A Career Defining Off-season for Billy Eppler?

[Docwaukee]

His name is Billy.  Not William.  At least everything that the google machine produces about him has his given name as such.  Not sure why that's interesting.  Maybe it's because you'd expect it to be conventional but it's not.  Just like Billy.  Billy the greenhorn.  At least that was my first impression.  He's not Jerry Dipoto.  Not some camera kind socal surfer with easy words.  And that's a good thing as it turns out.  So instead of Billy short for William, he's just Billy.  The guy who inherited a sub .500 team with a bloated payroll, zero international spending capability, and the worst farm system in baseball history as well as an apparent upper extremity plague affecting any pitcher in a clubhouse radius.  Apparently, the rally monkey is actually virus carrying anti-god from the movie outbreak.  That inheritance also included Michael Nelson Trout.  He's pretty good.  

Billy's first order of business was to make our farm system worse by trading our top prospect and others for a defensive specialist.  Actually, that was probably his second order of business.  His first was to get a bigger boat and navigate the shark infested waters of the front office.  

Fast forward two years later.  So far so good right?  But let the expectations begin.  

So far, there really haven't been any.  If it wasn't a mess, it would do till the mess got here.  Well, the mess came and went and now we stand with a mediocre farm, international money, injuries healed (for the most part.  maybe), kumbaya, payroll flexibility,  and a major league roster that seems primed to take the next step forward.  

There are holes to fill, yes.  But now it looks like there are some actual resources to fill them.  Would it be a tremendous surprise  to not make the playoffs in 2018?  probably not.  Yet, it would be disappointing if we remained mired in mediocrity.  

Over the next 5 months I have no doubt that we will parse out every last option and granulate every potential decision.  It's what we do.  But the key component is that there are actual options.  Lots of them.  2b, 3b, 1b.  Do we trade Cron or Shoe or Kole?  Do we tap into the farm?  How much do we spend?  A fairly savvy approach in just two years has put this franchise in a position we didn't expect to be in two years ago.  Pardon my frances, but don't f**k it up now.  Because the wrong trade or bad free agent move could turn that Viagra good feeling into the limp noodle of a Mike Trout departure.  

There are lots of decisions to be made in the coming months.  I don't know what the right ones are, but Billy, not William better because pressure has resurfaced.  Spalding, this calls for the old Billy Baroo.  Oh, Billy, Billy, Billy.  

[Redondo]

Eppler has his work cut out for him this offseason. We will see what direction the team is headed as far as FA's and if he dips into the farm to for trades. It will define who he is as a GM.

I hope he continues to build the farm and not over pay for older players past their prime who are getting paid for what they have done, not going to do. Better to invest in younger, up and coming players.

 

[AngelsWin.com]

By Jason Sinner (aka @Dochalo), AngelsWin.com Contributor

His name is Billy. Not William. At least everything that the google machine produces about him has his given name as such. Not sure why that’s interesting. Maybe it’s because you’d expect it to be conventional but it’s not. Just like Billy. Billy the greenhorn. At least that was my first impression. He’s not Jerry Dipoto. Not some camera kind socal surfer with easy words. And that’s a good thing as it turns out. So instead of Billy short for William, he’s just Billy. The guy who inherited a sub .500 team with a bloated payroll, zero international spending capability, and the worst farm system in baseball history as well as an apparent upper extremity plague affecting any pitcher in a clubhouse radius. Apparently, the rally monkey is actually virus carrying anti-god from the movie outbreak. That inheritance also included Michael Nelson Trout. He’s pretty good.

Billy’s first order of business was to make our farm system worse by trading our top prospect and others for a defensive specialist. Actually, that was probably his second order of business. His first was to get a bigger boat and navigate the shark infested waters of the front office.

Fast forward two years later. So far so good right? But let the expectations begin.

So far, there really haven’t been any. If it wasn’t a mess, it would do till the mess got here. Well, the mess came and went and now we stand with a mediocre farm, international money, injuries healed (for the most part. maybe), kumbaya, payroll flexibility, and a major league roster that seems primed to take the next step forward.

There are holes to fill, yes. But now it looks like there are some actual resources to fill them. Would it be a tremendous surprise to not make the playoffs in 2018? probably not. Yet, it would be disappointing if we remained mired in mediocrity.

Over the next 5 months I have no doubt that we will parse out every last option and granulate every potential decision. It’s what we do. But the key component is that there are actual options. Lots of them. 2b, 3b, 1b. Do we trade Cron or Shoe or Kole? Do we tap into the farm? How much do we spend? A fairly savvy approach in just two years has put this franchise in a position we didn’t expect to be in two years ago. Pardon my frances, but don’t f**k it up now. Because the wrong trade or bad free agent move could turn that Viagra good feeling into the limp noodle of a Mike Trout departure.

There are lots of decisions to be made in the coming months. I don’t know what the right ones are, but Billy, not William better because pressure has resurfaced. Spaulding, this calls for the old Billy Baroo. Oh, Billy, Billy, Billy.

View the full article

[Chuck]

Good stuff, @Dochalo. Promoted to the blog! 

http://thesportsdaily.com/angels-win/a-career-defining-off-season-for-billy-eppler/

[HaloNArizona]

I like the start to the offseason....It would seem that LF is finally resolved.

Personally, I think 2B is the next hole to fill, with a lead off hitter.  I wouldnt be surprised to see 3B addressed first, a left handed power hitter would be nice.  If we sign a 3Bman, I see Cron/Valbuena manning 1B.

