Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Report Card
by Rev Halofan
on May 7, 2008 10:17 PM PDT
in News
Angels Report Card After 36 Games
Ervin Santana: A+…The preseason #6 starter has been as nails as any Angel in a long, long time.
Joe Saunders: A…He has gone from being on the rotation bubble in the offseason to the dominating Co-Ace. If there is even a flaw with Joe this season it is that he pitches less superiorly with regular rest than he does with an extra day’s worth, for what it is worth.
Scot Shields: A…The return of the king?
Francisco Rodriguez: A…So he raises your blood pressure a little, so what, he gets results.
Erick Aybar: A-…A little more bat and with that glove you are an all star. Leads the majors with a 1.4 web-gem per game average.
Casey Kotchman: A-…Better than advertised? I have been a Kotch believer all along, so not for me, but for a lot of people thinking we needed a vetruhn powah bat – Bill Stoneman keeps on giving to the organization.
Torii Hunter: A-…Walk off grand slam not convincing you? The glove alone is better than advertised and the drama is of the team-lifting type.
Justin Speier: B+…Perhaps what appears to be inconsistency is just a shelf below the perch of greatness that he rests upon?
Darren Oliver: B+…Of late, nails.
Mike Napoli: B+…Great bat, but a bit sloppy behind the dish, especially in the shadow of Mathis.
Jeff Mathis: B…Throwing runners out on the basepaths, nursing the pitching staff ... all tops in the league, really impressive – a little more stick for that 4.0 on this report card.
Chone Figgins: B-…Proved himself a critical cog in the offense and then tweaked a hammy just when he was cooling off from a hot start.
Garret Anderson: C…He can still turn on a fastball. That is all.
Vladimir Guerrero: C…Even as Bad Vlad he is league average, but he ain’t been rakin’ or bakin’, so let’s hope he is not achin’...
Darren O’Day: C…Nice story but nobody should have expected much more.
Jon Garland: C-…Has looked great exactly twice, okay twice and terrible three times.
Gary Matthews, Jr.: C-…Occasional stellar glovework is still just blocking Reggie Willits.
Jered Weaver: C-…High expectations yield lousy grades but, objectively speaking, there are nights when he has it and nights when he doesn’t and he is not tantruming anywhere near as much as his older brother so the thought is that at age 25 he still has time to tweak his numbers upward.
Maicer Izturis: D…22 Games of not much that S-Rod cannot do. Howie Kendrick has half the at-bats as The Miceman and we miss Howie so much more...
Dustin Moseley: D…To be fair, he kept the team in two or three games as the 5th starter, but sucked all along, not that we did not suspect that...
Chris Bootcheck: D…Eminently replaceable by any Salt Lake Bee pitcher.
INCOMPLETE:
Position Players: Matt Brown, Howie Kendrick, Robb Quinlan, Juan Rivera, Sean Rodriguez, Reggie Willits, Bobby Wilson.
Pitchers: Nick Adenhart, Jason Bulger, Chris Bootcheck, Rich Thompson, Alex Serrano
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wrong page my bad
good work on the report card REV
by RodgerLodges#1Fan on
May 7, 2008 9:17 PM PDT
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so does bootcheck get a D
or an incomplete?
im updating cumulative GPA’s…
C: Bengie Molina, 1B: Wally Joyner, 2B: Bob Grich, SS: Jim Fregosi, 3B: Troy Glaus, RF: Tim Salmon, CF: Darin Erstad, LF: Brian Downing, SP: Nolan Ryan, RP: Troy Percival
by NoDakHalo on
May 7, 2008 10:33 PM PDT
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love the list
but would have given O’Day a better score
Relax... Everything is fine
by Sinatrasratpack on
May 7, 2008 10:35 PM PDT
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K-Rod on pace for 63 Saves
great report card. I agree that O’Day should be higher. I think he should be a B, because he was a great part of our bullpen, especially when several guys were terrible early.
by Los Angeles de Anaheim on
May 7, 2008 10:39 PM PDT
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is oakland for real?
i cant tell if we’re gonna be duking it out all year or not.
by ihearhowie2.0 on
May 7, 2008 10:46 PM PDT
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PS
its hard to imagine GA not being an F prior to Monday’s game
by ihearhowie2.0 on
May 7, 2008 10:47 PM PDT
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He passed his "final" just in time.
