ESPN: How the Angels can convince Mike Trout to stay

[floplag]

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24629104/mlb-how-angels-convince-mike-trout-stay

Not really news to anyone here aside from the fact that it ignores whether or not he wants to be here.  Under the assumption that he does, hes basically saying the following things:
#1 The right manager
#2 Maximize Ohtani
#3 Get realitic about Pujols
#4 Continue to work trades
#5 All our top farm guys like Adell, Marsh, Canning, need to be successful. 

He implies we dont really have money to dive into FA so the idea of doing anything in that regard isnt even part of his list. 

What i found interesting about this was that 4 and 5 dont really jive.  If were working the trades, how are we going to get impact and keep all those guys?

If anything i found the article discouraging as it paints a pretty bleak picture for the next couple years suggesting there is little we can do but wait for the farm crop to ripen. 

[Troll Daddy]

[Lou]

[beatlesrule]

[maestro]

he held the super bowl trophy, he's going to the Phillies. This article was probably written before that though so they couldn't have taken that into account

[Troll Daddy]

If Trout becomes a FA I don’t think money will be a big factor. If he wants to stay with the Angels ... it would make sense to sign a extension now (guaranteed money). 

[Dtwncbad]

Eppler said he would be opportunistic on free agency, and the articles (lazily) just noted the Angels are "top heavy" in their salary obligations.

Does it bother to mention how much space the Angels will have below the luxury tax starting next year?

Why not?

So if I am to accept that Eppler must prove to Trout that they can build a winning team around him over the next two years, and the Angels have financial resources to help do that with free agency, am I really supposed to believe Eppler (and Moreno) will just sit on cash and have "unspent" money instead of addressing a specific real need to help win more games?

Yeah, that will help show Trout this is the place to be if you want to win.

"Mike, you can see the improvement in the farm so that help is coming and that's exciting, right?  We are really committed to winning."

"But what about 2019 and 2020?  If those prospects are not ready yet, can't you bring in a couple of significant players so we can start this run of having a legit major league roster now rather than sit through two more seasons of waiting?  Don't you have like $75m available now? You could add like two or three big time producing players!"

"But Mike starting in 2020 we can be really good."

"I am confused though.  I get the 2020 angle with those guys coming.  But in the meantime we have lots of good players and available money to address the holes."

"2020.  Just ignore the $75m.  When all these youngsters get here in 2020, all will be fantastic."

"Look I hear you but do we expect these prospects will hit the majors and instantly be studs?  I mean isn't it reasonable to assume there will still be some needs?"

"Yes, and then we can use free agency to address the holes and be really good, and again start this winning stuff in 2020."

"So if you are going to be willing to spend money to address holes in 2020 and beyond because it will help win, I am baffled as to why you wouldn't spend money now to address holes now to win and start the winning stuff in 2019 instead of beyond."

"Mike we have good help coming in 2020."

"And if they need a year or so to adjust to the big leagues before they are really high producers, we are talking about maybe being good in 2021 or 2022?"

"That's the long end Mike, but realistically you are correct."

"So in the meantime I just play through what really looks like three more full seasons of mediocrity waiting for PROSPECTS to maybe be good enough while you sit on a massive pile of money and I use up my prime years of production with a promise that, even though you are refusing to address needs now, that you will address needs then?"

"Yes Mike, now you get it."

"Oh I certainly do get it now."

"Cool so sign this extension."

"No thank you.  I think we are done here."

 

 

 

 

[Tank]

1 hour ago, kj_maestro said:

he held the super bowl trophy, he's going to the Phillies. This article was probably written before that though so they couldn't have taken that into account

i'm betting he goes to the flyers.

[Angel Oracle]

Money wise, it doesn't help that Pujols takes up $24 million AAV/season to be a .700 OPS guy with one injury after another, and Upton takes up $21.2 million AAV/season to be as hot as h_ll one week, and then as cold as the Arctic before climate change the next.

[mulwin444]

8 minutes ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

$450,000,000 signed into his 40s should convince him. The Angels are going to have to offer significantly more than the contending east coast teams to have a realistic shot. My guess is Trout will be willing to leave up to $50,000,000 on the table to play close to home and on a world series caliber team.

(Checks World Series participants since 2010 - only 2 from the East Coast out of 16)

Yep...

[Lou]

[tdawg87]

Trout just posted a 9/11 tribute on Facebook. Clearly he wants to play in New York.

Wake up sheeple.

[stormngt]

54 minutes ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

$450,000,000 signed into his 40s should convince him. The Angels are going to have to offer significantly more than the contending east coast teams to have a realistic shot. My guess is Trout will be willing to leave up to $50,000,000 on the table to play close to home and on a world series caliber team.

The east coast teams cannot make a bid until free agency.  The Angel's have exclusive rights now.  Off a great offer.  If he turns it down that means he has no intention on staying.  Trade him 

[MrClutch]

New to the forum, but not new to Angels fandom.  

Just saw this on ESPN and yeah, the article states the obvious.  

I do think that Trout will test free agency to some degree if he doesn't sign an extension this off-season.  From a personal standpoint, he'd be a fool not to.  I mean, why would the best player in the game want to stick around Los Angeles if Eppler can't get an adequate team on the field to make a run at the pennant?  

[T.G.]

Trout loves weather and the marine layer fascinates him

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

24 minutes ago, True Grich said:

Trout loves weather and the marine layer fascinates him

snow, sleet, nor-easters?

[Angelsjunky]

I think the most likely scenario is that Trout does indeed accept a 10+ year extension of $400-500 million, perhaps after Machado and Harper sign, but that it includes an opt out after 4 years. That is the best of both worlds for him: guaranteed money and remaining faithful to the Angels, but the opportunity to test the waters when he's still in his prime (31) and move back east in case the Angels still suck in the next decade.

If he doesn't accept a deal like that, then its because he desperately wants to move back east as soon as possible and the Angels should consider trading him. But again, the above is win-win for him. Worst-case scenario and he simply has to play for a stumbling Angels team for a couple more years than planned, and probably not even that as he could demand a trade if they still suck come 2021 or so, and the Angels would probably oblige.

 

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

This one never gets old.

[tdawg87]

24 minutes ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

So Boston and NYY aren't world series caliber teams?

Cool story.

No moreso than Houston or the Dodgers.

[Second Base]

Pujols can still help, as long as he is used based on his ability instead of on his contract.

 

Perhaps the best take I've ever seen on Pujols.  It summed up everything and only used a few words to do it. 

[Angelsjunky]

28 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Pujols can still help, as long as he is used based on his ability instead of on his ego.

 

Perhaps the best take I've ever seen on Pujols.  It summed up everything and only used a few words to do it. 

Fixed.

[Lou]

2 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

Trout just posted a 9/11 tribute on Facebook. Clearly he wants to play in New York.

Wake up sheeple.

or he's going to the Nats

so much for Never Forget 

[Lou]

57 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Pujols can still help, as long as he is used based on his ability instead of on his contract.

 

Perhaps the best take I've ever seen on Pujols.  It summed up everything and only used a few words to do it. 

it's been stated a thousand times, a thousand different ways 

[Tank]

29 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Fixed.

i disagree that this is an ego thing.

he's a player who can still play, even though it's not at the same high level as previous years. he was still better than a lot of players on the current roster, too. if he was insisting on batting 4th (no evidence of that) or demanding this or that, then the ego thing comes in to play. but so far, i haven't heard anything like that.

[eligrba]

The best way to keep Trout is to let him know that if he signs with a team on the east coast, he will have ESPN coverage and commentary about himself 24/7.