California Angels 1970

[sharknut]

I assumed that the Braves would easily hold on to an 8 game lead with a month to go, but they lost their first 8 and the Dodgers went 5-3, so their lead has shrunk to 3 as the Dodgers swept their 3 head-to-head games to start the month. They meet up again next week.

Our lead is back up to 4 1/2 over the Rangers. We still have 6 left against them, but we have a dozen games before we play them, so if we can keep up our play, we may make them win at least 5 of 6 to have a chance. Elsewhere, the Sox are still 1 1/2 ahead of the Jays and the Cards are up 14 games.

Bonds has hit his 50th HR, he's just 22 so his career numbers may be more asinine than they are IRL. Our Victor Cruz leads in the AL in wins and ERA and is 3rd in strikeouts. Greg Swindell isn't catchable, but Cruz should win the Cy Young.

But our 2-time defending Reliever of the Year Arthur Martinez has not had a good season. He's 4-4 but with just 21 saves while blowing 7 save opportunities after blowing a total of 7 his his first 2 seasons. His 3.65 ERA after a 1.21 ERA as a rookie and 1.76 ERA last year flatters him a bit. He's our guy though, he's got the job the rest of the season.

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John Candelaria just blew his elbow out and is out 11 months, meaning the rest of this year and all of next, basically. He's 32 and this is his 1st arm injury ever. He has 5 years left on a deal averaging $2.5 a year. We are in terrible shape contractually. I have about $3 million left for signing any potential free agents and I think I am going to have to let Lansford, Davis and Cox go. While I have Lance Parrish to catch, that will mean a new 3b and 1b next year either from the system or on the cheap

I struck gold signing Ellis Valentine to a 3 year deal at $800,000 a year. He was the 4th outfielder for Atlanta for 6 years after hitting .320 as a rookie with 15 home runs. This is the 1st time he's had a full time job since being a rookie and he's hitting .304 with 22 HR and 105 RBI. Bob Horner's greedy ass only has 111 RBI and the Cubs are paying him $2.8 million.

Our lead is up to 6 1/2. Hopefully the loss of the guy who is 2nd in ERA and 4th in wins won't sink up.

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Our lead is down to 4 over the Rangers with 10 to play, but 7 of those are against Texas. We come into the first 3 games on the tail of losing 4 in a row at home by a combined score of 43-20. Since losing Candelaria, we are giving up over 8 runs a game. I can only count on 20 game winner Cruz, even Blyleven is crumbling.

The Sox and Jays start a 3 game series with Boston up by 2 1/2 and the Dodgers have crept to within 1 of the Braves as Atlanta is on fumes trying to win their 7th straight division title.

[sharknut]

I did a bad thing.

In the 1st game against the Rangers, Cruz had a 6-3 lead in the 6th when Barry Bonds hit his 55th HR of the season to tie it up. Fortunately Valentine knocked in 2 in the 8th and we won 8-6. But I am still upset that Bonds is prime Bonds at age 22.

In game 2, Bonds hit his 56th HR to give the Rangers a 5-3 lead in the 6th and when he came up in the 8th, I had Schatzder hit him and Bonds broke a finger and is out for the year. We lost the game, as we should have, but it will be hard for them to make up 4 games with just 8 games left now.

The Jays took the first 2 against the Sox and are now up 1/2 a game and the Dodgers have tied up the Braves. Should be an exciting last week in those races.

Sorry, Barry

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It took to game 159 to clinch it, but after Martinez blew another save with 1 out to go in the 9th, we pushed across a run in the 10th to clinch our 5th straight division title. Blyleven pitched a beauty.......not Bert....Johannes. Little brother was forced in the rotation after Candelaria's injury and he threw 8 1/3 shutout innings in the clincher.

The Braves and Dodgers went to game 162 tied and it seemed the Braves were on the way to an all-time choke when there were down 3-1 in the 8th to the Astros, but they pushed across 1 with 2 outs in the 8th and the tying run with 2 outs in the 9th to send it to extras where they won 4-3. The Dodgers were shut out by the Giants Jose DeLeon and the Braves won the West. Again.

In the AL East, Boston had a 1/2 game lead over the Jays. The Sox have a make up game against Baltimore which may or may not matter depending on game 161. All Boston had to do was win and they were in. Paul Assemacher threw 8 shut out innings, but Bob Stanley......yes.....Bob Stanley couldn't get a single out in the 9th and the Yankees won 6-1. The Jays, however, couldn't take advantage and the Sox had to face the Orioles to make up a rain out, a win and they would head to the LCS. Len Barker gave up 1 over 8 innings and they took the East with a 6-1 win over Baltimore.

