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

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I wonder how any deals are going to be done this week.  Figured it to be slow but I guess not. 

[Angel Oracle]

45 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

Assuming this takes blue jays out of the Bellinger game 

Guessing the Cubs re-sign him

They were in WC contention until the end of the season.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[mmc]

[Stradling]

Marcus Stroman, come on down. 

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

2 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

Possibly. But Adell is a total wildcard and I'm still not confident in Moniak. We've had terrible outfield depth for years now and I'm tired of seeing infielders out there.

Not to mention Trout's health is always a problem. He's probably going to get some time at DH.

Oh and Ward's injury could be potentially career changing.

I think adding an outfielder is crucial, and Hernandez would be an...ok addition. Ain't no way you give him 4/80 like MLB trade rumors is predicting, though.

This regarding Adell and Moniak. 

[Angels 1961]

Let the Dodgers have Hernandez. I just think Angels will not compete in 2024 any addition on 3 or 4 year deals put into pitching. Let's see what Moniak and Adell can do this season.

[Angel Oracle]

41 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Marcus Stroman, come on down. 

No more than 3 years/$60 million 

But yeah, agreed.

Stroman plus a year from now one of the key FA RHP starters

Edited December 26, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[totdprods]

5 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

No more than 3 years/$60 million 

I'd consider going as far as 3/$75m, more concerned about going past three years than anything. 2/$50m with an option is better than 3/$60m IMO. 

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, totdprods said:

I'd consider going as far as 3/$75m, more concerned about going past three years than anything. 2/$50m with an option is better than 3/$60m IMO. 

Agreed on the 3 years, stay under tax in 2024, go over in 2025 and 2026

[Angelsfan1984]

5 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Agreed on the 3 years, stay under tax in 2024, go over in 2025 and 2026

They are currently around 65/70m under at the moment. Plenty of room. 

[Stradling]

The realist part of me says that with the uncertainty of the RSNs moving forward and without revenue generated by Ohtani we could see the budget significantly change. Especially long term.  But I could be wrong, maybe Bellinger and Snell will both sign 9 year deals here. 

[Dtwncbad]

36 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

They are currently around 65/70m under at the moment. Plenty of room. 

My personal feeling is a team owner can openly be disciplined to stay under the luxury tax for one of two reasons:

1). if you demonstrate that you can be competitive in doing so
2). you are a poor small market team

Given where this team is today, they should have no regard for the luxury tax.  Go get players.  Trade for bad contracts if it gets you good players.

The luxury tax money restriction, for right now anyway, needs to be thrown out the window.

 

[greginpsca]

42 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

They are currently around 65/70m under at the moment. Plenty of room. 

Spotrac has the current payroll at $145.2 million .

[Angel Oracle]

22 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

My personal feeling is a team owner can openly be disciplined to stay under the luxury tax for one of two reasons:

1). if you demonstrate that you can be competitive in doing so
2). you are a poor small market team

Given where this team is today, they should have no regard for the luxury tax.  Go get players.  Trade for bad contracts if it gets you good players.

The luxury tax money restriction, for right now anyway, needs to be thrown out the window.

 

Exactly 

If Arte truly wants to win, he understands that in addition to the worth of the team, he also has over $2 billion additional net worth.

That plus ticket sales each year should be enough to continue to push against the tax and even go over a little.

If he can’t handle that heat, get out of the kitchen and sell the team to owner(s) with at least twice his net worth.

I think we can all agree that the Halos have far underachieved these past 8 seasons.   Arte Moreno is the one and only constant.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[Angels 1961]

40 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Exactly 

If Arte truly wants to win, he understands that in addition to the worth of the team, he also has over $2 billion additional net worth.

That plus ticket sales each year should be enough to continue to push against the tax and even go over a little.

If he can’t handle that heat, get out of the kitchen and sell the team to owner(s) with at least twice his net worth.

I think we can all agree that the Halos have far underachieved these past 8 seasons.   Arte Moreno is the one and only constant.

Arte and Rodger Lodge

[Docwaukee]

betting that the increased payroll last year was a one time deal to try and keep Ohtani.  Doesn't make sense to me why that would work but I bet it did to them somehow.  