[Blarg]

8 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Spalding, this calls for the old Billy Baroo.  Oh, Billy, Billy, Billy.  

Angelswin is the obnoxious Judge while Billy is Danny, tuning out the crowd and making his play.

 

[ettin]

You should drink more 18-year old Scotch more often @Dochalo because that was hot!

Good stuff!

Also, as I said at the end of the last Primer submission, this season is going to finally have Eppler's fingerprints all over it and you're right one false move and it could set us back more than it moves us forward.

[floplag]

Well i think it comes down to whether or not they want to actually make a run at Hou, or just the wild Card.  I think the pieces are there if they want to make a run, but it would require a large expenditure.   The obvious needs are also there.  the real issue is whether they want to really go for a run at a deep playoff run or just try to get there.

[AngelsLakersFan]

BILLY! BILLY!!

[AngelsLakersFan]

8 minutes ago, floplag said:

Well i think it comes down to whether or not they want to actually make a run at Hou, or just the wild Card.  I think the pieces are there if they want to make a run, but it would require a large expenditure.   The obvious needs are also there.  the real issue is whether they want to really go for a run at a deep playoff run or just try to get there.

I think it depends more on how they view the next 3 years versus how they view the 3-5 years beyond that.

[floplag]

1 hour ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

I think it depends more on how they view the next 3 years versus how they view the 3-5 years beyond that.

of course, but taking into consideration the competition is part of that.  There is to me a huge difference is what it would take to make a playoff run versus making a potential WS run at this time. 
I dont think they will go wild or anything close to it, im just suggesting they could, lol 

[Chuck]

2 hours ago, ettin said:

You should drink more 18-year old Scotch more often @Dochalo because that was hot!

Good stuff!

Also, as I said at the end of the last Primer submission, this season is going to finally have Eppler's fingerprints all over it and you're right one false move and it could set us back more than it moves us forward.

I wonder if part of getting Eppler's fingerprints all over this club is approaching Pujols sometime during the season if he continues to decline on a possible buyout from the roster, but into the front office type deal?

[Inside Pitch]

5 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I wonder if part of getting Eppler's fingerprints all over this club is approaching Pujols sometime during the season if he continues to decline on a possible buyout from the roster, but into the front office type deal?

They are a year away from that even being a possibility IMHO...   He could have been even worse than he was this season and I think the team would still give him that much -- he may have looked like a shell of his former self even before last season but the reality is he is only one year off of having put up a positive OPS+.   My guess is this is his mulligan season and if we see more of the same then you might see the team approach him about moving into a different role.

[Angelsjunky]

Just think of how much peak level Chone Figgins would improve this club: plays 3B and leads off. The only possibly available player that I can think of that could have a similar impact would be Cesar Hernandez.

Should be an interesting off season. My hope is that Billy continues the more under-the-radar approach that we've seen so far, rather than the big splashes that turn into belly flops that his two predecessors are known for. Billy's approach yields surprising returns. 

 

[Tyler]

I'm going to count the Upton extension as part of this career defining offseason. Off to a start..

[UndertheHalo]

I think that this is an important offseason.  Equally so next year.

Eppler has to resign Mike Trout. 

[Blarg]

You mean a contract extension. To re-sign Trout he would have to reach free agency. 

Edited November 9, 2017 by Blarg

[stormngt]

9 hours ago, HaloNArizona said:

I like the start to the offseason....It would seem that LF is finally resolved.

Personally, I think 2B is the next hole to fill, with a lead off hitter.  I wouldnt be surprised to see 3B addressed first, a left handed power hitter would be nice.  If we sign a 3Bman, I see Cron/Valbuena manning 1B.

Cron/Valbueno platoon was a disaster early in the season.  Dont think its a good idea

[stormngt]

7 hours ago, floplag said:

of course, but taking into consideration the competition is part of that.  There is to me a huge difference is what it would take to make a playoff run versus making a potential WS run at this time. 
I dont think they will go wild or anything close to it, im just suggesting they could, lol 

How far behind were tgey from the yanks....the yanks were a game away from the WS.

[Ohtaniland]

[eligrba]

17 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I wonder if part of getting Eppler's fingerprints all over this club is approaching Pujols sometime during the season if he continues to decline on a possible buyout from the roster, but into the front office type deal?

WHOA. JUST WHOA.

I need to spend some time contemplating ths idea. 

Head spinning...

[Troll Daddy]

Well it’s not career defining but nonetheless a very important one. Signing Upton early takes a lot of the pressure off. 

I don’t see any big trades in the horizon with money to spend. 

Go Angel baseball 

[HaloNArizona]

15 hours ago, stormngt said:

Cron/Valbueno platoon was a disaster early in the season.  Dont think its a good idea

No, I really wan to see Cron at 1B and let VAlbuena be the back up 1B/3B bench guy.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, HaloNArizona said:

No, I really wan to see Cron at 1B and let VAlbuena be the back up 1B/3B bench guy.

+1    Something, anything, has to propel Cron to finally be more consistent.    Dude looks like an ASG caliber hitter for part of the year, and looks like Ogilvie from Bad News Bears in the other games.    Valbuena is a good guy to have starting tops some 70-80 games, although I hope he is healthy to start 2018.  Maybe that will help him out. 

Spend most of the available money on 2B, 3B, one mid-level starting pitcher, and re-signing Petit and Norris.  

[Troll Daddy]

Valbuena as starting third baseman would be career defining ... and not in a good way.