Kole in the last 28 days - .280/.333/.680/1.013

[fan_since79]

I don't know why we can't send him down to AAA for a couple weeks. Do we need his permission? Has the deadline passed? Is there even a deadline? I never understood all the ins and outs of this option stuff.

I would think he would welcome the chance to fix this horrible mess that he's in. I mean, it's gone way beyond a slump at this point. The guy couldn't hit the ocean if he was standing at the edge of the water.

[Stradling]

Just now, Angel Oracle said:

I'm hoping the batting second was just a one game thing, with Trout not starting yesterday.   I can't believe that Scioscia with all of his experience would bat someone doing so poorly in the 2nd spot for any extended period.

It was not a permanent move.  It was more of a show of support type of move, since this is probably mental.  It obviously didn’t work.  

[eaterfan]

I'm not a knee jerk reaction guy, and I would normally say that at this point in the season it's too early to write a guy off. But it's been a year and change since Calhoun hit well. It's time to move on.

[Angelsfan1984]

2 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

I'm hoping the batting second was just a one game thing, with Trout not starting yesterday.   I can't believe that Scioscia with all of his experience would bat someone doing so poorly in the 2nd spot for any extended period.

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

There's not a chance calls aren't being made. Right now i'm sure they are sitting on proposals and weighing if the idea of bringing up a prospect is more rewarding than swinging the trade. I get this weird feeling that if the Doyers don't turn it around soon we might see a trade for Puig. I don't necessarily like the guy (I think he's a head case) but he plays decent enough defense and can at times go on hot streaks.

I was thinking of Puig the other day and I don’t worry about Clubhouse problems like others worry about, I just think the dynamics change when a perceived problem enters a different clubhouse.  But then I started thinking about going after a left handed hitter, someone like a Jon Jay.  

[Stradling]

5 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

While I think Calhoun needs to be benched for a bit, as I don't think he would accept a demotion to AAA, I can see why Mike tried to give him a legit shot at working it out as Kole, in most seasons, delivers around a 3 WAR, which is solid value for his position and defensive ability.  For now, though, he needs to sit, get a mental break, and see if he can provide something as a defensive replacement.  On the trade front, he has $8.5 million on his contract this season and $10.5 million next season with a $1 mil buyout for 2020, so that's not a lot for a team with resources to maybe take a chance on him if they have a need in the OF.

Well they sat him for 5 days, with one pinch hit opportunity.  We don’t have the roster flex to just sit a guy for too long.  He almost has to be sent down.  Eppler will have to convince him to do it.  That is his job.  

[nate]

Remember, Justin Upton has a history of being a not so great teammate.

Doesn't seem to be a problem here though, in fact it seems to be the opposite.

[Angelsfan1984]

2 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

I was thinking of Puig the other day and I don’t worry about Clubhouse problems like others worry about, I just think the dynamics change when a perceived problem enters a different clubhouse.  But then I started thinking about going after a left handed hitter, someone like a Jon Jay.  

A left hander would be nice for sure but I wouldn't sacrifice production for strictly a lefty. If it works out great but I wouldn't force it. Get the best product available righty or lefty.

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, SuperTroopers said:

Well they sat him for 5 days, with one pinch hit opportunity.  We don’t have the roster flex to just sit a guy for too long.  He almost has to be sent down.  Eppler will have to convince him to do it.  That is his job.  

May take an ultimatum. This will almost certainly have to involve MS. They have to show a united front to a player who's obviously a good guy but simply not cutting it.

[Stradling]

Just now, nate said:

Remember, Justin Upton has a history of being a not so great teammate.

Doesn't seem to be a problem here though, in fact it seems to be the opposite.

Yep.  People talk about how this guy or that guy is a clubhouse cancer.  Maybe they are in their current clubhouse.  Imagine being a jackass, and then you come to a team with Albert and Trout  and Upton and Kinsler and Simmons and Cozart and Maldonado.  Are you really going to be an asshole and not expect one of those guys to call you out on it.  

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, nate said:

Remember, Justin Upton has a history of being a not so great teammate.

Doesn't seem to be a problem here though, in fact it seems to be the opposite.

For sure. He's seemingly a leader in the clubhouse, but that's a product of culture. I honestly think that may be the most valuable thing that Pujols is bringing at the moment.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, SuperTroopers said:

Yep.  People talk about how this guy or that guy is a clubhouse cancer.  Maybe they are in their current clubhouse.  Imagine being a jackass, and then you come to a team with Albert and Trout  and Upton and Kinsler and Simmons and Cozart and Maldonado.  Are you really going to be an asshole and not expect one of those guys to call you out on it.  

This + Scioscia being a good clubhouse manager.

It's like back when anyone would join a Halos team that had Jim Fregosi as manager and Baylor, Carew, Grich, Downing, etc. for teammates.

[Blarg]

19 minutes ago, nate said:

And crack smoking Scioscia batted him second, figure that shit out.

It was explained in the OC Register article that's RS fed here. 

[mulwin444]

Just now, SuperTroopers said:

Well they sat him for 5 days, with one pinch hit opportunity.  We don’t have the roster flex to just sit a guy for too long.  He almost has to be sent down.  Eppler will have to convince him to do it.  That is his job.  

