3 man bench

[floplag]

Well, base on Svens comment on Mike DiGiovanna's twitter it would seem to be official that we are planning a 3 man bench.
#Angels MGR Mike Scioscia said Ohtani will be available to not only pinch hit but to pinch run on days he isn’t pitching. “Normally I would never have a pitcher PR but with 3-man bench we’re gonna tap into Shohei’s ability to come off bench.”
So, the idea of carrying Cron, Valbeuna, Cowart, and EYJr as a 4th OF seem moot.
Look for us to make some moves in ST.   Cron would appear to be the obvious odd man out as LV can back up both corners, Cowart up the middle, and EY in the OF.  
 

[Stradling]

IF they plan on going with a 3 man bench (which I don’t think they will), then we will see another addition.  Also if it is a 3 man bench, wouldn’t Rivera be part of that three?  Or would it be 4 but the back up catcher is one of those four.

[totdprods]

I still want to see Cowart go down to SLC and start the transformation into an Andrew Romine Swiss Army knife type player. Rotate him around the OF and IF, and even have him get some off-field practice in the bullpen and behind the plate to serve as emergency options there as well. 

And I still think replacing Cron with a 1B who can also cover LF/RF makes sense, with Upton being an emergency CF. Call up Herm or EYJr or Liriano for a few games if you're able to plan ahead for a Trout day off.

Michael Saunders was once an Eppler target. He's still available and can cover all three OF spots and I could see him being capable of handling 1B. Angels had interest in Chris Young - also has plenty of experience across the OF, but none professionally at 1B. Seems like he could probably get some reps there though if needed.

[Second Base]

Rivera is your backup catcher, EY3 is your 4th OF and predominant pinch runner. Since Cozart is backing up at SS and 2B, it means our last bench option will be a pinch hitter, power type of corner infielder. Like Cron

[Vlad27Trout27]

Most likely its going to Rivera, with Cozart and Kinsler ability to play multiple positions in the infield, i doubt we carry cowart, EYJ and i think the last place is going to come down to Cron and Valbuena; who ever wins the spot in spring training wins it.   

[totdprods]

14 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Most likely its going to Rivera, with Cozart and Kinsler ability to play multiple positions in the infield, i doubt we carry cowart, EYJ and i think the last place is going to come down to Cron and Valbuena; who ever wins the spot in spring training wins it.   

Valbuena and Cron will both be on the club, unless they find a taker for Cron or a more versatile player to replace him.

Think of Ohtani less as our starting DH and more as a SP who will steal DH AB's away from Cron, Valbuena, and Pujols.

[eaterfan]

42 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Rivera is your backup catcher, EY3 is your 4th OF and predominant pinch runner. Since Cozart is backing up at SS and 2B, it means our last bench option will be a pinch hitter, power type of corner infielder. Like Cron

Cron isn't a corner infielder. He's a 1B.

If it's 3 plus a catcher then he may have a spot. If it's not, then I can't imagine him on the roster.

[totdprods]

15 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

Cron isn't a corner infielder. He's a 1B.

If it's 3 plus a catcher then he may have a spot. If it's not, then I can't imagine him on the roster.

He still could.

Kinsler 2B, Calhoun RF, Trout CF, Upton LF, Pujols DH, Simmons SS, Cozart 3B, Valbuena 1B, Maldonado C

3-man Bench: Rivera, Cron, EYJr/4th OF, and Ohtani PH/DH.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

1 hour ago, floplag said:

Well, base on Svens comment on Mike DiGiovanna's twitter it would seem to be official that we are planning a 3 man bench.
#Angels MGR Mike Scioscia said Ohtani will be available to not only pinch hit but to pinch run on days he isn’t pitching. “Normally I would never have a pitcher PR but with 3-man bench we’re gonna tap into Shohei’s ability to come off bench.”
So, the idea of carrying Cron, Valbeuna, Cowart, and EYJr as a 4th OF seem moot.
Look for us to make some moves in ST.   Cron would appear to be the obvious odd man out as LV can back up both corners, Cowart up the middle, and EY in the OF.  
 

If Cowart is on the bench, we don't need Valbuena to backup third. Cozart is the SS and/or 2B backup. So Valbuena is just as replaceable as Cron. Cowart can backup 3B and 2B, not so much at SS though. He also has played some 1B and corner OF.

