A case for Chris Carter

[Chuck]

Changed approach at the plate has led to better overall offensive results, while not giving away all of that power. 

3 HR, .306 BA, 1.005 OPS. Was recently just the NL HR champ.

How about give Ohtani some pinch hitting appearances and focus on pitching, while having Carter become our fulltime DH, part time 1B?

Give Ohtani a few starts here and there, but with Carter you even have some power off the bench.

I would rather have Carter over Marte. I mean, we already have Cozart at 3B and Valbuena at backup 3B/1B. 

If anything, maybe platoon Carter and Valbuena? Thoughts?

[jordan]

I’d definitely like to find a way to get Carter on the big league club.  Not sure there is any non-injury way that happens at this point.  

[Chris]

I think 1B / DH will be a potential weak area for us with Pujols / Valbuena / Ohtani.  I'm thinking Carter is the first one called up from AAA.

[Docwaukee]

I am sure that has been the conversation with Carter behind the scenes.  Probably form the beginning actually.  He knows the odds of making the 25 man.  You just have to hope that other teams don't come calling due to a need from unforeseen circumstances.  

He's looked good and if he signed here in the first place, he knows he's likely the first call up.  

But at this point you are obligated to Ohtani.   I know that doesn't sit well with some, but there are sacrifices that come with being able to sign him.  Spring at bats aren't going to be enough to prove he can't hit major league pitching.  They'll let him get at least 100 ab before doing anything.  

My guess is that if he accepts an assignment, he'll be back by mid to late April.  

[totdprods]

I still think Marte will make the opening day roster as the last bench spot, serving as a right-handed option to spot Valbuena and Ohtani late in games in certain matchups. Cowart will go to AAA to maintain depth. This is temporary. After a couple weeks,  something shakes loose (Pujols proves healthy enough for regular 1B planting time, Ohtani hits MLB pitching, they need a true back-up IF) and Marte is likely DFA'ed to open the door for Cowart to come up. Carter steps into the queue line for Marte's ABs. A couple weeks pass, the starters prove their health and they stretch their pitch counts to the ~100 range, and one of the out of options arms (Wood, Ramirez, Alvarez, Johnson) falls out of favor and is DFA'ed, clearing a spot for Carter to fill out the bench and takeover Marte's prior role. The Angels then mix and match the 12 pitchers (occasionally going to 13 and sending Cowart down) throughout the year with their optionable guys (Trop, Bridwell, Heaney, Barria for 6th SP, and Pena, Paredes, Scribner for multi-inning RP).

That's how I think it'll shake out....

[JustATroutFan]

Yeah, I agree with you, @Chuckster70. Carter deserves to be on the team over Marte. Carter has had a few good seasons in his career, while Marte's only had one good half a season (2016), so Carter has the better track record in his career.

Carter also has the better eye at the plate, since he walks more than Marte does. Live with the strikeouts but the home runs and walks will still be there with Carter.

[Second Base]

Though it won't happen, I'd bench Valbuena in favor of Carter. Valbuena has done nothing to make his role on this team cemented. 

He hit like crap last year and hasn't been much better this Spring.  He deserves an opportunity, and should be on this team, but he's done nothing to convince me he deserves 110 starts at 1B.

Carter on the other hand has proven this Spring that he deserves an opportunity.

[Rico]

Out of the trio of Valbuena/Pujols/Ohtani I have most confidence in Valbuena.  Shows you how bad the entire situation is.  

[disarcina]

Carter has had a good spring.

Kind of surprised he chose the Angels ST invite --- am sure he had others with teams not as loaded up at the positions he wants to stick on the 25 man roster at: 1B/ DH and some OF.

Angels really should have cut him loose earlier (not because of performance but because he deserves a shot at making some MLB team's opening day roster).

I just don't see him doing here in Anaheim. UNLESS OHTANI starts the season at AA or AAA (and folks here say that is not going to happen -- but it probably should).

Even with that, it's only a 30-45 day reprieve.

Carter must have let the Angels FO know it's ok if he starts the season at SLC as a 5-A player -- I actually think he's still better than that at this point in his career and his solid ST sort of shows that.

Miami?  They seem to be fielding a team full of 5-A players this year..........

