The Official Los Angeles Angels 2023-2024 Hot Stove Offseason Thread

[CartiHalos]

12 minutes ago, jeskola said:

That's a lot of caveats. You forgot "who can grow a bright red beard" and "who can expose teammates to viruses". Let's just sign Urshela.

I think anyone but Tim Anderson will suffice. I also don't want Whit Merrifield but that's a personal matter. I'd like to see Urshela get a full season's chance with us.

[Angel Oracle]

3 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

Burnes has said he's not really interested in signing an extension with Milwaukee or with a new team if he's traded.  He wants to explore free agency.  So if you're trading for him, you have to go into it thinking you're getting one year of him.

That does change things.

[totdprods]

23 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

That does change things.

If there is one team that could maybe land an extension it seems it could be the Angels though. I imagine the Halos only trade for him if there’s a legit shot at an extension being agreed too. There’s just not enough talent the Angel can deal from to justify otherwise.

[jsnpritchett]

4 minutes ago, totdprods said:

If there is one team that could maybe land an extension it seems it could be the Angels though. I imagine the Halos only trade for him if there’s a legit shot at an extension being agreed too. There’s just not enough talent the Angel can deal from to justify otherwise.

He has specifically said he doesn't want an extension.  "Hometown" or not, given what he's said, I imagine the Angels would have to pay a stupid-high premium to get him to agree to one.

[Dtwncbad]

4 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

Burnes has said he's not really interested in signing an extension with Milwaukee or with a new team if he's traded.  He wants to explore free agency.  So if you're trading for him, you have to go into it thinking you're getting one year of him.

Not exactly what he said.  He said it is very hard to sign an extension and not get to see what free agency would really offer, that he would have to be blown away.   And that’s kind of the position of lots of players a year from free agency and yet many still do choose to take an offer prior to free agency.

This is what any player should say so that they get the best offer to even consider.

[totdprods]

55 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

He has specifically said he doesn't want an extension.  "Hometown" or not, given what he's said, I imagine the Angels would have to pay a stupid-high premium to get him to agree to one.

I’m not saying the Angels absolutely are exempt, but consider the alternative too…maybe he doesn’t want teams interested in trading for him pressuring him to sign an extension *because* he doesn’t want to take himself off market before he has an opportunity to explore signing with his hometown team. It’s not like he is going to come out and say “I am not interested an extension with any team but the Angels”.

Money talks. If the Angels really want him, and he has any inclination to sign here given his childhood history, it would not surprise me if a deal similar to the Glasgow extension contingency still came about, offering near Cole money. He isn’t going to single out the Angels being an exception on a talk show. But I’m not expecting it. I’d rather just try to sign him next year and not lose any talent in a trade.

Edited December 21, 2023 by totdprods

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, CartiHalos said:

…I'd like to see Urshela get a full season's chance with us.

I think that would be an underrated move, if he’s fully healthy…

[jsnpritchett]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

 I’d rather just try to sign him next year and not lose any talent in a trade.

I agree with you here.

[jsnpritchett]

2 hours ago, CartiHalos said:

I'd like to see Urshela get a full season's chance with us.

 

57 minutes ago, DMVol said:

I think that would be an underrated move, if he’s fully healthy…

Eh.  I'm pretty down on Urshela.  Even before he got injured last year, his underlying metrics weren't very good.  Basically, his slash line was driven by an unusually high BABIP.  His walk rate was the lowest of his career, and as you can see on the chart below, there's not a lot of red (red is good on these charts).  He's a guy who doesn't strike out much (good), but at least for last year, something was clearly off, even before he got hurt. 

[jsnpritchett]

Hey, the Angels could save $200M and sign this guy, who was once traded as part of a package for Blake Snell.

 

[BTH]

I’d take Urshela for like $5M as a bench option.

But I’m not guaranteeing him playing time or multiple years.

[Angels 1961]

26 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Hey, the Angels could save $200M and sign this guy, who was once traded as part of a package for Blake Snell.

 

This would be good gamble he is 24 or 25.

[bruin5]

1 hour ago, BTH said:

I’d take Urshela for like $5M as a bench option.

But I’m not guaranteeing him playing time or multiple years.

Agree. He was starting to play pretty well before the injury (at the very least I thought this was a loss of a good player). 

[Angelsfan1984]

@Chuck time to turn this into the ice box thread? 

[Jay]

Are the Angels doing anything?

[BTH]

7 minutes ago, Jay said:

Are the Angels doing anything?

Is any team doing anything, besides KC?

[T.G.]

2 minutes ago, BTH said:

Is any team doing anything, besides KC?

Yes

[T.G.]

11 minutes ago, Jay said:

Are the Angels doing anything?

Maybe

[CartiHalos]

8 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

 

Eh.  I'm pretty down on Urshela.  Even before he got injured last year, his underlying metrics weren't very good.  Basically, his slash line was driven by an unusually high BABIP.  His walk rate was the lowest of his career, and as you can see on the chart below, there's not a lot of red (red is good on these charts).  He's a guy who doesn't strike out much (good), but at least for last year, something was clearly off, even before he got hurt. 

I agree that Gio's periphs have been bad, however I don't mind having a player with that archetype making spot starts near the bottom of the order. Between the 4 people who I think will be looked at in free agency as the 5th IF/Utility piece, he's my favorite purely based on my enjoyment watching him last year and his familiarity with the team.

 

I think its between

Gio

Merrifield (Gonna be probably the most expensive and really doesn't provide much better on that savant page than a little bit better Sweet Spot% and some better baserunning)

Tim Anderson (Just bad at baseball)

Amed Rosario (Similar hitting numbers with great speed, but remarkably atrocious on defense.)

 

More than likely I think they end up sticking internal or making a trade, but as far as free agent utility men in that price range go, I think Gio is the best bet.

 

[Inside Pitch]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

Are the Angels doing anything?

Aggressively doing nothing.

[CartiHalos]

3 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Aggressively doing nothing.

Classic Angels-Never-Have-Real-Rumors-So-Their-Name-Gets-Thrown-Into-Every-Market offseason that will end with a lovely 2 year 30 million pitcher like Mike Clevinger

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, CartiHalos said:

Classic Angels-Never-Have-Real-Rumors-So-Their-Name-Gets-Thrown-Into-Every-Market offseason that will end with a lovely 2 year 30 million pitcher like Mike Clevinger

I'm actually okay with them aggressively doing nothing rather than some ill conceived save face overture to make people think the are trying.

[Angel Oracle]

6 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

I'm actually okay with them aggressively doing nothing rather than some ill conceived save face overture to make people think the are trying.

Agree mostly, they do need upgrades though, just not massive contracts for now.   Save that for a year from now, when they can exceed the tax threshold in 2025 and 2026 followed by removing Rendon’ts $35 million AAV, and not incur much in penalties.

Trade for Kepler, and sign Kiner-Falefa plus Hicks and one other reliever.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

I will say that Yamamoto is taking his sweet time to sign.

Like Ohtani, holding other signings up.

 

[jeskola]

6 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

I'm actually okay with them aggressively doing nothing rather than some ill conceived save face overture to make people think the are trying.

The nothing is so nothing now tho, I am looking forward to some ill-conceived save face overture to make people think they are trying.