The Official 2017-2018 Hot Stove Thread

[Stradling]

53 minutes ago, floplag said:

RE Arietta... another crazy front loaded short deal with opt outs... craziest off season ever continues.  
IMO a total over pay that makes little sense, i get the whole shorter deal higher dollars thing so its a bit skewed from estimates in that regard but still, just crazy.
2+ wins (per stathead estimates of his value) doesnt even get them out of the cellar, but im glad they did something for their fans.
I suspect their plan is looking at hometown boy Trout when they can and these guys they are bringing in is setting the table for that. 
 

Last year was really a bad first half, he was dominant in the second half.   

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

 

I completely agree.  It just feels (to me at least) as though the Angels have done enough to have a winning record, but they have fallen short of doing enough to make them compete with the better teams in the AL.  Cobb would help fix that big time.  They really need to make that move.

I think Eppler will look to make deals at the deadline rather than give up a pick.   

[DMVol]

1 minute ago, SuperTroopers said:

I think Eppler will look to make deals at the deadline rather than give up a pick.   

Seems to be the plan....

[VariousCrap]

11 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

I think Eppler will look to make deals at the deadline rather than give up a pick.   

 

Very good point.  I just feel a proven pitcher like Cobb, for the right deal, makes losing a second round pick bearable. 

[Angelsfan1984]

3 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

 

Very good point.  I just feel a proven pitcher like Cobb, for the right deal, makes losing a second round pick bearable. 

Also gives next years rotation some stability considering that all of our starting rotation other than Ohtani are FA or arb eligible players.

[Troll Daddy]

No team likes to lose a draft pick but winning during the Trout years is of importance. 

[Stradling]

13 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

 

Very good point.  I just feel a proven pitcher like Cobb, for the right deal, makes losing a second round pick bearable. 

 

9 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

No team likes to lose a draft pick but winning during the Trout years is of importance. 

I get both these points, but Eppler is thinking, I can lose a 2nd round pick for Cobb, or I can see how it goes and then trade a guy for whoever is available, in other words more options than just Cobb. 

[Angelsfan1984]

4 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

 

I get both these points, but Eppler is thinking, I can lose a 2nd round pick for Cobb, or I can see how it goes and then trade a guy for whoever is available, in other words more options than just Cobb. 

Don't you hope that 2nd round picks turn out to be as good as someone like Cobb? If that's the case I don't mind giving up a 2nd rounder for him.

[Angel Oracle]

44 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Shoe is doing a pretty good job of pushing himself to the pen this spring, without any help from Cobb......

Just convert him to the pen now.   That splitter in the late innings..... 

[GoodTimesGoneBad]

Draft picks are lottery tickets. Has Canning thrown a pitch professionally yet? If you can secure the rotation for a few years by adding 3/36 and losing a draft pick I think it's a good deal. There might be more competition at the deadline, right now it seems there are deals to be had. Plus deadline deals mean losing prospects, isn't that what they're trying to save? 

[Angel Oracle]

On the starting pitcher subject, JC Ramirez is coming along nicely this spring (into 5th inning this past weekend) and mentioned working on cutting back on pitch counts to get deeper into games.    

[VariousCrap]

15 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

 

I get both these points, but Eppler is thinking, I can lose a 2nd round pick for Cobb, or I can see how it goes and then trade a guy for whoever is available, in other words more options than just Cobb. 

 

And Cobb could be the guy he trades for assuming Cobb gets a deal similar to what Lynn did.  That said, I still think it is worth Eppler having a chat with Cobb's agent.

[floplag]

1 hour ago, SuperTroopers said:

Last year was really a bad first half, he was dominant in the second half.   

And that means what?  He could just as easily do it again, he could be bad all season, or dominant all season.  They paid dominant all season money and then some.    They might, if he goes off and puts up a Cy Young season it might be worth it, maybe.
Even if he does, will it make them competitive with the Nats?   Does he and Santana make up 30 games?  I dont think so. 

[Troll Daddy]

10 minutes ago, floplag said:

And that means what?  He could just as easily do it again, he could be bad all season, or dominant all season.  They paid dominant all season money and then some.    They might, if he goes off and puts up a Cy Young season it might be worth it, maybe.
Even if he does, will it make them competitive with the Nats?   Does he and Santana make up 30 games?  I dont think so. 

On the flip side of things ... I like that they’re spending money and trying to put a competitive team on the field for the fans. 

[floplag]

6 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

On the flip side of things ... I like that they’re spending money and trying to put a competitive team on the field for the fans. 

