disarcina

Well, I really want to see the Halos wind up at or above .500 -- they need to go 9-4 the rest of the way to wind up at .500 (including tonight's game). But, I am not buying the momentum thing or even the 'us playing well' stuff. To me, these late August/ September games are like Spring Training games for us. We've been out of it, there's no pressure. For the past two years, the Angels have tanked in April and into mid-May putting themselves in such a hole it's been difficult to dig out of -- For 2014 we really need to get off to a good start..........I think Scioscia stays in 2014 but if the team is once again 7 to 8 games out and well below .500 by May 15 -- well, then perhaps a change should be made right then. A .500 season finish here would somewhat mask the terrible season the Halos have had.

IF the Halos end up at .500 (unlikely -- they have 13 games left and are what? 5 games under .500 so they need to go something like 9-4 to get there), Sosh may well be back. I think he will be even if the Halos fall short of .500

Very nice quality start/ outing by Jerome Williams today against Houston at Houston. Still, however, I still pretty much see him as a 4-A type sixth starter for us next season if he remains with the Halos. Williams has had some good starts for the Halos this year and has even put together a short string of consecutive good starts. But he's been very inconsistent. He's a decent back (way back) of the rotation guy, long relief pen guy at a very reasonable contract price -- but I really don't see him as much more than that for the Halos. If he's our fifth starter as the team breaks camp in 2014, we're headed to more of the same (of the 2013 season). Williams is a great player to have a AAA who can be recalled on a moment's notice and provide the team with a decent start while a rotation guy is on the short term DL or just needs to miss a turn.

LIGHT UP THE HALO! We re getting closer to .500. To me, these are pretty much early 2014 Spring Training games, but even so, I would really like to see the Halos get to and above .500 for the season.

well, again, these September (and actually late August games as well) have essentially been the start of the March, 2014 ST schedule.

wow. Looked up at standings in the paper this morning (not a lot of reasons for Halos fans to check standings this season) and the Rangers are FIVE back and losing again today to the A's. WOW. If Billy Beane isn't executive of the decade in MLB, I don't know who is. As for our Halos -- let's close this one out in Houston here in the ninth and try to advance closer to .500 for the season. If the Halos could end the year at or above .500 that would be great. Might be a bit misleading as to the season they've had -- I don't think the Halos have at or above .500 since April. If then.

well, nice try and I like the optimism -- but to me these late August/ September games are more like games played in March.

agree with tennichmp -- not to fixate on the Astros -- but look at the season records LV posted above -- BTW -- A's must have 'tanked' in the late August/ September series vs. Houston because they won something like their first 12 games against them before losing one and only had one loss to Houston all season going into the final two series (home and home) against them. Texas lost to Houston on opening night (the ESPN season opener if you will recall) and then only lost one more to them all season -- looks like they have one more series against them. Again, if we would have gone 12-6 against a team the rest of the Division beat up on, we gain, at a minimum FIVE games in the standings and are playing close to .500 ball. The record vs. Houston has truly made our August/ September games worthless -- 5 to 6 game gain in the standings would have been us at least within shouting distance where a decent streak puts you back in it (remember Colorado a few years back winning something like 20 of their last 23 games to make the playoffs coming from way out?). So I think the record against the doormat of the division is certainly something that you can improve upon and it pays a two-fer (two games in the standings) for every game you win.

too much playing time and ABs this season to be classified as a rookie for next year.........he'll miss out on competing for ROY.

if we go even 12-6 vs. Houston this year -- we're a team that's playing pretty much .500 ball. check what Oakland and Texas have done vs. Houston this year -- I think Texas may have lost two games and Oakland one to Houston. that's about 10 games in the standings right there between the Halos and the A's & Rangers...... horrible.

Uribe has been a bust signing for the Dodgers -- he recently hit three HRs in a game and now that makes up for several years of over-priced disappointment...? Just say NO.........but like you say on the thread/ posts -- it could happen here -- we apparently like paying for past performance. Oh, did I mention, that Uribe's best defensive position is DH? He was once a relatively amazing quick fielding SS for a big guy -- but those days are long past...........

CaNO........I think we're done with huge contracts. Cano is going to demand a contract somewhere between Hamilton's and Pujols. Haven't we had enough of those long term deals? Don't get me wrong, Cano is a good player but at this point much of what you'd be paying for is past performance.

Houston, we still have a problem.........Wouldn't make much of a difference this, except to give the Angels a more respectable record -- but if we could have gone something close to 13-5 against Houston to match Oakland and Texas' 16-2 record vs. Houston would have made the West a least a little more interesting. I think we are something like 5-9 vs. Houston so far.........everyone is beating up on them but us.........

