At The Break...

[Troll Daddy]

Hold steady and let's try to get back into contention. The last thing you want to do is start unloading players right now unless his name is Luis No-bueno. Kinsler needs to stay at least until the Waiver deadline. I wouldn't mind seeing Tyler Ward brought up to play 3rd base and Fletcher in the utility role. I see little value in trading away our bullpen. If the team can gain 2-3 games in the WC standings by July 31st then they have a fighters chance. 

 

[Lou]

we picked up 3 games on Seattle in 10 days 

[totdprods]

17 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Nice post!

I have renewed faith in Kole.  

I'd like Justin more if he was hitting 5th and there was someone else to do damage in the 4 spot.  

It's going to be very interesting to see what Billy does this off season.  Fletcher will continue to get looks and I am sure Ward will be brought soon but are we really going to leave 2b/3b and util to Cozart, Ward, Fletcher, and JMF for 2019?   That just doesn't feel like enough firepower.  

While I don't like the idea of punting seasons, I really think we're at least 18 months to maybe even 30 months away from our young guys making a major league impact.  It's such a dilemma though because I'd like them to see that through yet we need more than they can bring if we expect the team to be a contender in 2020.  

We really need that Trout extension to give Billy a bit more security.  If you can get him on for the long term with a 3 year opt out, you've extended your window to 5 years instead of 2.  Because right now the timing seems just a bit off.   It really feels like the crop of guys who are A+/AA/AAA like Marsh, Adell, Jones, Rengifo, Ward, Thaiss, Kreuger, Canning, Suarez, and a handful of others are more likely to contribute at a sustainable level in 2021.  Maybe 2020.  By then, a lot of these young guys will be in their age 23-27 season.  

It also take the pressure off to do something drastic/stupid.  

Great post @Dochalo - this eloquently sums up what I’ve danced around with in other threads. 

When you factor in Richards being out in ‘19 (if we had re-signed him), Ohtani’s UCL starts, TJ/injury recovery from Middleton, Ramirez, and Cozart, and the underperformance of Calhoun and Upton, it’s hard for me to look at 2019 without thinking that ‘punting’ the season would be the best route by treating it as a transition year. And yes, those prospects will need a year or two to both get their feet grounded and for Eppler to assess whether they’ll stick. So that may carry over into 2020, the walk year for Trout, Simmons, Skaggs. 

Eppler has tried stopgaps two seasons - it didn’t work. He spent this offseason. Didn’t work. Yes, injuries played a big part in this. He hasn’t tried rolling with youth yet and this may be the season we do so.  

Sell some vets and relievers this deadline and try to add to the ‘19-‘20 pool. I don’t think it hurts our playoff odds anymore than what we usually deal with. I still think they should entertain offers on Skaggs, Heaney, or Simmons if anyone bites and overpays, simply because of their contract timelines. Play the rookies this year and buy maybe a strategic FA or two based on where we feel the youth won’t stick. 

I don’t think a minor sell-off or youth movement will scare Trout off - if he’s going to re-sign here, this next wave will be the teammates he wins with and leads. I can’t see him being deterred by being exposed to these guys a year or so earlier than planned. I could also see it actually help convince him to stay by playing alongside them before he has to decide.

[totdprods]

13 hours ago, Troll Daddy said:

I see little value in trading away our bullpen. If the team can gain 2-3 games in the WC standings by July 31st then they have a fighters chance. 

Richards’ injury sort of forced Eppler into a position where he may as well hold onto everyone - he isn’t going to get much for the vet position players and likely not much for the relievers either. Had we sold off Richards at the deadline, it may have been a little easier to commit to a ‘seller’ strategy and dump some guys or bundle a RP with Garrett. 

[DMVol]

3 hours ago, totdprods said:

Richards’ injury sort of forced Eppler into a position where he may as well hold onto everyone - he isn’t going to get much for the vet position players and likely not much for the relievers either. Had we sold off Richards at the deadline, it may have been a little easier to commit to a ‘seller’ strategy and dump some guys or bundle a RP with Garrett. 

