Yeah, I know the game in Oakland isn't over yet, but it's 10-3 Rangers in the 8th inning, and I'm not going to come back and edit this later. So there it is, 2010 is officially over for the Angels, except for the fact that there are still 9 games remaining, but that's academic at this point. We've all known this was coming for a couple of months now. I made my peace with it long ago. There will be time to argue the details later.
As for the game itself, it was pretty typical for this team. A good effort by the starter wasted by bad defense, stranded base runners, and Fernando Rodney. Joel Pineiro took just 92 pitches to breeze through 8 innings against the White Sox, being touched only for a solo homer by Paul Konerko. The Angels did scratch out a run off Freddy Garcia in the 4th, but that was it. Fraudney was in a hurry to get the afterparty, so he walked Juan Pierre (also known as the least dangerous hitter in baseball) in the top of the ninth, and he eventually came around to score after a couple of singles. And that, as they say, was that. Ununbelievable!
As a more interesting side note, Mike Scioscia obliged the clamoring fanbase by putting 5 players with less than a year of major-league service time in tonight's lineup (Bourjos, Conger, Romine, Trumbo, Wood), three of whom were called up just this month-- one even today. Abreu, Hunter, and Matsui all played, though, which still left the median age on the field at, like, 47. Anyways, the kids said "thanks, dad" by going 1-for-17 with 5 strikeouts, along with two throwing errors. We should be seeing a lot more of this next week now that the Angels are officially dead. Maybe it's necessary, but it sure isn't much fun to watch.
So this is the way the world ends.
3 recs | 78 comments
Wait, I thought Reggie was the least dangerous hitter in baseball?
~MMP~ - September 24, 2010
I still found Romine fun to watch for the effortless defense.
Which was no small part of why Pineiro was so good tonight. His left side defenders were terrific.
Turks Teeth - September 24, 2010 via mobile
Yep, it was fun seeing a shortstop make pretty much every play look really easy.
~MMP~ - September 24, 2010
Yes, "this is the way the world ends."
But only for this year.
Next year a New World begins.
vladtheimpaler - September 24, 2010
Not with a bang but a whimper.
BruinHalo - September 24, 2010
I bet Elliot could hit better than Wood
Rally Manatee - September 25, 2010
TS or Missy?
VPBOB - September 25, 2010
Beat y'all to it, in the game thread.
red floyd - September 25, 2010
By the way,
2010 Angels: Official time of Death, September 24, 2010 at 10:09:46 PM.
I watched the Oakland/Texas game as well.
AndyHogan14 - September 24, 2010
That concludes a very depressing year in Anaheim sports
AndyHogan14 - September 24, 2010
Nah nah nah nah....nah nah nah nah....
HEY HEY HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/raises middle finger on way out
TXHC - September 24, 2010
I apologize, I'm drunk
TXHC - September 24, 2010
Mom better lock down the medicine cabinet and wet bar next time.
Downing Rules - September 24, 2010
Indeed.
Better luck next year.
TXHC - September 24, 2010
Thanks... we'll BOTH need it! :)
Downing Rules - September 24, 2010
thats EXACTLY what cliff lee will be saying to the rangers after a first round elimination
clover_black - September 24, 2010
txhc, I get it, you're happy that the Rangers took the AL West...
But until you guys actually can win, year in, and year out, and truly make it a rivalry, STFU!!!! Have fun losing in the 1st round!!!
halofolife - September 25, 2010
Good Job
You extended your season by three games.
ryanfea - September 25, 2010
Way to make your state look good, Jethro.
Enjoy another ringless season.
Teixeira Who? - September 27, 2010
Only too fitting that we'd be eliminated by Rodney, though.
Just another “veteran reliever” doing his job.
Rodney, Speier, Shields, Fuentes. Multiple years, 5-10M per.
Vs Oliver or Capps on their cheap performance-based contracts.
It’s why the news that veteren RP is on the top of Mike&Tony’s shopping list feels me with such shrek. Like Fuentes feels facing A-Rod. Like Shields feels facing Boston. Like Rodney feels facing Juan Pierre.
See the cash, flush the cash.
Turks Teeth - September 24, 2010 via mobile
Shields was too good for too long to be lumped in with those other pathetic pitchers.
Yes the end for Shields was brutal, but it was also very unexpected and out of character.
Clutch - September 25, 2010
I wouldn't even lump Fuentes and Speier in with Rodney
Rodney’s in a class all by himself really. Even Speier had a better WHIP and K/BB in 09 than Rodney does now. Rodney is an utter disaster. If I had it my way, I would dump him and Matsui just so we can forget 2010 ever happened.
