What an absolutely disastrous couple of weeks for the Angels. A 4-11 run highlighted by injuries, bad play, and managerial ineptitude has left the Angels heading into the All Star break on the outside of the playoff picture.
A couple of weeks ago talk was starting to turn into “the Angels would be scary in the playoffs.” Now the national stories are back to “the Angels sloppy supergroup just can’t win” territory. You know, the normal.
The timing of Mike Trout’s injury is doubly brutal. He just can’t catch a break and neither can the fans. This latest injury may leave the team floundering during a really tough part of the schedule.
Anthony Rendon getting injured the following day is not surprising. Dude lives on the IL. But his injury coming directly after Trout and just before Ohtani leaving the game is the perfect symbol for the Arte Moreno Angels.
This was painful to watch on many fronts.
Thankfully, the Angels now get some needed rest. A day off yesterday then a break Sunday through Thursday. Six out of eight days off at a time the team is a MASH unit is a bit of a break from the baseball gods.
While the schedule is tough after the break, the team could/should be getting some much needed reinforcements. Zack Neto was playing catch and hitting off a tee down in SD.
A a critical piece of the bullpen is about ready in Matt Moore.
And a little further down the road
While the All Star break is not the mathematical midpoint of the season it is considered the midpoint by fans and media. Doling out first half awards is pretty easy in some regards as Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna are crushing it. But other races are closer.
While things are still subject to a little change due to injury, take a look at your 2023 All Star Game rosters.
Also, the bracket is set for the Home Run Derby.
The marketing guy in me would split Betts and Vladdy Jr. up. I want those names in the bracket as late as possible. I understand there’s seeding involved, but this is a made for TV event.
Join your fellow CtPG posters for threads during both the Derby and All Star Game.
Guess what also happens during all the All Star madness? The 2023 MLB draft.
Here’s the scoop on the when, where, and how to watch. I will set up a thread for us to all put on our GM hats and discuss the first two days.
FanGraphs Mock Draft has the Angels taking a polished college arm who could make a big league bullpen quickly. Sounds familiar.
Keith Law put out his final Top 300 rankings.
Here are some storylines to follow as the draft kicks off on Sunday afternoon.
Later today I’ll make my annual guest appearance on the Baseball PhD podcast. I’ll link it when it becomes available.
For now, enjoy the next week and link what I missed.
Nice Gamethread photo of Rocky Bridges and Nita Biss at the Latrine!
Last year feel good Pandas. Don’t feeeelzz so good this year.
https://twitter.com/SamBlum3/status/1677155974174633985?s=20
Paging Dr. Nick…..Paging Dr. Nick….
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1677470269261381632?s=20
Hopefully Adell can turn into a Luis Robert Jr. type player for us. Wouldn’t that be nice.
Love Ohtani at the top of the order.
Just because we got our kicks once does that mean we would do it again? https://twitter.com/Jared_Tims/status/1677456353072410624
New trAdition. Must have high leg kick and play SS. Last theme was all pitchers. Before that it was athletic high school kids……..and before that was catchers.
Probably Arte and his fetish picks over the years
Wow you just summarized the LAAofA complete and total amateur draft strategy over the 10 years in less than 30 words.
Well done sir
Radio just announced that Carlos Estevez has been selected as All Star.
Starting Lineup:
Ohtani DH
Ward LF
Moniak RF
Escobar 2B
Adell CF
Moose 3B
Renfroe 1B
Thaiss C
Velazquez SS
Let’s get the first win of the series tonight!
Here is the confirmed evidence.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1677449099170160640
You get to be right K.
So pumped for Estevez. They should have selected him last Sunday, but better late than never. Also, it is good to have an Angels teammate with Sho since I anticipate Trout will be home with Beckham.
Mr. Mike Frosted is also selected as All Star as the Angels Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer.
Weird lineup, but I like Adell in the #5 slot.
Adell in Center Field? This should be interesting.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1677380764185538560?s=20
Tears of Joy? Or tears of sadness?
Probably upset because the Doyers scout said no thanks. 😀
https://twitter.com/Jared_Tims/status/1677075781862957056?s=20
Extra cool video!!!
