Why I'm Somewhat Optimistic for Next Year

[Homebrewer]

16 hours ago, Puget Sound Angel said:

As long as Sosh is gone, that's a reason for optimism.

Automatic 10-15 more wins, without even making one roster move. 

[2112]

The starting pitching will be much better than it was this year.  I believe that Heaney and Skaggs will be better next year, this year was the first year coming back from TJ surgery.  Trop should be better next year as well, but I don't know what his ceiling is.

Barria is young and was treated with kid gloves (and rightly so) by Scioscia this year.  He should easily develop into a 7 inning pitcher next year. That with Heaney and Skaggs healthy will help the pen immensely.

If Shoe is back and Pena is able to duplicate what he's doing this year, I think starting pitching will be fine.

 

[Docwaukee]

I like to see us grab a starter or two and convert Pena into a multi inning reliever.  

[tdawg87]

28 minutes ago, Homebrewer said:

Automatic 10-15 more wins, without even making one roster move. 

Easily. Duh.

[stormngt]

I am optimistic every year.  Day one everyone is in first place!

I am particularly optimistic next year because our bad luck in injuries and historically poor performing role players need to change sometime.

[Angelsjunky]

10 minutes ago, stormngt said:

I am optimistic every year.  Day one everyone is in first place!

I am particularly optimistic next year because our bad luck in injuries and historically poor performing role players need to change sometime.

I feel like we've been saying that for a few years now.

[Second Base]

I'd like to see the Angels build a roster so good that they win 90 games even with the rotten luck they had in 2015....and 2016...and 2017....and 2018.

I think they have the starting pitching depth, but need more guaranteed top of the rotations n production. Sign it, trade for it, promote Canning, I don't care. Just get it.

Then sign a couple of very good relievers.

As for the offense, Matt Adams at 1B/DH and slot either Cozart or Fletcher at utility. Sign or trade for a 2B and 3B. Also trade for Austin Hedges if they can.

[Troll Daddy]

Somewhat optimistic is a copout ... either you are or your not. 

I very optimistic for many reasons. There’s a ton of money to spend and prospect currency to use wisely. Pitching is getting healthy and our core position players are solid. 

Moto bat

Top of the rotation starting pitcher

See if you can get Dipoto to trade Diaz for some hack prospects  

[kevinb]

Yes our pitching needs to be addressed but this offense needs to be addressed as well and badly. I think we are 16th in the league in OPS and that’s with Trout who is doing basically everything at near the top of the league in every category. 

[Troll Daddy]

4 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

Yes our pitching needs to be addressed but this offense needs to be addressed as well and badly. I think we are 16th in the league in OPS and that’s with Trout who is doing basically everything at near the top of the league in every category. 

What categories are you looking at

[ettin]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

I feel like we've been saying that for a few years now.

True.

We have, in part, been saying it because it was, to a degree, a true statement though. The problem that we have had every year is that razor thin margin where too many things had to go right for us to really succeed and of course they didn't. Health, injuries, needed performance from too many members of the team.

I think Eppler will put together a nice off-season leaving us with the same feeling and saying the same things about 2019. This time though I think our margin will not be as thin as it has been in the past few years. If a starter goes down we call up Suarez. If an outfielder goes down we call up Adell. If an infielder goes down we call up Rengifo. If a reliever goes down we can call up a Buttrey or someone similar. Depth will exist on the Angels in 2019 which will make more of a difference. How much is left to be seen.

Sign a quality catcher (or trade for it). Trade for a solid 1B solution. Sign or trade for a temporary or long-term 2B solution. Take a chance on Ward or run Cozart out again (latter is fine with me). Sign or trade for a good reliever. Those things combined with better depth will make 2019 better than previous seasons I think.

[kevinb]

3 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

What categories are you looking at

What categories? 

Runs 88 11th

HR 31 9th

Walks 108 1st

BA 307 11th

OBP 458 1st

SLG 609 3rd

OPS 1.067 1st

this with missing a month of the season on a team with a putrid offense need I say more? 

 

[Broad Street]

I'm optimistic that Ohtani can hit lefties.

[stormngt]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

I feel like we've been saying that for a few years now.

We have

[kevinb]

Remember every year the Angels wish upon a Star, break the wishbone on the turkey just right, rub the lucky rabbits foot and aks the genie for three wishes. One day we will get it in the right order. There’s only a couple more options left. 

[hangin n wangin]

5 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

I'd like to see the Angels build a roster so good that they win 90 games even with the rotten luck they had in 2015....and 2016...and 2017....and 2018.

I think they have the starting pitching depth, but need more guaranteed top of the rotations n production. Sign it, trade for it, promote Canning, I don't care. Just get it.

Then sign a couple of very good relievers.

As for the offense, Matt Adams at 1B/DH and slot either Cozart or Fletcher at utility. Sign or trade for a 2B and 3B. Also trade for Austin Hedges if they can.

Matt Adams seems like someone that would pull a Blanton and Valbuena.

[Docwaukee]

4 hours ago, Kevinb said:

What categories? 

Runs 88 11th

HR 31 9th

Walks 108 1st

BA 307 11th

OBP 458 1st

SLG 609 3rd

OPS 1.067 1st

this with missing a month of the season on a team with a putrid offense need I say more? 

