Angels sign Cliff Pennington to 2 year deal

[Ohtaniland]

I guess we will see. We've never seen a GM be deceptiive about his true intentions.

Strad, I like Eppler. I think he has a plan that will build a good future. I don't care much for over paying free agent players that most of the time end up becoming complacent. Been there, done that.

[ELEVEN]

Metallica sucks.

Boom shots fired.

They are so Emo...

...

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I expected Maicer Izturis back.  

 

It's only November.

[Ohtaniland]

You support dumpster diving?

BTW, dipoto did pretty much the same thing while he was here

Dipoto and Arte tried to buy a championship with Pujols and Hamilton. That plan failed big time! Now Eppler has to pick up the pieces having to work around those ridicules contracts. I seriously doubt that Eppler demanded more $100M-$250M contracts to fix the team in his interview.

[tdawg87]

Eppler just said in an MLB.com interview that this team has a lot of fight. He also said that they aren't necessarily looking at the big fish and quickly pointed to minor league free agents. That doesn't look like a big spending plan to me. I support that mindset.

 

I think you're hearing what you (or you're new narrative) wants to hear. You take what he said as proof that the Angels aren't going after any big-name FA's this winter. I take it as the same shit Dipoto and Reagins would say whenever they were asked the same question. He's not going to come out and say "Oh yeah we're definitely targeting guys like Price and Heyward because the team we have isn't good enough." He was simply saying that there are multiple options on the table to improve the team.

 

Do you honestly, truly believe that Plan A isn't to get someone like Heyward or Upton or Cespedes? That doesn't mean they WILL get one of those guys, mind you. Just that those players will be targets.

 

I mean, in an ideal world every team would be able to drastically improve while adding little payroll. If Eppler can do it then great. My guess is he'll add a couple buy-low pieces, and maybe a BP arm. But I would be shocked if they don't go into 2016 without having signed one of the big name free agents.

[tdawg87]

Dipoto and Arte tried to buy a championship with Pujols and Hamilton. That plan failed big time! Now Eppler has to pick up the pieces having to work around those ridicules contracts. I seriously doubt that Eppler demanded more $100M-$250M contracts to fix the team in his interview.

 

Well no, because Eppler doesn't control the payroll. His employer does.

[Docwaukee]

The KC plan:

 

Have 0 playoff appearances for 28 years.  One 90 win season during that time.  Before last year, they had 1 season above .500 in the last 20 years and it was 83 wins.  Before last year, 11 of their last 14 seasons were 90 or more losses.  

 

draft Greinke with the 6th pick overall 2002.  trade him for jake odorizzi, lorenzo cain, alcides escobar

draft Billy Butler in 2004.  14th pick overall

2005 - 1(2) Alex Gordon.

2006 - 1(1) Luke Hochevar 

2007 - 1(2) Mike Moustakas, 3(96) Danny Duffy, 10th round - Greg Holland

2008 - 1(3) Eric Hosmer

2009 - Trade odorizzi, myers etc for Shields and Wade Davis.

 

And just like that, CHAMPIONSHIP!!

 

It only took having one of the top 3 picks for 4 years in a row as well as trading previous top 5 or 6 picks for additional prospects.  

 

13 years later you have a team that wins more than it loses.  

 

It's like the perfect template for every team to follow.  

[ten ocho recon scout]

I love it when people still talk about 2002 when this current Angels team has nothing in common except Scioscia. Can't we just all agree that 2015 Royals accomplished the same championship run as the 2002 Angels. Minus any PED's.

Theres as much proof the 02 team was on the gear as there is proof the 15 team isnt

Psst....they still cant test for H... (tongue click)

[ten ocho recon scout]

The KC plan:

Have 0 playoff appearances for 28 years. One 90 win season during that time. Before last year, they had 1 season above .500 in the last 20 years and it was 83 wins. Before last year, 11 of their last 14 seasons were 90 or more losses.

draft Greinke with the 6th pick overall 2002. trade him for jake odorizzi, lorenzo cain, alcides escobar

draft Billy Butler in 2004. 14th pick overall

2005 - 1(2) Alex Gordon.

2006 - 1(1) Luke Hochevar

2007 - 1(2) Mike Moustakas, 3(96) Danny Duffy, 10th round - Greg Holland

2008 - 1(3) Eric Hosmer

2009 - Trade odorizzi, myers etc for Shields and Wade Davis.