My guess is that payroll goes back to around 190ish.  Maybe it creeps up to around 200m.  Going through the roster as of today, I'm actually more concerned about the offense than I am starting pitching.  So much uncertainty with Ohoppe, Neto, Schanuel, Ward, Moniak, Rendon, and Regifo.  We've gotten burned hard by situations like that in the past.   The OF in particular has me very uncomfortable.  

I still view the bullpen as a hot mess personally.  I get the whole 'volume' argument, but that also has disaster potential. 

Again, I'm still in the mindset of trying to mitigate downside risk.  Contrary to what most might think, they actually did a pretty decent job of that last year.  It only failed when the injuries piled up and the guys traded for who were supposed to fill those gaps just failed.  

On the surface, the depth approach seemed not to work as well as we would have hoped, but I think we'd have lost 100 games if they didn't take that route.  Keep doing it.  It's really the best way for this team to have any chance at success.  

[jsnpritchett]

12 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

  Going through the roster as of today, I'm actually more concerned about the offense than I am starting pitching.  So much uncertainty with Ohoppe, Neto, Schanuel, Ward, Moniak, Rendon, and Regifo.  We've gotten burned hard by situations like that in the past.   The OF in particular has me very uncomfortable.  

I've said the same thing.  As the roster stands right now, to even have a passably good offense, the Angels need near perfect health from Trout and Rendon, plus a return to their pre-2021 form, no significant steps back from the young guys, and at least a couple of the young guys taking major steps forward.  It has potential, but there's zero margin for error or major injuries, and basically everything has to go right for the offense to be above average in 2024.

[totdprods]

33 minutes ago, Docwaukee said:

betting that the increased payroll last year was a one time deal to try and keep Ohtani.  Doesn't make sense to me why that would work but I bet it did to them somehow.  

My guess is that payroll goes back to around 190ish.  Maybe it creeps up to around 200m.  Going through the roster as of today, I'm actually more concerned about the offense than I am starting pitching.  So much uncertainty with Ohoppe, Neto, Schanuel, Ward, Moniak, Rendon, and Regifo.  We've gotten burned hard by situations like that in the past.   The OF in particular has me very uncomfortable.  

I still view the bullpen as a hot mess personally.  I get the whole 'volume' argument, but that also has disaster potential. 

Again, I'm still in the mindset of trying to mitigate downside risk.  Contrary to what most might think, they actually did a pretty decent job of that last year.  It only failed when the injuries piled up and the guys traded for who were supposed to fill those gaps just failed.  

On the surface, the depth approach seemed not to work as well as we would have hoped, but I think we'd have lost 100 games if they didn't take that route.  Keep doing it.  It's really the best way for this team to have any chance at success.  

Yeah, it's why I'm somewhat okay with Teoscar. Even with the crazy strikeouts, getting some sort of consistent/proven outfield production would help stabilize things some. Still would like them to add another infielder too, or at least someone who can more than adequately cover DH when Trout and Rendon aren't needing it. Was hoping for Garver. Sanchez still fits that. Hoskins an option too.

[Angels 1961]

Just because you are 65 to 70 mill under lux tax does not mean you have to spend it. Maybe better opportunities will be next off season. Let's see what young players can do. I hope they stay away from Snell, Bellinger, Hernandez, Chapman (3B). 

[Slegnaac]

6 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

Possibly. But Adell is a total wildcard and I'm still not confident in Moniak. We've had terrible outfield depth for years now and I'm tired of seeing infielders out there.

 

Haven't you heard? 

Infielders are the new Outfielders!

[m0nkey]

I am assuming he is unofficially officially cooked

 

[AngelStew43]

1 hour ago, Angels 1961 said:

Just because you are 65 to 70 mill under lux tax does not mean you have to spend it. Maybe better opportunities will be next off season. Let's see what young players can do. I hope they stay away from Snell, Bellinger, Hernandez, Chapman (3B). 

All true.  But adding a player like Bellinger, who’s a GG fielder at multiple positions, would  help to replace the offense lost when Ohtani left, would be a great move.  Another SP would also be nice.  Good health from Trout, Ward, & Rendon makes up for some of the loss, growth from O’hoppe, Neto, and Schaunel makes up the rest.

[tdawg87]

What a piece of shit. 

[mmc]

 

[Angel Oracle]

24 minutes ago, m0nkey said:

I am assuming he is unofficially officially cooked

 

Blew up a potentially great career.