Remaining buy low free agents

[wopphil]

What remaining lower tier free agents, who might be signed for bargain prices, could help this team? 

I'd be interested in Carlos Gonzalez. Backup outfielder, leftie power bat. Could cover the outfield corners and DH from time to time.

I like Logan Morrison, but the team would need to trade or release Cron, and Morrison might not be enough of an upgrade to justify the cost.

And I am warming to the idea of Jamie Garcia. He could provide league average innings at a minimal commitment. 

[Chuck]

I'm down to trade Cron for some prospects or another arm, then sign Logan Morrison. 

Morrison can play LF/RF and 1B, so he's a bit more versatile. 

[Rico]

Instead of trading Cron we should cut Pujols.

[Troll Daddy]

I don’t see the need for Morrison with Pujols/Valbuena on the team. Pujols has averaged 600 AB’s per season. Now you have Ohtani in the DH mix. 

 

[totdprods]

How about Frazier in place of Cron? He can play 1B, 2B, 3B, and probably LF and RF. Two year deal and can slot into '19 roster as well.

Round out bench with a lefty-hitting 4th OF.

[ettin]

4 hours ago, wopphil said:

What remaining lower tier free agents, who might be signed for bargain prices, could help this team? 

I'd be interested in Carlos Gonzalez. Backup outfielder, leftie power bat. Could cover the outfield corners and DH from time to time.

I like Logan Morrison, but the team would need to trade or release Cron, and Morrison might not be enough of an upgrade to justify the cost.

And I am warming to the idea of Jamie Garcia. He could provide league average innings at a minimal commitment. 

The thing about the current roster is that Upton, Trout, and Calhoun are going to all play 150+ games leaving very little action for a backup outfielder. CarGo, despite his crappy 2017, will very likely not sign to be a really part-time backup outfielder. More importantly the Angels will not pay the one-year pillow contract (maybe $5M-$10M) to plug him into 20-30 games. Even with the DH position added in he's not going to get more than about another 15 games started.

Morrison could fit if we move Cron/Valbuena. Based on the sunk price of Valbuena's contract you are probably better off simply having Valbuena play there and trade Cron.

Jaime Garcia I can get behind though, I recommended him in last year's Primer Series as a possible target primarily due to his high GB% rate. That would be even better on this defensively improved squad so that makes a lot more sense from a fit perspective.

If we manage to move Cron/Valbuena (or put Luis in a bench bat role maybe) I agree with @totdprods that Todd Frazier would be an interesting add.

[Erstad Grit]

Raja Davis as 4th outfielder

Albers to the pen

Vargas for SP insurance 

 

[Glen]

Vargas or Garcia. You can never have enough pitching.

[Tank]

tony watson for the pen.

[DCAngelsFan]

As mentioned, Garcia might be considered especially given his GB% - I was thinking a possible conversion to reliever, maybe he can tick that FB velocity up.  But I'd need an explanation of that increase in the walk rate and assurance that it would come back down.  

Also mentioned - why no apparent interest in Vargas?  Seems a pretty good depth option for anyone, including us, if the price is right.

 

[Blarg]

The Angels do not need any depth starting pitchers, that is what the minors are for. Unless you believe Vargas at 35 will be lot better than he is there is no rotation spot to have him fill for the money he would cost. 

To replace any of the cost controlled arms the Angels already have you have to pay for something that is a #2 quality pitcher otherwise you are spinning your wheels picking up a more expensive version of what we already have plenty of, second/third tier pitchers.

[Stradling]

At this point we can only speculate who’s cheap and who isn’t.  I guess my dream scenario would be to sign Dyson, trade Cron for Profar (I’ve warmed to adding a young useful utility guy that could be an everyday player next year), signing Frazier and Tony Watson. I also wouldn’t mind seeing what it would take to get a guy like Josh Harrison.  If they’d take Valbuena for him, which if they want out of the three year commitment to him, they might consider. 

[tdawg87]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

At this point we can only speculate who’s cheap and who isn’t.  I guess my dream scenario would be to sign Dyson, trade Cron for Profar (I’ve warmed to adding a young useful utility guy that could be an everyday player next year), signing Frazier and Tony Watson. I also wouldn’t mind seeing what it would take to get a guy like Josh Harrison.  If they’d take Valbuena for him, which if they want out of the three year commitment to him, they might consider. 

You just gave Scotty a boner. 

[Docwaukee]

43 minutes ago, Tank said:

tony watson for the pen.

yep.  and Cahill.  