And just like that, CHAMPIONSHIP!!

It only took having one of the top 3 picks for 4 years in a row as well as trading previous top 5 or 6 picks for additional prospects.

13 years later you have a team that wins more than it loses.

It's like the perfect template for every team to follow.

you left out one big piece Doc. And @calzone, when you say the royals did the same thing the angels did in 2002...both teams had a coomon denominator....

Ill give you a hint...he was drafter before cal ripken, something phys pointed out at least once a broadcast...

[Docwaukee]

Eppler is gonna do everything he can to fill every open position with a player that will be in their prime or close to it for the next 4-5 years.  Or he will supplement the position with a platoon option that plays excellent defense.  He's gonna kick tires on Heyward and maybe Upton.  I think he's gonna trade Santiago and every single possible farm hand of any value whatsoever to make this happen.  He's gonna start the farm from scratch.  

 

There is gonna be a bunch of under the radar signings and dumpster diving.  

 

He's gonna get us a kick ass bullpen and an amazing defense.  

 

Just my opinion of course.  But that's what I'm feeling.  

 

I think he was the guy on the yanks that was finding the value picks with the rest of his group that includes the guy he just brought over.  Guys like Chris Young, Didi Gregorius, Justin Wilson, Solarte etc.  We are gonna see a lot of that.  

 

I actually agree that he's tempering expectations on spending.  

[nikkachez]

Eppler is gonna do everything he can to fill every open position with a player that will be in their prime or close to it for the next 4-5 years.  Or he will supplement the position with a platoon option that plays excellent defense.  He's gonna kick tires on Heyward and maybe Upton.  I think he's gonna trade Santiago and every single possible farm hand of any value whatsoever to make this happen.  He's gonna start the farm from scratch.  

 

There is gonna be a bunch of under the radar signings and dumpster diving.  

 

He's gonna get us a kick ass bullpen and an amazing defense.  

 

Just my opinion of course.  But that's what I'm feeling.  

 

I think he was the guy on the yanks that was finding the value picks with the rest of his group that includes the guy he just brought over.  Guys like Chris Young, Didi Gregorius, Justin Wilson, Solarte etc.  We are gonna see a lot of that.  

 

I actually agree that he's tempering expectations on spending.  

Sign me up for Young and Kelley, former Yankees he might have interest in. 

[disarcina]

speaking of Featherston as earlier posts on this thread did -- does this signing mean we kept Featherston on the 2015 roster all season wasting that roster spot for nothing?

 

or does Featherston get the starting job at 2B or SS at SLC?? (we kept him a year so now we don't have to give him back to Colorado).

 

Pennington was a pretty good MIF for Oakland at one time, Decent fielder.

 

I like this if we use him in late innings for MI defense, perhaps PH to bunt a runner along -- not sure how Pennington is on the speed front but certainly faster than some of the OF  and 1B/ 3B guys on the roster.  If he can do as well as John McDonald did for us in 2014 (at least during the first half) that would be a plus........remember McDonald played good D for us in late innings at MIF and 3B and was a club house presence......his bat, never great, sort of completely disappeared in August -- I don't think he got an AB in September.

 

but these late inning specialist types -- the right player -- can really help a ballclub.

[ukyah]

maybe he can use his yankees connections to bring us jeets and mo.

Edited November 19, 2015 by ukyah

[totdprods]

Featherston goes to SLC and probably plays SS full-time, picking up some work at 2B and 3B on who we acquire.

Not sure why there's so much animosity or distress over Featherston, either based off his '15 performance or being 'blocked'...

Rule V has always been about being an alternative way to 'buy' an expiring prospect.

I thought it was a great move then and think he will come in handy down the line.

[Docwaukee]

don't kid yourself about Featherston.  With his defense, he's gonna get every opportunity to be our starting 2bman next year if we don't sign or trade for someone else.  

[Brent Maguire]

I understand that every fan of every team in Major League Baseball has high expectations of the team they cheer for. Arte Moreno has spent $852,409,866 in salaries since their last playoff victory. We've seen numerous mega-year over pays since that time so that plan hasn't worked very well. I think it's incredible that people expect Arte to spend more and more money each year and if they lose the answer is to spend even more. I hope Arte just lets the GM build a team through creativity because trying to buy a championship hasn't worked out very well. The highest paid player on the Royals last season made $14M so anything is possible with solid managing.

Claude, I was a huge proponent of rebuilding after 2009 but that rebuild train is long gone. This team as it stands is not very good at all, probably around a 80-82 win team.

 

So the option is to:

1)Rebuild and trade all of the valuable assets away and plan for 2018/2019

2)Stand pat and be a boring .500 team and not have an identity 

3)Retool the roster by signing FAs to fill necessary holes and make trades from areas of strength

 

I think it's pretty clear Eppler is going towards route 3 out of necessity. The Angels aren't in a position to not spend money unless they go full teardown. While the payroll is high, the team is in a big market and is expected to have high payrolls to remain competitive. It's also asinine to not try to push for a better team while they get the best years they'll ever receive out of one player. 

 

I just don't personally see any scenario where the Angels don't get better without spending money. It isn't possible given their farm system situation, lack of tradable assets and the money locked up for Pujols, Hamilton, etc. 

[KevinJ14]

Claude, I was a huge proponent of rebuilding after 2009 but that rebuild train is long gone. This team as it stands is not very good at all, probably around a 80-82 win team.

 

So the option is to:

1)Rebuild and trade all of the valuable assets away and plan for 2018/2019

2)Stand pat and be a boring .500 team and not have an identity 

3)Retool the roster by signing FAs to fill necessary holes and make trades from areas of strength

 

I think it's pretty clear Eppler is going towards route 3 out of necessity. The Angels aren't in a position to not spend money unless they go full teardown. While the payroll is high, the team is in a big market and is expected to have high payrolls to remain competitive. It's also asinine to not try to push for a better team while they get the best years they'll ever receive out of one player. 

 

I just don't personally see any scenario where the Angels don't get better without spending money. It isn't possible given their farm system situation, lack of tradable assets and the money locked up for Pujols, Hamilton, etc. 

I think you're right about Eppler wanting to get the Angels back to playing the small ball game.

[TobiasFunke]

Mark68 and Nate, it was a joke you dorks. Thankfully VegasHaloFan got it.

[Ohtaniland]

Claude, I was a huge proponent of rebuilding after 2009 but that rebuild train is long gone. This team as it stands is not very good at all, probably around a 80-82 win team.

So the option is to:

1)Rebuild and trade all of the valuable assets away and plan for 2018/2019

2)Stand pat and be a boring .500 team and not have an identity

3)Retool the roster by signing FAs to fill necessary holes and make trades from areas of strength

I think it's pretty clear Eppler is going towards route 3 out of necessity. The Angels aren't in a position to not spend money unless they go full teardown. While the payroll is high, the team is in a big market and is expected to have high payrolls to remain competitive. It's also asinine to not try to push for a better team while they get the best years they'll ever receive out of one player.

I just don't personally see any scenario where the Angels don't get better without spending money. It isn't possible given their farm system situation, lack of tradable assets and the money locked up for Pujols, Hamilton, etc.

My initial reaction to Dipoto was that he talked a good game and said the right things at first. Then the sh*t storm happened. Pujols, Wilson and Hamilton all 30ish players getting mega long term deals forcing the departure of Hunter and Morales. The Big $$$ tied up caused the acquisition of the Blantons and Hansons. I'm hoping that Eppler is going a different direction even if it isn't Win Now.

[beatlesrule]

6 pages for Cliff Pennington?

Lol. I guess 7 now.

Edited November 19, 2015 by beatlesrule

[Stradling]

It is like any other thread, your post about Cliff is probably the first one about him in many many posts. Each thread takes on a life of its own.

[Homebrewer]

It is like any other thread, your post about Cliff is probably the first one about him in many many posts. Each thread takes on a life of its own.

And then large parts of them get deleted.

[Stradling]

It is like any other thread, your post about Cliff is probably the first one about him in many many posts. Each thread takes on a life of its own.

And then large parts of them get deleted.

If it is repetitive nonsense then sometimes. But most of the time no.

[Troll Daddy]

Is Cliff a better option than Gia? ... curious

[Stradling]

Is Cliff a better option than Gia? ... curious

Defensively it isn't even close. I still think the Angels go after a starting 2nd baseman.