5-2 Angels
I’m not pointing any fingers! Well, I’m pointing them at the m*********ing sky to be honest because the Angels have moved to 14-10 in the month of June on the back of their fifth consecutive win! Sure they’ve all been against sub-.500 teams, but the team has looked damn good for a full cycle of the rotation, with all-around great play.
That is, if we ignore the 3rd inning, when Zach Plesac lost the strike zone in true Halo fashion and walked a run in twice before finally being lifted. Just ignore that part! After all, the Tigers have only had 6 hits the entire series so far, and the bullpen was nails tonight in particular, posting over 2/3 of a game today with only 1 hit allowed and no more walks!
On the offensive side, Luis Rengifo continued to demonstrate his power, starting the game off with a 2 run shot, but the big heroic moment came from Logan O’Hoppe, who annihilated a ball in the 8th to drive in 3 and put the game away.
Unfortunately the Mariners won, keeping us in the double digits of games back, but guess what? It’s early enough for me to believe. Let’s keep the streak freaking going! We have a stretch of series against sub-.500 teams all the way through until July 11th, where we take on the division-leading Seattle doodooheads, and when we sweep them too, that’ll make 1 bazillion games won in a row, putting us firmly in contention! I believe!!!!
I BELIEVE.
When we hit the All-Star Break in first place, you all are going to be looking back on this moment not with disdain toward a delayed postgame, but in fond remembrance of a beautiful prophecy.
Angels are also in a bit of a roster crunch soon. Thinking anout whats about to become avaialable in the next 2-3 weeks.
Drury: (Any update on this? 9 straight games but not on teh IL)
Soriano: Back to pitching and due back July 2nd vs. Oakland
Trout: Running soon and should be expected back in 2-3 weeks
Cimber: Throwing again and is prob 2 weeks away
Rendon: July 8th eligible and will soon be back
Quijada: Throwing in AZ complex league and could go on a full assignment in the next week. Mid-late July activation
Cisnero: Back to throwing again and is 2 weeks away
With all this coming back in 30 days or less, how does the roster look?
Noice win!!!!!
Im not sure this is what we Wantz but I guess someone has to pitch next week. https://x.com/LAAngelsPR/status/1807167588155474283
Tonight’s Lineups
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/tigers-vs-angels/2024/06/29/746211/preview
here’s hoping Jo will get a couple of hits as he finds his way back
Looking at Jo’s stats this year to date his walk rate is about the same as last year, his strikeout rate is actually down substantially ( now below 29% ) He definitely has been trying to hit the ball to the right side more. What was surprising to me that even though his exit velocity is actually up. little his BABIP has plummeted. Over the last 2 seasons he has averaged a BABIP over .325. This year hes at a measly .200. Which means that if he had t a BABIP closer to .300 he’d be hitting with an OPS closer to .247 and assuming these extra hits will only singles an OPS closer to .700
I wonder if he is now abandoning this years opposite field approach since hits just aren’t coming for him.
That line up is pretty strong, a one ping pong ball value
Fingers should be pointed squarely at me. I completely spaced on post game.
Thank you Rick for picking up my slack.
Jeff we are now on a 5 game heater. Whatever you’re doing its working so keep it up we dont want to jinx this mojo.
Of course it’s unlikely we’ll sweep Detroit but if the unlikely happens we’d have a better record than the Tigers. We’re surging!
But it’s Detroit but more interesting to me is that we are 1.5 games away from the 2024 WS Champs.
We swim with the kids, we sink with the kids, and we swim some more!
When they swim it’s a lot of fun! This game, it’s O’Hoppe. The game before that, it’s Davis. A couple of games ago, it was Neto. Last series, it was Moniak.
And coming into this trade deadline, Perry can actually stay on course for the long term, rather than being held hostage by we know who.
The future is there. We just need more kids and some bit of luck.
The question we need to ask ourselves as fans and men (and Mia) is: How many more wins/closer to .500 before we stop talking about unloading Rengifo/Ward and start living in a mind-space where the playoffs are a possibility? For me I think it’s like: two games within .500 before the All-Star break. They would have to go 11-4 over the next two weeks.
I’m the biggest hopium addict on this page and can confidently say that trading Ward + Anderson + Estevez is the right course of action. Take advantage of their value and bring back sorely needed prospects.
Rengifo should’ve been extended a while ago because his value keeps soaring. If we trade him, we better get a king’s ransom.
Agree. Angels need to trade those 3-guys you mention. No matter. Rengifo is 4th candidate for me but depending on the offer. I think Heefo’s value might be at a high point so definitely explore moving him. Personally, I think he has limitations and not a cerebral player at all. Long term, don’t want to count on him.
The seasons at a mid point. Hes slashing .315/.361/.447 and he already has 20 steals in 26 attempts while his defense has improved in leaps and bounds under Wash.
The Venezuelan Papa Smurf is still only 27 years old and the club can control him through 2025.
Unless the Angels get a shit ton a real prospects why would you trade him? In fact maybe the Angels want to extend him and buy out a couple of free agent years?
NOT…I’m the biggest Hopium addict!!!
The playoffs are absolutely not a possibility. We don’t have the starting rotation required.
Maybe we can pick up some players at the deadline. That worked so well last year.
To be fair, Perry picked up a quality SP last deadline — Renaldo Lopez 😂😂😭
My answer is zero. Zero games, Zero wins. The correct move is still to trade Ward and Rengifo, and everyone else not part of the future and get some mid-tier returns on.
