One ESSENTIAL position that we haven't filled..............

[totdprods]

7 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Kaleb Cowart could end up the most over and under rated player on this roster.    

He should make this team.  

I'm kinda torn on Cowart. I don't think he has much more to show in AAA and think the only way he'll stick in the bigs is if he actually gets big-league playing time. 

I don't think the Angels trust him defensively enough at SS to have him be the UT IF - look how long it took them to feel comfortable with him as the 2B option. Being that our starting defense is so exceptional, I'd actually prefer a more offense-oriented bench, but having Ohtani as a wild-card PH option allows more room for a defense-first UT IF like Cowart.

Cowart also has options which I think likely starts him at SLC, which may be best. Roll with a cheap bounce-back vet for a couple months, let Cowart get regular playing time at SS and even OF, maybe occasionally CF, and have him be first guy up if any infielder gets hurt. If Kaleb can turn into an Andrew Romine type, he'd have an MLB gig and a lot of value to the Angels, but I don't think the versatility is there quite yet.

[Erstad Grit]

Plenty of veterans that could fill that role if they are willing to not have guarenteed at bats.  Ichiro, Raja Davis, revere, maybin, etc. 

Eppler may just go with the best minor league spring performance.  

[Blarg]

12 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I would too.

He still has speed to cover ground in CF and can play LF and RF. Give Ohtani a Japanese teammate too.

Are you all out and of your collective minds? He will be 44, he had a 76 OPS+ season last year, he is done, done ,done, fucking done. 

Fucking done!

His time is over, move on he's not the guy you remember from Safeco Field. He is not going to help the Angels or any MLB team, see the sentence above.

[ettin]

Kaleb, as a utility player, has a lot of value. Six years of team control at 0.5 to 1 WAR, particularly in his pre-arbitration years, carries good surplus value, so he isn't nothing.

The perennial question is he more than that? Some teams out there, like the Reds, Royals, White Sox, or perhaps even a team like the Orioles might be in a place or position to gamble on his possible upside (or not).

We, of course, also have Nolan Fontana who can actually play a competent SS and Sherman Johnson who is more like Cowart defensively (and both of which are MLB ready themselves). So we have a lot of options for the utility role.

[stormngt]

11 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Kaleb Cowart could end up the most over and under rated player on this roster.  

If fictional player Donkey Brohamski got DFA'd, and he had Cowart's specs, we'd have multiple thread about how we should pick this guy up.  

Not 26 til June even though he's entering his age 26 season.  Excellent corner IF defense.  Solid at 2b.  Decent at SS.  Can fill in a corner OF spot.  Has the arm to play RF.  

Former top 100.  About a 120 wRC+ at AAA the last 3 years.  Cowart's two biggest sins are that he had a AA meltdown in 2013 and 14 almost 4 years ago as well as the fact that he hasn't gotten a real look at the major league level.  

Could Cowart be the classic AAAA player?  Maybe, but we don't know that yet.  

What we do know is that he's versatile, has upside with the bat and is an excellent defender.  

Oh, btw, he can also steal a bag for you.  

He should make this team.  

 

In all fairness Cowart got s good look last year.  He started great and fizzled.  I hope he still shows consistency with the bat.

[Chuck]

Cowart is a good option as well. Can play all INF positions and most likely both corner spots. EY Jr. can handle CF and be a late inning pinch runner. 

Though I'm intrigued at this Walsh kid we signed. Can play the corners and outfield..

[greginpsca]

2 minutes ago, stormngt said:

In all fairness Cowart got s good look last year.  He started great and fizzled.  I hope he still shows consistency with the bat.

He started out good because he got steady playing time. He even showed a bit of power. When Simmons came back from the DL , Cowart played about once a week.  The team at the moment doesn't have a better defensive backup infielder. Yes, ss is his weakest position. But that is why i like the Cozart signing. When needed Zack moves to ss and Caleb plays 3rd. 

[stormngt]

Just now, greginpsca said:

He started out good because he got steady playing time. He even showed a bit of power. When Simmons came back from the DL , Cowart played about once a week.  The team at the moment doesn't have a better defensive backup infielder. Yes, ss is his weakest position. But that is why i like the Cozart signing. When needed Zack moves to ss and Caleb plays 3rd. 

That's not true.  His slump started before he lost consistent playing time.  I was one of his great defenders but he got consistent time this past year.

[Angel Oracle]

50 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Are you all out and of your collective minds? He will be 44, he had a 76 OPS+ season last year, he is done, done ,done, fucking done. 

Fucking done!

His time is over, move on he's not the guy you remember from Safeco Field. He is not going to help the Angels or any MLB team, see the sentence above.

This

Ichiro, collect your $200 and pass Go to the HOF in 6 years.

[floplag]

This is why i dont think they are done.
You look at a guy like Chase Headley who we all see as a corner IF, BUT, he if i remember correctly he came up as an OF and could likely easily fill the role of 4th OF when not at 1B etc... 
The more i look at him the more i think he makes a crap ton of sense with our roster. 

[Angels#1Fan]

13 hours ago, stormngt said:

Didn't EY Jr.  Play center when Trout was hurt last year?

This

[AngelStew43]

I would be down with a Bourjos reunion.  One year deal for 1.5 mil would easily get it done.

[totdprods]

16 minutes ago, floplag said:

This is why i dont think they are done.
You look at a guy like Chase Headley who we all see as a corner IF, BUT, he if i remember correctly he came up as an OF and could likely easily fill the role of 4th OF when not at 1B etc... 
The more i look at him the more i think he makes a crap ton of sense with our roster. 

