I predicted the team would go 15-12 and was kinda close as they went 17-10.
Record: 80-55 Pace : 96-66
The Good
Starting pitching continues to be the driving force behind the Angels. The bullpen (except for Shields) has been solid. Vlad is back and GA has joined him. And Mathis is doing solid behind the plate.
The Bad
Napoli continues to be nagged by his injuries and Shields has become a liability on the mound. You just never know what pitcher you're gonna get with Santana.
What Could Go Wrong
Someone on the starting staff goes down with an injury. Figgins can't return from his injury
What Could Go Right
Napoli comes back strong and Juan Rivera gives the Angels a boost offensively. Shields returns to form.
What Will Happen
The Angels will cruise to the AL West crown with a solid 16-11 run.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Ratatouille Now Being Served At Angel Stadium
So there are rats infesting Angel Stadium. Maybe its because of our exciting play. Maybe they are there to help out. Maybe, just maybe one of these rats is a master chef and what we are experiencing at the park is some of the best cuisine in the baseball world.
Could be.
Could be.
At The 2/3rd Mark......
(I know I should have done this before Saturday's game.)
I predicted the team would go 16-11 and wasn't really close as they went 13-14.
Record: 63-45 Pace : 94-68
The Good
Well, the pitching by Lackey, Escobar and company have been solid. And its nice to see Speier back giving the bullpen a boost.
The Bad
The offense. Vlad disappeared and so did every other hot Angel. Colon is probably out for the year and Napoli is hurt again.
What Could Go Wrong
They offense stays MIA and the lack of power starts to hurt. Saunders becomes a AAAA pitcher. Napoli stays hurt and can't return.
What Could Go Right
Vlad becomes the Impaler again. Napoli comes back from the DL soon. A couple of Angel hitters get hot.
What Will Happen
The Angels will right the ship and be a pleasing team to watch in August. Prediction: 15-12.
I predicted the team would go 16-11 and wasn't really close as they went 13-14.
Record: 63-45 Pace : 94-68
The Good
Well, the pitching by Lackey, Escobar and company have been solid. And its nice to see Speier back giving the bullpen a boost.
The Bad
The offense. Vlad disappeared and so did every other hot Angel. Colon is probably out for the year and Napoli is hurt again.
What Could Go Wrong
They offense stays MIA and the lack of power starts to hurt. Saunders becomes a AAAA pitcher. Napoli stays hurt and can't return.
What Could Go Right
Vlad becomes the Impaler again. Napoli comes back from the DL soon. A couple of Angel hitters get hot.
What Will Happen
The Angels will right the ship and be a pleasing team to watch in August. Prediction: 15-12.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
At The Halfway Mark....
I predicted that this team would go 15-12 over the past 27 games and I was close. They went 17-10.
Record: 50-31 Pace: 100-62
The Good
Chone Figgins. Wow, has he had a great June (from a OPS+ of 16 to 115). Willits has been a terrific lead-off hitter (.430 OBP).
Cabrera (125), Kotchman (142), GMJ(110), Napoli (111) and, of course, Vladdy (165) have taken this offense to a new level. I know it won't last but its been fun to watch.
The Bad
The nagging injuries to the team especially to the pitching staff. Colon can't seem to find the groove and the back half of the bullpen is scary. And we keep waiting for Speier to come back.
What Could Go Wrong
The main answer is always Vlad gets hurt. But the nagging injuries could start to take their toll. And the offense decides to be as bad as they have been good.
What Could Go Right
The offense continues on its merry way beating the rest of the AL into submission.
What Will Happen
The Angels will keep rolling with a 16-11 record over the next 27 games.
Record: 50-31 Pace: 100-62
The Good
Chone Figgins. Wow, has he had a great June (from a OPS+ of 16 to 115). Willits has been a terrific lead-off hitter (.430 OBP).
Cabrera (125), Kotchman (142), GMJ(110), Napoli (111) and, of course, Vladdy (165) have taken this offense to a new level. I know it won't last but its been fun to watch.
The Bad
The nagging injuries to the team especially to the pitching staff. Colon can't seem to find the groove and the back half of the bullpen is scary. And we keep waiting for Speier to come back.
What Could Go Wrong
The main answer is always Vlad gets hurt. But the nagging injuries could start to take their toll. And the offense decides to be as bad as they have been good.
What Could Go Right
The offense continues on its merry way beating the rest of the AL into submission.
What Will Happen
The Angels will keep rolling with a 16-11 record over the next 27 games.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
At The One-Third Mark...
I predicted that this team would go 16-11 over the past 27 games and I was so close. They went 17-10.
Record: 33-21 Pace: 99-63
The Good
Napoli (OPS+ 112) and Kotchman (138) getting hot and helping to carry this offense. Guerrero continues to shine as well as Cabrera (124) and GMJ (117).
Lackey and Escobar are showing that the Angels have two number one starters. Weaver is struggling but I have no doubt that he will be a 100-110 ERA+ guy by years end. Shields and K-Rod continue to give the Halos the edge in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Bad
Figgins (16, yes that's right), Aybar (57) and Shea (57) continue to suck away precious at-bats.
Santana has continued his Jekyll and Hyde act. Colon (ERA+ 78) has suddenly become terrible. Carrasco (72) and Oliver (53) show that they should only be pitching in blowout situations.
What Could Go Wrong
As always, the answer is Vlad gets hurt.
