Who has the best chance to make the ASG this year?
by RedFog on Jan 27, 2010 7:08 PM PST
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Since it's in Anaheim, you know no matter how bad anyone does, there will be one or two token non-starters.
Also, we all know it's as much a popularity contest as anything else and that always hurts West coast teams unless you have a no-brainer tier 1 superstar (which the Angels don't).
But let's look at a realistic scenario instead of best or worst-case.
Last years ASG starters: None
Last years ASG reserves: Chone Figgins, Brian Fuentes, Torii Hunter
For the coming year, assuming no big trade...
1) Chone is gone.
2) Fuentes has as much of a chance for a non-starter spot as last year except with the addition of Rodney and the theory that the Angels have brought him on to cut down the chance of Fuentes getting 55 finishes (non-saves included) so they can get out of keeping him an extra year, etc. etc. However, I don't see Fuentes having enough to make it. UNLESS the above theory is kaka and he pitches so lights out that it makes the Rodney investment a bad deal.
3) Torii Hunter has more national popularity than any player the Angels have now that Vladdy is gone, but was his super hot start to last year before the injury the expectations to have, or rather at a year older, is his performance post-injury more of what expectations should be tailored to?
The only player I could see making it as a starter if he continues his production (can it get any better?) is Kendry. But beating out Tex now that he plays in NY from a popularity contest even if does have the #s will be very hard. But he definitely has a chance as a reserve if he can produce again.
Weaver, Saunders, and Santana all have the potential...but nothing I'd want to bet on other than hope and root they produce like everyone hopes.
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Don't forget though
that teams hosting the games traditionally seem to do a pretty good job of getting more of their players into the game in a given year.
I think Morales, Abreu, Weaver, Hunter, and possibly Matsui (if he produces even to ’09 form) are pretty good bets to make the roster in some capacity. Kazmir as sort of a dark horse, too.
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 27, 2010 7:36 PM PST reply actions
Most of our starting rotation has a good shot
3 of them have been there before and 1 just missed last year.
Hunter is probably a good bet if he performs close to his first-half from ’09.
Morales, Abreu and Aybar would be the next most likely depending on performance I would think.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
Good thing we made sure Tim fucking Wakefield had a spot over Weaver, right?
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 27, 2010 9:27 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Oh absolutely
And Josh Hamilton too.
"You gotta have nuts." - Torii Hunter / Part-Time Nemesis of the HH Reply Function
by Commander_Nate on Jan 28, 2010 8:39 AM PST up reply actions
It's been too long since we had a Wally World around here.
I’m votin’ for Wood. Something miraculous is gonna happen…
Had I owned the Pittsburgh Pirates, I could have saved America.
I'd love for you to be right BUT...
…you know what the reports of Mike’s lack of love for Wood are like, and with Izturis getting a new 3 year deal, do you really see Wood getting enough consistent at bats to shine?
I realize he is out of options but doesn’t mean he won’t ride the pine quite a bit or get traded…
I really hope you are wrong....
Wood has done his time in the minors and hasn’t complained at all. He was our top prospect for a while and deserves his shot. All his stats so far at the majors level mean nothing since he hasn’t gotten the consistent at bats he needs to shine.
Play him! As far as him making the ASG…we can dream.
But Even looking at Wood's offensive potential its hard to say he deserves to play over Izt
What can we realisticly hope for from him? .275/ 20/ 75? If we give Itzturis 600 AB- like figgins got last year- he might post something like .300/ 12/ 100. Very different approaches, and I hope wood gets a chance, but if he falters, how long can you hold out hope before you turn to the .300 hitter, who hits something like .335 with RISP? I mean, if its been a month or two and wood is still hitting .220 with limited power and a ton of K’s, what would you want to see? Its a great problem to have, but I really dont see a prospect disloging a guy like Izzy for long.
by Balls and Strikes on Jan 28, 2010 8:13 AM PST up reply actions
You're right. BWood could be the next Dallas McPherson.