Headley couldn't play CF, so you'd have to carry a 4th OF still, or roll with a 3-man bench, use Upton as emergency CF, and recall a 4th OF as needed.

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Are you all out and of your collective minds? He will be 44, he had a 76 OPS+ season last year, he is done, done ,done, fucking done. 

Fucking done!

His time is over, move on he's not the guy you remember from Safeco Field. He is not going to help the Angels or any MLB team, see the sentence above.

Same OPS+ as Revere posted. He'd be the 4th OF on a star-studded OF. On this team, he's less of a 4th OF and more of a PH, of which he's probably still capable. 

He'll be cheap and if the reports aren't  true and Ohtani is fine playing with other Japanese stars, he'd be a pretty good on-staff 'hitting coach' so to say. 

And he'd be easy to pull the plug on if he sucks to let Hermosillo come up. If Ichiro's sees more than 50-100 ABs over April through June are the reason, then we have bigger problems.

[floplag]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Headley couldn't play CF, so you'd have to carry a 4th OF still, or roll with a 3-man bench, use Upton as emergency CF, and recall a 4th OF as needed.

Exactly.  Headley could literally back up ALL corners IF and OF, and you slide Calhoun or Upton over to CF as needed to give Trouts legs a break.  If there is an extended DL type outage EY gets the call. 
If were going to go with this roster we are going to have to think outside the box in that regard, we wont be carrying a typical bench makeup.

[totdprods]

11 minutes ago, floplag said:

Exactly.  Headley could literally back up ALL corners IF and OF, and you slide Calhoun or Upton over to CF as needed to give Trouts legs a break.  If there is an extended DL type outage EY gets the call. 
If were going to go with this roster we are going to have to think outside the box in that regard, we wont be carrying a typical bench makeup.

That's actually what I was suggesting in threads. It'd necessitate some crafty rosterwork, but with the 6th SP/13-man pitching staff I think it's feasible. I actually like Headley for that role too.

[Mark68]

Didn't we bring back EY Jr?

[totdprods]

7 minutes ago, Mark68 said:

Didn't we bring back EY Jr?

EYJr really struggled after his first 15 games or so, and I was never quite sold on his defense. I wouldn't be upset if he was the 4th OF, but I'd hope the Angels are done considering upgrades there.

Since he signed a minor-league deal, there's also no reason to pencil him onto the 25-man (he's also out of options) and 40-man until hes truly the best option. For depths sake, it may be better to have him start the year in SLC off roster.

 

[Mark68]

I think the OF, as it stands, is fine. EY Jr can be the fourth outfielder, and we can utilize the I-15 (or, for you old-timers, the US 91) shuttle between SLC and Anaheim if necessary. If one of our starting three is out for a significant stretch, then we may have to trade for someone.

I think we need another top of the rotation piece (Darvish) and a bullpen piece (Reed) before we need another backup OFer.

[krAbs]

I'm pretty fine with EYJ as a 4th outfielder, but what I would love is a good defensive specialist in the outfield. A John Mcdonald type, but for the outfield (hell, I would also love a John Mcdonald time for the infield). I don't know of any players like that, and I can't think of a good proxy to search for 'defensive specialist' (DWAR won't work because its cumulative, and I'm not really familiar with enough defensive stats to get a good picture with them).

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

Same OPS+ as Revere posted. He'd be the 4th OF on a star-studded OF. On this team, he's less of a 4th OF and more of a PH, of which he's probably still capable. 

He'll be cheap and if the reports aren't  true and Ohtani is fine playing with other Japanese stars, he'd be a pretty good on-staff 'hitting coach' so to say. 

And he'd be easy to pull the plug on if he sucks to let Hermosillo come up. If Ichiro's sees more than 50-100 ABs over April through June are the reason, then we have bigger problems.

No, Tot, he's 44 and his career is over. Over, toast, history, finito. Let it go, Ichiro is not any answer for the Angels. 

Edited January 8, 2018 by Blarg

[AngelsLakersFan]

18 hours ago, WeatherWonk said:

if Trout goes down or needs a blow. Upton ain't gonna cut it.

O_o

[ScruffytheJanitor]

18 hours ago, Blarg said:

No, Tot, he's 44 and his career is over. Over, toast, history, finito. Let it go, Ichiro is not any answer for the Angels. 

Did Ichiro wrong you in some deeply personal way? Ichiro providing 4th OF numbers next season isn't exactly the craziest idea in the world.

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, ScruffytheJanitor said:

Did Ichiro wrong you in some deeply personal way? Ichiro providing 4th OF numbers next season isn't exactly the craziest idea in the world.

It's a stupid idea. Really blind ass stupid to invest in a 44 year old outfielder that can't hit, can't play center field and is simply a relic from a decade ago.

[totdprods]

10 minutes ago, Blarg said:

It's a stupid idea. Really blind ass stupid to invest in a 44 year old outfielder that can't hit, can't play center field and is simply a relic from a decade ago.

He played CF last year, he hit the same OPS+ as Revere, and he was paid $3m less than Revere. He'll make even less this year, and almost certainly less than virtually any other vet FA 4th OF who signs a MLB deal. 

And there's the x-factor of whatever influence he may - or may not have - with Ohtani. We aren't privy to the truth on how Ohtani really feels about being on the same team as a Japanese star, but if he's okay with it, who better to have helping him adapt to MLB hitting in his first year than Ichiro? That seems worth the gamble alone.

Even a minor-league ST invite would be worth the risk.