Angels in First Place as Season Hits 1/5th Mark
by Rev Halofan on May 7, 2011 1:34 AM PDT
in Angels News
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PrintAt 33 games old, the 2011 season is already 20 percent finished. Let's take a closer look at how the 19-14 record was achieved and how it can be sustained, shall we?
Howie Kendrick has been on fire at a consistent pace. If anything, his impact on the team has been somewhat mitigated by usually being the baserunner eliminated in one of the many Hunter/Wells GIDPs. Howie leads the team with 1.9 WAR and doesn't seem to be doing those cruddy "Howard's" commercials. It would be baseball history if he kept that pace up and compiled 9.5 WAR for the whole season; but if this is the year that he "puts it all together" so let it be written, so let it be done.
Maicer Izturis still cannot get people to pronounce his name right, but 1.5 WAR is a hell of a big number considering his days off for aches an pains (112 Plate Appearances so far compared to Howie's club lead of 151). No way he delivers 7.5 WAR this season but the regular rest rotation seems to be working.
Peter Bourjos is the most exciting Angel to watch even though the bush league broadcasts form FSN-West cannot for their life simply follow this exciting player around the bases or in the field. Always a sharp cut to where the action isn't and then a closeup of some face or crotch instead of the athlete's body in motion. The loser network cannot take away PB's 1 WAR in the first fifth of the season and I could see his glove and speed delivering 5 total WAR even though none of us would see it on FSN-Worst.
Erick Aybar is not the solution at leadoff but his glove and situational bat have added up to 0.9 WAR and that makes him as valuable a commodity as this team might have to part with in a trade. Otherwise he is moving toward putting up franchise-impressive numbers. Watch out if he ever gets the reputation of being "clutch".
Hank Conger is at 0.7 with insultingly limited playing time, Alberto Callaspo is at 0.6 WAR, Bobby Abreu and Mark Trumbo are 0.5 WAR apiece.
In the negative is Jeff Mathis at -0.2 and Vernon Wells at -1.1 ... these guys are the worst of the worst in all of baseball, not just their own team.
Pitching:
Jered Weaver is the king of WAR with 2.2 Wins Above Replacement after seven starts in 33 games and a start tonight in Game 34!
Dan Haren is close with 1.9 WAR, Jordan Walden has 0.8 WAR, good for 4.0 WAR over the course of a whole season if he remains operating at this pace. Joel Pineiro is at 0.6 WAR after only two starts, albeit two great ones. None of the other Angels pitchers have over 0.5 WAR but only two are in negative territory: Hisanori Takahashi is at -0.3 WAR, so he is basically worse than Jeff Mathis if that is to be believable and Scott Kazmir's one lousy start still yielded -0.4 WAR and a trip to the disabled psyche List.
Looking forward to remaining 4/5ths of the season, just a little digging out of his hole from Wells, more Conger and a consistent Santana might be all we need to take this division, although we know that everything changes, especially smooth numbers from a month and a half of play.
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20% of the season in...
….and I still have no idea if this team is any good.
I guess that’s one of the things that makes baseball a beautiful sport. The unpredictability.
I've got nothing.
With VW bound to break out of his slump (at least a little bit)
And us now having our bullpen and starting rotation fully healthy and intact I like our chances of getting even better.
Factor in that and the fact that Sosh should start finding more consistency in the lineup (by sitting Mathis) and Kendrys waiting in the wings, I like where were at.
20% of the season in
and I’m a bit excited because this team seems to look alot like I thought they would. The exceptions are that I thought they’d be lock down in the outfield, Kaz would be average in the 5th pitch, and the old guys would pop. Izzy is who I thought he was, Howie will stay hot, and Bobby is just a beautiful baseball player. Everyone else will be fine. The youngsters are rocking, they’ll slow a bit later, the old guys will pick them up, and they will all come together at the right time. No one is worthy of commenting on our historically sick and amazing rotation, so I won’t. I look forward to the dynamic and fluid baseball that WAR and other numbers can’t explain, the ups and downs, the clutch hits, the ALWest domination, the road wins, and the best pitching in the majors. I’ll let everyone worry about whose contributing meaningfully, whose contributions are meaningless, whose not at all, whose the panther, whose the blame, and all the rest. Twenty percent through the season, I’m happy to keep rooting for the First Place Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So far, they are who I thought they were. Let’s go on a win streak…
"We are not on an austerity program," Arte Moreno
With Chatwood and Pineiro stepping up, the Angels have a rock-solid pitching rotation.
Scoring runs is another story. I don’t think Howie will stay hot, Aybar will stay stupid (although he is batting well right now), the youngsters don’t need the old guys to pick them up (they are doing quite well on their own), and Wells and Mathis stink, and will continue to stink throughout the season.
But our sick pitching rotation and our offense, as uneven as it is, should propel the team into post-season play. Go Angels.
A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.
It's a funny game.
At some point everyone needs picking up.
"We are not on an austerity program," Arte Moreno
by thebigtizzle on May 7, 2011 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Sometimes we've had to sweat bullits for a hit to score runs.
However, the last two performances by both Chatwood and Pineiro have been huge.
