The Halos are built for the postseason
by howiestheman on Jun 8, 2008 8:52 PM PDT
Email
Printi know, i know. after today's game against the A's, i don't believe it either. but there's a cool article on MLB.com about that very thing.
really, despite our recent struggles (that term is being nice), we are a team that should make a deep run into the postseason AS LONG AS WE STAY HEALTHY. i think the biggest problem we've had ths far is injuries. our pitching has been solid, and at times, we've had solid offense...but the offense was at its best when the entire team of regulars was playing together.
when all of our regulars get back and get into a groove, we might see the best team in the majors.
This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.
29 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Have yet to hit on all cylinders
and we are RAKING. We are 17-7 since Chaka Kahn sang the national anthem.
bleh
i was at that game. probably the WORST national anthem i’ve ever heard.
but holy crap, is that woman good luck
Let Wood play!!!
Good luck woman
Chaka Khan let me tell you what i wanna do
Do you feel for me, the way i feel for you
Chaka Khan let me tell you what i wanna do
I wanna love you, wanna hug you, wanna squeeze you too
(Does that mean a squeeze play or two? Or a squeeze with Q?)
Don't call me Desmond
by highlandhalo on Jun 9, 2008 12:13 AM PDT up reply actions
okay, let me rephrase
chaka was the worst singer i’ve heard do the anthem.
kenny g was the biggest prick to do the anthem
Let Wood play!!!
Okay, I'll bite.
The Angels’ pythagorean record (33-31) is six games worse than their actual record (39-25). They have only scored 9 more runs than they have allowed. The offense is obviously sputtering, but this is not the result of bad luck – the team BABIP is .288, which is close to normal (.290). In short, their fundamentals are very bad.
If the Angels are built for the postseason, it is to win a very weak division and get crushed in the first round (again). Last year they were 4th in runs scored and 3rd in OBP; they only scored 4 runs total while being swept in the ALDS. How are they going to do better with a worse offense?
The issue with the Angels has been the same for several years: they lack legitimate power. It baffles my mind that the LAA Front Office has hoarded centerfielders rather than going hard after players like A-Rod or Miguel Cabrera.
I agree with you to a degree
Although, you could argue it was good pitching (Beckett, Schilling, Papelbon) that did in the Angels in 07 playoffs, not necessarily Boston’s big bats. Unfortunately, Lackey struggles against the Sox which really complicates any playoffs series with that team.
Angels in 08!
The offense is sputtering because half of it has been on the DL forcing Brandon Wood and Sean Rodriguez with sub-Mendoza line batting averages into the lineup and Vlad hasn’t been hitting the way he normally does. Which is the point of the article that it looks like you didn’t read. The Angels are 39-25 with lackluster offense, being carried by the pitching. What the article in question is suggesting is that if the Angels’ offense can get healthy, and stay healthy, then with the excellent pitching they’ve been getting they have a good chance of seeing more success in the postseason.
As far as going hard after certain players, A-Rod never intended to leave New York and can you imagine where the team would be if they had given up Ervin Santana and Nick Adenhart along with Howie Kendrick and/or Casey Kotchman for Miguel Cabrera? Probably in a similar situation to what the Tigers find themselves in.
from a boston fan, i expected no less
you try to sound sophisticated an knowledgeable by citing pytag records. but pythag is not always the way to look at teams. it is an inherently flawed system. although it is useful to a degree, it has exceptions. The angels have had a shut down pitching staff and bullpen. They give up nearly no runs. They dont need to score 10 more runs than the other team to feel comfortable going into the 9th inning. And the statistic is skewed even further because of a few starts from AAA guys who gave up 12 runs. it is no accident that the angels have the best record in the bigs in 1-run games.
I AM THOR, GOD OF THUNDER. BOW TO MY WILL AND MY HAMMER!
by anaheim angels on Jun 9, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm sorry.
Clearly I was pedantic and wrong to use a widely accepted statistic to evaluate the performance of the Angels. Reason and evidence have no place in sports discussion; not when we can use such measures as “feeling comfortable going into the 9th inning” and giving up “nearly no runs.”
I’ll grant there are flaws with every metric, and Pythagorean record is no exception. That said, Pythagorean record has better predictive value for future performance than actual record does. For example, in 2006 the Indians were 78-84, with a Pythagorean record of 89-73. From their actual record, you would conclude they were a terrible team with no hope of making the playoffs; but the Pythagorean suggests they were actually a very good team. The next year they went 96-66 and got to the ALCS.
