Why Escobar Might be Traded

[Angel Oracle]

He is 33, and likely won't be retained beyond 2017 anyway because of it.   

[Blarg]

I think it is funny that there will threads about how the Angels are not focused enough,  don't show enough emotion,  don't care. Then Escobar does exactly what people complain the team doesn't do and start a thread to call him out on it. 

I like his intensity, he is a little less goofy than Aybar but definitely comes to play and will show his emotions. Drawing a home plate for the umpire was pure genious. In a lost season that kind of stuff makes me smile. 

[Troll Daddy]

48 minutes ago, ettin said:

Even though I've been advocating a retool for 2018 in the Trade Candidate series I don't think 2017 is a lost cause. If Eppler is able to pull off at least one or two key trades at the deadline he can bring in players that not only could impact our 2018 season but possibly next year as well.

The crux of the problem next year is starting pitching. Can we bring in starters in trade or through free agency that will impact our rotation enough to allow us to contend? The free agent market for starters is really thin and has no top level impact talent (aces). Our best bet in free agency is to obtain pitchers like Nova or Hellickson. It also begs the question who becomes our "ace" of the staff and leads our playoff rotation if we do manage to get there? Shoemaker is about the closest thing we have to an "ace" right now and that opinion is only based on recent (last 8 weeks) success.

Next year in free agency we can fill our LF hole with someone like Michael Saunders. We can possibly trade for a 2B and/or 3B (although I think Cowart will get the job based on his defensive work). We can buy a top shelf closer in Chapman or Jansen (or both if Arte spends all of the Wilson/Weaver money). Those types of purchases would get us close to contending but may not be enough.

For me personally I want to see the front office have a plan and execute to it. Our best chance to reenter the Division race is when we project to get two of our best pitchers back in 2018. Along the way in 2017 I'd be happy if they try to compete as long as we don't derail our 2018 and beyond trying to win what will likely be a tight race if we are in it.

I agree, SP pitching is the main issue going into 2017. We still don't know anything  for sure on Garrett Richards, yet. He's a long shot at best for 2017. I wouldn't put my eggs in either of their (Richards and Heaney) baskets. Whatever happens with them in the future should be considered a blessing. 

I don't like the idea of trading Escobar but if we can get a young pitcher with top of the rotation potential then I'm onboard. 

I have no doubt the FO has a plan. The plan is to win in 2017 and beyond. Fans here may not agree but that's to be expected. The team has too many bright spots to wait until further notice plans.

[Docwaukee]

All I want for this team is to stop missing opportunities.   There have been faulty bullpens, the wrong free agent signing, the obvious hole to fill, a lack of player development etc.  There have been painfully obvious options or methods that could have made things a lot better yet we have watched quite a few of them whizz past us.  

I don't expect perfection by any means, but I would like them to be realistic. 

If they think that a LFer, several bullpen pieces, and a couple of SP - one of which needs to be frontline are obtainable by the start of 2017 without damaging the farm or taking us over the lux tax then great.  If they think that adding a middling pen arm, a stop gap LFer and a middle of the rotation arm is going to get it done, then I think they are delusional.  

So as much as I like Yunel in the leadoff spot and as much as I would love to try to win next year, I would trade him if it meant getting something good in return that will help us for 2018 and beyond because it's hard to see how we are going to pull off what needs to be done for next year.  

 

[Brent Maguire]

Escobar absolutely needs to be traded this month. His value only goes down from here as he'll have less control next year and surely won't be hitting .320+. If Richards/Heaney were both healthy going into 2017, you can make an argument for keeping Yunel. That's not the case, however, so moving Yunel right now is the correct move. 

If Yunel isn't moved, it's probably a sign that the team thinks it can compete next year and will spend in free agency. I'm not opposed to spending on a few buy low guys to try to boost their value and trade them. If the team thinks it can compete in 2017, then that's a different story. I don't expect the team to blow it up but moving Yunel is such an obvious plus move for this team. Turning Trevor Gott into a nice half year of production from Escobar and another better prospect is going to be a huge win for this org. 

[Lou]

14 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

I still don't understand how this correlates to post 2017. Escobar is a free agent. The Angels can trade him now and get a prospect or two, fill 3rd short term with Cowart or Marte, and then sign him in 2018 if they really want him that badly.

"what if Escobar hits .320 next year and we sign him to a short extension?"  You ignored my premise

 Marte has never played 3B in his life. 

and when has the "we'll sign in _____ in the offseason when he's a FA" ever come to fruition?  Never?

[Angel Oracle]

Cowart isn't helping with being able to trade Escobar, as his offense has gone into the tank over his past close to 40 at bats. 

[itsKnoppUitsme]

29 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Cowart isn't helping with being able to trade Escobar, as his offense has gone into the tank over his past close to 40 at bats. 

I don't know why we are not putting Escobar in left. How bad can he be? He does play 3rd!

I think he would be far less of a disaster defensively than he is at 3rd and he could DH when Pujols plays 1st

His bat would solve our hitting issues!

Then we need to bring up Cowart and let him play to see if he is our answer.

