Winning feels a long ways away right now.

[hangin n wangin]

10 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

The biggest problem with the offense is Pujols.

[mulwin444]

15 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Re: Pujols. 

The problem isn’t really Pujols’s performance level. 

The problem is that the Angels have so few other good hitters that he’s still one of their nine best hitters. And two of the best nine are both DHs. That just doesn’t work.

The solution is probably to get some other hitter who is very good and can play multiple positions, including first. 

That gives you options. Not only do you have someone good enough to justify benching Pujols (ie, not Jefry Marte) more frequently, but you have someone who can play another position and be in the lineup with Pujols. You need someone who has Marte or Valbuena’s skillset, but is a much better player. (You guys can find that guy. It’ll be your homework.)

Another alternative is the always-discussed Ohtani-in-the-field thing. I think 1B makes more sense than OF, but I still think it’s really unlikely. Simply pitching and hitting means Ohtani already has more on his plate than every other player in the majors. Adding defense is tough. Maybe if he has TJ and isn’t pitching at all for a season. 

What's your thoughts on Jose Miguel Fernandez?  Obviously an older player and as advanced for AAA as you'd expect (.333 .396 .912 OPS 32 BB 34 Ks), but he could certainly tick the box as some who can play multiple positions (2B, 3B, and 1B) and hits lefty. 

[kevinb]

2 hours ago, Lou said:

so every other team in the division will improve next year? 

i would bet that isn't the case 

Every team will be trying to improve. The Angels are 17.5 games back of Houston. Minor upgrades isn't going to get us to that number.

[kevinb]

2 hours ago, mtangelsfan said:

I think that is a false narrative.  Some teams get worse from one season to the next.  They all don't improve.

Some teams do get worse, but every team will be trying to improve on what they did this year to next year. Prime example, Houston added Cole. They didn't stand pat. 

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, Kevinb said:

Every team will be trying to improve. The Angels are 17.5 games back of Houston. Minor upgrades isn't going to get us to that number.

No, but significant upgrades + some luck will. It's not black and white either. Houston could "improve" but still finish with just 90 wins.

[kevinb]

7 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

No, but significant upgrades + some luck will. It's not black and white either. Houston could "improve" but still finish with just 90 wins.

Here's hoping but there definitely needs to be significant upgrades.

[Troll Daddy]

It’s very difficult for me hop on the hate AP train . He’s a leader and a great mentor on the team who’s putting up respectable numbers for his age. 

It’s Eppler’s job to either put him out to pasture or put him in a better position to help the team.

The first step would be to take 1B away from him and platoon him at DH against LH pitchers. This will cut down his AB’s drastically. Moving him down in the lineup would also be beneficial. AP can still be a very useful player to the team next season imo. 

AP won’t like these changes but he’ll get the message and will consider retiring before his contract is up. 

[kevinb]

2 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

It’s very difficult for me hop on the hate AP train . He’s a leader and a great mentor on the team who’s putting up respectable numbers for his age. 

It’s Eppler’s job to either put him out to pasture or put him in a better position to help the team.

The first step would be to take 1B away from him and platoon him at DH against LH pitchers. This will cut down his AB’s drastically. Moving him down in the lineup would also be beneficial. AP can still be a very useful player to the team next season imo. 

AP won’t like these changes but he’ll get the message and will consider retiring before his contract is up. 

I don't know why I do this but. Respectable numbers? Come on even you don't believe that. He is batting .246 with a 289 obp. That means he is getting on base less than 30% of the time. 

[Troll Daddy]

Just now, Kevinb said:

I don't know why I do this but. Respectable numbers? Come on even you don't believe that. He is batting .246 with a 289 obp. That means he is getting on base less than 30% of the time. 

A OPS over .700 19 HR 20 2B is respectable ... just not as a MOTO bat.

[mulwin444]

14 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

I don't know why I do this but. Respectable numbers? Come on even you don't believe that. He is batting .246 with a 289 obp. That means he is getting on base less than 30% of the time. 

Somehow he managed to be worse against lefthanded pitchers - .204 .273 .680 OPS.

[Angel Oracle]

3 hours ago, mtangelsfan said:

I think that is a false narrative.  Some teams get worse from one season to the next.  They all don't improve.

The Dipotos are already falling back, are aging (Gordon, Cano, Gulf Oil Cruz, and Felix) and don't have any Rondons to trade (aside from Kyle Lewis).

Oakland might be solid again next season, as their lineup is not very old collectively.   They do have rotation concerns though.

[mulwin444]

12 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

The Dipotos are already falling back, are aging (Gordon, Cano, Gulf Oil Cruz, and Felix) and don't have any Rondons to trade (aside from Kyle Lewis).

Oakland might be solid again next season, as their lineup is not very old collectively.   They do have rotation concerns though.

Kyle Lewis in AA at age 23 - .200 .262 .590 OPS...for his entire Minor Leage career - .257 .322 .749 OPS in 162 games, 690 PA's

Kinda meh

[GrittyVeterans]

1 hour ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Re: Pujols. 

The problem isn’t really Pujols’s performance level. 

The problem is that the Angels have so few other good hitters that he’s still one of their nine best hitters. And two of the best nine are both DHs. That just doesn’t work.

