Top 3 Angels Mission Impossible Predictions for 2017

[ettin]

List three very difficult or impossible events you think will happen in 2017 for our beloved Angels!

Remember make them really hard like a hole-in-one type prediction so that when it actually happens you can come back and revel in your precognitive skills! Or in other words you can revisit your glory hole!

ettin's Top 3 predictions:

1) Matt Shoemaker throws a no-hitter

2) Cameron Maybin runs a .350 OBP and steals 20 bases and is Top 10 in the League taking an extra base (whether 1st to 3rd, 2nd to home)

3) Mike Trout has a career season knocking in 130 RBI's, going 180 wRC+ vs. both LHP and RHP, while stealing 30 bases

Happy New Year everyone!

[JAHV76]

Claude becomes President of the Pujols fan club 

Strad opens a Del Taco franchise 

A25F returns to post on AW

Here's hoping for a great 2017 Halos season!

[Oz27]

Something Trout related is the obvious one. Maybe he posts an absurd WAR total. Only one hitter has topped 12 bWAR since the 1920s (and that one was 50 years ago). Could Trout do it?

For a general baseball prediction, I really like Clayton Kershaw's chances of beating Pedro's single-season WHIP record. He had a better WHIP than that last year but didn't pitch enough innings to qualify.

Also, could Pujols join a very elite club of posting 100+ RBI and a sub-zero WAR in the same season? It has only happened 18 times ever. As long as he plays a full season and bats behind Trout, he's likely to drive in 100 runs. I doubt he falls below replacement level this year but it's not impossible, especially if he is primarily going to DH.

[tdawg87]

Trout will have his first "down" year, posting a 6.8 WAR.

Skaggs will be the team's best pitcher.

Simmons will lead the team in batting average.

[tomsred]

Eppler trades Cron for Blake Snell (P) of the Rays.

Angels sign Mark Trumbo to a four year contract.

Richards wins 15 games and posts a 3.25 ERA

 

 

[Oz27]

Just now, tomsred said:

Eppler trades Cron for Blake Snell (P) of the Rays.

 

If Eppler can do that, he really needs to buy a lottery ticket too.

[tomsred]

ettin wanted something difficult Oz, dream the dream!

[Brent Maguire]

1. The Angels surprise many pundits by remaining in first place through June and buy at the deadline. They slump a bit in the 2nd half but still remain in the playoff race until the last week, finishing in 3rd place in the AL West with 86 wins. 

2. Angels trade for Mike Moustakas at the trade deadline from the selling Royals, who is signed to a 4 year 65 million dollar deal before he hits free agency in the offseason. 

3. Jefry Marte crushes it in 2017, hitting .265/.330/.500 with 22 home runs, prompting the Angels to shop C.J. Cron heavily at the trade deadline. Cron, who hits well in 2017 as well(.273/.331/.470) is traded in the offseason to the Yankees for Luis Severino and Justus Sheffield. 

[Angelsjunky]

3 hours ago, Oz27 said:

Also, could Pujols join a very elite club of posting 100+ RBI and a sub-zero WAR in the same season? It has only happened 18 times ever. As long as he plays a full season and bats behind Trout, he's likely to drive in 100 runs. I doubt he falls below replacement level this year but it's not impossible, especially if he is primarily going to DH.

This got me curious. My first thought was "Joe Carter" and then I looked him up and saw that he accounted for 3 of the 18 seasons (if you are going with rWAR). My second thought was Dante Bichette, but he only has 1. After that...god, who knows. Some Rockies?

[Oz27]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

This got me curious. My first thought was "Joe Carter" and then I looked him up and saw that he accounted for 3 of the 18 seasons (if you are going with rWAR). My second thought was Dante Bichette, but he only has 1. After that...god, who knows. Some Rockies?