 

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, eaterfan said:

Cron isn't a corner infielder. He's a 1B.

If it's 3 plus a catcher then he may have a spot. If it's not, then I can't imagine him on the roster.

Not sure if you're aware of the general location of 1B....but most of the time it's smack dab right there in the RF corner of the infield. 

Lots of guys generally get there before moving on to second base, which is in the middle top of the infield.

[Blarg]

Scottys like...

[Warfarin]

I think if it is indeed a 3-man bench, then it's Rivera (obviously), Cron, EYJr/4th OF.  It's workable, too.

Valbuena will be the primary 1B and backup 3B.  As already stated, Kinsler can play 2B and also backup 3B in a pinch.  Cozart can backup 2B and SS.  Cron will get starts at 1B too, which will enable Valbuena to start at 3B, and give one of our MI a day off.

The versatility of our infielders is what enables us to roll with a small bench.  I'm sure it won't always be a 3 man bench, and we'll see various days when Cowart is called up from AAA to deepen the bench (i.e. when guys have nagging injuries and are out for a few days, or someone goes on the 10-day DL, etc), but it's fair to assume we can get by fairly easily with just 3 guys.  And yes, also add Ohtani as someone who can come in and pinch-hit as needed, and I'd say we're fine with this arrangement.

[AngelsLakersFan]

Another thing that people are forgetting... Valbuena is a free agent with an expensive option at the end of the year. Pujols will be another year older, and CJ Cron will still have a few years of control left. 

[Warfarin]

18 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Another thing that people are forgetting... Valbuena is a free agent with an expensive option at the end of the year. Pujols will be another year older, and CJ Cron will still have a few years of control left. 

An 8.5million option might be a decent one.  I won't necessarily assume it won't be picked up.  If he has a pretty decent but not spectacular year, I can see him accepting the option, and our FO doing the same.  Obviously if he has a terrible year, we let him go and move on.  If he has an amazing year, then he will opt out and test the market.

It also depends on the degree to which Thasis develops.  If Thasis' power doesn't pick up, they could keep him in AAA for another year and have him work on developing more pop, while keeping Valbuena around to cover 1B and backup 3B.

[AngelsLakersFan]

1 minute ago, Warfarin said:

An 8.5million option might be a decent one.  I won't necessarily assume it won't be picked up.  If he has a pretty decent but not spectacular year, I can see him accepting the option, and our FO doing the same.  Obviously if he has a terrible year, we let him go and move on.  If he has an amazing year, then he will opt out and test the market.

It also depends on the degree to which Thasis develops.  If Thasis' power doesn't pick up, they could keep him in AAA for another year and have him work on developing more pop, while keeping Valbuena around to cover 1B and backup 3B.

You could be right about Valbuena, but it could go either way. As for Thasis, I would be shocked if he did enough this year to put himself into the discussion as a starter in 2019.

[floplag]

3 hours ago, Stradling said:

IF they plan on going with a 3 man bench (which I don’t think they will), then we will see another addition.  Also if it is a 3 man bench, wouldn’t Rivera be part of that three?  Or would it be 4 but the back up catcher is one of those four.

Actually good point, i forget backup catcher.  My bad.  Only illustrates the point even more. 
Were talking about a 3 man bench and weve got 5 guys in the mix.  Rivera, Cron, Valbuena, Cowart, Young.
It wouldn't suprise me if Cron and Valbuena are not on the ML roster opening day with Cowart backing up the entire infield. 
There simply isnt room for those guys without flexibility or who are redundant on this roster. 

 

[totdprods]

31 minutes ago, floplag said:

Actually good point, i forget backup catcher.  My bad.  Only illustrates the point even more. 
Were talking about a 3 man bench and weve got 5 guys in the mix.  Rivera, Cron, Valbuena, Cowart, Young.
It wouldn't suprise me if Cron and Valbuena are not on the ML roster opening day with Cowart backing up the entire infield. 
There simply isnt room for those guys without flexibility or who are redundant on this roster. 

I'm not seeing that...I can clearly see a path where this is the opening day 25-man and we have a 3-man bench with both Cron and Valbuena on the team.

