an O’sullivan are waiting in the wings.
Using age to go against a large Lackey contract is nonsensical he is turning 32 later this year. 5 years from now.he will be 37…pitchers have a longer shelf life. Obviously, Lackey will be overpaid in the later stages of his contract, but that’s just the way baseball contracts work (no salary cap)
oasisman - May 6, 2010
That bird will never fly ...
if Palmer is “waiting in the wings.” Good grief!
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
No it will be SOS
answering the S.O.S.
Palmer stays in long relief
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
How is using age nonsensical?
Teams have been burned by handing out large contracts that extend into a pitcher’s mid-30s.
What the Dodgers received in return: 10 starts, 43.3 innings
Regardless of age, pitcher’s always represent a significant risk factor because arm injuries are prevelant at any age.
Fan Since 1981 - May 6, 2010
Trying something new
The Angels weren’t just signing a 5th starter when they signed Pineiro. They signed their 5th #2 starter. The rationale was, since we couldn’t spend huge money on an ace, get another #2 type pitcher, and have a solid rotation through and through, rather than one that tapers off from 1 to 5. I think it’s a fresh new way to build a rotation. It worked for one week when each starter seemed to out-do the last, and I have faith that it will work again.
Rally Manatee - May 7, 2010
Aside from the Detroit start last week, I've been totally pleased with Jor El, so I don't know what you mean there exactly.
It’s not his fault that basically nobody in this lineup that isn’t named Kendry Morales can’t hit a fucking baseball with any consistency, even if it’s thrown more straight than Dick Cheney’s views on gay marriage.
This team needs to be taken to “the pit” as they called it when I was in boot camp. There is no discipline, no thought process and no aggression in our play, just a bunch of individuals hacking wildly or conversely holding the bat for an eternity with no overall strategy in place. I’ll continue to buy the strength of schedule excuse, in a small part, for the time being – but if this assclownery doesn’t stop soon, then some serious changes are in order.
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
We will turn it around
The team is not fundamentally different from last year’s. Right now our big producers (Hunter, Abreu, Morales etc) just aren’t producing but they will come around and we will get back to our winning ways. I just hope it is soon!
kbrown2225 - May 5, 2010
Naps needs a turnaround, too.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
+1
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
I hope you're right, too!
It is definitely hard to see just why the Angels are stinking so very much right now, and it seems logical that they will right the ship soon. Then again, the 2003 team was not fundamentally different from 2002’s, and that didn’t lead to a good 2003.
The team on the field is playing badly right now, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear reason why. Lately, they’ve been finding new ways to lose every night. It’s still early, yes, but it is perfectly rational at this point to be worried.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
When was the last time
they sucked this bad? (ie, lost 6 in a row and looked pathetic in most of them)
There were some bad stretches early last year…
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
I'd have to check
but if I heard Terry correctly tonight, they haven’t lost 6 in a row on the road since 1999. And while they’ve had some bad stretches in every season, usually once they got to .500 they had the ship righted. This year they’ve gotten there several times and then sunk again.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
You heard correctly...
I got that line, too while driving by the darkened big A.
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
Damn. We're gonna light up the halo on the 15th
OR DIE!!!!!!
(Or get really drunk…Fail…..will have son Crazy Chicken on board)
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
There's strength in numbers!
We’ll have your back, don’t worry. If we see you get one too many beers, we’ll bite the bullet and drink it for you.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
Thank you
I’d had a feeling some of you could carry the flame…or the 16 oz. cup…
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
Yep
Just don’t light a flame near us.
rspencer - May 6, 2010
Angels (and Dodgers, too) Sucking
The Angels and Dodgers saved so much money in the offseason on player salaries that they can no longer turn out a qualtiy product.. When I found out the Dodgers were starting Vicente Padilla on Opening Day, I instantly predicted 100+ losses for them this year. Now, I have revised my prediction for the Angels from 75-78 wins to 100+ losses for them too. I hope Arte Moreno enjoys the $20 million or so he saved by not keeping Lackey and Chone Figgins, because he will lose twice that when his team plays in front of empty stadiums in September.
P. S. Why do most of the postings on sports contain obscenities and misspellings? Are people that coarse?
Martin C. - May 5, 2010
You really think
That the Angels would be that much better off with Figgins in the lineup hitting .202?
jjackflash - May 5, 2010
There are more refined and eloquent postings on the website for The New Yorker
If you hurry now you can still catch the delightful banter in regards to the opening of La Cage Aux Folles at the Longacre Theatre. Watch out for their cucumber sandwiches though, sometimes they don’t cut the crusts off. Dreadful!
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
Your words ...
Two periods at the end of the sentence? Really?
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
plus, it's spelled 'course'
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
Uh... no.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
Of course, you can let it run it’s course, but if the fairway is rough, you could say it is coarse, as in not fine.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
its not it's...
dang.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
haha
It’s hard to be sarcastic on message board. There’s no easy way to denote sarcasm. I guess I could utilize italics or something to that extent.