Rk	Player	Year ▾	WAR/pos	RBI	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	Matt Kemp	2016	0.0	108	31	TOT	NL	156	672	623	89	167	39	0	35	36	6	156	1	0	12	17	1	0	.268	.304	.499	.803	*97/HD
2	Adam Dunn	2009	-0.4	105	29	WSN	NL	159	668	546	81	146	29	0	38	116	16	177	4	0	2	8	0	1	.267	.398	.529	.928	379/DH
3	Tony Batista	2004	-0.2	110	30	MON	NL	157	650	606	76	146	30	2	32	26	4	78	4	4	10	14	14	6	.241	.272	.455	.728	*5/H
4	Dante Bichette	1999	-2.3	133	35	COL	NL	151	659	593	104	177	38	2	34	54	3	84	2	0	10	15	6	6	.298	.354	.541	.895	*7/HD
5	Rico Brogna	1998	-0.1	104	28	PHI	NL	153	624	565	77	150	36	3	20	49	8	125	0	0	10	12	7	7	.265	.319	.446	.765	*3/H
6	Joe Carter	1997	-0.8	102	37	TOR	AL	157	668	612	76	143	30	4	21	40	5	105	7	0	9	12	8	2	.234	.284	.399	.683	D379
7	Joe Carter	1996	-0.5	107	36	TOR	AL	157	682	625	84	158	35	7	30	44	2	106	7	0	6	12	7	6	.253	.306	.475	.782	*73D
8	Ruben Sierra	1993	-1.7	101	27	OAK	AL	158	692	630	77	147	23	5	22	52	16	97	0	0	10	17	25	5	.233	.288	.390	.678	*9D/H
9	George Bell	1992	-0.2	112	32	CHW	AL	155	670	627	74	160	27	0	25	31	8	97	6	0	6	29	5	2	.255	.294	.418	.712	*D7
10	Joe Carter	1990	-1.8	115	30	SDP	NL	162	697	634	79	147	27	1	24	48	18	93	7	0	8	12	22	6	.232	.290	.391	.681	*873/H
11	Bill Buckner	1986	-0.3	102	36	BOS	AL	153	681	629	73	168	39	2	18	40	9	25	4	0	8	25	6	4	.267	.311	.421	.733	*3D
12	Tony Armas	1983	-0.9	107	29	BOS	AL	145	613	574	77	125	23	2	36	29	0	131	2	0	8	31	0	1	.218	.254	.453	.707	*8D/H
13	Ernie Banks	1969	-0.7	106	38	CHC	NL	155	629	565	60	143	19	2	23	42	7	101	7	8	7	15	0	0	.253	.309	.416	.725	*3/H
14	Joe Pepitone	1964	-0.7	100	23	NYY	AL	160	647	613	71	154	12	3	28	24	7	63	3	2	5	17	2	1	.251	.281	.418	.698	*38/H9
15	Leon Wagner	1964	-0.6	100	30	CLE	AL	163	710	641	94	162	19	2	31	56	12	121	6	2	5	13	14	2	.253	.316	.434	.750	*7/H
16	Del Ennis	1957	-0.4	105	32	STL	NL	136	538	490	61	140	24	3	24	37	3	50	1	1	8	22	1	3	.286	.332	.494	.826	*79H
17	Eddie Robinson	1953	-0.7	102	32	PHA	AL	156	685	615	64	152	28	4	22	63		56	5	2		13	1	2	.247	.322	.413	.735	*3/H
18	Ray Pepper	1934	-0.1	101	28	SLB	AL	148	598	564	71	168	24	6	7	29		67	1	4			1	4	.298	.333	.399	.732	*78H/9

[California Cajun]

Arte agrees to drop Buttercup from being played in the 7th inning.

[Glen]

10 hours ago, Oz27 said:

Something Trout related is the obvious one. Maybe he posts an absurd WAR total. Only one hitter has topped 12 bWAR since the 1920s (and that one was 50 years ago). Could Trout do it?

For a general baseball prediction, I really like Clayton Kershaw's chances of beating Pedro's single-season WHIP record. He had a better WHIP than that last year but didn't pitch enough innings to qualify.

Also, could Pujols join a very elite club of posting 100+ RBI and a sub-zero WAR in the same season? It has only happened 18 times ever. As long as he plays a full season and bats behind Trout, he's likely to drive in 100 runs. I doubt he falls below replacement level this year but it's not impossible, especially if he is primarily going to DH.

 

 

I think Pujols will start the season on the DL, although I'm sure we'll see his usual push to be there at the start of the season, health be damned.

Holy shit, I just made a Claude post.

[Glen]

My mission impossible picks, as vague as can be:

1. Richards becomes a true ace, whatever your definition of that word is.

2. The bullpen is in the top half of MLB.

3. CJ Cron continues to improve at the same level he has been improving.

[zenmaster]

Ben Revere wins comeback player of the year after replacing Maybin as a starter. Our outfield has an awesome year and we sweep the Cubs in the WS.

[totdprods]

1) With great defense, a .280 BA and 22 HRs at the break, Espinosa gets an All Star invite. Slumps hard in second half but still finishes with a .250 BA and 30 HRs.