I understand someone in Angels uniform in his 50s was coming out of Chavez Ravine, looking suspicious. 😆
https://twitter.com/nowcowan/status/1677439245819195392
Maybe the Angel team bus can’t make it.🤞🤞🤞
If this doesn’t pump you up on a Friday, you’re probably a corpse:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=le69DBh7YwY
Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama in the old Pride Fighting days.
Pride was insane. Crazy dudes, complete lack of steroid testing, lots of influence from the Japanese mob.
Best fight I’ve ever seen:
https://youtu.be/6-FBRCUmFBQ
I was friends with Corrales brother when I lived in Sacramento. Knew his family. This fight is absolutely ridiculous.
That’s a legendary fight in hardcore boxing circles. Both guys stayed in the pocket the entire time. The never ending vicious digs to the body really stand out.
This fight was pretty good, too. The Monster is going to have next fight July 25 Japan time.
https://youtu.be/N2jCv_Dx1NI
Hey you guys, no pugilistics! There are rules. This is an Angels-based fan site. Let’s stick to the topic of baseball here. Take your pugilistics outside the gates, please.
Got ‘ya. No more boxing unless I find out the Monster is a personal friend of Shohei’s.
Are you joking?
Check out this beauty:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o-oeNcjkXSY&pp=ygUeZ2FldGhqZSB2cyBjaGFuZGxlciBmdWxsIGZpZ2h0
What if… Ohtani gets traded for a big return, and then re-signs with the Angels in the off-season. How funny would that be.
Anyways, enjoy these last few starts he has with this org.
It would be scary because that scenario indicates that the matrix is broken and the apocalypse is in progress.
I like living in my own little matrix. `;~}}
At least it won’t be Diamondbacks asking for short rental Sho. Corbin Carroll suffered O’Hoppe like shoulder injury last night. It was eerie because I was watching the game (I recall O’Hoppe hit a line drive base hit) except Corbin swung and missed and just fell down.
But, Reds called to suggest short rental exchange of Sho and Elly, I would consider it.
I think Aroldis Chapman did that, traded by the Yanks, then re-signed as a free agent. Lemme look…yes, traded July 25, 2016 to the Cubs for 4 players, signed back with the Skanks in December as a free agent.
So it’s been done and is thus a possibility.
I believe someone suggested this with Trout and again with Ohtani
The FBM keystone of the game for this short series against the LAD is “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan.
Bob Dylan is such an enigma. Did he mean that the first half of the season is all over now, once the Angels are done with the Dodgers, or did he mean that it is now apparent that the season is over for the Angels, that they have shown that they once again do not have what it takes to make it to the post season?
Maybe a dive into the lyrics will help us understand what he meant.
You must leave, now take what you need
you think will last
When the Angels all pack up and leave once the AS Break comes, Perry should only take what he thinks will last. Dylan clearly thinks that halfway through the season, Minasian should cut his ties with Rendon and let him go since it is not worth keeping the oft-injured third baseman around. The famed two-bagger has unfortunately proven that his frail physiology won’t last.
But whatever you wish to keep,
you better grab it fast
Dylan is clearly saying here that Perry should get the contract extension with Shohei done once and for all. And lock Neto, Moniak, and O’Hoppe into long term deals that will secure their services long after they become free-agent eligible.
Strike another match, go start anew,
It’s all over now, baby blue.
Ultimately though, Bob Dylan thinks this season is now a wasted cause and the Angels should be full bore sellers. They should immediately start anew by trading off this year’s assets in for three times their weight in next year’s help.
https://youtu.be/L4HW33SgZlM
Instead consider “You Don’t Know How It Feels” by the late great Tom Petty. We don’t know how it feels to have no one on IR. We don’t know how it feels to make the payoffs. We don’t know how it feels to have an owner that didn’t treat the franchise like his own fantasy baseball team. We don’t know how it feels to have players that can throw a baseball without tearing a muscle or needing surgery. Most importantly, after watching this team for any length of time – “Let me get to the point, let’s roll another joint.”
