Is Calhoun the starting Rf next year?

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

2 hours ago, floplag said:

Only because they had a full rotation of strong starters and the bullpen was a topic of conversation thruout the playoffs as a concern.  We would not have that

Which is why I what TOR starters. If our starters can go 7/8 innings the bullpen won't be so over used later in the season. It doesn't matter how good the bullpen is if they have to pitch 4/5 innings a game.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Ace-Of-Diamonds

[Angel Oracle]

21 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

Which is why I what TOR starters. If our starters can go 7/8 innings the bullpen won't be so over used later in the season. It doesn't matter how good the bullpen is if they have to pitch 4/5 innings a game.

Heaney is a start, as far as innings pitched, in averaging 6 innings/start.    One other rotation guy averaging 6 innings/start would be a step in the right direction.    Hopefully by 2020, they can have at least 3 of those guys giving the team at least 160-170 innings. 

[floplag]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

Which is why I what TOR starters. If our starters can go 7/8 innings the bullpen won't be so over used later in the season. It doesn't matter how good the bullpen is if they have to pitch 4/5 innings a game.

And how do you propose to do that with what we have plus one ace?  Thats the entire reason why i oppose it.  You arent replacing all of them so 4 days a week at least you still need a better pen. 

[VariousCrap]

Priorities:

1. Extend Trout
2. Upgrade catcher
3. Upgrade BP
4. Upgrade SP
5. Upgrade RF

I think they will stick with Cozart at 3B and Fletcher at 2B.

 

 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

48 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

Priorities:

1. Extend Trout
2. Upgrade catcher
3. Upgrade BP
4. Upgrade SP
5. Upgrade RF

I think they will stick with Cozart at 3B and Fletcher at 2B.

I trust Calhoun to rebound more than I trust Cozart. Cozart has had 1 good season and has missed extended periods of time in every season for 4 seasons now. Fix corner IF and pitching and possibly a catcher.

Also Cozart playing 3B next season is coming off shoulder surgery. I wonder how strong his arm will be to make the throw from 3B.

Edited September 26, 2018 by Ace-Of-Diamonds

[ADHB]

1 hour ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I trust Calhoun to rebound more than I trust Cozart. Cozart has had 1 good season and has missed extended periods of time in every season for 4 seasons now. Fix corner IF and pitching and possibly a catcher.

Also Cozart playing 3B next season is coming off shoulder surgery. I wonder how strong his arm will be to make the throw from 3B.

Cozart injured his left shoulder, so that’s not an issue. But I agree. His performance this year is mostly in line with his career norms. There isn’t much to him other than an average hitting middle infielder with not a lot of power. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

11 hours ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I trust Calhoun to rebound more than I trust Cozart. Cozart has had 1 good season and has missed extended periods of time in every season for 4 seasons now. Fix corner IF and pitching and possibly a catcher.

Also Cozart playing 3B next season is coming off shoulder surgery. I wonder how strong his arm will be to make the throw from 3B.

It will be fine unless he tries to throw it with his left arm 

[VariousCrap]

13 hours ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

I trust Calhoun to rebound more than I trust Cozart. Cozart has had 1 good season and has missed extended periods of time in every season for 4 seasons now. Fix corner IF and pitching and possibly a catcher.

Also Cozart playing 3B next season is coming off shoulder surgery. I wonder how strong his arm will be to make the throw from 3B.

I have zero faith in Calhoun.  IMO, he is a fourth outfielder now.  I don't care how much he is paid.  As for Cozart, I'd love to see them do a bigger upgrade at 3B, but with all the positions in need of upgrading, I think they will give him another chance in 2019.

[Dtwncbad]

They need Cozart for either 2B or 3B.  I am not going to waste time worrying about that.

I am much more concerned with the level of upgrade they are able to achieve with the position he ends up not playing.

[mulwin444]

42 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

I have zero faith in Calhoun.  IMO, he is a fourth outfielder now.  I don't care how much he is paid.  As for Cozart, I'd love to see them do a bigger upgrade at 3B, but with all the positions in need of upgrading, I think they will give him another chance in 2019.