I think he gets in although not a first ballot guy.......may take a while. may be first guy to be inducted into the regular HOF (not the veteran's committee stuff) wearing a defunct team's cap.......... I think he goes in as a Montreal Expo -- that's where he made his mark as a superstar.......had good seasons with the Halos and one with Texas -- but was a star by the time he reached Anaheim,

Wow. Read this article In the paper and thought -- what a turn around from the nasty name change issue a few years back. I think what has happened is that Arte Moreno opened up a back channel negotiation with the downtown Los Angeles folks and the possibility of the Angels opting out became at least a possibility. The City of Anaheim has proven that it cannot effectively developed the Orange Triangle properties -- or whatever they call the Stadium parking lot and surrounding area -- and now all cities, including Anaheim, have really lost their Redevelopment Agency financing authority -- so it makes some sense to do a 'redevelopment' like agreement with the ANGELS and let Arte Moreno fund the investment, reap the rewards and be provided with offsets from Stadium revenue and other issue concessions -- like the naming of the team stuff -- a silly battle that should have never been fought in the first place - IMO - and what may occur is the building of surrounding development -- perhaps even a new ballpark in the future.........could be like Seattle situation where they play in the old park while the new one is being built next door.........heck, Arte could even get into the S. California NFL sweepstakes. I really can't see Anaheim without the Angels and, apparently, neither can the City of Anaheim. If a lease extension agreement can be reached, this could provide some long term stability for the Halos......... I still think, despite some of the infrastructure issues with the park -- it's one of the better stadiums in MLB today.......now if the tenant could have a winning record and be a contender again.

good deal for Mets who usually don't make good deals. Byrd has been playing over his head.......could help Pirates down stretch but not much use to Mets long term. there's a prospect and a PTBNL in the deal......... T-shirts? Well, they can throw in a couple of those -- I like the 'Let It Fly" theme -- let Byrd Fly to Pittsburgh. Quite frankly, when MARLON BYRD started raking for the Mets -- I was surprised he was still in MLB...........he was a Sept. deadline guy for the Dodgers about five years ago or something.

Low payroll, I'm sure they still have some bankruptcy debts/ payouts to deal with and many of the profits are from the network deal which is why the new ownership was approved by MLB and the bankruptcy court -- because they could bring solvency to the club and pay off some of the spurned debtors -- including their stadium landlord......... Good for Houston, but they're a long way from spending a lot of money on F/A's ........perhaps they should lure Billy Beane away from Oakland......

When Kotchman was coming up with the Halos (with his good pal and minor league teammate, Chone Figgins) I never really considered him a power hitter type. In fact, in posts going back to the ESPN board days here, I would describe him as another "JT Snow" -- decent average, perhaps some clutch hits (JT seemed to be able to come through in the playoffs for SF) and some very good D/ glove work down at 1B. JT was traded over to the NL relatively early in his career (I remember we got a pitcher named Watson , I think that was his name, and I saw the results of 'the trade' at an ST game in Tempe -- Watson started for the Halos and got ripped, the score was something like 17 to 2 in the second inning -- I don't think JT make the trip over from Scottsdale, it was early March and likely a split squad game......Watson didn't much for us........ But JT has a decent career with SF, became a gold glover and had decent career stats. When Kotchman got traded to Atlanta -- I thought that was a pretty good break for him -- over to the NL where his style of play would fit in better -- but Kotchman, perhaps dogged by his "Mr. GIDP" tendency never got much playing time in Atlanta, and then kinda got hurt and the next thing you know he's traded at deadline again (the following season) to Boston where he never had a chance and certainly didn't fit in.........if he got limited playing time in Atlanta, he got even less in Boston. At times it was easy to forget he was on the roster.......he was like a 4-A guy who they called up to sit on the MLB bench but wasn't on the roster........it was terrible..........he wound up with our Halos bench coach and friend in Tampa Bay and seemed on track there, but it didn't last.....then he started bouncing around, even getting reunited with Figgy in Seattle where Figgy struggled and Kotchman playing himself out of a starting position.........more bouncing, more DL time and now this. Perhaps he will emulate his father and become a high school/ college baseball coach and do some MLB scouting on the side......... A 30 year old no power 1B who can probably play the field pretty well, isn't going to get much of look from MLB teams today.......perhaps he should do a Rick Ankiel in reverse.......