If he is then we would have a good 3rd baseman & a very good hitting leadoff left fielder for next season!

[DMVol]

48 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Cowart isn't helping with being able to trade Escobar, as his offense has gone into the tank over his past close to 40 at bats. 

Really thought he might be getting it together, he was over .300.  I thought trading Escobar made a lot more sense when Cowart was over .300.

[Lou]

Someone help me out here. Why the excitement over Cowart? He's average at best in AAA, even with the benefit of playing in SLC. He's also as old as anyone in the league.

 As it stands right now, Grant Green has slightly better numbers than Cowart 

[ettin]

46 minutes ago, Lou said:

Someone help me out here. Why the excitement over Cowart? He's average at best in AAA, even with the benefit of playing in SLC. He's also as old as anyone in the league.

 As it stands right now, Grant Green has slightly better numbers than Cowart 

Frankly the bat makes me nervous but I've seen him in person playing 3B defense and he can pick it there so he'd provide defensive value for sure. He's probably someone we could successfully platoon for a couple of years.

[stormngt]

21 hours ago, Lou said:

because not everyone (I'm sure this includes the FO) is convinced we'll be terrible next year. 

Escobar, Calhoun, Trout, Pujols, Cron, Soto/Bandy make up a good lineup. they all have an ops+ over 100. 

the offseason will be about LF, pitching and getting healthy. and pitching. 

And where do we find this pitching and left fielder?  Have you seen the potential free agents list.  Not impressed.

[Troll Daddy]

16 minutes ago, stormngt said:

And where do we find this pitching and left fielder?  Have you seen the potential free agents list.  Not impressed.

It's not like we're looking for a superstar in LF. The selection isn't as bad as you think for a outfielder. Pitching isn't as hard to find as you believe unless you're thinking Ace material. Dodgers signed Madea via international market. Although, I'm not sure how that market works.

[tomsred]

31 minutes ago, calscuf said:

I ran across a story the other day, which I vaguely remembered but had forgotten.  When Escobar was with the Blue Jays, he wrote "tu eres maricon" on his eye black.

He denied he was trying to be offensive and the reporters didn't understand because they weren't Latino.

Anyways, after I read the story I had a turkey sandwich and took a poop.  

I ordered a turkey sandwich once, but the cook got surprised....

 

[Tank]

2 hours ago, Lou said:

Someone help me out here. Why the excitement over Cowart? He's average at best in AAA, even with the benefit of playing in SLC. He's also as old as anyone in the league.

 As it stands right now, Grant Green has slightly better numbers than Cowart 

you just gave a whole bunch of guys here a lot more excitement than they needed to have, like looking through their first playboy kind of excitement.

[Erstad Grit]

1 hour ago, stormngt said:

And where do we find this pitching and left fielder?  Have you seen the potential free agents list.  Not impressed.

Cespedes and Fister would be nice grabs

[tdawg87]

7 hours ago, Lou said:

"what if Escobar hits .320 next year and we sign him to a short extension?"  You ignored my premise

 Marte has never played 3B in his life. 

and when has the "we'll sign in _____ in the offseason when he's a FA" ever come to fruition?  Never?

If Escobar hits .320 next year he's going to want a pretty big extension, at least money wise. And since he's a FA in 2018 signing him to an extension is basically the exact same thing.

[Lou]

2 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

If Escobar hits .320 next year he's going to want a pretty big extension, at least money wise. And since he's a FA in 2018 signing him to an extension is basically the exact same thing.

sorry, I meant sign him to an extension during the year, before he hits free agency. 

if he declines, trade him. 

at his age, he isn't getting a long term deal in free agency

[Oz27]

8 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Zobrist got a 4 year deal and he's two years older than Escobar.

Yeah. Extending Escobar, who already can't play defense and will be pretty damn old when his contract is up, is an incredibly unappealing option.

[mulwin444]

13 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Zobrist got a 4 year deal and he's two years older than Escobar.

True but I think the fact Zobrist can play multiple positions and not be a defensive liability mixed with the fact he's not a d-bag more than likely improved his marketability.  

[Oz27]

What would Escobar get as a FA this year? I'd guess something like 4/52 to 4/64. I sure as hell wouldn't be signing him to anything like that, but I think that's what he would get. I would really like to think we would be smart enough not to extend him along those lines, which is probably what it would take.

[Stradling]

As your primary DH/lead off hitter I'd keep him. Problem is we have a DH.  

[Troll Daddy]

You can attribute most of his errors to throwing. I'm sure switching from SS to 3rd base has a little bit to do with his throwing . He needs to work on that part of his defense. His glove isn't a huge issue. 

[Oz27]

2 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

You can attribute most of his errors to throwing. I'm sure switching from SS to 3rd base has a little bit to do with his throwing . He needs to work on that part of his defense. His glove isn't a huge issue. 

Throwing is the biggest issue but he's also slow to react, makes bad decisions and at times has stood and watched balls go by that he had a chance at. He has a lot of defensive problems.

[Stradling]

This isn't his first year playing third base, he's just bad at throwing a baseball across the diamond.