2023: The Quest for Average

[ThisismineScios]

I unapologetically want the team to be good in 2023--a lot to ask, I know--and to re-sign Ohtani. But part of that is making the right moves to both be good, the first goal, and get Ohtani to buy in. Since this season sucks and my hopes of Jared Walsh finding himself seem hopeless, I started thinking about what needs to happen. I just landed on one concept: just be average at as many positions as possible. I feel this is what good teams do, and the real meaning to depth. Yes, signing Correa and DeGrom and Contreras and Benintendi would be one thing. But I think the goal, I hope the goal, is to sign and trade for average production at nearly every position. You'll have above average guys also, but that should be the floor and goal. For example:

C : Stassi is currently about league average. The major problem is, Suzuki is terrible. O'Hoppe, Wallach, or Thaiss cannot be worse. Find a better second catcher. 

1B: Walsh is a negative WAR player his year. Even his defense is worse this year. You can't chance that he will just find it again--so you need someone right around average, having Walsh as depth or trading him for something. Mancini, a FA, will likely have several good offers. But he's the perfect not too expensive guy. He's right at league average. Other options include Adell or Rendon moving to 1B.

2B: Rengifo just needs to be average, which he currently is. His defense is not great, but maybe focusing on 2B helps that.

SS: The really tricky question. It cannot be Fletcher. It cannot be Fletcher. Of course, Trea, Swanson and Bogaerts (currently 1-2-4  in WAR) are great options. But not the only ones. Find an average player that another team is willing to deal: Kim, Mateo, or Rosario. But you have to be better than Fletcher. 

3B: Rendon, but with insurance. He's above average. And good insurance. If he can't handle the position...what do you do? 1B? 

OF: Trout--well above average. Ward, well above average still. Who is the third? Do you let Moniak and Adell battle for it? Sign someone? The rest of this year will dictate it. Either way, you can't settle for hopefulness or expect someone to take the next step. They need to either have done it in 2022 or you sign a serviceable OF on a 1-year deal, with hopes you can trade them later as the other two progress. Joc, Benintendi, McCormick, Hays, Laureano (!)...these kind of guys aren't expensive but raise your floor. They are also very tradeable if one of your young guys really seizes the job. They should have done this in 2020 or 2021 but didn't. 

DH: Ohtani, above average.

SP: Sandoval, Ohtani above average. Detmers average with a chance to be above. You need 2 more average starters (trade or sign) and allow the young guys to fight for 1 spot. I'd say sign 1, trade for 1, and let Silseth, Bush, Suarez, Canning, C-Rod, Bachman, and Davidson fight for the last spot. If two of them hit? Fine. You have depth. It's a good problem to have. Taillon, Manea, T Anderson, Gray. 

Bullpen: Don't even know where to start. Building a bullpen is impossible unless you are really, really good at talent evaluation. But I say the more guys vying for spots, the better. So you take some chances on some young guys. 

I get that nobody really cares what we do, and it's all doom and gloom for 2023. But the goal is to build a deep but average team. We will believe Arte's loosening of the purse strings when we see it. But Perry can build depth and an average lineup (with a few above average guys) without spending too much or emptying the minors. I don't think the solution has to be Swanson, Rodon, Eovaldi, Nola, etc. Average players are what quality teams are filled with (2-3 WAR guys). 

[Vlad27Trout27]

Ideal Scenario would be:

1. Stay away from the Judges and Bogaerts of this free agency

2. 25 Mil for an Ace. ex Rondon

3. 12-16 mil for a middle of the rotation arm.

4. 16 Mil for Bell

5. 8-10 Mil for Profar.

[Angels 1961]

Maybe take a chance on Bellinger

[Angels 1961]

47 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Ideal Scenario would be:

1. Stay away from the Judges and Bogaerts of this free agency

2. 25 Mil for an Ace. ex Rondon

3. 12-16 mil for a middle of the rotation arm.

4. 16 Mil for Bell

5. 8-10 Mil for Profar.

25 million get you an ace for 1 year name Ohtani

[BILLYMACREXANDGUBI]

Angels need a few more vets and proven guys without spending too much on anyone particular. 

They don’t need to try to build a super team all at once this off-season. Just a team sufficient enough to have them on pace for a playoff spot. They can add some big names like the Padres did around the trade deadline for a bargain price, instead of putting all their eggs in one basket during the off-season.

[Angels 1961]

Have 4 decent starters if they keep Ohtani in Sandoval, Detmers, Suarez and Ohtani.                                                                                                                                                                   Bullpen Loup, Tepera, Herget, Barria and Quijada. Need 3 more find from within.                                                                                            

[tdawg87]

1 hour ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Ideal Scenario would be:

1. Stay away from the Judges and Bogaerts of this free agency

2. 25 Mil for an Ace. ex Rondon

3. 12-16 mil for a middle of the rotation arm.

4. 16 Mil for Bell

5. 8-10 Mil for Profar.

Yeah those are ideal price ranges. Unfortunately not realistic.

[AngelsLakersFan]

If history is our guide they will probably do one of these things