Gott sent down to AAA

[nando714]

We need to find a defensive replacement at 3rd though late in games bc Escobar is awful defensively

[bloodbrother]

Exactly why he was sent down. He has no secondary pitch so hitters only had to sit on his fastball. The velocity isn't meaningless, it's that he had nothing to change a hitter's timing with. Him being able to throw hard gave him more margin for error than it would if he was throwing with lesser velocity.

[Angel Oracle]

His fastball didn't have much movement either.

[disarcina]

was that Escobar who made that stellar play at 3B in Thursday night's game.? Or was Pennington or someone else playing third.

Gotta say, Simmons as advertised defensively at SS -- Angels a lot better up the middle this year -- Perez is good behind the plate.....Simmons at SS and, of course, Trout in CF.

Johnny G worked hard on D in the off-season.

Surprised to see Trevor Gott sent to AAA -- probably would have made the Halos roster as a pen guy.

[Inside Pitch]

Exactly why he was sent down. He has no secondary pitch so hitters only had to sit on his fastball. The velocity isn't meaningless, it's that he had nothing to change a hitter's timing with. Him being able to throw hard gave him more margin for error than it would if he was throwing with lesser velocity.

 

 

They weren't teeing off on him because of his secondary pitches, they were making contact because that's the sort of pitcher he is and has been throughout the minors.  The only time he's had a contact rate below the league average was in AAA where his batted ball profiles were ridiculously out of line with his career -- GB rates below 30% and LD rates above 30%....  

 

Gott throws a heavy FB, they weren't missing it, they were mashing it into the ground -- that's his game and that isn't a knock on him.   We don't know if he was lucky last year, or if his BABIP will carry over, the sample size isn't there.   Regardless... unless his K rates rebound to where they were in the minors, his upside is somewhat limited to a middle reliever.  A put it on the ground and hope the defense converts it into outs type of guy.  Those guys can have good careers but I think the feeling among many Angels fans is that he would be much better than that.   

 

I like Gott, but I think people were putting too much weight into his radar gun readings and not so much how he was using said FB.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Inside Pitch

[disarcina]

well, like all these guys, Gott had his plusses and minuses......he got into quite a few games last year for the Halos during the second half and was fairly effective.

I don't know what kind of spring he had -- but based on last year, he's probably better than the 11th or 12th pitcher we'll have on the roster opening day

[Lou]

His fastball didn't have much movement either.

Exactly.

Even Grant Green smacks straight fastballs all over the park.

[Lou]

well, like all these guys, Gott had his plusses and minuses......he got into quite a few games last year for the Halos during the second half and was fairly effective.I don't know what kind of spring he had -- but based on last year, he's probably better than the 11th or 12th pitcher we'll have on the roster opening day

1. Being better than our worst reliever isn't anywhere near as valuable as Escobar

2. After Aug 25th, Gott sucked.

[Lou]

I still wouldnt trade Gott for Escobar.   Escobar = old and in decline, Gott = young and room for improvement.

lol @ in decline

"room for improvement" just means he sucks

[Lou]

Sandra Bernart's face has more room for improvement than Olivia Munn's

I'll take Olivia. You can enjoy Sandra.

[eligrba4ever]

A .281 career hitter with the range and arm of a shortstop playing third base is a good deal in trade for a young reliever with a good fastball who gets the yips under pressure. The Angels have a bullpen full of relievers, and they might be better than some of the guys who have moved on since the departure of JeDi and his minions. That shortstop at third is playing alongside what is probably the game's best shortstop at shortstop.  The left side of the Angels infield has a chance to be golden for the pitching staff.

[Stradling]

I like the optimism e4e, but unfortunately Escobar was very poor defensively last year at third. Maybe he settles in and has a slightly better year defensively this year as he has a year of 3rd under his belt. Expecting him to be good over there might be asking too much.

[ScottT]

Are you people talking about a different pitcher? Trevor Gott's fastball has movement.  He didn't get sent down because of poor performance, that's for sure.  

 

The trade was fair.  There's questions on both sides. 

[Angelsfirst]

Interesting thread. First of all I wouldn't say Escobar is declining. The question is how will his glove be a third. And how long can be continue hitting for average and a good OBP. We'll see.

As far as Gott, it really is too early to tell how he'll turn out, but as others have said there is no indication that he can or will develop an effective secondary pitch or learn to make his fastball less hittable. But you never know.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

He's 23 years old. You don't dump guys that age because they aren't instant successes.

 

I remember his dad with the Braves. Early on, he was gasoline on the fire until he figured it out. Threw hard but fooled nobody, then something clicked. Bedrock, Jr. isn't unlike that. He seems to have his dad's stuff. It may just take a while for him to gain full control of it.

[Oz27]

People declaring the Angels winners of this trade already (laughable, based off spring training alone) clearly don't value defense or didn't watch the calamity that was Escobar at third throughout the spring.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Oz27

[Stradling]

People declaring the Angels winners of this trade already (laughable, based off spring training alone) clearly don't value defense or didn't watch the calamity that was Escobar at third throughout the spring.

I don't know what Gott is going to be. I do have a pretty good idea what Escobar is. I'm perfectly fine with what Escobar is for this team, a top of the order bat that will get on base 35% of the time, I'll take that hitting in front of Trout.

[ettin]

Teams do this a lot where they have an asset that they feel is at certain stage in their career and move them accordingly or they simply don't have the roster room at this time or they are sending him down to start the season because maybe they need to carry an extra player (like a catcher or a lefty reliever for instance).

 

Perhaps they want an extra year of control over Gott and will call him up in May or June? There is always a good and valid reason and the Nationals traded Escobar because they see Gott as a near-term fit for their bullpen and were willing to give him the development time that Eppler couldn't perhaps afford to give him. Gott has a great fastball but his secondary offerings still could use some work.

[Oz27]

I don't know what Gott is going to be. I do have a pretty good idea what Escobar is. I'm perfectly fine with what Escobar is for this team, a top of the order bat that will get on base 35% of the time, I'll take that hitting in front of Trout.

I think he adds to this team, although it would be far better if he was not playing third base. I'm still not overly fond of the trade though.

[Lou]

People declaring the Angels winners of this trade already (laughable, based off spring training alone) clearly don't value defense or didn't watch the calamity that was Escobar at third throughout the spring.

Seems as if judging Escobar on spring training defense. In that case, it's fair to judge his offense, too.

.450 BA

.492 OBP

1.043 OPS

O Ks in 65 PAs

Edited April 3, 2016 by Lou

[Oz27]

Seems as if judging Escobar on spring training defense. In that case, it's fair to judge his offense, too.

.450 BA

.492 OBP

1.043 OPS

O Ks in 65 PAs

Judging him on career defense at third base, which he replicated in spring training.

[Billy_Ball]

Judging him on career defense at third base, which he replicated in spring training.

 

He's played mostly SS in his career.  And he had only 7 errors at third base last year.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Billy_Ball

[Oz27]

He's played mostly SS in his career.  And he had only 7 errors at third base last year.

He's logged nearly 1300 career innings at 3B and has been disastrous there. Last year he had a -11 DRS score and -7.7 UZR. That puts him on a similar defensive level at 3B to Giavotella at 2B (as in the "absolutely f**king terrible" level).

[Billy_Ball]

He's logged nearly 1300 career innings at 3B 

 

That's about one season.

[CanadianHalo]

Gott is/was a ticking time bomb. Billy sold high, smart move at the time and smart move still.

Edited April 3, 2016 by CanadianHalo