Angels sign Cozart to 3-year deal

[KevinStockerIsGod]

He plays great defense, has good pop, saw a resurgence in offense last year with a changed batting stance...for a free agent signing, this is very manageable. 

[HaloNArizona]

5 minutes ago, KevinStockerIsGod said:

3/38....not bad at all

Not that this is the end all...but MLB Traderumors had projected a 3 year/$42 million deal for Cozart.

The QO to Cozart would have been $17.4 million.

[tdawg87]

IMO this means Cron is as good as gone. You don't sign a guy to a 3 year/38 million dollar contract to platoon with someone. 

[Troutstanding]

Cozart is a 2 WAR player BEFORE his breakout season last year. This is the type of move we needed. 

[CanadianHalo]

Hopefully this new stance was the reason for the spike in offensive production 

[totdprods]

Is this Eppler's first multi-year FA commitment?

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

1 minute ago, CanadianHalo said:

My initial reaction as well 

If the #'s are right 12.5per not bad overall..... Have to wait and see the results at the end of the year stats wise!

[CanadianHalo]

Just now, totdprods said:

Is this Eppler's first multi-year FA commitment?

Valbuena? Upton?

[popo85]

3 minutes ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

And Ohtani and Kole are our only Lefties in the lineup.....

Don't worry Ohtani will be our Japanese lefty Mike Trout

[CanadianHalo]

1 minute ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

If the #'s are right 12.5per not bad overall..... Have to wait and see the results at the end of the year stats wise!

Yeah and suppose this gives us a little insurance if Kinsler bombs and is only a 1 year thing

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Just now, popo85 said:

Don't worry Ohtani will be our Japanese lefty Mike Trout

3-4 days a week

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Is this Eppler's first multi-year FA commitment?

Depends on if you count Upton a FA or not.  

[Angelsfan1984]

Well heres to hoping 2017 wasn't a fluke. If he can play the same level of defense at 3rd and put up .275 .340 with 10-15 homeruns this deal is fine.

[Stradling]

I realize a 2 WAR isn't sexy, but the guy has had at least a 2 WAR every year.  There was a lot of speculation he would get a $40-50 million deal.  

[vladdy#27]

His splits were actually pretty spot on last year. So that’s a positive

[m0nkey]

4 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Is this Eppler's first multi-year FA commitment?

 

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Depends on if you count Upton a FA or not.  

How soon you forget Cliff Pennington

[Stradling]

Just now, Angelsfan1984 said:

Well heres to hoping 2017 wasn't a fluke. If he can play the same level of defense at 3rd and put up .275 .340 with 10-15 homeruns this deal is fine.

If he is a 2 win player each year then the deal is fine, because that is basically what they paid him as.  

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Depends on if you count Upton a FA or not.  

I would. He was free to walk if he wanted and they restructured the contract.

[m0nkey]

If Eppler wasn't the GM, I wouldn't like this move

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

4 minutes ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

If the #'s are right 12.5per not bad overall..... Have to wait and see the results at the end of the year stats wise!

 

2 minutes ago, CanadianHalo said:

Yeah and suppose this gives us a little insurance if Kinsler bombs and is only a 1 year thing

 

Unless, they want to go with Kinsler this year... Move Cozart to 2nd next year and make a run after Machado for 3B or Harper for RF......

[mulwin444]

Hooray...we signed the "Gary Matthews Jr" of infielders

Meh

[Stradling]

Just now, m0nkey said:

 

How soon you forget Cliff Pennington

I forgot about Valbuena as well.  

[Angelsfan1984]

Just now, Stradling said:

If he is a 2 win player each year then the deal is fine, because that is basically what they paid him as.  

Our defense is going to be disgustingly good. Unless of course they hit it to 1st lol.

[Warfarin]

This is a strong move, not because we are assuming he'll maintain his 2017 offensive production, but because he provides tremendous defensive versatility and gives us options to pursue either a 2B OR a 3B next offseason.  Don't underestimate the value of defensive flexibility.  We are effectively paying him to do two jobs (3B and utility infielder).  This means we don't actually really need a utility infielder on our roster, either.

We can, in turn, trade Cron for a reliever and sign LoMo to play 1B.  

Cozart can play 3B about four times a week, then play 2B another day a week (Kinsler's off day), then SS once a week (Simmons' off day).  Valbuena can play 3B the other 3 days that Cozart is off, plus every now and then at 1B, too.

Lots of options now!

[Stradling]

Albert will be fine defensively.  He won't be vintage Albert defensively, but he will be adequate.