Point/Counterpoint/Counter-Counterpoint: What Do We Want Out of This Offseason?

[gotbeer]

Holt is an interesting option and that .349 OBP would look great at leadoff, but why would the Sox get rid of him?

 

From what I'm seeing, his primary position is 2B.  And well, you have a munchkin signed for many many years at that position for the Sux.  So he's pretty much a rover without a position on the team.  He has no power, mainly an obp type player.  That's why I'm thinking he could be moved.

[Glen]

From what I'm seeing, his primary position is 2B.  And well, you have a munchkin signed for many many years at that position for the Sux.  So he's pretty much a rover without a position on the team.  He has no power, mainly an obp type player.  That's why I'm thinking he could be moved.

 

 

Interesting option.  By definition though, he would be a perfect bench player for the Sox.  Definitely kick the tires on him and see what it would take.

[nikkachez]

Greinke's interesting because he's not an overpowering pitcher, he's really turned into a crafty pitcher. Go heavy atop the rotation with Price or Greinke, add to the bullpen to make it a lockdown pen, solidify the defense and add at least a leadoff hitter or a middle-of-the-order bat.

[Inside Pitch]

I am probably wrong again.  Maybe I am thinking of Delmon Young??

 

Definite Delmon Young...  The only controversy Span was ever involved with was when the Wonderboy Harper opined that he should be inserted in CF over Span.

Edited October 7, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[mrwicked]

what's crazy is that the rangers literally didnt even start playing until august, and won the division.

they are going to be brutal to knock down from their perch for a few years.

along with the astros.

even if the angels fill a few parts, i can see them missing the playoffs for a few years unless they make some major moves/trades.

Edited October 7, 2015 by mrwicked

[Blarg]

I haven't heard a bad thing about Span.

He hangs out with a Spic.

[Spirit]

Adam backdoored his way into a PCP!

 

 

 

 

kinky 

[nate]

Probably isn't the only thing he has ever done for PCP...

[Spirit]

... if you know what I mean.

[Glen]

what's crazy is that the rangers literally didnt even start playing until august, and won the division.

they are going to be brutal to knock down from their perch for a few years.

along with the astros.

even if the angels fill a few parts, i can see them missing the playoffs for a few years unless they make some major moves/trades.

 

Fun fact: Cole Hamels and Garrett Richards had remarkably similar stats this year.  

[Chuck]

Fun fact: Cole Hamels and Garrett Richards had remarkably similar stats this year.  

 

This is true.

 

Plus Beltre is getting older and Fielder is getting fatter.

[Homebrewer]

Plus Beltre Pujols is getting older and Fielder Trout is getting fatter.

[Chuck]

Plus Beltre Pujols is getting older and Fielder Trout is getting fatter.

 

The only thing that is getting fat for Trout is his wallet.... and neck. 

 

Pujols clubbed 40 bombs this year. I'm fine with him going forward if he continues to provide power. 

[Slegnaac]

Fun fact: Cole Hamels and Garrett Richards had remarkably similar stats this year.

I still believe that Richards can be a premium #1 starter. Game 162 was his first taste of the playoffs so I can understand why he might have been a little amped up the first few innings.

He will be a year older the next time and have more experience.

The money it would require to sign a "Price " level starter could be better spent on other needs.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Greinke's interesting because he's not an overpowering pitcher, he's really turned into a crafty pitcher. Go heavy atop the rotation with Price or Greinke, add to the bullpen to make it a lockdown pen, solidify the defense and add at least a leadoff hitter or a middle-of-the-order bat.

grienkes not leaving. He will opt out im sure, but the dodgers will once again not be outbid on him.

And if they were, it wouldnt be us.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Also, good paragraph about filling holes.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Pujols clubbed 40 bombs this year. I'm fine with him going forward if he continues to provide power.

What we saw from Pujols this year was one last hurrah, IMO. I doubt that he approaches 30 HR in 2016, let alone 40.