I think if Eppler had an idea to demote Calhoun, he would have done it when it was still completely within his control.  Honestly, I believe the path they are heading towards to an "injury" (sore shoulder, tight hamstrings, sports hernia, something) that will allow Calhoun to get an extended mental break and rehab assignment so they give someone like Hermosillo a shot at some MLB at bats or a known quantity like Eric Young (not great but steady).  After that time off, he comes back and they see what they have.  If he continues to struggle, with the money he's still owed being not totally prohibitive, he may be DFA'd.  I could be wrong obviously, but I could see Eppler going this route. 

[Blarg]

6 minutes ago, nate said:

Remember, Justin Upton has a history of being a not so great teammate.

Doesn't seem to be a problem here though, in fact it seems to be the opposite.

I think you are confusing him with his brother that stirred up trouble every team he went to. 

[Stradling]

Just now, mulwin444 said:

I think if Eppler had an idea to demote Calhoun, he would have done it when it was still completely within his control.  Honestly, I believe the path they are heading towards to an "injury" (sore shoulder, tight hamstrings, sports hernia, something) that will allow Calhoun to get an extended mental break and rehab assignment so they give someone like Hermosillo a shot at some MLB at bats or a known quantity like Eric Young (not great but steady).  After that time off, he comes back and they see what they have.  If he continues to struggle, with the money he's still owed being not totally prohibitive, he may be DFA'd.  I could be wrong obviously, but I could see Eppler going this route. 

Yea, sent down or DL stint.  Something where the team is whole.  When you are running a short bench with basically no players on the team with minor league options, you don’t have the luxury of sitting a guy for a week to clear his head.  

[CubsFan]

I think you can do a lot better.  not hard to get outfields who can hit.  It's not like infield positions where it's hard to find guys who can hit.

[stormngt]

15 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

While I think Calhoun needs to be benched for a bit, as I don't think he would accept a demotion to AAA, I can see why Mike tried to give him a legit shot at working it out as Kole, in most seasons, delivers around a 3 WAR, which is solid value for his position and defensive ability.  For now, though, he needs to sit, get a mental break, and see if he can provide something as a defensive replacement.  On the trade front, he has $8.5 million on his contract this season and $10.5 million next season with a $1 mil buyout for 2020, so that's not a lot for a team with resources to maybe take a chance on him if they have a need in the OF.

I think he would accept the demotion.  His long term career is on the line and he knows he is struggling.  It's not like he 35 on the last leg of his career.  He gets his form back he is playing  5 or 6 more years.  He doesn't than he has maybe next year only.  

Plus I think he would prefer  a chance to regain his form back than being regulated to a defensive replacement.

[Stradling]

With Trout out, Scioscia penciled in a surprising name in the No. 2 spot in his lineup: Kole Calhoun

Calhoun hadn’t batted higher than eighth since April, and not for no reason. He entered the game with a .143 batting average this month (4 for 28) and just two walks, but Scioscia said that Calhoun’s at-bats have recently improved.

“I remember talking to Joe Maddon about this a long time ago, Mickey (Hatcher): sometimes when a guy’s struggling, move him up in the lineup just see if he can’t shake the tree a little bit,” Scioscia said.

Edited May 14, 2018 by SuperTroopers

[zenmaster]

Maybe we should give Andre Ethier a call. 

[nate]

8 minutes ago, Blarg said:

I think you are confusing him with his brother that stirred up trouble every team he went to. 

Nope, he burned a lot of bridges in Arizona after he signed his big contract.

[mulwin444]

18 minutes ago, stormngt said:

I think he would accept the demotion.  His long term career is on the line and he knows he is struggling.  It's not like he 35 on the last leg of his career.  He gets his form back he is playing  5 or 6 more years.  He doesn't than he has maybe next year only.  

Plus I think he would prefer  a chance to regain his form back than being regulated to a defensive replacement.

I hope he would accept a demotion, and you are probably right that he would, just speculating on possibilities.  Just think a DL visit isn't out of the realm of possibility either.  

[stormngt]

2 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

I hope he would accept a demotion, and you are probably right that he would, just speculating on possibilities.  Just think a DL visit isn't out of the realm of possibility either.  

A dl stunt with a rehab assignment in AAA

[tdawg87]

They're probably going to end up eating his contract, or at least most of it.

Defensively he still has value, but I can guarantee Hermosillo could come up and at worst match Calhoun's production. You really can't get worse. The guy just forgot how to hit.

[Angel Oracle]

35 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

I think if Eppler had an idea to demote Calhoun, he would have done it when it was still completely within his control.  Honestly, I believe the path they are heading towards to an "injury" (sore shoulder, tight hamstrings, sports hernia, something) that will allow Calhoun to get an extended mental break and rehab assignment so they give someone like Hermosillo a shot at some MLB at bats or a known quantity like Eric Young (not great but steady).  After that time off, he comes back and they see what they have.  If he continues to struggle, with the money he's still owed being not totally prohibitive, he may be DFA'd.  I could be wrong obviously, but I could see Eppler going this route. 

+1

And it's not like they owe anything like what was owed Hackilton, when jettisoning him.