Season has left me bitter...

[floplag]

Not gonna lie, this is one of those seasons that makes you want to just find another team to watch.  Been watching this team for 40 years now, and i don't recall a stretch of years that have left me less happy about being a fan of the club.  So much promise, so much potential, and in the end even with a solid stretch run we are left unfulfilled, under achieving, and basically looking like a monkey f#@$king a football.   I do not get how it went so bad so fast, i truly don't, it just makes no sense.  So many bad moves made by so many people in so many areas.

I think i liked this club better when we acting like middle market, a least then we knew what we were, these last few years of trying to be large market large payroll behemoths have resulted in this?  We talk a big game but we don't seem to want to back it up.  Its inexcusable to me that the club stepped up to make some big dollar signings then when we got close to the luxury tax suddenly got penny wise.  As much as any under achieving player i feel the front office failed at least as bad in recent years.   ...and i wont even talk about the manager, its so far past tie for a change here.
 

In the immortal words of Jack Nicholson's Joker, This club needs an enema. 

 

I'll never give up being a fan of this club but right now its very hard to have any hope for the next few seasons unless Arte finds his wallet in a major way and we get a GM with a brain that can tell Sven where to get off. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

It's odd, but I find myself feeling just the opposite. We were in the playoff hunt until the last game of the season with a team that didn't hit and that had a spotty defense, a suspect bullpen and an injured closer. I also saw the team show a fire and a desire to win in the last month that looked to be all but gone in August. Saturday's ninth inning comeback was one for the ages. With the right adjustments and some key additions (not necessarily high dollar free agents, since we have had less-than-stellar results down that road), this could be a solid club in 2016.

Edited October 5, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Stradling]

I would probably just change your expectations, if you do that then you will probably be happier with the performance of this team. This roster was poor from the get go so it was pretty easy to hamper all expectations from the get go this season.

[tomsred]

I find it hard to criticize Arte for not spending, he's had his wallet wide open for some time now.  It wasn't spent wisely, the heart was there just not the brain.  It will take a couple of more years until we burn off the mistakes (Hamilton primarily), but then we should be able to give it a more intelligent shot.  For me this year was just as entertaining as last year, but I could have done without the GM drama queen crap.  In the end it's just entertainment, not anything that's life or death important for me or my family.  I hate to get too invested in anything that is sports related, there are so many other things in life where the time is better spent, but it's a fun diversion from more serious stuff.

[ABC]

I would probably just change your expectations, if you do that then you will probably be happier with the performance of this team. This roster was poor from the get go so it was pretty easy to hamper all expectations from the get go this season.

 

Thinly veiled shot at Dipoto supporters. You know you're not going to get paid by Arte or Sosh, right? Not even a special mention on the scoreboard during buttercup.

[Stradling]

You know I am a Dipoto supporter right? No of course not because "fans" like you have determined that one guy is good (Dipoto) and one guy is bad (Sosh), You can go back to the Dipoto threads, and I guarantee you will see that I wanted to keep Jerry and not Mike. But this team lacked talent, and the stats back me up on that. Continue to say dumb stuff, you are good at it. This isn't a veiled shot at you, this is an actual shot at you, you are incredibly stupid on here.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I find it hard to criticize Arte for not spending, he's had his wallet wide open for some time now.  It wasn't spent wisely, the heart was there just not the brain.  It will take a couple of more years until we burn off the mistakes (Hamilton primarily), but then we should be able to give it a more intelligent shot.  For me this year was just as entertaining as last year, but I could have done without the GM drama queen crap.  In the end it's just entertainment, not anything that's life or death important for me or my family.  I hate to get too invested in anything that is sports related, there are so many other things in life where the time is better spent, but it's a fun diversion from more serious stuff.

 

Disagree. You either go for it, or you don't, none of this middle ground crap. Pujols disappointed and Hamilton failed - this roster needs help all the way down the system. Everyone else is spending or selling, the Angels have been falling behind all of them. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

You know I am a Dipoto supporter right? No of course not because "fans" like you have determined that one guy is good (Dipoto) and one guy is bad (Sosh), You can go back to the Dipoto threads, and I guarantee you will see that I wanted to keep Jerry and not Mike. But this team lacked talent, and the stats back me up on that. Continue to say dumb stuff, you are good at it. This isn't a veiled shot at you, this is an actual shot at you, you are incredibly stupid on here.

 

Where's that ban hammer Strad? haha

[Stradling]

Where's that ban hammer Strad? haha

I've only banned one guy and that wasn't even a ban but more of a suspension. I have never even given a warning point although someone swears I did but when he and I had a run in it was before I was a mod.

[Troll Daddy]

Disagree. You either go for it, or you don't, none of this middle ground crap. Pujols disappointed and Hamilton failed - this roster needs help all the way down the system. Everyone else is spending or selling, the Angels have been falling behind all of them.

Pujols disappointed ... ? Hardly

[Jobu]

Spring will heal all wounds.

[Jobu]

Unless the wound is a sunburn.

[gotbeer]

In the early 2000's.  The mindset was if we didn't win the World Series, it was a disappointment.  Then in the late 00's, it was if we don't make the playoffs it's a disappointment.  Seems like the teen years is I hope we make the playoffs.  The teams expectations are getting lower and lower.  I hope we don't get to the point of unless we break 81-81 it will be a disappointment.  