Line-up (9): Kinsler 2B, Calhoun RF, Trout CF, Upton LF, Pujols DH, Simmons SS, Cozart 3B, Cron 1B, C Maldonado 

Bench (3): C Rivera, 1B/3B Valbuena, OF EY Jr. (Cozart is 2B/SS, Ohtani is avail for DH/PH/PR)

SP (5): Ohtani, Richards, Skaggs, Shoemaker, Heaney, 

RP (7): Bedrosian, Parker, Wood, Johnson, Alvarez, Bard, JC Ramirez

That's 24. The 25th player rotates as needed, either a 6th SP (Bridwell, Tropeano), an extra reliever (Middleton, Paredes, Krol, Pena), or an extra bench player like Cowart, Walsh, Fernandez, Liriano, Hermosillo.

[UndertheHalo]

I really hate the idea of Ohtani being used as a pinch runner.  The guy is going to be doing plenty.  I thought a significant portion of the point of the 6 man rotation was to reduce exposure to injury.  Why on earth would we want to increase exposure to injury by using him as a pinch runner.  We don’t need Ohtani as a pinch runner.  We need him to be a starting pitcher and a DH. 

Edited February 17, 2018 by UndertheHalo

[Warfarin]

23 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

I really hate the idea of Ohtani being used as a pinch runner.  The guy is going to be doing plenty.  I thought a significant portion of the point of the 6 man rotation was to reduce exposure to injury.  Why on earth would we want to increase exposure to injury by using him as a pinch runner.  We don’t need Ohtani as a pinch runner.  We need him to be a starting pitcher and a DH. 

I doubt we see him used in this capacity much at all.  I think the 4th OF will be the first pinch runner option, and only if we need a second one, will Ohtani come into the game.  Maybe a handful of times at most in the course of the season.

[ettin]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

I'm not seeing that...I can clearly see a path where this is the opening day 25-man and we have a 3-man bench with both Cron and Valbuena on the team.

Line-up (9): Kinsler 2B, Calhoun RF, Trout CF, Upton LF, Pujols DH, Simmons SS, Cozart 3B, Cron 1B, C Maldonado 

Bench (3): C Rivera, 1B/3B Valbuena, OF EY Jr. (Cozart is 2B/SS, Ohtani is avail for DH/PH/PR)

SP (5): Ohtani, Richards, Skaggs, Shoemaker, Heaney, 

RP (7): Bedrosian, Parker, Wood, Johnson, Alvarez, Bard, JC Ramirez

That's 24. The 25th player rotates as needed, either a 6th SP (Bridwell, Tropeano), an extra reliever (Middleton, Paredes, Krol, Pena), or an extra bench player like Cowart, Walsh, Fernandez, Liriano, Hermosillo.

That 25th player will almost certainly be a reliever and since Noe Ramirez is out of options too it is likely him. Of course Spring Training will show us who belongs and who leaves so someone like Noe might not make the cut but we have room.

More importantly that 25th spot can be used to call up as needed players from the upper Minors such as Fontana, Cowart, Middleton and others who have options. Really creates versatility for our bench throughout the season since Ohtani can float some of that utility from time to time.

[totdprods]

23 minutes ago, ettin said:

That 25th player will almost certainly be a reliever and since Noe Ramirez is out of options too it is likely him. Of course Spring Training will show us who belongs and who leaves so someone like Noe might not make the cut but we have room.

 

Could be Noe, could really be anyone. It's almost certain one of those 24 will start the year on the DL, and at least one of those 24 will disappoint too much and lose a spot and someone other than those 24 will surprise and win a spot. I bet 99% of projected 25 man rosters differ from the start of ST and end of ST.  

Fact remains that even with Cron and Valbuena, they can still survive with a 3-man bench.

Ultimately, I think reserving that 25th spot for the 6th SP/13th pitcher/4th bench bat makes the most sense, just rotating optionable players through that spot based on team need and upcoming match-ups.

[Inside Pitch]

I think the 10 man DL will get a lot of due to a lot of snubbed toes, blisters and thigh chafing.  

[greginpsca]

The team will definitely need a pinch runner. Look no further than a close game in the late innings with Albert standing on 1st base.

[Second Base]

7 hours ago, Blarg said:

Scottys like...

Cool guys don't look at explosions...