Jerry Dipoto's rebuild/reload plan

[Angelsjunky]

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but Scotty Allen wrote an interesting piece here.

 

While I enjoyed the article, Scotty, and agree with some of what you say, I think you over-state some things in order to (apparently) apologize for Jerry Dipoto. For example, you wrote:

 

The best way I can explain the Dipoto regime and his moves is that this man has his eye on the future.  He's more of a long term architect than GM who is looking for answers in the short term.  The signing of C.J. Wilson, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton strikes me as the sort of moves designed to stabilize a team in the short term while Dipoto essentially builds an organization from the ground up.  I believe that Dipoto's design was simply meant to add to current Angels roster immediately before disappearing from the free agent scene for a few years while the organization retools itself.

 

To me this only makes sense if Wilson, Pujols ,and Hamilton were stop-gap type of signings. But not only did they cost a huge amount of money (all tolled almost half a billion dollars!!!) but to ice the cake they cost the Angels high draft picks. Given the money spent on these three players, it seems highly unlikely that "Dipoto's design was simply meant to add to current Angels roster immediately"...this implies that he was just bulking up the team a bit and then leaving things alone.

 

Dipoto and Moreno want(ed) to win now. I would think that Dipoto at least knows that Pujols won't be very good in a few years. Hamilton was brought on board to increase the chances of a World Series run or three in the next half decade.

 

If Dipoto really had "his eye on the future", at least in terms of primary focus, then he wouldn't have signed Pujols or Hamilton.

 

I agree that Dipoto "inherited a burning house," but rather than focus on dousing the flames and rebuilding, he added wood to the fire. So I think you're just playing outright apologist here:

 

So what did Dipoto do?  He bought a few support beams to make this house structurally sound and began to work on rebuilding the interior. Those support beams are now Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson

 

The problem here is that those "support beams" actually make it more difficult for the Angels to "rebuild the interior" because not only did the cost valuable draft picks, but they put too many eggs in too few baskets - that is, too much money into three players, and three players who have all been massive disappointments so far.

 

I don't think it is too late for this ship to be turned around, in the long or short term. It will be very difficult, but it is possible. But I'm very, very concerned - not just this year but for the next ten years.

 

You go on to offer further apologetics for Dipoto's and Wilson's handling of the farm system. I agree it is too soon to tell, but I am underwhelmed with what Rick Wilson has done so far. Of those prospects you listed, very few are thriving.

 

In summary, I'd like to agree with your relatively rosy take on Dipoto's plan, but so far it has been an unmitigated disaster. A few of his moves turned out well (e.g. Frieri), but the majority of them - especially if you look at dollar amount - have been not only bad, but catastrophic.

 

I'm not giving up hope, not yet, but I don't have the same faith in the "Dipoto plan" as you do. I'd like to see some actual results first because so far he seems to talk a good game, but the proof is in the pudding and so far the pudding tastes like crap.

 

[Tyler]

Dat PM function

[Second Base]

First off, let me off my gratitude you took time to read the article, I know it's quite a lot to read and I'm honored.  

 

"this implies that he was just bulking up the team a bit and then leaving things alone."

 

That's exactly what I'm implying.  I think Dipoto's long term plan is simply to spend the necessary money in the short term to keep this proverbial house standing and give them a solid shot at winning a World Series.  As for the future, the current players being drafted are designed to help offset the rising costs in Pujols', Hamilton's, Weaver's and Wilson's contract.  You might as well add Trout and Trumbo into that discussion as well as they'll get expensive in a few years. 

 

Guys like Cowart, Cron, Sappington, Scoggins, Yarbrough and Stamets are players that I envision filling roles as starting pitchers or everyday position players in the big leagues.  Guys like Morin, Alvarez, Wood, Maronde and possibly even Bedrosian if he keeps it up I can see coming in to help stabilize the pen.  

 

Right now, you're right, the Angels look like an unmitigated disaster.  Low ranked farm system, high paid, underperforming major leaguers.  But I think soon enough you'll see something greater in Dipoto's grand design for the organization (assuming he's doing his job adequately).  It's going to take patience. 

 

As for being a Dipoto apologist.  Maybe.  It wasn't an article designed to praise Dipoto as much as it was something meant to provide analysis as to what he might be trying to do.  It's easy to look at the moves he's made and wonder what the hell his intentions are.  It's more difficult to recognize patterns to project the future. 

[Angel Oracle]

Agreed, and I after all of this time have finally realized myself that a rebuild is necessary.

It will take 3-4 years to come to full fruition though, assuming that the right scouts were put into place and the foreign presence re-emphasized this past winter, as hinted before.

No more super contracts for the next 4 years, UNLESS it's ONE pitcher UNDER 30 with GREAT numbers and projections.

Need to save that money for the likes of Trout and Trumbo by 2016/2017.

[Second Base]

I think you'll see a Trumbo 4/30 or 5/40 million type of contract after this year.  I mean he's entering that stage in his career where you an pencil him in for at least .270 and 35+  HR.  We may even see a season or two of .280 and 40+ HR in there. As for Trout, I think they'll wait until the next of the 2014 season when he's 23 years old and then offer him something along the lines of 5/100 assuming he stays in the neighborhood of .300+ 30+ DB 30+ HR, 30+ SB and elite defense.  

[Jay]

confidence is not high

[Tyler]

If the Angels are thinking of a rebuild, then they need to fire Dipoto ASAP