If you were Manager & GM what would you do differently?

[Griffey's Corner]

Just curious on everyone's thoughts. 

 

As manager i would make Calhoun the 4th outfielder I would try Blash.... but probably at some point I would start Eric Young Jr. I would very rarely play Pujols. I would be interested in playing Fletcher at some point soon. And I would have Shohei hit every day except on days he pitches.... even than if he wanted to I would forego the DH and let him do it. I might have every pitcher pitch 2-3 innings every 3rd day, get rid of bullpen sessions. Throw a little harder and hitters cannot see you a 2nd time through the lineup.

 

As GM I would jettison Chris Young. Try to find some taker to take on Valbuena's salary. Trade for some RP. Have a long difficult talk with Pujols. Call up Eric Young Jr. Look at trading for Moustakas and have him play 1B. 

[Blarg]

If you were Manager & GM what would you do differently?

My taxes. 

[DMVol]

Only thing I might have done differently than Eppler is sign a bullpen arm this past winter....that looks like it could be a problem.....he can see what is available as we get into June but a winter signing might have helped, at least to some extent.......Otherwise, I like the Blash idea, make Calhoun the 4th OF'er....he can play CF, which seems to be the reason for having Young on the roster...

[Griffey's Corner]

yeah. I did not understand the Chris Young signing at the time. I still don't. But In Eppler we trust. he has done so much right.... it's hard to fathom him even making a mistake.

[Dick B Back]

As a first place Manager/GM, nuthin’.

[Warfarin]

I mentioned this in another thread, but if I were to make some kind of move, it would be to trade for Brad Hand or Felipe Vazquez (known as Felipe Rivero prior to this season).

I generally do not want to trade prospects at all, but I would support us trading for a young, elite, left-handed closer on a cost-controlled contract.  That one move would change our pen from middle tier to an upper tier one, because it pushes each of our current relievers one inning earlier in the inning hierarchy (i.e Middleton now the 8th, Anderson the 7th, etc...).  It would also give us a second lefty in the pen, which is huge and enables us to utilize Alvarez more liberally.

We would essentially be booting our worst reliever in exchange for an elite one.  That makes a huge difference.

[DMVol]

3 minutes ago, Dick B Back said:

As a first place Manager/GM, nuthin’.

[JustATroutFan]

Probably tell Calhoun to stop trying to pull everything and bunt so the shift can no longer be used when he is up to bat. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

@Warfarin,

Which if our prospects whos worth something would you give up for a reliever? Asking out of curiosity, not calling you out.

[Warfarin]

2 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

@Warfarin,

Which if our prospects whos worth something would you give up for a reliever? Asking out of curiosity, not calling you out.

Great question.  I’d give up more for Vazquez than Hand (more control, younger).  I haven’t adequately researched either team’s needs, so it’s hard to concoct a decent trade.

That said, I’d give up Jam Jones and two of our pitchers not named Canning (Suarez and Soriano?).  They’ll probably ask for Marsh too, I’m guessing.  Don’t think I’d give him up, though.

A shutdown closer is a tremendous asset in the playoffs.  This is the one spot I’d be willing to trade prospect currency for.

[Griffey's Corner]

30 minutes ago, JustATroutFan said:

Probably tell Calhoun to stop trying to pull everything and bunt so the shift can no longer be used when he is up to bat. 

Even if the bunt is not successful teams will start playing him more honest. I just do not get it. We were all taught to bunt in Little League. I can only chalk it up to some stubborn manliness pride. You can tell by the way he walks that he has a little bit of Lat Syndrome Disease. I don't know that was mean. I hope he does not read this message board.... if he does well I have the same disease.... sometimes.

[JustATroutFan]

14 minutes ago, Griffey's Corner said:

Even if the bunt is not successful teams will start playing him more honest. I just do not get it. We were all taught to bunt in Little League. I can only chalk it up to some stubborn manliness pride. You can tell by the way he walks that he has a little bit of Lat Syndrome Disease. I don't know that was mean. I hope he does not read this message board.... if he does well I have the same disease.... sometimes.

Fat Mike needs to take leadership and tell Calhoun to bunt here and there and the shift will be gone when he is up to bat. Calhoun probably got called by Fat Mike as a "home run hitter" before this season began behind the scenes. 

[DMVol]

44 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

....Which if our prospects whos worth something would you give up for a reliever? Asking out of curiosity, not calling you out.

In theory, it's why I might have tried to sign somebody this past winter, without giving up prospects...but the Wade Davis signing early knocked the market out of line a little....it flattened out late but, by the time, not sure Eppler wanted to sign anybody (if he ever was considering it).....

[T.G.]

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/more-about-bunting-and-beating-the-shift/

[Stradling]

I’d try and go after a guy like Kelvin Herrera at the deadline.  If push came to shove i would take on one of their bigger contracts if it brings down the prospect cost.  I’d prefer that player be a pitcher maybe like an Ian Kennedy.  If they’d take Kole I might accept Alex Gordon.  I would only take the bad contract if it means the prospect cost is much more tolerable.   

