Line-up / Rotation as of today.

[nikkachez]

You'll see Cowgill and Cron in there playing against LHP, wouldn't be surprised to see Featherston play short against lefties either. Aybar struggles against left-handed pitching. Like the idea of Calhoun and Joyce hitting at the top of the lineup along with Iannetta, potentially hitting 9th. Trout hits third and that's a loooot of OBP. 

[nikkachez]

We did well because we had the guy who led the league in runs scored and RBI.  Calhouns slugging % compared to his OBP indicate hes better off batting 3rd than leadoff.  He was batting leadoff last year because there were no other options, but he doesnt belong there.  

A new leadoff hitter could be a big priority heading into next offseason. They'll want someone who can hit at the top to pair with Kole. Dexter Fowler maybe? Fowler, Calhoun, Trout, and Pujols (hopefully no Hamilton). 

[QuinlansMinion]

A new leadoff hitter could be a big priority heading into next offseason. They'll want someone who can hit at the top to pair with Kole. Dexter Fowler maybe? Fowler, Calhoun, Trout, and Pujols (hopefully no Hamilton). 

 

No you still dont get it.  Calhoun needs to be hitting behind Trout.

[Troll Daddy]

No way will Calhoun bat third next season. If he's the second best hitter on the club then were in trouble.

[Troll Daddy]

No you still dont get it. Calhoun needs to be hitting behind Trout.

I don't think you get it.

[QuinlansMinion]

No way will Calhoun bat third next season. If he's the second best hitter on the club then were in trouble.

Besides Pujols, do we have anyone else better?  Calhoun is 27, Pujols is 50.  Id say if Calhoun isnt our 2nd best player next year were in trouble.  

[dimitrig]

Besides Pujols, do we have anyone else better?  Calhoun is 27, Pujols is 50.  Id say if Calhoun isnt our 2nd best player next year were in trouble.  

 

What about Hamiltown?

[Second Base]

I think Calhoun is entrenched at leadoff for the foreseeable future. Joyce seems like a pretty good fit to bat 2nd against RHP, and Kubitza will be hitting 2nd between Calhoun and Trout in 2016.

The best hope the Angels have at moving Calhoun down in the order is if Chad Hinshaw or Bo Way keep putting up the same numbers when they reach the high minors.

Particularly Hinshaw, there's more than meets the eye there.

Anyway it isn't a pressing matter, I love Calhoun, even as a leadoff hitter.

[Brent Maguire]

Lineup looks fine although I would move Iannetta to 8th. That's also your lineup vs RH.

 

Vs lefties, it gets more complex. Cowgill/Cron DH instead of Joyce and you move Hamilton down in the order. I'd go with this lineup vs lefties:

 

Cowgill

Calhoun

Trout

Pujols

Freese

Iannetta

Aybar

Hamilton

Rutledge 

 

For the rotation, I think we'll see Weaver, Shoe, Wilson, Heaney, Santiago start the year in the rotation. Once Richards is back, you bump Santiago to the pen. If Wilson struggles, you'll see Santiago back in the rotation. Tropeano is probably entering the year as the swingman and will end up getting around 20 starts.

[ELEVEN]

You'll see Cowgill and Cron in there playing against LHP, wouldn't be surprised to see Featherston play short against lefties either. Aybar struggles against left-handed pitching. Like the idea of Calhoun and Joyce hitting at the top of the lineup along with Iannetta, potentially hitting 9th. Trout hits third and that's a loooot of OBP.

Great. So those guys can consistenly load the bases for Pujols 5-2-3 GIDP and Hamiltons whiff.

[ELEVEN]

I think Calhoun is entrenched at leadoff for the foreseeable future. Joyce seems like a pretty good fit to bat 2nd against RHP, and Kubitza will be hitting 2nd between Calhoun and Trout in 2016.

The best hope the Angels have at moving Calhoun down in the order is if Chad Hinshaw or Bo Way keep putting up the same numbers when they reach the high minors.

Particularly Hinshaw, there's more than meets the eye there.

Anyway it isn't a pressing matter, I love Calhoun, even as a leadoff hitter.

Hinshaw is a Transformer?