I don't think I've ever seen a more consistent club, check out their last 6 years:

1981 89-73 2nd place
1982 91-71 2nd place
1983 92-70 2nd place
1984 89-73 2nd place
1985 89-73 4th place
1986 89-73 1st place

[sharknut]

The LCS started with our ace 19-4 Victor Cruz going against 15-14 Dave Smith. Smith dazzled giving up 7 hits while shutting us out 4-0. Tommy Blanco hit a 2-run HR and we lost home field.

In game 2, Bert Blyleven threw 62 pitches in the 4th inning giving up 4 runs while walking 6. That would make it seem he couldn't find home plate, but every walk was a 3-2 pitch and each walk averaged 9 pitches each. That's the most snakebitten inning I can recall.

That put down 5-0 in the but in the 5th, Douglas Nelson caught the walking disease that Blyleven came down with. walking 3 and hitting a 4th before Ellis Valentine gave us a 6-5 lead with a grand slam. We both added 2 runs, but we managed to tie this up at 1 game each.

In game 3, Carney Lansford hit a 3-run home run and despite making 3 errors, we took it 8-6. However, Lansford later injured his lat severely enough to be out the rest of the playoffs. Next man up.

In game 4, Dwight Evans hit a 3-run HR in the 1st and a solo shot in the 4th for all the runs the Sox would put up, but 4 were enough as Paul Assenmacher went 8 strong innings in a 4-3 win to make this a best of 3.

Cruz went for us in game 5 but he wasn't good, allowing 5 runs in 7 innings. We found ourselves down 4-1 in the 7th, when doubles by Gene Richards and Bip Roberts made it 4-3, then Valentine gave us the lead 5-4 with a 2-run double. Back to back sac flies made it 7-4 and we cruised from there winning 10-5 and sending us back home up 3-2

After walking 6 last start, Blyleven walked none through 8 and we led 2-1 and I decided to stick with him since Martinez hasn't been himself as the closer. Steve Kemp took his first pitch of the 9th over the wall in right and just like that...tie game. Len Barker got the 1st 2 outs of the bottom of the 9th, but Bip Roberts, Fred Lynn and Valentine hit 3 straight singles and we are back to our 5th straight World Series. Bip was named MVP hitting .500/.576/.577 with 4 runs. 4 RBI and 1 steal.

[sharknut]

The 1980's Braves SEVENTH straight NCLS was, yet again, a disappointment for Atlanta. They may have won 4 of 7 NLCS's, but zero World Series and a 4-2 series loss to the Cardinals makes them as cursed as.....the 90's Braves were.

Mike Marshall hit 3 HR and knocked in 8 as the Braves gave up 8 runs a game and setup tee times too early once again.

We are missing our #2 starter in Candelaria and a .320 hitter in Lansford and they are missing Lloyd Moseby who has averaged 4 WAR in his 3 seasons and 3rd starter Michael O'Connor. They can really hit, I am worried

[sharknut]

I was worried about the Cardinals being #1 in runs the NL. I should have been concerned they gave up the fewest runs in baseball. We only scored 11 runs in 5 game and we went down rather meekly. I think the Angels have climbed as high as we can with me in charge. We have 5 years before expansion, but I think I want a new challenge until then. I think the Rangers will be better than us next year and for several years. The cabinets aren't empty, the Angels should still contend, but I think am going to leave.

I am very tempted by the Mets job. They were 81-81 and have the #1 prospect pool. However, they were 24 games behind the Cardinals who are young and aren't going anywhere. While I would like a challenge, that's a big one.

The other club that tempts me is the Dodgers. They were just 1 game behind the Braves last year and while the Braves have won 7 straight divisions, I think the window is open for the Dodgers. They need a starter or two along with a LF and they are middle of the pack when it comes to prospects, but the have over $12 million in cap space. If I spend wisely, I think this is a club that can win the division for a while.

I have time to think about it, but I am leaning that way.

[sharknut]

As Angels manager

17 years
1502-1254 .544
9 division titles
4 World Series titles
4x Manager of the Year
6th all time in wins

I am taking the Dodgers job.

[sharknut]

A little bookkeeping from last year before I give a review of the situation we have in Los Angeles. Since I left for the Dodgers job before the award voting took place, I didn't get to vote on any awards.

The AL MVP was shockingly Ivan Calderon. That's not an insult to him, but Barry Bonds, who finished 2nd must already be so rude to writers that nobody will vote for him:

Bonds .314/.442/.705 1.147 OPS 56 HR 155 RBI 123 walks
Calderon .361/.428/.631 1.091 OPS 35 HR 138 RBI 49 steals

My former ace Victor Cruz won his 2nd Cy Young going 19-5 2.56 205 K and my former 2B Bip Roberts won ROY with .307/.370/,407 40 steals.