Yes at the mid-summer break, this one works too same same
A Hard Rain’s A‐Gonna Fall
https://youtu.be/T5al0HmR4to
Looking at our recent record as 4-11 understates our drop. It includes a3-4 start to that stretch and kind of masks our 1-7 since then.
So your saying that instead of us being horrible we’ve been really really horrible?
And gaining momentum…..in a horrible way.
That’s nothing when you’ve lived through 0-14
When Angels played Marlins in May after sweeping Red Sux with 4 game winning streak, many people including me thought the Angels would dominate them. Instead, they suffered their first season sweep. I was impressed how good the Marlins were. It was not a fluke that the Marlins swept then mighty Angels.
I am curious about the Marlins owner Bruce Sherman and GM Kim Ng.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/07/sherman-marlins-will-have-resources-at-deadline.html
It’s been a long time since the Marlins found themselves in this position. Though the club made the postseason in the shortened 2020 campaign, the last time they qualified in a full season was way back in 2003. The last time they finished with a winning record in a 162-game season was 2009. But here in 2023, the club is well above .500 at 51-38. They’re 8.5 games back of a dominant Atlanta club in the National League East, but Miami currently holds the top Wild Card spot in the NL. A skeptic might point to the club’s negative run differential and incredible 21-5 record in one-run games to suggest this run isn’t sustainable. But regardless of how they came to be, those wins are in the bank and the club is well-positioned to make deadline additions to help with the remainder of the schedule.
I know Derek Jeter was CEO (another name for PBO?) but resigned before 2022 season, and I believe Ng was hired shortly after that. I remember some media mentioned that Ng was the first female GM for MLB team.
I recall Jayman28 discussing Marlins being his ideal team concept. They traded Stanton, Yelich, and Ozuna in late 2017-18 and Realmuto last year.
I conclude that owner’s intelligent vision and endurance/thick skin to outside criticism is essential in professional team’s success.
The Marlins have been to the playoffs three times and won the World Series twice.
That must have occurred before 2009. If I remember correctly, every time Florida Marlins won WS, they gutted the team right after. I believe their present system may last longer than isolated ‘one hit wonder’.
Yep, they’ve blown it up multiple times. Texas blew it up and got to the World Series in consecutive years. Houston blew it up – purposefully tanked – and have had success.
I know there’s teams that have blown it up and still can’t win. However there’s very few teams with the generational talent the Angels have had that remained mired in mediocracy for as long as this franchise.
Six teams have never won World Series, while one team has never even reached World Series. Angels at least won one WS and 9 division titles. Wouldn’t you say there are actually more miserable MLB team fans out there?
Would your rather win WS every 20 years and suffer many years of mediocrity/misery or would you rather have a team that makes playoffs consistently but not win WS?
At last check, Angel fans have neither option you presented….
How about winning division titles in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012? That looks pretty consistent. I know of at least one MLB team who would not be able to halt salivary function over that record.
Yes, the “We fly flags” view of Angels baseball. Houston got a real good laugh at that one.
Yes, the franchise is consistent: winning division titles in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012; made it to the wild card game in 2014; and not made the playoffs since 2014. So that’s a streak of 7 or 8 good years, 2 not good years, 1 good year, and 9 not good years.
Then we have that pesky issue of the record from 1961 through 2002.
Yep – lots of consistency over the past 62 years.
Ahh, blessed Holy WTY and his dick-swinging comments. Kinda like a STFD in the game threads, always sounds cool, but in the end really means nothing. Kinda poignant considering the flags nearly all had a small banner “Lost to Boston in ALDS” attached to them.
And that 2012 team was so stealthy good that they really snuck up on the rest of the teams to win the division title without anyone ever knowing.
I have four letters for you :
A-R-T-E
More World Series victories than the Angels and been to the playoffs more recently than them as well
And nobody in south Beach gives a shit.
Keep seething, but they get the last laugh at the end of the day
Seething over what?
The Marlins fan base has always been apathetic or has that finally changed now because they signed so many quality free agents this year?
It’s changed because they have a smart gm and an owner that is starting to run a baseball team correctly and not treat it like it’s his billboard company. Oh, and if they make the playoffs, they will have more playoff appearances than the Angels since 2014.