Rally Manatee - September 25, 2010
Fuentes
did the job he was paid to do, by and large. Unfortunately, one of the few times he didn’t last year was in the playoffs, so it was more painful and prominent. But really, Fuentes was not a problem (and who knows, maybe the guy they got for him will make it to the show). The unfortunate thing about Rodney is that not only is he not very good, his presence (and salary) might be taking innings away from better pitchers in the organization. The same cannot really be said of Fuentes.
Shields was one of the best relievers in all of baseball for a good six years plus before he finally wore out. And even Speier started out just fine.
Rodney was a mistake from Day 1.
jjackflash - September 25, 2010
the job he was paid to do
I think it muddles the issue to conventionalize it like this.
Just consider: Fuentes and Pineiro both are paid ~9M annualized.
Fuentes pitched 55 innings last year, 44 this year. That’s less than a quarter of what Pineiro pitched. It’s not surprising that he only delivered 1.0 WAR last season. Bourjos has already delivered 1.1 WAR this season, without hitting a lick, on the strength of his glove alone.
We need to get past the myths of the “dominant closer” and “veteran reliever” and remember that Shields, K-Rod, Donnelly, Weber, even Percival — all delivered their best seasons with us earning salaries closer to the league minimum than to the 5-10M contracts that Angels have been doling out of late.
Turks Teeth - September 25, 2010
Understood
And maybe there was someone in the organization who could have closed last year, or maybe there was someone they could have signed for less to do the same job. But Fuentes wasn’t detrimental to the team’s success. Sure seems to me like Rodney has been.
jjackflash - September 25, 2010
Wait. You mean blowing like 5 straight games is BAD?
Rally Manatee - September 25, 2010
Shields is a much beloved Angel in our house.
Mrs Teeth in particular loved his gentle appalachian ways.
But Shields definitely fits into that group. The point I’m making is not about the relative lovability of this motley crew — it’s that it almost never makes sense to give out multi-year contracts to relievers, and certainly not at $5M a year or more. The risk simply outweighs the reward.
Pitchers like Mariano Rivera are unicorns. You can’t expect that consistent performance from relievers. Relievers are relievers because they typically lack the diversity of pitches and stamina to be starters. They’re specialists, and their career peaks are typically short term, two to four year stretches if you’re lucky.
Bullpens are why teams draft lots of college hurlers in the middle rounds — so that they can have a cheap, continual queue of relief options rotating in and out. It’s not a place to dump 20-25% of salary as the Angels have in recent years.
Turks Teeth - September 25, 2010
Veteran reliever is not on top of our wish list
I haven’t heard them make comments like that at all. I have heard them say that they are comfortable with how the bullpen is shaping up next season and that they are impressed with Walden and Kohn. The top of our wish list is offense. Tony just said this the other day.
Brody - September 25, 2010
Sorry to have to be the one to bring you up to date.
It’s not speculation. Mike and Tony both sat down with LA beat reporters and clearly articulated that veteran relief was one of the top priorities. Here’s Mike DiGiovanna.
Turks Teeth - September 25, 2010
OK that is somewhat discouraging
I find DiGiovanna’s choice of words interesting though. He didn’t say that Reagins and Scioscia said a veteran reliever would be high on our list. He said they *gave the impression" that this was the case. I wonder how they did that without directly saying it, or whether DiGiovanna’s choice of words is really imprecise.
Brody - September 26, 2010
Looks like i picked a good game to miss.
Anyways, even though we are “mathematically” eliminated, I still hold out hope we can reach the post season.
clover_black - September 24, 2010
way to keep the faith
You’re an example to us all.
cath619 - September 24, 2010
I’m pretty sure
he means the 2011 postseason.
phoenix15 - September 24, 2010
2010 bro
I don’t buy into “numbers” or “facts.” borrrrrrring.
clover_black - September 24, 2010
I meant that ^^ friendly-ly,
:)
But yeah, we’re gonna rawk the 2011 postseason!
cath619 - September 24, 2010
Who keeps rec'ing everything?
I mean besides Rodney.
Rally Manatee - September 25, 2010
Someone that likes green?
sothball - September 25, 2010
Looks like I picked the wrong night to quit sniffing glue.
Clutch - September 25, 2010
And drinking, smoking and amphetamines!
red floyd - September 25, 2010
It's only fitting that we got eliminated
on a night that Fail-Rod blew another one.
