O'Dowd predicts Angels to get...

[totdprods]

12 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

I think this just highlights how undervalued Valbuena is. It's a combination of him never having a featured role, never being a top prospect, being landed on a team friendly contract in free agency, getting injured early on and struggling without a true Spring Training.

In the end, I think Valbuena is going to be a very ideal platoon partner in 2018.

I thought I was the only Valbuena 'fan' on this board, thanks Scotty! 

Him and Frazier with a good UT IF and 2B in the fold would be a great infield I think.

[Warfarin]

12 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

I think this just highlights how undervalued Valbuena is. It's a combination of him never having a featured role, never being a top prospect, being landed on a team friendly contract in free agency, getting injured early on and struggling without a true Spring Training.

In the end, I think Valbuena is going to be a very ideal platoon partner in 2018.

I agree.  Valbuena had a down year last year, but I'm betting he rebounds heading into his free agency year.  He's a pretty decent player.  Nothing spectacular, but I think he can hold down either 1B/3B for us and be serviceable.  Again, as long as we allocate the money for other holes (2B, SP), then I'm fine having Valbuena occupy one of the corners.

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, Warfarin said:

Hernandez is the top priority, IMO.  He's young and will be cost-controlled for the next 3 years, which corresponds nicely with Trout's timeline.  I go back and forth on Moose.  I can see the benefits he'd provide - LH power bat, not old for a FA, won't be in high demand and can be reasonably had, etc.

I think if we had to live with a combo of Valbuena/Pujols/Marte/Cron at DH/1B/3B, it wouldn't be the worst thing, as long as we allocated our dollars to upgrade 2B, SP, and maybe a lefty reliever.

No reason the Angels won’t kick the tires on both of these players ... especially Cesar Hernandez.

 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

18 minutes ago, laagamer said:

Going to sound like a dumbass, but I've been gone too long. Hernandez who?

I'm %100 down for Moose though. 

César Hernández

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernace02.shtml

 

 

[Second Base]

17 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I thought I was the only Valbuena 'fan' on this board, thanks Scotty! 

Him and Frazier with a good UT IF and 2B in the fold would be a great infield I think.

I think we might dreaming on Frazier though. Some team will offer him an everyday job and not a platoon role, even if he's best fit for that role.

[Second Base]

19 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

I agree.  Valbuena had a down year last year, but I'm betting he rebounds heading into his free agency year.  He's a pretty decent player.  Nothing spectacular, but I think he can hold down either 1B/3B for us and be serviceable.  Again, as long as we allocate the money for other holes (2B, SP), then I'm fine having Valbuena occupy one of the corners.

I'm fine with him occupying a corner in a platoon role. It's clear that he can't hit lefties at this point in his career. Grab a hitter for cheap that only hits lefties, preferably that plays solid D.

[Troll Daddy]

12 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

I agree.  Valbuena had a down year last year, but I'm betting he rebounds heading into his free agency year.  He's a pretty decent player.  Nothing spectacular, but I think he can hold down either 1B/3B for us and be serviceable.  Again, as long as we allocate the money for other holes (2B, SP), then I'm fine having Valbuena occupy one of the corners.

Sounds like most posters here are willing to go with Valbuena at 3B.  

Angels can’t afford to be wrong about him. The offense ranked #22 in runs scored. Sure we can hope that changes with a full season of Upton and a healthy Trout. I suspect Eppler isn’t going to risk Valbuena or a Valbuena platoon at 3B. 

I’d be more comfortable with him platooning at 1B and a utility role. There’s enough uncertainty with AP. I sure hope he comes into ST locked and ready. 

[Warfarin]

2 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Sounds like most posters here are willing to go with Valbuena at 3B.  

Angels can’t afford to be wrong about him. The offense ranked #22 in runs scored. Sure we can hope that changes with a full season of Upton and a healthy Trout. I suspect Eppler isn’t going to risk Valbuena or a Valbuena platoon at 3B. 

I’d be more comfortable with him platooning at 1B and a utility role. There’s enough uncertainty with AP. I sure hope he comes into ST locked and ready. 

Right.  I expect a full season of Upton + healthy Trout will help quite a bit.  Moreover, if we do acquire Hernandez or another solid 2B, that'll go a long way to helping too.  Ohtani getting ABs, Pujols resting more (twice/week?) .. all of those things should help bring us to at least the middle of the pack, if not better.

[OregonLAA]

Valbuena was a monster coming out of the All Star break. He should be playing anytime there is a right hander on the mound 

[Troll Daddy]

4 minutes ago, OregonLAA said:

Valbuena was a monster coming out of the All Star break. He should be playing anytime there is a right hander on the mound 

I don’t think he was a monster after the break but he did swat 16 dingers but batted a measly .213

[beatlesrule]

I want the other MM to play 3rd for us.  He will be way more expensive and we'll have to wait a year but it will be epic!

