Bright Side Dimming?

by Rev Halofan on Aug 23, 2008 3:30 AM PDT in News

Still plenty of optimism about all of this - HA! Can you imagine if Texas had been 9-0 while we had gone 2-7 - they would be 8 games back... oh wait, that would still be the largest divisional lead in baseball.

Francisco Rodriguez STILL has more saves than the Mariners have victories. August 22, man.

Okay, well we can still be happy - can ANYONE recall the last time that Mike Scioscia had a closed door meeting to chew out the players (don't believe the propaganda in the mainstream media that he calmly told the players they needed to focus better. He might have used a word with some of the same letters as focus, though...)

We are at least getting our asses kicked by great teams - Tampa and Minnesota are better than Senior Citizen Boston or Faded Bluejeans New York. We are getting schooled by young, hungry hustlers in generically inoffensive boring uniforms.

But we are playing quite flat, tweaked really, probably aching, definitely unfocused and likely in need of 2-Game rest stops for each player. When did it happen? I have found the moment. We were on a mighty roll, a five game winning streak and were tied in the 12th inning TEN DAYS AGO when Mariner prospect Wladimier Balentein hit a HR off of Justin Speier. VIDEO. Watching that will be painful, but pay attention to Torii Hunter's landing. It is the bigger ouch than the Speier predictability. Torii has disappeared offensively since that bad landing. And he has taken the offensive continuity with him...

The video does not explain Howie's slump (his inability to hit a curveball or slider explains that). It doesn't explain the recent sloppiness, lethargy or resistance to dumping Justin Speier. It gives no clue as to why Shields could not find the strike zone on Tuesday. But it does show an important Angel getting a severe tweak that was like the first of a few dominos falling into a summer dog-days slump.

Let's hope a game off his feet and a Scioscia tirade have started the healing in the Angels clubhouse.

0 recs | Comment 25 comments

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Rev's right

This team stinks right now. Do you know what the back end of a Ray looks like? No? Well, the Angels do. And the Rays are starting to swim out of sight. Say goodbye to the home field advantage in the playoffs.

She's a man-man, baby...

by hk47 on Aug 23, 2008 9:10 AM PDT 0 recs

Easy killer

1 game back is hardly out of sight. But fold if you want to. You’re one less “fan” I’ll have to compete with for playoff tickets.

by ReggieBullits on Aug 23, 2008 9:39 AM PDT up 0 recs

Yes.

The back end of a ray is a single point, and the front extends in a straight line indefinitely.

My Halos Heaven: a Mountain Dew in the upper view

by Rally Manatee on Aug 23, 2008 9:44 AM PDT up 0 recs

The Devil Rays

apparently have the toughest remaining schedule – lots more Boston & NY. They’re going to lose a few.

by jjackflash on Aug 23, 2008 9:51 AM PDT up 0 recs

I for one

have coincidentally taken a step back from the team in the past 10 days. I was on vacation and didn’t even check the boxscores. Since I returned, a good # of games have been on KCOP which we 805ers don’t get. And I’ve generally been too busy with other things in life to watch or listen to a lot of games. Why am I sharing this? Well, it has done 2 things for me.

First, it has saved me from smashing anymore remote controls, kept my blood pressure below dangerous levels, prevented me from rivaling Iran in f-bomb production, and in turn kept my wife from scorning me for being too attached to a bunch of strangers in goofy outfits.

Second, it has given me what I think we all need a little bit of right now – perspective. Even in this slump, isn’t our biggest losing streak of the season only 4 games? The Angels have been consisent all year, unlike some other contenders like Boston, Milwaukee, or the Doyers. This will not spiral (Speieral) out of control.

Oh yeah, and there’s that whole 15 game lead that should help keep us all mellow.

My Halos Heaven: a Mountain Dew in the upper view

by Rally Manatee on Aug 23, 2008 10:01 AM PDT 0 recs

yeah, but for us real fans...

hahaha im kidding

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Aug 23, 2008 11:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

TEN DAY AGO

Isn’t that the same time Izturis went out of the game in the 9th inn? If I remember right he was 3-5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. Does that have anything to do with it? After all the Angels were winning that game at that very moment. Once Izturis dove and did not get up the Angels have followed suit. They have taken a dive and showed no signs of getting up.

