Cron's future

[stevestevens]

With the Joyce trade you have wonder if Jerry really wants to use one roster spot for a platoon DH that will only face lefties.  I mean really Cron has zero value outside of his bat.  He will not ever pinch run and he will never be a defensive replacement.   He had some starts at 1B this year but that was to get Pujols into the DH to give him some rest.  I can't see that scenario happening in 2015 with a right handed pitcher on the mound. 

 

Benching Joyce when a lefty starts seems like a Cowgill role more than a dedicated Cron role because Cowgill can fulfill other potential roles when on the bench.  

 

 

[ettin]

Because it is likely that we will start the season with 8 relievers Cron certainly looks like he'll start in the Minors to begin the year. After the starters stretch out a bit more he could certainly be called up. Notably he hasn't done too badly against RHP in the Minors so as a late inning bench bat he is capable.

I think if the right trade came along the Angels would certainly consider moving him to a team that could platoon him at 1B/DH.

[T.G.]

It's too bad Jim Bowden isn't a GM somewhere any more... he loves Cron.

[IEAngelsfan]

I think they still need Cron.  When Pujols DH's, they will need him to play 1B,  If the Joyce signing pushes Navarro out, who else do they have to play 1B?

[Cdaniel]

I think they still need Cron. When Pujols DH's, they will need him to play 1B, If the Joyce signing pushes Navarro out, who else do they have to play 1B?

JD said that he thinks Joyce will get some time at 1B

[Adam]

I think 2015 is another year of development. He'll get 50 or so starts at DH. 15-20 at 1B and a bunch of PH opportunities.  300 ABs or so, assuming he's on the roster. 

[Docwaukee]

"Star Trek XIV:  Cron's Future"

[red321]

It's too bad Jim Bowden isn't a GM somewhere any more... he loves Cron.

 

Think that answers the question on why he is not a GM somewhere

[Stradling]

I think 2015 is another year of development. He'll get 50 or so starts at DH. 15-20 at 1B and a bunch of PH opportunities. 300 ABs or so, assuming he's on the roster.

Who would you pinch hit Cron for? I guess they could pinch hit Cron for the catcher when it isn't Ianetta, or possibly for Rutledge, and I guess even Joyce when he is facing a tough lefty late in the game. But of those three scenarios, the only time it would make sense is with Joyce. If the back up catcher is playing then Ianetta would pinch hit, and if Rutledge is hitting then Green could just pinch hit. I guess he would pinch hit for the pitcher in NL ball parks during interleague and the world series.

[HaloCory22]

Let him get a full year of ABs in AAA or trade him. No need to stunt his development as a platoon against lefties. Even with 1B starts with Pujols DHing there won't be enough ABs.

[ten ocho recon scout]

JD said that he thinks Joyce will get some time at 1B

cron's day getting worse and worse.

[stevestevens]

That is thing,pretty much anyone on the team could play first as good as cron. He was not good

[tdawg87]

Joyce is a FA in 2016 so I don't think this guarantees anything about Cron's future. I still see him as the DH/1B of the next 3-4 years.

 

That said, if GM's are high on Cron, my guess is Jerry is all ears.

[laagamer]

I think Cron takes a back seat to Joyce this year or gets traded.

 

That being said, we do need help to spell Pujols at 1B. Joyce can take AB's there but we'll see.

 

...I actually hope we trade him for more young pitching 

[Adam]

Who would you pinch hit Cron for? I guess they could pinch hit Cron for the catcher when it isn't Ianetta, or possibly for Rutledge, and I guess even Joyce when he is facing a tough lefty late in the game. But of those three scenarios, the only time it would make sense is with Joyce. If the back up catcher is playing then Ianetta would pinch hit, and if Rutledge is hitting then Green could just pinch hit. I guess he would pinch hit for the pitcher in NL ball parks during interleague and the world series.

 

Joyce against a lefty late in games.

Interleague.

When you need a HR

Edited December 16, 2014 by Adam

[Make Angels Great Again]

Personally, I think Cron is going to be a big bust. His approach sucks hard.

[Chuck]

I agree with Adam. Cron doubles his at bats from 2014 in '15, becomes the primary designated hitter in 2016, part time 1B. 

 

In my talks with Dipoto, they really like Cron's bat and his ability to drive in runs. 

[nikkachez]

They'll give him chances this year. I think he's the backup first baseman and DH against LHP, they'll try and evaluate him throughout the season. I think they're just trying to piece some bats together until the Trade Deadline or next offseason. This offseason's focus was on pitching, now you can focus on position players and just make accent moves to the pitching staff. 

 

Who would've thought we'd be talking about offense being an issue and being near set on pitching heading into the offseason!?

[Ohtaniland]

With the Joyce trade you have wonder if Jerry really wants to use one roster spot for a platoon DH that will only face lefties. I mean really Cron has zero value outside of his bat. He will not ever pinch run and he will never be a defensive replacement. He had some starts at 1B this year but that was to get Pujols into the DH to give him some rest. I can't see that scenario happening in 2015 with a right handed pitcher on the mound.

Benching Joyce when a lefty starts seems like a Cowgill role more than a dedicated Cron role because Cowgill can fulfill other potential roles when on the bench.

I think it's goodbye to Boesch or Campana. We can't carry all of those outfielders. Plus Green can play both IF and OF.

[Butcher'd]

Trade him while he still has any value

[Chuck]

I think it's goodbye to Boesch or Campana. We can't carry all of those outfielders. Plus Green can play both IF and OF.

 

Boesch and Campana are already on other teams, so yeah. 

[nikkachez]

I think it's goodbye to Boesch or Campana. We can't carry all of those outfielders. Plus Green can play both IF and OF.

Boesch and Campana are loooong gone already

[Docwaukee]

I have always questioned whether Cron would stick.  He defense is pretty wretched and his plate discipline is horrible.  

 

That said, he's in mlb at the right time because power is so limited.  He can do some serious damage and he makes hard contact quite a bit.  Small sample had him at a 24% line drive rate and a BABIP of .300, which made him pretty unlucky last year.  

 

I feel like the Trumbo comp is a little off though in that Trumbo was never a contact guy like Cron and Trumbo's big problem as I saw it was that he'd go up there squeezing the saw dust out of the bat trying to hit 10run hrs.  If cron can avoid those times and make progress on pitches out of the zone he can't square up, he has a chance to be much more consistent.  

[Second Base]

I really don't think this trade effects Cron too much.  I felt he'd be the primary DH heading into the season but also knew the Angels would bring in some competition.  After the trade, it looks like he'll platoon at DH, spell Albert at 1B and be the power bat off the bench on his days off.  That's still a lot of playing time.

 

He'll be an everyday DH/1B eventually.  But I have no problem putting this off for one more season if it means bringing someone of Joyce's quality into the equation.  Joyce gets on base, hits RHP's, has good power, definitely makes up a little for the loss of Kendrick and overall just increases their depth. 

 

Good trade. 

[Oz27]

I feel people undersell Cron a little. Yeah, the OBP is bad but that doesn't mean you can't still be a useful hitter. Guys who can put up a 110 OPS+ and .450 SLG% in their rookie year don't grow on trees. It's like Trumbo, when he was with us he was either very overrated or quite underrated. The truth lied somewhere in the middle, he wasn't as good as the HR totals would have you believe but he's still a useful bat. Cron can be a slightly poorer man's version I think. All it takes is an injury to Joyce, Pujols, Hamilton, Calhoun or maybe even Trout (if we feel Hamilton can play CF) and he's into the lineup every day, plus he'll DH against lefties and get some ABs pinch hitting and spelling others. If he's ever short of playing time you can send him to Salt Lake for a fortnight but I imagine he'll be on the big league roster for most of the season and will be a useful guy for us to have.