[Blarg]

Why the hell do you want Mike Morin back?

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, Troll Daddy said:

I don’t think he was a monster after the break but he did swat 16 dingers but batted a measly .213

That's not painting the full picture... he may have hit .213, but his OBP was a solid .320 and his BABip was .194. 

BA was never really his calling card either.

[tdawg87]

2 hours ago, totdprods said:

That's not painting the full picture... he may have hit .213, but his OBP was a solid .320 and his BABip was .194. 

BA was never really his calling card either.

Don't bother.

[NJHalo]

11 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Frazier and Trout are buddies too, both being from Jersey. Frazier shouldn't cost a lot. 

No, they aren't really buddies. It makes things really uncomfortable for me when I am hanging out with Mike, and Frazier keeps texting me, "Hey, what are you guys doing tonight?"

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 minutes ago, NJHalo said:

No, they aren't really buddies. It makes things really uncomfortable for me when I am hanging out with Mike, and Frazier keeps texting me, "Hey, what are you guys doing tonight?"

Do you guys sit around singing bon jovi songs, or listening to old jersey boys tapes more?

[ksangel]

Typically, a 25-man roster will consist of five starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders.

Starting with this premise, but changing it to six starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers and two catchers leaves 10 spots on the 25 man roster.

Trout, Upton, Calhoun, Simmons, new 2B, Pujols take six spots so that leaves four spots for 3B and reserve outfielders and infielders.

 

If they sign Moustakas and he plays 3B every day - he's not a candidate to play outfield and probably wouldn't play 1B,  that leaves three spots.

So do the Angels then carry only one spare outfielder and one spare infielder when Ohtani isn't playing or pitching because one of the three spots left would have to DH or play 1B?

 

The six man rotation puts a whole new spin on how the Angels fill the 10 remaining spots on the roster...flexibility will be key and signing Moustakas to play 3B would seem to hamper that flexibility.

 

 

 

[Erstad Grit]

If eppler values defense as much as he has indicated, no way LV is the full-time 3b.

[NJHalo]

18 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Do you guys sit around singing bon jovi songs, or listening to old jersey boys tapes more?

Hanging out drinking Zima's and watching reruns of Jersey Shore 

[Troll Daddy]

3 hours ago, totdprods said:

That's not painting the full picture... he may have hit .213, but his OBP was a solid .320 and his BABip was .194. 

BA was never really his calling card either.

What’s your take on Chase Headley? He has one year left on his deal at $13M. Leaves the door open next season for a run at Donaldson or Machado.

Eppler with his Yankee connection could pull off  a trade.

[tdawg87]

9 minutes ago, Erstad Grit said:

If eppler values defense as much as he has indicated, no way LV is the full-time 3b.

He was fine with Escobar being the full-time 3rd baseman, so i don't think that's accurate. 

[T.G.]

I like the idea of Frazier... his clubhouse presence is invaluable.  I like his .365 OBP in his stint with the Yankees (.344 overall). Great character guy.  AND... he won't cost the Angels a draft pick.

[Troll Daddy]

6 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I like the idea of Frazier... his clubhouse presence is invaluable.  I like his .365 OBP in his stint with the Yankees (.344 overall). Great character guy.  AND... he won't cost the Angels a draft pick.

Agreed

Although, he’s probably looking for at least a 3-4 year deal. That would definitely take the team off the market for next season FA class. I doubt we sign a big name but I least like to have some hope. 

[totdprods]

The more I think about how the remaining roster needs, the more curious it becomes, and challenging. Ultimately the flexibility Ohtani brings will be a big plus, but at the start we will be in an interesting place. 

I don't see how Eppler cannot bring in at least one guy with some extreme super-sub capabilities, and it feels like there will be one 'traditional' bench role that either won't quite exist or won't be the conventional player. 

It also makes me wonder if there is a larger picture deal on the horizon to clear things up.

Someone like an Ian Desmond who could back up CF and SS and fill another position (probably not him specifically) would have a lot of value on this team. Jonathan Villar?

[CanadianHalo]

7 minutes ago, totdprods said:

It also makes me wonder if there is a larger picture deal on the horizon to clear things up.

With Eppler I feel like there is always a bigger picture. So instead of just screaming “why” (for example when we’re linked to Sabathia) step back and think for a second (don’t mean this is a snarky way at all either).

DiPoto always lived in the right now where Eppler lives in the now but always with an eye down the road. 

Im very curious to see how Eppler completes the rest of this puzzle this winter. For the first time I’m not going to scream and shout if he goes a different route than I want. I’m going to trust that there’s a bigger picture, one that includes building around Trout. All while having enough money free’d up to pay him when the time comes up.