 

offense ranked in the top 10 by WAR.  one decent (not extraordinary) bat away from being top 5.  

[Docwaukee]

53 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Matt Adams seems like someone that would pull a Blanton and Valbuena.

totally.  

[kevinb]

25 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

offense ranked in the top 10 by WAR.  one decent (not extraordinary) bat away from being top 5.  

I don't know how the team could be top 10 in WAR and be 16th in the league in OPS ? but this team is more than one bat away from being legit. This team needs bats at Catcher, 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Whether Fletcher or Ward are the answers who knows. Upton will be a year older so who knows what that will bring after the age of 30 and Calhoun is he this guy the last 2 months or is he what he was before? 

[Puget Sound Angel]

16 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

M's are beginning to implode already.    Who's going to be their rotation in 2019?   King Felix is just about done.   Paxton can't stay healthy.   LeBlanc and Kelly's dad do it with mirrors.    That leaves Gonzales.    Bullpen is solid enough, but will eventually cave in from overuse.   The lineup has the aging Cano and Cruz, a declining Seager, and a meh Gordon, which leaves Haniger and Segura as their main threats who aren't aging or declining.

A'th rotation is smoke and mirrors.   How long before their pen becomes overused in 2019?   Their offense is solid enough though.

That only leaves the four powers (Houston, Cleveland in a putrid division, Skanks, and Red Sux) clearly ahead, with one post-season spot up for grabs.  

Halos have as much of a chance as any of the other 10 teams to be that other WC team.    The offense and the bullpen should be improved some.   The rotation should be a little more stable in 2019, now that the returning pitchers (especially Heaney and Skaggs) have gotten some innings in.    Barria and Pena could potentially pitch 150 innings each in 2019.   Ohtani, if healthy, probably will pitch no more than 120 innings.   Lots of potential depth will exist in Shoe, Tropeano, Canning, Suarez, and Sandoval.  

The Mariners are an aging team and this was their last try to win it all. This team will be blown up. That is if all the players don't do it first in the clubhouse.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Opiates?

[Angelsjunky]

22 hours ago, ettin said:

True.

We have, in part, been saying it because it was, to a degree, a true statement though. The problem that we have had every year is that razor thin margin where too many things had to go right for us to really succeed and of course they didn't. Health, injuries, needed performance from too many members of the team.

I think Eppler will put together a nice off-season leaving us with the same feeling and saying the same things about 2019. This time though I think our margin will not be as thin as it has been in the past few years. If a starter goes down we call up Suarez. If an outfielder goes down we call up Adell. If an infielder goes down we call up Rengifo. If a reliever goes down we can call up a Buttrey or someone similar. Depth will exist on the Angels in 2019 which will make more of a difference. How much is left to be seen.

Sign a quality catcher (or trade for it). Trade for a solid 1B solution. Sign or trade for a temporary or long-term 2B solution. Take a chance on Ward or run Cozart out again (latter is fine with me). Sign or trade for a good reliever. Those things combined with better depth will make 2019 better than previous seasons I think.

The Angels have solid solutions at 1B in Fernandez, Thaiss, and Walsh; they have good long-term 2B solutions in Rengifo, Jones, even Fletcher. Not sure why you are so willing to bypass these guys.

Also, I think Buttrey is on the major league roster from Opening Day. The Angels do have a ton of starter depth, though, with both Penas, Canning and Suarez (assuming one doesn't make the OD rotation), Sandoval, Beaseley, Gatto, Bridwell, Lamb, etc. I think the question with the rotation is whether they sign a starter or not; I could see them going with Skaggs, Heaney, Shoemaker, Barria, and Tropeano, or one of Meyer or Ramirez if healthy. But chances are they bring in one starter.

[Angel Oracle]

Take away Pena’s first inning hiccup on July 29, and then in the other 65.2 innings as a starter:  3.00 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 64 K’s

Sounds like a potentially solid #4-5 starter.

[ettin]

14 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

The Angels have solid solutions at 1B in Fernandez, Thaiss, and Walsh; they have good long-term 2B solutions in Rengifo, Jones, even Fletcher. Not sure why you are so willing to bypass these guys.

Also, I think Buttrey is on the major league roster from Opening Day. The Angels do have a ton of starter depth, though, with both Penas, Canning and Suarez (assuming one doesn't make the OD rotation), Sandoval, Beaseley, Gatto, Bridwell, Lamb, etc. I think the question with the rotation is whether they sign a starter or not; I could see them going with Skaggs, Heaney, Shoemaker, Barria, and Tropeano, or one of Meyer or Ramirez if healthy. But chances are they bring in one starter.

None of these guys are proven at the MLB level so I am unsure why we can claim they are solid solutions? Not bypassing them but if you are rolling the dice on Fernandez's 80 wRC+ or Fletcher's 93 wRC+ I think it is more likely to be a failure than a success in 2019. The rest haven't shown in the big leagues yet.

Something has to give. They are probably reasonable depth options for sure but I for one don't like the uncertainty involved with all of those names, personally AJ.

[Inside Pitch]

On 9/5/2018 at 3:14 AM, Kevinb said:

I don't know how the team could be top 10 in WAR and be 16th in the league in OPS ?

Because one of those is park adjusted, the other isn't.  Raw numbers are never a good gauge unless of course you believe Coors Field and Angels Stadium play exactly the same.