Winter Meetings, What will the Angels do?

[Stradling]

Will they sign a big name outfielder?

Will they make a surprise trade?

Will they sign a couple of meh players (Utley, Freese, Span)?

Will they sit on their hands and basically sit out the winter meetings (Claude's choice)?

[AngelsLakersFan]

make this a pole

[bloodbrother]

Arte needs to give the go-ahead to go over the luxury tax threshold this offseason. Next year they have a lot of money coming off the books so they should be fine. Would be a mistake to hold back this offseason and then look to spend next year in what is an incredibly poor FA market. Would just leave them overpaying for even worse talent

 

I'm hoping they make 1 significant move, mainly OF, by signing one of the big 4. My personal preference would be Heyward with Upton and Gordon as the fallbacks. I just think Cespedes is a bad fit considering his poor OBP%. If he returns back to his career average in the BA department, his OBP% dips to .305-.315 range

 

So yeah, wishlist would be

 

1. Get one of the OFers locked up

2. Smaller deal stuff/maybe small trades to help address bullpen, rotation or 2B/3B. Freese probably would be one of the signings in here

[ELEVEN]

I think they already made the surprise trade.

Meh players forthcoming.

[Ohtaniland]

I don't think that making smart trades is considered sitting on their hands. I'm just not a big fan of handing out 7 - 10 year $150M - $200M+ contracts to players not named Trout or Harper. I believe that Eppler will make some cost effective signings or trades that make financial sense. Arte has about $16M to reach the luxury tax but I'm not as convinced as some that he will spend it all and more. He might wait until the July trade deadline to see if the team is still in the hunt.

Fletcher said that Eppler says that we are in on numerous trades and FA's. Maybe what he's trying to say is that if Eppler can clear some salary through some creative trades, we can sign a Big Splash.

Edited December 6, 2015 by CALZONE

[fan_since79]

Well, so far we got a great defensive shortstop who's a mediocre hitter, another guy nobody's ever heard of, and some changes in the coaching staff.

 

If that's the sum total of it, we're screwed. There has to be significantly more to come. Please let that be the case.

[ettin]

Will they sign a big name outfielder?

Will they make a surprise trade?

Will they sign a couple of meh players (Utley, Freese, Span)?

Will they sit on their hands and basically sit out the winter meetings (Claude's choice)?

 

My CF and RF Primer will be out any moment now (Chuck? ) but here:

 

They will make every effort possible to sign Jason Heyward and the number will surprise everyone, maybe even me. Talking 10 years, $250MM with an out clause at 5 year mark to align with Trout's controllable seasons.

 

There is reason to believe in my mind that the Angels line up reasonably well with at least two teams that have a young, frontline starting pitcher where we exchange at least 2-3 Major League players and/or 1-2 Major League-ready prospects (think Kubitza/Cowart) for said frontline starter. I'm speaking in terms of high quantity for one quality player. Some smaller market teams need to fill multiple holes and we do have pieces that could help them.

 

Feel strongly, as I noted in the Primer, that they will sign Freese to a 3 year contract with 1-2 team options to lower the AAV to help a touch with payroll (it's not much but it is money the Angels need to manage).

 

It is very possible they sign Chase Utley to man 2B. His defense, even at 37 is above average and I think he still has some gas left in the tank. It is also very possible the Angels acquire Starlin Castro because essentially he has no surplus value with his current contract and the Angels could send a starter or something else to acquire him. I don't think he'll cost as much as some think.

 

The Hanley Ramirez rumors may not be total smoke. I think there is a remote possibility (maybe 20%) that the Red Sox eat a lot of money and send him our way. Cron might very well be trade bait in that scenario for the frontline starting pitching scenario I spoke about above.

 

If the Angels sit on their hands I'll be supremely disappointed. It is Arte's money but he's never struck me as someone who holds back when he can improve the team and he'll get it done too. The only logical path is to spend big to improve the team.

