Angels Acquire Huston Street

[robblin17]

LOUD NOISES! This is why we can't have nice things, guys. Too much arguing.

Here's my take:

Angels are in win now mode and gave up one for sure ML'er (Alvarez) and a bunch of average/possibly good (Lindsey/Rondon) parts for the fortification of the bullpen that everyone has been bitching about.

I believe that you use lesser prospects like we traded to acquire proven major league talent. We didn't trade away BLUE CHIP prospects for goodness sake. Street will be available to us this year and next year as well as when we are primed to compete. In no way shape or form would Rondon, Lindsey, or Morris have been any major help to our efforts in the next year or two years.

Go Halos. I approve.

[Mark68]

+1

 

For the first time in a long time our pen is going to have fixed roles, like Glen outlined.  This pen was a hot mess for much of the first half of the year and suddenly it could be one of our greatest strengths.  

 

Starters go hard for 5 or 6 (more is a bonus), guys come out of the pen for their designated innings and we ride a high flying offense that's putting up a lot of runs.  I've seen this Angels model before.  I liked the result.

 

This trade makes this team better now and stronger for a deep playoff run.  Did we give up too much?  Maybe.  But we won't know that until we see what these prospects develop into.  

Agreed. With the way this team is now constructed, it reminds me of last year's Red Sox. They didn't have a great rotation. They had some good pitchers in Buchholz & Lester, but no lights-out ace.

 

What they did have was an awesome, deep bullpen, so they didn't have to ask much of the starting rotation.

 

That and a very good offense that included a lot of role players who stepped up, much like we have with Cron, Cowgill, & Navarro this year.

 

Did this trade cost a lot? Potentially, yes. However, it also potentially cost us next to nothing. Because we had no high-end talent in the minors, we had to package a few medium-level talent guys to get this deal done. We, as Angel fans, tend to be rather myopic about the players in our system and how good they COULD be and always think they will reach that plateau. However, the reason our system is ranked last is simply because we have a lot of players that don't have very high ceilings, and how many prospects actually hit those ceilings? 1 in 100? 1 in 1000?

 

Be happy that this trade did not include players like Cron, Green, Navarro, etc, players who have had/are having an impact on the current team.

 

Lindsey was expendable because we have Kendrick for the next couple of years, and we have Grant Green and Alex Yarbrough.

Alvarez was expendable because if there's one thing that our system has a lot of, it's high-leverage relief potential.

Rodon was expendable because we still have Stamets, although his current performance in Arkansas leaves a lot to be desired (will always be defense-first, anyway).

Morris was expendable because we have a few starting pitchers that will be coming down the line as well (signing Newcomb ensured that Morris could go).

 

So, what we traded was some of our depth.

 

Would I like to get another starting pitcher? Of course. This trade does limit our options. In fact, it probably limits our options to one: Cliff Lee. If he comes back from the DL and pitches well enough, he's still a guy that we can get by throwing a couple of middling prospects at as long as we agree to take on his salary. If it doesn't happen, it's fine. But just think of the possibilities...

[ten ocho recon scout]

Was just saying in anothwr thread, mark, thatvwe're built like boston last year. Good pitching, lights out pen, and beast offense. They beat the cards, who I thought were flawless

Id still like an SP, but every team out there has a weakness. Oakland is about the most complete this year, but right now I think were a pretty even match

Its all gonna come down to execution now...were built properly. No excuses, its on the guys on the field now

[Ordos]

Ive seen this a bunch of times in this thread. The one thing in common from all the posters who have stated this? They have no clue about evaluating talent and projecting forward.

Then you should be a GM, not wasting time here.

[disarcina]

Haven't read all the posts on this deal but saw the one Jeff Fletcher posted above -- not sure about the inside stuff with the scout (who-ever he is affiliated with) not liking DiPoto -- but the comments Fletcher makes on the trade all make perfect sense to me.

