Inside Pitch

Yep, it's impossible to know how things would have played out but. I do believe that Dipoto is much more of a glory hound than Eppler -- he seemingly likes the spotlight and loves to expound on what he will do, how he will do it and why he will do what he will do. Eppler by contrast seems much more like Stoneman, content to devise and plan and adhere to it regardless of what others might think. The Simmons deal raised a lot of eyebrows if you remember, he caught heat in some circles for having traded away the two guys that most believed were the farm. Always found it funny that Keith Law of all people called the deal a win for the Angels -- I say that because many believe he hates the Halos. Anyway, I fully agree that Arte was still the wild card in all of this, and while AP may have been an inevitability, I doubt everything else that followed would have happened.

They are going to have some RPs bust through but sweet Jesus, it's incredible how he's decimated that system.. Their number 1 prospect hasn't been able to stay on the field in any one season and has started ST by being hurt.... again. Their number two is basically Matt Thaiss with a better glove and the ability to move to the OF. only they chose to keep him in short season ball, whereas the Angels pushed Thaiss to Low A at the same age in his first season of pro ball.. The M's number three was shut down because of forearm flexor issues... Cannon arm but already injury concerns.... Their number four has yet to play a game as a professional.. Braden Bishop, their number 5 is basically Brennan Lund -- only Lund finsihed his age 22 season in AA whereas Bishop will start his age 24 season having never played above High A... I will always wonder how different things could have been if Eppler had been hired in 2012 instead of Mr. Charisma.

While I'd prefer less humidity, I too believe 70 degrees is a good temp range for the storage of my balls.

No, but it was like he was stepping on broken glass...

Dude.. No. Just no. If you can't plant your back leg, good luck creating torque and bat-speed using nothing but your upper body.. Not being able to plant throws everything out of whack and creates bad habits.. AP was never a huge walk machine, his walk totals were impacted by a large number of intentional walks -- there is no denying he's been way more hackerish but as others have said, that's partially due to his having to cheat/guess what's coming and not having the legs underneath him to stay back on a ball. Personally this AP's last show to show he can stil contribute. This is as healthy as his legs will be.. If he still can't put together a passable season... It's over.

Not gonna lie, I just assumed that people bitching about him only losing 15 pounds never heard of the whole muscle mass being more dense than that of fat thing.

What is it with people that think others are upset? LOL... If you think your comments on a message board carry that much weight with others, it's you that needs to lighten up. As far as the Angels go -- it sounds more and more like it will be 6 guys juggling five rotation spots -- ala what the Dodgers did last year.

Since the Disney remodel. BTW the year before they made the changes... the park indexes were Batting - 97, Pitching - 98 The first year of the new OF alignment they rose to Batting - 106, Pitching - 105. For most of the next five seasons -- the park ran pretty much neutral... So, it's very likely the park remains fairly neutral moving forward, it just won't be death valley for LHBs.

Even with the best player on the planet on our team and a guy in Ohtani who could be huge as a 9th inning ringer, this would be the dumbest change ever. I get the need to evolve and all that, I understand they want to attract younger fans, but this short of shit just cheapens everything that happened the first 8 innings. Never thought I'd see the day when I missed Selig.. but this new guy is awful.

Actually, I haven't called it anything, so -- no need to bargain.. You slanted what was being said... I chose to point out what was actually said. They will use four guys the first few weeks of April because of off-days... Business as usual.

Aaaand the rest of the story goes like this..... ...."For at least the first few weeks of the season, that is" https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/after-trading-odorizzi-the-rays-are-planning-to-use-a-four-man-rotation-in-2018/ So basically the same BS that every team does in April with off days...

Trea Turner rule... Basically, instead of waiting a full year, teams have to wait until after the WS in the year the player was drafted to be able to trade them.... The rule change made guys available sooner... https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/05/01/mlb-union-amend-the-trea-turner-rule/?utm_term=.643143cc2154 from the article below: "The new rule also provides that players in the most recent draft cannot be used as players to be named later during the summer after they’re drafted. They must remain with the club that drafted them until the day after the World Series."

I think the 10 man DL will get a lot of due to a lot of snubbed toes, blisters and thigh chafing.

No, but Claude did guarantee that Upton WOULD opt out. Now of course... 180....

Likely true -- but at least they have avoided mistakes.

Blue Jays have had a really good offseason IMO.

Hopefully he didnt lose a ton of weight like he does every winter and takes until midseason to get UP to shape.

Yeah, but they put on cleats and didn't tear anything. So, baby steps...

If you mean the hairball -- pretty sure that's John Lamb.

But it was the largest contract given out to a FA SP that year.... I know that doesn't further your narrative but, facts are a burdensome thing.

So what exactly was the point of asking what you did? You knew that person didn't exist, that's the only reason I asked -- but you wanted to paint it as if it was all just lip service from Arte... Why? Because you were pushing a narrative and nothing else. When the intent isn't earnest discussion but an attempt to push people's buttons.... I just don't get it. Just more of the same.

Got a list of people you would have considered the "right person".. I mean you didn't want them to spend on anyone in any of the last three seasons, you said they were at least 5 years away from recovering from the JD years.. So who exactly did they fail to pursue the last two years that you actively wanted them to bring in...

Thats the deal I would have made... easy to swallow and even easier to move if shit went sideways...

"Hell hath no fury like a 5 year old scorned"