Romine is as good as it gets at D but he's not an everyday MLB MIF.......he's a defensive guy who's going to hit about .225 on a good day. Romine needs to keep his speed (he's no longer the young kid trying to make the team, I think this September will be his third or fourth time as a Sept. call up) and base-running skills (which speed obviously helps but as we all have seen over the years, a speedy runner isn't always a fundamentally sound guy on the base paths) and his bunting skills........Romine is at the point where he's trying to earn enough MLB time to get a pension and that means sticking as a bench-depth MIF......... Trumbo for a younger, club controlled #4 starter sounds about right.

re-sign Vargas if you can, then you've got Weaver, WIlson, Vargas, Richards and need to pick up a number three through five guy (someone not named Blanton). If the Halos want to retain Jerome Williams as a sixth starter, 4-A guy, long relief, etc. --- that's OK I guess -- but I think Jerome Williams' time with us is done. starting pitching is going to be in high demand in both on the F/A market and on the trade market.......several of the pitchers listed in this thread will no doubt receive overly generous contracts. For example, Lincecum, who turned down a huge deal offered by the Giants during the 2012 season but wanted to 'wait' to test the F/A market -- no he can do that but will not receive anywhere close to what the Giants previously offered him - however, he still may have several bidders for his services -- including the rotation starved Yankees -- and get a better contract than his 2013 performance suggest he should....... Angels should probably (as this thread suggests on several posts) package guys like Burgous, Trumbo maybe Kendrick for a quality Number three type starter -- preferably a younger arm under club control for several more seasons -- or someone who the Halos can extend upon making the deal -- even a number three guy is going to be expensive both in terns of trading our players away and in contract dollars..... Guys like Cowgill, Calhoun make Bourgos (who I really like but may be better suited for an NL team) and probably Trumbo, as well, expendable........as they say, gotta give up something to get something......we need a starter........unless anyone here thinks a combo of Williams/ Blanton/ AAA guys can fill the fifth spot -- yeah, thought so, we've seen enough of that.........

Dare we bring Blanton in to hold this lead?

Dumb responsive 'we gotta do something" moves like the GMJ, Wells contracts. Just dumb. The Blanton signing, dumb then, dumber now. While folks can criticize the Pujols signing (and length of contract) folks here must admit many of us were excited when that happened. It hasn't turned that well, but it's hard to really criticize that move without being a Monday morning quarterback type deal. The Hamilton signing?? that's difference.....too much, too long......would have preferred Torri Hunter for another two years probably for less money per year than Hamilton -- and that's not sour grapes or Monday morning quarterbacking -- the reason Hunter was let go was primarily financial -- then suddenly we had the money to sign Hamilton to that five year deal?? Many of us then, and certainly now, would rather have taken a 'chance' on Hunter coming off one of his best offensive years of his career (2012) than a declining Hamilton, always a risk, and who's second half numbers in 2012 tailed off..... Greinke is pitching lights out for the Dodgers right now but spent much of the first half on the DL and I cannot criticize the Halos for refusing to meet his out of sight contract demands....... of course, Blanton etc. was not exactly the answer.

The Dodgers resurgence hasn't helped, the Halos had a window of opportunity to become S.Cal's MLB team during the McCourt debacle and couldn't seize the moment. Now the Dodgers are back and there's a decent chance that the Dodger ownership group may now also own the LA Times.......... you can imagine how the balance of that coverage will go/ continue........

well, something is going to happen. this team has been listless all season long -- they had one short run - when was it -- end of May, June -- where they put together a winning streak and then came home and got swept in a four game series by Houston -- this was after they won series against teams like Detroit....... The easiest thing to do is to fire DiPoto and keep Scioscia but I'm not sure that's what will happen here. the tension between DiPoto and Scioscia's philosophy of the game could be seen at the pre-season Angelswin.com Fanfest in Tempe (ST) when DiPoto spoke.......a life-time Halos fan friend of mine who attended the event with me commented then and since then about how DiPoto and Scioscia didn't seem to be on the same page....... this season has been awful. Perhaps the largest gap between high hope expectations and finish in Halos history or close to it. Yes, they've had worse teams and records but those teams weren't expected to do much -- this team 'Built for the Ages' as the pre-season marketing campaign blared (and for far too long into the miserable season after the team had floundered badly with little hope of resurrection)...... bright spot -- Garret Richards. Too little, way too late.

The play and record this second half -- even if we've been out of it -- really makes a strong statement that a change is needed. I like Scioscia and always have but his time here may be done. Not sure if the clean sweep would include DiPoto. My choice would be prying Bud Black away from San Diego.