Are the Angels simply 2 players away?

[Dtwncbad]

The Angels sit middle of the pack in team stats in pitching and in hitting.  Sort on any meaningful statistic and the Angels are consistently locked into the middle of the pack.

Most of the teams in front of the Angels in these rankings are contending.

If the Angels add one premium starting pitcher and one premium bat, this team is at a completely different level.

I can't advocate trading for these players this year, not this far back of a wildcard spot.

But in the offseason, they need to target a couple of high impact players and pull the trigger.

There is some help on the way from the farm, but nothing high enough impact is coming in 2019.

The bullpen stinks too.  I am not ignoring that.  But that is a different project that doesn't always require free agency.

The Angels will repeat this lame year next year if they don't get surgically aggressive in acquiring one beast starting pitcher and one beast hitter.

Free agency scares people and it should.  But the answer is not shun free agency out of fear, the answer is get better at picking the right players to sign.

 

[Angel Oracle]

This is where the MLB scouts need to EARN their salary.   No more big salaries for guys who can't even reach an .800 OPS.   Make it count!

[Blarg]

So who is the pitcher and hitter?

 

[T.G.]

7 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

This is where the MLB scouts need to EARN their salary.   No more big salaries for guys who can't even reach an .800 OPS.   Make it count!

Easier said than done.  The whole FA thing is just unpredictable.  Seems like more "busts" than not.  Off the top off my head busts that come to mind include Jay Bruce, Logan Morrison and Dexter Fowler (2 yrs ago).  Pitching "busts" include Yu Darvish, Greg Holland, Lance Lynn, and Alex Cobb.  I know there are tons of them out there, but I am not going to take the time to research it. 

The Twins were supposed to be contenders... they went all in on Lynn and Cobb... and that didn't work out.

Winning is hard. 

[2020worldseries]

10 minutes ago, Blarg said:

So who is the pitcher and hitter?

 

Sign Machado + trade for Degrom or Thor

[floplag]

1 premium SP and one premium bat... and the pen would still bork it up.
I see it like this, IF we had both of those things from the beginning of the year, would it make up 12 games?  i dont think it does. 
Im not knocking the idea mind you but fixing this team has to start in the pen, or you waste the big moves. 

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

8 minutes ago, 2020worldseries said:

Sign Machado + trade for Degrom or Thor

Based on the most recent reports Machado wants to stay at SS https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/orioles-manny-machado-has-no-intention-of-returning-to-third-base-in-free-agency-im-playing-short/ while Degrom/Syndegaard are supposedly not being moved https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mets-trade-rumors-jacob-degrom-and-noah-syndergaard-are-reportedly-staying-put-for-now/

Any trade or acquisition of Machado means moving Simmons or hoping Machado changes his mind.  Degrom/Syndegaard I'm sure could still be had but neither would be cheap.  

[Second Base]

To get the offense where it needs to be, we're a solid three hitters away. The rotation is fine. But the bullpen, my goodness. At minimum, we're three shutdown relievers away.

So I think we are six players away from threatening the Astros, Yanks and Red Sox across a full season.

But there's only half a season left. The M's will collapse for sure, but do we have the talent to overtake them and the A's in only a half season? 

No chance.

This team needs to promote the kids and let them get some playing time, assess if they'll help in 2019, then use trades and free agency to fill in the gaps. Then Eppler needs to use minor league free agents to build depth beyond that.

[Blarg]

16 minutes ago, True Grich said:

Easier said than done.  The whole FA thing is just unpredictable.  Seems like more "busts" than not.  Off the top off my head busts that come to mind include Jay Bruce, Logan Morrison and Dexter Fowler (2 yrs ago).  Pitching "busts" include Yu Darvish, Greg Holland, Lance Lynn, and Alex Cobb.  I know there are tons of them out there, but I am not going to take the time to research it. 

The Twins were supposed to be contenders... they went all in on Lynn and Cobb... and that didn't work out.

Winning is hard. 

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/07/05/there-are-no-plans-for-yu-darvish-to-throw-any-time-soon/

Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million deal in mid-February but lasted just seven weeks into the 2018 season before being shut down. 

So... Yeah, just sign an impact starter.

[Blarg]

1 minute ago, Scotty@AW said:

The M's will collapse for sure, but do we have the talent to overtake them and the A's in only a half season? 

Wishful thinking.

[Dtwncbad]

18 minutes ago, Blarg said:

So who is the pitcher and hitter?

 

That is the huge question right?

How about the Angels trade Richards now to get a prospect and then sign him back as a free agent.

And ALSO sign Patrick Corbin?  Potentially a 190 inning, #2 type.

Ohtani, Corbin, Richards, Heaney, Skaggs would be legit.

The bat is harder (if you want to avoid a mega contract).

I prefer no mega contract but man it is hard NOT to see how perfect Machado is for this team, provided he would play 3B.

[T.G.]

I like Corbin, but doesn't he have a bit of a history of getting hurt?  Not that he would get hurt pitching for the Angels... right?  I mean, right?

[Dtwncbad]

11 minutes ago, floplag said:

1 premium SP and one premium bat... and the pen would still bork it up.
I see it like this, IF we had both of those things from the beginning of the year, would it make up 12 games?  i dont think it does. 
Im not knocking the idea mind you but fixing this team has to start in the pen, or you waste the big moves. 

Since my original post openly addresses that the bullpen has to get fixed, but that this probably doesn't require free agency so it is a separate discussion, what is the actual point if you saying there is no point of acquiring two impact players without fixing the bullpen.

That was expressed in the OP, isn't the subject of the discussion, and is a "duh".