[Hubs]

He signed a minor league deal, so he's likely to start at AAA. Likely he has a date where he can become a free agent if not assigned to big league club. But last season, he played in the minors mostly. He's essentially a right handed platoon OF, similar to what they should be getting out of Luis.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Carter does not have an opt out in his minor league deal, by the way. 

He wouldn’t have accepted that unless he was willing to play at AAA and wait for a shot. 

[Chuck]

37 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Carter does not have an opt out in his minor league deal, by the way. 

He wouldn’t have accepted that unless he was willing to play at AAA and wait for a shot. 

So do you think that even if Carter continues to crush the ball the rest of the spring, he's destined to begin the season in AAA?

[Angel Oracle]

If so, and Carter is mashing and Valbuena is Valnobuena through April, do the Halos finally jettison Valbuena and call up Carter for good?

[Rico]

Ohtani should be shut down as a hitter.  A DH should be able to hit, right?  I mean, that is all they do.  

[HaloNArizona]

Devil's advocate...

If going off of ST stats...

Marte: .370/.438/1.031

They guy who should be cut loose:

.225/.256/.681

Yep, that's Valbuena.

[Chuck]

42 minutes ago, HaloNArizona said:

Devil's advocate...

If going off of ST stats...

Marte: .370/.438/1.031

They guy who should be cut loose:

.225/.256/.681

Yep, that's Valbuena.

They need to have a short leash with Valbuena IMO. He offers nothing but power from the left side of the plate. 

[Angel Oracle]

It's not like they owe Valnobuena a lot of money ($8 million for 2018).

Consider this too.   Carter has hit RHPs just about as well as LHPs throughout his career. 

Valnobuena can't play anything decently, outside of 1B, anyway.

[HaloNArizona]

8 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

They need to have a short leash with Valbuena IMO. He offers nothing but power from the left side of the plate. 

Agreed....maybe Marte has an 'injury' to start the season and needs to some rehab time.

 

[HaloNArizona]

Marte makes the club, Cowart to AAA

Carter in the wings if Valbuena are Marte really struggle.

 

[Angel Oracle]

I'm still not sold on Marte.   Half of a decent 2016, and that's been it.

My 25 man roster to start the season:

Rotation:  GRich, Ramirez, Ohtani, Tropeano, Skaggs, and Bridwell

Pen:  Alvarez, Pena, N. Ramirez, Johnson, Parker, Shoe, and Bedrock Jr.

Starting 9: Kinsler, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Calhoun, Cozart, Carter, Simmons, and Maldonado

Bench:  Rivera, EY Jr., and either Walsh or Cowart     

Deal Valnobuena for whatever they can get, and eat $6-7 million of the 2018 salary.

[GrittyVeterans]

I've been saying for a long time that Valbuena is an expensive useless hole on the roster. You can find someone making minimum salary that could provide the same if not more value than him. Giving him a 2 year deal was Eppler's worst move as GM so far.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, GrittyVeterans said:

I've been saying for a long time that Valbuena is an expensive useless hole on the roster. You can find someone making minimum salary that could provide the same if not more value than him. Giving him a 2 year deal was Eppler's worst move as GM so far.

There have been very few bad ones.  This is one.

[Jeff Fletcher]

5 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

So do you think that even if Carter continues to crush the ball the rest of the spring, he's destined to begin the season in AAA?

Barring an injury, yes. 

[Erstad Grit]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

I'm still not sold on Marte.   Half of a decent 2016, and that's been it.

My 25 man roster to start the season:

Rotation:  GRich, Ramirez, Ohtani, Tropeano, Skaggs, and Bridwell

Pen:  Alvarez, Pena, N. Ramirez, Johnson, Parker, Shoe, and Bedrock Jr.

Starting 9: Kinsler, Trout, Upton, Pujols, Calhoun, Cozart, Carter, Simmons, and Maldonado

Bench:  Rivera, EY Jr., and either Walsh or Cowart     

Deal Valnobuena for whatever they can get, and eat $6-7 million of the 2018 salary.

Do you have Heaney injured or in AAA?

[Tank]

3 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Heaney is dead.

RIP, mate.