Is anyone else still mad?

by Gorbachav5 on Sep 17, 2009 8:35 AM PDT Comment 39 comments

I can't remember the last time I've been this worked up about a game. I was upset with the way the Angels lost in the playoffs last year, but that seemed inevitable, if disappointing. This was just a punch in the gut. I was screaming at my television set.

I can't explain it. It wasn't a playoff game. It didn't really hurt us in the playoff race since Texas lost...I'm just...PISSED. I'm obviously still mad at the umpiring, but there are so many other things that frustrated me:

The very poor middle infield defense in the 6th inning. Yes, there was a blown call on Aybar's transfer, but that should have been a double play regardless.
The great pitches Saunders kept making that wound up being hits.
Juan Rivera's inexcusable laziness, first on the bomb he hit to center that should have been a triple, even for the slowest of players, and then on that last pop fly into left.
The coaching that had Juan Rivera playing that deep in the first place
Brian Fuentes's inability to get three outs without causing us a coronary (and this goes whether the umpire calls Green out or not).
A complete lack of situational hitting, highlighted especially by Figgins, whom I love but who has been absolutely WORTHLESS with a runner on third and less than two outs recently.

Barring a complete collapse of epic proportions, the Angels will make the playoffs. But they better get their $*&% right before then, because it's going to be a looooong three game sweep if they don't.

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I feel a little better. But I'm still pissed.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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It's the next day so I'm cool now.

It was more than the umps that lost us that game. And hopefully this snaps the Angels out of their funk. Anger can be a powerful driving force.

But to hell with all those Foston Buckers coming over here and trolling like assholes. Maybe they started a troll war and we should retaliate in kind?

Plus I reserve the right to be pissed off after a game without trolling bastards adding to my anger. It’s every fan’s right as far as I’m concerned to get mad at umpires, your team, the other team, etc.

W6G!

by Monkeyspanked on Sep 17, 2009 8:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This is what's weird

It’s the next day…and I’m strangely not cool. I don’t know what it is about this game that’s making it linger. As someone below said, perfect storm of frustration.

A win today would certainly help.

I feel the need, the need...for speed!

by Gorbachav5 on Sep 17, 2009 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not Mad only a smidge frustrated with the team.

There is only way the team can go when they play the Red Sox from this day forward, regular season and post season, and that is WINNING !

When I'm not at the stadium, I'd rather be watching my Halos back in Costa Rica!

by Dono Romantico on Sep 17, 2009 9:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The perfect storm of frustration

How many would-be HR’s that died in that weird wind?…the list goes on.

Next time, somebody just turn off my TV, kick me in the nuts, and we’ll call it even.

Turning page now.

by The Clyde on Sep 17, 2009 9:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

well...(a lot of rambling)

on the bright side angels began to hit, and joe saunders pitched great until that inning. i agree with you i was really mad (4 hrs and you lost, just a sick feeling).

read the posted article about the angels stinking up in boston, NO DUH THEY ARE INTIMIDATED! And now there is talks about this in NY? WTF! They were the only team to post a winning percentage against the Yankees in the Joe Torre era, ahhhhh.

Plus, will the Angels make it to the playoffs? They have to play TX 6 games, which is their lead. This weekend is the ultimate test, if the Angels win the series they will make the playoffs, if they lose it, they won’t.

by Halos in DE on Sep 17, 2009 9:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

disagree about one thing

Saunders pitched great period. I don’t remember one hard hit ball that whole inning. It was probably his best game of the season until the Sux got lucky in the sixth.

by dmhead on Sep 17, 2009 9:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

sorry meant to reply to halos in de...

by dmhead on Sep 17, 2009 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This was as frustrating a game as I have ever seen.

I feel like Charlie Brown after Lucy has pulled the football away for the 100th time in a row.

I blame everybody. We should have performed better, but the umpiring – especially for critical calls – was terrible.

by sothball on Sep 17, 2009 9:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

“The Doctor is IN”

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you

Angry and wanting revenge. I’m hoping the whole team feels the way I do today.

Torii’s comments and (we hope) leadership should reverberate around the clubhouse. The Angels are soft due to low expectations. In Boston and NY they get ripped for failure and their young players grow from that.

by Diving Catch on Sep 17, 2009 10:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the main problem

is that our boys were completely underperforming. They did not need the additional help from the crapass calls from the umps. It was kinda like we had a deep cut and the umps just kept pouring acid in the wounds.

by ladybug on Sep 17, 2009 10:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was sick watching that game last night...

Had to walk away from the tv a few times. Sigh….why do I feel like it’ll never happen for us against the Red Sox. Worse part is my soon to be Ex-Buddy who grew up in Boston who is a Sox fan kept texting me. Bastard.

