Heyward vs. Fowler

[Chuck]

Dexter Fowler career slash line: .267/.363/.418 Fowler has played nine seasons 

 

Jason Heyward career slash line: .268/.353/.431 Heyward has played seven seasons

 

Both have about the same amount of power numbers and stolen bases, both play good defense. 

 

Fowler however comes at half the cost. 

 

Thoughts? I'm thinking if we cannot land Upton, Fowler should be the next guy up and reserve the additional $$$ to perhaps improve other areas of need. 

 

[arch stanton]

Anyone who can play LF and get on base. I'm cool with that.

[Angel Oracle]

Anyone who can play LF and get on base. I'm cool with that.

And defend solidly with at least a decent arm.

That leaves Revere out.

[arch stanton]

If Greg Luzinski or Lonnie Smith could play LF on a division winner I don't know why Revere can't.

Edited December 12, 2015 by arch stanton

[Angel Oracle]

The problem with Revere is if he slumps to about a .260 BA, the OBP might get to .310 and that's it.

He doesn't walk at all.

He also relies almost totally on SBs to reach 2B, as he rarely ever exceeds 25 XBHs. 2015 was the first time, with 31.

[jsnpritchett]

Dexter Fowler career slash line: .267/.363/.418 Fowler has played nine seasons 

 

Jason Heyward career slash line: .268/.353/.431 Heyward has played seven seasons

 

Both have about the same amount of power numbers and stolen bases, both play good defense. 

 

Fowler however comes at half the cost. 

 

Thoughts? I'm thinking if we cannot land Upton, Fowler should be the next guy up and reserve the additional $$$ to perhaps improve other areas of need.

Fowler has negative defensive WAR for his career, and his offensive numbers are inflated by playing most of his career in Colorado. His career OPS+ is only 104

[arch stanton]

His defense should be fine for LF and he hit OK in Houston and Chicago. As long as he gets on base he's what we need.

[Hollyw00d]

Houston and Chicago are also children's stadiums

[nikkachez]

Giving up the pick stings, but Fowler's at the top of my board. I think he'd benefit moving to left field, he's known as a great teammate, and doesn't break the bank. Move Escobar down to the #2 spot, then get creative with a Wilson and/or Hector trade (maybe even along with Cron) for a pen arm, lefty DH option, and some low level prospects. Get young pieces back for CJ and Hector, sweeten the deal with Cron in one of them, sign a lower tier starter, then go to war.

[nate]

Dexter Fowler is not good. If the Angels sign him I will be very disappointed

[Chuck]

Dexter Fowler is not good. If the Angels sign him I will be very disappointed

Then I guess Heyward is not very good either, or just barely average.

[nate]

Heyward is younger and entering his prime and has an OPS+ 10 points higher than fowler. Fowler is past his prime and spent his career in extreme hitters parks.

[nikkachez]

Then I guess Heyward is not very good either, or just barely average.

Yeah seemed a bit dramatic. He's not amazing, but a very useful and solid ballplayer. A .350-.360 OBP at the top of the lineup would be huge.

[arch stanton]

When you're talking about the players available, they'll all have some holes in their games. Any would be a great improvement from last year but to me Gordon is the one who is a proven player in a pitcher's park in the AL. Not likely to be a huge dropoff over the next few years and the price would be moderate.

[Ohtaniland]

So I would be good with Fowler at half the cost but would Mike Trout be willing to be a team player like Kole Calhoun and move to Left Field? Dexter Fowler is a centerfielder and has never played a corner outfield position at the major league level. Just that issue alone will keep Fowler away from Anaheim.

[elbooboo]

I would be happy with Fowler. His splits are a bit concerning but he still has an away slash line of .247/.340/.708 over his career. His line was .262/.370/.726 in 2014, the one year he was in the AL West. That might not be the sexiest line but a .340 obp is good enough for me. Defensively, I read somewhere that he should have better metrics if he moved to left. 

 

I think most of us like Gordon more than Fowler, but the question is whether you want to pay close to a $100 million over 5 years for Gordon, or Fowler around $50 million for 4/5 years. Those are obviously just guesses on my part, but Gordon might be expensive since the Giants, Cardinals, and Royals all have known interest in him. 

Edited December 12, 2015 by elbooboo

[Angel Oracle]

Fowler will cost closer to 4/5 years for $16-18 million per season.

That plus the lost draft pick (#20 overall) is a concern.

[wopphil]

but would Mike Trout be willing to be a team player like Kole Calhoun and move to Left Field?

Uh, are you for real?

[Stradling]

So I would be good with Fowler at half the cost but would Mike Trout be willing to be a team player like Kole Calhoun and move to Left Field? Dexter Fowler is a centerfielder and has never played a corner outfield position at the major league level. Just that issue alone will keep Fowler away from Anaheim.

Would Mike be willing to move for a CFer that is better than him, I'm sure he would. However Fowler isn't that guy. The Angels wouldn't put Trout in that position.

[Ohtaniland]

Uh, are you for real?

Well of course Trout is a team player but my point is that we don't need another centerfielder. Fowler is not a corner outfielder. He's not a good fit.

[Stradling]

Claude you know a lot of center fielders move to corner outfield positions as they age or if they go to teams with better center fielders. It's kind of the natural progression of things.

[happybat4]

I'm sure Fowler cares more about money and playoff chances more than he does playing center or left field.

[AngelsLakersFan]

Dexter Fowler is the anti-Jason-Heyward. 

 

On the surface they look similar, close enough that 20 years ago I think a savvy GM could fool a guy like Tony Reagins into believing that there wasn't much difference. 

 

A recent Fangraphs article described Jason Heyward as 'the most well rounded player in baseball' with above average skills at virtually every aspect of the game. Fowler on the other hand, isn't really good at anything. Sure he's a centerfielder, but he consistently rated out as just about the worst defensive centerfielder in the game. Ya he's hit a handful of homers in his career, but he's also played his entire career in the three ballparks possibly most well tailored for him (Anaheim might be the worst). In fact his entire offensive game is centered around his ability to take a walk. I am a fan of guys who can take walks but you have to understand that walks are a function of offensive environment. Pitchers walk guys more often with men on base and more often when there is a threat of a homerun. 

 

Fowler is also on the backside of his career. In fact I would describe him as the most likely to flop in Anaheim of all the free agents on the market this offseason.

[Ohtaniland]

Claude you know a lot of center fielders move to corner outfield positions as they age or if they go to teams with better center fielders. It's kind of the natural progression of things.

Yes I remember when Torii Hunter was 35 years old he moved to Right Field to make room for Bourjos. Dexter Fowler is going to turn 30 in spring. I think he will probably be looking for a team that needs a centerfielder first which is a better fit for him.

[gotbeer]

Heyward strikes me as a better NL guy than AL guy.  Especially for the price.  Fowler is going to be a cheap alternative.  I would have preferred him over Heyward due to cost.

 

But with the trade of Escobar, I don't know how much of a need a leadoff guy is.  Pujols is becoming a one trick base clogging fat pony.  It would be nice to put someone that can drive Trout in without the need for a homer behind him. 

 

That's why I think the Angels will quietly be going after Cespedes. 

 

1.  Escobar

2.  Calhoun

3.  Trout

4.  Cespedes

5.  Pujols

6.  Cron

 

789 would be Simmons, Perez, and the 2B.  Unless the 2B becomes someone like Murphy.  Then Calhoun probably gets moved behind Pujols.