Angels expected to look for a big bat

[Stradling]

I hear ya. Street is a top-10 closer right now. I'll agree the bullpen needs help but not at the very top.

Hey, Papelbon is gonna be available!

I also had no words because of Jeff W needing to get his velocity back up to 88, oh and we need an "Ace" or two. Oh and find someone better than Calhoun.

[Richard]

I have no words

 

Jeff Weaver is back on the team?

 

F'n Eppler.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Richard

[VariousCrap]

IMO, Denard Span is too old.  He will be 32 next season.  I think the Angels need to go a bit younger than that.

 

I do really like the idea of Dexter Fowler though and he'll have just turned 30 by next season.  He is a guy who would get on base for Trout.  He'd be a good choice for a lead-off hitter.

 

Then the Angels could get Daniel Murphy for 2B and perhaps trade for a 3B like Martin Prado.  Of course, to trade for Prado or another 3B, the Angels will need to sign SP's like Wei-Yin Chen/Mike Leake/Yovani Gallardo so they can afford to trade Santiago/Trop/Shoemaker to get that 3B.

[NrM]

forget the big bat.

Team needs offensively should be on OPS and speed. A true lead-off hitter with speed, someone maybe like Dee Gordon (move him or Aybar to second base).

Third base, doesn't need to have power just a good OPS and low strikeout %.

Outfield - OPS and speed. I like Kole C. but he could be a good trade option to get someone with better OPS, speed, AND LESS STRIKEOUTS!

 

Pitching

We need a true power closer, Street needs to step down and be the set up guy... Maybe Aroldis Chapman....

Also need an Ace or two...

 

If Jeff W. wants to stick around then some kind of expectations need to be meet for his velocity...83 is not going to cut it. Get it back up to 88ish and we can talk, otherwise learn the knuckleball.

Great first post mang.

[Stradling]

The problem VC is it is VERY difficult to find young position players to fill holes on your team. So it might be a Fowler or a Span, you just don't give them as long of a deal.

[VariousCrap]

The problem VC is it is VERY difficult to find young position players to fill holes on your team. So it might be a Fowler or a Span, you just don't give them as long of a deal.

 

 

That is what makes Heyward so special being he is so young hitting the FA.  IMO, Heyward would be a great guy to hit #2 in the line-up.  He is just going to cost a ton.

 

With the amount of holes the Angels have to fill, spending less on Fowler makes more sense to me.  And he can hit lead off.

Edited October 12, 2015 by VariousCrap

[Jobu]

Great first post mang.

You don't need power, just be good in a statistic that contains the word "slugging".

[AngelsWin.com]

Chris Davis, Denard Span, David Freese or Martin Prado, trade for Panik or sign Zobrist and trade for Smyly.

[Second Base]

This is just me, but

1. Trade Santiago for a good middle reliever and save money.

2. Not pick up Murphy's option (save money, sights set higher)

3. Slot Kubitza at 3B

4. Bandy at platoon catcher

5. Trade CJ at the end of ST, try to recoup 4 million at least (save money).

6. Sign Martin Prado to play 2B/3B/LF/1B/DH and bat second.

7. Sign Justin Upton to play LF.

That should fix the offense and bullpen.

Pitching rotation would be Richards, Heaney, Tropeano, Shoemaker and Weav at home/Skaggs on the road. We'd have Smith, Newcomb and Ellis in AA/AAA.

[Stradling]

Scotty, once again, name a time where a team went into a season with a starting pitcher that would only pitch at home. Also your line up won't be all that much better than this years line up.

[VariousCrap]

Weaver is done as a starter.

[Docwaukee]

I have no words

c'mon strad.  for the most part, the train was on the tracks.  damn close to tipping around those turns though

 

Dee Gordon would fit great.  There is just no way he's available.  But I would love to see if we could pry away Prado for Santiago.  Then add zobrist.  That's a lot of flexibility in the IF and zobrist could play LF if need be as well.  

 

I don't like the idea of trading Kole, but he had a .308 obp this year and whiffed 164 times.  We can't afford to trade any of our club controlled offensive players though.  But we do need to supplement the OBP in other areas when you've got Calhoun, Cron and Pujols in your lineup.  

