OT: Los Angeles Angels Talk

[Anaheim4ever]

Angels are now down to .500
9-9 W/L

 

[Hockey Duckie]

They lost in extra innings last night and without Trout in the lineup.

Silver lining, we're at .500 and only a -5 run differential. But the silver lining ends there because we're comparing it to Eppler era of terrible run differential and never finishing at .500. In the last 10 games, the Angels are 3-7 with a 3-game losing streak. Let's look at the last 12 games because I like looking at series between teams.

Recent to older

vs Astros: 0-2; run differential = -6 (under .500 team)
vs Rangers: 1-2; run differential = -3 (under .500 team)
vs Twins: 1-0; run differential = +7 (under .500 team)
vs Royals: 1-2; run differential = +1
vs Blue Jays: 2-1; run differential = -6 (under .500 team)​

Here's the bad part in this deepr dive is that the Astros, Rangers, Twins, and Blue Jays are all under .500 teams. That's the scary part. We should be padding our record against these under .500 teams this early into the season. Yet, because it's early in the season, teams are still figuring themselves out just like our team. The more the season progresses, it doesn't look that great for the Angels at the moment.

::: Me venting about our owner Moreno below... you can skip this if you don't care, LoL :::

On a tangent, since I introduced former Angels' GM Eppler, I want to revisit another former Angels' GM Jerry Dipoto, who's current the Mariners' GM. Dipoto reminds a lot of our GM, Bob Murray. Dipoto inherited a talented, expensive team with a bottom of the league farm system just like Murray's situation after GM Burkie. Dipoto did do a partial fire sale and collected a lot of young prospects seeing the talented, expensive team maxed out its potential. Between two seasons, the Mariners did trade off some more veteran talent for older prospects near MLB talent level with JP Crawford, France, Torrens, and Trammell. But Dipoto did sign a couple of FA's such as SP Kukichi (which hasn't been great overall, but okay enough to carry some burden away from the youths in Sheffield and Dunn).

With hitting (RBI's), the Mariners leaders are Haniger (30 yrs old; 17 RBIs), Seager (33; 16 RBIs), France (26; 12 RBIs), and Trammell (23, 9 RBIs). Their top player position player from last year, Kyle Lewis finally returned for the past three games. Lewis was drafted in 2016 and ended up winning ROY four years later... a late bloomer (due to injuries). Anyhow, it's the older veterans that were kept around that are leading the way for the Mariners early this season while their youths are pushing. France and Trammell were traded for and were MLB or near MLB talents. This is what Ducks' GM Murray is trying to do with his statement he's looking near NHL players at age 22-26 years.

For pitching, Dipoto kept starter Gonzales and signed FA Kukuchi. Starting pitchers Sheffield and Dunn are also prospects traded for that were near MLB level in December of 2019. At the backend, veterans Graveman (2020, FA, age 30), Middleton (2021, FA, age 27), and Montero (2021, trade, age 30) lead the way.

That's a fast turnaround for the Mariners! Of their top-5 prospects, three of them are pitchers. The other two are 21 year old OF's, Kelenic (#1, trade) and Rodriguez (#2, Int'l FA). OF Trammell is their 6th ranked prospect.

Dipoto had top players to trade. The Ducks had their top players succumb to injury with Kesler, Eaves, and Perry. We've been eating salary for the past three seasons being cap strapped. But Murray is still doing similar things like Dipoto. Murray is stocking the cupboard, trading for NHL talent that are young or somewhat young in F Heinen, F Milano, F Volkov, and D Fleury. He's keeping certain veterans around, but he's also relying on his youth program to be the center piece.

The Mariners have gone toe-to-toe with AL leader Red Sox and NL leader Dodgers. The Mariners went 1-1 with the Dodgers, losing 1-0 in their loss. Against the Red Sox, they're 1-1. They've only lost one series early in this season. This is what happens when your owners let your GM do what they need to do uninterrupted.

With that said, new Angels GM Perry did make some sneaky moves, but, imo, not enough. Owner Moreno will not go over the luxury tax that will hurt him because "mah profits". Dipoto left the Angels during the 2015 season, but he did give the Angels INF Fletcher and slugger Walsh in Dipoto's last draft. grrr... Moreno! (damnit... I still have to do the GDT now. ugh.... Morenooooo!!!)

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Angels are now down to .500
9-9 W/L

And off to a 3-0 deficit in the first inning, about to drop under .500 and losers of 7 of 9 since the 7-3 start. Same as it ever was.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

And off to a 3-0 deficit in the first inning, about to drop under .500 and losers of 7 of 9 since the 7-3 start. Same as it ever was.