What Could Go Right
Napoli and Kotchman resurgences continue while Figgins and Aybar hit better. Shea gets DFA'd and Santana stops drinking that awful potion while on the road.
And, of course, Speier comes back.
What Will Happen
The Angels will continue to play well and go 15-12 over the next 27 games.
Record: 33-21 Pace: 99-63
The Good
Napoli (OPS+ 112) and Kotchman (138) getting hot and helping to carry this offense. Guerrero continues to shine as well as Cabrera (124) and GMJ (117).
Lackey and Escobar are showing that the Angels have two number one starters. Weaver is struggling but I have no doubt that he will be a 100-110 ERA+ guy by years end. Shields and K-Rod continue to give the Halos the edge in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Bad
Figgins (16, yes that's right), Aybar (57) and Shea (57) continue to suck away precious at-bats.
Santana has continued his Jekyll and Hyde act. Colon (ERA+ 78) has suddenly become terrible. Carrasco (72) and Oliver (53) show that they should only be pitching in blowout situations.
What Could Go Wrong
As always, the answer is Vlad gets hurt.
What Could Go Right
Napoli and Kotchman resurgences continue while Figgins and Aybar hit better. Shea gets DFA'd and Santana stops drinking that awful potion while on the road.
And, of course, Speier comes back.
What Will Happen
The Angels will continue to play well and go 15-12 over the next 27 games.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
One-Sixth of the Way Through...
The Angels have played well but so much has happened in just the first 27 games. The Angels have had both a hot streak and a cold streak. They've looked like a cellar dwelling team (on the road trip from hell) and a dominant team (first week of the season and against Seattle). They had a big scare when Vlad was plunked and visions of anemic offense danced in my head.
So without further ado.....a review.
Record: 16-11 on pace for a 96-66 season.
The Good
Starting pitching, a solid 3.41 ERA (second in the AL). Lackey (4-2, 2.19, 8.51 K/9) has looked like the ace we all knew he was. Colon (3-0, 3.79, 8.05 K/9)has come back and given us more than we could have hoped for. Escobar has been solid with Saunders and Moseley filling in admirably for the injured Weaver and Colon.
Vlad (1.194 OPS) has been the man. Mathews (.832 OPS) has played like his deserves the money (well, almost). Kendrick (.855 OPS) was hitting before being injured and will be coming back soon.
The Bad
Relief pitching, a pedestrian 4.26 ERA (1oth in the AL). Outside of K-Rod and Speier this pen has been awful. Hopefully Shields will come around but I think Carrasco and Oliver are hopeless.
Napoli (.603 OPS) has struggled mightily. GA has been ice cold with runners in scoring position.
What Could Go Wrong
Vlad gets hurt. It's number 1, 2 and 3 on the list of things Angels fans want to see least.
What Could Go Right
Scot Shields finds his form and the Angels have a dominating back of the bullpen. Napoli finds his bat and Figgins comes back strong.
What will happen
The Angels will match their first 27 games win for win and go another 16-11.
So without further ado.....a review.
Record: 16-11 on pace for a 96-66 season.
The Good
Starting pitching, a solid 3.41 ERA (second in the AL). Lackey (4-2, 2.19, 8.51 K/9) has looked like the ace we all knew he was. Colon (3-0, 3.79, 8.05 K/9)has come back and given us more than we could have hoped for. Escobar has been solid with Saunders and Moseley filling in admirably for the injured Weaver and Colon.
Vlad (1.194 OPS) has been the man. Mathews (.832 OPS) has played like his deserves the money (well, almost). Kendrick (.855 OPS) was hitting before being injured and will be coming back soon.
The Bad
Relief pitching, a pedestrian 4.26 ERA (1oth in the AL). Outside of K-Rod and Speier this pen has been awful. Hopefully Shields will come around but I think Carrasco and Oliver are hopeless.
Napoli (.603 OPS) has struggled mightily. GA has been ice cold with runners in scoring position.
What Could Go Wrong
Vlad gets hurt. It's number 1, 2 and 3 on the list of things Angels fans want to see least.
What Could Go Right
Scot Shields finds his form and the Angels have a dominating back of the bullpen. Napoli finds his bat and Figgins comes back strong.
What will happen
The Angels will match their first 27 games win for win and go another 16-11.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Okay, So That's Over....
Well now, that wasn't too good of a road trip, was it?
A 1-7 record. Scoring just 10 runs. Four of them in the first game of the trip. A .214 team batting avg., .551 OPS. A team 5.40 ERA. Defense not making anybody forget about 2006.
Having your two best hitters plunked and missing the next few games (in Howie's case a few weeks). The rest of the offense unable to pick up the slack. Pitching that looks hittable.
But it's done and now time to come back to some home cookin'. The Angels had a bad start in '02 and came out fine. I think they can turn things around and get back to where they should be.
No time to hit the panic button.
A 1-7 record. Scoring just 10 runs. Four of them in the first game of the trip. A .214 team batting avg., .551 OPS. A team 5.40 ERA. Defense not making anybody forget about 2006.
Having your two best hitters plunked and missing the next few games (in Howie's case a few weeks). The rest of the offense unable to pick up the slack. Pitching that looks hittable.
But it's done and now time to come back to some home cookin'. The Angels had a bad start in '02 and came out fine. I think they can turn things around and get back to where they should be.
No time to hit the panic button.
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