gotbeer

4/$32? that's not a bad deal at all. Worse case, you could trade him midway through the deal. Because that contract isn't prohibitive at all to probably every team in the league.

Well, this isn't going to end well.

Wasn't Freese a butcher at 3B?

Fielder for Kinsler; Cano to Rangers now?

So Fielder: 14-20, $24 million annually. $168 million left. Kinsler: 4+1 left. $16/16/14/11. $5 mil buyout. $62 million left. + less than $50 million. $56 million+ can go a long way.

Hopefully it's more than the $5 million we got up for Wells.

It would be interesting seeing what Bartolo is looking to get. If it's a 1/$5 million I'd do it, even up to $8 million. But more than one year and you are really playing with fire. I don't even know. Can you put a clause in a contract that voids it if they test positive again?

Cano it is.

It does if not much money changes hands. They could pretty much keep their pitching staff intact now.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Wow. And the blockbusters start

Geeze. Fielder: 14-20, $24 million annually. $168 million left. Last year .819 OPS, career 916 OPS. Kinsler: 4+1 left. $16/16/14/11. $5 mil buyout. $62 million left. Last year .757 OPS, career .803 OPS. Also, didn't realize how much of a bandbox Tigger stadium was. 1.139 in runs, 1.013 in HR's. Where Texas is at a 0.985 Runs and 0.903 HR. If it's straight up, that is a bunch of salary changing hands. With a lot going to Texas, and a declining Fielder going to a stadium not as friendly offensively. Ok, I'm for it.

I think the Angels just need an average #3 starter. And Vargas would fit that bill. If you look at the AL team's, and go straight line on their starting pitching. So that the lowest ERA is the #1 starter and so forth (because I was lazy and didn't want to go by depth chart and have to rearrange everything). The average in the MLB is a 4.10 ERA/1.38 WHIP for a #3 starter. Vargas would be a 4.02 ERA/1.39 WHIP. Sure you would like to get to the Rays 3.24 ERA (best in the straight line 3 spot)/1.30 WHIP, or the A's 3.96 ERA/1.24 WHIP (Best in the straight line 3 spot). But if it came down to it, with our offense, average should be good enough.

So Roberto Lopez, Matt Long, Jeremy Berg, David Carpenter, Rolando Gomez, Carlos Ramirez, Matt Oye, Mike Piazza for Cliff Lee?

Arte Moreno doesn't want the team payroll to go over the competitive balance tax thresh hold.

I would think we would have to eat some. At $5 million someone may take a flier on him. But heck, even if we save $3 million, that's a quality reliever we can get to replace him.

Wouldn't it be funny if Bosche sued Arod for Defamation for calling him a felon.

Very possible, considering Johnson got $8 million from the Padres and had worse numbers than Blanton last year.

Rodriguez walks out of hearing

The simple answer is release him. But in baseball nothing is simple for the Angels. Here are some factors that I think have to be considered before the majority will get their wish. Blanton is owed $8.5 million, $7.5 million this season, and $1 million buyout for 2015. From my estimated opening salary, the Angels sit at around $147.9 million right now. More importantly, due to chatter that the Angels don't want to get in the competitive balance tax area, the Angels are at an estimated $155.9 million, with the tax kicking in at $189 million. That leaves an average annual value of $33.1 million that we can spend. The needs of the team are 2 starting pitchers and 2-3 relievers. Starter: Weaver CJ Open Open Richards Reliever: Frieri De La Rosa Burnett Jepsen (Open) Open Open Williams Now you have to look at, can Blanton fill a starting pitcher, or reliever roll? As a starter, Blanton posted a 5.66 ERA/1.59 WHIP last season. As a reliever, Blanton posted a 8.64 ERA/1.74 WHIP over 8 appearances. But can he get better? His career average is a 4.51 ERA/1.36 WHIP. So say you throw out last season, and that he can hit Career norms. This will be the baseline of who can you get in the offseason to improve the club. The pursuit of a closer. Say the Angels go and get a closer. A good closer will cost about $10 million. The Beard probably around $7 million. That would leave $26.1 million - $23.1 million to spend on 2 starters and one-two relievers. Vargas at a 4.02 ERA/1.39 WHIP will probably be asking $10-12 million. So to fit under the budget, getting a good closer, would probably mean having Blanton as either a starter or one of the relievers. The pursuit of 2 starters in free agency. You want to improve the team, so going off the 4.34 ERA/200 IP method I put in this thread (with caveats), you come up with: So for just 2013 Bartolo Colon James Shields Ervin Santana A.J. Burnett Ubaldo Jimenez Hiroki Kuroda Ricky Nolasco Andy Pettitte Jon Lester Bronson Arroyo Scott Feldman Tim Lincecum And for 2011-2013 James Shields Hiroki Kuroda Tim Hudson Ervin Santana Dan Haren A.J. Burnett Jon Lester Tim Lincecum Jason VargasBronson Arroyo Ricky Nolasco Joe Saunders So assuming a good reliever will cost between $3-5 million (Burnett was $3.5 million for the first season, and he was one of the tops in FA relievers for the class) depending on if you need 2 or 3, that will put it at $6-$10 million up to $9-$15 million. So you would have $27-$23 million to $24-$18 million to spend. So you can get 2 starting pitchers, and 2 relievers and effectively cut Blanton. Trades to improve the team right now. Say you trade away some offense to help the team right now. Problem is going to be this. Pitching is at a premium right now. You will have to pay premium to get a good pitcher. Teams will not trade a good pitcher away if they have to pay any of their salary. So if someone wants Cliff Lee, the Phillies will not pay a dime of what is owed Lee. So your net is always going to get you closer to the Tax threshhold. So, a Bourjos will bigger hit to the tax, because Bourjos is estimated to only get $1.1 million in arbitration. Trumbo would net the Angels a mid amount at $4.7 million. And Kendrick and Aybar would be a $8.3 to a $8.7 million. So taking Lee as an example. His Competitive Balance tax hit would be $24 million. But with Bourjos the tax hit would be a net $22.9 million. For Trumbo, it would be $19.3 million. For Kendrick and Aybar it would be $15.7 to 15.3 million. This would then leave from $10.2 million to $17.8 million left to spend on 2-3 relievers and 1 more starter. This type of move would probably be countered with Blanton taking a starting spot. There are probably other trades. But you have to balance it with tax considerations, along with benefit. For instance, you could trade Trumbo for a reliever and solve one spot. But overall, that would be the stupidest move you could make, because you can get a premier reliever in FA'cy for $5 million, you cannot get a power hitter in FA'cy for $5 million. Or you could trade a position player for a 2015 FA. And that's the Grienke risk. Trades to improve the team with prospects. This one is pretty simple. See the pursuit of 2 starters in free agency, and then add a weaker offense. It'll be interesting what moves the Angels make in the coming months. Because what moves we make, and aren't able to make will have a big say on if Blanton is on the opening day roster.

Trout sure looks different this offseason.

Did he say anything? Or was was there just a sound effect of a big splash playing?

It's a gamble. He could revert, or Blanton.

Simple. He would be called EA. lol

And this is why people carry guns.