Behind the scenes from Dipoto era

[Second Base]

From what I've come to understand, the Angels liked LHP Ricardo Sanchez, but not that much. Some of you may remember him being the Angels highest profile signing in Latin America in some time before they traded him for Kyle Kubitza.

But as it turns out, they were more concerned with re-establishing a presence in Latin American countries. More specifically, the Angels had their eye on a much bigger splash, SS Kevin Maitan. Sanchez (3 years older) trained with Maitan, and so many of the signings that occur down there come in packages or simply occur because a team is in good with a trainer. 

So the Angels overpaid on Sanchez to get in good with his trainer so that they could land Maitan and thus get a more firm foundation.

When discussions with Maitain began reaching a price tag the Angels weren't comfortable with, and other more established teams began jockeying for position, the Angels moved on, and tried to sign the next best SS prospect on their radar. 

Roberto Baldoquin. 

While I don't know what happened with the price tag, I do think the Angels were a bit desperate to play their hand and probably made an offer aggressive enough to keep this from becoming a bidding war.

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

From what I've come to understand, the Angels liked LHP Ricardo Sanchez, but not that much. Some of you may remember him being the Angels highest profile signing in Latin America in some time before they traded him for Kyle Kubitza.

But as it turns out, they were more concerned with re-establishing a presence in Latin American countries. More specifically, the Angels had their eye on a much bigger splash, SS Kevin Maitan. Sanchez (3 years older) trained with Maitan, and so many of the signings that occur down there come in packages or simply occur because a team is in good with a trainer. 

So the Angels overpaid on Sanchez to get in good with his trainer so that they could land Maitan and thus get a more firm foundation.

When discussions with Maitain began reaching a price tag the Angels weren't comfortable with, and other more established teams began jockeying for position, the Angels moved on, and tried to sign the next best SS prospect on their radar. 

Roberto Baldoquin. 

While I don't know what happened with the price tag, I do think the Angels were a bit desperate to play their hand and probably made an offer aggressive enough to keep this from becoming a bidding war.

Brilliant!!  Just pure effing brilliant....  

So let me get this straight...  They shied away from Maitan because potential costs ...  but then signed Baldoquin a guy NOBODY was high on for 8 mil.. after penalties almost 16 mil...  because he was number 2 on JD's radar????    Meanwhile Kevin Maitan, considered the best international prospect in his signing class eventually signed for 4.25 million...  Yep... 4.25 mil.   Vlad Jr. BTW signed for 3.9 Mil.   Lazaro Armenteros, called the Cuban Bryce Harper....  he signed for 3 mil....   

I don't know who your sources are -- I'm not questioning the veracity of your post but I have a hard time believing JD and company were that stupid.  I mean, signing two guys who couldn't throw and calling it mission accomplished was a level of stupid I'd never seen before but spending 16 mil and freezing yourself out of two signing classes because you are afraid you might not be able to compete for a guy two years later is momentously stupid.

Baldo was signed in December of 14, he was an afterthought in his own signing class... a leftover.  Maitan wasn't eligible to sign until 2016...   If things went down like you're explaining ...   Jeesh....

 

 

[Angel Oracle]

LOL, at this rate, Baldoquin might reach AA by age 26.     Is the scout who recommended him even employed still? 

[Inside Pitch]

9 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

LOL, at this rate, Baldoquin might reach AA by age 26.     Is the scout who recommended him even employed still? 

Do I need to dig up the old article where it says point blank that JD personally oversaw his workouts with the Angels?   The smartest guy in the room was the driving force behind that call.  I forget what he said exactly but it was along the lines of "he's not a guy that is raw, he just needs at bats" or some other tripe..   
 

[Angel Oracle]

It wouldn't surprise me that Dipeutered was also seriously involved in the Baldoquin signing.

The gift that keeps right on giving.

[Inside Pitch]

2 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

It wouldn't surprise me that Dipeutered was also seriously involved in the Baldoquin signing.

The gift that keeps right on giving.

