disarcina

beatlesrule -- like the attitude and I agree -- I thought the Angels were done in August and to have them come back (and really stage a comeback in Saturday's game) was something -- and to make Game 162 a meaningful game......... overall - the season was a disappointment. Remember when folks like SI and others had the Angels down in the AL West standings in the pre-season picks and every one scoffed. Well, apparently they were right - still a disappointing season. The only 'good news' if you will -- about Sunday's Game 162 loss is this -- folks -- if we secured the right to play Houston in a one game playoff for the second wild card spot with our pitching staff top to bottom (even with the expanded roster guys who I assume would be eligible to play in a tie-breaker game 163 but not in any playoff games) -- think about it. Pressed Richards into service with short rest today, would have had to go with our best available and reasonably rested starter for a tie-breaker game vs Houston -- would have been Monday -- and then the Wild Card elimination game Tuesday and then the ALDS best of five series -- our pitching would have been seriously spent by Monday, perhaps Tuesday.........

Perez -- of course - I thought Perez and typed in the other -- I think PEREZ played well down the stretch and, IMO was a defensive upgrade over Iannetta. Iannetta -- who had issues at the plate all season -- also seemed to have some real defense problems behind the plate.

First half of the season -- we certainly had some middle inning pen issues. The rotation pitched well above expectations the first half of the season and into July when the wheels started to come off -- especially that terrible August record. the pitching, whether it was rotation or pen, was hampered by some poor defense. Freese not real strong defensively at third -- he has had some clutch hits for the Halos during his time here but I don't see him in a Halos uni next year. Cron is weak defensively at first base -- Pujols is a part time 1B, part time DH -- lost in some of this is that Pujols put up some Pujols like numbers this year -- 40 HRs/ 95 RBI -- of course, hitting behind Trout certainly helps. the weak spot for us was middle pen guys and less than solid D at the corners.

August did us in, no doubt.....what were we? 7-18 or something. Terrible. Angels in for an over-haul -- new GM coming to town. The mention of Murphy above -- I don't see any of Stoneman's rentals being around next year -- Murphy, Victorino and who's the other guy we got ?? Doesn't matter -- all gone next year. One thing that has happened during this stretch run is that Carlos Lopez has likely either won the starting catcher's job for 2016 or at the very least, it's his to lose during spring training. I don't see Iannetta returning. Angels need to go out and secure some starting pitching. Although, to be fair to our Halos, the starting rotation pitched above expectations into July and injuries and, perhaps, fatigue set in for pitchers who had not pitched into August/ September set in.

I don't think we'll see Freese in a Halos uni in 2016. he came on a bit in September -- but for most of his Halos career has been a disappointment -- started out very slowly for us when he first came over, was hurt a lot and defensively has been mediocre to average at third base.............he's also not a very good (certainly no speed) base runner. I just don't see him on the Halos roster next year.

that blown save and the 'we had that series swept -- almost' LOOMS LARGE. we had that game won. Of course, we also had Saturday's game (yesterday's game) lost -- several times -- and we ended up somehow winning it despite BOTH TEAMS playing terrible baseball. watching the Angels-Rangers 11-10 game Saturday as exciting (and LONG) as it was, it certainly was bad baseball more fit for the old movie - MAJOR LEAGUES. why do I think if the SF Giants were in the AL West they would have won the Division by 8 games and been a far more competitive playoff team than the AL West entries?

wasting a roster spot on Rule 5 guy Featherston all season may have been one of Scioscia's worst decisions of the season........ I guess the guy may have had a stellar rep as a college player -- but GEEZ -- he did little but take up a roster spot this year -- all season long. and the reward for keeping the Rule 5 guy up on the roster all season long this year, the requirement to avoid returning him to the Colorado Rockies organization? We get to have Featherston on our roster next year, too. I mean, it's like the old adage, of throwing good money after bad, if you waste a roster spot to keep a guy, you'd better keep him..........yikes!!

