What now Mr. Billy Eppler

[Troll Daddy]

The team has 27 wins and still very much in the thick of the race. What's your next move?

Fold up shop until Trout returns and pray? or do we go out and find a replacement bat asap? 

Listening to his interview yesterday he seemed pretty relaxed about the whole situation. Now is the time when the tough get going! 

Trade whoever and get us a impact bat!

[zenmaster]

Hope your trade pieces perform well the next couple weeks and unload anyone you possibly can not named Trout. Then get the younger guys some playing time the rest of the season to see what if someone, anyone can break out and contribute next year. Then hopefully sign some free agents in the off-season while we wait for our 28 pitchers to heal.

[fan_since79]

There really is no "race" to "be in the thick of" on May 31st. There are ten teams in the AL within 5.5 games of the second wild card. Yes, the Angels are only 2.5 games back, but there are four long months to go. There's going to be a long grind before the "race" heats up.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2017 by fan_since79

[Stradling]

I'd release Pennington or Espinosa, I'd send Marte back down. I'd call up Cron and put him at 1st every game, to see if he could do what he did last year.  I'd call up Cowart.  I'd bring Escobar up and bat him 2nd and play him every day at third.  I'd start Fontana or Cowart (probably Cowart) at 2nd every day.  Valbuena would be more utility corner infielder that gives guys days off.  I'd start Maybin, if healthy enough, in left and bat him leadoff every game. See if they all play decent enough to either keep us in the hunt or to increase their trade value.  In Cowart's case it would be an audition to answer questions going into next year.  If his bat pans out for the next 100 games, then in the offseason you find either a second baseman or a third baseman and Cowart takes the other spot.  I think that's what I would do for the next couple months.  

[totdprods]

I honestly think the best course of action right now is to just stand pat. No sense making a move and spending resources to try and move the needle when so much of the team is still underperforming, and with the division out of reach.

Conversely, we need many of our underperforming players to step it up for either two results, keeping the team afloat for 6-8 weeks until Trout returns (Escobar, Street, Bedrosian, Meyer, and possibly Skaggs will all return in that span too) or upping their trade value.

Those are really the two best goals to shoot for right now. Don't think dumping players and throwing up the white flag is necessary yet. 

[Troll Daddy]

10 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I honestly think the best course of action right now is to just stand pat. No sense making a move and spending resources to try and move the needle when so much of the team is still underperforming, and with the division out of reach.

Conversely, we need many of our underperforming players to step it up for either two results, keeping the team afloat for 6-8 weeks until Trout returns (Escobar, Street, Bedrosian, Meyer, and possibly Skaggs will all return in that span too) or upping their trade value.

Those are really the two best goals to shoot for right now. Don't think dumping players and throwing up the white flag is necessary yet. 

Sounds like you've given up on the season with or without Trout. Prepping for next year isn't a bad choice, I guess. 

[totdprods]

1 minute ago, Troll Daddy said:

Sounds like you've given up on the season with or without Trout. Prepping for next year isn't a bad choice, I guess. 

Far from it, if anything, I lean towards buying. When Skaggs went down, I would have liked for them to go after a vet SP, but the rotation has stepped up so far, and with Meyer, Wright, and now Bridwell (with Nate Smith still in the periphery) I'm feeling better about running those guys out for the time being. 

But ultimately, I don't think we're any more worse off now without Trout. This team wasn't going to compete with him carrying the entire team on his back all year long. It's time for the other guys to step up, and if they do, I think we'll still be right there when he returns. If they don't, then I don't think we were going to make it regardless of how good Mike Trout was for the whole season. I'm hoping they do step up - it'll have two effects, either they tread water long enough for injured folks to return, or at the very least, bump up some trade value should we decide to sell. 

Dumping Espinosa, Revere, Nolasco, etc. and replacing with Cowart, Ackley, whomever isn't really going to make this team any substantially better, and it just jettisons players who may potentially recoup some trade value. 

[Junkballer]

Whatever course of action that improves or at least doesn't adversely affect the club for the 2019 & 2020 seasons.  Eppler is still digging the organization out of the slag heap and needs to have his highest priority on making them a true contender in the last two years of Trout's current contract.  I'm fine with stopgap moves and getting fringe players some mlb time for this season.  Hopefully, they do well and become more marketable or useful.

[DMVol]

5 minutes ago, totdprods said:

...Dumping Espinosa, Revere, Nolasco, etc. and replacing with Cowart, Ackley, whomever isn't really going to make this team any substantially better, and it just jettisons players who may potentially recoup some trade value. 

Trade value (as of now) among guys with expiring contracts: Maybin (if healthy) and Norris...

[totdprods]

1 minute ago, DMVol said:

Trade value (as of now) among guys with expiring contracts: Maybin (if healthy) and Norris...

Yeah, and that's about it. Chavez is probably good for something too. 
My hope would be that Revere plays well and Espinosa gets one of his hot months again - he's still been good defensively, and if a team suffers an injury at 2B or SS or needs a glove-first utility guy with some pop - that someone throws a fringe prospect our way for him out of desperation.