I know that if he could have given us something between "June" and "August" numbers, something like .260 .330 .750 OPS, I'd feel a whole lot better.  As it stands now, I think you'd have tentatively pencil him at RF due to more pressing issues as 3B, C, 1B, SP and BP, but if you have an opportunity to upgrade, you do it:

 

[Dtwncbad]

29 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

They need Cozart for either 2B or 3B.  I am not going to waste time worrying about that.

I am much more concerned with the level of upgrade they are able to achieve with the position he ends up not playing.

And to add to the above, it is critical that they secure something high quality for either 2B or 3B.

We know Pujols is no asset at this point.  That's a secured negative.

Cozart is a question mark coming back but he is under contract and is versatile.  He might be an asset and he might not.  It's a question mark but one the Angels have to move forward with.

I just can't see how the Angels can possibly roll into 2019 with THREE either secured negatives or question marks in the infield.

I have talked at length about Machado, and frankly I doubt the Angels land him.  But much of the interest in Machado has to do with the idea that there is (to me anyway) some very obvious pressure to have something of quality and reliable for whatever spot is not played by Cozart (2B or 3B).

It can't be Ward.  Nothing personal to him, he just does not embody the quality and security and predictable production necessary to offset the known negative (Pujols) at one infield spot, and the already inevitable risk of a second infield spot.

You cannot have three of your four infield spots be known negatives or prayers.  

[VariousCrap]

11 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

I know that if he could have given us something between "June" and "August" numbers, something like .260 .330 .750 OPS, I'd feel a whole lot better.  As it stands now, I think you'd have tentatively pencil him at RF due to more pressing issues as 3B, C, 1B, SP and BP, but if you have an opportunity to upgrade, you do it:

 

 

I just don't think the Angels will see 3B as a need.  Cozart's numbers from this past season was a sample size and I think they will give him another chance at 3B.  As for Calhoun, I think he has demonstrated over the last 2-3 seasons that he'll give you a couple good months a season and will be trash the rest.  I also think that RF will be easier and cheaper to upgrade than any 3B options.

[totdprods]

Worth mentioning that Calhoun's 2017 was just as scattered.
He was sub .600 OPS for 80+ games. 

March/April: .676
May: .533
June: .893
July: .568
August: .885
Sept./Oct.: .767

He also had a 65 game stretch in the middle of 2016 with a .688 OPS. 

I don't think they'll spend resources just to displace him with someone like Jon Jay or Andrew McCutchen. At most, they'll try and find another 4th OF who can platoon with him, or they'll upgrade in a big way, i.e. Harper. Otherwise, no FA is worth the risk, and his trade value will be too sketchy to actively shop him.
 

[mulwin444]

6 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

 

I just don't think the Angels will see 3B as a need.  Cozart's numbers from this past season was a sample size and I think they will give him another chance at 3B.  As for Calhoun, I think he has demonstrated over the last 2-3 seasons that he'll give you a couple good months a season and will be trash the rest.  I also think that RF will be easier and cheaper to upgrade than any 3B options.

Despite his offensive struggles, Calhoun is still a Gold Glove Rightfielder with 8 assists and is the reason he's positive WAR this season at all.  He has value there so, even with his dry stretches, he can still help the team.

 

I'm less sold on Cozart at 3B.  If they can get someone like Donaldson on a 2 or 3 year deal and have Cozart move over to 2B, I'd feel better about the look of the infield next season.  Fletcher can still get his reps in at filling at 3B, SS, 2B, and OF as needed.

[totdprods]

22 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

And to add to the above, it is critical that they secure something high quality for either 2B or 3B.

We know Pujols is no asset at this point.  That's a secured negative.

Cozart is a question mark coming back but he is under contract and is versatile.  He might be an asset and he might not.  It's a question mark but one the Angels have to move forward with.

I just can't see how the Angels can possibly roll into 2019 with THREE either secured negatives or question marks in the infield.

I have talked at length about Machado, and frankly I doubt the Angels land him.  But much of the interest in Machado has to do with the idea that there is (to me anyway) some very obvious pressure to have something of quality and reliable for whatever spot is not played by Cozart (2B or 3B).

It can't be Ward.  Nothing personal to him, he just does not embody the quality and security and predictable production necessary to offset the known negative (Pujols) at one infield spot, and the already inevitable risk of a second infield spot.

