Closer?

[Angel Oracle]

Tony Watson is a lefty.   Whatever happened to the news that he was signing here as a FA?

[Dick B Back]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

Tony Watson is a lefty.   Whatever happened to the news that he was signing here as a FA?

I think someone was smoking something then tweeted about Watson signing with the Halos. Next morning when sober, deleted the tweet.

[Second Base]

9 hours ago, WeatherWonk said:

Are any of those guys a lefty? I really cant remember.

Nice to have a situational lefty.

The only lefty we have is Jose Alvarez, and I don't think he's very good.

[Docwaukee]

Eppler is waiting out the closer market right now.  

You've got Holland, Davis and Reed available as a FA.  You've got Colome 

What teams could use a closer?

Halos - have Parker and a few other options as well

Cards - Gregerson?   

Dbacks - if they convert Bradley back to a starter maybe.  

Philly - seems a bit premature to add a closer but they just made a move on Santana so anything could happen there.  

Rangers - could definitely use one

Rockies - presume they're done with the pen after adding McGee and Shaw but they have been said to be in on Reed

I could see one of Holland or Davis having no home when the dust settles.  

Holland is a Boras guy so I think he's out.  

I think philly and AZ are gonna stand pat.  

That leaves the Rangers, Halos, Rockies and Cards.  I could see the cards or rags in on Colome.  Rangers also have Boras history.  

So Rags get Holland, Colome to the Cards, Reed to the Rockies and Wade Davis has no home.  Would love to have him at 3/33 

 

 

 

 

[Jeff Fletcher]

22 hours ago, WeatherWonk said:

Are any of those guys a lefty? I really cant remember.

Nice to have a situational lefty.

I asked Eppler this exact question at the winter meetings. He said he’s more interested in having multi-inning relievers than situational ones. He said a situational lefty is nice to stash in the minors and then bring him up when rosters expand or have him to match up in the playoffs. 

The LOOGY may be going by the wayside. If teams are going to be pulling their starters quicker and leaving more outs for the pen, it’s tough to carry a guy who you only use for one or two batters. 

[DailyHalo]

35 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I asked Eppler this exact question at the winter meetings. He said he’s more interested in having multi-inning relievers than situational ones. He said a situational lefty is nice to stash in the minors and then bring him up when rosters expand or have him to match up in the playoffs. 

The LOOGY may be going by the wayside. If teams are going to be pulling their starters quicker and leaving more outs for the pen, it’s tough to carry a guy who you only use for one or two batters. 

You should have asked him what his thoughts were on obtaining a closer.

[ettin]

22 hours ago, WeatherWonk said:

Are any of those guys a lefty? I really cant remember.

Nice to have a situational lefty.

 

41 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I asked Eppler this exact question at the winter meetings. He said he’s more interested in having multi-inning relievers than situational ones. He said a situational lefty is nice to stash in the minors and then bring him up when rosters expand or have him to match up in the playoffs. 

The LOOGY may be going by the wayside. If teams are going to be pulling their starters quicker and leaving more outs for the pen, it’s tough to carry a guy who you only use for one or two batters. 

Agree with what Jeff said. Also I'd point out that we had Parker, Norris, and Hernandez last year and all three were getting strong results against LHH's. The relievers don't have to be specialized against one side in a typical "same-side" matchup.

I suspect that Eppler is not only looking for multi-innings relievers he is also looking for guys that are strong against both sides of the plate no matter if they are a lefty or righty.

[Second Base]

So if we assume we're rolling with a bench of Valbuena, a 4th OF and Perez, and a six man rotation, this would give us a seven man bullpen. 

1. Parker 2. Bedrosian 3. Johnson 4. Ramirez are all sure things.

#5-7 will be a competition between Middleton, Paredes, Bard, Alvarez, Dayan Diaz, Felix Pena, Noe Ramirez and Blake Wood.

