Harper

[Torridd]

Someone mentioned Harper replacing Calhoun next year? I like Kole, but is there any possibility of that?

[Dick B Back]

No. It would take too much from the yacht fuel account.

[Tank]

i think harper is a gigantic doosh.

that said, signing him and putting him in this lineup would be a pretty darn fantastic thing to do.

[floplag]

is it possible, of course.  probable, not so much.
it has reaching impacts aside from obviously blowing the luxury tax to hell and back for a few years.  

[nate]

Harper is going to get insane $ from someone, not in the Angels best interest since they already have an expensive OF with Upton and Trout.  Plus Trout's extension which will likely be close to $400m.

My guess is Harper goes to the Red Sox or Dodgers.

[bloodbrother]

8 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Someone mentioned Harper replacing Calhoun next year? I like Kole, but is there any possibility of that?

Lol, I was mainly joking with that post. I mean, sure, there's a possibility it could happen since Harper is going to be a FA after this season so he'll be there for the taking, but the likely-hood of it is probably slim. He's gonna command a monstrous contract obviously. Trout will also need another monstrous extension in a couple of years too and they already just extended Upton for $106 million over the next 5 years this past offseason

 

 

 

[Mark68]

13 minutes ago, Tank said:

i think harper is a gigantic doosh.

that said, signing him and putting him in this lineup would be a pretty darn fantastic thing to do.

Yeah, but he'd be OUR doosh.

Just like Kinsler.

[krAbs]

TBH we probably have too much minor league outfield talent to justify spending big over a long time period on another outfielder. If we are going to spend, I would expect it to be more towards the infield/catcher/starting pitching direction.

[Mark68]

DJ LeMahieu is a free agent after this year and he doesn't think the Rox will extend him.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/04/nl-west-notes-rockies-myers-giants.html

Even more telling, though, were comments by second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who was candid in expressing his doubt that his camp and the Rockies will even hold talks. “No, there have been no talks and I don’t think there will be,” said LeMahieu. The 29-year-old LeMahieu, a two-time Gold Glove winner and All-Star, is set to hit the open market at season’s end.

[Warfarin]

My bet is he goes to the Phillies.  I would have said the Yankees initially, but the Yankees' OF is basically full, and I'm guessing they might take a look at Machado instead.

I would LOVE Harper on this team.  I know it will not happen, but if we got him, we could trade Calhoun for some pitching depth.  We could unveil a lineup like this:

2B/3B Cozart

CF Trout

RF Harper

LF Upton

1B Pujols

DH Ohtani (given how he is hitting, maybe we can somehow get Mike to bat him ahead of Pujols, to best utilize his speed...)

SS Simmons

C Maldonado

2B/3B ??? 

That's a monstrous lineup, especially "???"! 

[Warfarin]

Following up on this, there aren't many FAs I'd break the bank on, but Harper is one of them.

I would love a true, legitimate LH power hitter to help provide more balance to our lineup.  It appears that Ohtani is definitely filling that niche for us now too, but he will DH maybe 3-4 times per week, which leaves a vacancy the other days.

I like Calhoun, but if we are able to finance Harper, I'd totally go for it.  I know finances are a concern, but our pipeline talent is getting stronger and stronger, and very soon, we can start promoting prospects and having them fill various spots on our roster, so we won't have to rely much on free agency and can instead fill holes with players earning the major league minimum.  This means we can better afford a "flashy" free agent signing like Harper.

[Hubs]

Let's remember that while Trout's extension is going to be monstrous, He already makes $34 M, so it's not like he's going to go from making the league minimum to $40M a year.

 

[Hubs]

Ohtani is the problem with a Harper contract, as he makes nothing now, but in three seasons (Maybe in 2) he'll start to make money. And he could be a very intriguing case in arbitration.

[Ohtaniland]

I think Harper stays put in DC, they’ll pay him enough.

[Lou]

lol

https://sports.yahoo.com/m/1a57b1a3-3737-302c-9c8b-8fad568f046c/the-yankees-taunts-have-begun.html

[Warfarin]

21 minutes ago, Hubs said:

Ohtani is the problem with a Harper contract, as he makes nothing now, but in three seasons (Maybe in 2) he'll start to make money. And he could be a very intriguing case in arbitration.

Pujols' contract expires around that same time (4 years), just as Ohtani will start becoming more expensive.  So at least there's that.

We do have some great young pitching talent on the horizon too (Barria sometime this year, Canning probably within 2 years, Rodriguez, etc).  I recognize not all prospects become legitimate, but combined with Ohtani, we will be well-stocked with cheap, young assets.

Trout will cost $$$, but as has been mentioned, he does currently occupy significant payroll right now too, so it's not like he'll go from a small AAV to a gigantic one.  

I am personally all for Harper more than any other FA.  Keep holding onto young prospects, sign/acquire stop-gap players as needed on a discount (like we did with Rivera for C, Kinsler at 2B, etc), and so on and so forth to save money, but spend $$ on truly elite talent.

[Lou]

27 minutes ago, Hubs said:

Ohtani is the problem with a Harper contract, as he makes nothing now, but in three seasons (Maybe in 2) he'll start to make money. And he could be a very intriguing case in arbitration.

But 3 seasons from now will be Pujols' last, if he even lasts that long. 

[Dick B Back]

[Lou]

Or what Warfarin said lol 

[ten ocho recon scout]

The ONLY way I see us being remotely close to being linked to Harper is if he and Trout for whatever reason are friends and want to try for a Curry/Durant thing.

The two playing together for their peak years would be the craziest duo in the league, and likely one for the history books. But I dont think thats the case.

Trout has recently gone obnoxious with his hair though, so who knows.

[mrwicked]

If Harper is available, you get him. 

Might as well get Machado too while we're shopping.

And Utley.

[Dick B Back]

2 minutes ago, mrwicked said:

If Harper is available, you get him. 

Might as well get Machado too while we're shopping.

And Utley.

and don’t forget Puig!

[Second Base]

The Angels really seem to target more selfless players that sort of know their role on the team and want to be here. They can fiery still (Upton, Kinsler, Valbuena, etc...) but I don't think Scioscia meshes well with guys that are all about themselves.

If reports about Harper are even remotely true, I can't see Scioscia getting along with him very well.

 

[jordan]

I did see something from Jerry Crasnick I believe, where he asked 30 or so baseball people where Harper will end up, and 2 said the Angels.  That was definitely more than I thought.  But I really don't see it happening.  At some point the pitching will get expensive, whether any of the current arms stick, or we have to dip into Free Agency, along with all the other expenses on the offensive side mentioned above. 

[m0nkey]

Don't care where he goes, just not the dogs