Chatwood calmed down and held the Rays after allowing 5 runs in the 1st inning while our team came back to win 6-5. Then, last night’s game, going 8 innings of 1-run ball was inspirational to anyone. He now has given up only 5 runs over 13 innings versus CLEVELAND this season, one game being his MLB debut at age 21.
Pineiro could easily have been worse than his 1 ER over 12.2 innings in his first/last two games against TB and Boston.
Unless his hands are tied, Scioscia seems to have found the correct way to use Rodney‘s talents. Although I’m always on the edge of my seat when he pitches, Rodney is sometimes just what the doctor ordered (for one inning only).
Thompson, Downs, and Bell have been just great, so far.
When FRod is bad, he’s bad; it’s a tossup. He’s got good stuff, but he’s got to be on.
Unfortunately, I’m most uncomfortable when Takahashi takes the mound. He, more that anyone else, seems incapable of successfully fulfilling his role right now. Hopefully, he’ll settle in.
Finally, who didn’t jump up and cheer for THIS?
I listened to CLE announcers on the Amarista catch...
the guy went bananas praising Alexi’s effort. I knew it was amazing when I saw MLB at bat’s title for the clip was “Amarista’s ridiculous catch!”
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on May 7, 2011 7:07 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Haven't had a chance to look at the GDT yet
but I’m betting it pretty much exploded after Alexi’s catch?
Thanks for the quick link!
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry
Straight up? Probably.
Wright is an elite 28 year old 3B, which is a position that the Angels really need to improve (and no one in the minors will be as good as Wright) . His defense, power and speed combination is only rivaled by Evan Longoria.
"Just another Halo victory" - Rory Markas
Really?
Someone around here (Suboptimal?) recently made a fairly convincing argument that Wright’s ability is deteriorating rather rapidly, and that he is a poor defender. He’s better than what the Angels have, for sure, but probably not at the cost of Mike Trout.
I made the opposite point, actually
Phi is the Wright basher. I agree with him that Wright is worse than he used to be, and that he’s not very good defensively. He’s still good for 3-4 WAR per season, though, even if he’s not the MVP-quality player he was five years ago. That said, I wouldn’t move Mike Trout for anyone who could reasonably be on the trading block this year or next.
Phislamma is who you are referring to.
Very convincing.
NOT MY QUINNY!!!!
by halofan4life on May 7, 2011 12:30 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Elite? I think not
I would not trade Trout straight up for Wright
Reggie Willits: The non-tender candidate of my dreams.
Kendrys?
Are we just assuming he’ll never recover? That’s a terrible thought. That said, some of our guys aren’t going to stay red hot all year, and others, (please, please) will warm up. I’m guessing that after ups and downs we’ll end up around the current .573. 93 wins I say. Enough to win the west?
The Angels have really surprised me this year.
Thought they’d be sub-.500 and fighting with SEA for cellar-rights.
Scioscia’s more decisive roster moves have also been a pleasant surprise.
We have been aided by Texas injuries …
Keep it up, Halos!
I love this team.
by Downing Rules on May 7, 2011 7:09 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Sometimes thats all it takes
If you remember a year ago when we were shot in the face by injuries we faltered. It took us almost a year to regain the team chemistry. With our biggest gun coming back sometime we are deadly
" With Haren bolstering the rotation, the Angels are set up beautifully for 2011"- Another East coast biased reporter
by Halos2011champs on May 7, 2011 8:35 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I wonder how much better this team would be if the heart of the order, Wells and Hunter,
really pulled their share of the load. I’m sure Hunter will pull through, but Wells holds this team back on so many levels. It is thrilling to watch the younger guys step up and make a huge difference and make this team so much fun to watch.
"It's our money," owner Arte Moreno said.
I voted for even better.
Soley on the belief that Wells cannot be this bad forever and the hope that Mathis gets traded and we see a combination of Conger and Wilson on a regular basis.
"To Halowood - Avoid the Clap." - Jimmy Dugan
Mathis? Traded? to whom?
You forget, Del Ninja is still our GM.
by AlanFalcon on May 7, 2011 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
So glad we got 5 of 8 games with the Rays done early
when they were still mere human beings.
Jeebus…
"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry
Great stuff. I'm really hoping Wells wakes up. We have all the pieces.
No matter what anyone says, I feel this is a championship caliber team.
Official prediction: The Angels will win the AL west this season.
by RexTookMyStash on May 7, 2011 12:05 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Gotta believe Wells and Hunter wont slump like this all year......
also gotta believe the other guys wont be as hot either.
I think this is a solid pace……..and should be what we can expect going forward.
The score dictated they pass
by norcaliangelsfan on May 7, 2011 4:36 PM PDT reply actions
I like this team
A nice combo of bums and likeable rookies that somehow add up to more than their spare parts. Our rotation is solid, which is a great comfort.
But looking around the rest of the league, we look a lot like the other “good” teams. There’s been a lot of struggles around in the post PED eras. Aside from the less power, players age like they did before that era. Meaning mid-30s means fragile to old.
So In the long run these rooks will be the team and could be the class of the league for a while.
Also the AL West is the tightest division top to bottom in all of baseball. Not only will that keep the fire lit on the field, but it’ll keep the heat on TR and Artie to make wiser cough moves to stay competitive.
Let's Go P-BO!
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