Death By Thousand Cuts: Angels Lose 3-1
by Suboptimal on Aug 31, 2010 9:50 PM PDT
in Angels Postgame
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Final Score in Seattle: Mariners 3, Angels 1
A match-up featuring two very good starting pitchers against two very bad lineups figured to be an arm-wrestling match between armless men. If you don't know how that's possible, you should have watched the game. Dan Haren and Felix Hernandez both scattered inconsequential base runners over seven shutout innings apiece. Of course, you can always count on the bullpen to screw things up.
Alberto Callaspo and Howie Kendrick hit back-to-back doubles in the top of the eighth to score the first run of the game, but the Angels' rally was cut short by, what else?--stupid baserunning. Kevin Jepsen then coughed up the lead on a flyball and a couple of cheap hits by some random Seattle farmhands. The guy has absolutely no luck on balls in play, but after watching him walk two in the inning, it's hard to feel bad for him.
By the way, could you ask for a better debunking of the "win" than this game? Two quality pitching performances by the starters, and who gets the win? Brandon League, who needed a baserunning gaffe to escape the eighth with only one run allowed. I wonder if League's win tonight makes Mariner fans feel any better about losing Brandon Morrow...
Game Thread Roll Call: angelsfan7, HalosFanInNorCal, RexTookMyStash, halofolife, stolenbases, ryanfea, red floyd, angelskid2210, ladybug, sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher, LanaBanana, LeeUnitxxx, 3rd Echelon, sothball, angelslogic, Halos2011champs, Suboptimal, Quinlan's Goofy Swing, Quad Fin Rider, Figgi4life, Robviously, gyoung08, mathisrocks5, mikvitu, mattwelch, cath619, Wally's World, LAASurfin, DAD OF VLAD, K3YEROUT, Halowood, raskul, rspencer, SCHalo, Funke5ive, Epic Dean, salmonforever, MH252525, mjhsieh, wumbug, sherik, Clutch, maze88, AndyHogan14, phoenix15, Angels_48, hbhalofan
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Comments
Absolutely!
He did more than just fail, he harmed Mathis’ CERA!
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.
by Quad Fin Rider on Aug 31, 2010 10:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Haren's performance is attributable to Mathis.
Blame for Jepsen’s performance is solely attributable to Jepsen. Mathis is premium, after all.
by The_Question on Aug 31, 2010 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
But... but... Mathis is PREMIUM!!!!
Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch
The BP gave good consistent bp to the M's
Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch
Jepsen is definitely at fault here since he's the old veteran
and since you can’t blame our premium catcher who’s still developing.
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.
These lames should be docked pay...
Sosh and Reagins included.
Fuck it……..Free Q !
If ain't nothing wrong, something just ain't right.
by Funke5ive on Aug 31, 2010 9:59 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I hate both these guys
Where is the both option? Why are we playing a catcher that can barely hit .200? He proved enough tonight that it isn’t for his glove.
Another poor showing Jepsen......
Chan Gailey's #1 Fan!
by norcaliangelsfan on Aug 31, 2010 10:05 PM PDT reply actions
My vote for BOTG,
Jepthis. And the One West Bank commercials. Calgon take me away.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....
I'd love to be presented with Jeff Mathis' head,
but it would take the jaws of life to extract it from Scioscia’s ass!
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:06 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I blame Mathis
Because with Mathis it just dont add up
PLAY NAP NOW
"You dont need long hair to rip off your sleeves and be a badass" - J. Allen
by DAD OF VLAD on Aug 31, 2010 10:09 PM PDT reply actions 6 recs
This is one of your most coherent and utterly truthful posts ever.
And for this, I am giving you a rec fine sir, good one DOV. BTW, maybe it isn’t all that great, but after a bad loss, and numerous shots of Jack, it looks friggin’ awesome to me.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....
Here here DOV.
DOV transformation post.
W6G -- Unless there's a good trade on the table.
by RexTookMyStash on Aug 31, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
I'd Rec you but I'm on mobile.
But that looks like something that someone should put in a poster to take to a home game. Lol
by maze88 on Aug 31, 2010 10:22 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Jepsen makes me pine for Esteban Yan!
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Yan can say that again.
