Donkey bitching and wanting trade....

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 7:53 AM PDT

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-angrep16jun16,1,5477732.story?coll=la-headli nes-sports-mlb-angels

If you want to pitch that bad, pitch better when you get the chance. I like Donnelly and I'll always be partial to him because of the role he played in our good teams and especially '02. But, if you're going to bitch when you're on your down slide, good riddance.

Let's not drop another young guy in order to keep a guy like this on the roster.

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wah wah wah Quitcherbitchin

This is not a major knock on Kansas City, but they're the worst team in baseball. If I can't pitch against them, who can I pitch against?" said Donnelly, who had appeared in only three games in June entering Thursday.

They may be the worst team in baseball, but face it Donkey breath, you didn't exactly sweep the series in stellar performances...you lost one game and barely won the others. Hello, doesn't that kinda make you the worst team if you can't beat them?

I can appreciate his frustration but like you said webb, when you have the chance to pitch, do a better job and they will be more likely to get you in there more.

by ladybug on Jun 16, 2006 8:15 AM PDT reply actions

Donnelly

It seems this year, we've heard more screaming from the lockerroom than in years past. Could there be more to come? Donnelly can't be the only one frustrated with the way Scioscia is managing the lineup.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 9:56 AM PDT reply actions

Also

It was revealed a week or so ago (though not at the time of the original incident) that Donnelly and Figgins had a clubhouse confrontation a month or so ago, right around the same time that Figgy and A.K. got into it. The papers didn't originally name the participants in the clubhouse fracas, only to mention that Erstad broke it up.

Donnelly is certainly frustrated; I'm sure his own performance is part of the reason.

by jjackflash on Jun 16, 2006 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

it's part of the act

when ballplayers get "demoted" or see their playing time reduced, they're almost obliged to bitch about it -- if they don't, it might be interpreted that they're not competitive or not passionate about winning. i think this is just donkey showing everyone that he cares about the game and isn't happy about getting demoted. no biggie.

by yeswecan on Jun 16, 2006 11:18 AM PDT reply actions

totally agree

Scioscia calls out Figgins in the press for lack of effort. If Mike's going to do something like that, shouldn't we expect his players to use the press to their advantage?

Everyone on this blog complains that Mike's inconsistent and intermittent use of players is causing the team to lose games. I.e. guys can't find their "grooves" or whatever. Though Donnelly isn't an offensive player, isn't he in this same boat? Many people here complain about Scioscia's lack of management skills, yet when Donnelly points out one of Mike's most common mistakes, we call it bitching (???) Donnelly understands, just as we all do, that infrequent playing time is a hindrance. Maybe we should be thanking Donnelly for his candor.

by Higz on Jun 16, 2006 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Sosh makes plenty of mistakes...

that's obvious, but how is not pitching Donnelly more a mistake?

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions

webb

you're speaking of Donnelly as if he is JC Romero or Esteban Yan.

Donnelly's ERA is 3.38 and opponents have a .250 average against him. What would be wrong with pitching him more?

by Higz on Jun 16, 2006 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions

ha, good point

He's definitely not a Yan or a Romero, but he's definitely not '02 Donnelly either. I'd take Carrasco over him right now. Sosh gave him a shot to back up his talk last night and he couldn't get through the inning.

He really hasn't been great since the whole pine tar thing last year or even the finger licking incident before that. I don't think a reliever giving up a .250 average is all that good.

You are correct though, he's not horrible and maybe would be better with more time. We're just in a situation where we can't take alot of chances because we can't afford to fall back much further.

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Agree

that Donnelly has never been the same since the pine tar incident (and breaking his nose)

My point was more about the fact that many people here (not necessarily you in particular) want the playing time to be more consistent with certain players, that it would bring their production up. So I'm applying that logic to pitchers and saying might that be true with Donnelly too? Might he pitch better if given the chance?

by Higz on Jun 16, 2006 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Team focus

Changing the subject a bit, yesterday Figgy was 2 for 2 in his first AB's. Both times O.C. failed to get him over. If either one of those times he could've stole 3rd, then the Vladdy groundouts would've produced runs. That sort of winning focus has not been present consistently.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 11:51 AM PDT reply actions

true

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I think Scioscia

is a little too emotionally connected to some of these guys, especially. It's pretty clear he is not producing and I imagine won't for the rest of the year. Salmon seems to be run down and GA is barely able to swing. Molina and Quinlan just aren't producing either and Izturis' existance is a mystery. Kennedy seems distracted by something and Figgins has reached his peak.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 12:03 PM PDT reply actions

Especially Erstad.....

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 12:04 PM PDT reply actions

they brought Erstad back too early...

just doesn't make sense. Definitely has helped solidify the defense, but before last night he looked overmatched at the plate.

