We need to bring Latos back next year

[VariousCrap]

The key with Heyward is his age.  He is only 26 years old.  You offer him an 8 year deal with an player opt out at 4 years.  It is a way better option than a guy in his 30's.  I believe Upton would be another choice being he 28 years old, but I think Heyward is the better overall player.

[VariousCrap]

Who are you, Enos Slaughter? It got pretty gnarly there at the end.

 

 

Baseball brawls are rarely gnarly and this one wasn't.  I guess it was more action packed than your typical everybody yelling at each other brawls.

[laagamer]

To piggyback AFS86 and AJ, i agree. While i understand the part of needing a big game pitcher in the playoffs, we need bats far more. Our SP has been pretty solid. Sure, we could use a silver bullet to throw game 1 of a playoff series...but right now we dont have an offense to get him there. If we blew our wad on one SP, maybe he goes out and throws 8 innings of 1 run ball...the problem is, our offense is facing someone else's silver bullet.

As the team stands right now, a hot shot ace is more of a luxury than a need. It would be (IMO) similar to adding hamilton in 13, when we desperately needed pitching, but had the trout, pujols,morales, trumbo, howie etc offense. I would expect the same results.

Not sure what to make of latos. If the price is right, it could be a good pickup to replace weaver. Would lrefer that route to signing a 150 mill bigger name guy. But this of course is only if were going to open the wallet for a bat (preferably 2)

This is what I'm talking about. We shouldn't blow the bank on SP. Go get Latos for reduced asshole price, and give Heyward or Cespedes a huge chunk of cash to play LF. Both are above average players and will give us an offensive boost.

But in all seriousness I expect a couple bench players and maybe a BP arm. We blew our money years ago and Arte sure as hell isn't going to shell out more.

[Angelsjunky]

AJ, and am not trying to hijack the thread, but why are you (and a few others) as high on heyward as you are? And im not saying youre wrong (i defer to your advanced numbers), but do you think his bat would do much to help our offense?

Just from how i see it, i think he would be a good signing if he was fairly inexpensive, and we were getting another legit bat. But i think he gets paid huge, and if that stops is from getting another bat, not sure hes the guy.

 

There is some risk involved with Heyward, and while he's been an excellent player he's merely been a good hitter - but not a great one, not even a very good one (his career wRC+ is 117, his wOBA .344). But I am very much for the idea of signing Heyward, even overpaying or him. Here's why.

 

1. While there's risk, the risk is that he'll merely remain very good rather than great. Consider that in three of the last four years he's had an fWAR over 5. Since coming into the majors he's accrued an fWAR of 27.2, which is good for 12th among all major league hitters from 2010-15. Since 2012 he's 8th, tied with Robinson Cano and Paul Goldschmidt. Now a lot of that value comes from his stellar defense which may start slipping as he enters his late 20s. But there's no sign of it yet.

 

2. VariousCrap made the point of his age, which is another part of it. An eight year deal would see him from age 26 - 33, half in his 20s and half in his 30s. Compare that to Cespedes, who turns 30 in a couple weeks, and Upton who is 28.

 

3. Then there's the matter of who is available. In terms of outfielders, you've got the Big Three: Cespedes (30), Upton (28), and Heyward (26), with their 2016 age in parentheses. Upton has been a better hitter but had his best years in 2009 and 2011 and is unlikely to get better. Cespedes has one great year to his name, this year, but is unlikely to repeat IMO, and I'm also worried about his declining walk rate. I could see Cespedes falling through the floor in another couple years. Both Upton and Cespedes are a bit overrated and have little room for improvement.

 

4. Another big factor is upside. With Heyward there's a feeling of untapped hitting potential, especially in terms of power. I could really see him having a big jump forward in the next year or two, becoming a .280, 30 HR type.

 

Again, though, even if he remains as he's been, he's going to be a very good player for a half decade or more. He isn't "the" answer, but of all free agents he's the best answer out there.

 

The best case scenario is that the Angels catch lightning in a bottle and trade, say, Hector Santiago for some AA hitter who breaks out in a big way. But that's rather unlikely. In my view, Heyward is the next best option.

 

If the Angels don't get Heyward I'd be happy with Denard Span as a consolation prize. Span will be much cheaper and gives the Angels a legit leadoff man for the first time since Chone left six years ago.

3.

[Glen]

I'm like James Brown only white and taller...

If your Google this you'll find a really good drinking song.

[laagamer]

If your Google this you'll find a really good drinking song.

 

Better drinking song 

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Before i go any further, i just hope laagamer's "reduced asshole price" catches on here as a phrase.

Good breakdown AJ. Personally, i prefer upton. I agree he already peaked, but i think hes rhe more complete hitter. Your optimism about heyward is intriguing, and youre one of the people here i know knows his stuff, so its interesting.

Id live tonadd the guy, but i dont know hes the guy to break the bank on. And i agree cespedes would be a nice add but a let down.

In a perfect world id like to get two solid line drive guys with 20ish give or take home run power. If we could get say heyward in a good year, and add a second it would be great. Just dont see it happening. I like the spann idea though...that actually makes a lot of sense.

[gurn67]

Get it done Arte!!!

[Jobu]

Yeah, no.

[Stradling]

Remember when Mark Lowe had a good outing or two for us? Then AO went all AO about how good he is and he should pitch more. Then he pitched more and sucked. Then AO went all AO and wanted him released and asked why he was even on the team. This could very well be that, minus AO since he can't come back until the last day of the season and Latos will essentially be gone by then.

Bump

[FabulousFabregas]

Maybe Pujols wins the HR Derby next year if Latos is our BP pitcher.

Edited October 3, 2015 by FabulousFabregas

[bloodbrother]

Latos has given up multiple HR's in an outing for 3 separate teams this season. Very impressive

 

 

don't bring him back

[Broad Street]

Sooooo... If do we bring him back?

[Homebrewer]

Latos and Murphy and call it an off-season.

Good to go.