Since then the club has played 8 games with out the services of Izturis. In those 8 games the Angels have managed to hit at a .220 clip and avg 2.6 runs a game going 2-6 in those 8 gms played

E. Aybar the replacement for Izturis has hit a whopping .194/.265/.323 no SB / 3BB/3K. That is not going to get it done. Some might say he isn’t the reason and his over all stats are OK. BS the system in place had Izturis playing at 2B / SS. Izturis started 75 games for the club. You don’t lose a player that plays up the middle for the season and think that it doesn’t effect the team. June 1 – July 31 he had hit .308/.359/.427

You talk of how Torri went ouch, but Izzy went bye bye …..

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 23, 2008 10:22 AM PDT 0 recs

can you say small sample size???

Mike Scioscia: He provides to unlike method of your team member.

by howiestheman on Aug 23, 2008 11:08 AM PDT up 0 recs

quit pickin' on Izzy's stature...

Francisco Rodriguez: 194 career saves. 3 career Panthers, 1/3 as awesome as GMJ.

by Stirrups on Aug 23, 2008 11:11 AM PDT up 0 recs

thought he was talking about something else small....

by ladybug on Aug 23, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

so wuz I

Francisco Rodriguez: 194 career saves. 3 career Panthers, 1/3 as awesome as GMJ.

by Stirrups on Aug 23, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up 0 recs

great minds......

BTW, the visit went well!

by ladybug on Aug 23, 2008 11:19 AM PDT up 0 recs

beooootiful!

Francisco Rodriguez: 194 career saves. 3 career Panthers, 1/3 as awesome as GMJ.

by Stirrups on Aug 23, 2008 11:46 AM PDT up 0 recs

Are talking about Izzy

or Mayheminthehood?

My Halos Heaven: a Mountain Dew in the upper view

by Rally Manatee on Aug 23, 2008 12:11 PM PDT up 0 recs

Hold on, lemme grab my camera.

Whatever dude.

by Mayheminthehood on Aug 23, 2008 2:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

Why we miss Izzy

Not for his glove… Aybar has a sick glove.

We miss him for those times when all we need is a slap single. RISP, close game. Izzy was totally money in those situations. Aybar just doesn’t have that clutch-ness.

Angels fan since '67

by red floyd on Aug 23, 2008 4:49 PM PDT up 0 recs

is aybar's power sposed to be to the gap???

cuz it seems like i only see him tryin to hit for extra bases. am i only seeing what i want to here or does anyone else see it too?

i pledge alliegance... to mike Scioscia
and the angels way of baseball
and to each pennant and ring we are sure to win.
one fanatic, under the halo, unwavered
with in n out and world series rings for all

by halofan4life on Aug 23, 2008 4:51 PM PDT up 0 recs

1995 this 'aint

Bring up Wood, give him his reps by auditioning him at SS for the majority/remainder of the regular season, rest the starters more and more, and coast on down to another Halos AL West title. None of the other schlubs in this league has the ability to catch us; the ghosts of 1995 were exorcised a long time ago.

What, me worry?!?

You ever feel as if your mind had started to erode?

by PieceOfAase on Aug 23, 2008 11:11 AM PDT 0 recs

Slightly OT..

But does anyone know what the Angles record is when Markus/Gubi are broadcasting on TV versus Phys/Hud?

I know it’s very un-scientific, but I’m not sure where else to go anymore. I’m about this close to seeking out the local VooDoo priestess

Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no man look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake... the K-Rod!

by Scuff on Aug 23, 2008 3:16 PM PDT 0 recs

haha

ya, markus/gubi/mota are bad mojo compared to wonder dog and phys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlTvSUCCqPo

by ANewFoundThrice on Aug 23, 2008 3:28 PM PDT up 0 recs

Just seems like...

I can’t keep my eyes open whenever we get deep into a game with Markus/Gubi at the helm. This is also partly attributable to the fact that the Angels are usually getting their asses kicked when they’re broadcasting.

Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no man look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake... the K-Rod!

by Scuff on Aug 23, 2008 3:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

i cannot tell

when physioc is broadcasting a game he is talking about some other game that happen in the past or about the red sox awesome (his words) 2004 series run or beggin us to text malibu or raving about some high school next to his house that some player went to fifteen years ago.

shut the fuck up steve.

HARD EIGHT

by Side Salad on Aug 23, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up 0 recs