What’s up with all these mid afternoon games? Let’s get them out of our system I guess. The upcoming Angels-Red Sox series is supposedly intriguing. The apparent reason given is that neither of these teams can afford to lose any more games than they have to. After that rough series, the Angels get a number 25 power ranking to start off the regular season. The “new-look bullpen” got a shoutout, but not in a good way.
Ha ha ha! Kike Hernandez turned up his pitch com device during an in game interview so all the ESPN listeners could hear each pitch being tipped in the live broadcast. This went on for a full half inning. It looks like Dinelson Lamet is making it back up to the bigs.
Everyone is doing it. There was a bench clearing incident over the weekend between the Blue Jays and Rays. Jose Caballero tried to reach third on a bunt plus a Justin Turner throwing error only to be thrown out by a mile. Instead of sliding, he stayed on his feet and bumped into Genesis Cabrera who had been backing up third base. Cabrera took exception and gave Caballero a shove. Suspension incoming.
Round and round Julio Teheran goes. Where he stops, nobody knows. It’s because Tylor Megill is injured.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
My dad always told me if I don’t have anything nice to say I shouldn’t say anything at all.
So i’m gonna stay silent on that lineup.
We promise not to tell Wash on you.
Until further notice I’ll rate Wash above Nevin
That’s fair, Nevin had no idea what he was doing. Wash is just real old school, except that even Earl Weaver understood platoon differential. There have been some really good mostly LH hitters who did not hit same handed pitching very well. Fred Lynn had a big drop off against LH pitching. Don Baylor absolutely destroyed LH Pitching.
Oh he’s definitely above Nevin, Ausmus, and maybe even with Joe?
These are minor nitpicks in June, but when you only have 4 games to go off of things get amplified.
If other managers managed the opening 4 games
Nevin 0-4
Ausmus 1-3
Maddon 1-3
Sosh 2-2
fwiw, Nevin had a good interview today on mlbtv. Nice dude, great career, middling manager. I hope he gets another chance and likely will be back. And now he just gets to watch his two sons journey to MLB – not bad.
bon voyage Phillip
No complaints about Phil as a person. He’s a very nice man, just wasn’t a very good manager.
Seems like a solid dude to have a pint or three with.
What about Brad Ausmus?
I mean, really, who wants to win. It’s like Little League. Everyone plays and bats in different positions.
Though I guess the pizza has to come from Oggi’s
What about the ice cream? When I was playing growing up, we had a local carnation place that we went to after games even when I was 13 and 14. What a great memory walking around in your socks with you stirrups un hooked off your heels eating ice cream. Nothing better!
Participation trophies for everyone!
Don’t forget the 6th Place Medals.
And then they still get to go out for pizza after.
Absolute sham.
Rengifo sitting is a big time head scratcher.
Washington is really into something Rengifo lacks-fielding, might have something to do with it.
That’s the only explanation that makes sense.
I take it that “mid-afternoon game” comment is a joke ’cause we know it really is just a night game back there.
When I moved from New Jersey to California I loved it that I could wake up at 10 am (I was younger and didn’t care about sleeping late…I might have been partying the night before) and a ballgame was starting.
Mets on WOR were great for 10:00am games with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy doing play-by-play. Or the Braves. The Superstations were great along with WGN and TBS. Always had baseball games on. Then, ESPN polluted everything…
I hear Rendon is just about to turn a corner.
In front of a high speed bus?
Yes, no habla “Stop” sign.
“Senor butt-rendon, como es Juan?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80WvIF78NRw
Rengifo has produced 4.3 WAR in the last 2 seasons for us. Mickey produced 2 WAR last season. Adell has all the talent in the world and has no options left.
What the heck are we doing fooling around with Hicks and Sano.
Wash -100 WAR
AND Rendon. He hasn’t earned everyday at bats. Sunk cost is sunk cost.
Rendone has the big contract, so until we DFA him he’s gonna start.
Playing Hicks and Sano is complete malpractice.