If this team makes it interesting down the stretch with Trout, Rendon, and the kids, and even after being sellers, getting a good haul to refresh the minors, that’s the real 🏆 of the season.
Ok since your answer is zero wins doesnt that mean you are saying that we need to immediately stop talking about unloading Rengifo/Ward and start living in a mind-space where the playoffs are a possibility?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m digging the wins and the good play and the homers, but Geez, Rick- I think you’ve been sniffing bus fumes again.
I’ve written depression for damn near a decade now. I’ve LONG gotten past the point where I can stay mentally healthy while being a realist.
So based on the shufflebot to wins exchange rate, there should currently be three shufflebot gifs on display.
One shufflebot for the first 3 wins, plus one shufflebot for each subsequent win.
I hear Shufflebot is also doing some side work for the Doyers. They of course are paying him way more than us…….but he didn’t get a chance to shake that ass last night, the Giants got the win in a walk off.
There are 3 shufflebots below. If you can’t see them that is because editors have to allow them. But I posted them.
You’re doing the Lords work F71.
Artful prose Rick, artful prose.
On a serious note, if this team is playing well 3 weeks from now and we’re single digits from first place, I do wonder how that’ll impact Perry & Arte’s decision making vis-a-vis the deadline.
O’Hoppe & Neto continue to prove that they are true foundational players.
Adell & Moniak continue to prove the opposite and Schanuel isn’t much better IMO.
Luis Rengifo, I heart thee.
I’m not saying Moniak is good or even average, but at least this month he has been hitting to a respectable line.
Adell, on the other hand, has completely negated all the goodwill from the beginning of his season.
And Adell has played almost everyday as compared to Moniak, who’s been platooning with Pillar, so his steep drop is all the more disappointing. This is no longer the case of him not getting into a rhythm because he’s benched more than he’s played.
Very happy with the Angels handling of Adell and keeping him in the lineup. I’m shocked they are doing this but the right move. Don’t like Moniak, hoping for a hot streak before the deadline.
Actually, despite his struggles, I’ve been happy with how they have handled Adell too. Give him the full season, he’s not blocking a better option. This is the season to see what you have in him. If he course corrects the next 3 months, then you got RF down. If not, let him go and start all over again. It’s not like there will be even be a remotely significant return for him anyway if you trade him at the deadline.
I hope they don’t change their appproach. I’m sure right now Perry’s mindset is to still sell. If these rag tag group of kids and vets make a run for it, and mess up some legit playoff teams’ chances along the way, then good for them But I hope Perry doesn’t get fooled by the mirage. This team still needs some serious work, both in the majors and minors.
I agree. We’ve held our Adell stock this long so we’re compelled to see it to the end. His trade value nil anyway.
At this point, I don’t think the light will turn on & stay on but, he should get 300
more PA’s to prove the theory either way.
5 in a row shuffle!
Canning can keep the sweep in order tonight!!
I think Wash and Barry are doing ok.
Serious question – would we have made the playoffs last year with this coaching staff running the show instead of the Nevin-Wise clown show?
Not at all likely….if Wash and his crew started in 2022 we’d be a few steps further along. They would have been closer to .500 last year…..maybe.
No chance we would have made the playoffs.
And this year will be no different
whenever a team faces Oakland or Detroit or Colorado or the White Sox and they win a bunch of games they get to be called “the surging ….” so that’s us now. The surging Angels.
Like the surging Twins who are no longer surging. Or the surging Reds who are 11 out. So we might not be surging for long but here we are!
Enjoy it while it lasts!
For large stretches of this season, we’d have 0% chance of going 5-0 during it. We would need some luck to go 3-2. I’m more excited about the way we are winning. Fundamentals, little timely hitting, some timely pitching, I’ll use the words team baseball. It’s not one dimensional or a small group of players that are the only ones doing the heavy lifting. I think they feel they can beat anyone anywhere most nights (them believing that is the gold). It’s a little more than just the schedule.
Around 8PM, went outside to watch SpaceX launch a Falcon 9 Rocket from Vandenberg.
About an hour later, I watched O’Hoppe launch a Falcon #14 Rocket into the left-field seats!
Both left a visible vapor trail.
Well, well, well, looky here! We actually might have a home field advantage going forward! Who knew that was possible!
Train back to .500 is moving along choooo choooo.
Rengifo is elite. O’Hoppe is super clutch.
Baseball is… fun ?
Johnny 5!!!
But we don’t want a run to mediocrity, we want the tank, right?
Wins are nice, though
81+ wins immediately after losing Shohei would mean something.
It would be hilarious
It would mean a draft pick outside of the impact area of the top 5 or so. I thought we wanted to emerge from the meh zone
Though I am not adverse frum the occaisonable win or three.
Tradition dictates we could lose 120 games and we still wouldn’t be able to draft in the top 5.
So what the hell we’ll just have to keep finding those mid round Netos
Guardians won the draft lottery with a 2% chance, and are now 51-29.
I’m rooting for wins.
Winning is good. Winning is fun. I want the Angels to win.
Being real, winning 81 games this season would be a positive on how well the kids are developing. Conversely it would also be a reflection on the general weakness of the American League in 2024.
I think you’ll get that tank after the trade deadline. In the meantime its nice to see the younger guys experience some good vibes for a change.