They have a reason to go to the games now (way nicer stadium as well) and ownership knows that putting together a winning baseball team will do it and is better than putting one super star out there and call it a day
I agree the owner is smart although it took him awhile to realize he was wasting alot money paying Derek Jeter to do nothing.
Ng’s free agent acquisitions have been unimpressive but here trades and dumpster diving abilities have been really good. I think the farm system was already getting pretty fertile about the time she came on board but not screwing up a good thing is also an enviable talent. Overall IMO the jury is still out on her talent but she is definitely an asset for baseball.
The owner was willing to take an L which is a plus. Arte refuses to take the L and doubles down on his incompetence. That Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler free Agent acquisition was pretty good as well
Bruce Sherman was born in Queens, NY (where my better half is from) and after acquiring MBA, he worked for Arthur Young. He later co-founded wealth management company called PCM, which attracted investments from wide variety of sources including governmental agencies, colleges and universities. In 1997 he sold Dairy Queen International to Warren Buffet for little over half billion dollars. He sold PCM to Legg Mason for $1.4 billion in 2001, but remained in PCM management. He helped expand PCM assets by buying Apple, Qualcomm and International Game Technology. PCM assets grew to $31 billion by 2005. Sherman retired in 2009 and bought Miami Marlins in 2017 with Jeter and Michael Jordan.
Pretty lucky and smart man.
Jeter and Ng’s time overlapped.
I saw that. Do you think Ng’s hire eventually pushed Jeter out?
I don’t think so. Jeter appointed her as GM. I seemed to recall it was a philosophical disagreement between Jeter and the principal owner about constructing the club.
Marlins have had something good going on for a while with little ownership capital. I like new blood teams making noise.
The Marlins have been fun to watch. They have a pretty nice stadium too, of course that’s also because they got rid of that stupid fountain years ago when Sherman took over the ownership.
Most of the free agents they’ve signed have been contributing a lot too except maybe a couple.
The first own was a used car salesman, Wayne Huizenga. The prior owner Jeffrey Loria who mislead Miami community leaders into funding Miami new stadium (Loan Depot), where Team Japan won this year’s WBC, was a sleazy, conniving man.
Loria has been called “baseball’s most hated man” and even one of the “worst owner(s) in sports history”. He is a “widely despised” figure in South Florida; in 2012, a Miami Herald poll found him with a six percent favorability rating among Marlins fans and Major League Baseball fans in South Florida.
I am not sure if AM would even garner half of six percent amongst Angels fans.
Exactly, they signed mid tier free agents and more than half of them are performing. And they didn’t need to break the bank to sign them.
I seem to recall Jeter had a lot to do with Stanton being traded to MFYankees, and Jeter may not be able to visit NYC for committing that crime. Do you think in your opinion Jeter was an effective CEO/PBO while he was there?
They did get rid of the Stanton contract which impressive and genius. And Stanton got a chance to play in the postseason yearly
That Mike Stanton contract was even worse than Rendon’s (if that was even possible) Although the Marlins ate $30 million of it along 2 years of Starlin Castros bloated contract to get 2 shit burger prospects in return.
Not sure I would call that genius
So you would rather them hold on to both and watch Stanton suffer and not go to the postseason (similar to Shohei)? You probably thought the Detroit Lions were dumb for trading away Stafford even though most of their fans were in support of it so he could play in the Super Bowl (and he did and won it)
Not sure how you developed that chain of twisted logic and assimiles from any of the comments I have made here.
Its probably best for all of us that you just stick to figuring out the validity of your own strange statements then try and tell me what I would or would not do.
Really Jayman? because reality paints a vastly different picture
Of the Marlins current 26 man roster and current occupants on their Injured List ( I did not included any other members of their 40 man roster because they would be in the minor leagues right now) Only 4 signed there as a free agent this last off season. they are:
Jean Segura .570 OPS
Yuli Gurriel 100 OPS+
Johnny Cueto has a 36.00 ERA and is probably out for the year.