Scioscia, "Roll the hole!"
by 44FAN on
May 7, 2008 10:49 PM PDT
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exactly
Before his tremendous series against the royals, he definitely was on pace for a F.
by BoulderBrian on
May 8, 2008 12:45 AM PDT
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Oakland= that stray dog
that will not get out of your nieghborhood.
by SCHalo on
May 8, 2008 10:09 AM PDT
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Do I detect a teacher's pet or two on this report card?
Scioscia, "Roll the hole!"
by 44FAN on
May 7, 2008 10:46 PM PDT
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Grade Inflation
Frankie has been a notch below Shields…he’s getting the job done, but not without drama. That’s an A-, not a full-on A. Stated differently, I think Joe Saunders deserves a slightly higher grade than K-Rod.
Speier’s B+ also reflects some grade inflation. He’s allowing too many baserunners. He usually gets out of jams, but he gets himself into a few too many for the +. A solid B.
Likewise, Napoli’s less-than-stellar defense (and higher CERA) merit a solid B as well. Frankly, it’s hard to give one catcher a better grade than the other. Each has his strengths. Could this be a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts? I’d give the tandem an A- or B+, but wouldn’t give them solid B’s individually.
On the other side of the coin, does Figgins get marked down for his injury? His OBP is .421. He’s batting .306, and is 11/15 in SBs, while playing a good third base. And he gets a B-? I’d make that a plus.
Moseley should get a D+. I guess he’s still having some trouble following offseason surgery, and thus he now finds himself on the DL. We didn’t expect much more than this from him, but I suspect that he’d have done a bit better if fully healthy. Thus, he gets a sympathy + on that grade.
by jjackflash on
May 7, 2008 11:49 PM PDT
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,,,i can accept a JD critiquing such an academic exercise!
by Rev Halofan on
May 8, 2008 12:28 AM PDT
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Academic Qualifications
Believe me, I know plenty about grade inflation. I was a frequent beneficiary. Hey, can you re-grade my finals from Real Property and ConLaw I?
by jjackflash on
May 8, 2008 3:02 PM PDT
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Juan Rivera deserves a grade of F(at)
"The blues is losing someone you love and not having enough money to immerse yourself in drink." (Henry Rollins)
by PieceOfAase on
May 8, 2008 12:16 AM PDT
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everyone always complains
that we should be playing Juan Rivera more etc…. The staff probably knows something we don’t and I think Riveras work ethic might be one. He is getting a little pudgy
Relax... Everything is fine
by Sinatrasratpack on
May 8, 2008 8:05 AM PDT
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agree
He was an A last year prior to his mysterious illness, but this year he is just not as good. For example, his K/BB ratio is horrible 1.125 (9/8), while last year he had a K/BB ratio of 3.91 (47/12). His career K/BB is 2.55 (502/197). Additionally, last season he allowed a HR on average once every 8.333 innings, while this year he is allowing a home run every 4.666 innings. And the most staggering statistic that has changed from 2007 to 2008 is WHIP—from .960 in 2007 to 1.465 this season.
by BoulderBrian on
May 8, 2008 1:03 AM PDT
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I would give O'Day a B-........And Weaver a D
Weaver gets a D because for being our “Ace” he shure as hell aint pitchin like one. Shit even the Kid Nick did better than him on his second go around.
Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by acuda27 on
May 8, 2008 2:15 AM PDT
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i would
Shift every A down a third a grade—A+ to A, A to A-, A- to B+ - except for Aybar, Kotch and Hunter. I would give Speier a B, Oliver a B, give Figgins a B (an A for the first few weeks but he has declined since), lower Weaves to a D, and raise GMJ to a C. GMJ has a lot of shit RBIs but at least he gets shit rbis and keeps the ball on the ground, Juan Rivera would just pop an infield fly.
by BoulderBrian on
May 8, 2008 2:51 AM PDT
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K-Rod is A+
He may not keep this up, but if the grading is truly year to date, then he really is on track for 65 saves in the season, which would obliterate the record of 57, set by Bobby Thigpen 18 friggin’ years ago.
He has registered 14 saves out of 15 opportunities, with zero losses. That’s 14-1. Fourteen. And. One.
His season ERA is plummeting, down to 3.07 at the moment, as his performance over the past 10 games has gone through the roof:
– 7K’s
– 4 BB’s
– 5 hits
– only 1 earned run
– .096 ERA
And this period includes a stint against Seattle back when they were competitive, two games against Boston, one game against Detroit when they were resurgent, and a game again Oakland which, if you look around, have been just as successful on the season to date as we have.
Frankie is currently ranked 56th in history for career saves. At his current success rate this season, he will jump up to right around 35th. All time. And not a single player ahead of him will have a career in single digits, whereas Frankie will have just finished his 6th season as the full-time closer.
For those who whine about the “drama” despite his actual results, folks, those are just style points. You are spoiled. Some here are looking forward to the day that Shields can take over the closer role, or Speier, as though those guys are without their own drama. Not true. And people, KRod’s numbers are BETTER than those two guys. BETTER. And what people seem to fail to consider is that when KRod steps to the mound BY DEFINITION it is when the opposing offense will be throwing everything out onto the field including the kitchen sink, in order to scrape out a run or two. It takes some serious cajones to eagerly hustle to the mound and grab the baseball night after night and step into that firestorm. While you are squirming in your seat, Frankie is out there in front of 40,000 poeple trying to sneak a hard curveball by some future Hall Of Famer.
This is a monster player, who works in the most difficult situation in a game, and is the most exposed in terms of responsibility, yet the weakest in terms of reward (as evidenced by the dirth of POTG’s here on the team’s #1 fan site). And he is having a monster season to this point in spite of it all.
by Stirrups on
May 8, 2008 9:40 AM PDT
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Frankie is getting better
which means the ankles are healing. this could be his best year.
by SCHalo on
May 8, 2008 10:06 AM PDT
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I am here to officially eat crow.
I was wrong about Frankie. I am spoiled. I hate the drama but love the results.
Sheilds and Speier are not ready to close. Frankie is getting the job done in a big way.
I am beginning to think that the club should resign him to a long term deal making him the highest paid closer in the game.
by SoCalWine on
May 8, 2008 10:49 AM PDT
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His K/BB sucks, and until it gets better, I won't stop complaining
Frankly, I blame Bud Black, and, to a lesser extent, Mike Butcher. His mechanics (which sucked to begin with) are just completely out of whack, and I’d prefer that they get him back to the (still crappy) mechanics he had back in ‘02 or ‘03. He shouldn’t be falling off the mound…he’s gonna break his wrists and his ankles if he keeps landing on his glove like that.
With all that said, though, he is a great closer, and letting him walk would probably be a mistake, unless someone like Arredondo really figures it out.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 10:52 AM PDT
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Here is the disconnect
Your use of the word “mechanics” is too ambiguous, in that you are not pointing out examples of why people with bad mechanics who have consistently had 40-Save seasons need to change what they are doing.
by Rev Halofan on
May 8, 2008 11:08 AM PDT
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okay, then I'll be more specific
Ignoring that saves aren’t really a great stat (Todd Jones gets saves, QED), my issue is that he’s now starting to get injured from his wacky delivery. His follow through sometimes pulls him 180 degrees to the point where he is falling onto his glove and facing the second baseman. I’m not an athletic trainer, but when somebody is hurting their ankles during their delivery, something is wrong.