The Cardinals Randy Bass won his 2nd MVP with a season of .287/.340/.650 52 HR 131 RBI 129 BB. A Cardinal also took home the Cy Young with Benny Farley winning his 2nd with a season of 21-7 2.07 ERA 290 IP. The Expos Larry Walker won ROY with a season of .304/.395/.514 25 HR.

[sharknut]

After signing our arbitration eligible players, I still have $15 million available to spend, but I am pretty happy at every position except SS and there isn't a player out there that anything more than a 'b' level player. We have Roberto Kelly as a 22-year old SS who looks like he will be able to be a plus level hitter and an OK fielder and I am going to give him the 1st shot at it.

As I started this entry, that was my plan, but I went back and I really should take a run at 26-year old Tom Brunansky. His 162-game averages are .279/.351/.477 26 HR 100 RBI 31 SB and I don't REALLY have a standout LF/RF. I have an offer out to Lonnie Smith, but he is coming off a knee injury, but he was about 60% of Brunansky before the knee injury........I think I am going to offer him. He wants 4 years at $3.2 million a season, I will see if I can add a few years and come down to an even $3 million


I lost a ton of coaches after I signed, it seems I signed the day before the coaches were due their contracts for 1987 and when I ended the day, the coaches all left. I think I upgraded the big league staff adding Boog Powell and Curt Belfry as highly rated coaches. We also lost 70% of our AAA players, 50% of AA and 25% of A as free agents, so I am trying to fill up our very underdeveloped minor league system.

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33-year old Rick Rhoden was available via trade with 1 year left on his deal. He is an innings eater and of course, he can hit in a pinch. In fact, the Rangers used him as a DH multiple times. We dealt a middling prospect for him, and he will slot in the 3 or 4 spot in the rotation.

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Brunansky accepted the 6x#$3 million a year deal, and added Lonnie Smith as a #4 outfielder as well so as Spring Training begins, here is my new team with their 1986 numbers

26 year old Mike Cole-2b .292/.406/.359 109 BB 31 steals
26-Tom Brunansky-LF .275/.374/.483 21 HR 73 RBI 90 runs 31 steals
31-Jack Clark-1b .309/.408/.616 45 HR 135 RBI 123 runs 102 walks
24-Dave Clark-CF .258/.353/.483 28 HR 83 RBI
26-Candy Maldonado-3b .279/.321./.470 21 HR 83 RBI 40-2B
30-Terry Kennedy-C .310/.331/.451 12 HR 85 RBI 39-2B
22-Dave Martinez-RF was a top 50 prospect prior to last year, hit .330 in 1/3 season at AAA and .270 in 120 AB with the Dodgers
22-Roberto Kelly-SS .288/.331/.364 1 HR 5-2B just 132 AB

32-Willie Hernandez 16-10 2.60 ERA 1.04 WHIP 5.4 WAR
29-Kevin Houston 23-9 2.45 ERA 1.18 WHIP 4.2 WAR (This season was out of nowhere)
24-Andy Araujo 13-14 3.69 ERA 1.24 WHIP 4.3 WAR
33-Rick Rhoden 16-9 3.83 ERA 1.36 ERA 2.4 WAR
5th spot is open

Closer-35-Will McEnaney 7-7 27 saves 3.56 ERA 1.35 WHIP 7 blown saves
Michael Elliot has started and closed and may be an option.

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I took a peek at what the new management team did in California and I am not surprised. The owner is "win now" and I don't think we could given how the Rangers are developing. They traded their only 2 top-70 prospects for veterans in an attempt to patch up the holes. I wish them luck, but moving average fielding Roberts from 2b to RF, where he is not an average fielder, moving Alan Trammell, a good fielding shortstop to 2nd, where he is just ok and then taking Ellis Valentine out of the lineup again. The poor guy, I rescue him from Atlanta where he languished as a 4th OF for 6 years to have him hit .300 with 25 HR's just to see him on the bench as an abject failure who hit .170 last year in Seattle takes his spot makes me want to trade for him.

[sharknut]

Here was the 1987 entry draft:

1-Gary Sheffield-Giants
2-Albert Belle-Expos
3-Ken Griffey Jr-Mariners
4-Craig Biggio-Reds
5-Dave Nilsson-Padres (unsigned)
6-Travis Fryman-Tigers (unsigned)
7-Delino DeShields-A's (unsigned)
8-Ray Lankford-Cardinals
9-Kevin Garner-Royals
10-Kevin Appier-Yankees

We took fictional catcher John Albertson who will have lots of time to develop.

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One month in and we have the best record in baseball at 17-6. We lead in runs and are 3rd best pitching thus far. Willie Hernandez was named Pitcher of the Month going 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA. Andy Araujo was 4-1 with a 1.46 ERA and Kevin Houston is 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA.

