What This Tells Us About Eppler's Approach

[tdawg87]

Richards, Kendrick, and Aybar were touted highly. I believe K-Rod was as well. Oh and Weaver.

 

Not sure I understand your second comment.

[totdprods]

All it means that we still can produce good, everyday players from our current farm. Just because we traded Newcomb and Ellis doesn't mean that we are screwed and will be unable to produce anything.

[stormngt]

It tells me he likes defense and buys into the numbers.

Makes me wonder about Giavotella at 2B....

and think they might go after Heyward.

Beware of a reacquisition of Bourjous

[Vegas Halo Fan]

This reminds me of when John Schuerholz took over the Braves in the early 1990s. His obsession with glove men helped the young pitching staff, but it also left the team with no bats on the bench. IMO this was a big contributing factor in the team winning 14 consecutive division titles but only one World Series win. They simply weren't built for the post-season, when situational hitting is a big deal.

 

Ironic that this trade was with Atlanta.

[ukyah]

This reminds me of when John Schuerholz took over the Braves in the early 1990s. His obsession with glove men helped the young pitching staff, but it also left the team with no bats on the bench. IMO this was a big contributing factor in the team winning 14 consecutive division titles but only one World Series win. They simply weren't built for the post-season, when situational hitting is a big deal.

 

Ironic that this trade was with Atlanta.

 

 

i know that atlanta would like to have had more than one world series win during that stretch, but i'd sign up for 14 division titles and another world series win if anyone bothered to ask me.

[tennischmp]

I hope they both go win 20 games. And while I personally think it was a lot, if it helps us win a championship, I'll ****ing take it

It would be a good trade if they were a defensive SS away from being championship caliber. They are far from that. 

[nikkachez]

This isn't even a win now deal, it sets them up for 5 years at a very important position. Can't wait to see how the roster is filled out. 

[Angel Oracle]

Eppler's approach is Youth.

This is along the lines what I was thinking.

Get young but established talent in here, and then you have longer to rebuild the farm in the long run anyway.

Consider me as leaning towards this being a goid trade.

Now Eppler needs to build on this and add s younger and talented LF and 2B.

[Angel Oracle]

This reminds me of when John Schuerholz took over the Braves in the early 1990s. His obsession with glove men helped the young pitching staff, but it also left the team with no bats on the bench. IMO this was a big contributing factor in the team winning 14 consecutive division titles but only one World Series win. They simply weren't built for the post-season, when situational hitting is a big deal.

Ironic that this trade was with Atlanta.

That was in the Roids led hitting era.

Defense has more importance now.

[AngelStew43]

I think the strategy will be to go after one or two of the free agents without the draft pick compensation attached. 

 

I can see us making significant offers to Grienke and Cespedes, just for that reason.  I think we'd like to keep the draft choice just to restock the pitching depth traded to Atlanta.

[ukyah]

I think the strategy will be to go after one or two of the free agents without the draft pick compensation attached. 

 

I can see us making significant offers to Grienke and Cespedes, just for that reason.  I think we'd like to keep the draft choice just to restock the pitching depth traded to Atlanta.

 

 

greinke has a draft pick attached to him. honestly, after today's move i couldn't care less. get the ace on this staff. we need it.

[tomsred]

It would be a good trade if they were a defensive SS away from being championship caliber. They are far from that. 

I think the over/under number on moves made this off season by the Angels is 5.  If so this is merely number 1, let's see where they are at after the next 4.

[ten ocho recon scout]

This is along the lines what I was thinking.

Get young but established talent in here, and then you have longer to rebuild the farm in the long run anyway.

Consider me as leaning towards this being a goid trade.

Now Eppler needs to build on this and add s younger and talented LF and 2B.

Hmmm...thats one way to look at it. Make moves (trade/FA) for young talent that can hold its own at the big level while we take time to restock the farm. Obviously its easier said then done, but then again, lets be honest..farm wasnt getting us anywhere anyway.

[marcosantinia12]

you know when the yankees were winning all those world series? yeah, that was with homegrown players. i love simmons the player, but i don't agree with the trade, and i wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that what happens later in FA can somehow impact whether or not this trade is good.

I completely disagree. It goes with the sense of direction. For example, if the Angels don't do anything to improve their club via Free agency or sign older guys then it does not fit the direction we are going towards. By signing a guy like Heyward, we set ourselves up for a young, controlled team. This means that we trade for a guy like Simmons to cover a premium position for the next 5 years along with Heyward, Trout, Richards, Calhoun, Heaney, Cron etc for the rest of our team controlled players. All very young.

I would expect us to definitely be big on Heyward now, and if we are going to lose the pick, we may as well go for Howie at a hometown discount of 3/30. No he does not fit the youth movement, but we receive very good production for the next 3 years , with our larger commitments (Trout and Heyward) being towards younger players. Again, sense of direction. If I am correct, the objective is WIN NOW - for the remaining of Trout's contract. 

