David Freese or Ian Stewart?

[ELEVEN]

Of course he does. He's playing in the Magical City of Oakland.

[tennischmp]

I doubt they will give up on Freese after everything they gave up to get him

[AngelsFaninGA]

Let's see, would I take that one guy batting .200 or that other guy batting .200? Honestly, neither, and we need to address 3rd base again this offseason since they have no intention of playing Green there. 

[Chuck]

Let's see, would I take that one guy batting .200 or that other guy batting .200? Honestly, neither, and we need to address 3rd base again this offseason since they have no intention of playing Green there.

That doesn't answer the question for the current state of affairs.

Our future 3b is Kaleb Cowart and if he continues at his current rate we may see him in AAA by midseason.

[nando714]

Weren't most complaining about Stewart making the 25 man over Green. Now some want him to leap frog Freese lol

[Chuck]

Weren't most complaining about Stewart making the 25 man over Green. Now some want him to leap frog Freese lol

Not me.

I said, like I thought most others, that Green needed consistent playing time in AAA.

[Marsaka]

I doubt they will give up on Freese after everything they gave up to get him

 

this is true unfortunately.  but if you look at the a's, they traded for jim johnson and his 10m salary and they already booted him from the closers role after only 10 games.

 

the a's realize every game is important,  and they are not gonna let johnson continue to hurt the team until he figures it out.  i dont get that vibe from the angels.

[nando714]

I said, like I thought most others, that Green needed consistent playing time in AAA.

I agree. I'd rather him see everyday action than to sit on the bench and start once a week.

[YouthofToday]

Platoon.

[Erstad Grit]

Callaspo is hitting .345

[Scott34]

So glad we dealt Bourjos and Grichuk for a platoon player and a shitty BP arm.

[Chuck]

So glad we dealt Bourjos and Grichuk for a platoon player and a shitty BP arm.

Until Bourjos has a healthy full productive season and Grichuk makes a big league roster somewhere and has any kind of success it's premature to say it was a bad trade.

Freese could also pull his head out and put together a productive season still.

Time will tell.

[vlad27]

Yep. 

 

Meanwhile Freese is hitting much better (sample size I know) vs. lefties. His only HR was against Paxton. But he seems to see the ball better from a lefty. He has 3 walks vs. 2 strikeouts. 3 hits in 6 at bats vs. southpaws. 

 

Against righties he's struck out 9 times in 29 at bats. Just one walk. 

 

In every season that Freese has been in the league, he's hit way better against southpaws with a BA well over .300 in his career. 

makes sense to have a straight platoon then - although i think the fact that we gave up PBJ for him and his past world series heroics may still give him more starts - although i think neither of those reasons are good - start the stronger player id say 

[Blarg]

This is one of those choices of do you want the guy that hit well today or the guy that hit well yesterday. It is April and only 12 games in the books. No player is showing anyone what they can or will do for the entire season. Freese was chosen to be the starting 3rd baseman by trade while Stewart (like Chad Tracy and Carlos Pena) was a non roster invitee. Let's just see a few more games before the DFA police starts rounding up suspects.

[Guest]

I'll even take Maicer Itzturis over Freese.

[Angel Oracle]

Pretty much straight platoon for now, with Stewart facing the tougher righties.

Freese looks totally lost against righties.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Sherlock31]

I am not give up on Freese just yet, but Stewart does deserve more playing time.

[Blarg]

I know you guys live in a "what's trending" world but Stewart is a career .231 hitter with a .318 obp. It is not as if he is hitting the cover off the ball batting .200 so far.

[Angel Oracle]

I know you guys live in a "what's trending" world but Stewart is a career .231 hitter with a .318 obp. It is not as if he is hitting the cover off the ball batting .200 so far.

True, but he is hitting better than Freese. 

Wherever the 2011-2012 Freese disappeared to, he needs to come back STAT. 

[Angel Oracle]

What is causing Freese to struggle so much? 

 

Facing new pitchers?

MLB has the perfect book on him now?

Slow starter?

[Chuck]

It is not as if he is hitting the cover off the ball batting .200 so far.

 

Small sample size, but what I was impressed with was his ST at bats and some of his recent at bats in the early stages this season.

 

You cannot simply put players in a box and say they're not able to get better because they've been shitty up until a certain point. 

[Docwaukee]

nice thread Chuck. 

 

I have been on the secret Stewart bandwagon from the beginning and thought there was a good chance he would displace freese at some point.  Not totally of course, but to a platoon which is what I voted.

 

Stewart struggled early in spring and then warmed up with more at bats.  He cooled off early because of a lack of pt, but I think he will heat up again now that Josh is out. 

 

I actually liked that they kept him out of spring.  I think it gave him the best chance mentally as he's had issues in that realm. 

 

He's a much better defender than Freese as well.  So if they are both going to hit .240, I'd take Stewart every day. 

 

That Freese trade is still a mystery to me.  JD doesn't seem to fare well when trading for an established player.  I still think Bourjos could have gotten us a very good reliever or a pitching prospect and the real tragedy of that trade was not only losing Grichuk but adding Salas.  But what's done is done.  I do agree that there is a good chance that trade means a whole lot of nothing to either party. 

Edited April 14, 2014 by Dochalo

[Fontana Halo]

At this rate, it could be Cowart before the season's over.

[Jimmag]

Have to go with Freese. Did not know Stewart went to my alma mater GGHS thanks for posting those stats Chuck!

 

Platoon was a great movie not a fan of it in sports.

[stormngt]

I talked to an Angels exec recently and he said to expect a better showing this season from Ian Stewart.

 

I then heard Rojas mention on the air today that Stewart worked out with Rod Carew in the offseason on his swing. They worked out quite a bit from what I was told. 

 

1. Stewart had a better spring than Freese. Stewart batted .298/.370/.511 with three homers and six RBI over 47 spring at-bats.

 

2. His balance at the plate looks a lot like Josh Hamilton. Has much more raw power than Freese. 

 

3. Ian is known to be a better 3B defensively. 

 

4. Stewart was a top prospect, top draft pick, so he has the pedigree Freese doesn't have. 

 

5. Stewart is hungry after struggling with the Rockies, then cut by two teams. 

 

I know it's a small sample size to look at stats, but Stewart's at bats in ST and early on have looked a lot better than Freese. David Freese has looked awful chasing high fastballs and offering at sliders low and away. 

 

Which of the two would you like to start or would you go for a straight platoon with Stewart starting against righties and Freese against lefties?

So......we traded Bourjos and Grichulk for a back up 3b and a crappy relief pitcher?