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Monday, August 01, 2005Week in Review: July 25 - July 31I decided to avoid commenting much on the disaster that was this week as well as the absence of any real trades on the trade
deadline until my Week in Review. Usually when the Angels play this badly, I just try to ignore them until they win (hoping
that my ignoring will teach them humility and that they need to win games). Of course, it hasn't helped much. There will be no
names named in the Hot and Not section. And I will give my take on what I feel the Angels should do to get their mojo back. My
light optimism for the team is seriously being tested. It is not the end of the season, but how the team responds in the next
two weeks could easily decide their fate.
Overall Record: 60-45 Pythagorean Record 59-46 Games Ahead 1.5 Week Record: 1-5 Pace: 93-69 Record after 105 games: 2002: 63-42 2003: 52-53 2004: 57-48 Opponents: at Toronto (0-3) July 26-28, at New York (1-2) July 29-31 Hot: The starting pitching was largely fantastic (except for Tuesday's game) and the hitting is starting to come back around a little bit. Not: Defense, the bullpen, and managing are a lot of what killed the team this week (although the defense was, at times, stellar, it was also terrible at other times). When that happens, it leads to extra inning losses (4 on the week). The hitting also completely stunk for the Toronto series. Coming up: The Angels really need to change something about their team before they lose their division lead. Right now, they are basically telling Oakland to take it and run away with it. The management needs to send a message to the team that they will no longer accept terrible performances, when there are better options available. Steve Finley needs to either be cut or put on the bench, roughly permanently. I am done with him. I was hopeful that it was just the shoulder thing that was screwing him up, but now I am unconvinced. Arte has shown a willingness to eat contracts before (Appier in 2003), but that was one that the previous owners had acquired. Then Figgins needs to be put in as the mostly permanent CF (roving to 3rd, SS, and 2B when those guys need a rest). Cabrera should be placed on the bench once Dallas is back (and when in the lineup should bat 7th or 8th). Izturis should play 3rd until Dallas comes back and SS (assuming OC does not improve during this time) after that. Vlad should always bat 3rd or 4th with GA batting directly ahead of or behind him (none of this OC batting anywhere above Vlad). Bengie should bat 5th and play catcher in half the games and DH the other half. Bootcheck should be the team's long reliever and spot starter, and Kevin Gregg sent back to the minors. Everyone else can be used as before. These changes should at least allow the Angels to go down swinging, which is much better than laying down. Opponents coming up: vs. Baltimore (51-54), vs. Tampa Bay (40-66) Probable Starters: Colon vs. Ponson, Lackey vs. Bedard, Santana vs. Chen, Washburn vs. Waechter, Byrd vs. Hendrickson, Colon vs. McClung Comments:I basically feel that GA is good enough in LF for now, and I don't think he would take a move to permanent DH lightly (at least not this year). That could cause more problems down the road than absolving the team of Finley would. I also think that if you stick GA at DH right now, that means that he will be the DH to the end of his contract, which, good or bad, limits the team's options for the next few years. |