Peanuts...Get your Overpriced Peanuts!

by Angel Hawker on Sep 17, 2009 10:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This was me too

I couldn’t sit down from the 7th inning on. My wife removed all small hard objects from the vicinity because I was picking them up and throwing them violently at the wall. I’m a competitive guy, but that’s not natural for me. It’s just something about watching the Angels wrap their hands around their throats every time they play Boston (and the umpires, apparently) in a pressurized setting that gets me incredibly unnerved.

Argh.

I feel the need, the need...for speed!

by Gorbachav5 on Sep 17, 2009 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've been the laid back fan all year...

But this game got the best of me last night. And listening to Rod-Lodge this morning didn’t help much. Blaming this loss on one player is stupid. Fuentes blew a save, Johnny Rivers didn’t make a leaping third out catch. Whatever! Bottom line is more than the umpires cost us this game.

Lodge says Jepsen should close, Fuentes becomes a lefty specialist. Didn’t Jepsen give up two runs as well? He didn’t pitch perfectly either. And the defense seemingly fell apart on a couple of those routine double plays.

The Silver linings… not that there are many but… The offense ignited. If we can parlay last nights frustrations with ump calls, blown defensive plays, Fuentes ineffectiveness with two outs, etc., into a lean mean hitting machine maybe we can clinch this division much sooner than later.

These games don’t necessarily dictate how the Post-Season will play out. And its a matter of getting hot at the right moment. The Angels can get it together, even after such a debacle like last night. October is exactly 2 weeks away.

Nothing is over, but losing a game they should have won sucks!!! A tall can of sucks. But — overcoming adversity is exactly what the Angels have done all year and I don’t foresee that changing. Mike’s 1 day – 1 game approach has won 86 games this year. And I know they aren’t done yet.

Go Halos

RIP Nick Adenhart 4/9/09

I blog about the Angels at The Diamond Aces

by Jay Cal on Sep 17, 2009 10:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Fuentes

a walk to a hitter who burns us a lot anyway, and two infield singles are not indicative of a meltdown.

He’s been shitty lately, but last night was hardly an abortion of a performance.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Sep 17, 2009 11:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really a meltdown

but most closers do poorly when they have to throw that many pitches. They don’t have a lot of ways to get guys out like a Greg Maddux. Boston knows that and worked it to perfection last night.

Captain, there are doubt's...

by Match Day 5 on Sep 17, 2009 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right on about Fuentes

The thing about the Red Sox is that they are going to take more pitches then not. Esp. now that Manny’s gone. They are built to wait for a pitcher’s mistake or fatigue and they are going to force an ump to call a lot of balls and strikes. If our pitchers aren’t extremely aggressive and don’t force the Sux to swing the bat then we are going to see more games like this and get more frustrated.

Captain, there are doubt's...

by Match Day 5 on Sep 17, 2009 11:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not mad at all

Concerned about Fuentes and the team chemistry right now though. Seems to be some finger pointing going on. If Texas is going to lay down, maybe the me against the world attitude will kick this team back into gear.

by Quinlan's Goofy Swing on Sep 17, 2009 12:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am pissed still.

Although part of me thinks the Angels are not very good at shaking of adversity midgame.

I did enjoy them coming back to take the lead three times though

Play Wood already. Willits sucks.

by hauldog on Sep 17, 2009 12:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Somebody made a comment about how posting (venting) last night on this board helped keep them from kicking in their T.V..

Me too. It’s nice to have a place to go where other people are seeing what I am seeing.
I am not mad anymore, but I am not going to watch the game tonight. I can’t handle any more frustration. Need a break.

by Big Bad, 'Vlad'! on Sep 17, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hell NO! Still Pissed!

"I am not impressed by your per-formence!" -GSP

by KubanKowbell19 on Sep 17, 2009 12:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Meh.

Let them dance and sing. We will pull the rug out from under them in the right moment.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 12:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The ending of the game was depressing.

To watch Fuentes struggle and yet strike out Green twice and not get the call, to watch him get robbed by the umps, that was depressing.

Today I feel a sense of outrage that the commish is considering taking disciplinary action against Scioscia and Fuentes, without mention that they would consider the truth of their comments.

But I’m calm. Calm. (Gritting my teeth) calm.

THIS… IS… ANAHEIM!!

by opiejeanne on Sep 17, 2009 1:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You cannot under any circumstances criticize the umpires...

Scioscia and Fuentes deserve to be fined. But, I think it is a fine that they will have no problem paying. The umpiring was atrocious.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hate the 'automatic fine' crap

questioning the umpires or criticizing them does nothing to undermine anything (and if anything, only serves to hurt your cause with umpires, in fact). It doesn’t hurt integrity, it doesn’t upset the balances of good and evil…it just points out a deficiency where there is one. And to blindly slap a fine on someone because of a bureacratic checklist of offenses committed, with absolutely no investigation into the veracity of their claims, or an attempt to fix a broke system is just the kind of absurd, totalitarian bullshit you’d expect from an arrogant dipshit like Selig.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Sep 17, 2009 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

See your point, but ...