Doesn't seem like much changed.
Minasian seems like Eppler 2.0, I like that he helped get Vasegarian to replace Rojas, the Armenian american baseball connection worked in the Angels favor there.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Now losing 2 to 10. This team is cursed.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Now losing 2 to 10. This team is cursed.

It's the Moreno curse. Dipoto exposed the front office/owner dynamic as a complete mess. Yet, he was able to finish above .500 three out of four years as well as earned a playoff berth. Under Eppler, we never finished above .500 in five seasons. I had hopes for new GM Perry, but it's not looking great now. Yikes... it's 2-13 in the bottom of the 5th now.

Get a new owner who is willing to be hands off on baseball operations!

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

It's the Moreno curse. Dipoto exposed the front office/owner dynamic as a complete mess. Yet, he was able to finish above .500 three out of four years as well as earned a playoff berth. Under Eppler, we never finished above .500 in five seasons. I had hopes for new GM Perry, but it's not looking great now. Yikes... it's 2-13 in the bottom of the 5th now.

Get a new owner who is willing to be hands off on baseball operations!

I like Perry so far because he’s kept flexibility intact. No one signed beyond next year except the core guys (and Upton). I’m willing to give him a non-pandemic free agency and a couple drafts.

It’s amazing to me that reputable people even come to work here anyway. Even if you think he’s willing to spend money (which is a myth, he’s willing to spend on 1-5 while ignoring the other 20 roster spots), Arte actively makes things harder for his baseball people. For gods sake I don’t think anyone remembers this, but he basically fired 90% of Eppler’s scouting staff a week before the draft last year because he didn’t want to pay them

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I like Perry so far because he’s kept flexibility intact. No one signed beyond next year except the core guys (and Upton). I’m willing to give him a non-pandemic free agency and a couple drafts.

It’s amazing to me that reputable people even come to work here anyway. Even if you think he’s willing to spend money (which is a myth, he’s willing to spend on 1-5 while ignoring the other 20 roster spots), he actively makes things harder for his baseball people. For gods sake I don’t think anyone remembers this, but he basically fired 90% of Eppler’s scouting staff a week before the draft last year because he didn’t want to pay them

I think Perry is just hamstrung with Moreno. We have about $9 mil cap space and it's sitting there doing nothing. Next year, Pujols' $30 mil comes off the books. That's the most important player not signed next year. I do hope we get some top end pitching help rather than to continually find yet another slugger. I'm more afraid that Moreno will not want to spend that newly found $30 mil to increase his profits. The Angels will need a lot more help on its roster if they're going to compete for AL West. Houston, Oakland, and the Mariners are stocked with talent.

I'm still pissed we traded away our 2019 first round pick (SS Will Wilson) to help facilitate a salary dump. We wasted a first round pick for a salary dump?! We drafted a SS when our dire need was pitching and there were four pitchers there for the taking: Rutledge at 17th (Nats), Priester at 18th (Pirates), Thompson at 19th (Cards), and Kirby at 20th (Mariners). Kirby is Seattle's 5th best prospect. Thompson is the Cards' 4th best prospect. Priester is Pitt's 3rd best prospect. Rutledge is Washington's 2nd best prospect. Will Wilson is the Giant's 12th best prospect. You can't make this horse manure up! Just sad.

 

[mightyquack]

The team will be fineish when (if) it gets healthy. They've lost four every day players in the last two weeks, including the two best players and had some players slump hard at the same time. Not a great combination.

Can't really judge Minasian until he's had at least three seasons, heck can't really judge him for any moves this past off-season either. Whoever the GM is was going to be severely handcuffed going into this season when it was clear Moreno did not want to break the luxury tax.

We're not as good as the first 9 games, and not as bad as the last 9.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

I want it to work out, but if Shohei doesn’t figure out his fastball command at some point, they’re gonna need to scrap the two-way experiment and make him a hitter full-time.

 

[All Mighty]

I want it to work out, but if Shohei doesn’t figure out his fastball command at some point, they’re gonna need to scrap the two-way experiment and make him a hitter full-time.

These 1st inning hot takes have led to positive results, keep it up.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I get worried every time Ohtani pitches as though his arm is gonna fall off & go flying into the catchers glove.

 

[MillvilleMiracle]

I think Perry is just hamstrung with Moreno. We have about $9 mil cap space and it's sitting there doing nothing. Next year, Pujols' $30 mil comes off the books. That's the most important player not signed next year. I do hope we get some top end pitching help rather than to continually find yet another slugger. I'm more afraid that Moreno will not want to spend that newly found $30 mil to increase his profits. The Angels will need a lot more help on its roster if they're going to compete for AL West. Houston, Oakland, and the Mariners are stocked with talent.

