It's Not Just About Left Field

[AngelsLakersFan]

I see certain posters, you can probably guess who, raging on about none of the big free agents being worth the money this year, but the reason this offseason has been so shitty is so much bigger than that.

 

Ignore left field for a minute, where we spent around $2-3m on the free agent market and take a look at the other issues facing this roster at the end of 2015.

 

2B - Giavotella had a respectable season last year, but I think we all know he is not a starting caliber player. Most of us hoped to see this position upgraded this offseason, with the best argument against upgrading here being that we have more pressing needs than second base, and that we can't expect Eppler to upgrade the entire roster in one offseason. At this point I would not be surprised to see Pennington challenge Gio for playing time here this season. I'd 'happily' take 1 war from the position if I could guarantee it.

 

3B - I think we have low expectations here. Many wanted to see Freese brought back, others were even ok with the idea of letting the kids take over, while others wanted a serious upgrade. Unfortunately contract talks with Freese hit a snag ($), and the team opted to trade a young pitcher for one or two years of a veteran. It's an example of trading away talent in place of spending money, but fortunately we should be about the same at 3B next year. Of course we very well might find ourselves in this exact same position next year. Hopefully we have another young pitcher that we can afford to send packing...

 

BP - Many here were worried about the bullpen. Street and Smith were fairly reliable last season, but I'm not entirely confident in them going into the 2016 season. Beyond them was a whole lot of hopes and dreams. While many wanted more, I was hoping for at least one reliable arm to be added if only to lessen our risk. Instead we traded the guy with the highest upside and signed a high risk bounce back candidate for super cheap.

 

SP - I wasn't big on going after any of the big arms, but I know many on here felt that the best thing this team could do was upgrade a rotation which lacked a true ace who could stand up against other team's top pitchers. Later on Eppler would famously state that "We have our ace [Richards]" and Moreno would comment from his vessel that he would love Greinkie or Price, but they cost too much. 

 

So what did we address? We solved next year's shortstop issue by swapping out Erick Aybar, and our last two remaining prospects, for a guy who will cost the same as Aybar but for 4 years longer. Essentially we avoid having to spend free agent dollars on the position next year.

 

Unfortunately it appears that we some how managed to address exactly none of the teams pressing issues this offseason. Due to the nature of next year's free agent market, and our lack of organizational currency, it would seem that we have locked ourselves in to having to deal with these same problems for the next two seasons. Alternatively we could try and address them in 2016 by spending additional money on worse players, or trading emerging prospects. These are the things that will prevent this team from contending as we move forward. Instead we have opted to ignore virtually every issue facing the team right now. 

[Chris]

I think we are using reverse psychology by not addressing any of our needs in an effort to trick the system.

[Angel Oracle]

To me, the bullpen not being upgraded is a HUGE mistake!

 

Who on here trusts Tossed Salad, Morin, or Bedrosian to take the 7th inning role? 

[AngelsLakersFan]

To me, the bullpen not being upgraded is a HUGE mistake!

 

Who on here trusts Tossed Salad, Morin, or Bedrosian to take the 7th inning role? 

 

I'm hoping, and I think Eppler is praying, that a couple of our displaced starting pitchers could work some magic here.

[bloodbrother]

This is why I feel like they need to clean house now. So many issues with the current roster and on top of it they have an absolutely abysmal farm system. They didn't want to double up on their big time commitments this offseason? That's fine, but what's the direction they want to go? They seriously going to try and patch up all these issues with Daniel Nava types hoping to contend?

 

Shelby Miller was traded earlier this offseason for an absolute haul. His peripherals and numbers are quite similar to Richards. Angels could really jumpstart things with their farm by trading Richards for a very nice prospect return. Calhoun would fetch a good return as well. Both of these guys will be nearing their end of service time and will be impending FA's within the next few years....not to mention tehy'll be 29-30 years old by that point. This team doesn't look like a contender in the AL West for the next 2 years at this rate so holding onto both of these guys doesn't make a lot of sense

[Docwaukee]

Nice synopsis ALF.  

