Spending this off-season

[Stradling]

Ok, @Jeff Fletcher says he believes the Angels will spend around $30 million this off-season.  How would you spend it an on whom?  We have quite a few holes and not all of them can be solved with spending and staying on that budget.  

Here is what I would do, I would do my best to see if Donaldson would sign a one year deal to try to re-set his value.  I would offer a one year $16 million deal and hope that entices him to sign.  I would then offer Corbin a 4 year deal, with the first year paying him around $14 million and going up from there.  

That will leave us with holes at 4th outfielder, it would also mean that our catching duo from this year would be the same next year, and it would mean we really need Buttrey to be the man in the pen.  

What would you do?

 

[GrittyVeterans]

I doubt we get a 3B. I think the plan is to give Cozart one more crack at it. Or put Fletcher there and have Cozart take 2B. 

With Ohtani out, they have to get a starter. The scary part about that is it means a lot of that budget will be used on pitching and they will roll with Pujols at 1B again, and a platoon of mediocrity at catcher. It's very scary. I hope I am wrong on that.

The bottom line is they probably need to spend more than 30 million dollars if they want to make the playoffs in the stacked AL. It sucks. It is what it is, we will see what they do.

[Troll Daddy]

13 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Ok, @Jeff Fletcher says he believes the Angels will spend around $30 million this off-season.  How would you spend it an on whom?  We have quite a few holes and not all of them can be solved with spending and staying on that budget.  

Here is what I would do, I would do my best to see if Donaldson would sign a one year deal to try to re-set his value.  I would offer a one year $16 million deal and hope that entices him to sign.  I would then offer Corbin a 4 year deal, with the first year paying him around $14 million and going up from there.  

That will leave us with holes at 4th outfielder, it would also mean that our catching duo from this year would be the same next year, and it would mean we really need Buttrey to be the man in the pen.  

What would you do?

 

If Donaldson has a big post season ... all bets are off

[hangin n wangin]

@StradlingThat sounds good to me. That would make us better. It probably won't happen though. To be honest, I am getting less optimistic about how our team will look on paper next year. The good thing is looking good on paper doesn't always lead to results. But if we don't show significant improvement within the next couple years, this organization is looking worse and worse with Trout's contract situation looming.

[greginpsca]

I think 1st 2nd & 3rd will be filled internally. Catcher and starting pitching will be the focus. And maybe rf. 

[hangin n wangin]

4 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

If Donaldson has a big post season ... all bets are off

[Stradling]

I agree if Donaldson kills it in the post season some team will give him 3 or 4 years.  

[Barrett]

I have a feeling which kind of sickens me but my feeling is that the Angels will go with Ward at 3rd Cozart at 2nd with Fletcher rotating both those positions. Pujols is a mainstay at 1st because well reasons. I think they don't sign a starting pitcher and sign or trade for a catcher, pay for a closer and that's it. I really have no optimism for this off season. I also don't see Trout signing an extension and see him waiting for free agency. He is close enough to it he might as well see what it is about. At least that's what I would do if I were him. 

What I would love for them to do is sign Donaldson on one year deal with option or 2 year deal with option. Trade Cozart and let some team eat his salary. Put Fletcher at 2nd. Trade Calhoun and replace with something cheap as in a 1 year deal. Trade for a catcher. Sign a starting pitcher. and sign/trade for a closer. Oh and cut Pujols and play anyone at 1st for league minimum or 1 year deal. 

[floplag]

30 mil sounds low to me, i wonder why he would predict that number.  is that 30 total, 30 after arbitration?  

We are as of today only at about 125 M committed for next year according to Sportrac down from our current 173, thats 50 mil raw coming off.    If you take 20 off the top of whats left for raises, arbitration etc we are still only about 145, and the Luxury tax will be 206 M?

Is he suggesting that payroll is fixed somewhere around current levels?  If so put any significant FA out of your mind, not happening. 

Sidenote; Why would Donaldson accept a 1 year deal at this point?  

someone feel free to double check my numbers there they feel wrong from a quick lookup, lol 

[TroutField]

They will sign Harper and Corbin, Calhoun will fill the 1st base/4th outfielder role and our young bullpen arms will make our bullpen one of the best in baseball. 

