The Angels must try to rebuild AND contend

[Lifetime]

But Lifetime, we just sign 2 superstars. In fact, Scioscia wasn't even counting on Trout to be that big of an inpact when he was called up last season. This team is dysfunctional because of those no trade longterm expensive contracts. Mike Trout wants to win a championship but that may require him to do that somewhere else. Its great to watch Mike Trout get 2-3 hits every game and steal bases but the rest of the team really doesn't get it. He can't carry them.

 

nobody was counting on Trout to be that big of an impact, and yet he is (and now everyone including Scioscia is expecting him to be that) and because of the kind of player he is, a once in a generation player, you don't trade him away for the sake of "rebuilding." 

 

As for the rest of the team not getting it, BS. We have one player (Hamilton) that is abysmal so far. Pujols is injured but still putting up decent numbers - not Pujolsesque but not tragic either. Pitching isn't very good - not getting it doesn't seem like a very good definition though. The rotation is mostly mediocre and the bullpen is the same. Otherwise, players are playing as one would expect. Kendrick and Bourjos are playing better than expected. It isn't a one player team Hamiltown, not even close.

[Lifetime]

Rebuild and contend at the same time.  

 

Why didn't anybody else think of trying that?!?!?!?!?!?!

ya, highly unlikely right?

[mulwin444]

You know those articles that come out where they declare "WTF were they thinking when they traded that guy?"...that's how stupid trading Trout is in pretty much any scenario that doesn't cripple the other team with whom you are trading.  

 

Unless something drastic happens (injury, criminal behavior, sex change, etc), you lock Trout up long term because he's a sure thing and sure things are rare in this game.

 

Of the young and cheap player, you look to trade Bourjos and Trumbo because they could be potentially replaced by players like Grichuck, Calhoun, and Cron in a year or two.  Also, if you are trading them, you trade for SP.  Young and salary controlled SP with the potential to be at 2-3 starters.  I think Bourjos has the most value since he's a GG CF with pop and blazing speed.  You need to get at least a projectable 2 starter for him.  

 

Kendrick and Aybar also should be considered.  Both have inexpensive contracts and are potentially moveable to contending teams with holes at 2B or SS.  These are trades you can get prospects to potentially stock up the upper minors prospects.

 

CJ Wilson could also have some value as well.  His $15 million per year will limit the market but upper market teams in contention will covet a lefty SP.  Downs could get some interest and decent return.

 

The opportunity to re-tool is there if they are ready to commit

[Lifetime]

No, I think it's amazing how many teams in the past decade have contended for a world series ring while carrying several massive contracts and rebuilding a decimated farm all at the same time.

 

Look at this list:

I'm still waiting for the list of teams that tried and failed. I doubt we'll see one. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Trading Kendrick at this point would be the highest value in his career when taking into account his current hitting and cost friendly contract. You would need a team in contention that needs a 2nd baseman and also has prospects you can use. Like all trades it isn't just about swapping bodies but for value in return so a list of suitors is needed to discuss further if a deal can be made.

 

This goes for Trumbo or Bourjos as well. They are our best in terms of value to other teams for a well above league average player under club control. So the return for the Angels has to be big in order to not just say they are of better value to keep as a mainstay to remain competitive.

 

I don't understand why everyone is so eager to trade the only offensively productive players we have (apart from Trout), players in their prime years of production. If the strategy is to trade players we have no reasonable replacements for, that doesn't sound like much of a strategy at all. People complain that we don't develop players in house, yet when we do they are to be traded for "prospects" - meaning players who might have a prayer of someday reaching the majors, and if you're really lucky they might even be productive when they get there. 

 

Trying to remain in contention through the free agent market while rebuilding the minors is what brought us the Pujols and Hamilton contracts. Do we want more of the same? If Trout is the only one in the lineup who hits, it won't matter how much pitching we have. It will also guarantee that Trout will be a Yankee when his contract expires.

[Scott34]

Can I just throw out a pipe dream scenario?

 

Kendrick for Archie Bradley

[Chuck]

Seriously, you never EVER even entertain the idea of trading Trout. 

 

He's our franchise player and face of the team. Him and Bourjos make for a dynamic duo in the outfield and at the plate. 

[Brandon]

Because people are dumb, Vegas, and why they are posting on message boards instead of front office positions.

I still don't mind the Pujols and Hamilton deals (granted I preferred pitching to Hamilton). We expected decline, but decline from all-star caliber is still really damn good. We unfortunately haven't for that from either guy.

[tdawg87]

You put Trout on the block and see which team can give you the most in return. You don't have to pull the trigger but we might get an offer that is worth considering.

 

I'm convinced you are just trolling.

[Lifetime]

pujols hasn't been that bad B

[Ohtaniland]

Yes because its fun watching Mike Trout do everything. I'm sure the rest of the team enjoys watching him to. We have the best player in baseball to go along with our two big splashes. I better get my playoff tickets deposit in.

[Chuck]

AJ, and others.. We have a Blog here. For long reads like this, please create your own Blog and post them there.

 

http://www.angelswin-forum.com/forums/blogs/

 

I went ahead and "Blogged" your entry and Tweeted it out AJ. 

 

Good writeup. 

[Chuck]

Can I just throw out a pipe dream scenario?

 

Kendrick for Archie Bradley

 

Unless Aaron Hill dies, they don't need a 2B. 

[Scott34]

For some strange reason, I thought he was out for the year.  Silly me.

 

Pipe dream crushed.

[Ohtaniland]

I'm convinced you are just trolling.

