The last roster spot

[Docwaukee]

Is gonna go to Cowart.  

Walsh is terrible defensively.  

[tomsred]

It should go to Cowart, I'll take his defense and hope he can build up his hitting going forward.  Cowart is fundamentally sound in the field, and can handle second base and third base plus some other positions in an emergency.

[Second Base]

Walsh has definitely cooled off in all aspects as the major leaguers have logged more time. I wouldn't mind seeing it go to Chris Carter. The man is hitting the ball, has been all Spring.

Keeping Carter would force Cozart into backing up 2B and SS, but I think he could do it.

It'll be Cowart though. 

I mean really, if all other things were equal, no one has earned it more than David Fletcher, but they'll keep him hitting everyday in AAA.

[Erstad Grit]

Carter. I'm always down with having someone on the bench who could hit one out. 

[Troll Daddy]

I’m not sure how Cowart helps the team ... it’s not like the team needs a defensive replacement for late innings. Gimme someone who can hit the ball. 

[Stradling]

Cowart hasn’t really been given a chance. 

[Blarg]

19 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

Cowart hasn’t really been given a chance. 

Cowart has the 7th most at bats of anyone on the Angels. 3rd most of infielders. He had plenty of opportunities to show his skills. One of which is not hitting.

[disarcina]

not sure why Angels even invited Carter to camp.

Halos camp/ roster battle was not the best fit for Carter.

We've got a traffic jam at one-dimensional type DH players -- Puljos, Valbuena and Ohtani (well, one dimensional in terms he is not position player - DH only, perhaps PR).

tough for Carter to bump any one of those guys.

[disarcina]

I guess Marte is off the list then -- keep Marte and Cowart?  Where's the roster room?

[greginpsca]

I wish they could trade Valbuena, and use Carter at first. The changes Carter has made to his swing could lead to a big year.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

1 hour ago, Throwman91 said:

Cowart can't hit the broad side of a barn on a bright sunny day

He's a defensive replacement unless someone goes on the DL, in that case someone can be called up from AAA. Marte can't play 2B, Cozart could move to second but he is already learning a new position on the job. Cowart can play ever IF position and even the corner OF in a pinch. He won't need to hit very often at all. He can PR also.

[JustATroutFan]

Like Chris Carter and happy about his big performance so far this Spring Training. Still don't know where else he can play other than first base. Pujols and Valbuena are already going to start there. 

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, SuperTroopers said:

Cowart hasn’t really been given a chance. 

He had a chance last year.  I was a strong advocate of Cowart but he has had a chance.  I still hold out hope he can turn into a hitter buyt don't say he hast been given a chance.

[totdprods]

Marte, Carter, or Walsh, in that order.

I don't see any reason why Cowart should make the Opening Day roster - he doesn't bring anything to the team that is needed. Marte and Carter both do, a right-handed power bat to PH for or platoon with Valbuena and Ohtani as needed.

Walsh is basically bizarro-Cowart, in that he hits better (and is a switch-hitter) and can play more positions - but glove is much worse.

[jordan]

Yeah Walsh has cooled on both sides of the ball. Probably Marte due to his ability to play multiple positions and his offensive upside. Carter just doesn’t have a spot at this point. 

[Stradling]

9 hours ago, Blarg said:

Cowart has the 7th most at bats of anyone on the Angels. 3rd most of infielders. He had plenty of opportunities to show his skills. One of which is not hitting.

I was talking about in the bigs during the regular season.  He’s had a little over 250 at bats over 3 seasons.  

[Stradling]

7 hours ago, stormngt said:

He had a chance last year.  I was a strong advocate of Cowart but he has had a chance.  I still hold out hope he can turn into a hitter buyt don't say he hast been given a chance.

He got 100 at bats last year. 

[Angelsfan1984]

20 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

He got 100 at bats last year. 

Who didn't give him that chance Strad? Who started swiss cheese bat instead?

[WeatherWonk]

Is Cowart out of options?

[JustATroutFan]

Cowart's horrible. They gave him a chance as a starter in August and he still didn't do anything to prove to me that he belongs in the big leagues.

[Stradling]

24 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Who didn't give him that chance Strad? Who started swiss cheese bat instead?

Well Swiss cheese bat got 250 at bats, so less than half a season, to a veteran, that the GM brought in.  Most veterans get half a season to figure it out.  

Edited March 16, 2018 by SuperTroopers

[Stradling]

12 minutes ago, JustATroutFan said:

Cowart's horrible. They gave him a chance as a starter in August and he still didn't do anything to prove to me that he belongs in the big leagues.

Because of August, ok.  

[Angelsfan1984]

Just now, SuperTroopers said:

Well Swiss cheese bat got 250 at bats, so less than half a season, to a veteran, that the GM brought in.  Most veterans get half a season to figure it out.  

I'm not looking for saber metrics or veteran bs, I'm asking YOU as a fan, could you not see that Espinoza was a waste of time? Was that not blatantly obvious to you? I don't care what the GM does, you as the coach need to understand that that guy is costing you games. Grow a pair and tell the GM to open his eyes.

[JustATroutFan]

Cowart's career numbers in the minors with the bat wasn't even good, either. He was a bad pick by the Angels. Give the roster spot to Carter! He's like two years removed from a terrific season with the Brewers. And had a couple of good years with the Astros. Angels are a team trying to win now,  not a team trying to give unproven guys a chance at succeeding in the big leagues.

[Stradling]

5 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

I'm not looking for saber metrics or veteran bs, I'm asking YOU as a fan, could you not see that Espinoza was a waste of time? Was that not blatantly obvious to you? I don't care what the GM does, you as the coach need to understand that that guy is costing you games. Grow a pair and tell the GM to open his eyes.

Yes it was obvious he was bad at baseball.   As far as what the GM does, well you need a second baseman, so what he does is kind of important.   So if I had to choose between great defense and Espinosa or start Pennington, well I don’t know what I’d do.   But if we break those two players up into offense and defense, there’s literally only one good tool out of the two players and that would be Espinosa’s defense.