I Get all that. Don’t agree with it though. Play the best players. ESPECIALLY If you are pretending to try and win.
Especially today batting Hicks 2nd. He is not great as a RH hitter and Lizardo (sic)is pitching. No way in hell he should be starting AND batting 2nd. That coupled with Rendone leading off YET AGAIN qualifies Wash for involuntary hospitalization…
Fully anticipate Washington giving Rendon a long look in the line-up. 4-games or 40-games is not enough. Rendon was one of his special spring students.
Ha! So we can agree Wash is somewhere between +15 WAR and -100 WAR. I’m leaning towards zero but that is just my belief that a field manager does not make that much of a difference.
Managers make a difference, slapping a WAR on their head does not
I’m leaning toward none of us being able to prove anything.
I can prove Rengifo, Mickey and Adell deserve more playing time than the 3 stooges
So we cut Sano, who replaces him?
Soto? He needs to hit everyday.
Maybe our 2B next year.
Sano’s as good as Perry was gonna get with that budget
…and we all (?) cheered when Hicks (signed for $.75M) was spraying base hits all over the ballfield.
Checks and balances on CtPG
And we still would be if he was doing that
You know how this works. One of these guys will do something good tonight to justify another week of games and shitty play.
Sano Hicks and Rendon in the same lineup. Ouch.
Yep just saw it
Rendon
Hicks
Trout (in CF)
Ward
Drury
Sano (DH)
Scanuel
O’Hoppe
Neto
No Jo against a lefty
Head scratcher
Actually Jo hits RHP’s better but he still needs to play. especially with the quality at bats I’m seeing from him this year. But no Rengifo is the most perplexing thing to me. Papa Smurf has destroyed Lefties these last 2 years. Wash needed to figure a way to get him in this lineup even in Schaunny has to sit for a game or two.
An unfortunate truth about Jo even though he’s right handed. He’s his own worst enemy.
Adell has career OPS of .634 vs LHP. It’s .624 vs RHP. He’s basically the same value against both. (Higher OBP v RHP, higher Slg vs LHP).
Man Wash you are really trying to make me not like you bro! Its so hard to do but I’ll do it if you keep this up
DISGUSTING
Wash preaches speed, but benches Adell, Rengifo, Moniak. Not even considering that those 3 are better overall players at this point than Rendone, Hicks, Sano.
Wtf man
So trout batting lead off w 2 outs.
If Rendon is in, swap him with Schanuel.
And anyone else in the 2 spot besides Hicks.
Rendon looked pretty good at the plate yesterday. Not a fan @ leadoff.
Yeah I think he is due for a couple hits but is it today?
0-4 – bank on it
I’ll say Rendon gets a hit or two today, provided he doesn’t spontaneously explode during the game and miss an AB.
Sounds like a bet to me. Beers?
It’s worth it to have a beer whether he gets a hit or not.
I’m trying facilitate CTPG human interaction. It appears to me if Rendone goes 0-4 @Angelz4ever owes @Fansince1971 some liquid gold and conversely a knock from Tony no bags gets @Angelz4ever the brew of his choice from 71. Shake on it!
Hahaha THE BAR is so low for him right now. We are overvaluing a patient at bat and a high exit velo out. He’s not good. Results are going to be bad. Eroding skills + eroding care factor are never a recipe for success.
With Luzardo on the mound this is where you start Sanó at first, Rengifo at 3rd, Adell in right. Maybe have Ward DH, let Hicks play LF.
This isn’t hard. If I can figure this out on the toilet, Wash should be able to from the clubhouse.
“Should” is the key word here. I would be fascinating to have a real private conversation with Wash to understand whether things are his problem or not.
Schanuel WAR: .1
Rest of 2023 draft class: 0
But in all seriousness… truly impressive how he’s adapted his approach to suit the 3-spot/2-spot. Harder contact, perhaps with fewer singles/walks. Still not sure about his overall ceiling, but his bat skills and strike-zone judgment proving themselves daily.