Middleton definitely has the inside edge for #5. Bard will be have a long look because of stuff, success and rule 5 status. My guess is Noe Ramirez gets the last spot. He's been good his whole career, was solid for us, spins the ball well and can go multiple innings. 

Paredes will be optioned to AAA but inevitably be back in the majors at some point this season. Wood, Diaz and Pena will all be in AAA.

[greginpsca]

32 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

So if we assume we're rolling with a bench of Valbuena, a 4th OF and Perez, and a six man rotation, this would give us a seven man bullpen. 

1. Parker 2. Bedrosian 3. Johnson 4. Ramirez are all sure things.

#5-7 will be a competition between Middleton, Paredes, Bard, Alvarez, Dayan Diaz, Felix Pena, Noe Ramirez and Blake Wood.

Middleton definitely has the inside edge for #5. Bard will be have a long look because of stuff, success and rule 5 status. My guess is Noe Ramirez gets the last spot. He's been good his whole career, was solid for us, spins the ball well and can go multiple innings. 

Paredes will be optioned to AAA but inevitably be back in the majors at some point this season. Wood, Diaz and Pena will all be in AAA.

Wood was a free agent until a couple of weeks ago, until the Angels signed him to a new deal. I believe it was a major league deal. So if they designate him, the team could lose him to another organization,and they would still have to pay him.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Watson was a closer for the Pirates and he can be counted to go more than an inning in a 7 man Bully!....

[Second Base]

43 minutes ago, greginpsca said:

Wood was a free agent until a couple of weeks ago, until the Angels signed him to a new deal. I believe it was a major league deal. So if they designate him, the team could lose him to another organization,and they would still have to pay him.

I think Diaz, Pena and Wood are all out of options, but I also think all three will be on our AAA squad this season and be called up st some point.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Wood is on the team, I believe. They offered him arbitration.

In terms of safety on the roster (not necessarily role), I’d say...

Parker, Bedrosian, JC Ramirez, Johnson, Wood, Alvarez / Noe Ramirez, Middleton, Bard, Paredes, Peña, Díaz 

Middleton is only that low because he has options. The guys before the slash are on the team unless they get hurt or someone else better is acquired. 

[OregonLAA]

Alvarez and Wood before Noe and Middleton is a shame

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Wood is on the team, I believe. They offered him arbitration.

In terms of safety on the roster (not necessarily role), I’d say...

Parker, Bedrosian, JC Ramirez, Johnson, Wood, Alvarez / Noe Ramirez, Middleton, Bard, Paredes, Peña, Díaz 

Middleton is only that low because he has options. The guys before the slash are on the team unless they get hurt or someone else better is acquired. 

That was my initial thought as well, but I think at the end of the day, you just have to ask who has done a better job, and figures to do better in 2018. 

Unless ST solved that question for us, I think you have to take Middleton over Wood.

I could see them keeping Wood over Noe Ramirez and maybe Luke Bard, but all things being equal, Middleton is the better option. And I think from a human standpoint, you have to weigh what demoting Middleton down to AAA after the season he had last year would do to his psyche.

I just don't see him anywhere but the major league roster. But Wood definitely has the potential to be solid. 

[Turd Ferguson]

I don't know that we need a "closer" per se, but it would be nice to add another high-leverage RP. Watson is still out there, Reed, Kelvim Herrera is available via trade.

[Jeff Fletcher]

2 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

That was my initial thought as well, but I think at the end of the day, you just have to ask who has done a better job, and figures to do better in 2018. 

Unless ST solved that question for us, I think you have to take Middleton over Wood.

I could see them keeping Wood over Noe Ramirez and maybe Luke Bard, but all things being equal, Middleton is the better option. And I think from a human standpoint, you have to weigh what demoting Middleton down to AAA after the season he had last year would do to his psyche.

I just don't see him anywhere but the major league roster. But Wood definitely has the potential to be solid. 

I expect Middleton and Wood to be on the team. Middleton had some rough outings last year so it’s no slam dunk he’s one of the best 7 relievers, especially when he has options.