[70runner]

As to Cespedes/Davis, short of Goldschmidt showing in an Angels uniform, Scioscia will ink Pujols at cleanup.  He'll hit some bangers, but will continue to leave an army of RISP and snuff out rallys with his GIDP skills.   Though with Cespedes or Davis hitting 5th, the Pujols hole in the lineup will get even more conspicuous.

 

Perez should be given full opportunity to be the #1 catcher and the Angels could do worse than Gia at 2B  (I like his spunk, not so much his D).  He brings energy and clutch hitting, attributes not abundant on the Angels roster.  Aybar is still a solid SS with speed.  Span would be a ++ acquisition, both for OBP ahead of Trout and filling the hole in LF. 

 

Richards still has #1 potential, but the Angels would be much stronger with another #1ish type pitcher, but then who wouldn't. 

[Spirit]

The Angels had a lot of problems this year, but Albert wasn't one of them.  Dude hit 40 dingers.  If his production dropped off 25% next year and hit 30, I'd still be ok with that.

[Glen]

The Angels had a lot of problems this year, but Albert wasn't one of them. Dude hit 40 dingers. If his production dropped off 25% next year and hit 30, I'd still be ok with that.

If his average drops even 10% from this year he'll be hitting around .211. A 10% drop in OBP puts him at about .270.

[Adam]

The Angel line-up would be awesome if Calhoun and Puhols could hit 5th and 6th

[Spirit]

If his average drops even 10% from this year he'll be hitting around .211. A 10% drop in OBP puts him at about .270.

 

Yeah ... but 40 bombs! 

[Chuck]

The Angel line-up would be awesome if Calhoun and Puhols could hit 5th and 6th

This too is my ideal lineup situation.

[Chris]

It seemed like Trout and Pujols hit 80 solo shots this year.  Definitely could use some OBP up top.  Like the Span and Zobrist ideas.

[totdprods]

My plan:

 

1) Sign a good FA SP (anyone solid, could be Price/Cueto level, could be Leake)

2) Sign one of Heyward/Cespedes/Upton*...possibly Zobrist** if you spend a ton on the FA SP, like Price.

3) Sign Span (with a Rasmus/Fowler type as Plan B ) 

4) Offer Freese a QO (or sign an average, old vet – Uribe, Johnson, McGehee - on a 1-yr deal if Freese declines, either way, sort of the same player) 

5) Deal Cron for an experienced veteran 1B/DH type and a decent prospect.

6) Deal Calhoun and SP depth for RP, IF, and C help or prospects overall, or a very solid SP if we fail to sign one in FA.

 

 *If you sign Heyward/Cespedes/Upton, deal Cron, Calhoun, and SPs for SP (instead of signing a FA), RP or prospects.

Give Kubitza/Cowart 1B gloves and have them split at AAA, in case Albert goes down.

If both develop, there’s your corner infield of the future for cheap. THEN, sign a top-tier FA SP.

 

**If you sign Zobrist, then you spend big on a Price type. Start Zobrist in LF or RF, Span in the other. Calhoun rotating DH/OF/1B.

Deal Cron and SP depth for solid RP or OF/IF prospects.

If halfway through season Freese or Gia are out/sucking, move Zobrist to IF, Calhoun back to OF, acquire a deadline DH-type.

 

Yes, you spend a bunch of dough and make some ballsy commitments, but also acquire a lot of young cheap talent from Calhoun, Cron, and a couple SPers to hopefully balance out a year or three from now.

 

You may wonder, why Cron and Calhoun?

Calhoun is squeezed out of the OF in this scenario, and is too good defensively to be stuck at DH/OF all year.

He also represents some of the most immense trade value we have. But with Trout, Span, Upt/Ces/Hey, and Pujols holding OF/1B for the next several years, there's no room, and while Calhoun is a bargain now, he will only get more expensive. We're essentially trading in the bargain value of Calhoun now for future value in prospects, and paying for it in FA dollars today.

Calhoun could fetch some serious young talent in areas where we're lacking help elsewhere, such as MIF or just higher profile prospects overall.