His K/BB this year is evidence of his injury, and his injury is evidence of his awful delivery. Look at your 2002 tapes and watch how he stays (relatively) balanced on the mound. Now watch nearly every pitch he’s thrown this season. He’s not pitching like he used to, so when you ask “why he needs to change what he’s doing,” I’m saying he already has. Frankie is not the same pitcher as he used to be, and he’s old enough to know better, at this point. He needs to revert back to what he used to be, at least mechanically.
Ignoring the interests of the team and looking only to his next contract, he’s going to be better off if he can figure out how he was dominant back in ‘02 without looking like he was going to snap off his feet and hands.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 12:03 PM PDT
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Didn't Frankie modify his delievery
when he had the injured ankles to reduce the risk of injuring himself?
by TheTypingFiend on
May 8, 2008 12:24 PM PDT
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he looked better for a day or two
but he’s back to spinning around again.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 12:27 PM PDT
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KRod
you can spin this any way you want the fact of the matter is krod goes out and gets us saves which are wins…...he is getting 40 saves a year and is on pace for 63…again when he is gone next year i dont want to hear you bitching.
by surfpunk on
May 8, 2008 12:29 PM PDT
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you're still ignoring the point I'm trying to make
which is that he’s hurting himself right now, and if he keeps this up, he’s not gonna get a nice, fat contract, with us or the Yankees or anyone.
Back in ‘02 he was dominant. His career K/BB is like 3:1, not 1:1 like it is now. He needs to get back to better mechanics so he can continue to pitch at a high level. Walking someone every time he goes out is not being a “dominant” closer, whether he gets the save or not.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 1:45 PM PDT
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Numbers that actually mean something
Here are last year’s stats of the best AL closers. Now, if you pro-rate the top closers had they gotten the same opportunity as K-Rod, putz would have 44 saves, Papsmear would have 43, Nathan 41 and Rivera 40.
Now subtract the losses from that number and you’ve got:
Putz +5
Pap +2
Nat +1
Riv -2
Bitch and moan about my metric but I would claim that there were only 3 more effective closers in the AL compared K-Rod. Now given that K-Rod stepped in a hole and twisted his ankle last year, the argument could be made that he would rank higher when healthy. Either way, I don’t think he can easily substituted
sv % IP W-L ERA Saves Blown SV BA J.J. Putz Marin 95 71.2 6-1 1.38 40 2 0.153 J Papelbon Red Sox 93 58.1 1-3 1.85 37 3 0.146 Joe Nathan Twins 90 71.2 4-2 1.88 37 4 0.209 M Rivera Yankees 88 71.1 3-4 3.15 30 4 0.248 F Rodriguez Angels 87 67.1 5-2 2.81 40 6 0.204 Bobby Jenks WSox 87 65 3-5 2.77 40 6 0.198 Todd Jones Tigers 86 61.1 1-4 4.26 38 6 0.267 C.J. Wilson Rangers 86 68.1 2-1 3.03 12 2 0.208 Joakim Soria Royals 81 69 2-3 2.48 17 4 0.187 Huston Street A's 76 50 5-2 2.88 16 5 0.19 B.J. Ryan B Jays 60 4.1 0-2 12.46 3 2 0.333 R Betancourt Indians 50 79.1 5-1 1.47 3 3 0.183
by melvintoast on
May 8, 2008 1:28 PM PDT
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I didn't say he could be easily replaced
I said he needs to look at his delivery and keep himself from injury. A closer with a 1:1 K/BB ratio is not going to get 14/15 saves all year. It’s in his best interests and ours if he strips down his delivery and gets it back to a more reasonable setup.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 1:47 PM PDT
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Good suggestion. I think Vladdy ought to work on his pitch selection
and try to shorten up that swing.
1) In my field of expertise, we often point out that fixing what isn’t broken isn’t recommended.
2) “gets it back to a more reasonable setup” ???? When did he have a reasonable setup? 1995?
by melvintoast on
May 8, 2008 1:58 PM PDT
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how can you say it isn't broken?
He’s getting results but HE’S GETTING HURT.
