Angels Prioritizing Control In Search For Bat

[nikkachez]

I know the M's just signed him last winter, but do you think Seth Smith would be an option?

Love Smith, just don't know if Seattle will trade him since he's one of the few guys hitting. Seattle's a train wreck, but I'd be surprised if they sell.

[ettin]

I know the M's just signed him last winter, but do you think Seth Smith would be an option?

 

Yes possibly if the M's don't mind trading within the Division. He has 1 full year left on his contract after this year and then there is an option year for 2017 with a meager buyout.

 

I think the Mariners would try to pull too much out of though. Smith would be a slightly lesser version of Lind but he can play the OF adequately (even a bit above average).

[nikkachez]

Yes possibly if the M's don't mind trading within the Division. He has 1 full year left on his contract after this year and then there is an option year for 2017 with a meager buyout.

I think the Mariners would try to pull too much out of though. Smith would be a slightly lesser version of Lind but he can play the OF adequately (even a bit above average).

The only reason I don't see the Halos and Seattle matching up in a trade is what each team wants. Both teams are going to be looking for bats. Halos don't have any to give.

[ettin]

The only reason I don't see the Halos and Seattle matching up in a trade is what each team wants. Both teams are going to be looking for bats. Halos don't have any to give.

 

The Mariners are pretty much done. It will take a massive run for them to pass the Angels or Astros right now and the Wild Card is even more crowded. Unless they go on a 10-0 streak here in the last few days they are sellers which, if that happens, means they aren't limited to just bats although i agree they want more offense generally.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Sorry, I'm distracted. Just saw an ad for a Jayson Werth chia pet.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Second Base]

The idea of team control for a LF is something I've been pressings or a couple months now, rather in depth too. Good to see it validated on MLBTR.

[TroutField]

Just please stay away from lefties. I can't think of a single reason why a left-handed bat would be better than a righty for the Angels.

People always complain about the Yankees and their lefties; they should be saying the same things about the Angels and their righties.

Because we have ZERO power hitting lefties. Calhoun is our best left handed bat

[dream_weaver]

The allure of trading for a rental is promising at the time, but bad for long term. The Angels need to make smart moves and I'm glad they aren't gonna cash in the chips and go all in. I'd rather build something to last. If they could get a major league ready position player prospect, I'd be happy. 

[Oz27]

He can scold me all he wants...I scold him on his ability to edit his articles & tweets all the time.

You come across as a really fun and likeable human being.

 

Or, you know, the opposite of that.

[Lou]

CJ, some other stuff and a used Mike Trout jockstrap for Cueto and Bruce

Too much to give up.

CJ, some other stuff and Heaney

[ettin]

Just please stay away from lefties. I can't think of a single reason why a left-handed bat would be better than a righty for the Angels.

People always complain about the Yankees and their lefties; they should be saying the same things about the Angels and their righties.

Approximately 70% of the pitchers in baseball are throwing right-handed. Generally left-handed hitters are better vs. RHP (there certainly are exceptions).

Earlier in the season the Angels were not doing well against RHP's. That has improved where we currently have a wRC+ vs. RHP AND LHP of 103.

Adding a LH bat or two right now would provide balance and options vs. the more prevalent RHP corps around the League. Additionally a lot of the pitchers being discussed as possible trade candidates, minus Hamels and Price, are RHP's and the teams acquiring them will be one's we might face if we get to the playoffs (Kazmir has been very vulnerable to LHH's this year).

Picking up someone like Lind, Bruce, or Smith that can plug into our lineup would be important for the remainder of the season. Acquiring a lead-off/2-hole hitter who can hit RHP would be a fantastic addition as well where we could have Kole either lead-off or hit in the 2-spot.

I will respectfully disagree with you on this Randy but I think adding a bat that can handle RHP would prove to be valuable the remainder of the season.

[Second Base]

Why not two? I mean, I love the roll Cron is on right now, but going into next year, can we run the risk of going two months without a DH again?

Grab Bruce, Parra, Revere or Ethier for LF, but don't hesitate to grab Lind to compete or platoon with Cron at DH.

Parra, Calhoun, Trout, Pujols, Lind is a solid 1-5.

[nikkachez]

Why not two? I mean, I love the roll Cron is on right now, but going into next year, can we run the risk of going two months without a DH again?

Grab Bruce, Parra, Revere or Ethier for LF, but don't hesitate to grab Lind to compete or platoon with Cron at DH.

Parra, Calhoun, Trout, Pujols, Lind is a solid 1-5.

This is what I'm thinking, maybe they could flip CJ in an Ethier type of deal, or a similar deal, and then use some prospects for another player.

[HaloCory22]

If you follow me on Twitter... (Heh. Almost a year since that thread came around)

 

I threw a random name into the ring. Matt Kemp.. Now before you start laughing looking at his stats. Since June 6th he's OPSing .841. Signed through the 2020 season. Stick him in left and he's an instant upgrade. Between 18-22 million a year (Dodgers still paying 3.5 or so of the deal) We might be able to get him for a somewhat cheap price. A guy who can OPS over .800 for around $20 million a year is going to be around league average or possibly a bargain in the next 5 years.