 

Why all the negativity.  The scout quoted in the Fletcher post breaks down the aspects of this trade well.

 

Another aspect of this that I think folks (particularly long time, more 'mature' (nice way of saying OLD GUYS) fans like me) sometimes forget is that the baseball time-table of this era is vastly different than 'back in the day' -- with free agency and the MLBPA collective bargaining agreement, look at almost any MLB roster and if you see a team that has even FOUR players that have been with that team for four years, that's almost a rarity.  When Jeter retires, he may be the last guy to play his entire (long time) career with one team.

Teams are in it, to WIN IT NOW  and that's what Arte is saying in this trade.  RJ Alvarez is the best of the lot and he may develop into a decent pitcher but right now he just missed a month with an arm issue and has not pitched at the MLB level........meanwhile we have an established MLB closer, late inning guy in Street for the stretch run and for 2015.  In MLB today, even 2015 is almost long term........

 

Needless to say, I like the deal..........when the A's made their deal for the starters, the first thing I noticed is that Beane did not give up (if I recall right) any significant pitching..........we give up Alvarez here for pitching and other position player prospects.......to me the position player guys are fairly easily replaced --  pitching has been proven tougher to get.........

 

This trade gives us a lot of options in the late inning for the pen -- all of a sudden we have a collection of arms down there that we can mix and match into different roles (which is what I would do if I were Scioscia).......I'd mix and match Smith and Street in the set up / closer role and would not go to a 'formula' of this guy always does this role -- I'd keep the opposition off guard and constantly guessing.......La Russa way of managing..........we now have collection of arms of set up and pre-set up guys that can probably shorten the stretch games for our starters to six  maybe seven inning games.....that really helps a Weaver, Richards, CJ Wilson et sec. down the stretch run.

[disarcina]

this is going to shape up a lot like 2002 because I don't see Oakland losing games at a time any time soon.

 

remember 2002 -- we went on a heck of stretch run and still couldn't catch up with the A's.

 

this thing different this time is that a Wild Card spot probably nets us (or Oakland) a one game playoff perhaps against King Felix........and if somehow the A's and Angels are knotted up at the end of the regular season, that ONE GAME playoff for the AL West will be HUGE -- as the LOSER will have to play a SINGLE GAME ELIMINATION game before starting the REAL PLAYOFFs and may have to pitch starter number three not only for the REAL PLAYOFFs opener but twice during that ALDS series.

[floplag]

this is going to shape up a lot like 2002 because I don't see Oakland losing games at a time any time soon.

 

remember 2002 -- we went on a heck of stretch run and still couldn't catch up with the A's.

 

this thing different this time is that a Wild Card spot probably nets us (or Oakland) a one game playoff perhaps against King Felix........and if somehow the A's and Angels are knotted up at the end of the regular season, that ONE GAME playoff for the AL West will be HUGE -- as the LOSER will have to play a SINGLE GAME ELIMINATION game before starting the REAL PLAYOFFs and may have to pitch starter number three not only for the REAL PLAYOFFs opener but twice during that ALDS series.

remember the result of 2002 ? 

[Mark68]

remember the result of 2002 ? 

Yeah, they made that "Moneyball" movie about it.

 

Edited July 19, 2014 by Mark68

[floplag]

last night i saw a team refuse to lose.. something i bagged on the heavily for in the past as not caring... right now, they care, and its a lot of fun to watch

[Ohtaniland]

This could end up being a great trade. The type of trade that sets the course of the future of the franchise. I'm all in.

signed,

Tony Reagins

[AngelsLakersFan]

I've come around a little more on the trade this morning. I was a little negative about it last night, and today I'd say I'm leaning toward positive.

 

We gave up a lot, but I think we spent all the way up to our limit. It's tough to give up 4 prospects for one reliever, and this opens up DiPoto for a lot of criticism in the future if more than one of these guys pans out in a meaningful way. Still, none of these players are likely to be impact players.