Garret Hampson just called up from AAA
Thats not a stellar bunch and I suspect they signed with marlins because noone else even offered them a contract. So if you are trying to uncover the hidden secret to the Miracle Marlins’ success youre looking under the wrong rock.
And they didn’t overpay for them either. But guess what? They are still winning and they smacked thr Angels those three games.
$8.5 million sunk towards Johnny Cueto & $14 million for 2 years for a washed up Jean Segura?
Please. I’d rather have Brandon Drury for $17 M for 2 years or Carlos Estevez for $13.5 M/2 years
And BTW who is this they you are talking about because it wasn’t any of those stellar free agents you’ve been cannonizing above.
Estevez is doing good, I’ll give you that. But Drury is hurt, how is that helping them right now?
Better yet, How is your myopic view ignoring Drury’s .822 OPS 307 Plate Appearances this year helping your argument right now?
Once again, he is injured, how is that helping the team again. And how would you know if he continues thay success when he comes back? I have a feeling even Moore will struggle when he comes back because oblique muscles take longer to recover from
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/9cf3dc15-3930-46f0-8f03-70fb9d0d32e7
Tired topic, I know, but this might represent a slight shift in tone re: To Trade or Not To Trade Ohtani.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10081889-shohei-ohtani-trade-rumors-angels-unlikely-to-deal-star-despite-recent-struggles
We’ve had a solid year plus of “nope & never”, to now “unlikely”. As in the political world of floating ideas out to gauge the reaction, I wonder if the Angels are perhaps doing the same here…..
Tired of this already ? by the time the trade deadline comes in 2 weeks you’ll be seeing alot of this over and over again:
here’s the full story from Boras lap dog on the Angels leaving the door slightly open…
https://nypost.com/2023/07/06/angels-leaving-door-slightly-open-to-trading-shohei-ohtani/
Anderson, Sandoval, and Canning need to go on an absolute tear if we are to have any shot at this thing.
Sandoval has really taken a step back when I expected him to take a step forward this year.
Coaching? Reid Detmers did too until he figured out he needed to lower the velocity on one of his pitches. Did he figure it out, or the coaching staff? The fact that question needs to even be raised points out the ineptitude of the current staff.
So send Sandy and Andy to AA for awhile?
Sandoval has easily been our most disappointing starter this year
given the expectations.
Anderson is a 6 inning plodder that will reliably surrender 2-5 runs and the difference will come down to 1-2 pitches.
Canning has been mostly solid, though his HR rate is fairly high.
Sandoval is the enigma wrapped in a riddle of the staff. He seems somewhat broken to me, but a return to 2021-2022 form would be akin to a trade deadline acquisition at this point. Hopefully he can figure it out.
Reports on Moore, Drury, Neto and O’Hoppe are all pretty encouraging.
LFG
If that’s the yard stick, we’re fucked.
Hey Jeff, I have a request.
I would love to read an interview with the Angels’ long-haired, John Lennon looking assistant athletic trainer, Matt Biancuzzo. (This is where I hear Michael and Jim say in unison, assistant to the athletic trainer.)
My curiosity about him led me on a brief internet search, but there wasn’t much there. His job history has him working as an AT at a couple universities, with Cirque de Soliel for several years, and with the Minnesota Twins before hooking up with the Angels.
Hmmm.
Let me see what I can do. I have some interviews on tap but never considered this one.
I would like to hear his explanation as to why baseball players never tear up their rotator cuffs anymore.
When I was growing up with baseball in the late 70s/early 80s, players were constantly losing their careers to rotator cuff injuries. Especially pitchers. Shortstops (like Rick Burleson) also seemed susceptible to this injury.
I used to wonder if the reason Vladimir Guerrero always threw the ball sidearm/underhanded back to the infield after he caught the third out was to save his rotator cuff from injury.
Still waiting for the Ippei interview.
Regarding HRD, three points:
-I am glad Shohei is not participating. It did affect him 2 years ago after hitting 33 homers before ASG and ended up with just 13 additional after.