Danny was pretty awful in April and May last year too and then had a ridiculous July. Not banking on him to repeat that by any means, but a hot month could make him relatively tradeable in July.

[Troll Daddy]

9 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Far from it, if anything, I lean towards buying. When Skaggs went down, I would have liked for them to go after a vet SP, but the rotation has stepped up so far, and with Meyer, Wright, and now Bridwell (with Nate Smith still in the periphery) I'm feeling better about running those guys out for the time being. 

But ultimately, I don't think we're any more worse off now without Trout. This team wasn't going to compete with him carrying the entire team on his back all year long. It's time for the other guys to step up, and if they do, I think we'll still be right there when he returns. If they don't, then I don't think we were going to make it regardless of how good Mike Trout was for the whole season. I'm hoping they do step up - it'll have two effects, either they tread water long enough for injured folks to return, or at the very least, bump up some trade value should we decide to sell. 

Dumping Espinosa, Revere, Nolasco, etc. and replacing with Cowart, Ackley, whomever isn't really going to make this team any substantially better, and it just jettisons players who may potentially recoup some trade value. 

Is it possible we trade for a moto bat now to keep things afloat until Trout returns and boost the offense with Trout in the lineup this season and after? maybe from a team needing salary relief so not give up much in a trade. 

 

 

[Second Base]

There's no reason for Eppler not to be relaxed. There's nothing he can do about Trout getting injured for the first time in his career, so you can't worry about things like that. He just had to keep doing his job. 

He'll continue to play Espinosa in hopes of flipping him at the deadline (we won't get anything for him). Same with Pennington, he's worthless.

Someone will probably give up a minor league reliever for Escobar, nothing too grand. Since the team still has intentions of competing next season, he won't be trading Calhoun. 

 

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Is it possible we trade for a moto bat now to keep things afloat until Trout returns and boost the offense with Trout in the lineup this season and after? maybe from a team needing salary relief so not give up much in a trade. 

I can't see there being many MOTO bats avail for a price worth paying - is one MOTO bat going to put us over the hump worth paying prospects for a possible 5-week span?

Calhoun getting back to a .725 OPS, Pujols keeping up his May (he had an over .800 OPS), and Valbuena getting into a .750 OPS range is all doable and doesn't cost a thing. 
Marte, Cron, and Espinosa getting above a .600 OPS could and should happen. 

We have enough in-house to keep things afloat, they just need to do it, and if they don't, I don't think we were gonna make it regardless of adding Trout or a MOTO via trade.

[totdprods]

6 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

There's no reason for Eppler not to be relaxed. There's nothing he can do about Trout getting injured for the first time in his career, so you can't worry about things like that. He just had to keep doing his job. 

He'll continue to play Espinosa in hopes of flipping him at the deadline (we won't get anything for him). Same with Pennington, he's worthless.

Someone will probably give up a minor league reliever for Escobar, nothing too grand. Since the team still has intentions of competing next season, he won't be trading Calhoun. 

Boston is one to watch as a potential Escobar destination. They're having issues there, have a deep enough farm, and don't have long-term need for him. He'd fit well in that line-up. 

I think a hot Espinosa could still land a Jesus Castillo-type low A arm. Not much, but it'd replace the Ruxer, Kipper, McGowin, Adams arms we dealt. Org filler still helps. I see Pennington being more of a throw-in - say the Yankees wind up nabbing Norris and Torreyes is entrenched at 3B or 2B, Cliff could patch in for a few weeks until someone returns, then gets DFAed. No real value on his own, but under certain circumstances he is movable.

[Second Base]

1 minute ago, totdprods said:

Boston is one to watch as a potential Escobar destination. They're having issues there, have a deep enough farm, and don't have long-term need for him. He'd fit well in that line-up. 

I think a hot Espinosa could still land a Jesus Castillo-type low A arm. Not much, but it'd replace the Ruxer, Kipper, McGowin, Adams arms we dealt. Org filler still helps.

All those guys you listed are live arm types and those you can get in the 30th round of the draft, but I see you point. I think Jesus Castillo was still a stroke of luck for the Angels.

He's developed a year or two slower than anticipated when he was a top international signing prospect. He also found himself in an organization with too many talented minor league options, they couldn't hope to keep him. We were right place and right time for that, because as far as I can tell, Castillo still has a pretty bright future.

[totdprods]

Just now, Scotty@AW said:

All those guys you listed are live arm types and those you can get in the 30th round of the draft, but I see you point. I think Jesus Castillo was still a stroke of luck for the Angels.

He's developed a year or two slower than anticipated when he was a top international signing prospect. He also found himself in an organization with too many talented minor league options, they couldn't hope to keep him. We were right place and right time for that, because as far as I can tell, Castillo still has a pretty bright future.

Yeah, there's nothing particularly special about them, but we're still short enough on org depth I think it'd come in handy. Look at the flipside, we used those same 30th round type live arms to acquire Bridwell, Pounders, and Espinosa - so those types still have some usefulness. 