W6G -- Unless there's a good trade on the table.
by RexTookMyStash on Aug 31, 2010 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't have the stomach to say it again.
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions
EXACTLY!
That is EXACTLY what I was going to say once I finished reading the comments in this thread. PERFECT comparison.
I’ve concluded that Jepsen is not “unlucky.” His BABIP is as high as it is for a reason: when he manages to throw a strike, it’s right down the middle, with no movement. He has enough velocity to get guys out in the minors. That’s the difference between AAA and the major leagues. In the majors, that shit don’t work.
Jason Bulger is similar: throws hard but straight.
I wonder if the players ever read blogs such as these.
W6G -- Unless there's a good trade on the table.
by RexTookMyStash on Aug 31, 2010 10:13 PM PDT reply actions
If Mathis doesn't already suffer from self-esteem issues,
He would after reading our posts!
YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....
NOOO. Pappa Sosh won't let Jeffy anywhere near a computer or newspaper.
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions
I can see Sosh,
Tucking little Jeffey into bed at night, “Papa, do I suck”? “Of course not kiddo, but whatever you do, stay away from HH, and any Angels fans with an ounce of baseball intelligence”.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....
I think we have another children's story here. Quick, to the Halo cave!
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions
What was the base-running blunder in the 8th?
"Ballplayers play baseball." -Jose Mota
THE 2010 SEASON
"You dont need long hair to rip off your sleeves and be a badass" - J. Allen
by DAD OF VLAD on Aug 31, 2010 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Kendrick broke for third on a grounder to short with one out
Got tagged out and set up a double play.
If I recall correctly
There was a guy on 1st so he had to go. What he could have done is stopped and made the 3rd baseman come tag him so we still would have 1st and 2nd but with two outs. So yeah it was still a bone head mistake.
2011, Here We Come!!
by angelskid2210 on Sep 1, 2010 7:32 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
true, Howie on 2nd, Abreu on 1st.
Howie had to go but he didn’t have to run into tag. Lopez was far enough away from the bag that he could not have gotten the force at 3rd and turn 2.
Howie ran into tag (or out of baseline avoiding tag) and Lopez was able to complete double play.
Had Howie just stopped running, worse case is he is tagged out.
I am on a horse!
It is hard to believe that this is basically the same team that went all the way to the ALCS last year
They don’t look anything like the same team but look almost all the names are the same.
SPIER AND GMJ are gone
"You dont need long hair to rip off your sleeves and be a badass" - J. Allen
by DAD OF VLAD on Aug 31, 2010 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions
After the last three games, I don't ever again care to hear about
Mathis’ superior defensive skills. I stopped counting the number of pitches that popped out of his glove. And after going 0-8, it’s time “Papa Sosh” gave him a much needed “time out” on the bench.
Super nintendo, Sega genesis. . .
when I was dead broke I could never picture this.
If ain't nothing wrong, something just ain't right.
For those playing the home game:
- 2 Passed Balls
- SB against
- GIDP with bases loaded
- at least 1 K (I stopped caring and counting after a few innings)
Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch
How does Papa Sosh have such a hard on for Mathis and such a floppy for Brandon Wood?
Wood never had half the chances Mathis has/is having.
"If he raced his pregnant wife he'd finish third"
Tommy Lasorda on catcher Mike Scioscia
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Aug 31, 2010 10:47 PM PDT reply actions
At this point, I think Wood has had enough chances
It’s just that Jeff Mathis has had too many.
by The_Question on Aug 31, 2010 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Jepsen , another Scot Shields .
YIKES. Not looking good for next year .
If Only
If Jepsen could somehow turn into Scot Shields, circa 2002-2008, for 2011-2017, I think we’d all be thrilled.
I meant to say the Scot Shields of the past 3 years ....
That really is yukky .
by Ed@northridge on Sep 1, 2010 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Why does Jepsen get a free pass?
If Rodney had given up 2 hits, 2 walks, and 3 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning of a game we were winning 1-0 in the 8th inning and instead ended up losing 3-1, everyone would be calling for his head. Jepsen does it and he “has absolutely no luck on balls in play.”
Jepsen now has an ERA over 5 and a WHIP approaching 1.5. These numbers are remarkably similar to his numbers from last season (4.94 ERA and 1.50 WHIP). Why the hate for Rodney and the love affair with Jepsen?