I agree completely, but i also find it a little scary.  
I think they are gearing up for a run at Trout when the time comes.
But on the interim at least they are actually making some measure of effort

[Stradling]

31 minutes ago, floplag said:

And that means what?  He could just as easily do it again, he could be bad all season, or dominant all season.  They paid dominant all season money and then some.    They might, if he goes off and puts up a Cy Young season it might be worth it, maybe.
Even if he does, will it make them competitive with the Nats?   Does he and Santana make up 30 games?  I dont think so. 

Well it means he’s still capable of being dominant for an extended period of time.  Will it work out, no, but he got less than others that aren’t as good. 

[nando714]

2 hours ago, SuperTroopers said:

I think Eppler will look to make deals at the deadline rather than give up a pick.   

Ok so let me get this straight....

hes willing to deal prospects (maybe multiple) for a rental (potentially) rather than signing a Guy in a good market right now who can help out for multiple years while losing 1 draft pick.

Makes no sense and so much for “rebuilding” the farm if he’s willing to trade prospects 

[nando714]

2 hours ago, bloodbrother said:

Neil Walker to the Yankees

 

Walker had a OBP of .409 after being traded from the Mets to Milwaukee 

very good signing for Cashman

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, floplag said:

And that means what?  He could just as easily do it again, he could be bad all season, or dominant all season.  They paid dominant all season money and then some.    They might, if he goes off and puts up a Cy Young season it might be worth it, maybe.
Even if he does, will it make them competitive with the Nats?   Does he and Santana make up 30 games?  I dont think so. 

It puts them closer to WC contention though.

[WeatherWonk]

1 hour ago, SuperTroopers said:

 

I get both these points, but Eppler is thinking, I can lose a 2nd round pick for Cobb, or I can see how it goes and then trade a guy for whoever is available, in other words more options than just Cobb. 

The problem with this is that we still dont have that much of trade value in the minors. Wont other clubs have more to offer? Our surplus seems to be in the OF.........but Trout could be leaving about the time they are ready. And I dont know what depth we could trade with from our 25 or 40 man roster.

Coupled with this is this perception that you can "just make a trade" at the deadline and actually get what you want. Other contending teams will attempt to do this, too. So many clubs are now in the race for a WC. It's difficult to predict what will be available and what your needs are, three months into the future.

We know pitching is our need now. We are in a HITTING division. All the AL West teams can hit, including us. I dont know if we can hold those teams down, with this staff.

With a free agent signing, you see the guy you want, you get the guy you want. The uncertain future of a second round pic seems like a small price to pay.

We could be significantly behind MIN, NYY, BOS, the most likely WC teams, by July 1. They have all improved significantly. And I expect that TOR and possibly SEA could also be contending with us.

 

[Ohtaniland]

32 minutes ago, nando714 said:

Walker had a OBP of .409 after being traded from the Mets to Milwaukee 

very good signing for Cashman

And another switch hitter in an already balanced lineup. 

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, nando714 said:

Ok so let me get this straight....

hes willing to deal prospects (maybe multiple) for a rental (potentially) rather than signing a Guy in a good market right now who can help out for multiple years while losing 1 draft pick.

Makes no sense and so much for “rebuilding” the farm if he’s willing to trade prospects 

Well, he might be willing to.  Are you sad at what we gave up for Upton?  Kinsler?  Do I think he will give up top prospects for a rental, no.  But I also trust Eppler to trade the right pieces for the right guy, while others might be more skeptical.  Now, since I don’t follow amateur baseball like others, I would have to ask someone like @Inside Pitch, but I thought I read that this year is a very strong and deep draft, but I could be wrong.  As far as not being able to rebuild and to make trades of prospects, I am sure if you try real hard nando, you can imagine him doing both.  What if he traded an outfielder (we have a ton of them) and an arm like Barria or the dude from UCLA and a Ward type for a guy like Archer.  He basically traded from excess to acquire a young top of the rotation type of guy, without destroying the farm.  Lastly, from what I have read on here, it isn’t just about losing the draft pick, it is also about losing draft money and international money.  If you lose your 2nd round draft money, it basically means you have much less flexibility in the entire draft.  You can’t sign a guy early that won’t be a signability concern, and try to sign a high school stud that would need to get a healthy amount over slot to sign.  In other words it would be a lot more harmful to the farm than simply that pick.  

[Stradling]

40 minutes ago, WeatherWonk said:

We could be significantly behind MIN, NYY, BOS, the most likely WC teams, by July 1. They have all improved significantly. And I expect that TOR and possibly SEA could also be contending with us.

 

And we have improved significantly.  

[nando714]

21 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

And we have improved significantly.  

The bullpen just worries me A LOT

[WeatherWonk]

40 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

And we have improved significantly.  

Our hitting has. Cant say the same thing about our pitching. Big question marks, again.