 

So nice for the Ducks to be starting up.  Because if they don't win the Stanley Cup, it will be a disappointment.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Disagree. You either go for it, or you don't, none of this middle ground crap. Pujols disappointed and Hamilton failed - this roster needs help all the way down the system. Everyone else is spending or selling, the Angels have been falling behind all of them.

this.

I agree with toms, arte has spent. The problem is he spent poorly, and since has stopped spending...thats fine if you plant to retool a team. You trade richards, calhoun, and a few other pieces and aim for 2018.

Dont want to do that, fine. But with few trade chips and no help in house, you open your wallet and bitch about the tax man just like the rest of us do. But watching your team flounder because its already expensive is silly.

Obviously its his money, FA is risky, theres not a ton out there to help, etc etc. But you start with signing one of the big outfielders this off season and maybe take on a bad contract of a good player from a other team that wants out of the contract (cargo, not suggesting it but using it as an example)

But this team needs help, stat. IP makes a good point, the team may have hit its expiration date. Im sure infusing a handful of actual good players vs average players can change that

[bloodbrother]

I'm already over it.

[HanfordGuy]

floplag, I'm sorry you feel that way. I think you're forgetting the late '80s/ early '90s when we had pitchers like Abbott,Langston,Blyleven and Finley and no postseason. The bitter taste for me comes from losing to the Rangers. It was a roller coaster season, but after yesterday's win, I wasn't as upset during today's 7th inning as I normally would be. With all the focus on Seattle at the beginning of the season, the Hamilton and GM problems, to be still in it going into game 162 was remarkable.

[AngelsLakersFan]

this.

I agree with toms, arte has spent. The problem is he spent poorly, and since has stopped spending...thats fine if you plant to retool a team. You trade richards, calhoun, and a few other pieces and aim for 2018.

Dont want to do that, fine. But with few trade chips and no help in house, you open your wallet and bitch about the tax man just like the rest of us do. But watching your team flounder because its already expensive is silly.

Obviously its his money, FA is risky, theres not a ton out there to help, etc etc. But you start with signing one of the big outfielders this off season and maybe take on a bad contract of a good player from a other team that wants out of the contract (cargo, not suggesting it but using it as an example)

But this team needs help, stat. IP makes a good point, the team may have hit its expiration date. Im sure infusing a handful of actual good players vs average players can change that

 

The team has hit it's expiration date, but the farm isn't ready to yield a new crop.

 

We either spend to bring in some guys, or we sell off parts. Any other strategy is just wasting time on teams that will not win while getting progressively worse.

[halobob]

The only thing that really pisses me off is we blew it by not beating Barry ****ing Zito and giving up 6 unearned runs in that game.  Season is now officially over.  On the plus side the best team in hockey has their 1st home game in 8 days.  It's gonna be a fun season at the Ponda!

[Second Base]

To be honest, I'm relieved. I've been stressing about whether or not the Angels would make it, hanging on every pitch. Fact is they weren't good enough this year, and that's ok. There are worse things.

Look at it this way...

1. You have two more hours per night to spend with your family or improving yourself. Work out, love your wife and kids, go to a show....

2. This is the beginning of hot stove season, which has it's own set of build ups and disappointments. Can't wait to see what Eppler does.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

this.

I agree with toms, arte has spent. The problem is he spent poorly, and since has stopped spending...

 

That is really the problem. Moreno didn't "stop spending" just because there were no new contracts. The Pujols and Hamilton contracts must be paid for several years yet, and this isn't even counting the much better investment of locking Mike Trout up. There isn't an infinite pool of money. We aren't the Yankees. We can't just eat a bunch of bad contracts and go out and get more.

[tomsred]

That is really the problem. Moreno didn't "stop spending" just because there were no new contracts. The Pujols and Hamilton contracts must be paid for several years yet, and this isn't even counting the much better investment of locking Mike Trout up. There isn't an infinite pool of money. We aren't the Yankees. We can't just eat a bunch of bad contracts and go out and get more.

 

You got it, better said than my attempt.

[YESWECAN]

Well stated floptag.

I fault Sosh for his over management; second only to Mauch/

[Angel Oracle]

Heyward, O'Day, a utility INF, and a mentor catcher

That could be all that's needed.

Well that and a manager/coaching staff change

Edited October 5, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[Halos of Anaheim]

I just don't understand Arte being gun shy in free agency. You spend upwards of 400+ million dollars on Pujols, Wilson and Hamilton -- three guys with clear holes in their game/reaching the latter part of their careers..all three disappoint in some way or another and you stop spending money? A contract like Heyward or Cespedes would be much smarter than those 3 contracts, actually help the team and put us in a much better position next year offensively. Taking on a bad contract for a good pitcher by giving up literally nothing gives our younger guys another year to work on their craft until it's their time to go. 

 

But no, we'll most likely sign Murphy/Victorino/DeJesus level talent, a bullpen arm or two and go into next year with the same under-talented team. Just because our stupid owner spent big money on guys who everybody knew were going to flop, and is now scared to spend anymore.

Edited October 5, 2015 by Halos of Anaheim

[YouthofToday]

Only 6 more years of the Albert Pujols and his sub .300 OBP left.