SB Nation User Blog: moosemastr

Mike Scioscia could use some assistance.

moosemastr — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:56:49 -0000

Mike Scioscia could use some assistance.

Looking on the Brighter Side

moosemastr — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:07:41 -0000

We just endured losing 3 straight and 4 of our last 5, yet we still have a 5-game lead over the Texas Rangers. DOESN'T THAT GET YOU PUMPED???

Now, I know that the game that snapped that 3-game losing streak was an ugly one. Runners LOB, awful strikeouts, and whatnot. And there's no telling if this is just one win among many more losses. But considering the circumstances, it's hard to believe the Angels emerged from this little stretch of terror relatively unscathed. I believe the Rangers had a 6.5-game deficit, or something like that, before we lost 2 of 3 to Toronto then 2 more to Detroit. That's 1.5 games gained, people. All things considered, its still good to be a Halo fan.

Poll

Do you think the Angels have pulled themselves out of their little slump?

Yes

27 votes

No

17 votes

44 votes | Poll has closed

On a Matter of Utmost Urgency

moosemastr — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:31:49 -0000

Okay, guys, I need your expert opinions on a subject of the utmost importance.

I need a new jersey. All I've got is my Vlad jersey from my first trip to Angel Stadium (pretty recent, lame, I know), and it's time to add another to the wardrobe. With the way this season is going, who is most deserving of my creepy-male-fan-love? Torii? Figgy? Lacks? Perhaps there is a dark horse of whom I am not yet aware. Let me know whose name and number you think should adorn my back next.

Angels' record after getting chewed out?

moosemastr — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:59:07 -0000

During today's comeback, Phyzz and Hud were talking about the Royals' manager and the way he chewed out his players not too long ago. Whether it had any effect is doubtful.

That got me thinking: the Halos were chewed out in the locker room by our own Mike Scioscia not too long ago. I forget the date, but does anyone out there know what the Halos' record is before and after Soth blew up at 'em?

Just curious, folks.

Coping with disappointment - an Angel Tradition

moosemastr — Sun, 31 May 2009 05:53:44 -0000

I'll be blunt, people - I can't remember the last time the Angels were bad.

I went to my first Angels game in 2005. I was hooked. They were anything BUT bad.

That year, they made it to the ALCS, where they were cheated out of a trip to the World Series thanks to one Mr. Pierzynski. Frustrating, yes. But were they bad? Of course not.

In 2006, they came just a few wins short of winning the American League West. Disappointing? Absolutely. But were they bad? God, no.

If you take a look at the 2 seasons that follow, you'll find the pattern continues. The Angels left their fans downtrodden, but for crying out loud, they weren't BAD.

We arrive at last in the year 2009, where our beloved Angels are enduring a season of heartbreak and struggle. The death of Nick Adenhart shocked a legion of fans. Our bullpen is playing as bad as it has in years. Our bats are lifeless, and we can't seem to break out of the .500 duldrums.

Tonight, Angels fans bore witness to the epitome of the 2009 Angels' struggles. As fans of this team, we have to ask ourselves: are these Angels...BAD? It's a little early to start calling this team "lousy" or any synonym for "bad" you'd like to call them, but things certainly don't seem to be going their way. Should they continue to play like this for the rest of the season, we can pretty much count them out.

But think of it this way - this is something we Angels fans haven't had to cope with for a very long time - mediocrity.

I know old-time Angels fans who had to cope with losing season after losing season. Seldom were they blessed with the privilege of seeing their Halos play in the postseason.

These days, I'd say we're a little spoiled.

Yes, we've had to cope with loss after disappointing loss in the postseason these last few years. But the fact of the matter is that they're in the postseason consistently. In fact, it's safe to say that (these days, anyway) the Angels are one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball, if not in American sports.

Yes, we want to see them succeed. But what we fail to recognize is that for a long time, these Angels were BAD. Really, really bad. There were no K-Rods, no Garrets, no Vlads. Just a few rising stars here and there with no major success to speak of.

The Angels were once either a breeding ground for rising stars that would be gobbled up by wealthier teams or a place where aging superstars could finish their careers as the main attraction for a lousy team in beautiful Southern California - a perfect situation in which to end one's career.

But now these Halos are on the opposite end of that spectrum. While their farm system is superb, they've been known to pick up huge names in recent free agent markets.

This is a team that is just now entering a stage of consistent success. Some of fellow fans waited 41 years to see the Halos raise that World Series trophy in 2002. It was the foundation of something special - a foundation the very team we watch today continues to build. One lousy season will never make us forget that.