He spent three days scouting him...   

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-angels-roberto-baldoquin-signing-20150106-story.html

This will always be my favorite quote on Baldoquin - 

“He’s not a raw, let’s-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection,” Dipoto said. “He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he’s a pretty mature kid. He has a skill set that is very well-balanced.” 

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

 

[Angels#1Fan]

7 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

It wouldn't surprise me that Dipeutered was also seriously involved in the Baldoquin signing.

The gift that keeps right on giving.

You can say that again.

[totdprods]

I have literally wondered far too often if Baldoquin was some form of sabotage. Like, did Dipoto have a really shitty week a few weeks before and decide then and there that he was ready to quit, went out and signed Baldoquin, and then had a change of heart only to quit later?

I know it's ridiculous, but it's crossed my mind way too often.

[Second Base]

I think it was more along the lines of Maitan is who we want, we can't have him, but for a little more, we can get a guy that's a sure thing, though not the upside. They legitimately believed that Baldoquin would only need a year in the minors, in much the same way that Leonys Martin did.

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

I think it was more along the lines of Maitan is who we want, we can't have him, but for a little more, we can get a guy that's a sure thing, though not the upside. They legitimately believed that Baldoquin would only need a year in the minors, in much the same way that Leonys Martin did.

But they could have had the guy they wanted.....  for less...  and not have been locked out of two signing seasons...    

[Blarg]

I think Jerry convinced himself he was an excellent judge of talent. Part of his Alex Haig complex.

[Docwaukee]

7 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Brilliant!!  Just pure effing brilliant....  

So let me get this straight...  They shied away from Maitan because potential costs ...  but then signed Baldoquin a guy NOBODY was high on for 8 mil.. after penalties almost 16 mil...  because he was number 2 on JD's radar????    Meanwhile Kevin Maitan, considered the best international prospect in his signing class eventually signed for 4.25 million...  Yep... 4.25 mil.   Vlad Jr. BTW signed for 3.9 Mil.   Lazaro Armenteros, called the Cuban Bryce Harper....  he signed for 3 mil....   

I don't know who your sources are -- I'm not questioning the veracity of your post but I have a hard time believing JD and company were that stupid.  I mean, signing two guys who couldn't throw and calling it mission accomplished was a level of stupid I'd never seen before but spending 16 mil and freezing yourself out of two signing classes because you are afraid you might not be able to compete for a guy two years later is momentously stupid.

Baldo was signed in December of 14, he was an afterthought in his own signing class... a leftover.  Maitan wasn't eligible to sign until 2016...   If things went down like you're explaining ...   Jeesh....

 

 

the actual signing is all the stupid we need to know.  The collateral effect it had on our ability to sign other players just adds insult to injury.  

[Second Base]

For me, the Baldoquin signing doesn't make me angry at all. It's the reasoning behind it. We signed a kid we didn't necessarily like to an overslept bonus in order to get in good with a trainer, in the mean time, it didn't maneuver us into position as we had hoped, so we traded the kid we didn't want while he still had some value and went on to sign a more expensive kid that wasn't as good.

I'm not even sure if the Angels were being outbid for Maitan services, as much as their trainer was probably unwilling to make a handshake agreement with the Angels as he did with the Braves.

[AngelsLakersFan]

On 4/24/2017 at 4:25 PM, Inside Pitch said:

He spent three days scouting him...   

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-angels-roberto-baldoquin-signing-20150106-story.html

This will always be my favorite quote on Baldoquin - 

“He’s not a raw, let’s-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection,” Dipoto said. “He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he’s a pretty mature kid. He has a skill set that is very well-balanced.” 

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

 

Man that's rough. I've defended Dipoto a lot on here, and I think there is definitely some merit to his analytical skills, but the more time goes on the more clear it becomes that despite his background as a player he seems quite lacking in the fundamental aspects of talent evaluation.

[Tyler]

Wannabe Billy Beane. Glad that era is over.

