Case (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
case) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomsecrets2016-05-06 05:12 pm
case) wrote in fandomsecrets2016-05-06 05:12 pm
[ SECRET POST #3411 ]
⌈ Secret Post #3411 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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11. [SPOILERS for Homestuck]
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12. [WARNING for rape]
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13. [WARNING for rape, torture, abuse]
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14. [WARNING for underage]
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15. [WARNING for rape]
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 000 secrets from Secret Submission Post #487.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Re: So, your weekend is going to suck.
They're not considered "cursed" in media terms, like the White Sox (because of the Black Sox scandal; 1919-2005) and Red Sox (because of the "Curse of the Bambino"; 1918-2004) were, or the Cubs are (because of the "Curse of the Billy Goat" and various other reasons; they haven't won the World Series since 1908 and I hope they don't anytime soon). The Angels are an expansion team that won the World Series in the 41st year of their existence (2002). Which is kinda long, with some unlucky turns of events, but better than the 8 teams that have never won at all!
Every team goes through ups and downs, loses guys to injuries, and occasionally sucking. It's just that they have one of the two best young players in all of baseball right now in Mike Trout, and have been in win-now mode for a long time. So that's depleted their resources, trading young prospects for veterans to help postseason chances, or losing draft picks and tying up lots of money by signing older free agents (this is typical for the kinda-bad current owner of the team).
So because of the various wheelings and dealings, there's no depth in the minor leagues to bring up a sufficient caliber of replacements to really "win now." Starting pitching was the one area we had options, and that's all fucked now. Even our closing pitcher is on the DL. Meet the Rotation of Frustration, in order of suckitude:
•Garrett Richards, RHP, 28: The new ace of the staff. The future. Mike Trout's best friend. Got his first Opening Day start of his career. Throws upwards of 97, avg. 95. Had a breakout 2014 that was cut short by destroying his knee. Bounced back okay last year, was getting even stronger until now. See you in 2017, Garrett. D:
•Andrew Heaney, LHP, 26: Promising youngster acquired before last season. Didn't even finish his first start of the season because of arm problems, initially reported as just muscular issues, but now maybe UCL damage. It's hoped he can rehab it and not require Tommy John, but that could be June or longer.
•Tyler Skaggs, LHP, 24: Started the year on the DL as he's still recovering from Tommy John in 2014, and his recovery just hit another snag with a shoulder issue. Because of course.
•Hector Santiago, LHP, 28: He's okay. Our division is a pretty safe place for a guy who gets a lot of flyballs. Although he started well last year then wasn't so hot in the second half. :( There was talk that he should be traded before the season to get a better outfielder-- and now he's the de facto #1 starter.
•Nick Tropeano, RHP, 25: Could be worse. Room for improvement. Was a fantastic acquisition in trade from a division rival as we not only got Tropeano, we got our current starting catcher too.
•CJ Wilson, LHP, 35: Crapped out last year with bone chips in his elbow, couldn't finish the season. Then he fucked up his shoulder in spring training. Was old and inconsistent and injury-prone when the Angels signed him; only got older, more inconsistent, and always hurt. Expensive and not worth it, he is a free agent at the end of the season.
•Jered Weaver, RHP, 33: How the mighty have fallen. The third-best pitcher the Angels have ever had, in a list that includes NOLAN RYAN. Never threw very hard to begin with, rather winning games with a lot of great breaking stuff and a deceptive delivery. Turns out, throwing diagonally across your body like a weirdo will fuck up your shoulder/hips/neck and there's basically nothing that can be done about it at this point. Had been losing velocity on his pitches for several years, culminating in a disastrous 2015. Every game is an adventure now. Basically nobody in the majors has an 83mph fastball, especially not a righty. That's just silly. Ignore my tears, pls. People think he is expensive and not worth it for what we're getting now, but the Angels underpaid for his best years so it evens out. Also a FA in October, might be best off to retire with dignity as a career Angel.
•Matt Shoemaker, RHP, 29: What the fuck happened to this guy? Really delivered when Richards got hurt in 2014, and was second place in Rookie of the Year. Had a nasty split-finger fastball and a knuckle-curve. Is giving up home runs at an alarming rate. Was basically useless last year, and has started 2016 so badly they actually sent him back to the minors. Only back because we need warm bodies on the mound. Frustrating, but possibly fixable. Still fairly young and very cheap; if nothing else, someone else might want him.
•Cory Rasmus, RHP, 28: Cory Rasmus is not a starting pitcher. He is the long-reliever, and can go 4 innings/50 pitches tops. Lately his job is cleaning up Matt Shoemaker's messes. If Cory Rasmus is starting the game, as he was tonight, it's a bullpen game where all the relievers will pitch in (ha! ;___;) and do the whole game, rather than just being used for advantageous matchups in the final 3-4 innings after the starter tires. This is a good way to wear down your relievers and have them suck in close games tomorrow or the next day and I hate it.
So the next move is looking at either signing a guy who is still a free agent, which generally means he sucks, or has been released (same deal), or trading some of our next-to-nothing for someone whose arm hopefully won't fall off. Former Giants great Tim Lincecum is unsigned coming off hip surgery and held an audition Friday, that most teams, including the Angels sent scouts too. And when I heard about it on Thursday night, I was all, "NOPE NOPE NOPE don't do it!" but with the news on Richards Friday morning, this is the context for "Timmy might be the answer after all." Although with their starters' struggles, the Giants themselves might want him after all.