Why would you hold on to Kinsler or Valbuena if somebody would take on their contracts?  Fletcher needs to play, maybe Ward too....

[Angel Oracle]

It’s time to trade Valnobuena.   Not much is going to change the next two weeks to drive up his cost.

[eaterfan]

15 hours ago, Lou said:

we picked up 3 games on Seattle in 10 days 

And how many did we pick up on Oakland and Houston?

[totdprods]

11 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Why would you hold on to Kinsler or Valbuena if somebody would take on their contracts?  Fletcher needs to play, maybe Ward too....

Was noting Richards' injury more in regards to the possibility of dealing relievers than Kinsler or Valbuena. 

I think if Richards was healthy and still here, and we were out of it by July, it'd be a lot easier for Eppler to sell Richards, and therefore likely a little easier to 'give up' on this season and weigh offers for relievers more seriously, maybe be a little more willing to make a move. Dealing Richards makes it a little easier to walk through the 'sellers' door. 

With Richards off the table now, gone is the ability of bundling a reliever with him to a contender. Gone is the impetus to walk through the 'sellers' door. It's easier to hold onto the controllable relievers unless someone overwhelms you. Never know, maybe the team gels, or Eppler even finds an opportunity to move on a long-term piece that brings them back into contention. 

Kinsler and Valbuena are so unlikely to return anything beyond a Luis Madero-type in a trade I don't think their status moves the needle much in any direction. I'd deal either in a heartbeat to open at-bats for minor-leaguers, but don't think they have any bearing on how Eppler views the club the remainder of the season. For that same reason, it would not surprise me to see Eppler hold onto both through August - either would likely clear waivers and then be immediate tradebait for when a contender loses an infielder to injury or needs a hand, like we did when we traded for Phillips last year.

[Revad]

To me Otanhi’s status is important in what happens pitching-wise.  Regardless, I think Eppler values the ability to option players so we will see one non-optionable reliever traded to open things up a bit.

I think he’ll be aiming to get a prospect he really likes for Kinsler, not a highly touted one necessarily given the value of Kinsler but one he thinks is somewhat overlooked, and will make that trade at any point.  I could see Valbuena held to the end of August as suggested above but hopefully with more time on the bench.

[TroutField]

13 hours ago, eaterfan said:

And how many did we pick up on Oakland and Houston?

We don’t need to look at the standings right now being 9 out. They need to put the best team on the field and play the best baseball they can for these next 2 months. 9 games isn’t impossible to make up, especially looking at Seattle’s -2 run differential. They COULD(not saying they will) have an epic collapse. And Oakland was hot for a while but the Angels are a better team, even as banged up as they have been. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

On 7/16/2018 at 12:44 PM, Torridd said:

Chuck, this is a silly question but can the GM order Scioscia to play the vets or would such an order come from the owner? I don't think we have to trade all of the bullpen, but I agree with all your other points.

 

 

 "Order" May be too strong of a word, but I have no doubt that they discuss intentions going forward.

[Do0mT3cH]

On 7/16/2018 at 11:49 AM, Angel Oracle said:

It is time to trade Kinsler and Valnobuena in the next 2 weeks, and to see what they have with Fletcher and Ward for the rest of the season.

Agreed 100%, glad Fletcher came up and contributed enough to get an extended look, I don't see why Ward doesn't deserve the same. I mean...he can't be worse than Valbuena....right?

[Angel Oracle]

11 hours ago, TroutField said:

We don’t need to look at the standings right now being 9 out. They need to put the best team on the field and play the best baseball they can for these next 2 months. 9 games isn’t impossible to make up, especially looking at Seattle’s -2 run differential. They COULD(not saying they will) have an epic collapse. And Oakland was hot for a while but the Angels are a better team, even as banged up as they have been. 

No more injuries can cripple the Halos though.   They are already on the very edge of sitting at home come post-season time, because of the injuries.