Somehow the Angels suck the fun out of baseball

[Michifan]

Like many, I've been trying to pinpoint some of the main problems this season, and not only this season but generally. Why is it that players come to Anaheim and start sucking? What happened to Trumbo midway through the year and Trout so far this season. I think one of the keys to this question is with Trout. Part of what made him special last year was watching the sheer exhilaration he had playing the game. Nothing seemed to bother him. He just simply had joy in playing, whether it was offense, defense, or sitting and cheering on others. I don't see that in him this year. Maybe it's the switch to left field. Maybe it's the expectations on him this season. Maybe it's the money he didn't make. Maybe it's a combination of those things. But he's lost the fire. I don't see much fire anywhere on the team. Last year when Trout came up, he and Trumbo re-energized a team needing energy. Jimenez brought some fire with him, but that seems to have run out of fuel or oxygen or something. 

 

I don't know if it's Scioscia's demeanor, if he is too controlling, not controlling enough, or what. But this team has no life, no passion. Life was one of the biggest factors to the success in 2002, whether it was Adam Kennedy a non-slugger belting three home runs, or a journeyman first baseman like Spiezio getting big hits and playing with fire, or an unknown Lackey throwing hard against the big boys, or an unknown call-up kid named Rodriguez with an electric young arm. The rally monkey came on, and everyone, the team, the crowd, the opposing team knew, those Angels had passion and life and could catch that fire and win games. 

 

Torii Hunter last year complained: "We have to fight a little harder. I don't think we believe we're trying that hard. We're just going through the motions. We have to do what we're capable of doing. That's everybody; not just the players." I think that same is true this year, except there is no Torii to light the fire, no new young phenoms to fuel it. The team is dead. No life and no fun.