 

The price of pitching on the FA and trade market was out of control this year.  I am glad we didn't go near it on the SP side of things.  I have always longed for shut down bullpens.  Interesting that successful MS teams have had very good bullpens yet we choose to piece the damn thing together and then scramble mid year when it's cost us 2-3 games.  

 

I am getting the feeling more and more that we weren't necessarily intent on locking up a SS this year, but when Simmons became available, Eppler jumped on it and threw a ton of currency at it essentially limiting our remaining options.  So it was more about the player than the positional need.  

 

It seems Eppler prides himself on being Mr. reclamation project.  We'll see, but he's been force to put a lot of frail eggs in that basket in his first year.  

 

One thing you didn't mention that I think makes a big difference for this year is our bench depth.  The combo of Joyce, Iannetta and the capability of their and everyone else's backups was a sum total of almost 3 everyday players with less than replacement level production.  

 

At the end of the day though, we are probably a 82-86 win team with a max of 90 if things go right.  By sheer attrition I think the offense bumps back up to avg or even slightly better. 

 

The SP is where I see a lot of volatility.  Even more than the offense.  We could be anything from very good to lower third in terms of production.  

Edited January 21, 2016 by Dochalo

[Troll Daddy]

Every team has issue/weaknesses to address. The Angels still have plenty of time left this off season and during the season to trade or buy.

The team has many question marks ... I'll be at ST in late March and give you guys a full report.

I'm not a fan of Cespedes ... if we get him Great if not Great.

The team needs another legit bat IMO but I'm not sweating it just yet.

[QuinlansMinion]

Im used to this team not making the playoffs so I dont really care anymore anyways. Were going to struggle to score runs every single night and many games will be blown due to poor managing, our bad bullpen, and costly errors by terrible defenders at critical infield positions. Angels baseball, take me out to a ball game /roger lodge voice

Edited January 21, 2016 by QuinlansMinion

[Erstad Grit]

2015 -85 wins which was basically due to Trout's disappearance (wrist injury?) 

 

2014- 98 win

 

I still can't figure out why so much doom and gloom here

[Angel Oracle]

They sure are taking their own sweet time to address the bullpen issue.

[QuinlansMinion]

2015 -85 wins which was basically due to Trout's disappearance (wrist injury?)

2014- 98 win

I still can't figure out why so much doom and gloom here

You just pointed out we won 13 games less than we did the year before. And the team has gotten worse while the division got better. Yet here you are asking about our doom and gloom. Do you see any progression here?

[Erstad Grit]

Im used to this team not making the playoffs so I dont really care anymore anyways. Were going to struggle to score runs every single night and many games will be blown due to poor managing, our bad bullpen, and costly errors by terrible defenders at critical infield positions. Angels baseball, take me out to a ball game /roger lodge voice

 

Yeah this one year drought without the playoffs has been agonizing. You must be a legit fan to stick it out for so long. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

Every team has issue/weaknesses to address. The Angels still have plenty of time left this off season and during the season to trade or buy.

The team has many question marks ... I'll be at ST in late March and give you guys a full report.

I'm not a fan of Cespedes ... if we get him Great if not Great.

The team needs another legit bat IMO but I'm not sweating it just yet.

 

There won't be any substantial additions to this team going forward. Right now we just have to cross our fingers and hope that some of this stuff sticks, and that we end up seeing some real progression from our young starting pitchers.

[Erstad Grit]

You just pointed out we won 13 games less than we did the year before. And the team has gotten worse while the division got better. Yet here you are asking about our doom and gloom. Do you see any progression here?

 

Trout was the main reason we fell apart. I still think it was a wrist injury. 

[Angel Oracle]

EG, this decade has been a near washout post-season wise, and with the two extra teams now taking part.

That is the frustration level for me. 

 

It is true that Trout's slump contributed to the 10-19 August record, as well as Pujols' disappearance.

Will Pujols EVER be healthy in a season again? 

Even in 2014 after the strong April, his OPS fell off to just .750 from May through September. 

Edited January 21, 2016 by Angel Oracle

[QuinlansMinion]

Yeah this one year drought without the playoffs has been agonizing. You must be a legit fan to stick it out for so long.

Haha. Oh yeah weve made the playoffs once in the last 6 years. Thanks for correcting me. Remind me again how that series went?