Chzburger Jones - September 24, 2010
Rodney wasn't all that bad ... he only gave up one run.
Trumbo looked horrible (expected a high-K rate, didn’t we?), Romine, Wood, and Conger all in a COMBINED FAIL.
Conger picked up right where Mathis/Napoli left off … throwing the ball into center field. AWESOME.
I’m thinking of Chris Farley’s Paul McCartney interview … imagine him interviewing the entire Angels’ team:
“Hey Angels … remember when you used to hit the ball? THAT WAS AWEEEESSSSSOOOOOOMMMMMEEEEE!”
Downing Rules - September 24, 2010
Also, that was the weakest crowd I have been around in years...
I felt like I was sitting amongst a gaggle of cadavers.
My son and I were so noisy at one point I yelled at him “SHHHHH YOU’RE WAKING US UP HERE! WE’RE TRYING TO SLEEP!”
Downing Rules - September 24, 2010
The crowd on hand tonight really did suck...
Nobody really cared, everybody knew the season was over. Oh well, I guess we’ll get ’em next year.
halofolife - September 25, 2010
Really?
I wonder where you were sitting because everyone around me was cheering at every hit that the Angels got.
And the boos for Manny and AJ were AWESOME. The guy in front of me just kept chanting “steroids” every time Manny was up.
Bourjos got robbed 2 times of getting a hit. Those were great hits not his fault that people can’t hang on to the ball.
YIKES Conger had a bad night – Dear Hank, Do NOT hang out with Mathis anymore – Wilson is your friend learn from him.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
He's paid almost six mil a year to pitch one inning every third day.
He came into a game where Pineiro had given up one run in eight innings and promptly gave up one run in one inning. He threw 24 pitches and put three men on base. That’s plenty bad.
In his last ten appearances, he’s blown three saves and lost two other games. And at age 33, the Angels are paying him more than double than he’s made in any other season in his career.
We’re supposed to blame tonight’s game on rookies like Trumbo who have been sitting cold on the bench for two weeks? Nah. That’s expected. But there’s no reason Rodney deserves our sympathy tonight — he should be very much the goat.
Turks Teeth - September 24, 2010
I can't blame Rodney either
I mean, he’s just a shitty pitcher. We all knew this from the start, or we all should have known it. His overall performance is almost exactly in line with his performance last year. He’s not doing anything wrong, he’s just being Fernando Rodney. He would be Fernando Rodney making $500,000 or $500,000,000 this year.
In this case, I don’t blame the deer in the headlights. I blame the people who said, “hey, it would be a great idea to spend $12 million on a road that runs right through the heart of deer valley, then let’s direct heavy traffic onto that road during deer season.” It’s not Rodney’s fault he’s about to be roadkill. It’s the fault of the people who put him there.
Suboptimal - September 25, 2010
Given that this is a post-game thread, I was assigning in-game blame .
To the larger view, I’m sure you’re plenty aware of where I place blame for Rodney’s contract.
Let this be the companion bookend to my offseason Rodney eschatology.
You’ll see there that I wanted Oliver and Capps. I can’t say every prediction I make turns out golden — I also suggested that Rich Harden on a one year contract was an acceptable high-risk high-reward gamble, and the risk definitely won out in 2010 — but I think my view on the bullpen was fairly sound.
Turks Teeth - September 25, 2010
The comment wasn't specifically directed at you
We’ve both been consistently on the same page regarding the Angels’ bullpen policy.
Suboptimal - September 25, 2010
BLAME TORII HUNTER, AS WELL...
he was pathetic tonight. Sit his ass down for the rest of the season. I’m tired of his rubber bat whiffing and DP’ing.
Downing Rules - September 24, 2010
buh buh buh.
buh buh buhhhh
buh buh buh
buh buh buh.
buh buh buhhhhh
buh buh buh,
buh buh buhhhhh!
buh buh buhhhhhhhh!
Commence the 21 gun salute.
sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher - September 24, 2010
this is probably better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xrlf3taEo
sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher - September 24, 2010
I blame Hunter for his weak effort while being paid the most money on the lineup tonight.
44FAN - September 24, 2010
and so it ends
Angels_48 - September 24, 2010
I was there....
The pre-game 50th Anniversary stuff was a lot of fun = it will be a fun 2011 season
But…
now I’m officially depressed.
I knew it was coming…I sort of held out some hope…but now it’s over.
Flatlined.
