OC Register: Angels Offseason Options: J.T. Realmuto

[Blarg]

If Realmoto we're to come to the Angels I'm pretty sure Eppler would have him signed to an extension immediately. The guy hates playing on the Marlins because they are rudderless. The Angels are not going that direction, in fact they are in a hurry to get back to the pennant and Realmoto will only have to look at trends with players over 30 and want that insurance he will get paid. He won't be a prospect waste. 

[totdprods]

1 hour ago, Dochalo said:

I think Eppler might view the catcher position like he views pen arms.  The mid and upper tiers are overvalued and the lower tiers are undervalued.  Meaning that he'll acquire or sign a Maldonado type where the players defense and game calling are undervalued and he can get them on the cheap.  We may even go with what we've got in Arcia and Briceno which is less likely.  I think we'll see someone new but I don't think it will be anyone high profile.  

I think this is extremely likely. Eppler has been as good at finding decent catchers cheaply as he has waiver claim pitching. Graterol, Arcia, and Briceno all gave us positive WAR contributions in limited time. Rivera and Soto were very good - just couldn't stay healthy. Maldonado flourished. Much like Kirby Yates, even the guy who got away, Curt Casali, thumped with the Reds, slashing .293/.355/.450/.805 in 52 G.

Even in the minors, they found Joe Hudson in the Reds org, where he was basically a no-hit, ~.600 OPS catcher, and he blossomed for the Angels, hitting a .900 OPS in ~30 games. Mitch Ghelfi, plucked from the Brewers org, came over to Mobile and hit well right out of the gate too. Whomever scouts catchers for the Angels has an eye for it.

As for Arcia and Briceno...they might already be a step up from Maldonado offensively.

Arcia/Briceno: .222/.263/.406/.669, 83 OPS+ w/ 14 doubles, 21 HRs, 40% CS%, 1.1 WAR
M. Maldonado: .222/.279/.354/.634, 72 OPS+ w/ 42% CS%, 1 WAR
Arcia/Briceno averaged together, projected over 162 G
Maldonado's numbers are for his Angel career (216 G)

I'd still like to see a vet brought in, but if they intend on using catcher money elsewhere, I'm not too terribly worried about the Angels experiencing a downgrade behind the plate, at least from what we've had the past two seasons. They'd just need to make up the difference at 1B, 2B/3B, and hope for a ~100 OPS+ from Calhoun.

[Second Base]

If it weren't for the fact that Fletcher actually quoted Eppler admitting that catcher was a spot that needed to be addressed, I'd predict an Arcia/Bricenoreturn as it was similar to the results yielded by Maldonado. 

I think Eppler is probably going to trade for someone's backup catcher like he did with Maldy. 

Or who knows, maybe he surprises us all and kills two birds with one stone by trading for Tucker Barnhart and either Eugenia Suarez or Jose Peraza. I imagine the cost in prospects of such a deal would be monumental.

[Jeff Fletcher]

11 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

If it weren't for the fact that Fletcher actually quoted Eppler admitting that catcher was a spot that needed to be addressed, I'd predict an Arcia/Bricenoreturn as it was similar to the results yielded by Maldonado. 

I think Eppler is probably going to trade for someone's backup catcher like he did with Maldy. 

Or who knows, maybe he surprises us all and kills two birds with one stone by trading for Tucker Barnhart and either Eugenia Suarez or Jose Peraza. I imagine the cost in prospects of such a deal would be monumental.

Honestly this is the most likely scenario. Some of those type guys may be featured later in this series. 

In order of likelihood, I’d go this way....

1. Trade for someone else’s backup/youngish guy.

2. Sign a veteran FA (René Rivera type) and combo him with Briceño/Arcia/Hudson (I wouldn’t rule him out the mix).

3. Trade for Realmuto.

4. Sign a veteran FA who you expect to be a starter (Grandal, Ramos).

If it were me, I’d focus on 1 and 3, making sure I was totally in the loop on 3 and not seeing later that he was traded for a package that I could have beaten.