[ettin]

I need to retract an earlier statement I made in my first post in this thread: "If the Angels were willing to eat C.J.'s 2015 salary only, virtually all of those teams, except perhaps the Royals and Twins, could afford to absorb his 2016 salary."

The Twins and Royals, in fact, are dropping team payroll by approximately $35MM and $45MM respectively after 2015!!!! Boy did I make a big dumb assumption!

This has now made me look harder at fits and quite frankly the Twins and the Angels match up pretty well in trade. The Twins need help in their bullpen, rotation and at the catcher position. The Twins rotation and bullpen as a team have a K%-BB% vs. LHP of 8.3% (Wilson is at 14.2%) and vs. RHP of 10.2% (Wilson sits at 11.3%).

It wouldn't surprise me to see the Angels send C.J. Wilson, Chris Iannetta and Cam Bedrosian for Aaron Hicks and one of either Oswaldo Arcia or Kennys Vargas. The Angels would eat some or all of Wilson's 2015 salary.

The Angels could promote Jett Bandy (or Rafael Lopez) to replace Iannetta, Heaney replaces Wilson in the rotation, and Bedrosian isn't on the 25-man roster at the moment anyway.

The Angels get back a lead-off hitter/2-hole hitter in Hicks who has even OBP splits from both sides of the plate who is very athletic and can play good defense across all three OF positions (probably would supplant Calhoun in RF and move him over to LF). Arcia or Vargas would provide a DH type hitter vs. RHP. Both would be controllable assets long term. The Twins hold an extra year of control on Vargas so Arcia is probably the more likely trade chip in this scenario.

Edited July 21, 2015 by ettin

[DoubleOffTheWall]

I would not trade CJ, with Weave still such a big question mark.

 

While the staff of Richards, Shoe, Santiago, and Heaney is solid, there's very little playoff experience there. 

 

Last time Richards squared off against Scherzer last year, he was sweating bullets. 

 

At least CJ has some big game experience and I'd see him as a capable game 2 or game 3 starter. 

[Second Base]

Personally, I would advise against trading CJ, Tropeano, Heaney, Newcomb or Ellis. If they want to trade, use Weav, Shoemaker, Smith, Alcantara, Rhoades and any number of RP prospects.

[HaloCory22]

Personally, I would advise against trading CJ, Tropeano, Heaney, Newcomb or Ellis. If they want to trade, use Weav, Shoemaker, Smith, Alcantara, Rhoades and any number of RP prospects.

So guys with no value.

[rageous]

I would not trade CJ, with Weave still such a big question mark.

 

While the staff of Richards, Shoe, Santiago, and Heaney is solid, there's very little playoff experience there. 

 

Last time Richards squared off against Scherzer last year, he was sweating bullets. 

 

At least CJ has some big game experience and I'd see him as a capable game 2 or game 3 starter. 

Do you even know what you are saying?

CJ has all those playoff experience of getting shelled and those are so valuable right?

Did you even look up his playoff numbers and realize he has been one of the worst pitchers in the playoffs in recent history?

10 GS 1 W 6 L 5.26 ERA 1.49 WHIP.

[TroutField]

If Aaron hicks could be had that's the type of player you blow your prospects on. That's exactly the player we need to be favorites along with the Royals. Speedy guy with OBP and doubles power, former first rounder. Just coming into his own in the big leagues.

[nikkachez]

So guys with no value.

Lol that's exactly what I was thinking.

[AngelArcher]

If the Tigers decide to sell, Rajai Davis would be a cheap pick up. A free agent after the year, so I don't think he'll command a lot in a trade.

[DMVol]

If the Tigers decide to sell, Rajai Davis would be a cheap pick up. A free agent after the year, so I don't think he'll command a lot in a trade.

Would make a lot of sense....maybe more than Bruce or Revere or some of the others....would give you a serviceable LF'er with some speed....not sure why his numbers are down this year---injury? platoon?

Edited July 21, 2015 by DMVol

[Blarg]

Do you even know what you are saying?

CJ has all those playoff experience of getting shelled and those are so valuable right?

Did you even look up his playoff numbers and realize he has been one of the worst pitchers in the playoffs in recent history?

10 GS 1 W 6 L 5.26 ERA 1.49 WHIP.

 

Kershaw is jealous of those numbers.

[Reveille1984]

If you follow me on Twitter... (Heh. Almost a year since that thread came around)

 

I threw a random name into the ring. Matt Kemp.. Now before you start laughing looking at his stats. Since June 6th he's OPSing .841. Signed through the 2020 season. Stick him in left and he's an instant upgrade. Between 18-22 million a year (Dodgers still paying 3.5 or so of the deal) We might be able to get him for a somewhat cheap price. A guy who can OPS over .800 for around $20 million a year is going to be around league average or possibly a bargain in the next 5 years.

 

Kemp is about to turn 31, has accumulated about 1 WAR over the last 3 seasons, and is under contract for another 4 yrs/$86M after 2015 (!)... this is probably the worst possible contract we could take.

 

To say he would be an instant upgrade in LF is not even close to the truth either.  Kemp has been one of the worst defensive outfielders in the game for a while now.  He would also have to switch leagues and is basically a glorified DH at this point in his career.