SBNation.com User Blog: yeswecan

Calling All NYC-Based HH-ers

yeswecan — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:13:57 -0000

Hey New York HH-ers,

I'm moving to NYC in a few weeks, so you'll have one more HH compadre to help fight the evil scourge of douchebag Yankee fans in their own house.

A couple questions:
- What's the best way to watch Angels games? MLB.tv?
- Is there an HH field trip/invasion of Yanker Stadium planned? I will lead the charge -- I've dealt with those asswipes before, and if they kill me they can identify me by my name written under the bill of my Angels little league cap from 1981.
- Is anybody really a Yankee fan, or is it just passed down from generation to generation like a Manhattan apartment or a hereditary disease?

Go Halos.

Angels Begin "Must-Win" Games With a Win

yeswecan — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:20:15 -0000

Final Score in Anaheim: Rangers 3, Angels 11

With every game basically a must-win for the Angels, this one certainly started out encouragingly. They pushed an early run across thanks to a Torii Hunter single, and with Jered Weaver on the mound, you're feeling good about things. 1-0 Good Guys.

Then thanks to yet another set of soul-crushing bombs from devil-children Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler in the 3rd inning, this game suddenly looks like yet another 2012 Angels heartbreak. 3-1 Bad Guys. Season over, right?

Wrong. In the bottom of the 4th the Angels scored for 40 minutes straight (five times longer than your average high school couple -- BAM) and cashed in 8 runs on a sequence that went something like this: single, walk, groundout, single, walk, hit by pitch, wild pitch, hokey pokey, shamma-lamma-ding-dong. 9-3 Good Guys. They tack on one in the fifth and another in the eighth. 11-3 Good Guys.

After giving up three runs on those two homers, Weaver refocused and threw seven good innings. LaTroy Hawkins and newbie Barry Enright finished the job, and the Halosphere still has oxygen for another day.

Poll

Panther of the Game:

Jered Weaver

168 votes

Erick Aybar

68 votes

Chris Iannetta

77 votes

313 votes | Poll has closed

Game Thread 2

yeswecan — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:53:45 -0000

Let's finish this.

Replay of Game 7 2002 Game Thread

yeswecan — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 05:54:55 -0000

Let's drown our sorrows for one night.

Angels Show April Form, Lose to Rays 3-0

yeswecan — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 03:35:12 -0000

Final Score in Anaheim: Rays 3, Angels 0

On the night of the return of Vernon Wells to their starting lineup, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim put on a "Back to the Future" display, performing like the team that started the season 6-14 back in April.

C.J. Wilson pitched 6 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs, but the Angels' bats failed to produce any support thanks to terrible situational hitting and not getting a crucial call on a play at the plate that would've gotten them on the board and back in the game.

Rays starter Matt Moore pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, and the Rays staff showed why it owns the American League's second-best earned run average.

In the fifth inning the Angels threatened, loading the bases with one out. But then Albert Pujols popped out and Bobby Wilson was thrown out trying to score on a wild pitch. Replays showed Moore waving and missing Wilson as he crossed the plate, then tagging him again after Wilson crossed the plate. Some days you get the calls, and this night the Angels didn't.

Early errors didn't help, with Maicer Izturis letting the ball roll through his legs on a stolen base attempt and then dropping an easy pop fly the next inning, leading to another Rays run.

And to add insult to injury, Angels fans had to endure the Goo Goo Dolls performing live after the game.

The loss puts the Angels in third place in the AL West, behind the Texas Rangers and Oakland A's. Can the Angels fire up their Flux Capacitor and bring their game back to the present?

Poll

Blame of the Game:

Bobby Wilson

30 votes

Maicer Izturis

135 votes

Vernon Wells

444 votes

609 votes | Poll has closed

Kendrys Morales Lifts Angels Over Royals in the Clutch

yeswecan — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 05:26:59 -0000

Final Score in Anaheim: Royals 3, Angels 6

With the game tied and two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kendrys Morales pinch-hit for Bobby Wilson and drove a rocket off the right-field wall to score three for a bases-clearing single(!), and the Angels went on to take the game, 6-3.

