Orange County Register: Rafael Ortega has impressed Angels, but still may lose his spot to Daniel Nava

[AngelsWin.com]

MILWAUKEE – Whether or not Rafael Ortega keeps his job when Daniel Nava comes off the disabled list, he’s made a good impression. “I think Rafael Ortega has been a tremendous spark for us,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “You couldn’t ask...

View the full article

[RallyPanda]

This team, my God, they seem more interested in playing the higher profile guy that's making more $$$ rather than play the guy that's hot right now!

[Stradling]

It has nothing to do with the high price/profile player.  This would be choosing Choi over     Ortega. 

[RallyPanda]

If anyone other than Choi gets the boot on Friday when Nava returns I'm gonna be an unhappy panda.

[Second Base]

Personally, I don't think Nava did enough in Spring and to start the year to guarantee his spot in the lineup. Ortega did.

I'm not opposed to cutting Choi loose. I am opposed to moving Rafael Ortega out of the starting lineup at this point.

[Troutstanding]

As the fourth outfielder: Ortega > gentry 

[stormngt]

Problem is Ortega bats left and Gentry bats right.  I would hate to see Ortega sent down

[Stradling]

4 hours ago, ScottyA_MWAH said:

Personally, I don't think Nava did enough in Spring and to start the year to guarantee his spot in the lineup. Ortega did.

I'm not opposed to cutting Choi loose. I am opposed to moving Rafael Ortega out of the starting lineup at this point.

Didn't Naba hit like .450 in Spring?  

[Jason]

Who is more veteran? 

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, Angels N Skins said:

Who is more veteran? 

I hate the veteran comment.  It's been refuted time and time again by facts yet people keep bringing it up.

[Stradling]

Yea, @stormngt, but they will always fall back on Abreu, when he played those 8 games before Trout got called up, and Jeff instead of Jered Weaver.  

[Inside Pitch]

7 hours ago, HighDesertHaloFan said:

This team, my God, they seem more interested in playing the higher profile guy that's making more $$$ rather than play the guy that's hot right now!

This is more about the lack of in house talent than anything to do with money.  They don't want to lose Choi, they can send Ortega down.   For all the talk about them wanting to be competitive, this season may be about figuring out who to keep and who to punt.

[ScottT]

I like what Ortega's done so far, but this is probably close to his ceiling and the sample size is pretty small.   Nava has higher upside.  No way I'd start Ortega over Nava at this point.

[Jason]

2 hours ago, stormngt said:

I hate the veteran comment.  It's been refuted time and time again by facts yet people keep bringing it up.

Apparently your sarcasm detector is broken. We all know the decision is based on lasagna

[stormngt]

2 hours ago, Stradling said:

Yea, @stormngt, but they will always fall back on Abreu, when he played those 8 games before Trout got called up, and Jeff instead of Jered Weaver.  

Yet ignore inserting Bourjos over Rivera and Abreu, playing KROD in 2002, Trumbo his rookie year, Parez last year  There are a little of examples to the opposite.

[stormngt]

26 minutes ago, Angels N Skins said:

Apparently your sarcasm detector is broken. We all know the decision is based on lasagna

I don't buy the sarcasm defense.  The commentary. Of favoritism towards veterans have been used too often to effectively be perceived as sarcasm.  

  

[Vegas Halo Fan]

“I think Rafael Ortega has been a tremendous spark for us,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “You couldn’t ask for any more than he’s done.  That's why we are sending him back to Salt Lake City."

[eaterfan]

16 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

This is more about the lack of in house talent than anything to do with money.  They don't want to lose Choi, they can send Ortega down.   For all the talk about them wanting to be competitive, this season may be about figuring out who to keep and who to punt.

Can't wait for the fans to get their way. Then in 2 years when Choi hits .310/.400/.510 for the first 2 months of the season and those same fans call for Eppler's head for not sending Ortega down when he still had options left and we could have kept Choi.

[Troll Daddy]

What ever happens ... I trust the man in the FO. It's kinda nice to have roster decisions like this one.

[Chuck]

22 hours ago, Troutstanding said:

As the fourth outfielder: Ortega > gentry 

Yeah but you know how Scioscia loves the platoon! 

Honestly, I'd rather keep Choi and dump Gentry since Ortega is a better version of Gentry in all facets of the game. 

[Troll Daddy]

I prefer Gentry over Choi ... there's many ways Gentry can help you win ballgames in the late innings. Choi's bat can't be trusted ... he'll never get enough AB's to improve. Pujols, Cron, and Nava will be enough to cover at first or DH.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2016 by Troll Daddy

[Slegnaac]

Did we not learn anything from the Feather-bat experience last season? 

[California Cajun]

23 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

This is more about the lack of in house talent than anything to do with money.  They don't want to lose Choi, they can send Ortega down.   For all the talk about them wanting to be competitive, this season may be about figuring out who to keep and who to punt.

That's what was suggested in the OCR podcast.  The Angels aren't ready to give up Choi, so they can keep him by sending down Ortega.