I am looking for suggestions regarding spring training.

Continue reading this post »

Looking over our remaining schedule (and ignoring management's mantra of taking it one game at a time), I predict that Weaver, Haren, and Santana will make 13 of the Angels' final 19 starts -- 5 by Weaver, and 4 each by Haren and Santana.  Pineiro and Williams each will make three of the other six starts.  A breakdown of those starts follows the jump.

Continue reading this post »

I am incensed at all of the comments about how we deserve this or that, and still other comments to the effect that supposed fans will not support the team next season.  If anyone thinks that one, two, or even several consecutive losing or non-playoff seasons is a reason to abandon the team or not go to games, then that person is not a real fan in the first place.  In fact, by that logic, only the Yankees and Red Sox would have any fans at all.

In the past 10 years, we averaged nearly 90 wins per season, never lost 90 games, never had consecutive losing seasons, and never went more than one season without winning over 90 games.  We made the playoffs 6 times, won the division 5 times (including 5 of the past 7), played in the ALCS 3 times, and won a World Series.

Continue reading this post »

As reported by the L.A. Times this morning, Tony Reagins, Mike Scioscia, and the team's coaching staff met for 45 minutes after the 7-3 loss to Boston yesterday.  Reagins acknowledged to reporters that he would be open to trading veterans for prospects before the trade deadline on Saturday, and he and Scioscia both suggested that they were looking into options that will improve the team "this year or in future years."

Continue reading this post »

This responds to Halopauly's comment in another thread, but it easily could apply to numerous others.

There is no denying that we are off to a terrible start.  Suboptimal's statistical comparisons indicate that this stretch in fact is one of the worst by any Angels team under Scioscia.  It also is true that we are almost 1/4 of the way through this season.  These are not reasons, however, to concede that the season is lost or that, at 15-21, we have no possibility of finishing above .500 at the end of the 162-game season.  Here are five reasons to be encouraged, and to believe that we can still succeed:

Continue reading this post »

We have discussed this topic numerous times this year, and, apparently, the media finally asked a few questions about it:  Vladimir Guerrero could be first Angel in the Hall -- latimes.com.  Check out what was said -- and not said -- by the key players in this drama:

Vladimir Guerrero:

Guerrero wants to stay. He has made that absolutely clear. He has no desire to test the market.

Mike Scioscia:

"There are certain things that define achievement as an organization, championships in particular," Scioscia said. "When you win a World Series, that's what you strive for. That's what really defines you as an organization.

"Having someone go into the Hall of Fame is a great tribute to a player. It reflects on the organization, certainly. But, in my opinion, world championships are the crowning glory for an organization."

Arte Moreno:

He declined our interview request.

The article also implies that Guerrero's price tag might be low this offseason because he have may have limited options given that (i) he cannot play the outfield on a regular basis (thus eliminating any NL team), (ii) the Yankees may have to reserve the DH spot for Posada, and (iii) the Red Sox have Ortiz.

This relates to a number of comments in the fanpost regarding whether we should re-sign Figgins to a large contract:  Brandon Wood is out of options and thus will not spend next season in AAA.  If the Angels try to send him back to AAA next season, which they will not, he will have to clear waivers (which would never happen).

Angels' Brandon Wood ready to leave triple A behind for good

Wood was interviewed about this and he said:

"It's a comforting feeling knowing it won't be as easy as last spring to get optioned," Wood told the LA Times.  "But at the same time, I have to work hard this winter and be ready to win a job in spring training."

The article goes on to speculate about whether (and where) Wood could earn a starting spot, depending on whether the team re-signs Vladdy, Abreu, and/or Figgy.  Without rehashing that debate, the point is that Wood will be on our roster, at least displacing Q as last man on the bench.

If Figgy is on his way out as a result, I will miss him.  He was one of my favorites as a pinch-runner and utility player, and he has become one of the best leadoff men in the game and a gold glover at 3B.  That said, the organization has been very successful letting veterans go when they have a capable in-house replacement, and Figgy's speed has already declined significantly as evident from his ratio of SB/CS (3.65 in 2005, 3.25 in 2006, 3.42 in 2007, 2.62 in 2008, and 2.44 in 2009).

In any case, whatever happens, all of the Brandon Wood fans should be excited about next season...

The Angels released Justin Speier before today's game to make room on the roster for Trevor Bell.  The Angels owe Speier the remainder of his salary for this season and $5.25 million for next season.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/angels_blog/2009/08/angels-release-reliever-justin-speier.html

Speier was a disappointment last season and this season, but he was a good clubhouse guy.  I am sad that it did not work out for him as an Angel.  Time to move forward though.

Terrible news for the team. Scioscia tells the LA Times that the injuries are "significant," and "not little 10-day things."

LINK to STORY

Talk about putting a damper on the middle of the order. This will be a real test for the team (again) to see if we can make it through July without falling back in the standings. It will also be interesting to see what Scioscia does with the lineup.

The article notes that Figgins could move to the OF to clear a spot for Wood at 3B, and Scioscia says: "We are going to have to get a little creative at first, see what lineup forms. We'll see what can give us a spark on a given night."

During the Rangers and Dodgers broadcast (MLB did not televise the Angels game), the Rangers broadcasters announced that Shields was done for the season.  The LA Times also is reporting that Shields has opted to have surgery on his left knee, thus ending his season.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-angels-fyi15-2009jun15,0,3551550.story

According to the Times, Shields decided to have the surgery after consulting with Dr. Yocum, who advised Shields that his patella tendinitis could compromise his mechanics and put him at risk of suffering a more significant injury.

This is obviously not good news in the sense that we are now without our three core relievers from last season -- Frankie, Shields, and Dondo.  It does, however, help to explain his early-season struggles and to provide some closure to this issue.  Hopefully, Dondo will turn things around with the Bees, and then he, Fuentes, et al can stabilize the bullpen.

For most if not all of us, the Angels have been a source of pride and joy for many years, even those years when they lost way more games than they won.  As fans, we love the team and the individuals that comprise it whether they win or lose -- that's what it is to be a fan -- but it isn't always easy.  Sometimes, on nights like tonight, there is disappointment, frustration, pain, and perhaps anger too.

So at trying times like these, when the Angels aren't picking you up or, worse yet, are contributing to your anxieties, what other outlet can you count on to make you smile --as Chubbs would say to Happy Gilmore, to find that "happy place"?

For Happy, it was envisioning his girlfriend in sexy white lingerie with sprinklers spraying all around her.  For me, it is Bruce Springsteen's music -- always makes me smile ... although the hot girl, white lingerie, and sprinklers make me smile too!

What does it for you?

Forgive me for posting a new thread as a new member -- I used to post here occasionally before the website changed formats -- but I believe that our starters' splits suggest that we have every reason to expect a big upswing once Lackey, Santana, and either Moseley or Escobar return to the rotation.

In eight games, Weaver and Saunders -- are 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA, lasting an average of 6.1+ innings per start.  The Angels are 5-3 in those games.

In Moseley's two healthy starts, he is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA, lasting an average of 5.2+ innings.  The Angels are 1-1 in those games.

In all of the other games (not counting the one started by Adenhart), Angels starters are 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA, lasting an average of only 4.2+ innings.  The Angels are 1-6 in those games.

Perhaps it is obvious to expect significant improvement once our starting rotation returns to health, but I think it bears emphasizing given how trying the past few weeks have been.  After all, we are 2 games above .500 in games pitched by Weaver, Saunders, and a healthy Moseley, and our bullpen has been way less taxed in those games as well.  I think this bodes well for the rest of the season ... especially if the offense continues to score over 7 runs per game, as it did the past two series!