I’m still waiting for the power to be developed but his ability to work pitcher counts is welcomed
I’m hopeful, and same with Neto, that the power will come more consistently as their bodies mature They are just both so young.
3B Rengifo
1B Schanuel
CF Trout
LF Ward
2B Drury
DH Adell
C O’Hoppe
RF Moniak
SS Neto
This is our best lineup. Time to lock it in, Wash.
Today’s pitching matchup certainly favors the Marlins. Anderson has to keep us in it so we can beat up on their bullpen late.
Rendone is 0/15 sporting a -80 OPS 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I’m just about ready to boycott the season unless Ren-over-done is benched or cut from the team. What a piece of garbage he is.
Here are the longest hitless streaks in MLB history (ABs, not PAs):
Chris Davis, 2018-19: 0 for 54
Eugenio Velez, 2010-11: 0 for 46
Bill Bergen, 1909: 0 for 45
Dave Campbell, 1973: 0 for 45
Craig Counsell, 2011: 0 for 45
Let’s make history !!!
How long will we keep trotting Rendone out there as the leadoff hitter ?
Let’s say we reach the end of next week and he’s 3 for 32 or something like that ? Or we reach mid April and he’s like 5 hits in 60 AB’s ?? Will Wash keep doing it ? It would be interesting to see … but I’d rather not see it.
Bench his ass. He can be the highest paid pinch-hitter in MLB history.
Get to 0/20 first and crush his soul. Maybe he considers quitting, maybe he actually gets better from the humiliation.
But But he likes batting leadoff.
😆
Rendon habla lead-off?
I’m with you, but realistically, it’s only been 4 games, and they won 2 of them. Because this is Perry’s last year and we have no idea of Arte’s intentions, Rendon may be eventually dropped in the order but I could see him playing as long as he’s able this year even if he continues to do next to nothing. He has the advantage of the Angels not having a true lead off hitter or a legitimate replacement at 3B unless you play Rengifo there. Even if they didn’t want to spend money this year, not having a legitimate replacement for either 3B or SS is inexcusable.
Based on?
His contract.
An extension is probably likely though since nobody else would really do anything differently in the role. Feels clear from offseason buzz that what Arte says goes so GMs are just empty suits.
I figure the mandate for Perry to stay in his lane didn’t go away just because Nevin went away. If anything, it was probably reinforced.
I’m fine with this year if it’s being used for evaluation and planning, but if this is the new paradigm, It will be difficult to keep people interested. I totally understand your statement but I don’t really care to see anymore of Perry. At least find someone who can draft and develop talent.
I think there will be mutual desire to separate. I can see both sides to move on. If Perry feels restricted, why stay and let your resume decay further.
Personally, I’m very ready for change. I said this in 2020.
I had the thought last night of the same thing we did to Fletcher, but I’d have to look at the details if its allowed. Can we put him on waivers, pass, then assign him to AAA? From there, if I remember, if he declines, does he then forfeit his salary and become a FA? So the Angels keep trotting him out there first to show the players union that this guy isn’t very good and needs time in the minors to figure it out.
If this is for Adell, he’ll never clear waivers. Once claimed by someone else, even if waived again, he’ll never make his way back to the Halos.
He was referring to Rendon but it only applies for players with less than 5 years of service I believe.
A highest paid pinch hitter who can’t hit!
Pinch wave-stick-at-ball-in-useless-way
If Luzardo is pitching, I don’t want to see Schanuel hitting second and Moniak is likely on the bench.
Totally understand that POV. If we don’t give them (mostly Mickey) reps against LHP now they will never get the reps.
They can when we’re up big or down big.
Agreed. This is our best lineup and dammit could actually be a competitive ballclub with some decent starting pitching and pen work. With Hicks , Sano and Rendone as veteran depth.
We Won…again!!
https://youtu.be/MLCLMEYp9s0
I didn’t know Sano was in that movie?
AHAHA, he had a great locker.