Angelsjunky

And?

I’m young at heart.

He can hit pretty well.

As long as he doesn't take away at bats from Albert frickin Pujols.

I went from 250 lbs 14 months ago to 168 lbs this morning and my 9-year old daughter told me that I went from 50 to 34. I'm 44, so I'll take it.

4-4 with 2 HR. Shohei is telling us that he can handle DH duties next year.

It seems this Japanese man can hit.

You've said that about a dozen times.

You have your opinion which you're entitled to, but it is based on error, as multiple people have pointed out. What you aren't understanding is that it wouldn't have made a difference whether he got the surgery in June or October, in terms of when he comes back -- as the Fletcher post illustrated. Furthermore, if he had been shut down in June and NOT tested, then he might have re-injured it in ST and missed the year as a pitcher AND hitter. The point being: There is nothing the Angels could have done differently that would have changed the necessity of TJS. But if they hadn't tested his arm now, things could have been much worse and we could have lost him as a hitter as well. So I think they handled things as well as they could have.

I gave you an 88-mph fastball with no movement on that one.

@daygloman, with all due respect I think you are being needlessly obtuse about this. There is no situation in which Ohtani getting surgery earlier on this season would have led to him pitching sooner than 2020. And considering that he had a pre-existing concern before he was an Angel, TJS seemed inevitable - no matter how the Angels staff treated him...and they already treated him like a baby seal (in a non-Eskimo way). And as @Stradling pointed out, if the Angels had not tested his arm and hoped that rest and stem cells would do the trick in the offseason, there was a good chance he would have reinjured his arm in ST and lost the season entirely - including as a hitter.

The real question is, would you make sweet love with Bartolo Colon for one hour if it meant Ohtani's UCL would be magically healed?

The Angels have solid solutions at 1B in Fernandez, Thaiss, and Walsh; they have good long-term 2B solutions in Rengifo, Jones, even Fletcher. Not sure why you are so willing to bypass these guys. Also, I think Buttrey is on the major league roster from Opening Day. The Angels do have a ton of starter depth, though, with both Penas, Canning and Suarez (assuming one doesn't make the OD rotation), Sandoval, Beaseley, Gatto, Bridwell, Lamb, etc. I think the question with the rotation is whether they sign a starter or not; I could see them going with Skaggs, Heaney, Shoemaker, Barria, and Tropeano, or one of Meyer or Ramirez if healthy. But chances are they bring in one starter.

So the Angels went from this: 3.00 ERA, 20-25 starts; .280/.350/.550, 20 HR in 350 PA to this: .280/.350/.550, 35 HR in 550 PA Yeah, I'd rather have the former, but the latter isn't so bad (and he could be better than that, with regular play)

I've been saying that 2019 is a transition year for some time now and gotten a bit of flack for it, mainly from the "Win Now At All Costs" crowd. That said, I don't think the Ohtani injury negates the possibility of the Angels competing for the wildcard next year. There are many other ways to improve the team and get into the conversation, which starts at about 85 wins. But yeah: you nicely laid out many of the questions that 2019 will hopefully answer. A few thoughts from your list. I don't see Hermosillo ever being a starter for the Angels, not unless Adell and Marsh stall out or one of the starting three gets injured. But next year will be Upton-Trout-Calhoun and presumably 2020 will be Upton-Trout-Adell, with 2021 being either Upton-Adell-Marsh or Upton-Trout-Adell again with Marsh traded, or Adell-Trout-Marsh with Upton DHing or traded. Hermosillo would make a great 4th outfielder, though. As great as Ohtani has been in flashes, and as great as he could be, if the Angels get a healthy Shoemaker back, it isn't far off the performance level we say from Ohtani in 10 starts this year. Shoe has shown flashes of #2-3 form. In 2016, after a slow start, he had a 2.86 ERA in his last 19 starts. What if his struggles in 2017-18 were entirely about the underlying nerve injury?

I thought of that as well but don't think we'll see Jones before a September call-up, no matter how good he plays in AA/AAA, and probably not until 2019. What I fear but half-expect is that we see either Rengifo or Jones traded at some point. The honest truth is they don't absolutely need both of them, and both have significant value--more than Fletcher, I would think.

Yes, true. And of course Rengifo will be pressuring for major league playing time. 2B/UT will be competitive next year, with Cozart, Fletcher, and Rengifo all vying for playing time.

I believe TJ recovery is typically six months from the knife to being able to hit, so if he gets the surgery in October he could be ready close to Opening Day, or maybe by May. Alternately he could get the surgery now as the Angels are out of the playoff race and be ready for ST. As some have suggested, this is almost a blessing in disguise - at least that it happened now vs. in ST. We also get more Ohtani the hitter next year, which will be fun. I could see him getting 120-130 starts at DH, assuming he's healthy. Not good news for Albert.

Probably something like that. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Angels play it conservative and send Ward back to AAA, Cozart at 3B, Fletcher at 2B, and a free agent as super sub. But I'm hoping Ward is given a fair chance and wins the starting job at 3B for Opening Day, with Fernandez as 1B/3B (aka Valbuena's role). Ward could also get starts at 1B and even be an emergency third-string C.

One thing that doesn't get talked about a lot is whether the Angels will extend Simmons. Obviously it sounds like a good idea as Simmons improved hitting and sustained defensive excellence makes him a 5-6 WAR player, a true star. As with Trout, while no one is going to replace Andrelton, the Angels have a bunch of decent to good options in Fletcher, Rengifo, and eventually Rivas, Soto and Jackson. Do the Angels shell out a multi-year contract for $20-25M+ a year for Simmons in his 30s or do they go the budget route and transition Rengifo from his possible super sub role to full-time SS? Or will one of the younger guys be ready? No answers, just something to consider. By 2021 this team could see Trout and Simmons gone, Pujols put out to pasture, and Upton in a part-time role.

^Ditto. If you look at Rengifo's three levels of play this year, there is marked decline from A+/AA to AAA. At 21 I'm not worried at all, and he held his own in AAA, but clearly he can develop some more and there's no rush. He'll be up sometime in the first half next year. A+: .323/.426/.466 in 41 games AA: .305/.420/.477 in 40 games AAA: .274/.358/.421 in 46 games Ultimately I think he's got a higher upside than Fletcher, who profiles more as a stop-gap and/or excellent utility player. But Jahmai Jones might have higher upside than Rengifo, so at some point one of these guys will likely be traded.

I feel like we've been saying that for a few years now.

That is quite a few. I wouldn't worry about Houchins so much. Gatto would be next to not protect, then either Pena or Rivas. I'd protect Walsh after the big two, Rengifo and Suarez.