disarcina

'get a power bat to bat behind (or in front) of Trout" a guy named Judge in NY. Trout could fit into that line up just fine. could happen as I watch Trout's talent not fully utilized on his current team.

ADAM -- "I'd fire Sosh tonight" wasn't going to go there -- but you did -- so --- in my prior post about really have to win/ sweep this series and now we're losing game one. I'm thinking if we stink up the place in this series AT HOME vs. the lousy weak White Sox...........well, any other organization might seriously consider making a move like that.

is there a promotion tonight at the ballyard ? It looks like "Empty Seats" night. Reminds of an old classic Chick Hearn line -- a Lakers road game years back -- perhaps late in the season -- attendance announced at near 20,000 capacity at where-ever it was -- CHICK: "If there's 20,000 fans in the stands, then about 15,000 of them came dressed up as empty seats.........."

lead off walk from the pen...........OUCH. FIVE WALKS tonight to a team that DOES NOT WALK. Ugh.

I might walk the guy in front of Pujols when there's less than two out. and then have 643 pre-written into my scorecard.

DOCHALO -- you're the manager/ catcher on the opposing team. why would you give Trout anything to hit? other folks in the Halos line up could hurt you from time to time but Trout can put the hurt on you all the time. Ball Four. And not the IW point to first type. Pitch to him, Actually on two of his walks tonight -- there were pitches just outside the strike zone that a less selective hitter (perhaps a prior No. 27 on the Halos?) would have been all over. Not Trout. He's very selective. So - yeah -- he's not getting pitches to drive -- and I don't blame the opposition one bit. Makes too much sense.

struggling against the CHiSOX. this series at home is one we must sweep or win to have any chance of getting back in the chase. Halos need to go on a serious run NOW or we're done if the Halos aren't done (for 2018) already. but the ChiSox come into town, weak team, weak division, poor record -- I mean, we gotta sweep 'em -- losing the first game of the serious obviously not a step in that direction........

we're still debating Ryan's departure some 40 years ago? Add in the classic Buzzie Bavasi quote -- "Ryan was 16-14, I can replace him with two 8-7 pitchers..........." Of course Bavasi was under the direction of and reporting to Gene Autry -- not exactly an owner who liked spending money. KIds paid five cents to see his movies........Autry couldn't relate to paying ballplayers a lot of money. oh well - a long time ago.

Rule 6.10 covers the DH replacement rule.

turns out (see above thread) - my position is WRONG (again). If a team Pinch Hits or even Pinch Runs for the player who starts the game as the DH, that player then becomes the DH for the remainder of the game. We should be PRing and pinch hitting for Pujols more often -- AND -- we should start another player at DH and then have Pujols pinch hit for the DH if the game situation calls for it.

that's 2018 -- no disagreement with you there. note my comment talks about Pujols in 2019. query -- where does Pujols rank in the all time GIDP list? further query -- I will look it up but I have a debate going with my baseball pals about the DH rule. When a team pinch hits for the guy who started the game as the DH (seldom happens, but has and sometimes does) -- does that PH then become the DH - OR - 'is it one and done' for that PH and the team loses the DH and has to PH 'one and done' guys off the bench the rest of the game. My take is that the PH does NOT become the DH -- and the team loses the DH. the other view is that the PH becomes the DH -- for some reason, I don't think that is the case.

i prefer to call this "The Reality Thread" Halos are done for 2018. Sosh likely kicked upstairs for 2019. Deadline deals at 2018 need to be forward looking aimed at building a team around Trout, Simmons and Ohtaini. One 2018 deadline deal would be Calhoun to a contender for pitching. Is Calhoun signed through 2019? I think he is, not sure. But if he is -- higher trade value -- his coming alive at the plate prior to the ASG helps as well. SF Giants sure could use a decent OF'er -- for next year, too. Cleveland Indians could as well , but more as a rental. I would try to extend Maldonado now for a two year deal. Everyone else expendable. TIme to sit down with Pujols and discuss a realistic role for him in 2019 if he insists on keep on playing -- the role would be as a 'modified DH' -- that is he wouldn't start at DH but would be called upon to pinch hit -- usually for the starting DH when the situation calls for it (usually a late inning down by two, three runs situation, perhaps two outs so no GIDP). I think in today's MLB but could be competitive again in 2020 -- maybe a year earlier. Need starting pitching and that takes time to develop. Assume Skaggs and Heaney get dealt -- they're pretty much all we have to work with value wise. that's my take -- I think trying to resist the inevitable to maintain some sort of '2nd wild card' viability (BTW - there is none) for 2018 just delays what needs to occur -- we may have lost Trout already (i.e. no extension) but if we delay taking the steps necessary to make this team a competitive contender - then we've definitely lost whatever chance Halos have to keep Trout in the fold. Cue it up now : " I could've been a CONTENDAHR'

WTF? Why would anyone associated with MLB make the statement(s) Manfred did??? HUH?

I voted NO. but then I am a classic small ball, NL style type play guy...... heard on a game broadcast the other night (ESPN national game) that current MLB players simply do not know how to run the bases.......they lack fundamental base -running skills which, really is separate from speed.......that's IMO a product of the DH era - at all levels of ball.