Tdawg, trolls don't attend 50 games a year. This team is in trouble and needs major changes. I really don't want to see Mike Trout in another uniform but he's really the only player that could bring back a boatload in return. It takes 25 teammates to win a championship and the chemistry on this team is pathetic. Trout can't fix that.

[Bashbrothers]

Tdawg, trolls don't attend 50 games a year. This team is in trouble and needs major changes. I really don't want to see Mike Trout in another uniform but he's really the only player that could bring back a boatload in return. It takes 25 teammates to win a championship and the chemistry on this team is pathetic. Trout can't fix that.

Doesn't matter.  Keep Trout, Bourjos, and Trumbo.  Rebuild around them.

[Stradling]

Hamiltown, if you can't understand why we all think you are nuts to suggest trading Trout then I really don't know what to say. If you were trying to rebuild a team, wouldn't you want to do it with, Oh I don't know, the best 21 year old player on the planet?

I still don't think the team is in as bad of shape as their record. This season may be done but like I said in a previous thread there is a lot of wiggle room in the payroll. If Arte was spending $120 million on payroll with a $50 million TV deal, then I am guessing he is willing to spend a few bucks more than the current $140 million with a $150 TV contract.

[Lifetime]

Tdawg, trolls don't attend 50 games a year. This team is in trouble and needs major changes. I really don't want to see Mike Trout in another uniform but he's really the only player that could bring back a boatload in return. It takes 25 teammates to win a championship and the chemistry on this team is pathetic. Trout can't fix that.

the team chemistry isn't pathetic. They have some issues that need to be dealt with, they also have a lot of talent. Trout is the biggest and youngest of that talent but he is not the only talent this team has. The team doesn't need major changes in order to be a viable contender, Pitching is the biggest issue, it is also the hardest to trade for. If we trade away all of our young talent to get pitching, then we've created a whole new void and the team is still not competitive.  That's not to say that none of their young talent should be traded if it will yield a net improvement, but finding that partner is harder than one might think. Trading away a young talent for a needed return is one thing, trading away Trout is just plain stupid.

[Ohtaniland]

Doesn't matter. Keep Trout, Bourjos, and Trumbo. Rebuild around them.

Is that the 5 of 10 year plan. We've already wasted the best years of Jered Weaver. Pujols and Hamilton will only get worse. Trout will get frustrated and leave on his own accord.

[SoWhat]

Bourjos for Syndergaard

[Angelsjunky]

I'm liking what Lifetime is saying here - very even-handed. We should not forget that this team does have a lot of talent; it needs work, and is probably not going to seriously contend this year (although they shouldn't be written off yet), but there's a lot to work with here and we can hope that with a fresh start and some minor to moderate moves this same team can complete in 2014.

 

As for trading Trout, I appreciate where Hamiltown is coming from in terms of looking at all options, but I also agree that in absolutely no circumstance do you trade Trout, at least not for the next five years. If we get to early 2017 and he doesn't have a long-term contract, it might be worth a shot to see what people will offer. But his value as a generational player can't be understated - he's more valuable than any other player in baseball and has a good chance to be the best player in baseball over the next decade as well as a first ballot Hall of Famer. Just the fact that I can type those sentences with a straight face says how great he is.

[HaloFan85]

"Then you have the veterans that have trade value but are valuable contributors: Weaver, Wilson, Vargas, Aybar, Kendrick, Iannetta, Frieri, I suppose we could toss in Williams."

 

These are the guys they should focus on IF they're going to deal anyone.  They should definitely shop Weaver around before his velocity drops any further.  He's lucky if he hits 89 mph these days, and that's not good for a fly ball pitcher.

[Brandon]

pujols hasn't been that bad B

I'll give you that and agreed with what you posted earlier about him. But definitely not what we all thought and hoped for, and it's a consistency issue. For instance, he'll have a bases loaded K to end a Yankees game, but then go 3-4 with a bomb and 2 RBI which makes median of production seem better than reality.

There is a clutch factor missing we were all accustomed to. But yes, his end of the year line won't be terrible but the production reminds me of a WR in the NFL where the team is down so much they have to air it out and the WR ends up with great season numbers instead of producing when needed to not be in that air it out position.

[Lifetime]

all players, good and bad have that kind of inconsistency though. The overall production is the reality not little microcosms of success and failure. Pujols showed that he can still be Pujolsesque last year starting in May. This year he's injured with a very painful ailment, and even still he hasn't been a disaster. 

[Mark68]

There will not be a full rebuild. The contracts of Pujols and Hamilton guarantee that. There will be a retool, and there has to be. Can we trade Kendrick and Aybar? Yes. Kendrick, at the very least, will bring in some young talent. Pitching? Maybe not, as not many teams are willing to trade young pitching talent, and for good reason. Just think how much better we'd be now with Skaggs and Corbin? So, we trade Kendrick and Aybar for the best package we can get for each (or both), and we try out having a middle infield of Lindsey and Romine. If they don't work out, there are some mid-level options that will be available this offseason (your Skip Schumaker/Willie Bloomquist-types). Maybe we trade Bourjos if there is a good enough offer.

 

But whatever happens, we will have to sign some pitching this offseason. We really have no choice. We'll have to re-sign Vargas, but after that, we'll have to try to find some pitchers we can sign for 2-3 years, tops.

 

Much of this is dependent on whether we finish in the bottom ten to get that protected pick. If that happens, it provides more options on who can be signed.

 

But, please, for the love of all that is holy, DO NOT SIGN CANO!!!!!!