Jered Weaver, Skaggs, and "The Right Piece"

[marcosantinia12]

payroll for 2016 and our cap number are pretty close.  pujols, weaver, wilson, and hamilton's money make up the difference for Trout's salary being below his aav.  

 

we are at 160 ish without bennys which are around 10%.  so for 2016 is around 175-180 relative to the cap.  

 

2016 isn't the year to worry about though.  We just need to be below for 2017 where about 50 mil is off.  So we have about 50-60mil if you include 2017.  So we need 3b, LF, Pen help, a SS (for 2017), probably a 2b, backup C and possibly a front line starter.  That ain't gonna happen for 50-60 mil.  

 

Chen isn't bad, but he's basically Hector Santiago with fewer walks and more hit.  

 

Some interesting data:

 

first time through the order ops against in 2015

heaney .627

weaver .663

wilson .684

Shoe .700

Santiago .745

Richards .751

 

2nd time through

Richards .574

Heaney .675

Wilson .676

Santiago .693

Shoe .711

Weaver .845

 

3rd time through

Richards .666

Wilson .732

Heaney .749

Santiago .755

Weaver. 775

Shoe .861

 

Here's my theory.  It's cheaper to find pen parts than starters.  Heaney and Richards are fine.  Skaggs will get a shot.  Santiago will be our #3/4 unless he's traded.  I have more confidence in Wilson than Weaver.  

 

I was never a fan of Weaver out of the pen, but his splits support him being the long guy out of pen.

Heaney, Richards and Santiago have the stuff.  Their splits are about sequencing in my opinion.  A new pitching coach could have a nicely positive effect in this realm. 

Wilson is better than he gets credit for.  He sucks to watch, but his stuff is still good enough for him to be in the rotation.  

Trop and Shoe are the 6/7 starters.  

 

So you could go a couple of routes here.  

Sign Greinke for 25mil per for 5 yrs.  

Trade Santiago for a 3bman

Sign Zobrist for 17mil per for 4 yrs

Bring back Murphy for LF (7mil)

Sign a reliever for 7per

55-60mil in added payroll

 

or

 

Sign Cespedes for 20mil per for 6yrs

Sign Zobrist for 17mil per for 4 yrs

Stop gap 3bman like Uribe for 2-3mil

Reliever for 7mil x 3yrs

Another reliever for 5-6mil

50-55mil in payroll added.  

 

or

 

Bring back murphy for 7mil

Add Zobrist for 17 x 4

Stop gap 3bman 2-3mil

2 relievers for 15mil

40-45 mil added.

 

or 

Bring back Murphy at 7 mil

Let Gia keep the 2b job (no add)

stop gap at 3b and/or give it to Cowart/Kubitza

Keep the pen as is. 

add 10 mil.  

 

There are some in between each of those as well.  

 

To me, the pen is the key.  Let Santiago and Wilson go out there and pitch their 5+ and then just lock teams down with a knockout pen.  

The second most important spot is 3b.  Freese is average but we have nothing average as a replacement.  You gotta fill that with more than the kids.

We've got Murphy in our back pocket and I think we are gonna keep him.  

Getting a new 2bman is almost as important as 3b.  Gia was pretty bad even when he was good.  Mostly because his defense is awful, but his offense is below average as well.  

 

For 2017, I get the sneaking suspicion that Featherston will be our starting SS after a year in AAA.  So what you see for 2016 is what you are gonna see for 2017.  

 

You can't have a pitcher who only starts at home.  It gonna be a logistical problem.  

Great post. I completely agree that the pen is key and would like to see the team acquire at least one and if not two top relievers. I think we should stay on the conservative side on both starting pitching and offense. We should be looking at 2nd and 3rd tiers in both categories, not the flashy names. I can't stress it enough, focus on high obp guys to lengthen the lineup, add a proven albeit unspectacular arm in the rotation for stability (and to make some younger arms expendable), and add two power arms for the back of the pen.

I would like to see one of the following Scenarios:

Sign Chen/Leake +SP

Sign Darren O'day + power reliever +RP

Trade for Prado/Turner +3B

Sign Zobrist +2B

Sign Fowler/Span/Trade for LF +LF

*optional* Sign Dioner Navarro (backup veteran C) +C

or

Sign Chen/Leake +SP

Sign Darren O'day + power reliever +RP

Trade for Prado/Turner +3B

Trade for Walker/Turner +2B

Sign Gordon (ideally) /Fowler/Span +LF

*optional* Sign Dioner Navarro (backup veteran C) +C

Lineup 1:

1. Fowler/Span

2. Zobrist

3. Trout

4. Pujols

5. Calhoun

6. Prado/Turner

7. Cron

8. Perez

9. Aybar

Lineup 2:

1. Alex Gordon

2. Turner/Walker

3. Trout

4. Pujols

5. Calhoun

6. Prado/Turner

7. Cron

8. Perez

9. Aybar

All of a sudden the lineup looks pretty deep with Calhoun hitting 5th and Cron hitting 7th with solid obp guys infront of him. 8th is Perez and Aybar essentially becomes a second leadoff which could work because of his speed. 

 

[marcosantinia12]

all of this sounds like a third or fourth place team to me. the angels need to find a pretty creative way to dump some old salary. otherwise it's looking like a repeat performance.

The thing is that so did the 2014 Angels, yet we ended as the best team in baseball for the regular season. Its not about creating a sexy team on paper *cough* pujols, hamilton *cough* , its about filling areas of necessity. 