 

Frankly, I think the ability to hit above .270 has become very underrated.  There is a little bit of give and take with Scioscia ball.  In other words, having a guy hit .280 with a .330 obp might be better than someone who hits .260 with a .340 obp.  Especially if they can run a little.  

 

Street is fine at closer, but we need a lock down 8th inning guy big time.  Smith is going to turn into a pumpkin soon.  I can feel it.  

Every team needs an Ace or two.  We just aren't going to get one....or two.  But Newcomb is gonna be a beast and he'll be there to help by mid year.  

 

Jered isn't going to be effective at 83/84mph.  But we know that.  When he changed his delivery a few years back to help him extend his career, he lost some velocity.   It was between 2011 and 2012.  If he went back to the old way, maybe he could get a couple tics of velo and that would help him tremendously.  

 

I really think the additions above would be very helpful and greater than the sum of the parts.  

[Troll Daddy]

So CJ Wilson's value is down to $4M ... ok

[mulwin444]

Angels need to build the farm which you do through drafting well and trading aging, expensive players for talented, unproven players under club control.  They really need to narrow their search to players that will: a - not be tagged with a QA, b - Guys traded at mid-season that can't have a QO attached to them, and C - Decent spare parts that have some upside or value that can be bundled together for one player under control or contract for a couple of seasons.

 

As much as it would logically fit for the Angels to sign a player, as soon as the QO tag goes on, they need to exit stage left.  In other words they need to be creative.

 

They could sign a SP and trade from the group of Shoemaker, Santiago, Tropeano, and Smith.  I think, unless you are blown away, you keep Heaney, Richards, and Newcomb.  Skaggs will have little value until he proves he's healthy and neither Weaver or Wilson will get you anything.

 

I think Cron is tradeable and, if you can swing a Trumbo-esque trade, you do it in a heartbeat but I think he will net less than Mark and will have to be bundle with a SP to get anything of value.  Unfortunately, there is no much else on offense.  

 

You explore keeping Freese because Kubitza and Cowart are both unknown factors but I wouldn't go over 2 years and a team option on Freese; if he gets more somewhere else, c'est la vie.  Definitely, don't offer a QO (~$17 mil).

 

Giavatella was decent enough at 2B to give him one more year there

 

Aybar unfortunately has to be retained due to the lack of available replacements

 

Pujols and Trout aren't going anywhere but Calhoun could be had at the right price.

 

I like the idea of giving Perez and Bandy a shot at C and I don't think there is necessarily a need there compared to the other position.

 

At this point:

 

C: Perez/Bandy

1B/DH: Pujols 

2B: Giavotella

SS: Aybar

3B: FA/Unknown

LF: FA/Unknown

CF: Trout

RF: Calhoun

DH/1B: Cron 

 

My priority would be a 2-rung SP for depth and not hung with a QO then trade from SP depth

If that doesn't work, go after Price who was traded mid-season and has no QO

Sign a BP guy like O-Day, if available

From that SP depth, trade for a OF with OBP ability/speed.  Someone with lead-off ability.

If that fails, look at Span or Fowler if they don't get a QO.

If no trade makes sense, sign Cespedes who can no QO

If no trade makes sense, sign Zobrist who can have no QO

[greginpsca]

So CJ Wilson's value is down to $4M ... ok

Have to think he is worth more than that. Not the $20 mil he will be paid worth. But have to think they could get 40-50% worth.  With that 8-10 mil , more holes could be filled.

[Docwaukee]

Wilson has way more value than he's being given credit for.  He probably get 2/16-20 on the open market assuming his health checks out.  

 

I wouldn't be too quick to trade him right now anyway.  He's gotta prove he's healthy first and we need to see how the rotation shakes out before that.  If you are only going to eat 4mil, you might as well keep him.  If you move Santiago and Shoe, it would be nice to have the depth with a guy that's been there and knows how to do it.  

 

He could be a decent chip at the deadline if we aren't in it.  

