CJ Cron = the new Napoli

[Billy_Ball]

Mark Trumbo!!!!!!!

[Rico]

1 hour ago, HeavenlyHalos said:

Eppler's mistake was giving Valbuena a two-year deal. IMO, that is the biggest reason Cron is gone. 

Both Pujols and Valbuena should have been gone this off-season.

[Billy_Ball]

40 minutes ago, Rico said:

Both Pujols and Valbuena should have been gone this off-season.

How would you get rid of Pujols and his contract, though?  Plus he has that 10 year "personal services" contract after his current one is finished.  That's like Laker fans saying get rid of Luol Deng and his contract...not so easy.

[GrittyVeterans]

Losing Cron is crying over spilt milk. The real issue is that this organization is content with rolling Pujols out there in the cleanup spot everyday.

They're not winning anything meaningful until that changes. No, he's not the worst hitter on the team, but he has been consistently below average for 2 straight seasons, and provides no value in other areas. They have to reduce his role or we are in for a long next 2 years.

People will say this isn't the biggest problem with the team right now (which is probably true); however, its the biggest problem that could easily be changed currently. I just don't understand the infatuation with appeasing this guy no matter what. Okay, you got your 3000 hits. I wasn't the biggest fan of even keeping him at cleanup until he got it, but whatever. What is the excuse now? 

They have to face the reality that this guy isn't going to be a contributor. I mean for Christ sake, even if he ISN'T lying about his age, he is 38 years old and has had major knee and foot injuries. It shouldn't be that surprising to Scioscia and Eppler that he just can't play baseball anymore.

There is no getting rid of the contract. He isn't retiring. Right now we are just making things worse by playing him and hitting him cleanup

[Rico]

2 hours ago, Billy_Ball said:

How would you get rid of Pujols and his contract, though?  Plus he has that 10 year "personal services" contract after his current one is finished.  That's like Laker fans saying get rid of Luol Deng and his contract...not so easy.

You just cut him man.  He is a negative on the field.  The money is spent already, that won't change if he is batting 4th or sitting at home.  But at least if he is at home he is not hitting into double plays.

[Rico]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/GIDP_career.shtml

[Ohtaniland]

9 hours ago, Homebrewer said:

Dude...we got PUJOLS!

Dude....we got Luis Rengifo!

[Stradling]

2 hours ago, Rico said:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/GIDP_career.shtml

People post this like it’s a bad thing, like he must be shitty to be at the top of that list.   The top 8 are all hall of fame players.  

[AngelsFaninGA]

What's become obvious is that Scioscia just hates power-hitting 1B/DH types with limited positional flexibility (Napoli, Trumbo, Cron). 

Unless of course they make too much money to fail, in which case they bat 4th every day even though they're worse than any of the 3 guys above. 

Seriously, Trumbo/Napoli/Cron's biggest mistake is that they came up through our system and didn't sign here on an absurd long-term free agent deal. 

[Ohtaniland]

9 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

People post this like it’s a bad thing, like he must be shitty to be at the top of that list.   The top 8 are all hall of fame players.  

If building a winner is truly the priority they probably should’ve just kept Cron and DFA’d Albert. 

[Stradling]

6 minutes ago, AngelsFaninGA said:

What's become obvious is that Scioscia just hates power-hitting 1B/DH types with limited positional flexibility (Napoli, Trumbo, Cron). 

Unless of course they make too much money to fail, in which case they bat 4th every day even though they're worse than any of the 3 guys above. 

Seriously, Trumbo/Napoli/Cron's biggest mistake is that they came up through our system and didn't sign here on an absurd long-term free agent deal. 

Except Napoli was viewed as a catcher and only played first base when Morales got hurt.   Dipoto was the one who traded Trumbo because Mike penciled him in as a starter every night.   Eppler traded Cron but before that liked Cron so much that he signed Valbuena to platoon with him.  Prior to that move Cron was the starter in 2016.   So yea.   

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, OHTANILAND said:

If building a winner is truly the priority they probably should’ve just kept Cron and DFA’d Albert. 

Ok rainman. 

[Ohtaniland]

2 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

Ok rainman. 

You really can’t argue the facts Strad. Keeping Cron moving forward would’ve been a wiser team decision. He’s 28 years old. They could’ve respectfully moved Albert to upstairs in some capacity. 

 

[Angel Oracle]

If Pujols can’t see that it’s time by September 2019 to negotiate a way to pay his two remaining years then over several years, and accept player retirement, then I won’t know what to say.