-I am quite surprised that Betts, Rutchman, Arozarena, Guerrero Jr, Rodriguez, and Garcia are participating. Their teams are vying for playoff spots. They are taking risk of excessive negativities if they go into slump postASG. Alonso is the only one who does not seem to let HRD participation affect his bats.
-My bet is on Alonso. His best competition will come from Rodriguez, so if he gets thru the first round, he is going to win #3, tying Griffey Jr. Current Lost Wage’s odds:
Alonso =250 Guerrero Jr +350 Rodriguez +450, Robert Jr +550
Rooting for Vladdy Jr and the Polar Bear!!
Epic battle!
Alonso *+250
If HRs are your thing…you can either watch the HRD, or pick any game that Lance Lynn pitches.
Lance Lynn actually pitched pretty well against Blue Jays yesterday, not giving up any home run, but White Sox could not quite beat the Jays to my disappointment.
I don’t buy that HRD results in slumps. Ohtani had went on an incredulous run that jacked his stats up. Similar to this year. This is not his norm.
Thanks for that insight Bobby Abreu.
The HRD doesn’t result in slumps, but if your picture is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, then you are doomed.
At your service, my evil twin bro!
March 26, 2012: Albert Pujols was featured on the Sports Illustrated baseball preview cover. Next to the cover photo was the caption, “The game’s greatest slugger starts over with the Angels.” Pujols did not hit a home run with the Angels until May 6, 2012, his 28th game and 111th at-bat of the season.
I actually agree with you for once. It’s true though, because if that was the case, guys like Pete Alonso wouldn’t continue to crush it out there. It may affect some players though, but it’s more mental.
It’s probably more mental than anything else. You know baseball players are NOT that superstitious.
If there is a hypnotist in Anaheim, Arte could consider to hire him or her, who could lull Shohei into thinking every day is in June for the remainder of season. You know he loves to sleep and dream. 😆
Polar Bear does not believe in superstition.
I’m always going to be totally against Angels players participating if they are contenders that season. I think I’ve seen enough evidence that players can get screwed up by participating. The primary goal is to win games for your team, not to take part in an exhibition.
That said, I think our season is completely over, so participate!
Except Ohtani… we can’t risk another injury that could mess up trading him.
Canning vs Gonsolin
Detmers vs Grove
Gonsolin has been on the struggle bus recently and Grove sucks. Let’s at least the split with LAD and mercifully get to the ASB.
Vegas Prop Bet
Angels have more runners thrown out at home than runs scored in the series. -125
Cy Losers will take us down yet again.
That would make them Cy Winners
Second half is when the fans start doing the coupim with a side of hope and faith.
Nobody needs you or anyone else acting as the gatekeeper of Angels fans.
Everyone is entitled to express their fandom how they choose. Being said, my copium with a side is hope and faith began in Spring Training. No reason to stop now
No such word as coupim and Copium is an insect…please explain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copium
Here ya go old timer —
“copium (uncountable) (Internet slang, neologism, derogatory, humorous) A fictional or metaphorical opiate taken in order to cope when one is faced with loss or disillusionment. The humorous implication is that copium gives energy to denial in those that consume it”
Old Guys Rule and we prefer spoken English.
That word was already taken…it is a lace bug.
It’s uttered on Twitter and the like ad naseum.
this reminds me of something my mom said about jumping off a bridge.
Will this spring a whole new industry of 12 Step programs for people hooked on metaphorical opiates?
We admitted we were powerless over our fandom-that our halos have become unmanageable.
I’m actually in a 12-step and this cracked me up 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I believe one of the greatest human attributes is the ability to laugh at oneself. It transcends culture, religion and politics and trumps hatred.
Fully agreed.
I also think you shouldn’t laugh at others unless you also laugh at yourself.
2002 is the exception to that, right Jeff?
Good for you!! 36 years 7 months sober here.
36 minutes 7 seconds
Over here!
And a life long Angels fan?
That is a tremendous accomplishment right there Sir.
Thanks Cowboy…I was 24 when the insanity started.
At least the Angel Fan part.
You’re going to get addicted to it in a bad way then
Brother, I’m 28 years in as a fan. Nothing is changing lol
ROOKIE!!! `;~}}
That’s no good amigo