[totdprods]

@SuperTroopers I've been thinking a that a deal along that framework could work...Herrera and Kennedy for some middling prospects. Royals save a bunch of money, Angels get an unspectacular but hopefully steady #4 type for a couple prospects not worth losing sleep over, and maybe one decent prospect added for two months of FA to be Herrera. Would sort of be a combo of the scenarios that led to the Upton and Nolasco trades. 

Not sure if it'd be worth complicating permutations with Gordon, Calhoun, etc. though. 

[Angel Dog and Beer]

18 minutes ago, JustATroutFan said:

Fat Mike needs to take leadership and tell Calhoun to bunt here and there and the shift will be gone when he is up to bat. Calhoun probably got called by Fat Mike as a "home run hitter" before this season began behind the scenes. 

Are we talking about the lead singer of NOFX? How does he know Calhoun?

[Stradling]

Maybe go after a guy like O’Day.   Basically I’m focusing on guys who are on awful teams that you may be able to acquire in June rather than wait until the deadline.  

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, Griffey's Corner said:

yeah. I did not understand the Chris Young signing at the time. I still don't. But In Eppler we trust. he has done so much right.... it's hard to fathom him even making a mistake.

I thought the Young signing made sense. Eppler and Martone zeroed in on Young a few years back as solid production that would come at no-cost (sound familiar?) and he delivered as soon as he put on the Yankee uniform. He's had a decent and a poor season since. I believe during the offseason, he was working out with his bud from the Arizona days - Justin Upton - who sold the idea of coming to Anaheim to both Chris and the Angels FO.

Given that he signed late in the offseason and for a really low price - $1.5m I think - he made sense as a decent little investment as a platoon partner in case Calhoun struggled against lefties, since Young hit them well. Problem is Kole has struggled against everyone, so any regular playing time would likely expose him. 

He'll be gone soon enough though, I think.

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, Warfarin said:

Great question.  I’d give up more for Vazquez than Hand (more control, younger).  I haven’t adequately researched either team’s needs, so it’s hard to concoct a decent trade.

That said, I’d give up Jam Jones and two of our pitchers not named Canning (Suarez and Soriano?).  They’ll probably ask for Marsh too, I’m guessing.  Don’t think I’d give him up, though.

A shutdown closer is a tremendous asset in the playoffs.  This is the one spot I’d be willing to trade prospect currency for.

You would give up Jam Jones and two pitching prospects for a closer?

[totdprods]

I really don't have much issue with the way Sosh is running things right now. I'm pretty happy with the line-up and the way he's used the bullpen, though I'm a little concerned that he overused Middleton a bit leading to his DL stint, and he's underused Johnson to a degree. He's rolling the dice with Anderson - I don't think he's going to stay this effective in high lev situations -  but it's working so far. 

Can't really critique anything Eppler has done either. I still think passing on Addison Reed was a big miss - the price tag was definitely worth it. Choosing Marte over Cron looks fantastic so far. The AAA depth is spectacular - between Blash, Herm, Liriano, Revere, and EY Jr. outfield is set, Fletcher and Cowart can handle MIF in a pinch, and Schimpf, Houchins, Carter, and Fernandez all look like they'd be fine as fill-ins on the big-league club. Graterol is a MLB-calibre back-up and Briceno is looking promising. Lamb looks good, Pena looks good, Krol looks good. Ultimately, I think I'd roll the dice and try to land a young, controllable SP midseason, and I'd aim high - Bundy, Duffy, Fulmer, Manaea, Stroman, Archer - but I'm content where we're at.

[Ohtaniland]

Hmmm If I was GM & Manager? Well I’d actually be Mike Scioscia. 

[stormngt]

If I was the GM

I would extend Scioscia for another ten years

[Warfarin]

3 minutes ago, stormngt said:

You would give up Jam Jones and two pitching prospects for a closer?

For an elite performer who is under five years of control (Vazquez) - yes.  A very tough pill for me to swallow, and I do not do it with ease.  But Suarez's ceiling is a mid-rotation starter - who knows if he reaches that ceiling.  Soriano has talent but he is a wild card - very far away, who knows if he will ultimately develop.  This is not to say he won't, but the further away from the big leagues they are, the more risk involved.

Vazquez is signed to the following deal:

• 2018: $2.5M, 2019: $4M, 2020: $5.2M, 2021: $7.2M
• 2022 Team Option: $10M ($1M buyout)
• 2023 Team Option: $10M ($0.5M buyout)

Acquiring him would give us 5.5 years of control of a young (26yo) elite power lefty reliever.  

Looking at how teams have used their closers in the post-season (Jansen last year, Chapman in 2016, etc)... a power closer can make a HUGE difference in the playoffs.  We routinely see them used for 2 innings at a time in clutch situations.  So yes, while I am not eager to trade prospects, that would be a worthwhile investment to me.

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, stormngt said:

If I was the GM

I would extend Scioscia for another ten years

I heard the Dodgers need fans. You should try that forum.