Eppler slow play might be working?

[mtangelsfan]

Hollywood is big on stats...............

until he isn't.

[Hollyw00d]

What are you talking about

[Docwaukee]

What are you talking about

I forgot what your point was of bringing up the Nats.  

[Hollyw00d]

Would have been the 2nd best hitter on the Angels as well.

Exactly why the angels should be signing people. The inhouse options and dumpster diving isn't cutting it

[Hollyw00d]

I forgot what your point was of bringing up the Nats.

That they're not competitive

[mtangelsfan]

And yet they still sucked.

Their offense and position players are awful

 

This

[beatlesrule]

The nats lost their best pitcher

 

When?

[Angel Oracle]

Span without hip issue = asset.

Span after hip surgery and age 32 = question mark.

[Brent Maguire]

Who's going to replace Zimmerman? Staying healthy is a skill, and Strasburg and Gonzalez are kinda pussies, like Adam said. Their rotation is far from a sure thing

Fister sucks

Scherzer/Strasburg/Gonzalez/Roark/Ross is better than almost every rotation in baseball. Add in Petit, Giolito and Cole as depth and they're pretty set for the year. I agree that they'll struggle to score but the hate on the starting pitchers is odd. 

[Turd Ferguson]

Span without hip issue = asset.

Span after hip surgery and age 32 = question mark.

 

I'm with you. A hip injury to a guy who relies on his speed isn't a great sign.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I can hear rumblings of collusion by the players union when in fact it looks like most of the league has turned the corner on stupid spending and wasting draft picks for free agents that fade as fast as the ink drys on the contract.

As much as I would like to see a better left field option I would also like to not see the Angels enrich another team that gave up on their guy and will take another shot at the draft. If Upton, Span or Gordon were valuable they would have at least an offer sheet from their current team. But they all seem only as valuable as a draft pick.

Maybe Eppler realizes that as well.

 

Looking at the system as it's set up now, if I was a GM I would hardly touch free agency if possible, because at best it is a loan against your future and a losing strategy. In the long run the only way to win is to develop a good farm system, and the only way to do that is to lose a lot, for a long time. 

 

The Angels are in a tough situation where they developed a good core (mostly Trout, since he's worth about 2 all stars) but aren't good enough to be a real threat without additional help. If they had more minor league talent they could make additional trades, but they are kind of stuck at this point, just shy of being competitive.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I still have wonder if any won't be of less value than a future draft pick. Or let me phrase it better, of more value than a replacement player and future draft pick.

 

Depends on the pick obviously, and that related to how high in the first round your selection is. Recent studies has pegged the average value of around $10m million. Of course for every flame out, Grant Green or Rex Hudler there is an all star - so that skews the averages a bit.

[Second Base]

The value of the draft pick to the 2016 Angels may not be that big of a deal.

1. We're on a 5 year window of contention plan. Any 1st round pick likely wouldn't be a huge help until year 4 or 5.

2. The Angels won't be spending a pick on next year's draft, so it can wait until next year.

3. The year after next, the free agent class is so expanded, that there won't be as many 1st round picks left, because there will be something ridiculous like 20 QO.

4. What do they need more, a very good prep arm that'll be ready in 5 years and offer 4 good years after that, or 6 years immediately of a good middle or top of the order LF?

[nikkachez]

I agree but I think they've also missed out on some pieces that would've really helped (pen arms notably). Man I really hope they add pen help (Blevins re-signed with the Mets today, was hoping the Angels would look into a potential deal). 

[Blarg]

I forgot what your point was of bringing up the Nats.

Must have been public humiliation.

[Docwaukee]

Looking at the system as it's set up now, if I was a GM I would hardly touch free agency if possible, because at best it is a loan against your future and a losing strategy. In the long run the only way to win is to develop a good farm system, and the only way to do that is to lose a lot, for a long time. 

 

The Angels are in a tough situation where they developed a good core (mostly Trout, since he's worth about 2 all stars) but aren't good enough to be a real threat without additional help. If they had more minor league talent they could make additional trades, but they are kind of stuck at this point, just shy of being competitive.

Free Agency isn't the devil.  If used appropriately, it can lengthen a window without horrible pain and fill gaps.  If you want to win consistently over a sustainable period, you have to take advantage of your resources available.  Something the Angels have not done.  

 

Apparently the Halos not only have virtually ignored the entire international market and lost picks from free agent signings, but they have one of the smallest development and scouting budgets.  

 

It's hard for me to wrap my head around that thought process.  The major league payroll is by far your biggest expense from year to year.  The best way to keep those expenses down is to fill your roster with club controlled, arb eligible, and cost fixed players.  Plus, these guys tend to be in their prime.  Yet to not make the correlation between scouting, development, drafting, international signings etc and how those help you keep your money seems like an odd thing to miss.  

 

I get that signing a free agent costs you a pick.  I can live with that on occasion.  But to be penny wise and dollar foolish for the rest of it is so short sighted.  

[Ohtaniland]

Are teams becoming more leery because salaries are totally out of control?

When you give a guy a 7-10 year guaranteed deal for $150M+ you have pretty much taken away his incentive to ever work hard again.

Edited December 16, 2015 by CALZONE

[Blarg]

A 5 -$125, even less.

[Mark68]

When you give a guy a 7-10 year guaranteed deal for $150M+ you have pretty much taken away his incentive to ever work hard again.

You mean that baseball players have no pride to play for?

[Docwaukee]

When you give a guy a 7-10 year guaranteed deal for $150M+ you have pretty much taken away his incentive to ever work hard again.

remind me to never hire you for anything.  

[UndertheHalo]

I don't buy that the Angels need to have a 20 something draft pick to start rebuilding the farm. The draft is a massive grab bag that is very difficult to evaluate. Most of the players even in the early rounds won't develop into anything. The Angels have just done a shitty job. They need to get better at the draft as a priority. Not more picks. Boston has spent massively over the years and they've managed it.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

slow play would be into January/February.  The stove is still hot in December.

 

We're already halfway through the month. Christmas is next week, and New Year's Day the week after that. Unless something happens by the weekend, I doubt that we will see much more action in the FA market until January.

[Stradling]

When you give a guy a 7-10 year guaranteed deal for $150M+ you have pretty much taken away his incentive to ever work hard again.

This says a lot more about you than it does those players. You must be Union. Go ahead and ignore that in order to get where they are they have to be incredibly competitive.

[Ohtaniland]

This says a lot more about you than it does those players. You must be Union. Go ahead and ignore that in order to get where they are they have to be incredibly competitive.

I'm all for incentive based contracts. The players that play at a higher level should get paid more. I just think it's crazy to guarantee some player $30M for year 2021 when you have no idea how he's going to perform in 2021. Teams need salary caps and no contracts should be more than 5 years.

Fire away.....

[Stradling]

I'm all for incentive based contracts. The players that play at a higher level should get paid more. I just think it's crazy to guarantee some player $30M for year 2021 when you have no idea how he's going to perform in 2021. Teams need salary caps and no contracts should be more than 5 years.

Fire away.....

Go watch minor league baseball, you'll be much happier.