Turns off the machines, turns around to leave…
Last person to leave please turn out the lights.
angelsfan7 - September 24, 2010
hey anyone got pics of the new logo color and jerseys?
Angels_48 - September 24, 2010
I do
angelsfan7 - September 24, 2010
The new logo sux ostrich eggs.
Stirrups - September 25, 2010
You are allowed to have your opinion. I think it is pretty cool.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
Where can i see the new stuff?
Christoffer James V Ferreira - September 25, 2010
New stuff
The jersey’s didn’t change except that the halo on the A will be gold. There will also be the 50th anniv patch on the right sleeve. The hats also have a gold halo and a 50th anniv patch on the right side.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
Considering your new avatar, one would hope so.
Stirrups - September 27, 2010
Agree with you ... it sucks
But, if it means the old jerseys are 80% off on Monday and Tuesday then HALLELUJAH!
Downing Rules - September 25, 2010
Just got home from the game.
While i’m not upset at losing the game, after all, the season was lost a few weeks ago, losing because of Rodney, really sucks! Once again, the Jeff Mathis of the bullpen managed to throw away a game we could’ve won. Pinata pitched great, the youngsters were great too. I can’t wait til ST, bring on 2011! Congratulations to the Rangers on winning the AL West. Here’s to hoping those MoFo’s are swept in the ALDS. BTW, I still fault the snuggies for our demise!
halofolife - September 25, 2010
Farewell, fair season
You were in many ways exhilarating, heartbreaking, frustrating, rage-inducing, euphoric, stupid, sad, and meh, all at once, but one thing is for sure—we will miss this season in which we were brought to our senses of how wonderful our Halos’ recent streak has been—and back to THIRST FOR MORE!
BRING ON 2011!
Clutch - September 25, 2010
Bring on 2011 indeed....
For me this is the worst part of being a sports fan. While I enjoy basketball (go Lakers!), and I follow college football and basketball (go UCLA Bruins!), and I root for the Redskins and Rams in the NFL, I miss baseball the most of every sport. While I may follow different sports year round, my love is given to baseball, and the Halos…..I can’t wait til spring training. other sports grab my attention, but baseball is my passion. I miss baseball already!!
halofolife - September 25, 2010
Yeah, this is true.
I’ve been in a baseball-missing funk since late July when it was clear the season was over. Can’t wait for March!
Clutch - September 25, 2010
Time to sit and stare out the window, and wait for spring.
red floyd - September 25, 2010
Protected Pick?!?!?!?!?!?
norcaliangelsfan - September 25, 2010
Why?
I don’t understand this. We are not in the bottom of the league and that’s how the picks are given out. We’ve finished in the middle of the league. I’d rather finish strong and finish in 2nd above the A’s.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
First 15
The first 15 picks are protected. There are 30 teams in the league. The Angels’ record, right now, is the 18th best in the league. Do the math.
jjackflash - September 25, 2010
Maybe's and Someday's?
I couldn’t care less about a Maybe and a Someday there are not guarantees there. I’ll stick with wanting to finish above the A’s.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
Why?
Are you really saying that the intrinsic value of being second-best in the division, rather than third-best, is more important than being able to improve the team by signing top-tier free agents AND by adding a top draft pick to the organization? That’s just weird, not to mention absurd. Second v. third nets you NOTHING this year. A free agent & draft pick can help make this team finish FIRST in years to come.
jjackflash - September 25, 2010
Everyone needs to cheer up
Sharktopus premiers tonight on SyFy.
half shark, half octopus.
clover_black - September 25, 2010
once upon a time
Scioscia cared about this season…but playing the kids and then bringing Napoli in to pinch hit? I think I officially hate the old skipper
me33 - September 25, 2010
I don’t hate Scioscia but I do think it was a little late when Napoli was brought in – I sort of thought that’s he’d already given up.
How many days until pitchers and catchers report? I hope Rodney just doesn’t show up – I wouldn’t miss him at all.
angelsfan7 - September 25, 2010
hahahaha!
Tastes great, less filling argument here. Many have been bitching to play the kids for weeks … now he finally obliges and the “man, they’ve given up” crowd surfaces. Too funny!
Downing Rules - September 25, 2010
Well, THAT was an ordeal
On the bright side, at least I’ll be able to save a few hundred bucks on playoff tickets and watch the Rangers get destroyed for free.
Wonder what I’ll do with my extra cash…
Commander_Nate - September 25, 2010
Its okay
we learned a lot this year……fill in the blank with your smart ass response here
autry's cowboys - September 25, 2010
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