surprised this move is being made with the rosters expanded. we have room on the 40 man roster for Joyce but not Green? (Is Joyce on permanent DL or did his weak numbers just relegate him to the LEFT OUT position?). We lost the game this afternoon/ evening (Wednesday 9/30 vs. Oakland) with SIX unearned runs -- a key error by Featherston -- the Rule 5 guy who I still can't figure out why he was on the 25 man roster instead of Grant Green or even Josh Rutledge (although Rutledge pretty much played himself off the roster in Spring Training -- played most of the year at SLC before getting dealt over to BoSox where he was called up to the 25 man roster and actually got some MLB playing time). I'm one who thought Grant Green really didn't a full shot with the Halos -- he made some starts here and there did OK at time and failed miserably at the plate in others. His glove was never stellar and was weak to mediocre but he's playing 2B for pete's sake and some 3B. I remember him making a pretty good catch out in LF in game - might have been as a 2014 Sept, call up guy. oh well, poetic justice --I guess -- Grant Green gets cut loose on the day that T. Featherston makes a key E that leads to unearned runs and a Halos loss........

Houston/ Seattle update??? they should be playing that one on the Jumbotron......

LIGHT UP THE HALO -- seven wins in a row......... keep it going tomorrow and then let's SWEEP TEXAS at Arlington to end the season !!

FINAL -- Kershaw one hit shut out over SF Giants tonight at At & T in SF. Dodgers win the NL West.

C'mon M's -- score some runs........ that near miss of a sweep vs. Houston still really stings.........the Street blown save game.

shot of the crowd --8th inning -- I know it's a 7 to 1 game -- but GEEZ -- what is this? Dodger Stadium?? everyone leaving early?? oh well.

Gia's vision thing sounded really scary.......glad he was able to make it back.

nice to see Latos get that first inning as a Halo under his belt and clear out some of the moth balls. meanwhile, the top guy in the rotation he got kicked off of about two weeks ago, is heading to the ninth in SF with a one hit shut out.........

and he is a F/A next year so some team will give him more than just a ST invite and how he pitches this week may play a role in determining that. scouts in the stands will be watching him as well as all the expanded roster guys.

I see him strictly as a ST invite for 2016. he was pretty ineffective for multiple teams this year...... but he could come to ST and compete for the fifth starter spot/ sixth spot --long relief/spot starter or starter in SLC rotation.

Latos on the mound................let's see what he can do for us.......

may get your wish -- Latos is warming up........ not sure if this is a good idea or not......... if it back fires, it back fires big --

what's the latest with Houston and Seattle??

dare I give a LA at SF game update?? Dogs up 5-zip now -- bottom 7. Kershaw is pitching a gem -- no way the Giants get one run, let alone 5. Dogs will win NL West with win. Would the Angels dare put "Congrats to LA Dodgers Winners of the NL West" on the jumbotron when it happens tonight?? Probably not. I don't think they did that kind of thing for the Anaheim Ducks or the LA Kings so why the Dogs? (I would do it -- shows some class).

here comes Sosh -- with base bit on pitch 101 nice ovation (well deserved) for Trop.

wanna bet Scioscia pulls Trop at the 100 pitch mark ? may be not, but Sosh is pretty predictable.

actually, DiPoto could be a huge success up in Seattle...........not so much because of what he can do or will do but more because of his predecessors in the Seattle GM job. has there been any team more snake bit than the Seattle M's who regularly lead the league in "Most Disappointing Season" rankings. With a few exceptions (Cano is one), it seems as if almost every huge dollar F/A the M's have signed over , GEEZ, at least the last decade or so has flopped and the team has seldom lived up to the pre-season hype about 'how improved' they are. the one season they had the best record in baseball, they promptly exited the playoffs in the first round (I know, there is a team from Anaheim that got swept by KC to do the same thing). but the point is, if DiPoto can post any kind of winning record up in Seattle and sign some players who do half way decent -- he could well be one of the more successful GM's in M's history. and after the 2015 season, really no where to go but up............

and 10 K's for Trop -- OK -- he can go seven........ nice game for him tonight........