Angels starter C.J. Wilson pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out six and walking one batter. Kevin Jepsen came on in relief with the game tied, held his serve and got his first win -- arguably the best news of the night for Angels fans. Scott Downs pitched a perfect 9th for his ninth save.

Going into the bottom of the eighth inning with the score at 3-3, it looked like extra innings were coming. Royals' reliever Greg Holland got two quick outs and had Alberto Callaspo on the ropes before Callaspo dumped a single into right field. Maicer Izturis (2-4, R, RBI, 2 SB on the night) doubled, and Peter Bourjos walked on four pitches. Then Morales took a ball and a called strike before drilling a line-drive single off the wall. Very Green Monster-esque, right? Wrong. The speedy Bourjos managed to score from first base, putting the Angels ahead by an important third run.

Oh, and by the way, Mike Trout had two more hits. And he scored a run in his 15th game in a row, extending his AL record for rookies.

Game Threads Roll Call: SLOfan, ladybug, angelsfan7, Christie2002, JeffJoiner, Brody, stubabe, pereubu77, Kernel, eddgreat9, tanana40, rogerrepoznik, No Bologna Polonia, HÅLOED_BE_THY_GÅME, aces666high, red floyd, obieone, mattwelch, Big Easy Halofan, iLoveLamp, weaver_is_my_daddy, opiejeanne, HoustonHaloFan, OC Awhole1, TheKingfish, DAD OF VLAD, Turks Teeth, Of Maicer and Men, jsmeat92, norcaliangelsfan, Oxygen48, TheGodofRuns, maze88, halofolife, ryanfea, migfig, Ed@northridge, BryanHarvey'sMoustache, number 6, Halostradamus, VAangel, supermarcio, clover_black, Jack Frostt, eyespy, MH252525, Tom Servo 93, PhiSlamma, tolbs1010, Unclearnie, Nocturne, cupie, yeswecan, Downing Rules, Dono Romantico, firebird81, The OC Sports Geek, GTFO Fernando, GutterDem0n, Ben R, Figgi4life, max peter, acuda27
Total Users: 63 • Total Posts: 1,372 • Total Threads: 2

Poll

And the Panther goes to....

Kendrys Morales

397 votes

Maicer Izturis

34 votes

431 votes | Poll has closed

Santana and Angels Sunk by Mariners, 8-6

yeswecan — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:36:37 -0000

Final Score in Anaheim: Mariners 8, Angels 6

Ervin Santana gave up seven runs on eight hits and walked six -- a load too heavy to carry for the Angels, who came up short and went down with the ship.

Kendrys Morales hit a pair of home runs for the seventh time in his career. And Mike Trout continues to impress, collecting four hits on the night. But the Angels also left 11 men on base, so this was also a case of some missed opportunities to get hits when they needed them.

But above all, nothing can stop the Titanic that is Ervin Santana. He looks like he has hit the iceberg, and there are not enough boats to save him. And a few other nautical metaphors.

Poll

Buttercup of the Game

Ervin Santana

356 votes

Albert Pujols

54 votes

Mark Trumbo

51 votes

461 votes | Poll has closed

No More Magic - Game Thread 2

yeswecan — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 03:16:48 -0000

Will we ever come under the spell of Voodoo again?

Haren and Angels Fall Short of Padres, 3-2

yeswecan — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:02:51 -0000

Despite a strong night at the plate from Erick Aybar, Alexi Amarista lifted the San Diego Padres past Dan Haren and the Angels.

Aybar went 4-for-4 with a walk, but the Angels couldn't get that one extra hit at the right time. John Hester missed a chance to cash in Aybar from third with one out in the 2nd. His swing-and-miss proved to be a crucial blunder in a game that left no room for missed opportunities.