 

EDIT: In regards to 2B it is also possible that we can acquire Rob Refsnyder from the Yankees.

Edited December 6, 2015 by ettin

[Stradling]

The problem with that Claude is in order to make "smart trades" is you have to have trade-able assets or a surplus in one area to acquire areas that we need. We have no talent in the minors that will net us anything for the next couple of seasons. Our only area of "depth" might be starting pitching but since we traded our top two minor league arms to trade a starter would require signing one. So your smart trades theory would have worked a couple years ago, but not now.

[fan_since79]

Sign Heyward, move Calhoun to left, and you've got one of the best outfields in baseball.

[Ochocinco!]

I say nothing

[HBMike]

My CF and RF Primer will be out any moment now (Chuck? ) but here:

They will make every effort possible to sign Jason Heyward and the number will surprise everyone, maybe even me. Talking 10 years, $250MM with an out clause at 5 year mark to align with Trout's controllable seasons.

There is reason to believe in my mind that the Angels line up reasonably well with at least two teams that have a young, frontline starting pitcher where we exchange at least 2-3 Major League players and/or 1-2 Major League-ready prospects (think Kubitza/Cowart) for said frontline starter. I'm speaking in terms of high quantity for one quality player. Some smaller market teams need to fill multiple holes and we do have pieces that could help them.

Feel strongly, as I noted in the Primer, that they will sign Freese to a 3 year contract with 1-2 team options to lower the AAV to help a touch with payroll (it's not much but it is money the Angels need to manage).

It is very possible they sign Chase Utley to man 2B. His defense, even at 37 is above average and I think he still has some gas left in the tank. It is also very possible the Angels acquire Starlin Castro because essentially he has no surplus value with his current contract and the Angels could send a starter or something else to acquire him. I don't think he'll cost as much as some think.

The Hanley Ramirez rumors may not be total smoke. I think there is a remote possibility (maybe 20%) that the Red Sox eat a lot of money and send him our way. Cron might very well be trade bait in that scenario for the frontline starting pitching scenario I spoke about above.

If the Angels sit on their hands I'll be supremely disappointed. It is Arte's money but he's never struck me as someone who holds back when he can improve the team and he'll get it done too. The only logical path is to spend big to improve the team.

Only way Angels can trade for a frontline starter is to sign 2 OFers and trade Kole. The Indians being the team. Won't happen.

Edited December 6, 2015 by HBMike

[Inside Pitch]

Whatever happens.... there will likely be people who are pissed, people who are pleased, people who will bring up Jerry, people who will bring up Arte, a fire MS reference, and someone will post a meme.

 

I got nothing yet so.  F Salas...  Disar too.

[Angelsjunky]

make this a pole

 

That's what she said.

[ettin]

Only way Angels can trade for a frontline starter is to sign 2 OFers and trade Kole. The Indians being the team. Won't happen.

 

Cron is also a piece they need Mike it doesn't have to be Kole although I agree he'd very likely be talked about from the Indians side. It's more remote now than it was before the Simmons trade I'll admit but we do have pieces they need although I am loathe to trade Calhoun so the likelihood nowadays is low and to be honest the Indians have plenty of other trade partners they can line up with that can probably give them better quality prospects (Dodgers and Cubs come to mind immediately).

 

Basically when you're looking at the Indians they have holes at 3B (Kubitza or Cowart), 1B/DH (Cron), they'll need a SP (likely they'd ask for Shoemaker or Tropeano), and they need LH relief help (Ramirez). Those four players represent about 20 years of team control for five from say Carrasco or Salazar. It's a stretch but in one trade they could fill multiple needs with team controlled assets. That would have to have some appeal to them but how much is anybody's guess and they may not be looking for that type of package.

 

Just saying it is not as far out a thought as it may sound like on the surface although less probable for sure.

[totdprods]

Only way Angels can trade for a frontline starter is to sign 2 OFers and trade Kole. The Indians being the team. Won't happen.

1) Kole, Cron, + SP (Wilson/Shoe)for Carrasco/Salazar

2) One of Heyward/Upton/Cespedes/Gordon and one of Span/Fowler/Parra

3) Sox eat HanRam's salary, add Holt, send back Santiago?

Something like that?

Hmm. Rotation would get an additional upgrade.

Outfield would get a MOTO and a top of order (or a #1 and #2)

Salary would be cleared through Wilson, Santiago, and Kole (if Angels pay half of Wilson, and none on the others it'd be like $23m saved - that plus $22m remaining until tax creates quite a bit of wiggle room for two OFers, whatever we pay HanRam, and maybe a reliever)

Course they could also just sign an $18m Chen and a $25m bat and keep Kole, Cron, and starters. But I think any of the above moves could have a realistic chance at becoming true.

I also am starting to think that there are SO many free agents available, there may be a late offseason bargain or two once all is said and done. A player or two who waited too long winds up settling for something far less, or taking a one year deal to re-enter next year's thinner class. Angels may be able to add late with a scenario like that.

Edited December 6, 2015 by totdprods

[tomsred]

make this a pole

 

One of my favorite misspellings.  Here's you're pole:

 

[tomsred]

Will they sign a big name outfielder?

Will they make a surprise trade?

Will they sign a couple of meh players (Utley, Freese, Span)?

Will they sit on their hands and basically sit out the winter meetings (Claude's choice)?

 

Will they do something Stradling hasn't thought about - likely!

[totdprods]

I think there could be an out of nowhere trade.

[Troll Daddy]

They'll sign a pitcher soon and maybe figure out what it's actually going to take to sign Heyward or friends.

[gotbeer]

Will they sign a big name outfielder?

Will they make a surprise trade?

Will they sign a couple of meh players (Utley, Freese, Span)?

Will they sit on their hands and basically sit out the winter meetings (Claude's choice)?

 

My guess.   

 

They sign Freese, Utley or Kendrick, and Fowler.  

 

Why?  This puts us within range of the tax.  And gives us flexability to make a trade at the deadline if we are in it.  And doesn't hurt us long term if we are out of it.  

 

Why Fowler.  Of all the OFers available.  Fowler is the only #1/leadoff hitter.  That is the Angels need.  Everyone else is a #3/4 hitter which the Angels have.  As other posters seem to like to say constantly, we have plenty of HR hitters. (which I disagree with, since we are low on SLGing)  And he would be the cheapest.  We have a GGer in RF, a god in center.  Fowler also isn't a slouch and should do well defensively in LF.  

 

I also think they take a run at Maeda.  If not, only to run up the price on him to the Dogs.  

 

Oh would be nice to bolster the bullpen.   

 

On Heyward.  If we sign him, we will be St. Louis' bitch once again.  Think about it.  Heyward has already said he likes to play in St Louis.  With the way the market is going 10/$200 might be cheap.  If we match, it is St. Louis.  To lure him, we have to do a Pujols and beat it.  Which will be 10/$250-$300.  

 

But no matter what I say.  It doesn't matter, since I am not Loriasucks.

[IEAngelsfan]

Hopefully, be on time.

[tomsred]

Hopefully, be on time.

Thanks to Reagins, someone will say this every year.

[HBMike]

Hopefully, be on time.

If he was on time, the Angels might be paying Crawford. Be careful what you wish for.

[TroutCron]

I would rather have Cron than an overweight 32 year old Ramirez. There is still a need for a left handed bat for the middle of the order and an above average on base guy for the top of the order. Heyward is the latter which not worth the 200+ mil that his agent will demand.

[Brent Maguire]

Angels will probably make a frenzy of moves. The winter meetings are going to be batshit crazy, even crazier than what we saw last year. I'm thinking they sign an OFer and Freese next week and see more moves the next week.