 

print the World Series tickets, and write up that Trout extension..

 

Just kidding , cozart will play 3rd, Fletcher will play 2nd, Hermosillo will fill the 4th OF role, and they will add one mediocre innings eater. 

[Angelsfan1984]

I think you have to get someone like Kimbrel. They need a no questions asked closer. After that I think they make a trade for a cost controlled pitcher (maybe DeGrom) and then attempt to fill in the gaps a 1/3b. Lets say they can get Donaldson...they can rotate cozart and fletcher at 2nd and 3rd when Donaldson needs a day off. We will probably see more JMF next season. My guess is they bring in a different 4th outfielder into the mix and dump blash. Will Meyers may be that gap player at 1b/OF.

DeGrom-7.4

Kimbrel-12-15

Meyers-3

Rest of the cash they can either grab another bp arm or get another 4-5 starter

 

[Barrett]

2 minutes ago, floplag said:

30 mil sounds low to me, i wonder why he would predict that number.  is that 30 total, 30 after arbitration?  

We are as of today only at about 125 M committed for next year according to Sportrac down from our current 173, thats 50 mil raw coming off.    If you take 20 off the top of whats left for raises, arbitration etc we are still only about 145, and the Luxury tax will be 206 M?

Is he suggesting that payroll is fixed somewhere around current levels?  If so put any significant FA out of your mind, not happening. 

Sidenote; Why would Donaldson accept a 1 year deal at this point?  

someone feel free to double check my numbers there they feel wrong from a quick lookup, lol 

I don't want to speak for Fletcher but from my understanding is he had a convo with someone in the organization and he said something about a higher number that they had to spend and the guy basically laughed at Fletcher. Told him 30 million is cap.

[hangin n wangin]

4 minutes ago, TroutField said:

They will sign Harper and Corbin, Calhoun will fill the 1st base/4th outfielder role and our young bullpen arms will make our bullpen one of the best in baseball. 

 

print the World Series tickets, and write up that Trout extension..

 

Just kidding , cozart will play 3rd, Fletcher will play 2nd, Hermosillo will fill the 4th OF role, and they will add one mediocre innings eater. 

            or       ?

 

[TroutField]

1 minute ago, hangin n wangin said:

            or       ?

 

Your pick 

[hangin n wangin]

Just now, TroutField said:

Your pick 

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, TroutField said:

Your pick 

[GrittyVeterans]

5 minutes ago, Barrett said:

I don't want to speak for Fletcher but from my understanding is he had a convo with someone in the organization and he said something about a higher number that they had to spend and the guy basically laughed at Fletcher. Told him 30 million is cap.

If this is the case, then we truly are better off trading Trout.

Not sure I believe it, but embarrassing if true

[Angelsfan1984]

14 minutes ago, Barrett said:

I don't want to speak for Fletcher but from my understanding is he had a convo with someone in the organization and he said something about a higher number that they had to spend and the guy basically laughed at Fletcher. Told him 30 million is cap.

Unless that person is Arte Moreno, then you have to take it with a grain of salt. I'm sure Billy has a plan that he presents to Arte and if he can sell them on a scenario in which spending just a bit more can put them into the place they want to be than hed be willing to consider.

If the sales pitch is, hey we need to spend 45 million and maybe well be playing for the 2nd wildcard...of course Arte is going to laugh at that. However if the pitch puts the Angels in the direction of being definitively relevant into October...he'll be all ears. The juice always has to be worth the squeeze, especially when its millions of dollars on the line.

[floplag]

17 minutes ago, Barrett said:

I don't want to speak for Fletcher but from my understanding is he had a convo with someone in the organization and he said something about a higher number that they had to spend and the guy basically laughed at Fletcher. Told him 30 million is cap.

ok, but in what context?  30 mil AFTER arbitration and housekeeping or total?  

[Barrett]

12 minutes ago, floplag said:

ok, but in what context?  30 mil AFTER arbitration and housekeeping or total?  

It is in the Wil Myers thread. You can find more context in that. I am just trying to be the messenger if you didn't want to go through it. 

[Taylor]

Corbin will likely get more than $14 million per year.