But he could also be the next Troy Glaus.
The sooner we figure out which he is, the better.
"Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His Saints." - Psalm 116:15 Rest In Peace, Nick.
by angels4adam on Jan 28, 2010 11:36 AM PST up reply actions
Wood would have to overcome ARod, Longoria, even Figgins.
And you are worrying about Sosh and Izzy?
Had I owned the Pittsburgh Pirates, I could have saved America.
I'm not sure what Scioscia really thinks of Wood.
He’s made comments about 3B being Izturis’s to lose, but that could just be that he wants to see Wood perform knowing he has to EARN the role. Though it’s possible that he genuinely sees Izturis as the better option.
I guess we’ll all see as the season progresses though.
I got the same impression from Scioscia's words
So how does Wood get his so called “rhythm” down if he doesn’t get enough AB’s and instead spends the first half of the season splitting time/battling with Mice Tit’s? Mice ain’t no slouch…so does Wood get shelved again if Tits is “tits” or does Howie pull another Hamstring?
It's Always Somethin'
All speculation...
…about how Scioscia feels about Wood (so hard not calling him Woods), and we’ll never know since he won’t ever say it…but facts so far speak as loud as words, and those words are that he isn’t in love with Wood.
Also, I remember Rex always touting how Izzy the best ‘clutch’ performer over the last two years although I’m not sure what he based clutch on (just RISP?)
Like MMP said, we’ll know soon enough…
Not to be a jerk
but why do so many fans struggle with such a simple name? It seems like Brandon has been around for a decade now. Is it all the Tiger-talk in the media?
Say "Brandon" and I think of Darrell Brandon . . . . .
. . . . . a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (1966-1968) and NOT an All-Star.
Brandon Wood will only be successful at the plate when he learns how to walk. Brandon Wood is not the second coming of Billy Grabarkewitz (a Dodgers rookie in 1970 who made the N.L. All-Star team). Grabby walked 95 times in 1970. Yes, Grabarkewitz and Wood do share the propensity to strikeout.
Shields
He will be the winning pitcher in fact.
by Rev Halofan on Jan 27, 2010 9:30 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I say Kazmir!
and Aybar…
Now stuck in Colorado Springs
by stuck in Romania on Jan 27, 2010 9:56 PM PST reply actions
I wouldnt be surprised if
any number of our 8 position players (well, except for woody), 5 starters, or 3 bullpen pitchers (fuentes, rodney, shields) make the squad.
But at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised if none of them made it. That is how big of a ? this squad is going to be (in terms of individual performance – I still think the pieces are in place to win the division).
My prediction is that 4 of those guys make it, which ones I have no idea. Maybe one starter, if we’re lucky.
RIP NA
1967 All Star Game was on MLB last night
Jim Fregosi had a terrible game. I don’t understand all the hype from you old farts here (kidding!).
According to my cable guide, they’re going to replay it at 4:30 AM on Saturday.
To answer the question, my money’s on Ken-Mor, Weaver, and Torii.
Jepsen as a dark horse anyone?
Tape an aspirin on it
For the record, I am one of the old farts. And I am the only old fart who does not hype Fregosi.
Even among the young farts, I am the only one who lacks the appropriate hype levels for him. But I am cursed. I actually saw him play. “Manos de Piedra”.
So, around here, I get taken out to the woodshed quite often for that. It is what it is.
Had I owned the Pittsburgh Pirates, I could have saved America.
Suprised no one has said Howie yet..........
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work. - Peter Gibbons
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 28, 2010 10:39 AM PST reply actions
Not to be a stick in the mud...
But I’ll just be happy if Howie isn’t in Salt Lake in July
Tape an aspirin on it
I'm with you Higz..
Does that make us pessimists, or hopeful realistic pessimists?
YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....
He would have to beat out Jesus McSavior
Dustin Pedroia.
So, yeah, not happening.
I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....
Probably because he has yet to repeat a great season...