 

Alvarez was looking like a stud reliever, who just needed a little improvement of his command to make that leap. Then he hurt his arm. He's a Tommy John candidate now and we are likely to see him altering his pitching style to avoid injury.

 

Rodon could be our future shortstop, but he is still several years away, and has a lot of development left before that's possible.

 

Lindsey is probably a future big leaguer, but he is seriously redundant in our system at this point.

 

The other pitcher, whose name escapes me, is - I believe - a recent signee (player to be named later) who could ultimately be anything, and more likely nothing.

 

The Pads are taking gambles on a lot of long shot players here hoping to strike gold with one of them. It's high risk on both sides, as there is a reasonable chance that none of these guys amount to anything.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Hey fletch, I laughed a bit at thay, but can you clarify? Were you saying one of our own scouts hates dipoto, or an outside teams scout?

Another team.

Point was he had no reason to side with Dipoto because he's his buddy. His objective opinion was it was a good deal for where the Angels are now.

[Tyler]

Another team.

Point was he had no reason to side with Dipoto because he's his buddy. His objective opinion was it was a good deal for where the Angels are now.

 

This isn't a 'we hate Dipoto so we're gonna blast him for this' reasoning. In fact, I was all for extending him a few threads down as I complimented as being on the same page with Scioscia and heading down the right path with building the farm system.... then he goes and trades away 4 guys (3 above average impact) for a reliever.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Shane

[Second Base]

So every prospect we have is going to be a major league starter according to you?? Well shit then...

 

Every one that we traded?  Yes.  Definitely.  Why would the other team trade for them unless they actually believed they could be MLB starters?

[disarcina]

'Remember the Result of 2002?"

 

Absolutely.......every Halos fan does -- I was at the ALDS clincher vs. the Yankees, the series where K-Rod really emerged on the scene.

 

My point is -- had the current TWO WILD CARD PLAYOFF team format been in place then -- well, the result may well have been different.

 

and the TWO WILD CARD PLAYOFF team format PLUS a potential AL West regular season tie may really complicate things and make the LOSER of the AL West one game playoff a real LONG SHOT.

[Second Base]

Ok I slept on it and.....I still freakin hate this trade.  Dang it Dipoto!

[Glen]

Every one that we traded?  Yes.  Definitely.  Why would the other team trade for them unless they actually believed they could be MLB starters?

 

 

 

Because by getting four they're increasing their chances of having one of two of them permanently make the big team.  

[stormngt]

I am fearful this trade is going to be like Haren. We got a good pitcher that will help us. How is debateable since we already posses the 2nd best record in the majors without him. Three years later when those prospects move.to the majors we just may have people.talk about horrible it was.

[Spirit]

"If" those prospects move to the majors.  And "if" they are successful once they get there.

[OregonLAA]

I am fearful this trade is going to be like Haren. We got a good pitcher that will help us. How is debateable since we already posses the 2nd best record in the majors without him. Three years later when those prospects move.to the majors we just may have people.talk about horrible it was.

Corbin has been out for a year and we got Skaggs back. Was Saunders the hard part?

[19HALO71]

Play Ball!!

 

Go HALOS!!!!

[FiveToolMVP]

Love the trade, and we get Street for 2015, the bullpen is solid now.  Not like we gave up 'top talent'... top 10 within the Angels system but not MLB overall, I think Lindsey was a fringe top 100 prospect in MLB.

[m0nkey]

Rondon is the big one in my opinion.  I can deal with the other three.

 

 

And whether or not the minor leaguers become anything is only part of the equation.  It's that they have value right now, regardless of the future.  The idea of trading ASSETS for a reliever and minor leaguer is why people are upset.

[nando714]

remember the result of 2002 ?

Hatteberg tho

[Butcher'd]

Honestly, I don't even know if this makes the Angels better this year. There is a reasonable chance that Alvarez will be better than Street THIS year.

 

bullshit