[Docwaukee]

56 minutes ago, Stradling said:

At this point we can only speculate who’s cheap and who isn’t.  I guess my dream scenario would be to sign Dyson, trade Cron for Profar (I’ve warmed to adding a young useful utility guy that could be an everyday player next year), signing Frazier and Tony Watson. I also wouldn’t mind seeing what it would take to get a guy like Josh Harrison.  If they’d take Valbuena for him, which if they want out of the three year commitment to him, they might consider. 

they seem to be grabbing just ready major league talent.  I could see them taking Trop and Cowart or something like that.  Valbuena is not going to get it done.  

I feel like he'd have been an option for 2b, but a little costly as a util. 

I'm cool with leaving Cowart as that guy.  Also like Dyson but I bet he can get a starting or platoon gig if he waits it out.  

[DCAngelsFan]

53 minutes ago, Blarg said:

The Angels do not need any depth starting pitchers, that is what the minors are for. Unless you believe Vargas at 35 will be lot better than he is there is no rotation spot to have him fill for the money he would cost. 

To replace any of the cost controlled arms the Angels already have you have to pay for something that is a #2 quality pitcher otherwise you are spinning your wheels picking up a more expensive version of what we already have plenty of, second/third tier pitchers.

When virtually every starting pitcher on the roster has health concerns, are you certain we don't need depth starters?   Gonna bet 2018 on that?   

Richards - recovering from torn UCL, stem cell therapy vice surgery.

Heaney  - returning from TJ, after stem cell therapy failed

Skaggs - missed 3 months with injury, has pitched more than 100 innings once in 5 years, and despite his promise, so far is an injury-prone back-end starter.

Tropeano - returning from TJ

Ramirez - Recovering from partially torn ligament, used stem cell injection in lieu of surgery

Shoemaker - Returning from forearm surgery

Otani - short Japanese season, plus elbow strain and ankle surgery 

Agreed that Vargas probably isn't a fit for us (he outperformed his peripherals, to be sure) mostly because if we need someone like him due to multiple injuries or rehab failures, we won't know that until long after he's signed elsewhere. 

Anyway, I thought the topic was "buy low free agents" for *any* team?  

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, DCAngelsFan said:

When virtually every starting pitcher on the roster has health concerns, are you certain we don't need depth starters?   Gonna bet 2018 on that?   

Richards - recovering from torn UCL, stem cell therapy vice surgery.

Heaney  - returning from TJ, after stem cell therapy failed

Skaggs - missed 3 months with injury, has pitched more than 100 innings once in 5 years, and despite his promise, so far is an injury-prone back-end starter.

Tropeano - returning from TJ

Ramirez - Recovering from partially torn ligament, used stem cell injection in lieu of surgery

Shoemaker - Returning from forearm surgery

Otani - short Japanese season, plus elbow strain and ankle surgery 

Agreed that Vargas probably isn't a fit for us (he outperformed his peripherals, to be sure) mostly because if we need someone like him due to multiple injuries or rehab failures, we won't know that until long after he's signed elsewhere. 

Anyway, I thought the topic was "buy low free agents" for *any* team?  

You can't put more guys in the rotation just because you are worried about past injuries. The Angels have a complete five man rotation, even a sixth if necessary. Vargas doesn't move the needle at all so all you are doing is pushing another better/cheaper arm down to the minors. 

Want to pick up an insurance plan? Sign a guy to a minor league deal. By the looks of it there maybe a surplus of Vargas level guys without contracts come April.

[Dtwncbad]

I dont want any more pitchers on the roster who slot as #4 or #5 starters.

I am literally ALWAYS open to bringing in someone at #1 or #2 to push each of the rest of the rotation down one spot.

 

[Blarg]

I agree.

[Dtwncbad]

If the Angels have so many injuries on the pitching staff that they are short this year on bodies, it will be a terrible season.

I don't want to spend good money on depth to make it easier to get through a terrible season.  That's just "go to the scrap heap" time.

 

[oater]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Want to pick up an insurance plan? Sign a guy to a minor league deal. By the looks of it there maybe a surplus of Vargas level guys without contracts come April.

1

Yes, these are exactly the type of depth pieces I expect Eppler to add.

[Erstad Grit]

7 minutes ago, calscuf said:

If we cut pujols, would anyone pick him up?

 For league minimum?  Of course they would.  

[Lou]

5 hours ago, Stradling said:

trade Cron for Profar (I’ve warmed to adding a young useful utility guy that could be an everyday player next year),

Me, too.

but not one that sucks as much as Profar 

[Glen]

1 hour ago, calscuf said:

If we cut pujols, would anyone pick him up?

Somebody who owns a forklift?

[Stradling]