[Adam]

This is just me, but

1. Trade Santiago for a good middle reliever and save money.

2. Not pick up Murphy's option (save money, sights set higher)

3. Slot Kubitza at 3B

4. Bandy at platoon catcher

5. Trade CJ at the end of ST, try to recoup 4 million at least (save money).

6. Sign Martin Prado to play 2B/3B/LF/1B/DH and bat second.

7. Sign Justin Upton to play LF.

That should fix the offense and bullpen.

Pitching rotation would be Richards, Heaney, Tropeano, Shoemaker and Weav at home/Skaggs on the road. We'd have Smith, Newcomb and Ellis in AA/AAA.

 

If we can move to the NL West we can compete!

[nikkachez]

IMO, Denard Span is too old. He will be 32 next season. I think the Angels need to go a bit younger than that.

I do really like the idea of Dexter Fowler though and he'll have just turned 30 by next season. He is a guy who would get on base for Trout. He'd be a good choice for a lead-off hitter.

Then the Angels could get Daniel Murphy for 2B and perhaps trade for a 3B like Martin Prado. Of course, to trade for Prado or another 3B, the Angels will need to sign SP's like Wei-Yin Chen/Mike Leake/Yovani Gallardo so they can afford to trade Santiago/Trop/Shoemaker to get that 3B.

I heard Murphy and Chen are going to be getting qualifying offers, I'd be extremely careful giving those guys contracts if they are offered the QO.

[mulwin444]

Exactly...this team has to avoid guys with QOs. We need to start getting higher draft options and we won't be doing that giving our picks away

Edited October 12, 2015 by mulwin444

[VariousCrap]

I think for the right players, you don't care about QO's, but Chen and Murphy are not those players.  Of course, there is no way to know if they will get a QO or not at this point in time.

 

 

Heyward on the other hand, is worth signing despite the lost draft pick.

Edited October 12, 2015 by VariousCrap

[VariousCrap]

Oh, and if Murphy gets a QO, you can easily go after Zobrist who won't.

[nikkachez]

Angels need to build the farm which you do through drafting well and trading aging, expensive players for talented, unproven players under club control. They really need to narrow their search to players that will: a - not be tagged with a QA, b - Guys traded at mid-season that can't have a QO attached to them, and C - Decent spare parts that have some upside or value that can be bundled together for one player under control or contract for a couple of seasons.

As much as it would logically fit for the Angels to sign a player, as soon as the QO tag goes on, they need to exit stage left. In other words they need to be creative.

At this point:

C: Perez/Bandy

1B/DH: Pujols

2B: Giavotella

SS: Aybar

3B: FA/Unknown

LF: FA/Unknown

CF: Trout

RF: Calhoun

DH/1B: Cron

My priority would be a 2-rung SP for depth and not hung with a QO then trade from SP depth

If that doesn't work, go after Price who was traded mid-season and has no QO

Sign a BP guy like O-Day, if available

From that SP depth, trade for a OF with OBP ability/speed. Someone with lead-off ability.

If that fails, look at Span or Fowler if they don't get a QO.

If no trade makes sense, sign Cespedes who can no QO

If no trade makes sense, sign Zobrist who can have no QO

Very well said, liked the whole comment. I actually like the idea of Cespedes even if he gets some big money, he's still a pretty good player.

I also like the idea of Mike Leake that I've seen floated around here. I think he'd do great pitching in our ballpark, I'm in favor of making this is glove first team (would be easier with Prado, Span, Zobrist type of players and Cowart getting a shot at third). Not the ace the team needs, but it could prove to be a valuable move by creating trade assets, using those assets to plug up spots, and solidifying the rotation. Richards, Heaney, Leake, Weaver, Santiago/Shoemaker/Tropeano?

[Guest]

Oh, and if Murphy gets a QO, you can easily go after Zobrist who won't.

Doesn't matter since Murphy was acquired later in the season. 

[Angel Oracle]

Outside of Trout, we have ZERO OBP presence on this team!!!!!!!

[greginpsca]

Seeing as our new GM is from the Skanks, i wouldn't be surprised to see us trade Santiago to NY for Gardner to play LF and leadoff.