I’ve been an Angel fan for half a century and right now feels like the lowest spot of the entire tenure. I grew up watching a bunch of sub-500 Angels teams in the 70’s. Saw us finally win a division in 1979 and then again in 1982, but so so much mediocrity that I really just got used to it.

Then 1986 happened and we were an out away from going to the World Series. Of course we couldn’t close that out. For a long time that moment felt like the low point as an Angels fan: to be that close and not make it.

But the past two seasons have been worse. They put together a team that you think might actually be good, featuring two all-time great players who are amazing to watch. Then last year they go on a 14-game losing streak and play themselves right out of contention in early June. They panic fire an experienced manager and throw in a guy who’s never managed a big league team. The season finishes with us 33 games behind the Astros.

Then this year you think again, they might be good enough to do something. O’Hoppe and Neto look good and bring some energy. Shohei is other-worldly. And then everybody gets hurt and it goes right in the crapper.

We don’t really know what goes on inside, but from the outside this sure doesn’t look like a competently run professional organization. Arte’s interference is deadly – I just read a good post in the Angels group on FB about how DiPoto is killing it in Seattle while we stumble along here just like before. Players don’t develop here, players are constantly getting hurt here, the farm system is in shambles, there are shady dealings with the city of Anaheim, and even the stadium is in need of an update (a recent SI ranking had the Big A 28th in the league, ahead of only Oakland and TB).

I can’t imagine ever not being an Angels fan, but man the apathy is strong now. There was that moment of hope when we thought Arte would sell, but that too passed. I’m convinced that so long as he’s the owner we’re going to see this same story over and over.

Thanks for letting me vent here.