He may need to be prodded during the 2019 season.

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, OHTANILAND said:

You really can’t argue the facts Strad. Keeping Cron moving forward would’ve been a wiser team decision. He’s 28 years old. They could’ve respectfully moved Albert to upstairs in some capacity. 

 

Ok in a world where throwing away $90 million for possible modest gains makes sense I’ll agree with you.   Don’t forget, Cron was dog shit last year as well, same as Albert, he just played less.  

Since building a winner is truly a priority I’m sure you’ll be advocating the Angels sign Harper and Machado this off season no matter the cost.   I appreciate your commitment to winning Claude. 

[Stradling]

Just now, Angel Oracle said:

If Pujols can’t see that it’s time by September 2019 to negotiate a way to pay his two remaining years then over several years, and accept player retirement, then I won’t know what to say.

He may need to be prodded during the 2019 season.

He won’t be playing past next season.  

[Dtwncbad]

CJ Cron is better than Albert Pujols and will continue to be better than Pujols going forward.

When the Angels had to choose one person to play first between Pujols and Cron, they chose Pujols because of his contract.

Yes it is perfectly fair to say it is PUJOLS on the roster that took Crons playing opportunity away.

So it is perfectly fair to be annoyed to see Cron doing well while Pujols is playing the way he is playing.

It is the Pujols contract, not the presence of Ohtani.

[fan_since79]

8 hours ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

C.J. Cron .293/.341/.537/.877- 11HR - 27 RBI, 7 weeks into season. Someone said it's luck tonite, I don't think so. I predicted at the time of the trade he would hit 25+ HR and 90+ RBI, if given everyday AB and allowed to slump without the pressure of being sent. I think I'm was being conservative. Also he can't be platooned and stay sharp.

You hit it right there.

That's precisely what's happening. He's playing every day and starting to realize his potential in a no-pressure situation, without the platooner-in-chief looming over him.

[fan_since79]

29 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

He won’t be playing past next season.  

We'll see, but if Scioscia is still here I think he will be playing.

[Dick B Back]

A.M. reflections...

1. Does it feel worse to give up a HR or a SB to Cron? LOL, how appropriate.

2. Not having to worry about whether or not you’ll be in the lineup or be sent down AGAIN has to help on the psychological side of things.

3. Having consistent ABs has to help with timing.

4. Playing a large portion of games in AL East parks should help the stats.

5. At the end of the year Cron will more than likely have better numbers than Mang, Nobuena and Marte. (I know why he’s not still with us - Ohtani, can’t play 3B, not left-handed.)

6. Good for CJ!

[fan_since79]

1 hour ago, AngelsFaninGA said:

What's become obvious is that Scioscia just hates power-hitting 1B/DH types with limited positional flexibility (Napoli, Trumbo, Cron). 

Unless of course they make too much money to fail, in which case they bat 4th every day even though they're worse than any of the 3 guys above. 

Seriously, Trumbo/Napoli/Cron's biggest mistake is that they came up through our system and didn't sign here on an absurd long-term free agent deal. 

+1,000,000

 

[Ohtaniland]

53 minutes ago, SuperTroopers said:

He won’t be playing past next season.  

He hasn’t announced that publicly. 

link?

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

8 hours ago, 101halo said:

You're ignoring every fact I gave about how his underlying approach hasn't changed a lick. You're more than entitled to this belief, and I sincerely hope you're right! But, if you're not going to argue with more than anecdotes and vague suppositions, I'm not a good debate partner for you. 

No you're ignoring your own eyes and the results. He is among the HR leaders, only 1 fewer than Trout. He has as many HRs, and a higher batting average than Upton. Remember the talk a few weeks ago about how  Didi was becoming the best in baseball, well Cron has 5 more HR than him.

Cron .293/.341/.537/.877 - 11 HR
Upton .262/.325/.488/.813 - 11 HR
Gregorius .255/.343/.537/.880 - 6 HR
Moustakas .294/.328/.541/.869 - 10 HR

The results are the results. The most HR Cron has ever had in 1 season is 16 and he has done that the last 3 years. What do you want to bet he more than doubles that this year. He is off to the best start of his career only because he is allowed to play every day succeed or fail. And he isn't failing.

I'm right until I'm not.

 

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, fan_since79 said:

+1,000,000

 

Nor do the last 3 GMs

[Stradling]

44 minutes ago, OHTANILAND said:

He hasn’t announced that publicly. 

link?

I could be wrong but I’ll stand by it.