[MLBTradeRumors] Offseason Outlook for the Angels

[Angelsjunky]

Pretty good summation here.

 

 

[nando714]

Low risk Morales over Cron i wouldn't mind.

[wopphil]

We have a lot of major league pitching depth at this point. 12 guys - Street, Smith, Jepsen, Morin, Pestano, Rasmus, Salas, Ramos, Weaver, Wilson, Santiago, and Shoemaker - who are healthy and likely guaranteed big league roster spots. Once Richards returns, that number goes to 13. And then there are still guys like Tropeano, Bedrosian, and Gott, who constitute legit depth.

So I would be surprised to see any other pen arms signed/traded for, and we really don't have the space for another starter unless another transaction takes place. Personally, I wouldn't be upset if we non-tendered Salas to make room for a lock down pen arm.

Edited November 7, 2014 by wopphil

[CanadianHalo]

I've always been a Hanley Ramirez fan. Injuries would be the worry with him but I'd like to have him

[beatlesrule]

I've always been a Hanley Ramirez fan. Injuries would be the worry with him but I'd like to have him

He will cost way too much.

I like how Steve Adams states that he had to rewrite the article after the trade.

[UndertheHalo]

we signed a cuban ? that came out of no where.  About time we did something in the international market.  Still theres basically no info on the guy.  Baldoquin is the name I believe.

[Angel Oracle]

Pestano > Grilled Cheese or Tossed Salad

He's on the verge of returning to 2011-12 form.

 

I like filling needs, and not signing overpriced/aging big money guys. 

Ramos (SOLID lefty reliever, unlike Margaret), Tropeano (future #5 starter?), and Perez (future catcher?) all fill a need.

[Angelsjunky]

I'm also going to agree that Hanley will be overpriced, especially considering he hasn't been a consistently great player in half a decade. Look at his career stats - there's a big dropoff from 2009 to 2010, then again from 2010 to 2011. He was incredible in 2013 but it was only 89 games and he predictably regressed in 2014.

Hanley is still a good player, even a very good one. But former superstars with erratic career paths are tricky when it comes to contracts and there always seems to be one team willing to overpay (see "Hamilton, Josh").

[Second Base]

In my opinion, after the trades Dipoto pulled, the Angels are in a great position. All of their needs are met and they are 9 million under the cap. They don't need to make any more moves.

But the difference is, they can if Dipoto chooses. Meaning if someone meets his asking price for Kendrick, he'll trade him Howie and start Green at 2B. But it'd have to be a great return because the Angels are fine as is.

Good spot to be in.

[Angel Oracle]

The one thing HanRam has over the guy he was traded for (he and Anabal Sanchez for Josh Beckett) is that Beckett just retired.

 

Otherwise, both were great years back, and then basically played partial seasons from then on.

[stormngt]

We still need a left handed bat for DH

In my opinion, after the trades Dipoto pulled, the Angels are in a great position. All of their needs are met and they are 9 million under the cap. They don't need to make any more moves.

But the difference is, they can if Dipoto chooses. Meaning if someone meets his asking price for Kendrick, he'll trade him Howie and start Green at 2B. But it'd have to be a great return because the Angels are fine as is.

Good spot to be in.

[stormngt]

We still need a left handed bat for DH

In my opinion, after the trades Dipoto pulled, the Angels are in a great position. All of their needs are met and they are 9 million under the cap. They don't need to make any more moves.

But the difference is, they can if Dipoto chooses. Meaning if someone meets his asking price for Kendrick, he'll trade him Howie and start Green at 2B. But it'd have to be a great return because the Angels are fine as is.

Good spot to be in.

[Second Base]

We had the best offense in baseball without a LH bat at DH last year. The Angels don't need anything. But they can get a platoon bat if they'd like. Not required though, their five without it.

[stormngt]

You are banking on the fact that we hit as well as we did last year. I am not. Cowgil, Navarro, Cron, Green did surprisingly well at times. Plus Iannetta had a career, and there is a good chance Calhoun over achieved this year. Plus we need to be prepared if Hamilton stinks up the batters box.

[Second Base]

You are banking on the fact that we hit as well as we did last year. I am not. Cowgil, Navarro, Cron, Green did surprisingly well at times. Plus Iannetta had a career, and there is a good chance Calhoun over achieved this year. Plus we need to be prepared if Hamilton stinks up the batters box.

Not going to disagree but at the same time, Green is capable of so much more, as is Cron, and Trout, and Hamilton and Pujols. Calhoun will probably only get better from here.

Point is, I feel the offense is just as likely to take a step forward than backwards. But if there are options available, why not grab a lefty bat off the bench. If it isn't available I wouldn't worry though.

[beatlesrule]

We had the best offense in baseball without a LH bat at DH last year. The Angels don't need anything. But they can get a platoon bat if they'd like. Not required though, their five without it.

 

So what? Last year is over and done with.  A lot of teams will have different players and the Angels can't expect the same results with their lineup.  Your line of reasoning makes very little sense.

Edited November 7, 2014 by beatlesrule

[tdawg87]

Need another starter.

[YouthofToday]

Need another starter.

Yup. Never enough quality starters. Wilson may be no better than a #5 moving forward. We still need another top of the rotation guy to complement Richards.

[ELEVEN]

We're fine, guys. We have 25 players now.

[arch stanton]

Bottom line is we need someone to do what Hamilton is supposed to do, whether it's him or someone else there has to be a lefty power bat of some quality.

[stormngt]

Agreed. Or more accurately we need someone to do what a below average Hamilton would do. Instead we get the shitty Hamilton

Bottom line is we need someone to do what Hamilton is supposed to do, whether it's him or someone else there has to be a lefty power bat of some quality.

[Redondo]

Bottom line is we need someone to do what Hamilton is supposed to do, whether it's him or someone else there has to be a lefty power bat of some quality.

 

This

[Angelsjunky]

Need another starter.

 

Yup. Right now the Angels have:

 

Weaver - should be about the same

Shoemaker - could be as good, but could also regress a bit

Richards - back sometime early in the year, but may need time to acclimate

Wilson - who the fukc knows?

Santiago - erratic but should be overall decent. Could surprise and be Santana-esque (in a good year)

Tropeano - Shoemaker 2.0? We can hope. At the least he's a solid #5 option

Rasmus - back-up plan.

 

So we could use another starter, preferably a good one. If the Angels let Beckham go and trade Howie, might they go after one of the Big Three starters?

[Blarg]

Even though Weaver and Wilson both time out in two years, I don't want them to toss away big money on one of the top three starters and think of it as a bridge for when they are done. They need innings eaten instead of the flash of some guy like Shields, Sherzer or Lester that have done their career best for some other team and now are getting their retirement contract. The Angels can look for a 2nd tier guy not named Volquez, the most talented head case ever to ruin a rotation.

 

Since this article was posted and the author admitted he had to rewrite it because of Dipoto's trades, the Angels did pick up another pitcher for AAA reliever depth in Jeremy McBride. So no more tinkering with the relievers needs to be done. Left hander Nate Smith has done well in AA and the AFL so he should be considered as starting depth in the minors.

 

I would rather they drop Beckham and fill the utility role with a minor league player for league minimum. Stamets would factor as a McDonald kind of player for the Angels, very solid glove but don't expect him to hit any game winning home runs. That leaves you Grant Green to do the major platoon role to keep players fresh and still have some young legs on the bench.

 

Keep Kendrick and Aybar together and don't Cespedes the 5 games for one like Oakland did. If Kendrick isn't bringing a #1 you are not filling his position with Green and getting the value out of the trade. Let him play out his contract and talk extension if he looks like he will age well for the next 3 years.

[Second Base]

Couldn't have possibly put it better. Stamets defense would be perfect for the Angels in the late innings. He can also bunt and pinch run.