[Troll Daddy]

Great. So those guys can consistenly load the bases for Pujols 5-2-3 GIDP and Hamiltons whiff.

What's with the negativity. This team success will depend heavily on Pujols and Hackilton. Personally, I'm anxious to see how Hamilton will perform in ST ... which will decide his place in the lineup.

[Angelfaninidaho]

I still dont see how Cron will end up on the 25 man if he would only DH vs LHP. He's not even an adequate 1B, and the bench depth will be at a premium.

Both Green and Navarro are better fits and I dont see BOTH of them on the 25 either.

 

Pujols is not playing 162 games at 1B so Cron's going to be on the 25-man roster.  Navarro is the odd man out.  Other than CJ's lack of patience at the plate, what metric says Navarro should be anywhere ahead of him at DH or 1B?

[nikkachez]

No you still dont get it.  Calhoun needs to be hitting behind Trout.

If you take someone out of a top spot in the lineup, then who replaces that bat? Aybar? I don't think so and I wouldn't wanna see that. The Angels lack bats in the system, that's apparent. They have a great nucleus in Trout and Calhoun, but not much else. There's not a lot of depth in the back of the lineup, and not much depth to replace Joyce and/or Kole at the top. The best we can hope for is that Kubitza is legit and can hit lead-off or second. Even then I'd want Kubitza and Calhoun hitting at the top with Trout behind them. Maybe Baldoquin can surprise and be a good second spot hitter in the future. Kubitza, Baldoquin, Trout, Pujols, Calhoun as the top five? 

 

This team needs young bats. 

[ELEVEN]

Pujols is not playing 162 games at 1B so Cron's going to be on the 25-man roster.  Navarro is the odd man out.  Other than CJ's lack of patience at the plate, what metric says Navarro should be anywhere ahead of him at DH or 1B?

Navarro can field the position.

[Angel Oracle]

We can only hope for the 2013 Nibs and 2012 Pujols to resurface.

[Revad]

And play outfield as well. He'll get some chances. If Green should win 2nd base maybe Navarro is on the 25 man roster to start the season.

[Docwaukee]

Navarro can field the position.

Cron is an excellent defensive DH

[Docwaukee]

Josh will bat 4th if he has a good spring.  

[dimitrig]

We can only hope for the 2013 Nibs and 2012 Pujols to resurface.

 

How about the 2011 versions of both?

[Troll Daddy]

Josh will bat 4th if he has a good spring.

If Josh has a good spring I would try batting him third ... sandwiched between Trout and Pujols. Hamilton was great in that spot for Texas. Pujols giving him some protection in the clean up spot.

Guys like Hamilton and Wilson aren't coming into ST with their tails between their legs. They both are looking to prove themselves.

[vlad27]

Rutledge over Green ? i m thinking i need to read up on Rutledge - what does he bring to the table ?

[Angel Oracle]

How about the 2011 versions of both?

That would be sensational, but even the 2013 Nibs and 2012 Pujols would be a very solid improvement over 2014 and more realistic.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[tdawg87]

Heaney will be in the rotation unless he just completely sucks balls in the Spring. No reason for him to start in AAA. Tropeano and Santiago will both get 20+ starts between them, one way or another.

[tdawg87]

Joyce

Trout

Calhoun

Pujols

Hamilton

Freese

Aybar

Green

Ianetta

 

 

This is what the lineup SHOULD be.  Calhoun is a slugger, not on on base guy.  He is the 2nd best hitter and needs to be hitting behind Trout.  Trout needs to be hitting 2nd no matter what, he needs to be getting as many at bats as possible, and he led the league in runs/RBI so it obviously works.  Ianetta and Joyce are good OBP guys to be hitting in front of Trout.  This lineup also is a perfect R/L balance.    

 

Weaver

Shoemaker

Richards

Wilson

Santiago

 

This is what the rotation should be.  Weaver is still the ace of the rotation.  Shoemaker was basically King Felix last year.  And Richards hasnt had any set backs.  

 

You mean the 6 starts in August in which he was better than King Felix? I love Shoe but if that's the bar you've set I have a feeling he is going to massively disappoint you in 2015.