LA Angels Tuesday News Crash: Not Working

All right. It’s official. The late innings are just not working for the Angels.

The White Sox designated Dallas Keuchel for assignment over the weekend. Jonathan Villar is on the injured list. He suffered a mouth injury when an exercise band snapped back into his mouth. Fellow shortstop Tim Anderson is going on the injured list with a groin injury. Carlos Correa tested positive for COVID-19.

Joc Pederson and Tommy Pham have a beef related to Pederson’s conduct in a fantasy football league.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago

comment image
It was still a bad year for us even though Bill would disagree.
NEWSFLASH!!!……..IF THIS ORGANIZATION STANDS DOWN ( meaning sits on it’s hands and watches helplessly while that team in south TX makes moves) then wee willl shirly misss dah playeoffs……….BYE!!! BOTH THE MARINERS AND BLUEJAYS DIDN’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR.
 💪  💪  💪  💪  👈 

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

GG starting tonight….Marsh vs lefty sitting

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Everyone thinks that the box we see on TV is the true strike zone. That box never changes in size, more than half the time it’s either to low or to high. Will Robo Robs use that box in some way? Professional Umpires at many other levels are better than the clowns that Umpire MLB games.

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago

Good point. What about the “Gameday” box, though?

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Everybody gets that guy in their fantasy league that isn’t playing next year because he doesn’t get the jokes. I guess Tommy Pham is that guy.

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago

With it being a bandbox I feel our best opportunities are with Thor and Ohtani

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

Detmers will get lit-up.

Marcotor
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

I keep hearing about it being a bandbox, but according to facts, it’s not quite the launching pad. Case in point. This season, through Sunday: Anaheim 69HR (1st). MFY Stadium 59HR(6th).

Last season, Yankee Stadium was 7th, behind such launching pads as Coors Field Camden Yards, Cincinnati, Buffalo (duh), and Dodger Stadium.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

As of the middle of the month the Angels were on pace to win about 103 games. We all knew that wasn’t a likely outcome this season.

Now we are on pace to win 89 games. A number much more in line with all of our internal and most of the external projections for this team. A bit higher than most projections, actually.

Are we as good as we looked for a while? No. Are we as bad as we’ve looked lately? No.

But thanks to that hot start, 89 wins and meaningful baseball in August and September are very much on the table.

Oh, and Mike Trout doesn’t stay in slumps for long. This week could be fun.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

You predicted 88 wins so just about right on target for that at the moment. Other than Rev’s lofty 100, next highest prediction made by the CtPG staff was 85.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

This is not the overreaction we are looking for from a staffer who cares about winning. We need more adjectives like pathetic, ghastly, atrocious, grizzly, inept, broken, lost, hopeless, listless, lethargic, impotent. I’m also gonna need you to declare that, no matter what happens, if the team doesn’t make the playoffs this year everyone needs to be fired.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago

I think the staff at CtPG has been performing admirably, and I for one am not calling for their firing. Quite the contrary, I think we sign them long term!!!

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago

You sir have a broken sarcasm detector.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

comment image

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago

But you know what happens when we give out those long term contracts though.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

When is the ‘Staff” trade Deadline?

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Mike is fired up this week, no doubt. On the New York stage and then onto Philly. With Ward, Walsh and Ohtani on his flank…we’ll hit some over the billboards.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  FungoAle

I want that…. man it would be great to pound on the Yankees in front of the whole school.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I don’t know how it would be limited by 40 Man situations right now, but does anyone think it might be a good idea to bring up a rookie pen arm or two, even if it’s just for like 2 appearances, and combine them with Ortega, Barria, etc for a series just to give Raisel/Hegert/Loup/Tepera a moment of rest and reflection.

It could also be good for a kid they intend to use down the line this year. Bring him up, let him get a look at what a real Bryce Harper or Aaron Judge looks like, but with the full knowledge that he’s gonna take that experience back to Alabama and use it to be ready when we need him later this year.

Would that be an over all benefit?

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago

Cy Rookie Reliever? Sure, why not.

Luke Murphy? Hector Yan? Mason Albright? Who do you have in mind?

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

Put me down for x2 – Luke Murphy

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Not a bad idea, gitchi-poo.

If we have someone that fits the description, yes! Let’s bring him up and put someone on the “IL”.

I think Raisel is Raisel so he stays. Herget stays. I like his moxie.

Send Loup and/or Tepera for a break.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  El_Duderino

I totally boofed the main reason I brought this up….

Should we do it NOW, while the extra pitching allotment has been extended?

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago

In bWAR news, Mikey should shortly pass DiMaggio, Schilling, and Rose. That’s, of course, career bWAR.

Trout at 79.0, DiMag 79.2. Pujols is at 99.5 with 0.0 for 2022 to go with his .213 batting average. We remember wondering if Albert would retire rather than have his lifetime average fall below .300. Instead he’s played on and its now .296.