Cron is a DH only, but a budget-conscious team such as Colorado or Toronto would probably deal an expensive vet 1B/DH plus a decent prospect for the controllable Cron, who essentially replaces what they had. Whomever we acquire for Cron would have to be able to serve as a suitable 1B should Pujols go down, but also someone whose value wouldn't be completely lost if they wound up DHing all year. Someone like Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Morneau, Adam Lind (plus a decent prospect)

 

You’re essentially trading Calhoun for Span and Hey/Upt/Ces (more production, and a lot of long-term money) on the field, and Cron for Encarnacion/Morneau/Lind on the field (short-term money, and equiv production) – but also with the potential to net some good young pieces in their trades. Sprinkle in some SP depth, and you can acquire several good young pieces. This counteracts the money spent upgrading both RF and LF.

 

PLAN A line-up: Solid SP Acquisition, plus one of Hey/Upt/Ces

Span LF

Trout CF

Hey/Ces/Upt RF

Pujols 1B/DH

Morneau/Lind/Encarnacion (anyone who can hit 250+) DH/1B

Freese (or a comparable 1-yr deal vet) 3B

Aybar SS

Perez C

Giavotella 2B

 

PLAN A rotation:

Richards

Heaney

Leake/#2-3 starter in Calhoun trade

Weaver

Wilson/Santiago/Shoemaker/whomever wasn't dealt

 

For bullpen and bench, it's more or less the same players as '15, with the addition of anyone acquired in the major trades or a minor FA or two.

Could add a solid MRP still since you're spending money.

 

 

PLAN B line-up: A true #1 SP acquisition, such as Price, and Zobrist instead of Upt/Hey/Ces

Span LF

Zobrist RF

Trout CF

Pujols 1B/DH

Calhoun (anyone who can hit 250+) DH/1B (and OF)

Freese (or a comparable 1-yr deal vet) 3B

Aybar SS

Perez C

Giavotella 2B

 

PLAN B rotation:

Rotation would consist of:

Price/Zimmerman/Cueto (depending on who you deal)

Richards

Heaney

Weaver

Wilson/Santiago/Shoemaker/whomever wasn't dealt

 

For bullpen and bench, it's more or less the same players as '15, with the addition of anyone acquired in the major trades or a minor FA or two.

Could add a solid MRP still since you're spending money.

 

Dealt:

Calhoun, Cron, Santiago, Shoemaker for prospects, RP, 1B/DH help

 

AAA:

SP you still have Skaggs, Tropeano, Newcomb should anyone go down, and for positional players and RP you have Cowart, Kubitza, and MIF/OF/C prospects acquired in the Cron/Calhoun/SP trades.

 

Under both plans, Murphy could also be dealt for further needs, kept as back-up OF/DH (my preference), or his option declined to save $$$.

 

Cowart/Kubitza splitting 1B/3B at SLC for a year, prepping for ’17 when Freese walks and Pujols becomes full-time DH (replacing Morneau/Lind/Encarnacion) and your minors get a boost from Cron, Calhoun, Santiago/Shoemaker/Wilson/Tropeano trades.

 

Yeah, you blow past the luxury tax like crazy in ’16, maybe '17; but Freese, Weaver, Wilson, Aybar, Smith, and Encarnacion/Morneau/Lind come off the year after (Hamilton year after that?), and for most of those we should have in-house candidates to replace between our current SP/RP depth, Cowart, Kubitza, and those acquired in Cron/Calhoun/SP deals.

 

That gets your 2017-2019 teams cheaper, essentially replacing a chunk of the $$$ you would have spent on arbitration for the Santiago/Cron/Calhoun types on those years with the $$$ you spent on the FA Splurge of 2015. You rebuild the farm as best you can with your most valuable excess parts (SPs, Calhoun, Cron) and still spend to fill current holes. Keeps your MLB team solid and locks up a new core and allows you to rebuild some farm depth. Then, over 2017-2019, focus on drafting, scouting and rebuilding the farm, avoiding FA.

 

I feel it's a good compromise between heavy FA spending and rebuilding the farm, all while maintaining a ballclub that should remain competitive.

Edited October 8, 2015 by totdprods