[Torridd]

40 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

The Angels sit middle of the pack in team stats in pitching and in hitting.  Sort on any meaningful statistic and the Angels are consistently locked into the middle of the pack.

Most of the teams in front of the Angels in these rankings are contending.

If the Angels add one premium starting pitcher and one premium bat, this team is at a completely different level.

I can't advocate trading for these players this year, not this far back of a wildcard spot.

But in the offseason, they need to target a couple of high impact players and pull the trigger.

There is some help on the way from the farm, but nothing high enough impact is coming in 2019.

The bullpen stinks too.  I am not ignoring that.  But that is a different project that doesn't always require free agency.

The Angels will repeat this lame year next year if they don't get surgically aggressive in acquiring one beast starting pitcher and one beast hitter.

Free agency scares people and it should.  But the answer is not shun free agency out of fear, the answer is get better at picking the right players to sign.

 

I've always liked free agency and I think the Angels definitely need at least one hitter. Ordinarily, I would say we don't need another pitcher but the injuries our pitching are having force me to agree with you. We need someone who can stay healthy on the mound and hope for the best with others. I would add we need to pay for at least one reliever too. 

[Torridd]

26 minutes ago, 2020worldseries said:

Sign Machado + trade for Degrom or Thor

I'd be for this if Machado didn't want to play shortstop.Thor has a lot of injuries.

[Dtwncbad]

8 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

To get the offense where it needs to be, we're a solid three hitters away. The rotation is fine. But the bullpen, my goodness. At minimum, we're three shutdown relievers away.

So I think we are six players away from threatening the Astros, Yanks and Red Sox across a full season.

But there's only half a season left. The M's will collapse for sure, but do we have the talent to overtake them and the A's in only a half season? 

No chance.

This team needs to promote the kids and let them get some playing time, assess if they'll help in 2019, then use trades and free agency to fill in the gaps. Then Eppler needs to use minor league free agents to build depth beyond that.

Do you honestly think that is the correct order of business and the correct timeline?

If you mean promote now to see what the Angels have going into the offseason, I guess that is OK.

But I think that is backwards.  I think the Angels (with discipline) need to be open to as many possibilities of adding an impact player going into free agency, then fill in around that critical piece.

I just don't personally see any 2019 ready impact offensive players in the system.

Are there guys you can promote and plug in?  I think so.

But I very specifically fear plugging two or three low impact players into the lineup.

That's just three spots that need upgrades.

[Torridd]

14 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

To get the offense where it needs to be, we're a solid three hitters away. The rotation is fine. But the bullpen, my goodness. At minimum, we're three shutdown relievers away.

So I think we are six players away from threatening the Astros, Yanks and Red Sox across a full season.

But there's only half a season left. The M's will collapse for sure, but do we have the talent to overtake them and the A's in only a half season? 

No chance.

This team needs to promote the kids and let them get some playing time, assess if they'll help in 2019, then use trades and free agency to fill in the gaps. Then Eppler needs to use minor league free agents to build depth beyond that.

I don't think we're six players away.

[Dtwncbad]

9 minutes ago, True Grich said:

I like Corbin, but doesn't he have a bit of a history of getting hurt?  Not that he would get hurt pitching for the Angels... right?  I mean, right?

Agree but seriously what pitcher do you think is not an injury risk?

I don't want to waste time looking for a unicorn.

[T.G.]

1 minute ago, Dtwncbad said:

Agree but seriously what pitcher do you think is not an injury risk?

I don't want to waste time looking for a unicorn.

I guess they're all injury risks... just some higher than others.  Not a lot of FA's under 30 next year; especially pitchers.  Like I said, I like Corbin. 

[Jay]

59 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

The Angels sit middle of the pack in team stats in pitching and in hitting.  Sort on any meaningful statistic and the Angels are consistently locked into the middle of the pack.

Hence the .500 record.

 

[WeatherWonk]

Agree with Scotty. This season is over. Play the kids and get a better idea of what we need for next year. It's hard to tell what you got when guys are getting on and off the bus from SLC and then just sit on the bench or get a start every third day. Pitching, too.

It sounds like a broken record but we still have health question marks with our young starters, namely Trop, Shoe, Ohtani. Suddenly others probably wont be back until late 2019, at best. We need probably two starters.

Trade any or all of Kinsler, Richards, Valbuena, Calhoun, Bedrosian.

Consider any decent reliever on the trade wire that isnt a FA after this year.

We're 4-6 players away, at least.

I've read the Machado stuff and he's a fool if he is only wants to go somewhere that needs a SS. Very limiting on the paycheck.

[fan_since79]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

So who is the pitcher and hitter?

 

Verlander and Altuve.

Sale and Betts.

Just off the top of my head. That's what it would take, and more.

[Dtwncbad]

2 minutes ago, Jay said:

Hence the .500 record.

 

Yes exactly.

And while this thread is about what I hope the Angels do, it is actually driven by my fear of what I hope they don't do.

If this team is a .500ish team, then I am personally 100% convinced this team in 2019 will also be a .500ish team if the front office thinks promotions from the farm will make them better.

I just don't see the added wins with the group of bodies that might be 2019 ready.

When I am furnishing a living room and I need a nice couch for that empty wall, I don't just bring in three $199 accent chairs from Homegoods.

Ten minutes later I still conclude I need a couch.

I dont want to lie to myself that 2019 is going to be any different from 2018 without getting some real help from acquisitions.

[Dtwncbad]

For Machado, I don't believe for a second that playing SS will be a deciding factor over money (and team of course).

As long as the destiny is acceptable the money will prevail.

[fan_since79]

If these kids in the minors pan out, and Trout signs an extension, 2021-22 could be the return of competitive Angels baseball.

But yeah, the next two seasons...continue the rebuild.