You cannot have three of your four infield spots be known negatives or prayers.  

I feel like there are so many 2B/3B options available in free agency this year that they need to roll the dice, sign one, and see if it pans out, relegating Fletcher to either the UT IF role, or not my first choice, getting everyday reps beside Rengifo at AAA. 

We're very unlikely to replace Calhoun. 
We're not yet replacing Cozart.
Albert will get significant 1B playing time.
There are no catchers available in FA that will be a sure-thing (don't care what people say about Grandal, he's at an age where he could dip down to league-average).

That pretty much leaves either 2B or 3B, wherever Cozart isn't playing, as the last spot to really upgrade. Which means bumping Fletcher. 
Fletcher has earned it, and I'm confident in the near future he'll establish himself in the infield, but with the issues we've had getting OBP in front of Trout, Fletcher's .316 mark isn't going to cut it. 

Glancing at the 2B/3B FAs, you might find someone who brings OBP to the table:
Logan Forsythe is having a down year, (though he's slashing .269/.361/.306 since joining MIN), but he had a .348 OBP 2015-2017. 
Daniel Descalso: .344 OBP 2016-2018
Marwin Gonzalez: .268/.332/.447/.779 2016 - 2018, playing every position but P and C
Josh Harrison: Like Forysthe, having a rough year, but slashed .280/.326/.404/.720 in three years prior
DJ LeMahieu: .375 OBP the last three years, including .416 in 2016. 
Jed Lowrie: .358 OBP the last two seasons, .336 in career
Daniel Murphy: .375 OBP the last three seasons

Certainly, Donaldson is interesting as well.

A lot of guys you can probably roll the dice on with a short one or two year contract and very possibly get a better OBP and offensive boost at either 2B or 3B over what Fletcher would give you - and he'd still help us out as the UT IF - and they'd still be easy enough to ship off midseason if Fletcher, Fernandez, Rengifo, or Jones pushes them out. Maybe Eppler finds another Buttrey, Jerez, Sandoval for them.

[Angel Oracle]

Calhoun is out of here anyway, once Adell is ready, hoping that will be ST 2020.

[ten ocho recon scout]

I would love to upgrade, but adell is in the wings, and doesnt marsh also play rf? (Though i have no clue how soon he is ready).

I think if anything, calhoun is still a pretty good 4th outfielder. He can cover CF (or at least did this year). Very good defensive replacement. Decent runner.

[2020worldseries]

solution - trade for Whit Merrifield and have Whit play RF vs LHPs and have Fletcher play 2B vs LHPs. Against RHPs have Whit play 2nd and Calhoun play RF. Calhoun is at least average or above average vs RHPs

[VariousCrap]

5 hours ago, mulwin444 said:

Despite his offensive struggles, Calhoun is still a Gold Glove Rightfielder with 8 assists and is the reason he's positive WAR this season at all.  He has value there so, even with his dry stretches, he can still help the team.

 

I'm less sold on Cozart at 3B.  If they can get someone like Donaldson on a 2 or 3 year deal and have Cozart move over to 2B, I'd feel better about the look of the infield next season.  Fletcher can still get his reps in at filling at 3B, SS, 2B, and OF as needed.

I personally feel Calhoun's downside (hitting) outweighs his upside (defense).  Of course, Eppler may not share that view.

Donaldson is an interesting option for third.  They may be able to sign him to a big one year deal as he tries to have a rebound season for one last big contract.

[Lou]

I think if Donaldson decides to accept a 1-year deal he's going to stay where he is. 

[Dtwncbad]

I can't see how Donaldson could believe even having one very good year would lead to "one last big contract."

Regardless of how well he plays in 2019 he isn't getting "one last big contract" at his age.

He just has to decide if he wants to do a one year deal to maybe get himself a better 2 year deal.

 

[Troll Daddy]

Donaldson will get a 4 year deal imo

[Dick B Back]

On 9/25/2018 at 8:42 AM, Blarg said:

It would be even better if it was read in Christopher Walken's voice. But then, just about every post would be, including this. 

[Dtwncbad]

More Cowgill?

[Angel Oracle]

Is September Calhoun a return of Cold Calhoun, or just an unlucky month?