[UndertheHalo]

the further we get away from him, the more evident it is how shitty he really was.  DiPoto is starting to look even worse then Reagins.

[Inside Pitch]

14 hours ago, Blarg said:

I think Jerry convinced himself he was an excellent judge of talent. Part of his Alex Haig complex.

I dont know if people truly get how very fitting this comment is.   "Im in charge here" very much applies...

[NorCal Halo]

Or maybe he scouted Maitan but thought his name was Baldoquin.

[totdprods]

I kinda feel that if we're out of it by July, we might as well bring him up and throw him in and see what happens, for the lulz.

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

I kinda feel that if we're out of it by July, we might as well bring him up and throw him in and see what happens, for the lulz.

Only if Sosh promises to refer to him as Jerry's Kid...    that would be entertaining.

[eligrba]

On ‎4‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 4:25 PM, Inside Pitch said:

He spent three days scouting him...   

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-angels-roberto-baldoquin-signing-20150106-story.html

This will always be my favorite quote on Baldoquin - 

“He’s not a raw, let’s-wait-and-see-how-this-turns-out projection,” Dipoto said. “He looks like a major league player now. He needs a little time in the minor leagues to adjust to a new country, but he’s a pretty mature kid. He has a skill set that is very well-balanced.” 

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

 

Can hardly wait for Dipoto's scouting to take affect in Seattle.

[totdprods]

4 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Can hardly wait for Dipoto's scouting to take affect in Seattle.

Speaking of, they're imploding right now. Losing 16-4 in the 6th. Hernandez has an ERA near 5 and was out by the 3rd, and Haniger left with a strained oblique. Could be out for awhile.

[ten ocho recon scout]

11 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Man that's rough. I've defended Dipoto a lot on here, and I think there is definitely some merit to his analytical skills, but the more time goes on the more clear it becomes that despite his background as a player he seems quite lacking in the fundamental aspects of talent evaluation.

Just about EVERY swinging d*ck on here adored dipo, almost to the end. For no other reason than he was departure from reagins, and ill even throw mickey hatcher in there. 

We all wanted to finally catch up to the smart phone generation with what seemed like every other team.

So many on here (myself to a good degree included) came to despise sosh and blame him for everything over the last several years post 2009. Im not trying to say sosh isnt ready for replacement, but in his defense, the front office hasnt really given him a great product for the last 6 or 7 years. Yes, we had some really good players come here, and trout was a gift from the gods. But what team have we fielded after 09 that didnt have major flaws? Our bread and butter in the glory years was pitching and a bullpen that other teams envy. Its been YEARS since weve had that. The pen has been dogsh*t for years, save for the last half of 14. (Then we blew it up that offseason). Not only ddint we never really replace lackey when he left (you can say weaver but who replaced him?), we havent even replaced weaver, and nothing in house will...

Dipoto seemed like a really dmart guy, and a lot of shrewd moves reinforced that. And in the front offices defense, weve been snakebit with injuries. That being said, looking back...what were the great moves? Skaggs and santiago is the most popular...but trumbo may have been better long term in LF than say a FA that could have filled for santiago (obviously this is only an argument because skaggs got hurt). Trop for conger? Great one...but maybe houston knew something? Iannetta for chatwood was great because we got rid of mathis, but...

After those, are there really any others where he pulled off a miracle?

I think dipo is a smart guy...i just think he thought he was smarter than he really was. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

11 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

the further we get away from him, the more evident it is how shitty he really was.  DiPoto is starting to look even worse then Reagins.

As funny as it sounds, that hit me a few months ago. With looking back at the last 5 years or so, compared to reagins (who was bad), its a very valid argument.

Again, its hard to say for sure because of injuries. But i think its a good debate about who left the team in worse shape. The farm didnt get any better...and dipo had a bigger checkbook and trout.

Take trout away from the dipo era and give him to reagins...

[Jay]

7 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Just about EVERY swinging d*ck on here adored dipo, almost to the end.

Hey speak for yourself, not everybody drank the kool-aid.