[marcosantinia12]

Admittedly, the guy I like to converse with is no longer employed by the Angels, but he seems to think the Angels absolutely won't be trading Wilson and that it was their intention to have Skaggs on the major league roster, in either a starting or bullpen capacity. They're also wanting to hang onto Tropeano.

Just a guess on my part, but I think the rotation will be Richards, Heaney, Tropeano, Wilson and Weav. They'll hold onto Skaggs because with Weav and Wilson in there, they'll need the depth. I think they'll also keep Shoe, as his trade value isn't as high. Santiago and Alvarez will be traded.

2017 though, Richards, Newcomb, Tropeano, Heaney and either Skaggs or Ellis. That group is going to be filthy.

That 2017 rotation does look very exciting. Not saying that all of them will work out, but this is a reason I think we shouldn't break the bank for a top tier pitcher. 3-4 years of Chen or Leake i'm ok with. Hopefully the rotation going forward meets the expectations. 

[Angelsjunky]

One of those ideas that makes too much sense to actually happen. I'm not sure Sosh will shelve his Proven Veteran, even though he sucks on the road.

[marcosantinia12]

One of those ideas that makes too much sense to actually happen. I'm not sure Sosh will shelve his Proven Veteran, even though he sucks on the road.

Sounds accurate to me. I don't think Sosh is the type to get really creative. Really wish we had a Joe Maddon type!

[Jimmag]

In true Weaver fashion we will let him go, the Cardinals will pick him up and he'll win a World Series

[Second Base]

Here's my theory. It's cheaper to find pen parts than starters. Heaney and Richards are fine. Skaggs will get a shot. Santiago will be our #3/4 unless he's traded. I have more confidence in Wilson than Weaver.

To me, the pen is the key. Let Santiago and Wilson go out there and pitch their 5+ and then just lock teams down with a knockout pen.

The second most important spot is 3b. Freese is average but we have nothing average as a replacement. You gotta fill that with more than the kids.

We've got Murphy in our back pocket and I think we are gonna keep him.

Getting a new 2bman is almost as important as 3b. Gia was pretty bad even when he was good. Mostly because his defense is awful, but his offense is below average as well.

For 2017, I get the sneaking suspicion that Featherston will be our starting SS after a year in AAA. So what you see for 2016 is what you are gonna see for 2017.

You can't have a pitcher who only starts at home. It gonna be a logistical problem.

A few things...

1. I think you're right about the bullpen. If you have a halfway decent (not really good or even great) rotation that can keep the game closer for 5-6 innings, you're golden. I trust Street and Smith. I think some of the league will adjust to Gott but he'll be quite good. I also think Morin's going to settle down and turn into a solid middle reliever. But I have very little faith in Bedrosian so far. Resembles Kevin Jepsen in the inconsistent years. I really like Ramsus, but not sure I have a ton of confidence in him staying healthy. Salas, I hope is gone. Terrible. In a perfect world, the Angels would sign two VERY good RP's and have a dominant bullpen. But I think money will need to be allocated elsewhere, so I think if they sign one proven, GOOD reliever to take the seventh, we could live with Gott in the 6th.

2. It appears you have much less confidence in Kubitza than I do. This is ok, much of the board doesn't really believe he's anything special at all. I think that will make it all the more fun when he comes in and shows what he's actually capable of. He's going to turn into a very good player. The floor on him in my opinion is David Murphy (that throws RH). The likeliest outcome, I think he'll be a DANIEL Murphy type of player.

3. Yeah, the whole Weav/Skaggs splitting the 5th starter is a pipe dream. I really think it'd work and offer the Angels some depth in the bullpen, but major league baseball teams just don't operate like that, and I hardly expect the Angels, a team that more favors old school philosophies to break that barrier.

4. I think the Angels would re-up Aybar before inserting Featherston as the starting SS. If Featherston was the starting SS, I get the feeling we'd be in a very similar predicament as the Padres. The Angels have a few other options here, one possibility being Baldoquin figures it out and settles in. The Angels are still very high on him. Jake Yacinich should finish 2016 in AA. He's a good defensive shortstop. Other than that, there's always the wise veteran utility infielder to be had off the scrap heap.

Edited October 31, 2015 by ScottyA_MWAH

[Angel Oracle]

Good ideas on here

My thought on Weave is to start the season with him as a rotation regular, and have Skaggs start the year in the minors building up the workloas gradually. Then if Weave struggles by June, Skaggs is stretched out enough to return to the MLB level.

If Wilson returns from bone spur surgery like he did 3 years ago, he would be a solid asset in the rotation.

The starting pitch depth down to the high minors is an asset, given pitching uncertainties.

If Salas never came in with inherited runners, he would be pretty decent. Alas, that doesn't happen in MLB.

They need one backend reliever to be added and be reliable, due to the starters workload not being the greatest in 2015.

LF is the first and foremost thing to improve.

Then backend reliever

Then either 2B or 3B. Gio was clutch at the plate, but bad in the field. Cowart looks to be good defensively at 3B, but unpredictable at the plate. Kubitza is a mystery to me, maybe partially from not being given a chance here yet.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[Glen]

Isn't Salas a free agent?

[Mark68]

Instead of Chen, who will cost a draft pick, why not Mike Leake, who will not?

[ettin]

Isn't Salas a free agent?

 

This hurts me in so many ways: http://angelswinblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/2016-los-angeles-angels-primer-part-ii.html