And as they say, the best prediction of the future…is the past.
Erick Aybar, Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales, and Jered Weaver . . . . .
. . . . . will represent the Angels in the All- Star Game on July 13th. Plus Mike Scioscia will be on the A.L. coaching staff. Will Scioscia get a bonus from Howard’s for being an All-Star?
it's be nice to see Aybar, Howie and K-mo in the latter innings all together on the field.
Now stuck in Colorado Springs
by stuck in Romania on Jan 28, 2010 10:05 PM PST up reply actions
people always come out of nowhere....
who wuddave thought that aaron hill or tim wakefield would be all stars? i could see a surprise like mike napoli being an all star if he finally gets some consistency.
Aybar!!
oh wait, does Derek Jeter still play baseball?
Maybe Hunter and/or a starting pitcher.
by shields2seamer2lefthanders on Feb 1, 2010 7:04 AM PST reply actions
Let's review that Statement
<< UNLESS the above theory is kaka and [Fuentes] pitches so lights out that it makes the Rodney investment a bad deal. >>
I hate for my first post to be a contrarian. But if Fuentes pitches lights out, signing Rodney will be a terrific investment. And I am hoping that is the way it works out.
I am sure there is a forum for introducing ourselves. But I have been with the Angels since the beginning and leaving other Angel forums behind to join the big one.
Jared Weaver
Because for now he’s seen as Lackey’s replacement and if the Angels do well and he does well as #1 in the rotation, he’ll probably be selected.
by California Cajun on Feb 1, 2010 6:42 PM PST reply actions
Haven't you heard?
With the Angels only winning 81 games this year, Weaver’s Win total will be too low to make the All Star game.
Why are the Angels only going to win 81 games this year?
You lose a pitcher that averaged 13 wins a year the past 7 seasons and get Piniero.
You lose Figgins and get the Angels top prospect the past several years at 3b.
You lose Vlad and get Matsui.
You get Rodney and likely improve your bullpen.
You lose GMJ and from the comments I have read by fans I thought a state holiday was going to be declared.
I expect 90-92 wins and a division title, although I think the intradivision competition has improved.
What concerns me is that I saw part of the Top 50 prospects show on MLB network and I didn’t see any Angels on the list (someone else who watched the whole thing said there was one Angel farmhand toward the bottom of the list).
by California Cajun on Feb 3, 2010 10:44 AM PST up reply actions
I think he was kidding...
…or being sarcastic.
This has been rehashed so much now, but regardless of whether you think the team got better (or like almost all national analysts, it got worse)…the only reason I have a hard time seeing them win as many games next year is simply because…
…the other teams (besides Oakland) got better. It doesn’t mean they’ll lose the division this year, though it will be much closer than anyone I think expects.
But even if you figure Seattle now wins an extra 2-3 games from the season series or the same for Texas, that in and of itself will reduce the total wins…this assuming the team is as good as last season, Kendry has stellar year again, Wood can deliver offensively like Figgy, Aybar can actually produce in the lead off spot, yadda yadda.
Basically, in playing devils advocate, there are A LOT of best case scenarios that have to go right for the Angels, and as expected from Angel fans…we assume all the worst case scenarios for the compeition :P
By ASG, will be easier to know who was right.
Sarcasm Fail...
you missed all the PECOTA, CHONE and BILL JAMES projections (the fact that all the pundits are spelling doom for our Halos is why RedFog said “this has been rehashed so much now…” just above my comment). One of the projections had the Halos winning only 76 with a 4th place finish… Barca was just making a joke based on those projections.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Feb 3, 2010 4:05 PM PST up reply actions
Meaningless
If the All Star game is a meaningless exhibition, what is a February debate on who will make the All Star game?
If there is not a single Angel on the All Star roster, that would be fine with me. Sure, I hope our boys get that midseason bonus for making the team, and I hope that the AL wins the game, so that we can have the home field during the World Series, but other than that. . .
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