The Official Angels Hot Stove - Winter Meetings - Rumors thread

[ukyah]

i would just like to rub my own belly and point out that i was talking about getting solarte a few years ago.

[Chuck]

Just now, ukyah said:

i would just like to rub my own belly and point out that i was talking about getting solarte a few years ago.

Why? You hearing something?

[DMVol]

3 minutes ago, ukyah said:

i would just like to rub my own belly and point out that i was talking about getting solarte a few years ago.

I guess I need to be consistent here because I am saying no on Utley or Drew but I do think Solarte would be pretty expensive, probably more than we have...Jeff Fletcher has mentioned Dietrich a lot so I wonder if that might be the more likely trade...

[Ohtaniland]

21 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Utley would be a waste of money. I'd rather see some struggling 25 year old cast off trying to make a career than Utley trying to pad his retirement portfolio.

Kaleb Cowart should just be given a full season to see what he can do at 2B. 

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

3 hours ago, Dochalo said:

 

 

You don't have to be lonely!!!! At peanutfarmers.com~

[Chuck]

Heard the #Angels have been talking to Padres, who have 4 LH IF's who can play 2B: Solarte, Schmipf, Spangenberg and Asuaje.

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) December 6, 2016

[Stradling]

I'll take them all

[Chuck]

I like them all with the exception of Spangenberg. I just don't see any upside there. Can't see him being much better than what we currently have in Pennington and Sherman Johnson.  

[Docwaukee]

I'd be much more interested in any one of those guys over Drew or Utley.  

[CanadianHalo]

I'd gladly take Solarte. 

I know they wouldn't but they could put Solarte at 3rd, ditch Escobar and grab another 2B

[Docwaukee]

how about Nate Smith for Asuaje?  

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

I'd be much more interested in any one of those guys over Drew or Utley.  

Me too, depending on the cost to acquire them.  Money we have, talent we don't.

[totdprods]

9 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

how about Nate Smith for Asuaje?  

I'd do that in a heartbeat.

There are some options for expanding a deal too...Travis Jankowski would be an excellent 4th OF for the Halos, comparable to a younger Ben Revere with a little more frame to grow into. Lots of speed, hits left-handed. They also have two lefty relievers they may be shopping in Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter who were brilliant last season.

If the Padres were interested in adding one of Jankowski or a reliever and one of their 2B (there is a wide spectrum between Spangenberg and Solarte), I'd be willing to go past Nate Smith and even be willing to listen on Meyer, catchers, additional pitchers....

[CanadianHalo]

I went and looked at Asuaje's AAA numbers and obviously they're impressive but I just don't think we have the resources to be gambling on AAA production... just my opinion 

Id much rather see us get Solarte just play it safe. With Solarte we'd have a better idea of what we're getting

[Docwaukee]

8 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I'd do that in a heartbeat.

There are some options for expanding a deal too...Travis Jankowski would be an excellent 4th OF for the Halos, comparable to a younger Ben Revere with a little more frame to grow into. Lots of speed, hits left-handed. They also have two lefty relievers they may be shopping in Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter who were brilliant last season.

If the Padres were interested in adding one of Jankowski or a reliever and one of their 2B (there is a wide spectrum between Spangenberg and Solarte), I'd be willing to go past Nate Smith and even be willing to listen on Meyer, catchers, additional pitchers....

we need to convince them they need Carlos Perez 

[Dtwncbad]

Team needs to win now during Pujols/Trout/Calhoun/Richards prime.  Sign Turner to play 3B, just play Kaleb Cowart at 2B.  Trade Escobar for a bullpen piece.  Sign Ross to add to the rotation. . .

Heck, I would consider chasing Fowler and have Maybin be the 4th OF.

The team needs some buzz around it going into 2017.  The pulse is dead right now.  Turner/Fowler/Ross is really not all that expensive overall and yet the team would suddenly have all holes filled with offense and defense improved.  Think about the defensive team that has Simmons, Cohart and Trout up the middle and also has Maybin, Calhoun and Turner.  Plus, I would love to punk the Dodgers by getting Turner.

[CanadianHalo]

Cowart couldn't hit a beach ball if you put it on a tee for him

[Dtwncbad]

I don't disagree.  But Cowart wouldn't need to hit if the Angels have LF fixed and add a truly potent bat at third in Turner.

Cowart can bat last.  Somebody has to.

