Face it. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the face of Los Angeles. Seeing them perform at the Greek is seeing a Los Angeles band in harmony with their city.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, on the other hand, are not an L.A. team. They never were and never will be. The Angels are not in harmony with the City of Los Angeles.
The team from Anaheim, with a capped payroll of $125 million is certainly the favorite to win the West, but so was Hillary the favorite to sail into the Oval Office. How many times have we gone to the races and bet the chalk, and then wound up ripping up those tickets?
Face the facts. Most major league teams average between 5 to 5.5 runs per game. Teams are so close in their rankings; a misstep by management in the batting order often causes the runs per game to drop. For instance, placing Gary Matthews in the number two hole with his broken down body, just because the team paid him a ton of cash is typical of the Angels management style. Overall, it is Mike Napoli with the better OPS and a better fit for the number two hole.
- B/R Ticket Guide
If you've been a season ticket holder of the Angels, you've undoubtedly seen Scioscia leave a pitcher in the game for one batter too many too many times. If a fan sitting in the stands sees the pitcher out of gas after 5 1/3, then why can't Scioscia see it? If baseball is a business, then why is that pitcher getting clobbered and can't make it to two outs in the sixth?
We have witnessed an injury riddled Angels team. We can expect Escobar, Figgins, Matthews, Weaver, Speier, Vlad, Anderson, Howie and numerous other players will join the injured list and disturb the rhythm of the team. These are great athletes.
The season however, is a steeplechase and not a sprint. We've seen the effects of the race on key elements of the Angels during the latter half of the year, specifically Scot Shields. He's signed the four-year deal even though his new family life clearly had a huge effect on his performance. Shields has a lot to prove.
Frankie is not J.J. Putz. When Frankie comes in, the crowd holds their breath during the second half of the season. Also, a player with a grudge against the team is like a cancer.
So the Angels will not win the West. Too many negatives. Players must accept their roles. Can Willits, Morales, Vlad, Anderson, Rivera, Saunders, to name a few, accept their new roles on the team? Will this constant unknown of who's on first work? Time will tell.
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9 months ago
Interesting piece, so you think inner turmoil and lineup construction will be enough to give the Mariners the west? I suppose that's possible, but I'm not going to be losing any sleep over it as an Angels fan.
Mike Scioscia is a master at managing the club, so I would not worry about too many negatives being a problem. Do you remember when Jose Guillen, at that time the Angels second best hitter, was benched during a playoff series for his rebellion against the team?
He was benched, and then traded during the offseason, a pretty harsh thing to do when you are in the midst of a playoff series. Mike Scioscia doesn't take anything from anyone, so I think players know this and are going to be on their best behavior, if they want to stay in Anaheim.
Also, I'm going to steal one from one of our own writers here,
"Character is nice, but good pitching and three-run homers win ball games."
---David Pinto at Baseball Musings
Talent wins out over 162 games. I think the negatives and what not get blamed when talented teams like the NYY flame out early in the postseason, but notice, over 162, they always get win, and always make the playoffs.
I hope the Mariners make a race of it, but I really just don't see you putting together any kind of good argument for it happening, besides your notion that the Angels may have internal problems.
If you are convinced the Angels won't win the west, I want to hear about it, it's interesting stuff. But I think you are missing the point of what I commented on your earlier article.
If you think the Mariners will win the West, tell me why they will win the West based on the Mariners credentials, not what may go wrong in Anaheim. That is all I ask. No more articles about the Angels having internal problems, just your argument based on the Mariners being good enough, and why.
I want to hear stuff like, I think Richie Sexson is bouncing back in a big way, or Erik Bedard will post a 2.45 ERA, something concrete the Mariners' players will do. If you don't do that, in my mind, your argument loses merit. I want to hear your argument, and I'm really not trying to be a jerk. I think you have more to say than what you're saying, and I'm trying to get it out of you, that's it.
By the way, I think your girlfriend, or mom, brother, or sister, someone that loves you is defending you against me in your other article.
I'm not trying to tear you apart, I just want to hear your arguments. I know you can put together a convincing argument, and I'll be the first one (besides Anonymous) that will shower you with praise when you do.
9 months ago
Where is the evidence behind any of this? This is all weak speculation, my 5 year old cousin could spit out this bs. Try talking about actual baseball in your next article
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