Foxpaw, I did read the article, and found it optimistic. Having strong pitching is one thing, but it doesn’t count for everything; the Blue Jays had phenomenal pitching last year. They were 2nd in runs allowed, at 699 – they had a great rotation and pen. But the offense was poor – 10th in the league, scoring only 753 runs. They finished out of playoff contention. Now, the Angels should win the division, and once in the playoffs they have a shot at winning the whole thing. But I don’t think their offense is strong enough to make that a likelihood.
6th in ERA; 4th in Runs allowed. Very good, but not quite shut-out.
6th in ERA and 4th in runs allowed
WITHOUT THEIR TOP 2 PITCHERS FOR MOST (IF NOT ALL) OF THE SEASON SO FAR. and the indians in 06 had 2 relievers (besides their closer) that had ERA+s of over 100 (including an 83 or so from fausto from the pen). in 07 they had 4 relievers (besides their closer) that pitched at leas 29 innings and had ERA+S of over 100 (312, 158, 259 and 214). they also had another with 99. in 06 the two relievers that were over 100 were 121, and 119. this means the bullpen was the main reason why they won more. When you have a great bullpen, you win more close games. when you have a shit bullpen, you lose close games. ditto for defense (when you make errors late in games, they cost you, but great D gets you out of jams). When you have great D and great bullpen pitching, then pythag isnt as accurate. nuff said
I AM THOR, GOD OF THUNDER. BOW TO MY WILL AND MY HAMMER!
by anaheim angels on Jun 9, 2008 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions
*splash*
I AM THOR, GOD OF THUNDER. BOW TO MY WILL AND MY HAMMER!
by anaheim angels on Jun 11, 2008 12:23 AM PDT up reply actions
A trade
A trade in July may put our boys over the top. Any suggestions? Who from a crappy team in the NL would be willing to DH? Adam Dunn, Garrett Atkins, Jason Bay? or perhaps the Tigers will be eager to cut their payroll. Who can we package together?
Kendrick - he's a tender little guy.
i'd love to see Adam Dunn get picked up
for GMJ (withs us eating lots of salary) and maybe 2 minor leaguers.
we could certainly use his bat in the middle of the order…
Figgins
Kendrick
Vlad
Dunn
Hunter
Kotch
GA
Naps
Aybar/Izturis
Let Wood play!!!
Dunn's name is brought up every season
And every season the pro-Dunns have to be reminded that the guy hits .250 and Ks 175 times a year. He hits a lot of HRs, and that’s neat-o because the fireworks go BOOM when that happens at the Big A, but he will never wear Halo red as long as Sosh is sailing the ship.
Please go away Chris Bootcheck. Your work here is done.
by ReggieBullits on Jun 9, 2008 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Who do you suggest?
Pray tell.
Kendrick - he's a tender little guy.
by Rally Manatee on Jun 9, 2008 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Answer
The only position we can realistically improve at offensively is ss (barring a GMJ trade) and that ain’t going to happen.
And DH
DH can realistically improve.
“This is the reality, 61 games into the season: The combined production the Angels have gotten from their time-share arrangement at DH ranks near the bottom – 10th in total bases, 12th in RBIs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage and 13th in OPS (on-base plus slugging).” – Bill Plunkett, L.A. Daily News, 6/6/08
Kendrick - he's a tender little guy.
by Rally Manatee on Jun 9, 2008 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions
which is where Dunn comes in
if we can get rid of GMJ, Dunn can hop into the merry-go-round that is our outfield.
he can man LF and the DH.
Chaka Khan... Rally Monkey 2.0
yup
Kendrick - he's a tender little guy.
by Rally Manatee on Jun 9, 2008 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't pray
Sorry.
Please go away Chris Bootcheck. Your work here is done.
by ReggieBullits on Jun 10, 2008 9:47 PM PDT up reply actions
i know he hits for low average and has lots of Ks
but for the love.. we need some brute muscle come October and Fenway.
i will take the crappy average and 6000000000 Ks for a series win against the Sawx
Let Wood play!!!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- College player makes impossible over the fence catch to save tournament game (Video)
- Security!: Camden Yards guard collides with Royals’ Mike Moustakas
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