I would absolutely not do 4 unless it’s January and those guys suddenly are ok with a 1- or 2-year deal at $6-7M per. 

Edited October 13, 2018 by Jeff Fletcher

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Honestly this is the most likely scenario. Some of those type guys may be featured later in this series. 

In order of likelihood, I’d go this way....

1. Trade for someone else’s backup/youngish guy.

2. Sign a veteran FA (René Rivera type) and combo him with Briceño/Arcia/Hudson (I wouldn’t rule him out the mix).

3. Trade for Realmuto.

4. Sign a veteran FA who you expect to be a starter (Grandal, Ramos).

If it were me, I’d focus on 1 and 3, making sure I was totally in the loop on 3 and not seeing later that he was traded for a package that I could have beaten.

I would absolutely not do 4 unless it’s January and those guys suddenly are ok with a 1- or 2-year deal at $6-7M per. 

I agree with this.  While I do think #4 would be ill-advised if you're talking about 3+ year commitments, we do have to keep in mind that both players are capable of playing 1b which could help to decrease their workload behind the plate and fill a hole as Albert's platoon partner.  

[Docwaukee]

BTW, a wacky trade idea:

Tucker Barnhart and Nick Senzel for one of Skaggs/Heaney, Calhoun, and prospects.  

So, I've been banging the 'fix the rotation' drum but they had a beat writer for the reds on mlb radio the other day and he mentioned that the team is going to expect to start winning.  He said that the focus would be on the rotation and that they might be willing to give up Senzel or Taylor Trammell for a rotation arm.  And also that they would be increasing payroll and making some serious financial commitments.  I doubt that they'd part with Senzel for either of our guys but he's a guy I'd definitely have to kick tires on if there was even a small chance he'd be available.  

We already have holes in the rotation and that would create an even larger one as well as require a stop gap option in RF for 2019 and possible 2020.  But they could sign Keuchel as well as another arm to help make up the difference.  

I know it's a pipe dream but I thought I'd throw it out there.  

[Blarg]

The Angels can't afford to trade away any pitching. And by afford, you are looking at paying out in free agency twice as much monetarily to replace Skaggs value. As is they are one quality arm down from a 5 man rotation. Your plan creates two holes. 

Calhoun has zero trade value but you now managed to create a hole in right field along with pitching for a 3rd base prospect with no MLB experience and another weak hitting catcher. 

 

[totdprods]

37 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

BTW, a wacky trade idea:

Tucker Barnhart and Nick Senzel for one of Skaggs/Heaney, Calhoun, and prospects.  

So, I've been banging the 'fix the rotation' drum but they had a beat writer for the reds on mlb radio the other day and he mentioned that the team is going to expect to start winning.  He said that the focus would be on the rotation and that they might be willing to give up Senzel or Taylor Trammell for a rotation arm.  And also that they would be increasing payroll and making some serious financial commitments.  I doubt that they'd part with Senzel for either of our guys but he's a guy I'd definitely have to kick tires on if there was even a small chance he'd be available.  

We already have holes in the rotation and that would create an even larger one as well as require a stop gap option in RF for 2019 and possible 2020.  But they could sign Keuchel as well as another arm to help make up the difference.  

I know it's a pipe dream but I thought I'd throw it out there.  

I like the concept but don’t think it’d work here. Skaggs only has two years remaining, so the Reds would really have to have a lot of other moves in place to get into contention in that short of time to be interested in Tyler. And if that was the case, Senzel would probably be used in those other trades for the sexier names - I don’t think any team sees Skaggs as a top rotation arm, at least in a trade, and that’s what they’d need.

If Canning was part of the prospect package going back I’d see it having legs, but at that point you’re essentially trading a prospect for a prospect, and then dumping Skaggs and Calhoun for Barnhart, which doesn’t fly. The trade would have to expand into including a Cincy reliever or MLB hitter instead of Senzel.

