OK, now that's finished - onto Hot Stove season!

[Oz27]

2 hours ago, Richard said:

Cubs starter Jason Hammel also has an option that has a decision to be picked up or not. 

10 million, 2 million dollar buy out.

 

Potential SP target? 

If I were the Cubs I would pick up that option. If not, he is a solid back end target.

[tdawg87]

Sign everyone!

[totdprods]

With the amount of lotto ticket minor league SPs Eppler is hoarding, how early in the offseason it is, and the health concerns that Skaggs, Shoe, and Richards all possess, I wouldn't be surprised if Eppler targets two durable MLB SPs and takes offers on a starter. With such a thin SP class you never know what offers may float around. Could stack the deck so heavy that Meyer slots right into the pen or SLC.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Kenn_RosenthaI Nov 3

Sources: #Angels star Mike Trout headed to #RedSox for star prospect Yoan Moncada. Also moving in the deal: Jackie Bradley Jr, Sam Travis

9 replies 26 retweets 18 likes

 

*****************************

Just saw this. Some clown thinks it's funny to clone Rosenthal and attribute stupid trades to him.

[wopphil]

It is nice that we have already addressed left field. I thinking priorities now should be: 

1. Acquire starting pitcher. Even if it is just a back of the rotation guy who can give innings.

2. Acquire a good pen arm. It might actually make sense to spend big on a guy like Jansen.

3. Acquire a reliable, solid own arm. a Joe Smith type. 

4. Acquire another starting pitcher - more of a depth signing. Weaver or Chacin would be good here.

5. Get a good second baseman.

6. 4th outfielder. Someone with defense and speed. Borjesus would be good.

 

[Troll Daddy]

Jordan Walden on the block

[Stradling]

Bourjos 

Drew (I would prefer someone better, but he plays pretty good defense and has a little pop)

Nova or Hellickson

Jansen

 

That would be a pretty good rest of the off-season.  If you can trade a guy like Cron for some of this teams needs and sign a guy like Morales then do it.  

[Angel Oracle]

5 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Bourjos 

Drew (I would prefer someone better, but he plays pretty good defense and has a little pop)

Nova or Hellickson

Jansen

 

That would be a pretty good rest of the off-season.  If you can trade a guy like Cron for some of this teams needs and sign a guy like Morales then do it.  

That would be a solid off-season, but does Arte want to spend that much now (about $40 million including Maybin being committed  for 2017).   I would be fine with it, no Hackilton type FA contracts are included.

[Troll Daddy]

Angels shouldn't be getting in a bidding war for any of the top free agents. 

Lets hope Cam is for real

[Billy_Ball]

1 hour ago, Troll Daddy said:

Angels shouldn't be getting in a bidding war for any of the top free agents. 

Lets hope Cam is for real

Maybin or Bedrosian?

[Troll Daddy]

3 minutes ago, Billy_Ball said:

Maybin or Bedrosian?

BOTH!

[totdprods]

Hochevar's option declined by KC. Now a free agent, and also worth watching for a pen option.

[SigBaby]

What I would do:

1) Trade for Derek Dietrich to hold down second base as a left handed power bat who could turn into a very solid player with consistent playing time.

2) Re-sign Bailey and sign 1 more solid right handed reliever and a lefty. (Aaron Barrett and Boone Logan for example).

3) Sign a fifth starter with high risk high reward. I think in order for this season to pan out we need to catch lightning in a bottle from at least one of our starters. (Cashner, Medlen, Derek Holland). Basically bank on a starter with past success and decent stuff and hope for a bounce back season Nagy somehow worked some magic on Nolasco so maybe he could fix one of these guys. Plus our defense should be solid enough next year to help out our starters.

4) Trade Cron in a deal for pitching prospects (which may be needed to trade for Dietrich) and let Marte take over his role as 1b/DH. 

[Troll Daddy]

Get it done Eppy

 

[Blarg]

In case anyone is interested Taylor Ward just took over catching duties in the AFL All Stars game. He is the Angels lone representative.

[Ohtaniland]

Why they keep calling up some guy named Plantars Fasciitis every September is really getting old.  

[nando714]

Coco Crisp as that 4th OF? A nice vet presence that sosh values 

[tomsred]

1 hour ago, nando714 said:

Coco Crisp as that 4th OF? A nice vet presence that sosh values 

Terrible arm, I think we can do much better.  

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, nando714 said:

Coco Crisp as that 4th OF? A nice vet presence that sosh values 

Several vet guys would be good 4th OF options that would compliment Maybin well too. Crisp, Jon Jay, Rajai Davis, Angel Pagan, Chris Coghlan, Peter Bourjos, Franklin Gutierrez, Nolan Reimold.

If they did decide to decline/trade Escobar and move Marte to 3B, I would love to sign Brandon Moss as our bench/1B/LF bat.

Josh Reddick and Michael Saunders are two guys who probably don't fit, but both could have serious hang-ups on their contracts, and I could see there being a slight possibility one winds up available in late January and signs a one-year deal. It'd form an expensive platoon/4th OF situation with Maybin, but not out of the realm of possibility. 

[Tank]

I would re-sign Bailey, then give Reddick a call and see what his price is.

i don't think we're competitive enough right now to sign Jansen, but he's at least worth exploring. Who knows.

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, Tank said:

I would re-sign Bailey, then give Reddick a call and see what his price is.

i don't think we're competitive enough right now to sign Jansen, but he's at least worth exploring. Who knows.

I'm still way on board for signing an elite reliever. I can't imagine Reddick will be cheap now, and he has enough of a track record I would be surprised if he didn't get less than something like 3/39 at a minimum. 

Saunders though, I could see a lot of teams balking at giving him more than one year, or shelling out big bucks. Wouldn't surprise me if no one rolled the dice and he winds up taking a 1/12 before Spring Training, and if that situation comes up and the Angels still have Rafael Ortega lined up as their 4th OF, I would push for Saunders.

[tomsred]

I think a lot of this depends on what move they make to shore up second base, and also the pitching.  Some of the names mentioned would be better off left alone so we can spend elsewhere.  Once again we don't know exactly what the budget limit actually is.  Plus we have to leave room for escalating contracts and arbitration with existing players.  

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, tomsred said:

I think a lot of this depends on what move they make to shore up second base, and also the pitching.  Some of the names mentioned would be better off left alone so we can spend elsewhere.  Once again we don't know exactly what the budget limit actually is.  Plus we have to leave room for escalating contracts and arbitration with existing players.  

I think we're roughly around $30m of AAV  left before hitting the luxury tax threshold as of now. That's including Maybin's $9m added and with Escobar's $7m option still in the fold, and with arbitration projections already factored in.

I think that's probably a pretty realistic expectation of what we could spend still based on the fact that we generally go right up to the luxury tax threshold anyways. Moreno had said the luxury tax threshold is not the limit, and Eppler has also said in the recent season-ticket holders meeting that the club was willing to spend money and pay penalties right up to the point where it costs them players. Those comments were based more on the amateur draft and international limits, but I imagine it holds some truth to the MLB payroll as well. 

The big question I'm still wondering is whether or not we crossed the luxury tax threshold in '16, as I remember reading when we signed Lincecum that it possibly put us just barely over. Since the penalty increases each consecutive year, I could see them angling to get back under this offseason to restart the clock. Billy also came from a club that was over the threshold every year for like a decade, so I imagine he has a good feel for what's worth it and what isn't.

[Richard]

 

[totdprods]

With Volquez and Hammel now added to the SP class I'm feeling better about our chances of adding another Nolasco-type to the back of the rotation.