[Barrett]

13 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Unless that person is Arte Moreno, then you have to take it with a grain of salt. I'm sure Billy has a plan that he presents to Arte and if he can sell them on a scenario in which spending just a bit more can put them into the place they want to be than hed be willing to consider.

If the sales pitch is, hey we need to spend 45 million and maybe well be playing for the 2nd wildcard...of course Arte is going to laugh at that. However if the pitch puts the Angels in the direction of being definitively relevant into October...he'll be all ears. The juice always has to be worth the squeeze, especially when its millions of dollars on the line.

This isn't trying to divert the conversation at all which I have been known to do from time to time. But do you think there is a something the Angels can do this off season to put us in the race with Houston? With out going above 200 million dollars in payroll.

[Angelsfan1984]

1 minute ago, Barrett said:

This isn't trying to divert the conversation at all which I have been known to do from time to time. But do you think there is a something the Angels can do this off season to put us in the race with Houston? With out going above 200 million dollars in payroll.

Need some luck and a couple of Jesus miracles.

Honestly though...i'd say some addition by subtraction on Houstons side (losing Keuchel), a bit of regression from Verlander, far less injuries on the Angels roster and a different manager.

[Vlad27Trout27]

He's the name an list

 

Familia= 4yr 36 mil

Offer for Grandel- 3yr - 33 mil

Richards- 2yrs -10  mil

Offer to Pomeranz- 1yr 5 mil 

[Second Base]

My guess is the Angels will look quite different in 2019.  It's time for them to compete, but at the same time they'll be severely limited in what they do. 

- Do you keep Albert at first base, knowing full well that he's actually harming your offense?  Cutting him could alienate a large contingent of this baseball team and be a bit of a slap in the face to one of the all -time greats. 

- Do you bring Cozart back into a starting role, despite the fact that he has not played like a starter at all since arriving, and really hasn't been a starting caliber player at any point in his career besides one year?  If you do move him to utility, do you move Fletcher down to the minors? 

- Calhoun has been a staple in this organization for  along time, but the inconsistencies are killing the offense.  But he's also very close with Trout and part of the fabric of the organization.  Do you replace him? 

The Angels aren't a particularly aggressive organization when it comes to veterans.  They keep them around and in feature roles, even when they're struggling.  I would blame it on the GM, but we've had so many GM's do the same thing by now that either the owner keeps hiring GM's with the same values, or it's simply Scioscia.  So chances are, Albert Pujols will still be the starting first baseman.  Also, chances are, Zack Cozart is either going to be the starting second baseman, or third baseman.  And chances are, Kole Calhoun is still going to be the starting RF. 

So really, the only openings on the position player side of things are going to be at 3B or 2B, (assuming Fletcher moves into a utility role) and catcher. 

My guess is they pull off a trade with Cincinnati and acquire Scooter Gennett to play 2B, and Tucker Barnhart to play catcher, which adds probably 15 million onto the payroll.  That trade probably requires Brandon Marsh, Jesus Castillo, Jose Soriano and a lottery ticket like Luis Pena.  With the remaining 15 million, I think he'll go after a former target of his with the Yankees, Nathan Eovoladi.  And the bullpen?  I'm guessing Eppler stays put and doesn't spend anything else other than maybe a rule 5 pick on someone.  He has J.C. Ramirez, Alex Meyer and Key Middleton all coming back at some point early next season, and will need a place to put them all.  Plus the development of Buttrey and Robles gives the Angels depth that didn't exist before. 

So this puts the lineup as: SS Simmons, 2B Gennett, CF Trout, DH Ohtani, LF Upton, 1B Pujols, 3B Cozart, RF Calhoun, C Barnhart.

Bench probably is Arcia, Fletcher, Fernandez and whoever our fourth outfielder is.  Hermosillo maybe. 

Rotation would be: Skaggs, Heaney, Eovaldi, Barria, Shoemaker with Pena as a long reliever and Canning and Suarez in AAA.  Not sure where Tropeano goes in this.  Does he have options?

Bullpen: Buttrey, Parker, Anderson, Alvarez, Ramirez, Meyer, Pena

If their luck is neutral, I'd say that's a solid 85 win team.