A lot of it comes down to the fact that I trust Eppler. He's been doing a great job of finding overlooked players both here and in New York, at the major and minor league level, so if he can flip Espinosa or Pennington or Revere for a minor-league arm that doesn't seem like much at first glance, I'll trust his scouts.

Any vet with an expiring contract is an opportunity to acquire anything, and Eppler's been doing really well in that regard.

[Second Base]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Yeah, there's nothing particularly special about them, but we're still short enough on org depth I think it'd come in handy. Look at the flipside, we used those same 30th round type live arms to acquire Bridwell, Pounders, and Espinosa - so those types still have some usefulness. 

A lot of it comes down to the fact that I trust Eppler. He's been doing a great job of finding overlooked players both here and in New York, at the major and minor league level, so if he can flip Espinosa or Pennington or Revere for a minor-league arm that doesn't seem like much at first glance, I'll trust his scouts.

Any vet with an expiring contract is an opportunity to acquire anything, and Eppler's been doing really well in that regard.

He's shown the ability to recognize overlooked minor league talent for cheap, and I think his first draft was wildly successful. I too trust him, but I'm not adventure optimistic as you are that we'll be able to acquire anything of value for most of our veterans. 

I could see Escobar, Revere, Maybin and Street netting us prospects that are borderline top 30. I think contending teams are looking for more quality than quantity among their starters, so Nolasco and Chavez won't get us much either.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, ThomasSutpen said:

Eppler needs to be focused on the draft right now, as do the rest of the front offices in the MLB, so don't expect some type of headline-making transaction. Cowart for damn sure should be up and playing though.

This, need to have good drafts next month and in 2018 to go with 2016's seemingly solid draft, and to start mining Latin America again starting July 1, in order to have a solid farm again by after the 2018 season.

[Troll Daddy]

I was hoping you 'in the know guys' could come up with some ideas how to improve our offense NOW by adding a proven bat in the lineup. Hoping our struggling players turn it around is good but is that all we can hope for?

Talking about expiring contracts trade value isn't what I had in mind. 

[totdprods]

18 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

He's shown the ability to recognize overlooked minor league talent for cheap, and I think his first draft was wildly successful. I too trust him, but I'm not adventure optimistic as you are that we'll be able to acquire anything of value for most of our veterans. 

I could see Escobar, Revere, Maybin and Street netting us prospects that are borderline top 30. I think contending teams are looking for more quality than quantity among their starters, so Nolasco and Chavez won't get us much either.

I don't think we really have much to offer for any legit prospect return, short of exploring deals for Calhoun, Maldonado, Simmons, Shoemaker, or Bedrosian, and I don't think those are too likely. 

I think even under the best circumstances, you're correct with your estimate for what Escobar and etc. will return. I could see Eppler looking a little less towards a traditional prospect return to, and possibly see a sort of hybrid buyer and seller trade (think Santiago for Nolasco and Meyer) where we nab a bordering 4A player or forgotten prospect like a Rob Refsnyder type, or we even throw in a prospect with one of our rental vets to bring back a Greg Garcia, Nick Tropeano, etc. type. Someone who can fit into the depth next year and fill a need at a minimum should we fail to find something better in the offseason.

[DMVol]

50 minutes ago, totdprods said:

....Danny was pretty awful in April and May last year too and then had a ridiculous July. Not banking on him to repeat that by any means, but a hot month could make him relatively tradeable in July.

His value is defense...you hope maybe a good offensive team needs a quality defensive SS and is willing to sacrifice offense...and maybe at least would take on some of his salary...

[totdprods]

10 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

I was hoping you 'in the know guys' could come up with some ideas how to improve our offense NOW by adding a proven bat in the lineup. Hoping our struggling players turn it around is good but is that all we can hope for?

Talking about expiring contracts trade value isn't what I had in mind. 

Ryan Braun? Andre Ethier? Jay Bruce? Curtis Granderson? They may be affordable targets, but I still think we'd need our struggling players to step up quite a bit in order for that acquired player to have sufficient impact on our lineup. Is anything on our farm expendable enough for the marginal improvement we'd see from them?

I really liked the idea of acquiring Nick Markakis and even Hanley Ramirez at one point when they looked expendable, but not sure either club would part with them lightly now.

[Troll Daddy]

1 minute ago, totdprods said:

Ryan Braun? Andre Ethier? Jay Bruce? Curtis Granderson? They may be affordable targets, but I still think we'd need our struggling players to step up quite a bit in order for that acquired player to have sufficient impact on our lineup. 

I really liked the idea of acquiring Nick Markakis and even Hanley Ramirez at one point when they looked expendable, but not sure either club would part with them lightly now.

How about first base? I'm not crazy about our future at that position. 

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, DMVol said:

Trade value (as of now) among guys with expiring contracts: Maybin (if healthy) and Norris...

I would certainly add Petit to that list.  

[totdprods]

20 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

How about first base? I'm not crazy about our future at that position. 

One of Valbuena, Marte, or Cron is sufficient. All three are not this bad. Who out there would be a guaranteed step up that won't cost an arm and a leg? James Loney is a FA. That's all that comes to mind. Certainly don't think he's gonna do much better.