I think unchecked, the complaints get worse and worse to the point of physical confrontation with the officials. This nips it in the “BUD” (Selig) so to speak.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 3:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Slippery slope arguments are generally full of fallacy

the level of discard in civility between sitting at your desk after a game telling a reporter “gee whiz, i thought we threw that guy four strikes” and assaulting an official on a field is light years away…not even the same ballpark…or planet for that matter.

The complaints SHOULD get worse…why? Because the system is broken and rather than fix it, they quash dissent with fines and suspensions. Guess what, Bud? Your officials make an assload of costly mistakes. Mistakes that may very well have cost our franchise a world title in 2005, an ALDS victory last year, and a game last night.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Sep 17, 2009 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you are really harboring some serious bitterness...

Cool. Good luck with getting Selig to change the system. We are all here still buying tickets or having our eyes glued to the tube like a bunch of fools. He ain’t gonna change a damn thing.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think now this is a strawman.

How many logical fallacies can he use, folks? Stay tuned!

Let's do this for Nick Adenhart, Courtney Stewart, and Henry Pearson.

by AlanFalcon on Sep 17, 2009 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Say what?

The slippery slope justification for silencing dissent amongst players and managers doesn’t make sense.

It’s not ME who is trying to overhaul or change Selig’s system…it is me saying the PLAYERS AND MANAGERS should be allowed to air legitimate grievances without der fuhrer telling them they can’t do so…and if the change can’t come from them, who can it come from, really?

And frankly, the idea that someone should be outraged at something as absurd as our officiating system because that outrage "won’t result in change is just plain stupid. Yes, let’s all ignore any wrongs in the world (regardless of how ‘bad’ a wrong it is in the wide scheme of things), if we think we can’t do anything about them.

The simple point from the beginning is that players and coaches getting fined for dissenting is just grossly unfair…especially when the level of discourse expressed by Fuentes and Scioscia was rather civil and benign.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Sep 17, 2009 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see your point.

(goes away)

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The umps 2 calls were not wrong.

Two things. First, Napoli’s “frame” movement WAS a bit too noticeable. A frame is a deliberate attempt by the catcher to nudge the pitch into the strike zone – but it’s supposed to be almost imperceptible – which Napoli’s last night wasn’t. It WAS a tad too obvious, and the umpire rather than be swayed positively, was swayed in the opposite direction. That should be understandable.

Secondly, on the so called “missed” check swing, I never saw a side replay last night – the same view as the 1st base umpire. They showed that view tonight, and it was clearly the correct call – the bat had not crossed the plate. All other umps would have made the same call – it wasn’t even close. What we were all swayed by was the batter’s expression – like it was an admission of guilt.

The fact is, he shouldn’t have swung, and he didn’t. Consequently, one call was correct, and the other was understandable. If a catcher tries to “influence” an umpire with trickery, he’d better be smooth, or he just might get “punished”.

The game wasn’t negatively impacted by the umps – it was lost through shoddy defense, and lousy offense – period.

by R.Munkee on Sep 17, 2009 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

+1: You know...

I saw the side replay just now during tonight’s game replay… and it did appear that Green held up.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are misreading the check swing rule.

Which is easy to do, because there is no definition of what constitutes a check swing (“half swing” in the rule book), and which results of a check swing should be called a strike and which should not.

The current common interpretation by umpires is “intent”. It has nothing to do with where the bat is in relation to the plate.

And, in this case, since Green himself winced in frustration as a result of his check swing, even the batter himself knew that he intended to swing and then tried to stop but could not, resulting in failure in a critical situation.

So, if the batter himself believes he swung, and the rule is interpreted as intent, how is it possible that the 1B ump can proclaim to know better than the batter himself what was going on in the batter’s mind, and overrule even the batter?

The worst thing is the day you realize you want to win more than the players do. - Gene Mauch

by Stirrups on Sep 17, 2009 8:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That may be the "rule", but...

that isn’t how it works in the real world. Home plate umps defer to a corner base ump because THAT ump can more clearly see when a bat crosses the plate. Your rule is correct, but that is not what really happens. The ump is looking at the bat only, in that split second – not trying to ascertain the batter’s “intent”.

by R.Munkee on Sep 17, 2009 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and a KEY caveat is in Stirrups' quote:

common interpretation

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That does not say "universally accepted interpretation"

He didn’t cross the plate.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Sep 17, 2009 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I call bullshit.

Give us your citation that authoratatively says the way that MLB umpires are to make their judgement is to be based on whether or not the bat crosses the plate.

For my part, I can cite a lot of authorities. Here is an Umpires community website. Note Myth #9.

You are conflating the wive’s tales of the ignorant, with the actual practice of the professionals.

The worst thing is the day you realize you want to win more than the players do. - Gene Mauch

by Stirrups on Sep 17, 2009 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs