Is the team better, or worse, than at seasons end? and why?

[floplag]

self explanatory.. in your view is the team right now better, or worse, than it was at seasons end?

Edited December 18, 2014 by floplag

[floplag]

My post, ill start.

 

I think we are in fact better.

 

Pitching will be deeper, i think Hamilton will be better and we might actually get production from the DH spot.
Losing Howie hurts a little but i think of all the trade parts we had he was the most replaceable
I also still think we may not be done and look for more from JD.

 

Ill go on record right now as saying that if we get anything resembling production from Hamilton, we repeat the 98ish wins and maybe 100+ for the first time.

Edited December 17, 2014 by floplag

[Chuck]

Better.

 

We have a good platoon DH situation. We have a deeper starting pitching staff and our bullpen is locked and loaded going into the start of the regular season. 

[mtangelsfan]

I think the better pen makes this team just as good due to the loss of Howie's bat and glove.  Starting pitching is a little of a question mark because of Richards' injury. 

[TobiasFunke]

We lost Jepsen though which I feel is a big miss, especially with how good he was last season. I think we're about the same.

[Sherlock31]

Well, we lost Kendrick but got better at the DH spot, I say we are even. 

 

But the team definitely got better in the long run.

[arch stanton]

At no time last season was everything clicking. Solid production from the DH spot and 3B all season should make up for Howie and the pitching should be beter from day 1. We may not win more games but it will be a better team from the start with salary room to plug holes along the way.

[MVTrout]

Same.

[Docwaukee]

at the end of the season we had 3 starters that weren't at least mildly injured.  Our SP depth to start the year will be significanly better especially when we get Richards back.  DH will be better to offset Kendrick's loss.  Wilson, and Hamilton can heal up and get their heads right.  

 

I think they are a shade better or about the same talent wise, but I think the production you are going to get from a few guys will improve.  

[Angelsjunky]

I think you have to look at three layers:

 

Surface: About the same. Howie's loss will hurt, and Jepsen and Grilli did contribute last year. Joyce, Tropeano, Heaney, etc will help but I think all things tolled the team's performance on the field will be similar. In other words, the Angels are still a 90+ win team.

 

Depth: Much better. This has talked about quite a bit, but as I've said before, the main thing that Dipoto has done as far as the short-term goes is minimize how far the Angels can fall if the fit hits the shan. A worst-case reasonable scenario (barring Trout's abduction by aliens) is about 85 wins. Going into last year the floor was significantly lower.

 

Future: Better, maybe much better depending upon how Heaney, Tropeano, Baldoquin pan out.

[laagamer]

We had the best offense in baseball last season and should be around the top next year. Our pitching is even better than it was at the start of last season, and provided we can stay healthy should thrive.

 

I think we're better. 

[WallyWorld]

can a mod please fix the title. it's making my brain hurt.

[Stradling]

This may surprise some of you but I think the team is worse right now than they were at the end of last year. At the end of last year we had a proven 2nd baseman that was really good, good enough that we put him in the clean up spot and he did very well hitting there. We also had a lights out (even though it was tough to count on him) 7th inning guy in Jepsen. You can say what you want about Jepsen's career, but last year he got the job DONE.

All that being said, this team is deeper, has more options, and has more pitching depth than they have had at any time in the last several years. I still hope we can move CJ and free up some cash to give us even more options going forward.

[tdawg87]

He did say "at seasons end", and Jeppy was horrible in September and in the playoffs. He was very good overall, but by no means irreplaceable. Losing Kendrick definitely creates a hole but offensively they've already replaced his production and then some.

 

I'd say they are slightly better overall. The pitching staff is deep as shiz and the lineup has a lot of options as well. I'd still like to see them find a more regular 2nd baseman (though I'm find with Green and the boys fighting it out) and replace CJ.

Edited December 17, 2014 by tdawg87

[Stradling]

Is it wrong to want Green to succeed just to prove TD wrong?

[tdawg87]

No.

 

Just as it isn't wrong to hope CJ Wilson sucks balls and loses his spot to Heaney who dominates for that exact same reason.

[Stradling]

No.

Just as it isn't wrong to hope CJ Wilson sucks balls and loses his spot to Heaney who dominates for that exact same reason.

That's not what you really want. I would prefer they both pitch great and then CJ is traded.

[WallyWorld]

for the love of god and grammar, the thread title. please.

[tomsred]

We are better.  Better starting pitching depth, good bullpen from the start of the year, and we are slightly younger.  We have question marks at second and backup catcher but have plenty of players to audition.

Edited December 18, 2014 by tomsred

[shizziejoe]

I voted about the same but I think the team we have now has the potential to be better.  Towards the end of the season last year, Howie was big for us in that he was hitting well at the cleanup spot.  We also had players who stepped up like Rasmus, Shoemaker, Santiago, Morin but we don't know if they will be able to continue to perform with the same success.  Currently we have improved pitching depth (especially SP), we've gotten younger and more athletic all around.  The potential to be better depends on who will step up with Howie gone now?  Joyce is a good addition but more importantly a healthy Hamilton and Calhoun will benefit us greatly. 

[DW711]

Incomplete, it's December.

[NorCal Halo]

*than (not then)

 

The 2014 Angels had 98 wins.

 

The 2015 Angels have 0 wins.

[floplag]

Jesus H the grammar police...

[NachoPop]

Starting players more or less the same, but deeper, younger and cheaper.

[XtremeHalo]

I would say significantly better, but there are a lot of young guys that need to just go out there and prove it, (Heaney, Tropeano, Rutledge) and others to prove they are the real deal, (Richards, Shoemaker, Calhoun, Morin)

 

Also anyone have any feedback on these trade ideas?:

 

Angels send Wilson (+12mil) & Alcantara to AZ

AZ send Lamb(3B) to Angels

 

Angels send Freese & Ellis to SF

SF send Susac© to Angels

 

Too much or too little? I figured to try and "sweeten" the deal for the other team since both players we could receive are young guys with good upside. I understand both would need to be simultaneously so we don't end up without a 3B.