We lead the NL in home runs and in steals. Tom Brunansky leads with 8, Jack Clark with 7 and Candy Maldonado with 5 homer and we have 4 players with at least 6 steals.

I mentioned Allen Sigler of the Phillies last season as a "Rob Deer who can hit for average". Here was his April:

.355/.455/.789 1.235
11 HR
25 RBI
ZERO doubles
ZERO triples
16 singles

I love him

[sharknut]

15-13 in May, not great baseball. We are 1/2 behind the Reds and we need to make some moves this month. Although we are 2nd in ERA, we have 2 starters with ERA's higher than 4 and I would like to improve our staff. Terry Kennedy has been displaced by Mike Stanley at catcher, and if I can package him with another piece, I think I can do that.

Dave Clark hit 10 home runs in May, including home runs in 4 straight at bats over 2 games. In the 1st game, Karl Best of the Cardinals and 4 Dodgers combined for 8 1/2 shut out innings. In the bottom of the 9th, Best struck out Tom Brunansky and Jack Clark on 8 pitches to make them his 10th and 11th strikeout victim. He had Dave Clark down 0-2, about to strikeout the 3-4-5 hitters on 9 pitches, when he took Best over the wall for a very exciting 1-0 win.

The next day, he hit home runs in the 1st. 3rd in the 4th to make it 4 in 4 at bats. He added another home run the next day, we really needed it as Brunansky and Jack Clark each had poor months.

Rookie Jeff Carter has come out of nowhere to win the RF job. I thought it was Dave Martinez job to lose and if not him, Franklin Stubbs was there. I thought Carter would be a utility man, but he has gone .342/.420/.470 with 19 steals and combines with Mike Cole to give us a great 1-2 punch. Cole is hitting .284/.391/.350 with 20 steals, so the tables were being set.

I have to give the AI GM of the Angels, I thought they would start to struggle, but they still lead the AL West by 1 over the A's. The Yankees are up 2 in the East and the Phillies have raced out to a 7 game lead.

[sharknut]

Originally Posted by sharknut

I mentioned Allen Sigler of the Phillies last season as a "Rob Deer who can hit for average". Here was his April:

.355/.455/.789 1.235
11 HR
25 RBI
ZERO doubles
ZERO triples
16 singles

I love him

He followed up that with this in May:

.316/.414/.784 1.200
14 HR
26 RBI
2 doubles!
1 triple!
14 singles

He is on pace for 84 home runs and 172 RBI.

[sharknut]

Just 6-7 half way through June, stuck in a rut. We are totally healthy but both our hitting and pitching have dialed it back about 10-20% and we find ourselves 1/2 behind the Reds now.

We had a very crowded 6 person outfielder given that Brunansky and Dave Clark start every day. Dave Martinez had the first chance and was ok. Lee Graham started last year and had the 2nd chance and was not quite ok. Lonnie Smith was injured last year and hasn't been the same and young Franklin Stubbs lost his job to Brunansky.

To open up some room, we dealt 22-year old Martinez and Lonnie Smith to the Giants (!!) for 19-year old C Brian Deak, the #50 prospect in baseball. We picked up Randy Milligan in the off-season and called him up to take the 5th OF spot and an extra infielder who was not a real player.

The Angels are now 4 games up, good for their AI GM, he was the A's GM prior to me leaving. Their manager was the Dodgers AAA manager, so I am sure he was pissed he didn't get my job.

Would be something if we play in the World Series

[sharknut]

Originally Posted by sharknut

We had a very crowded 6 person outfielder given that Brunansky and Dave Clark start every day. Dave Martinez had the first chance and was ok. Lee Graham started last year and had the 2nd chance and was not quite ok. Lonnie Smith was injured last year and hasn't been the same and young Franklin Stubbs lost his job to Brunansky.

To open up some room, we dealt 22-year old Martinez and Lonnie Smith to the Giants (!!) for 19-year old C Brian Deak, the #50 prospect in baseball. We picked up Randy Milligan in the off-season and called him up to take the 5th OF spot and an extra infielder who was not a real player.

1 week later I lose Dave Clark for 6 weeks and our outfield is paperthin. Of course.

Dave Martinez is hitting .390 in San Francisco. Of course.

On top of that, All-Star P Andy Araujo is out 3 weeks, so we are out 2 key pieces as we start the 2nd half 1/2 behind the Reds and 6 in front of the Padres

We have races in every division, which is nice. The Phillies are 4 games in front of the Cardinals in the NL East, the Yankees are 2 ahead of the Tigers, 4 in front of the Orioles and 5 ahead of the Red Sox, and the Angels have been caught by the Rangers. They lead the AL West by a game.

Sigler is still on pace for over 70 HR's and less than 10 doubles. heh