RexTookMyStash - May 5, 2010
It's actually is it's.
snowhor - May 6, 2010 via mobile
No, it is NOT.
It has run it is course
or
It has run its course
Its without an apostraphe is the possessive form. It’s with an apostraphe is the contraction of two separate words, it and is.
Where’s opiejeanne to back me up when I need her?
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
downing's right.
it’s “its course,” not “it’s course.”
RexTookMyStash - May 6, 2010
and in relation to my favorite ice cream sandwich, you have:
RexTookMyStash - May 6, 2010
Oh I thought you were correcting his comment not the mistake in your post.
He wrote “it’s spelled course.” I glazed over your use of its in your post.
snowhor - May 6, 2010 via mobile
All this talk about its and now I got the SH***
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
This
will not happen in Anaheim my friend. You, yourself sir, did not turn out a “quality product.”
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
"The way we’re going everyone looks like Cy Young," Hunter said.
chairmanofthebar - May 5, 2010
He's got some good quotes recently...
I also like the Joe Saunders “I’m getting the bad ones out of the way first” line.
Real funny stuff.
However, it’s time to “sac up” (check the pouch for contents) and start playing up to their abilities.
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
I'll agree with this write-up on one point - there needs to be more control of umps
Not that I think it cost us this game, or any of the others. I simply think there are so many plays that are better determined through the use of replay technology and so forth. Give managers 1-2 challenges per game, that’s it, end of story. Maybe if the game goes into extras, give them 1 more.
Some of these fair/foul, out/safe, swing/check calls are just downright embarrassing and stupid nowadays, not just for the team or the umps, but for baseball as a whole.
Commander_Nate - May 5, 2010
...and balls and strikes called by a computer in relation to the build of the batter...
…every pitch is called the same at every park and for every pitcher/batter. Uniformity. No bias because you are a veteran or have a reputation for great control or a good “eye.” If you are 6’8" your strike zone is seriously larger than someone 5’9." What I am currently seeing consistently is lunacy.
K3YEROUT - May 6, 2010
Scioscia was Manager of the year.....
So we should trust him and his Howard’s commercials… Hope they can figure out how to ignite this team…
Quote:
“if the engine won’t start you should probably get a tune-up… buy a new sparkplug to get that engine up and running.. and get an oil change too!”
HalosBurnsRed - May 5, 2010 via mobile
He sure knows a lot about ... LAUNDRY
Downing Rules - May 5, 2010
"Coach, do you have any suggestions
on how to get these FAIL stains out of my shorts?"
rspencer - May 6, 2010
Rub some PWN on it, then wash with Bawls
Commander_Nate - May 6, 2010
Chipotlaway?
RexTookMyStash - May 6, 2010
Not to worry
Our best hitter so far, “Shotgun” Mathis, will be back in town soon
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
dadgum!
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
O c'mon, Uncle D-Rules
Tell us the one about how Jeff became “Dadgum Shotgun”!!!
{Panther Lore :-=)
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
listen to him talk
Mathis is on the verge of saying DADGUM between every word
Rev Halofan - May 6, 2010
MYSPACECOBAR...
the caps lock fanatic is the one with the first instance at HH:
http://www.halosheaven.com/2008/3/18/294872/naps-mathis-sittin-in-a-tr#2251068
Downing Rules - May 6, 2010
No wait
You have
But I thought there was a quote when he said something like “But my dadgum shotgun jammed..”
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
props to the caps-meister
love our search feature, few sites have the deep archives we do and the ease to retrieve info from within the bowels of time…
Rev Halofan - May 6, 2010
Just an FYI...
your making yourselves sound like idiots Angel fans for blaming the umpire.
The-Snake - May 6, 2010
Hey snake, go back to the garden of eden
and tempt the broad living there to eat my fruit.
Rev Halofan - May 6, 2010
Yes master
The-Snake - May 6, 2010
okay
that was good comeback.
Rev Halofan - May 6, 2010
I blame the firing of Hud
bad karma
It may come down to that first tuesday home game Hud show before our luck changes, and the spirit of Hudness rains down upon us. Amen.
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
We need to get RexTookMyStash on Hud's show.
red floyd - May 6, 2010
Because........?
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
Because I'm flippin' awesome
RexTookMyStash - May 6, 2010
Rex took his stash?
red floyd - May 6, 2010
I don't think rex would take kindly to me making light of his horrible addiction
RexTookMyStash - May 6, 2010
What is he an alcoholic now
instead of just a pot smoker?
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
lol
Raaddad - May 6, 2010
In case you haven't noticed, a good portion of us disagree with that assertion
Commander_Nate - May 6, 2010
Can I Have A Dollar?
Funke5ive - May 6, 2010
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