2) Mike Morin puts it all together and becomes a very good late inning reliever. Unfortunately, he does it on another team. 

3) Richards, Shoemaker, Skaggs, and Nolasco all make 30 starts and we barely see any of the Meyer, Banuelos, Campos, Pounders, Lamb depth. 

[stormngt]

12 hours ago, ettin said:

List three very difficult or impossible events you think will happen in 2017 for our beloved Angels!

Remember make them really hard like a hole-in-one type prediction so that when it actually happens you can come back and revel in your precognitive skills! Or in other words you can revisit your glory hole!

ettin's Top 3 predictions:

1) Matt Shoemaker throws a no-hitter

2) Cameron Maybin runs a .350 OBP and steals 20 bases and is Top 10 in the League taking an extra base (whether 1st to 3rd, 2nd to home)

3) Mike Trout has a career season knocking in 130 RBI's, going 180 wRC+ vs. both LHP and RHP, while stealing 30 bases

Happy New Year everyone!

Angels win the world series.....is that a hole in one type prediction?

[Ohtaniland]

1) The Angels will win on Opening Day. 

2) Mike Trout will win the Home Run Derby.

3) Albert will show up to spring training fresh out of his latest walking boot declaring that he is 100%. In late August, after a season long slump he will then reveal that he'd been hobbled all season long by a sore Left knee. (the other knee)

4) Scioscia will step down with a full buyout due to health reasons and the Angels will deny that he's been fired. 

[eligrba]

1. More Angel fans than Red Sox fans attend a game between the Angels and Red Sox in Anaheim.

2. Mike Scioscia makes a decision that everyone on AW agrees with.

3. Josh Hamilton officially retires from baseball.

[Angelsjunky]

Albert will show up in Spring Training in the Best Shape Of His Life.

The Angels trade Jahmai Jones for Jeff Mathis.

Ralston Schmidt makes an Angels comeback and produces a 2.27 ERA in 19 starts.

[Angelsjunky]

But on a serious note...

1. Andrelton Simmons hits .300, or close to it

2. CJ Cron slugs .500+

3. David Espinosa has a career year, producing a 3.7 WAR, hitting .248/.317/.424 with 23 HR and Gold Glove defense.

[Docwaukee]

27 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

But on a serious note...

1. Andrelton Simmons hits .300, or close to it

2. CJ Cron slugs .500+

3. David Espinosa has a career year, producing a 3.7 WAR, hitting .248/.317/.424 with 23 HR and Gold Glove defense.

I wish he was on our team.  

[Angelsjunky]

Whoops. Danny.

David Espinosa was playing in the independent leagues as recently as 2015.

[Troll Daddy]

1. Richards wins the Cy Young Award

2. Trout wins the GG Award

3. Angels win the ... 

[Docwaukee]

1.  Jefry Marte and Sherman Johnson end up in a platoon at 3b after Escobar struggles.  Sherm will be on everyone's radar early with a strong spring where he deserves to make the team over pennington.  He gets called up early in the year when Cliff gets a hammy.  

2.  Our bullpen comes out of nowhere to be one of the best in baseball.  Campos shakes off injury and becomes a stud late innings guy with his mid to high nineties fastball and good off speed stuff.  Middleton comes up and dominates.  Meyer works out of the pen and does a great job.  Eppler is lauded for his clean peanut skills and I eat a ton of crow. 

3.  Banuelos makes 25 starts for us and gets rookie of the year consideration falling just short.  

honorable mention - Jahmai Jones continues his huge breakout and hits 20 bombs and steals 40 bags becoming a top 20 prospect in all of baseball by the end of the 2017 season and ends up in AA. In addition, Chris Rodriguez breaks out huge and he, Thaiss, Jones, and our top 10 pick all end up in the top 100.  Scotty sports perpetual wood the entire year as our farm system becomes solid middle of the pack by seasons end.    

 

[Second Base]

1. Garrett Richards comes back with a 20 year old elbow and wins the Cy Young, putting Stem Cell/Plasma at the forefront of many discussions.

2. Danny Espinosa goes 20/20 in HR/SB and wins a Gold Glove.

3. The Angels win the AL West and Billy Eppler is seen as a visionary, building elite defensive units and relying on run prevention  to win ball games. This reliance on defense begins anew trend in FA spending, where now, light hitting, elite defenders like Simmons will be getting 100 million dollar contracts.