Frankie on the DL does not get 40 saves. He’s getting older and while everyone has been worrying about his arm flying off for years now, it’s starting to actually happen. He said his ankles were getting hurt by his delivery and that was making his pitches hittable. Why wouldn’t he want to fix that? Why wouldn’t we want to fix that?
Look at 2002 and tell me if his delivery looks the same.
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 2:16 PM PDT
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The mound caused his injury
Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.
by hauldog on
May 8, 2008 3:15 PM PDT
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Yeah he's tightened up the deliver a little more.
He’s not flying out as much as he used to.
by melvintoast on
May 8, 2008 6:25 PM PDT
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Love the list
Sean Rodriguez…....we need to work on a nickname for this guy. S Rod is too generic.
We have K Rod, there is A Rod, etc.
Sea-at-ha-ha-ha that's funny.
by hauldog on
May 8, 2008 11:01 AM PDT
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A+ don't mess with my Mikey
we’re 22-14, tied with the Fremont choakies and WAAAAY ahead of the others.
considering the huge number on the DL (past & present), we are GREAT!
by ladybug on
May 8, 2008 12:34 PM PDT
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Ha. I actually assumed he's untouchable from a grade. He's like a good Professor with Tenure.
But I was curious if everyone felt that way.
Whatever dude.
by Mayheminthehood on
May 8, 2008 12:36 PM PDT
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it depends on the particular minute
feelings change here on a minute by minute basis
but deep down inside, it’s all man-love towards the Sosh
by ladybug on
May 8, 2008 12:38 PM PDT
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FACT!
the “F.U. Scioscia” tirades strike often, even during good times. he’s the best thing, besides Arte, to happen to this franchise.
by SCHalo on
May 8, 2008 2:10 PM PDT
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rut-roh
you aren’t supposed to admit it! that’s my purpose here….keep the love for Mikey going while you guys bitch about him micromanaging.
It saves the fraternal order of testosterone’s image!
by ladybug on
May 8, 2008 2:15 PM PDT
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I ususally bitch about him not micromanaging enough
Northeastern University Huskies: Mediocre hockey, guaranteed.
by Carl Johnson on
May 8, 2008 2:16 PM PDT
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I agree, SCHalo. Wholeheartedly.
Whatever dude.
by Mayheminthehood on
May 8, 2008 3:22 PM PDT
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Lil Weaver
needs a freaking haircut…..dude looks like a tool. Maybe it would help. Certainly couldn’t hurt.
Go Angels!
by Four Ts on
May 8, 2008 2:21 PM PDT
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Could the drag from his hair
be affecting his delivery?
by TheTypingFiend on
May 8, 2008 3:35 PM PDT
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I've been thinking the same thing about Vlad.
I don’t mind the long, braided look. But he mashed more when he had a crappy mini-fro.
Whatever dude.
by Mayheminthehood on
May 8, 2008 3:43 PM PDT
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Izzy
Izzy’s grade was probably deserved (although he has 10 RBIs with his 14 hits and .175 average). But his defense was fine as usual and we need him to come back and return to 2007 form. He can play three infield positions with equal ability. We need to encourage the young man. And no, I’m not Izzy’s parent.
Angels in 08!
by tanana40 on
May 8, 2008 5:55 PM PDT
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correction
Izzy is hitting .197 not .175.
Angels in 08!
by tanana40 on
May 8, 2008 5:57 PM PDT
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Tuppences worth
... and they ain’t worth shit in the good old US of A … But …
Figgins a B+
Speier a B-
Kotchman A (not A-)
Weaver D
Aybar A
Frankie A-
Don't call me Desmond
by highlandhalo on
May 8, 2008 9:32 PM PDT
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Brandon Wood
He looks like a minor leaguer. He is a minor leaguer. Great potential, but as of now he is a boy in a man’s world. Even the ultimate homer, Rex Hudler, doesn’t dial nine on him. Give me the Q any day this year or next over him. His grade would have to be altered to refleck his grade skipping.
GP – For great potential.
He is a good defender.
Who goofed? I've got to know.
by hittheg on
May 9, 2008 2:41 AM PDT
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