Halo71
Trusted Member
2 years ago

That’s actually kind of depressing. You know what those other three players have done? Actually won a playoff series.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

Well, Rod Carew is just up on the list, and he never won one.

rez2405
Trusted Member
2 years ago

How long before it goes under .290?

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Maddon: “We’ve played this [kind of] game too often,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “We have to get by that and really settle the back end of the bullpen down. I have a lot of faith in these guys, but it’s just not working right now. We’ve had several games over the last week or 10 days that we should have put away, and we have not. I don’t have a really good reason for you right now.”

Well, MAYBE Joe it’s because you’re taxing the ever-living-hades out of the bullpen by pulling your starters at 70 pitches or 4.1 IP. 🤔

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

And Loup just doesn’t have it right now. Tepera has actually been secretly awful (-0.4 fWAR). Not a lot of answers down in the blowpen/blownpen right now. Even Oretga who has been very solid, was bashed on Sunday. Smells like the team needs a shakeup trade right now.

Barría has been excellent, so that’s definitely a positive. And I love to see that from the guy.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

Sometimes, when both teams score a lot, I think something besides bad pitching is going on. When every pitcher gets bashed, especially ones like Sandy or Ortega and whoever Toronto had, I wonder. Juiced balls? Super tight strike zone that forces meatballs?

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
2 years ago

I’d love to see an analysis, and fix.

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

The fix involves rainbows and Wizards.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

Have a day off should help. Getting Herget back should help (can’t believe I typed that).

Something has to be done about Loup, though. I think the bullpen strategy was to use him as the fire stopper while letting the Tepera/Bradley types start clean innings.

Loup is not holding up his end at all. And only Herget seems to be capable of picking up that slack (again, can’t believe I’m typing that).

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Well, we have two more lefty relievers with us in New York (Quijada, Rosenberg). Might help.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

The home plate ump on Sunday looked to really suck from my seats, which were really good seats. Really inconsistent, often a small zone.

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

That seems to be a recurring theme this season, crappy plate umpires with inconsistent strike zones.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I have a fix for that! RoboUmps NOW

losangel
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

How is the roboump experiment going so far?

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  losangel

Well the way the humanoid umpires are umpiring this year , they’re making the case for Rob Umps an easy one.

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I’m actually wondering if the strike box is inaccurate (or if it keeps changing).

It was bad last year but this year is terrible with the strike calls.

losangel
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  El_Duderino

Yeah, that’s my issue with the view we get. Strike zone is 3 dimensional, right? If the ball crosses anywhere over the plate. Are we getting the front, middle or back of the plate in our 2D strike box on tv. In reality, the strike zone is much bigger than what we see for the most part, unless we’re shown the fancy 3d version on tv.

It would be easy for MLB to manipulate it if they really wanted roboumps and I’m just stratching my head how this year the umps could all of a sudden be so bad.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  losangel

Better than the human one

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  benjiface

Cuase yeah, you know, everyone’s just trading effective bullpen arms in May. We see it every year.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

These kinds of savvy trades can be made at any time. Besides, it makes sense to get ahead of the trade deadline to not pay full price. But my sarcasmometer is working, detecting dripping sarcasm. I can take it, gitch

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  benjiface

I would like this, but I can’t think of any instance where a team traded a pen arm they knew was good (so not a salvage job that turned out to work) before May ended.

Can you?

VladimirTrout27
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

Bradley, Loup, Tepera have all been a -WAR, and Iglesias is at 0. Angels may need to make a trade. Luckily Herget and Ortega are .5 each and Barria .7. With the recent implosion things could have been much worse. I expect Halos looking internally and externally at options. I don’t see Buttrey coming back until July or August.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Keep forgetting about Buttrey, hopefully he’s an option

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

12 appearances, good ERA for SLC, and a real good WHIP. Encouraging results so far in AAA

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

NO K’s is concerning

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Yeah, only 5 Ks so far. I don’t know where his velocity has been sitting. I’m not in love with Ks like Fangraphs, but I understand the concern

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  benjiface

I pretty sure I read he’s slowly ramping up velocity but is still low, which would mean fewer Ks.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

Not completely true. Angels starters are 9th in total IP and relievers are 19th. Probably more management of the bullpen and bullpen construction?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

Yah. It’s more use than IP. Loup actually has fewer innings than Herget or Barria but he’s been in a lot of games, a lot of high leverage innings. Tepera’s in the same boat. Ortega basically has the same innings total, but in less important situations.

Before the Angels panic trade I think they need to see if they can roll with what they have. It seems like Close Game = These Pitchers to Maddon, which is exactly not the outside the box blah blah cool managing I thought we were all begging for 5 years ago.

We are really low on LH relievers. We all know this. Rather than dumpster dive or panic trade (for a dumpster dive since no one’s trading a good LHR right now) why not look at what we have? For example, Archie Bradley. Bradley was noticeably better against LH batters last year in every area accept strike outs. He’s pretty comparable against them for his career. BearClaw is similar.