He's not '00 Erstad anymore, but not many people are. When healthy he could be a very solid 7 hitter and stud defender, but I'm not sure he'll ever be fully healthy again.

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions

I still love the comment Sosh made to one

of the beat writers. He had said that Erstad would be a part time player for the rest of the season. I need clarification on what Sosh considers a part time player because I might be confused.

by riktermiller on Jun 16, 2006 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions

I am

heading out to a summer school English class right now.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 12:05 PM PDT reply actions

OC

I know alot of people on this site would disagree, but I don't think we would lose much with Aybar at SS instead of OC. Plus I think OC could bring us a good bat or pitcher in return.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 12:10 PM PDT reply actions

you're right

I doubt anybody here would agree with that.

by Higz on Jun 16, 2006 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Especially

Since OC is that "big bat" right now...you'd have to be INSANE to trade him at the moment with the way he's been getting on base.

by Clutch on Jun 16, 2006 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree but not for a deal during the season.

OC will most likely never perform to his level of play this season again. A deal during this offseason or the next offseason would be a good idea and avoid a season or two of serious decline.

by riktermiller on Jun 16, 2006 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions

this only makes sense...

if we give up on this season. Otherwise, that's a terrible idea.

by thewebb on Jun 16, 2006 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions

LAME!

Halo Country

by cupie on Jun 16, 2006 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions

To be truthful

If you think about it, if everyone played to their capabilities, then we wouldn't need a trade.
If Kennedy or Figgins gets on to lead off an inning, then the next guy should be sacrificing.
Put the 5 or 6 guys best suited for the bullpen in there, regardless of pay, i.e. Jeff Weaver and Escobar. Jered Weaver, Lackey, Santana can lead the rotation.

by higdog on Jun 16, 2006 12:19 PM PDT reply actions

If they....

....really are going to do what's best for the team in terms of proven baseball skills, Escobar would go to the bullpen and Gregg would get sent down to SLC (or Donnelly cut). Not just any starting pitcher can successfully pitch out of the bullpen. Especially someone like Jeff Weaver who has probably not pitched out of a 'pen for 10 years. Everyone who says that Jeff Weaver should go down to the bullpen is crazy. First of all, Jeff is not the type of pitcher that would do well out of the bullpen. He is the kind of pitcher who settles down after a couple of innings, and whose strength is that he eats innings. Being in the bullpen would defeat that purpose. Secondly, he would mentally go into the doghouse if he got put in the bullpen, especially after five decent starts.
On top of that, has anyone even considered how it would affect Jered to see his brother go through the trauma of going to the bullpen, and know that it is on him? Who is to say that that would not screw with Jered's head? I think it would. Jered is like 23 years old, and it is expecting a lot out of him to be able to handle that.
The bottom line is, the one guy on the Angels that we know could successfully go to the bullpen is Escobar, and that will not happen because he would throw a fit also. After a year of having a great attitude about everything (bullpen last year, lack of run support, bad defense, no extension for a long time), you know that going to the bully would be the last straw for him. But, I think we know that that would make the most baseball sense right now, because he is a proven bullpen commodity.
I am not condoning all of these fragile egos or saying that it would be ok for all of these guys to react who I am assuming they would. I am being realistic though. Pro sports is full of egos and pride, and we are in a fantasy world if we can't admit that. Pro athletes constantly need their egos massaged, and the Angels are no different. Especially guys like Escobar and Jeff Weaver who are getting paid millions of dollars a year, and more importantly, are playing well. If Jeff had been tanking lately, it would be a different story, but it's not.
Back to my original point about Jered Weaver: The only true options outside of sending Jered down would be to trade someone. Any other option would cause serious chemistry issues with the team. So, stop complaining about them sending Jered down. They have to. Or at least give Stoneman a week to make a trade. Hopefully, Santana throws a shutout tomorrow and increases his trade value a little bit.
My plea to Stoneman: make a trade, like now. It is the only way to fix this logjam. Or be content with Weaver tossing zeroes in SLC for another two weeks until Bart is back on the rack.

by theclip24 on Jun 17, 2006 12:29 AM PDT reply actions

Still love Donnelly...

he's been rock solid for too long to just throw away right now.

We're not the A's, and I'm not ashamed to have guys like him and Ersty on our team. They're both tough sons of bitches and we could use a little more of that right now.

We just don't have a killer instict any more. You don't have that feeling that we're going to win a close game because we care more than the other guys. Erstad and Donnelly (an a few others) still have that edge to them. They aren't at their peak any more, but it's ignorant to pretend they aren't useful any more.

by Snake on Jun 17, 2006 7:35 AM PDT reply actions