[tdawg87]

37 minutes ago, Blarg said:

a hole in tight field

Blarg I don't ever want to see you type this again.

[totdprods]

How about Shoemaker (proj. $4.3m) to his home state of Michigan for McCann (proj. $3.5m)?

McCann was awful last year, but two of the three years prior his offense was decent, he throws out runners at a good clip, is still fairly young. Angels would save a bit of money. 

Personally, I actually feel pretty good about Shoemaker making 25-30 GS and with good production, so I wouldn’t do it (he also has an option still) but I can also see them moving on from him due to his arb salary rising and to clear a spot for someone a little ‘safer’ in the rotation. 

[Docwaukee]

25 minutes ago, Blarg said:

The Angels can't afford to trade away any pitching. And by afford, you are looking at paying out in free agency twice as much monetarily to replace Skaggs value. As is they are one quality arm down from a 5 man rotation. Your plan creates two holes. 

Calhoun has zero trade value but you now managed to create a hole in tight field along with pitching for a 3rd base prospect with no MLB experience and another weak hitting catcher. 

 

can't disagree with any of this.  I think Barnhart can be a slightly below avg hitter with a decent OBP and strong defense with four more years of club control.  In the end it boils down to what the FO would value Senzel at as well as how close they think Adell is to taking over RF.  The holes in the rotation would be tough to overcome.  Particularly for 2019 but I have to be honest.  While I think we could field a decently competitive team next year, I feel like the best we're working for in 2019 is a 2nd wild card.  So I'm not as focused on next year as I am 2021 and beyond.  

My ideal off season would be to extend Trout.  I could honestly stop there.  But if we could do the trade I mentioned, I would be super thrilled.  I am assuming that it would also include Marsh and maybe even Suarez.  Then I would add Marwin Gonzalez on a 3yr deal and put him in RF for 2019.  for 20/21, he becomes 1b/RF/util.  If we couldn't grab Gonzalez, I'd consider someone like Cargo on a 1yr deal for RF or Markakis on a 1+1.  Or even Jon Jay.  Then I'd consider guys like Gio, Ryu, Eovaldi, Lynn, Morton or Happ.  

Simmons, Upton, Trout, Ohtani, Pujols, Marwin, Senzel, Cozart, Barnhart.  
Keuchel, Eovaldi, Skaggs, Barria, Shoe, Pena, Canning, Trop and a couple of minor league deals like Drew Pomeranz, Chris Tilman or Marco Estrada  

[Docwaukee]

14 minutes ago, totdprods said:

How about Shoemaker (proj. $4.3m) to his home state of Michigan for McCann (proj. $3.5m)?

McCann was awful last year, but two of the three years prior his offense was decent, he throws out runners at a good clip, is still fairly young. Angels would save a bit of money. 

Personally, I actually feel pretty good about Shoemaker making 25-30 GS and with good production, so I wouldn’t do it (he also has an option still) but I can also see them moving on from him due to his arb salary rising and to clear a spot for someone a little ‘safer’ in the rotation. 

I think it's the opposite with Shoe.  I think they've solved his problem from an injury standpoint and now view him as a fairly cheap #3/4 who is likely to get them a decent number of innings.  I could see him going about 180 ip with an era around 4.  Not a fan of McCann. 

[totdprods]

22 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

I think it's the opposite with Shoe.  I think they've solved his problem from an injury standpoint and now view him as a fairly cheap #3/4 who is likely to get them a decent number of innings.  I could see him going about 180 ip with an era around 4.  Not a fan of McCann. 

That’s my hope. I’m a big fan of Shoe and I hope they plan on keeping him and not being turned off by the salary or missed starts.

Moving on from Trop and saving a couple mil is more likely...not sure he’d be good enough to land McCann or another fringe MLB regular catcher.