[moccasin]

This isn't even a win now deal, it sets them up for 5 years at a very important position. Can't wait to see how the roster is filled out. 

This. 

But I don't really feel good about our needs in the other positions, namely 3B and LF.

We have zero trade assets, which means all we can hope for is to overpay for a FA, or hope someone just sticks or steps up.

It's not going to be pretty.

[ukyah]

I completely disagree. It goes with the sense of direction. For example, if the Angels don't do anything to improve their club via Free agency or sign older guys then it does not fit the direction we are going towards. By signing a guy like Heyward, we set ourselves up for a young, controlled team. This means that we trade for a guy like Simmons to cover a premium position for the next 5 years along with Heyward, Trout, Richards, Calhoun, Heaney, Cron etc for the rest of our team controlled players. All very young.

I would expect us to definitely be big on Heyward now, and if we are going to lose the pick, we may as well go for Howie at a hometown discount of 3/30. No he does not fit the youth movement, but we receive very good production for the next 3 years , with our larger commitments (Trout and Heyward) being towards younger players. Again, sense of direction. If I am correct, the objective is WIN NOW - for the remaining of Trout's contract. 

 

 

i was just pointing out how the yankees won their string of championships.

[dimitrig]

This reminds me of when John Schuerholz took over the Braves in the early 1990s. His obsession with glove men helped the young pitching staff, but it also left the team with no bats on the bench. IMO this was a big contributing factor in the team winning 14 consecutive division titles but only one World Series win. They simply weren't built for the post-season, when situational hitting is a big deal.

 

Ironic that this trade was with Atlanta.

 

Yeah, winning 14 consecutive division titles would suck.

[marcosantinia12]

i was just pointing out how the yankees won their string of championships.

i wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that what happens later in FA can somehow impact whether or not this trade is good.

Sorry, this is what I was referring to.

[Redondo]

This is along the lines what I was thinking.

Get young but established talent in here, and then you have longer to rebuild the farm in the long run anyway.

Consider me as leaning towards this being a goid trade.

Now Eppler needs to build on this and add s younger and talented LF and 2B.

 

After sleeping on this I have to agree with AO here.

 

Building a young quality core is important.

 

Now let's see who Eppler brings in for LF and other moves.

 

Whoever is at 2b will have to have a good glove and be a capable double play partner for Simmons.

[nikkachez]

This.

But I don't really feel good about our needs in the other positions, namely 3B and LF.

We have zero trade assets, which means all we can hope for is to overpay for a FA, or hope someone just sticks or steps up.

It's not going to be pretty.

Honestly, I think they were gonna go the FA route for left anyway and the same third base ideas apply. Santiago for Prado or Plouffe would be a decent stopgap. You could sign Cespedes or Span and keep the pick, or you could get a 26-year old stud in Heyward and start the nucleus of a potentially devastatingly good team. Heyward, Trout, and Kole in the outfield? Are you kidding me? What I'm the most intrigued by is how they fill out the infield (third, second, utility infielder, and still even a catcher all make sense) and if they decide to go after an ace.

[Angel Oracle]

Imagine defensively a Heyward/Trout/Calhoun OF and Cowart/Simmons left side of the INF.

Throw Perez and hopefully FINALLY a healthy enough Pujols into the mix, and all you need for airtight defense is a 2B.

[Capital_Dave]

Nobody is talking about this:

 

If you're going to go after a stud pitcher via free agency, having a rock-solid defense ensures that you're going to attract their attention.  Hell, if you're David Price and your choices are two contracts, one at 7/215 with an airtight defense and one at 7/220 without, which is going to be a more attractive option?  I would argue that pitchers in the Price/Greinke class care far more about personal hardware (Cy Youngs, MVPs, Rings) and stats (ERA/WHIP) than they do about money, once you get above a certain threshold.

[totdprods]

Nobody is talking about this:

 

If you're going to go after a stud pitcher via free agency, having a rock-solid defense ensures that you're going to attract their attention.  Hell, if you're David Price and your choices are two contracts, one at 7/215 with an airtight defense and one at 7/220 without, which is going to be a more attractive option?  I would argue that pitchers in the Price/Greinke class care far more about personal hardware (Cy Youngs, MVPs, Rings) and stats (ERA/WHIP) than they do about money, once you get above a certain threshold.

 

The only reason why Price/Greinke don't seem likely is because it still wouldn't address the offense. We didn't move Newcomb for offense, and we'd be spending most of our FA budget on pitching in that case. At that point, we'd basically have to trade a Richards/Heaney/Skaggs for a good offensive piece, or go WAY over FA budget - which could be possible - but it'd likely be one, big expensive piece, still leaving holes to fill.

Edited November 13, 2015 by totdprods

[arch stanton]

I think Eppler saying that he believes Richards is a #1 means he's looking at the second tier of starters in the FA pool. The big money is most likely going into the OF

[totdprods]

Leake, Maeda, maybe even Samardzija (who may fly under the radar) could be more in play.