What to do with Escobar; and the Angels immeasurable prospect tendency

[Jeff Williams]

Cowart is too impressive of a player not to play regularly at this point.  So, what do they do with Escobar by Sept. 1st, assuming that he's about to be put through the waiver wire?  Do they add him back to the lineup and put Cowart at 2B the season remainder and wait the off-season decision.  Or, do they trade him?  I doubt Escobar's bat and price clears waivers to begin with.  

Also, do the Angels ballparks between Arkansas and Salt Lake suppress for that true prospect measure as reason for the Angels under-the-radar arrivals to the major league.  Calhoun, Cron, and maybe even Cowart serve as an example.  I've been watching Cron hit a cut above the rest at Smith's Ball Park, yet it is a ballpark high on BAIP with the lowest in HR, for example.  While, Dickey-Stephens Park is the oldest minor league ballpark with eternal power alleys compared too, The Polo Grounds.  

[greginpsca]

Escobars contract for next year is an option. I believe a team trading for him ca buy out that option for $1 mil.

[mulwin444]

i think you have to play Cowart the rest of the year to determine what you "might" have in him which means he plays 2B while Escobar stays at 3B, despite Cowart's defensive superiority at the position.  Not saying that's how I would do it but that's more than the likely the only way Cowart will get regular at bats.  In the offseason, Escobar will be shopped but, if he stays, it will be interesting to see if they still have him at 3B or move him to LF with Cowart or Marte playing 3B.

[Troll Daddy]

I agree ... Cowart's biggest weakness is his bat. Doesn't matter what position he plays this season. It needs to be tested at the ML level. 

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

I agree ... Cowart's biggest weakness is his bat. Doesn't matter what position he plays this season. It needs to be tested at the ML level. 

And the easiest place to do that right now will be second. By playing there, the hope is he simply matches the offense from Gia/Pennington/Petit (should be doable) and should already provide better defense than Gia.

I think you'll see him get a lot playing time innings 6-9 between 3B, 1B, and even LF as the game dictates too. It's the clearest way of getting him regular at bats without just selling Escobar because of Cowart's presence.

Escobar obviously didn't draw much trade interest. I'm sure he is available now and will be all the way until next deadline, at which point, it's much easier cashing in one of our few chips for any return. Hold him for a high price until then, we need it.

If Cowart can hit while jumping all around the next 5 months, cool, you know he's probably good to go at 3B for the future. If he doesn't hit, oh well, he will have gained enough UT IF experiment jumping around that he can at least fill that role, and can replace Pennington when he is traded or walks.

[Troll Daddy]

Cowart should be looked at as our future third baseman for now. So I'm rooting for his bat to succeed. 

That doesn't necessarily mean I want Escobar traded in the off season. 

[Ohtaniland]

2008 Brandon Wood 23 years old

AAA Salt Lake .296 / 31hrs / 84rbi's / .970ops

 

2016 Kaleb Cowart 24 years old

AAA Salt Lake .280 / 9hrs / 58rbi's / .792ops

[tdawg87]

21 minutes ago, CALZONE said:

2008 Brandon Wood 23 years old

AAA Salt Lake .296 / 31hrs / 84rbi's / .970pos

 

2016 Kaleb Cowart 24 years old

AAA Salt Lake .280 / 9hrs / 58rbi's / .792ops

And yet, Cowart has already looked far better in minimal at bats in the majors than Wood ever did.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, calscuf said:

I don't think this is correct.

The old Travelers ballpark was as old as any in MiLB.

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Jeff Williams said:

 

Also, do the Angels ballparks between Arkansas and Salt Lake suppress for that true prospect measure as reason for the Angels under-the-radar arrivals to the major league.  Calhoun, Cron, and maybe even Cowart serve as an example.  I've been watching Cron hit a cut above the rest at Smith's Ball Park, yet it is a ballpark high on BAIP with the lowest in HR, for example.  While, Dickey-Stephens Park is the oldest minor league ballpark with eternal power alleys compared too, The Polo Grounds.  

Arkansas plays in a NEW(ish) stadium... Dickey Stevens Park -- opened in 2007.   You're thinking of Ray Winder Field.

[Angelsjunky]

The Wood comparison isn't really all that accurate. Wood had an incredible season in A+ ball at but then lost a bit at each level, once he got to the high minors (AA and AAA) and had to start facing better breaking stuff and better pitchers in general. Some talented players can hit straight 95-mph fastballs but can't touch 90 mph fastballs with movement, or breaking pitches.

Cowart started OK but collapsed once he got to AA, probably because he was a bit rushed (he did fine in the low minors, but wasn't exactly dominant). After two crappy years in AA (2013-14) he was sent back to A+, did ok but nothing great, but then was brought up to AAA, perhaps because of hitter-friendly Salt Lake.

Anyhow, I would say two things about Cowart. He won't be a star, and he may only be average with the bat, but an average hitter (say, a .700 OPS) with Gold Glove defense is a very useful player. I could also see his bat developing so that by the time he's in his late 20s he's a plus hitter.

[John Stellman]

Move Cowart to 2nd.  I like Escobar's bat at the top of the lineup. .

[tdawg87]

If Sosh isn't willing to try Escobar at 2nd then obviously they don't feel he can do it. Cowart has looked solid there but man they are really wasting his arm. 

Regardless, it's a decent problem to have. 

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

If Sosh isn't willing to try Escobar at 2nd then obviously they don't feel he can do it. Cowart has looked solid there but man they are really wasting his arm. 