I'm still pissed we traded away our 2019 first round pick (SS Will Wilson) to help facilitate a salary dump. We wasted a first round pick for a salary dump?! We drafted a SS when our dire need was pitching and there were four pitchers there for the taking: Rutledge at 17th (Nats), Priester at 18th (Pirates), Thompson at 19th (Cards), and Kirby at 20th (Mariners). Kirby is Seattle's 5th best prospect. Thompson is the Cards' 4th best prospect. Priester is Pitt's 3rd best prospect. Rutledge is Washington's 2nd best prospect. Will Wilson is the Giant's 12th best prospect. You can't make this horse manure up! Just sad.

Any chance King Albert wears an angel's cap In, Cooperstown I get he made his name in St Louis, but he hit his 500th 600th,660 & his 3000 hit playing in Anaheim!

 

[mightyquack]

Good to win 2 of 3 against Texas, nice to see the bullpen have a shutdown game too. Have to think if Rodriguez gets through this season healthy that they'll give him a look next season at being a starter. Have to say though, Cobb continues to be ridiculiously unlucky this season, keeps generating weak contact that somehow turns into hits. Feels like that's been the story of Angels pitching this season so far.

Series coming up against Seattle is huge, would be nice to generate some momentum with the team getting healthy again.

 

[Bender66]

Someone tell Joe Madden to stop doing the stupid infield shift bs

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Yesterday Quintana continued his suckage on the mound.
And their about to fall to 13-15 record tonight.

Seems like every year we are gonna see Trout and Rendon miss a handful of games due to not being very durable and I seriously wonder when Trout is 32 how durable he will be by then as players become more injury prone in their 30s.

I feel like this team is gonna be really quite bad in a few years if/when Trout misses a whole season as well as Rendon who rarely plays a full season in his career. Then add in that Ohtani has the worst luck with injuries.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

So what exactly happened to Taylor Ward? Feels like I’ve heard nothing about him since the end of spring.

I understand they don’t want to rush Adell or Marsh, but they’ve got to find a way to find a short-term solution in right field so Walsh can go back to first base. Albert is not an everyday player.

And even though he didn’t pitch great tonight, Cobb continues to get screwed by soft contact and bad defense. Poor dude is rocking a 2.50/2.64 FIP/xFIP, yet has an ERA just below 6 and has a losing record

 

[ADHB]

So what exactly happened to Taylor Ward? Feels like I’ve heard nothing about him since the end of spring.

I understand they don’t want to rush Adell or Marsh, but they’ve got to find a way to find a short-term solution in right field so Walsh can go back to first base. Albert is not an everyday player.

And even though he didn’t pitch great tonight, Cobb continues to get screwed by soft contact and bad defense. Poor dude is rocking a 2.50/2.64 FIP/xFIP, yet has an ERA just below 6 and has a losing record

Ward either had COVID or had to quarantine due to COVID, and therefore wasn't even playing intrasquad games at the alt site, at least not for a few weeks. So guessing he's in the minors to get his feet back under him. I agree that he would be a much better guy to call up when healthy than the endless line of retreads (Schebler, Gosselin, Mayfield, etc.) they've been using since the injury bug hit. Ward at least is a young-ish guy with some untapped potential, and has the ability to play about 5 different positions including catcher.

 

[Bender66]

Seems like offense has gone back to 3TO. Everyone trying to hit home runs. They were much better at beginning of season when they were just smacking line drives into right center and putting balls into play.

 

[Static]

Maddon's handling of the bullpen has been absolutely mystifying.

 

[ADHB]

Maddon's handling of the bullpen has been absolutely mystifying.

Yeah, taking out Rodriguez was strange, but if you replace him, not sure why the long man is the guy asked to protect a 1-run lead in the 7th instead of one of your late inning guys.

Maddon gives the impression he’s a guy who is constantly trying to show people how smart he is.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Ohtani walks so many hitters just like Daisuke Matsuzaka did in MLB (DiceK) and he also had durability problems and only pitched 100 or more innings 4 times in his MLB career.
Ohtani is more effective because of his incredible K rate and his value as a hitter.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Legitimately stunned that they did it and I am kind of sad that this is how it’s ending, but as long as it was mutual (couldn’t imagine Arte doesn’t have enough respect to let him know it was coming), it doesn’t really bother me

 

[All Mighty]

He’s a great guy but he was clearly doing more harm than good to the on-field product.

 

[Deuce22]

Legitimately stunned that they did it and I am kind of sad that this is how it’s ending, but as long as it was mutual (couldn’t imagine Arte doesn’t have enough respect to let him know it was coming), it doesn’t really bother me

Needed to be done two years ago. At least this shows the Angels are finally serious about winning.