Folks going. Please represent !! Post photos/ videos and stories about your trip here at AW.com. this is HUGE for Halos fans. Wish I could go but not in the cards. gonna have to live it through the folks from here who are going and who I am certain will represent Halos nation well. !!!

Manny Machado will fit in real well in LA. High rental rates there.

Will there be any fans in the stands in Baltimore the second half. especially in August/ September. they're on track to lose 115 games. perhaps more.

perhaps only because BoSox will be in the post-season playoffs and the Halos likely will not. I'd vote for Trout.

I agree with Tank -- Arenado and it's not close. now if it were Francisco Lindor -- well, that's different. but it's not and won't be. Francisco Lindor IMO is this generation's Ken Griffey Jr -- back when KG Jr was all smiles in Seattle before the Cincy debacle. Lindor is great for MLB. Got a chance to see him play up close with great seats in KC. He was great to the fans, gave kids in stands baseballs every inning, signed autographs, took photos with fans always smiling and then went out and went something like 3 for 4 in the game, 2 HRs, 7 ribi's -- has fun out there playing a kid's game -- brings the little league field (in a positive sense) to the Show.

Machado a rental in LA -- Dogs are going to over-pay. it's the MLB equivalent of the NCAA's 'one and done' stuff.

Upton is a gold glove at DH.

well Scioscia4MVP - you may be right about Skaggs and Heaney - but here's the deal. The Angels have significantly under-performed in 2018. Things are not getting better. Perhaps the window for making this team better while we still have Trout under contract has come and gone. That could well be. The bottom line is - the Halos are going nowhere fast with the team (and manager in the dugout) on the field now. Deadline time is coming up . We don't have a lot of assets on the team -- Richards was probably our most tradeable deadline deal asset and he's out with TJ until 2020 and may have pitched his last inning for Anaheim. Except for Calhoun -- (and I assume our 'untouchables are Trout, Ohtani, Simmons and Pujols -- not by choice - by contract terms and reality), we really don't have much else to offer for a deadline deal to net some prospects and perhaps get some organization to over-pay for pitching..........Skaggs and Heaney -- both plagued with a history of arm issues and missed starts are our best assets to obtain any value in return. (I sort of over-looked Upton - but i assume his contract terms/ cost will keep him in Anaheim). so, do we do nothing? that's the alternative. I really don't see this team doing much in the foreseeable future. Making no moves does not seem like a wise choice. and, yes, perhaps there's no deal we can make now that will convince Trout that he's not wasting his best years. most productive seasons in Anaheim.

Kole has heated up at the plate just in time to be part of a deadline deal. his value will never be higher than it is now. several playoff contending teams (that list does not include us) could use a OF'er like Calhoun -- and particularly since he is signed through 2019. this means we'd get more than rental value for him in return. SF Giants need an OF'er with some pop. Cleveland has guys hurt and have a good team but some weak spots in the OF right now. Calhoun could help teams like these down the stretch. Giants in fourth place but very much IN the hunt for the playoffs in the wild open Wild Wild NL West.

DeGrom will be a Yankee before coming here. Valbuena for him -- really ? A guy who could be designated for assignment and clear waivers for DeGrom? Really?

not sure what happened in St. Louis -- always liked Matheny. as for the 'drama free' clubhouse remark earlier in this thread - not sure what the situation was, but Matheny and Fowler did not get along and stopped speaking to each other about two months ago.......St. Louis -- an organization that does not spend freely on F/A -- way over-paid for Fowler's over-blow Coors Field stats and then wondered when he got off to a .165 start (he's still hitting below the Mendoza line as I type this) - Matheny takes the blame apparently. the bigger program for Matheny is that a truly amazing stat has emerged at the All Star Break -- the St. Louis Cardinals LEAD the NL in errors committed. That is certainly NOT "the Cardinals Way to Play Baseball" -- that stat plus the Cards tanking out of contention at the AS Break and playing some truly ugly games vs. out of contention Cincinnati this week led the Cards to make the change now and get rid of his coaching staff as well. I can see Joe Girardi being the next St. Louis manager -- Meanwhile -- I'd take Matheny over Scioscia -- Our choice may be Ausmus or Scioscia next year. What Halos should do this next week after the AS Break, is trade Heaney and perhaps Skaggs to the Yankees for a number of their prospects, perhaps announce that Scioscia will become a special assistant/ advisor to the owner next season and name Ausmus as the next in line. Bring up some of the players from AA and get them some playing time. Trade Maldonado (something I said I wouldn't do -- but he's a F/A next year and we don't have much else to trade -- I'd keep Trout, Simmons and Ohanti (no one wants Pujols' contract) -- everyone else expendable SF Giants could use a OF'er - now that Kole Calhoun is heating up at the plate a bit -- he could be a good addition there --- I think the Angels need to make some moves for the future NOW or they can say goodbye to Mike Trout -- perhaps the best all-around MLB ballplayer of the past 50 years.