Idea for 3B & DH

[Chuck]

Cedar Rapids is low A ball. You think that has any correlation at all to better competition?

 

 

It was against a good class of SP prospects who are now in the big leagues, so yes. 

[Blarg]

Sorry chuck but that is like comparing first grade class results to SAT scores. There is a massive gulf between.

Edited April 11, 2016 by notti

[Chuck]

Sorry chuck but that is like comparing first grade class results to SAT scores. There is a massive gulf between.

 

I'm not going to go rounds, we'll have to agree to disagree. 

 

I believe he's a future major league caliber guy. You do not.

 

Don't pull an LT on me.

[Docwaukee]

Cron is a disaster at the plate and Escobar is a disaster defensively at 3b.  But it's been 6 games.  Not really ready to pull the plug on the plan as of yet and frankly, doing something like that this early could affect the clubhouse.  

 

I like Cowart and have my fingers crossed, but I'd like to see at least another 1/4th to 1/3rd of a seasons worth of minor league success at the plate before I start moving things around.

 

These sorts of situations tend to work themselves out over the course of the season anyway.  I think at some point we will see Cowart get a solid look, but not right now.   

[totdprods]

I kinda hope they demote Cron ASAP again. Bring up Marte and have him and Choi split at first until Pujols can play there. Marte can spell Escobar at third too. Give Cron a couple weeks and then bring him up. Seems like he needs that jolt every season, why wait for him to play 30-45 games again to do it?

Also gives Marte and Choi a decent opportunity to prove their worth and long-term plans rather than occasional PH duty.

[ksangel]

Agree with Chuck that Cron looks lost.

 

This team is not going to be a strong offensive team so Cowart at 3B really would shore up the D.

 

Cowart at 3B makes the flip to 1B the other night with Richards pitching so the game would have stayed 1-2 giving the Angels a chance to win. 

[Blarg]

I'm not going to go rounds, we'll have to agree to disagree. 

 

I believe he's a future major league caliber guy. You do not.

 

Don't pull an LT on me.

 

I'm ok with the future possibilities but he isn't now a solution to replacing CJ Cron.

[totdprods]

Bring Ortega up. He had a great Spring.

Ortega up, waive Choi, and play Calhoun/Nava some at first? Until Pujols is able that is.

If Ortega could turn into an Ender Inciarte-type I would love to have him and Gia at #8-#9 in the lineup before Escobar and Nava. That'd set the table for Trout, Pujols, and Calhoun nicely. Simmons and Perez would turn into the 'easy' part of the line-up.

Edited April 11, 2016 by totdprods

[Ransom Ballard]

I don't know why we didn't resign freese….

You know why not going to overpay for him.

[Inside Pitch]

I dunno man. The guy just has the worst at bats I've seen. Like he's just up there hacking with no idea, no patience, no understanding of what the pitcher may throw next. 

 

Dude may be another Tim Salmon in the sense that he seems to get off to the worst starts....   Gotta ride it out for more than a week to see if it all starts to fall into place for him offensively.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Trevor Gott is in the minors by the way.

Also, Albert Pujols won't play more than 15 games at 1B all year, in my estimation. Angels have decided it's just not worth it.

[Make Angels Great Again]

Escobar's problems seem to be throwing the ball.

 

He'd have less of that at first base, how are his hands?

[Second Base]

This team has bigger problems than Escobar's defense if Cron can't hit.

We're kind of heavily invested in his success hitting at the major league level.

[greginpsca]

If Cron continues to stink it up at DH and Cowart continues his tear in AAA, would you be up for demoting Cron, promoting Cowart to start at 3B, moving Escobar into the full time DH since he can hit?

 

Escobar has looked brutal at the hot corner so far. 

Absolutely. Cowart might not win any games with his bat, but his defense will save some games.

[greginpsca]

Pujols, Escobar/Choi.. 

Nava can play 1st also

[Oz27]

This team has bigger problems than Escobar's defense if Cron can't hit.

We're kind of heavily invested in his success hitting at the major league level.

Yeah this team is pretty screwed if Cron keeps hitting like this. Pujols obviously won't be playing any significant time at 1B, Choi probably isn't good enough to regularly start there and all the other options won't be very good.

The Escobar situation isn't far from becoming untenable though. Yeah he's a good offensive addition but as I feared he isn't capable of playing 3B. As for what to do about it, who the hell knows. It seems DH is taken up by Pujols. It couldn't hurt to have Escobar take some ground balls at first base, where at least we could avoid his awful throws.

[greginpsca]

I think Cron could be traded for a SP., as he isn't very versatile. And Eppler likes the contact hitter types, which Cron isnt.

[totdprods]

I don't think Cron gets you more than a Jeremy Hellickson type. He needs to show more consistency with the bat to get anything better, and if he starts doing that we are better off keeping him for another year or so at least.

Fletcher just mentioned the Angels may keep Pujols off first almost all year. If he's already transitioning to DH, we may as well add 1B to list of needs. May be reason Choi gets a longer leash.

[Oz27]

I think Cron could be traded for a SP., as he isn't very versatile. And Eppler likes the contact hitter types, which Cron isnt.

I'm not sure Cron would even get us a Trevor Gott type.

[oater]

Trout is hitting 200.  Is it time to trade the bum? 

[California Cajun]

I agree with Jeff Fletcher at the OC Register that Pujols will be the full-time DH because he can't stay healthy otherwise.

[ten ocho recon scout]

I was one of the biggest cron fans on here when he was in the minors, but i really dont think hes ever going to be much. I know theres some silver linings in there. But i dont think his power is enough to justify the low on base skills. And his defense is brutal.

Hes young (ish), but i dont see him ever really becoming a complete bat. At least not enough to ignore his glove.

[Angel Oracle]

Fletch's answer now turns the question to, can Escobar learn 1B in season?

[stormngt]

I just didn't want Escobar in the first place. Who really didn't know this guy would be a disaster defensively at 3rd base?

He has been our best player offensively to date

[NrM]

If Cron continues to stink it up at DH and Cowart continues his tear in AAA, would you be up for demoting Cron, promoting Cowart to start at 3B, moving Escobar into the full time DH since he can hit?

 

Escobar has looked brutal at the hot corner so far. 

 

Escobar will hit for average, but he doesn't walk or have any power. Would rather try him out at 2b then give up the DH slot.