Vladless

by Rev Halofan on Feb 5, 2008 12:43 PM PST in News Comment 14 comments

So Baseball Prospectus has its AL West Preview (subscription required) by writer Joe Sheehan and, well I don' want to be too picky or anything, but how in the hell can anyone write a detailed discussion of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and their prospects in the division for 2008 and NOT mention Vladimir Guerrero at least maybe ONCE in the article? How?

Personally I think Vlad and his potential contributions to the team in 2008 warrant a mention somewhere in a team preview. Somewhere.

I actually paid to subscribe to that site. Sheesh.

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6th or 7th in the league?

Red Sox, Cleveland... and who else, exactly, is demonstrateably better than us? I already layed out the argument that Detroit isn't in an earlier topic. But even if you count them, that's still 4th. Yankees (and I don't buy that at all) makes it 5th. Now we're up to Toronto, Minnesota, and Chisox...

Unless they meant the MLB, and even then--the Mets? The Cubs? The Phillies? I must be missing something here.

Oh wait, that's right, BP hates our guts and under-rates us just about every year. Now it makes sense.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Feb 5, 2008 1:22 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

6th or 7th

In the AL, not necesarily in order.

Yankees
Red Sox
Tigers
Indians
Angels
Blue Jays
Twins

The Angels imho are 4th or 5th best in the AL. If you count the NL, then yes perhaps an argument can be made for 6th or 7th best. They probably meant MLB. Probably.
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Feb 5, 2008 4:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

FUNNY THING

Funny how whenever they (THEY being published baseball analysis articles) are vague about the Angels, deference is shown to their biased bullshit while they are exacting (i.e., they take the time and research and compose an article) when it comes to other teams.

by Rev Halofan on Feb 5, 2008 4:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Cleveland

I think we were better than Cleveland last year. This year we added Hunter and Garland, and they really did not do much besides having their two best pitchers throw career highs in innings by a wide margin.

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 5, 2008 4:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

But Hafner had a really bad year, for him. Assuming he picks it up, they may still be better than us. But you've got a point- there's actually a pretty good chance that we're as good as or better than Cleveland as well. So we could be as high as number 2, as opposed to 6th or 7th.

The Yankees have serious pitching issues, so I definitely don't buy them being better than we are.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Feb 7, 2008 7:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

joe's reply

I asked him this very question in todays chat:

deadmonkeyhead (eh): You said in your AL West spring training preview that the Angels were the 6th or 7th best team in the league. I'll give you Yanks, Sox, Tribe, and Tigers, but who are the other one or two?

Joe Sheehan: I think the Blue Jays are right there. That's a team that would be a favorite or co-favorite in three other divisions. Swapping Glaus for Rolen plays to their strength, a groundball-heavy pitching staff.

I don't think there's a case for the White Sox, Twins or Rays, so let's say the Angels are neck-and-neck for fifth.

by dmhead on Feb 7, 2008 11:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Swapping Glaus for Rolen plays to their strength?

Injury prone players?

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 7, 2008 12:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I am not a BP guy

Oh well. BP does not like us. Too bad.

To write a preview without mentioning Vlad is pretty weak though.

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 5, 2008 1:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Where do I start?

First of all, this is a SPRING TRAINING PREVIEW. Not a season preview. It is supposed to focus on the spring issues (new players, position battles, moves to be made, etc.). Since Vlad doesn't really fit any of those categories, it's not shocking that he wasn't mentioned.

Second, even if you are convinced that Vlad should have been mentioned (for whatever reason), this is NOT a case of bias, as you pity-partiers would love to believe. For example, can you believe that Ichiro wasn't mentioned in the Mariners preview? West coast bias, you say. To which I say: David Ortiz fails to appear in the Red Sox spring preview. Check mate.

Listen, I know it's slow right now, but your persistence that baseball analysts don't like the Angels just doesn't hold up here. Read the title of the column a little more closely before posting something as silly as this.

by Dogman on Feb 5, 2008 4:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs