Do you think we've made an offer?

[Second Base]

So obviously Heyward, Span and Davis are off the board as potential corner OF solutions. But do you think the Angels were even in on any of them?

To expand this further, Cespedes and Upton are still on the board, and many predicted the Angels would be serious player for both of their services. Eppler says they're continually in contact, and Moreno says otherwise. I'm wondering, do you think this team has made an offer to Cespedes and/or Upton which has been rejected, or are we simply posturing, and not intending to spend another dime on free agents?

This is just my guess, but I get the feeling tDawg was probably right, that our courses inexplicably shifted this offseason. We went from willing to spend, to almost completely cut off. We probably heard the asking price on the top OF targets and decided to bow out. We're probably still in contact, like we're calling every few days or so to find out if the asking price has fallen into a range we're comfortable with, but I doubt we've even made an offer.

Edited January 16, 2016 by ScottyA_MWAH

[HaloNation]

i would be pretty bummed if we don't get either upton/cespedes

Edited January 16, 2016 by HaloNation

[UndertheHalo]

Its time to be at peace with it Scotty.  Probably not signing anyone.

[floplag]

Nope....i dont, at least nothing realistic or probable. 

[Ohtaniland]

If Arte and Carpino haven't invited you to dinner......

[TroutCron]

I agree that Arte is totally disillusioned with free agents demanding huge contracts. I think he is burdened with the uncertainty about the stadium situation. He needs to decide if he wants to pay for talent or settle for mediocrity.

Edited January 16, 2016 by TroutCron

[Blarg]

I am absolutely certain that Eppler has had conversations with just about all of the relevant candidates agents. Those talks may have even gone to the money and years expectations, to be discussed further with upper management. But I really don't think any offers were tabled because that would have hit the press to add leverage to get a counter by some other team.

[Blarg]

I agree that Arte is totally disillusioned with free agents demanding huge contracts. I think he is burdened with the uncertainty about the stadium situation. He needs to decide if he wants to pay for talent or settle for mediocrity.

The Angels will be competitive next season even with the existing roster.

[Ohtaniland]

I agree that Arte is totally disillusioned with free agents demanding huge contracts. I think he is burdened with the uncertainty about the stadium situation. He needs to decide if he wants to pay for talent or settle for mediocrity.

Arte understands the market. He's already overpaying for some players. The City of Anaheim has told him that he's not getting free land and he must fix the stadium at his expense. So yeah, I think Arte has decisions to make.

[Docwaukee]

I am absolutely certain that Eppler has had conversations with just about all of the relevant candidates agents. Those talks may have even gone to the money and years expectations, to be discussed further with upper management. But I really don't think any offers were tabled because that would have hit the press to add leverage to get a counter by some other team.

agree.  I think that there is a chance they would move into the mix if demands came down.  Kind of a swoop in at the last minute sort of thing if and only if the price was below the players original demands.  

 

While I am hopeful that such a scenario presents itself, I am not super optimistic.  

[Ohtaniland]

The Angels will be competitive next season even with the existing roster.

This^^^

[Docwaukee]

the existing roster is incomplete and is talented enough to maybe compete for a wild card spot.  maybe.  

 

yes it's about being competitive, but it's also about taking advantage of the opportunities you have been afforded.  Something this franchise hasn't been great at for the last 5 years.  

 

Let's not waste another opportunity.  

[Ohtaniland]

the existing roster is incomplete and is talented enough to maybe compete for a wild card spot. maybe.

yes it's about being competitive, but it's also about taking advantage of the opportunities you have been afforded. Something this franchise hasn't been great at for the last 5 years.

Let's not waste more money

Fixed

Arte

[nikkachez]

Probably not. 

[Blarg]

the existing roster is incomplete and is talented enough to maybe compete for a wild card spot.  maybe.  

 

yes it's about being competitive, but it's also about taking advantage of the opportunities you have been afforded.  Something this franchise hasn't been great at for the last 5 years.  

 

Let's not waste another opportunity.  

 

They have wasted more than opportunities filling left field with free agents. So I agree, here is an opportunity to not make another franchise fatal mistake and overpay for any player that is really going to settle into league average very quickly after signing. Keep the draft pick and work on a more robust farm system.

[Mark68]

Yeah, we made an offer.

 

To Al Alburquerque.

 

And he accepted.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Mark68

[tomsred]

What difference does it make if we've made an offer to Cespedes or Upton.  We don't win anything for making offers, signing someone is the only important thing.

[QuinlansMinion]

If Cespedes wants a one year deal why not give him one. No draft pick attached.

[nate]

The Angels will be competitive next season even with the existing roster.

 

For third place in the West?  Existing roster is worse than last years...

[floplag]

The Angels will be competitive next season even with the existing roster.

 

i made a whole thread about this and some agreed or disagreed but is that really what we want or expect?  Is that the right move in the Trout era?

 

If all we are trying to do is be competitive and sell seats and beer then fine... were well on our way to that, but that isnt going to win anything but a one and out wildcard if even that.

With our current roster i put us third in the West next season at best Maybe in the WC hunt but more likely another "missed it by that much" season. 

Is that all we are?  If so we can do that without Trout and jumpstart the rebuild in a friggin hurry. 

[Stradling]

For third place in the West? Existing roster is worse than last years...

No way is this roster worse than last years. Freese for Escobar is a wash. Left field is a wash. Simmons is much better than Aybar. The bench is much better than last year. So the only minus is Gott.

[nate]

You are forgetting that Pujols, Wilson, Street, Smith and Weaver are a year older.  Left field might even be worse.

 

Anyway they were a third place team last season.  No idea how you could see them as being anything more than that this season.

 

Simmons is better defensively and worse offensively.  And he still has the worst defensive 2b and 1b (Cron) in the game to work with.

Edited January 16, 2016 by nate

[Second Base]

I would certainly be willing to offerCespedes the same offer the O's submitted. Screw the luxury tax, you're going to dip back under it next year regardless. Cespedes won't cost a draft pick, his power should likely last through age 35, and his defense through age 33. If you can get potential gold glove defense in LF to go along with 25-30 HR's for under 20 million a year, and under 100 million total for the contract, and not forfeit a draft pick, that's a freakin' steal in this market.

So I'd offer something like 5 years 90 million.

It may not get it done, but at that price, our future is secure both on and off the field. The price doesn't cripple us, the production protects us against Albert's inevitable decline coming in the next year or two.

And I doubt Cespedes' suitors are so numerous that he can hold out for the 160 million he's asking. 100 million probably gets it done for him this late in the market.

[Second Base]

No way is this roster worse than last years. Freese for Escobar is a wash. Left field is a wash. Simmons is much better than Aybar. The bench is much better than last year. So the only minus is Gott.

I'd also argue that a fully healthy Richards, a returned to health Skaggs and Wilson, and a full year of Heaney and Tropeano should make our pitching staff better. On top of that, Shoemaker should be better too.

Kind of makes me think we can get away with trading Santiago AND Wilson, as soon as we get a better look at Skaggs and Shoe puts the weight back on.

[nate]

Skaggs hasn't thrown a pitch in a year and Richards significantly regressed last year.  You are making a lot of assumptions that they will be better.