Walking not an option for Angels

[Providence A's]

http://www2.dailynews.com/angels/ci_2974154

First baseman Darin Erstad said he could never play for the Oakland Athletics and their "Moneyball" mentality, because "their computer would spit me out."
Although the Angels' offensive mentality is to hack now and take pitches later, shortstop Orlando Cabrera said they might do themselves a favor if they were more selective at the plate and looked for more walks, a staple of A's general manager Billy Beane's philosophy in the book "Moneyball." The Angels are ranked 10th in the 14-team American League in on-base percentage at .327 and eighth in the league in walks.

"If they don't pitch to you, you need to walk," Cabrera said. "We don't do that here. Here, we swing because we want the RBI. It seems like we don't trust the people behind you to do their job. It's why we've had so many guys on base but don't score runs."

Cabrera said it is a weakness that could be exploited in the playoffs, but despite their on-base percentage deficiency, the Angels are ranked fifth in the league in scoring and first in the majors with a .301 average with runners in scoring position.

Cabrera is right if the team is being overly aggresive...he should know, he was on the WS champs last year.

[Saber]

The Angels have never walked. Fact of life of the offense they chose to build. Anaheim scores runs with lots of singles, doubles, and steals.

[riverdunesrat]

The Angels have never walked. Fact of life of the offense they chose to build. Anaheim scores runs with lots of singles, doubles, and steals.

Yeah, yer right it is Scoiscia's NL style of play, but of late....I have to wonder where that philosophy is lurking. Get 'em on, get 'em over and get 'em in is elusive far too often.....hope they find it before it's too late.....

[Saber]

I don't even know what the NL style of play is, outside of some 1960s Dead Ball II era stuff. Anyway, when a team bases its offense so heavily on batting average, it will see fluctuations just like batting average has. This is why the Angels have had this approach for years, yet have seen it alternate between good and awful from year to year.