Amarista continued the recent tradition of former Angels performing well against their former team. He scored two runs and had two hits with an RBI plus a walk.

Poll

Buttercup of the Game:

Dan Haren

79 votes

Doug Eddings

97 votes

The National League

69 votes

John Hester

136 votes

381 votes | Poll has closed

Saturday Petco Game Thread 2

yeswecan — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:46:24 -0000

Let's go halos!

Glass-Half-Full Look at Pujols

yeswecan — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:46:34 -0000

Glass-Half-Full Look at Pujols

Epitaphs abound, but here's a different tack: Some of the greatest hitters in history have had slumps this deep, and they still put up MVP numbers.

Dan Haren Deals; Angels Edge Indians, 2-1

yeswecan — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:26:28 -0000

Final Score in Cleveland: Angels 2, Indians 1

The Angels' woes on offense have forced their starting pitchers to be close to perfect, and today Dan Haren delivered. Aside from a run-scoring single by Kendrys Morales in the first inning and a solo Torii Hunter home run in the 4th, the Angels could only manage a few scattered hits off Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez. Scott Downs secured his first save of the season for the Angels after being named closer yesterday, and the Angels won their first 1-run game this year.

Poll

Panther of the Game:

Dan Haren

477 votes

Mike Trout

75 votes

552 votes | Poll has closed

A's pick up Chopper off waivers

yeswecan — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:15:30 -0000

A's pick up Chopper off waivers

See ya, mate.

Pujols: "I'm going deep tonight."

yeswecan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:59:23 -0000

Pujols: "I'm going deep tonight."

Pujols tells Alden Gonzalez to "write it down!"

OT: The Rev opens an art gallery

yeswecan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:39:04 -0000

OT: The Rev opens an art gallery

Coagula Curatorial opens its doors this weekend in Chinatown. I don't know shit about art, but what little I know tells me Rev's presence in the LA gallery world will be a nice kick in the ass for the scene.

Disappointingly, the gallery's logo is a ripoff of the Coke logo -- I thought only unimaginative Druggies and Christians did that. But at least it's red!

Good luck, Rev! Go get 'em.

Mike Scioscia is NOT the problem

yeswecan — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:09:19 -0000

Wanna blame the Angels' bad start on Sosh? I'm not buying.

Under Scioscia, the Angels have had the best era in their existence. They have won a World Series once and won the AL West five times -- more than any other team in our division. Is that enough? No. But it's good. He's helped give the Angels a chance when they weren't expected to. Since he's been at the helm, the Angels have outperformed their Pythagorean record over large swathes of that time. And he's been Manager of the Year twice.

So what's the rub? That he keeps starters in too long, or too short? Has he relied on the bullpen too much/too little? Made bad lineup decisions? The criticism is wide, and opportunistic when the team is losing.

Yeah, the team hasn't played well so far. But is it Sosh's fault? He seems to me like he gives guys their fair shot to succeed, and then shakes up the roles when the guys aren't earning it. Is that bad?

Wanna blame the Angels' bad start on Sosh? I'm not buying.

Third Anniversary of Adenhart's Death

yeswecan — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:23:06 -0000

Third Anniversary of Adenhart's Death

Cupie and I went to his last game and the next Angels game. I remember us being pretty optimistic about the kid's future and being excited for him. And then, of course, the next morning everyone's phones were blowing up with the news. That next game, there was such a hush over the crowd for about the first three or four innings. It was like everyone was still in shock. By the end of the game, it certainly felt like we had gone to a baseball game, but one that seemed more like a therapy session than a night out with the boys.

Buster jinks the Angels' season

yeswecan — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:43:58 -0000

Buster jinks the Angels' season

Thanks, but no thanks, Buster.

Mets Fan 2012 = Angels Fan 1996

yeswecan — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:58:26 -0000

Mets Fan 2012 = Angels Fan 1996

David Brooks tries to figure out why he can't stop being a Mets fan, and he sounds an awful lot like an Angels fan in 1996.