Jepsen sucks.
There, another grumpy addition to your hate wagon.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Sep 1, 2010 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions
Here's why
1. Jepsen is cheap. Rodney is expensive.
2. Jepsen is young and has a future. Rodney is old and in decline.
3. Jepsen strikes out about 10 batters per 9 innings. Rodney strikes out just slightly over 6.
4. Jepsen walks too many guys. Rodney walks guys even more.
5. Jepsen prevents line drives. Rodney does too, but not as well.
6. Jepsen induces lots of ground balls. Rodney does too, but not nearly as many.
7. Jepsen has an unsustainably high BABIP at .348. Rodney has a rather fortunate BABIP at .284.
Jepsen is better than Rodney at everything except ERA. But ERA fluctuates so much over the relatively small number of innings that relievers pitch in any given season that it’s really a bad measure of comparison. 50 innings is really nothing. Jepsen still has to work on his command, but there’s a lot more reason to be confident about him going into 2011 than there is with Rodney.
BABIP & Line Drives
I’m shocked to read that Jepsen “prevents line drives.” My impression, from watching him (and I suppose the numbers don’t back up my belief), is that he gives up a lot of hard hit balls ( line drives, I’m assuming), and that’s why he has such a high BABIP. As I’ve stated elsewhere, it sure looks to me like Jepsen just throws a straight fastball. In the major leagues, those turn into line drives, and base hits, at a pretty good clip.
This is not a defense of Rodney, by the way.
I just don’t think Jepsen is very good, or ever will be. He throws hard, but without movement, and with poor location.
This overstates the case
Over two seasons now, Jepsen has pitched in nearly 100 innings (99 and a 1/3 to be precise). During that time, he has accomplished the following:
— ERA of 4.98
— ERA+ of 92 in 2009 and 84 this year
— WHIP of 1.48
— BB/9 of 3.71
— K/BB of 2.37
— Batting average against of .275
— On-base percentage against of .343
— Slugging percentage against of .348
— OPS against of .691
— WAR of -0.3 in 2009 and 0.0 this year
These numbers are not good. Although I want Jepsen to succeed as much as anyone else on this blog, it is getting more and more difficult with time to attribute all of this to bad luck.
I am not taking up a defense of Rodney or seeking to start a debate about his relative value to this team. In my opinion, the time for that discussion has come and gone. I agree with you that although Rodney has posted a significantly better ERA than Jepsen over the past two seasons (4.18 compared to 4.98 for Jepsen), he has numerous flaws. Among other things, he has surrendered far too many walks, struck out far too few hitters, and given up a relatively high slugging percentage and OPS. His comparisons to Jepsen in these categories are unfavorable, and he compares even less favorably to the elite closers and setup men in this league.
At the same time, however, it is an overstatement to claim that Jepsen is better than Rodney at everything except ERA. According to Baseball Reference, Rodney’s WAR the last two seasons, in contrast to Jepsen’s, at least has been positive — 0.5 in 2009 and 0.9 thus far this year, compared to Jepsen’s WAR of -0.3 in 2009 and 0.0 thus far this year.
For whatever reason(s), over a prolonged period of time, Rodney’s ERA+ has been significantly better than Jepsen’s — 105 in 2009 and 110 this year for Rodney, compared to 92 and 84, respectively, for Jepsen. The same is true for batting average against during that same timeframe — .246 for Rodney, compared to .275 for Jepsen. Finally, with regard to the issue of walks, it is notable that Rodney’s WHIP and on-base percentage against are nearly identical to, and in fact slightly better than, Jepsen’s WHIP and on-base percentage against during this timeframe.
What is the takeaway? One conclusion is that we have two mediocre pitchers slotted to pitch the 8th and 9th innings of games. This, of course, is concerning heading into next year. At the same time, I would urge you to reconsider whether it is fair or appropriate to dump all over Rodney when every other pitcher in our bullpen, including Jepsen, has been equally if not more flawed this season.
by Brody on Sep 1, 2010 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
You are comparing Mathis and Napoli again...
shit compared to shit is still shit.
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on Sep 1, 2010 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions
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