If Loup is tired, or just off, I’d rather throw either of those guys at an inning featuring LH hitters, or even a big out I need against a LH hitter, than go out and get me a new Moran. I say we see if options like this work for us both w/ options against LH and in leverage situations. Bearclaw n Bradley have experience in leverage innings. Barria has a WHIP under 1. Sure, he’s not always gonna be a good option, but if you had Ohtani throwing smoke through 6.2 innings and you NEED an out with RISP why not bring out Barria’s seemingly effective junk?

In short, yeah, we need to get smarter about usage because, as Maddon should have learned in Chicago, you can’t buy enough talent to just put the pen on autopilot.

VladimirTrout27
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Quijada is back and Warren soon. That should help a little. Bradley needs to right things out asap

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

If you think Quijada is good

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago

I’ve been watching the stats and most hard hit balls in MLB and low ground ball rate ain’t helping either.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

We’re out of Rodriguii. We need a stopgap until C-Rod is back in the pen.

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Instead, we are left with CRUD.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

Fair point. That’s an interesting stat that doesn’t reflect what my eyeballs have seen.

I would agree with gitch too on the frequency of appearance doesn’t necessarily reflect in IP. If Loup for example appears in two straight days, he’s not an option the third day etc.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Looks like Jackie (as he calls himself) Anderson is going on the DL. If you’re going to compare yourself to one of the trailblazing all-time greats, you can’t be surprised if people call you that. And who made it into an issue, oh yeah, La Russa again. He’s the true Grandpa Baseball

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  benjiface

The whole Anderson thing feels a lot more Jussie than Justice at it’s core.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Another umpire was injured by a foul ball off the bat. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34012106/plate-umpire-john-tumpane-exits-orioles-red-sox-game-getting-hit-mask-foul-ball Just another reason for Robo Umps.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

No guys, it’s just that we REALLY want you to be safe! /s

Last edited 2 years ago by benjiface
benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Tony La Russa doesn’t approve of Kapler’s anthem protest calling it inappropriate. I’d say driving while drunk is not appropriate. I’m all La Russa’d out, can this old fogey just go away? Piss off La Russa

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  benjiface

He manages the White Sox…. you can literally ignore the shit out of the guy and he can’t do anything to make you pay attention to him.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

I’d say they are both a couple of schmucks. Both of them are shakey dudes and would never be carrying the cross at the Catholic church.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

It is funny to see La Russa flip flop around here. He’s typical crotchety old white guy until a loud mouth on his team gets mocked for publicly calling himself Jackie Robinson. Then he’s all SJW and calling dudes racist.

But the second stirring the pot doesn’t help his team, he’s back to crotchety old white guy and calling out Kapler.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

DFA Lagares and Suzuki! And let’s go!

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Ever seen a 496 foot HR? Well, the fans in Colorado did at Coors Field. Jesus Sanchez cranked a ball the seats on the 3rd level in RF. Problem was Sanchez plays for the Marlins. No worries, the Rox still won the game. The Rox fans will never forget that HR though. That thin air is really thin and dry this time of year.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

What was the estimate on Reggie Jackson’s HR at the ASG that hit the roof speaker at old Tiger Stadium?

Marcotor
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

There was a Bleacher Report “Top 15 longest” or something, I remember Reggie’s Detroit HR was said to be 539 feet.

Found the link: The Longest Home Runs in MLB History | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

Last edited 2 years ago by Marcotor
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Marcotor

Yeeesh. 40+ feet further.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Good morning, and are you ready for some Angels baseball today. Pre-Game 3:30 🕞  followed at 4:00pm game time.

Setting back home in SoCal in the Turn House is the Win Train, having some last minute detailing and some mechanical work, looking forward to rolling down the tracks once again.

Pivotal series for us to measure how good we are right now, at least on the road. Winning a series in NY has not been this important in many years really, as we have not had a start like this in a lot of years. Being humiliated by the Blue Jays with our pitching being raked sure stung immensely. If we lose here in the Big Apple it will be because we are not ready for the Big Show yet, imho. Maybe the new format for the Playoffs will include us and we maybe a Cinderella and that dance, but on the other hand coming to Yankee stadium and winning the series will turn us around. We shall see.

Go Halos! Go ANGELS!!

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago

I can’t wait to play in that little league matchbox Yankee Stadium tonight. It will be awesome when the MFY hit a would-be single over the fence for a home run. They moved back and raised the fences at Camden. They should do the same at that phone booth

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

Our bullpen will be amazing with the short porch!

PedroCerrano
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

Ya, what could possibly go wrong?

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

Bring back Brain Fuentes

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Can’t speak to his brain /wink, but his arms were ‘T-Rexy.’

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

Tried looking for that old Fuentes img someone mashed up – like he maybe as a T-Rex was chucking paper airplanes. Funny as heck.

benjiface
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  benjiface

I mean, the old Yankee stadium had short porches too, but it was balanced out by the cavernous allies and especially by the straightaway center that seemed to go on forever, especially during night games. This little league field has no balance