In the process, he tells us he reads the Mets SBN blog! Amazin' Avenue may have David Brooks, but we've got Matt Welch, dammit!

Who will have the better year: Pujols or Morales?

yeswecan — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:43:11 -0000

I think this is a great time to gauge fans' opinions on these two guys, given that Pujols had a down year, is moving to a new league, etc., and that Morales hasn't played in almost two years and is coming off a broken leg. We haven't seen these guys in games yet, so we're all speculating based on history, trends, and hunches. Personally, I like to consult this Sparks video for predictions.

So here's your chance to go on record: Will either of these guys bounce back to their prior form? If so, which one will have the bigger bounce? If El H returns to his career numbers, what if Morales has a career year? Oh, the joy.

Poll

Who will have the better 2012?

Pujols

555 votes

Morales

112 votes

667 votes | Poll has closed

CJ Talks New Catchers, Rangers, and His Height

yeswecan — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:25:06 -0000

CJ Talks New Catchers, Rangers, and His Height

Short clip of C.J. Wilson sharing a few thoughts and throwing in a couple quips. Not quite sounding like the Douchey-Douche he's rumored to be.

OT: The Art World's World Series

yeswecan — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:35:57 -0000

OT: The Art World's World Series

I don't know shit about art, but I know people who do. And when people who know art go crazy-ass bonkers about a show, then it's time for folks who don't know art to pay some attention.

As this article indicates, our faithful Rev is going crazy-ass bonkers about the Richard Diebenkorn show at OCMA. And while I have no idea who, what and where that is, I know he is saying that this show is like the World Series if your team is in it. And if your team is in the Series, you watch.

Seems like a good place to take a date. And, as opposed to the World Series, you don't have to fork over $500 a ticket, and your team always wins in art. Seems like a one-way ticket to Napolitown, if you know what I mean.

Angels Alcohol Policy: Cool or Lame?

yeswecan — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:16:01 -0000

Angels Alcohol Policy: Cool or Lame?

Beer is still allowed in the Angels' clubhouse. No liquor.

Is this a reasonable policy, given the Red Sox situation and putting thought to Nick Adenhart and the tragedy that befell him? Do you agree with Scioscia and the "personal responsibility" rationale, or should clubs to more to encourage better behavior and team unity in the clubhouse?

EL HOMBRE

yeswecan — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:38:34 -0000

EL HOMBRE

Do not mess with Arte.

Help Victor Roast Weaver

yeswecan — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:21:14 -0000

Help Victor Roast Weaver

Victor Rojas is soliciting suggestions for material for tomorrow night's roast of Jered Weaver. Tap into your inner Lisa Lampanelli and show your mad skillz.

Trumbo's Return Delayed

yeswecan — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:48:37 -0000

Trumbo's Return Delayed

DiGiovanna cites misdiagnosis as the culprit.

The Onion's Greatest WS Moments

yeswecan — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:54:52 -0000

The Onion's Greatest WS Moments

Gotta love The Onion. My fave is 2001.

Rays Rally Thread

yeswecan — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 03:36:55 -0000

Let's go, Team Maddon!

Angels Waste Late Rally, Lose to Rays in Extras, 4-3

yeswecan — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:06:59 -0000

Bobby Abreu hit a bases-clearing double to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th inning, only to see Fernando Rodney walk the leadoff batter in the top of the 10th. And you know how THAT goes. A potential game-winning shot to center by Abreu in the bottom half fell just short -- a fitting metaphor for the Angels offense so far this season. In this episode, the Angels get swept by the Rays.

Poll

Blame of the Game

Fernando Rodney

156 votes

Angels hitters behind Weaver

301 votes

457 votes | Poll has closed

GAME THREAD #2

yeswecan — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:27:09 -0000

Let the Panther looose!