[Erstad Grit]

You just pointed out we won 13 games less than we did the year before. And the team has gotten worse while the division got better. Yet here you are asking about our doom and gloom. Do you see any progression here?

 

And I disagree that we have gotten worse and the division has gotten better. 

[QuinlansMinion]

Trout was the main reason we fell apart. I still think it was a wrist injury.

He tore it up in September. So you must think his wrist healed overnight even though he was playing every day.

He had a slump, it happens. It helps when your team isnt dependent on one guy to carry your offense every single night.

[Erstad Grit]

Haha. Oh yeah weve made the playoffs once in the last 6 years. Thanks for correcting me. Remind me again how that series went?

 

That was right after an incredible stretch of making the playoffs 5/6 years. That simply isn't sustainable. Ask the Mariners what a drought is like, they haven't been to the playoffs since 2001. 

[bloodbrother]

Trout was the main reason we fell apart. I still think it was a wrist injury. 

 

Haha, Trout was the only reason they were even in the conversation until the last day of the season. Without him they'd have been one of the 4-5 worst teams in the AL

[QuinlansMinion]

That was right after an incredible stretch of making the playoffs 5/6 years. That simply isn't sustainable. Ask the Mariners what a drought is like, they haven't been to the playoffs since 2001.

Youre right. What was I thinking. One playoff appearance in 6 years is good enough for me /atleastwerenotthemariners

[AngelsLakersFan]

Nice synopsis ALF.  

 

The price of pitching on the FA and trade market was out of control this year.  I am glad we didn't go near it on the SP side of things.  I have always longed for shut down bullpens.  Interesting that successful MS teams have had very good bullpens yet we choose to piece the damn thing together and then scramble mid year when it's cost us 2-3 games.  

 

I am getting the feeling more and more that we weren't necessarily intent on locking up a SS this year, but when Simmons became available, Eppler jumped on it and threw a ton of currency at it essentially limiting our remaining options.  So it was more about the player than the positional need.  

 

It seems Eppler prides himself on being Mr. reclamation project.  We'll see, but he's been force to put a lot of frail eggs in that basket in his first year.  

 

One thing you didn't mention that I think makes a big difference for this year is our bench depth.  The combo of Joyce, Iannetta and the capability of their and everyone else's backups was a sum total of almost 3 everyday players with less than replacement level production.  

 

At the end of the day though, we are probably a 82-86 win team with a max of 90 if things go right.  By sheer attrition I think the offense bumps back up to avg or even slightly better. 

 

The SP is where I see a lot of volatility.  Even more than the offense.  We could be anything from very good to lower third in terms of production.  

 

I just want to see a path towards improving the organization as a whole. Right now we're looking like the Soviet Union at the start of the 80's. It's absolutely vital that we restock the farm system but this need to remain competitive is going to prevent us from doing that effectively. We already see it with the moves to address SS and 3B, paying with young talent instead of cash - it will only get worse. Eppler will not be able to rebuild the organization, remain competitive, and maintain the payroll. Reclamation projects and bench depth only get you so far. The only real hope we have is in our SP, as you mentioned, who have a lot of question marks but a lot of upside as well. If Skaggs, Heaney and Tropiano can all exceed expectations we might be able to pull it off.

[AngelsLakersFan]

Trout was the main reason we fell apart. I still think it was a wrist injury. 

 

This is absurd. You can't expect Mike Trout to play out of his mind for an entire season. He had one month where he was still a solidly above average player, in no way did it sink our season. 

[floplag]

2015 -85 wins which was basically due to Trout's disappearance (wrist injury?) 

 

2014- 98 win

 

I still can't figure out why so much doom and gloom here

 

I cannot think of one time in this teams history as a fan that it has had such obvious needs, that went utterly ignored. I not one.  Can anyone else?  On almost any team?

For me thats the big issue... a complete unwillingess to make the moves we needed in a time when it not only likely costs us one year, but 2

 

[Blarg]

I feel like the acquisition of Simmons improves the team more than one of the four top free agent outfielders. So if that was the budgetary limit, a SS or left fielder, we can live without left field being filled by an above average talent.

Edited January 21, 2016 by notti