The solution is probably to get some other hitter who is very good and can play multiple positions, including first. 

That gives you options. Not only do you have someone good enough to justify benching Pujols (ie, not Jefry Marte) more frequently, but you have someone who can play another position and be in the lineup with Pujols. You need someone who has Marte or Valbuena’s skillset, but is a much better player. (You guys can find that guy. It’ll be your homework.)

Another alternative is the always-discussed Ohtani-in-the-field thing. I think 1B makes more sense than OF, but I still think it’s really unlikely. Simply pitching and hitting means Ohtani already has more on his plate than every other player in the majors. Adding defense is tough. Maybe if he has TJ and isn’t pitching at all for a season. 

Having to appease Pujols prevents them from upgrading

its why they need to stop the nonsense and just bench him until he retires 

[Barrett]

The fact that he is one of our 9 best hitters proves my point. That this roster isn't good enough. Pujols should not be one of the 9 best hitters on a playoff roster. We are 17.5 games back that is about right where we should be with Pujols as our DH/1B. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

4 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Having to appease Pujols prevents them from upgrading

its why they need to stop the nonsense and just bench him until he retires 

You don’t just bench him because you’re punishing him for not being good enough and play Jefry Marte instead. 

You need to have someone better. 

[Tank]

On 8/27/2018 at 1:16 PM, Jeff Fletcher said:

In general, too often people only look at free agents when figuring the available upgrades. 

The Angels now have a farm system so they can make trades. Maybe someone like Madison Bumgarner is available. Marcus Stroman? Michael Fulmer? 

I’m not suggesting any one player in particular, but you ought to widen your net when you’re speculating about deals. 

cool! fletcher thinks we can trade thaiss, ward, and blash for bumgarner, stroman, and fulmer! 

get 'er done, eppy!!

[Docwaukee]

14 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

You don’t just bench him because you’re punishing him for not being good enough and play Jefry Marte instead. 

You need to have someone better. 

but they'll never go out and get someone better because he's there.  And they'll never completely take away at bats from AP and hand them over to an unproven player.  

[hangin n wangin]

9 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

but they'll never go out and get someone better because he's there.  And they'll never completely take away at bats from AP and hand them over to an unproven player.  

100% accurate. The dude is a freakin' road block.

[IEAngelsfan]

12 minutes ago, Tank said:

cool! fletcher thinks we can trade thaiss, ward, and blash for bumgarner, stroman, and fulmer! 

get 'er done, eppy!!

Yup and Blash being the key piece of that trade.

[Troll Daddy]

20 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

but they'll never go out and get someone better because he's there.  And they'll never completely take away at bats from AP and hand them over to an unproven player.  

BS

[Angelsjunky]

Albert has a -0.1 fWAR and 93 wRC+, meaning he's an overall replacement level player and a below league average hitter.

Let's say that to safely replace him, the Angels need to find someone who is at least 1-2 WAR, what we could call a marginal starter, and a league average 100 wRC+ hitter. 

That' probably not Jefry Marte, who is at -0.3 fWAR and 69 wRC+. He was even worse last year, -0.5 and 59. But in 2016 he was fairly decent: 1.3 and 113 in 88 games. But can he repeat that? Maybe given more regular at-bats, but do the Angels want to risk it just to replace Pujols? I think not.

In the minors they have Matt Thaiss, Jared Walsh, and Jose Miguel Fernandez. Are these guys at least 1-2 WAR, league average hitters? I think so - all three of them, actually. And I think this is what we're going to find out starting in September, at least with Walsh and JMF. Thaiss can join the party later next year.

But let us remember that these guys only reached AAA this year; it isn't like they've been chomping at the bit for a year or two, with Albert blocking the way. If we're having the same conversation a year from now, that's a different story. But I suspect that starting in September and going through the first half of next year, we'll see the "Albert phase out plan." Maybe by this time next year he's down to DHing only on Ohtani's off days.

[kevinb]

1 hour ago, Troll Daddy said:

BS

Not BS at all. Case in point they’ve sat Ohtani and played Pujols over him at DH. Cron is better yet they kept Pujols. They need to get people who “play multiple positions” to satisfy their need to play Pujols. 

[GrittyVeterans]

2 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

You don’t just bench him because you’re punishing him for not being good enough and play Jefry Marte instead. 

You need to have someone better. 

Right, so go get someone better. To me they have ignored upgrading 1st base because they know AP is going to play regularly. Needs to change 

[70runner]

2 hours ago, Dochalo said:

but they'll never go out and get someone better because he's there.  And they'll never completely take away at bats from AP and hand them over to an unproven player.  

This.   The Pujols catch22.  Don't get anyone better because he's there.  Play him because no one is better.  Rinse.  Repeat.  While we're entertained by the AW aristocracy arguing he must play because there is no one better. 

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, Kevinb said:

Not BS at all. Case in point they’ve sat Ohtani and played Pujols over him at DH. Cron is better yet they kept Pujols. They need to get people who “play multiple positions” to satisfy their need to play Pujols. 

I was referring to getting a everyday first baseman . Pujols will still be DH but with Ohtani in the mix he’ll get fewer AB’s. 

Eppler inherited a tough situation but Pujols is on him now.