[Chuck]

Asuaje first got on my sleeper radar back in 2014. His '15 campaign was not wonderful (.251/.334/.374 in Double-A) but he was still intriguing enough to merit a mention in the the2016 Baseball Prospect Book:

Carlos Asuaje, INF-OF, San Diego Padres

2015: Grade C+

We had a Sleeper Alert on Asuaje last year. It didn’t quite pan out but it still might eventually. An 11^th round pick by the Red Sox in 2013 from Nova Southeastern University, he was traded to the Padres in the Craig Kimbrel deal. He doesn’t have the tools of fellow tradees Javier Guerra or Manuel Margot, but Asuaje does have an excellent feel for the strike zone, a clean swing, and gap power. He played mostly second base last year with okay results and is also capable of handling third base or the corner outfield spots. He’s no great shakes anywhere but he isn’t terrible and the versatility is useful. Asuaje didn’t knock the socks of Eastern League pitching but there’s still enough here to project him as a viable role player. I think we’ll see more pop this year. Grade C.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY

Asuaje played for Triple-A El Paso this year, hitting .321/.378/.473 with 32 doubles, 11 triples, nine homers, 49 walks, and 83 strikeouts in 535 at-bats. This was a call-back to his impressive .300+ seasons in 2014 and 2013. As we noted in the reports on Margot and Renfroe, El Paso is a great place to hit. However, unlike his teammates Asuaje was actually more productive on the road (.322/.374/.492) as he was at home (.321/.384/.454), giving hope that this is real and not just primarily a park illusion.

Scouting reports continue to emphasize mediocre to average physical tools (generally 45-50) but they also note that he has strong instincts and feel for the game. This helps everything play up, especially as a hitter. As a fielder he lacks plus range or arm strength but is reliable in terms of not making many mistakes. He's best at second base but can also put in credible innings at third base or the corner outfield spots.

Asuaje will compete for a bench job next year as a super-utility type. As a left-handed hitter, it will be easier to slot him into a lineup as a platoon bat or to spell a right-handed hitter. He'll move up into the Grade C+ range for 2017 and you can make a case for a B-.

[totdprods]

23 minutes ago, CanadianHalo said:

I went and looked at Asuaje's AAA numbers and obviously they're impressive but I just don't think we have the resources to be gambling on AAA production... just my opinion 

Id much rather see us get Solarte just play it safe. With Solarte we'd have a better idea of what we're getting

That's why I'd expand it and try and get one other piece in case Asuaje didn't pan out. He'd be worth gambling on I think. 

[Dtwncbad]

1 minute ago, hangin n wangin said:

Plus, even if he hit below average, his defense alone would probably provide us with more value than Johnny G ever did.

Further, I am actually pretty afraid Escobar, at any moment will not be able to hit a lick either.  My nonscientific eyeball opinion is Escobar's "normal" bat is not what we have seen of late.  To me he is an obvious upgrade opportunity.  I'd much rather have Turner at 3B and no bat from Cowart at 2B than have to rely on Escobar's bat at 3B and ALSO have to pray for one more barely serviceable season from someone like Utley.

[Richard]

22 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Team needs to win now during Pujols/Trout/Calhoun/Richards prime.  Sign Turner to play 3B, just play Kaleb Cowart at 2B.  Trade Escobar for a bullpen piece.  Sign Ross to add to the rotation. . .

Heck, I would consider chasing Fowler and have Maybin be the 4th OF.

The team needs some buzz around it going into 2017.  The pulse is dead right now.  Turner/Fowler/Ross is really not all that expensive overall and yet the team would suddenly have all holes filled with offense and defense improved.  Think about the defensive team that has Simmons, Cohart and Trout up the middle and also has Maybin, Calhoun and Turner.  Plus, I would love to punk the Dodgers by getting Turner.

Fowler and Turner are both coming off career years and are going to get paid very nicely. Ross is very much a ???? if he can be effective in 2017 or beyond if he's not over his arm problems, but you can see a team take high risk/high reward shot with him and give him a multi-year deal. 

 

 

[totdprods]

Doug Miller writes the Angels are interested in Bud Norris and Coco Crisp.

[Dtwncbad]

2 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Not to mention having Esobar's horrendous glove at third base. If he stops hitting singles and getting on base, he's toast. That's his only value right now which adds up to his 1.5 WAR. How much longer he can sustain that, who knows. If he starts at third for us again for a full season, I'm hoping it's for one year. I'm not all that confident in Escobar either. But yea, if Escobar stops getting on base, he should even sniff the baseball field, because he isn't out there for his defense.

Not picking on Escobar, but I view him as a final piece to plug into a hole on a team that has enough premium players in other spots.  The Angels don't have enough premium players, so Escobar is in the way of a potential difference maker.  I don't want the organization to mentally check off 3B as taken and miss out on an opportunity to get a premium player.  Turner's glove is also awesome.  If he hits anywhere close to what he did last year, he is such an overall upgrade to this lineup. . .

[SigBaby]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Doug Miller writes the Angels are interested in Bud Norris and Coco Crisp.

I'd like the idea of bringing in Crisp as the 4th outfielder but please no on Bud Norris. I'm actually really disappointed we didn't just sign Cashner for the money he got from the Rangers(1 year 10 million i think).