Regardless, it's a decent problem to have. 

At most though, we're wasting that arm for about 5 months or 100 games in a likely lost season, and it's not like he won't get some innings at third during that span too. I just don't really see it being that big of a deal. 

[eaterfan]

16 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

If Sosh isn't willing to try Escobar at 2nd then obviously they don't feel he can do it. Cowart has looked solid there but man they are really wasting his arm. 

Regardless, it's a decent problem to have. 

What has lead Scioscia to believe Escobar can play 3rd?

 

31 minutes ago, John Stellman said:

Move Cowart to 2nd.  I like Escobar's bat at the top of the lineup. .

The weather is nice today. I like pizza on Thursdays.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

Cowart started OK but collapsed once he got to AA, probably because he was a bit rushed (he did fine in the low minors, but wasn't exactly dominant). After two crappy years in AA (2013-14) he was sent back to A+, did ok but nothing great, but then was brought up to AAA, perhaps because of hitter-friendly Salt Lake.

In AA the hitting coach tried to fix his swing, they said it was too long. He struggled for 2 seasons trying to do what they tried to teach. Last year he started the season in high A in the IE, he struggled early in the season. The hitting coach for the 66ers was a friend of Cowart and after games Cowart would go over to the coaches house, and review tapes from before AA, when he was hitting well. He spent hours in the cages trying to regain his swing and get his timing right. He began to tear it up at A+ ball.

When Freese got hurt Kabitza was called up and Cowart went to Salt Lake and continued his hot hitting there and he was called up to the majors. He went 0-17 in his first ABs. He hit a HR on the 18th AB, and went on to hit above .300 until Freese came back, and he then only got an occasional AB as a late inning replacement for Freese.

This year he hasn't hit nearly as high as he did last season but he was leading the team in HRs, 2B, and RBIs.

[totdprods]

Personally, I think Cowart is going to do alright. He'll bide his time as a UT IF for awhile and hit well enough for the team to commit to him as the starting 3B once '18 rolls around.

[Troll Daddy]

2 hours ago, John Stellman said:

Move Cowart to 2nd.  I like Escobar's bat at the top of the lineup. .

Word on the street is that Cowart is auditioning for 2bd base next season. Escobar will be playing third base . 

 

[greginpsca]

18 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Word on the street is that Cowart is auditioning for 2bd base next season. Escobar will be playing third base . 

 

Escobar should be traded for pitching this off season. He is terrible @ 3rd. The team needs to rid themselves of these DH types. They have had too many defensive liabilities on the roster.

[totdprods]

4 minutes ago, greginpsca said:

Escobar should be traded for pitching this off season. He is terrible @ 3rd. The team needs to rid themselves of these DH types. They have had too many defensive liabilities on the roster.

I'm sure they're willing to take offers on Escobar, and if someone offers the right package they'd move him. 

There just isn't much market for him right now.

[Second Base]

I wouldn't even try Escobar in LF. That sounds like a disaster of Hanley Ramirez in LF proportions. 

Mid you put a mental midgut with an ego in a new position that late in a career, you're likely to have some really bad plays and then a lot of moping and slumping until you bench him at which point he become a clubhouse malcontent which bad for everyone.

[totdprods]

12 minutes ago, ScottyA_MWAH said:

I wouldn't even try Escobar in LF. That sounds like a disaster of Hanley Ramirez in LF proportions. 

Mid you put a mental midgut with an ego in a new position that late in a career, you're likely to have some really bad plays and then a lot of moping and slumping until you bench him at which point he become a clubhouse malcontent which bad for everyone.

Yup. They have had numerous opportunities to move Escobar to another position and they have publically stated he would stay at third every time.

As long as he's on this team and hitting, he is the third baseman.

[disarcina]

Escobar  has done well leading off and has hit well for us.

His best position in the field is DH.

He's got some value -- I could see Halos trading him for some pitching.

[Docwaukee]

Escobar is kind of a moron.  There is quite a bit more responsibility as a 2b in terms of on field assignments and actually, they end up making longer throws when it's more important.  Being at 3b has less to think about.  Fewer places to be.  They are minimizing his stupidity.  

Taking a guy who has played SS almost his entire career and putting him at 3b where the most natural transition for a former SS is 2nd.  And taking a natural 3bman and putting him at 2nd seems odd all the way around.  There has to be a good reason.  

Cowart needs to play almost every game for the rest of the year.  Regardless of position.   Let him get his at bats.   Honestly, he looks like a ball player.  a guy with natural instincts for the game.  A solid approach at the plate.  He's gonna have him moments where he plays like a rookie.  We need to find out what he is.  

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, disarcina said:

Escobar  has done well leading off and has hit well for us.

His best position in the field is DH.

He's got some value -- I could see Halos trading him for some pitching.

I'm sure if they had an acceptable offer come across, especially for pitching, they'd pull the trigger, but it just hasn't happened.

No team had a real need this deadline, and this offseason doesn't look much better with Prado, Turner, Valbuena, and Walker all on the market. Either it will be saturated and he will draw little interest again, or a team will move quick and see Yunel as a better choice than those FAs available as he will be cheaper and only under contract for one year.

I just don't think the Angels should settle for a lesser package just because Cowart's arm is going to be wasted at second for a couple months. That's not a good enough reason for a retooling team with no farm to just take whatever we can get for a potentially strong trade asset like Yunel.