2018 Hot Stove League

[Troll Daddy]

3 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

Jim Palmer, who covered Machado's entire O's career, has long talked about how Machado was not the best clubhouse guy and never hustled.  He was very critical of him.

Buck’s opinion was very favorable of Machado 

[Blarg]

53 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Is your opinion on Machado based on his few months with the Dodgers? 

No. He was an asshole with the Orioles. His Dodgers stint just put it onto the national spotlight of what a douchebag he is. 

[Docwaukee]

19 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Buck’s opinion was very favorable of Machado 

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/the-behind-the-scenes-problems-and-on-field-brilliance-of-manny-machado/

I wouldn't say it's very favorable.  He full acknowledges there were issues that come along with Manny and questions whether his motivation might change when he gets a big payday.  

[Fish Oil]

11 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Buck’s opinion was very favorable of Machado 

Showalter's opinion of Machado's talent is very favorable. As for his other issues:....

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/the-behind-the-scenes-problems-and-on-field-brilliance-of-manny-machado/

Showalter questions whether Machado's drive to play will continue when he has a long term contract. Machado has been benched for a lack of hustle, he has been suspended for throwing a bat at another player and suspended for charging the mound. 

Talent-wise, he is likely one of the top ten most talented players in baseball. Personality-wise, he is immature and selfish.

[Troll Daddy]

39 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/the-behind-the-scenes-problems-and-on-field-brilliance-of-manny-machado/

I wouldn't say it's very favorable.  He full acknowledges there were issues that come along with Manny and questions whether his motivation might change when he gets a big payday.  

The same can be said about Bryce Harper. They’re both young and play hard ... this type of immaturity isn’t unusual behavior for young players. 

I’d be happy with either of them playing for the Angels. There are plenty of bad boys in the HOF. 

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

The same can be said about Bryce Harper. They’re both young and play hard ... this type of immaturity isn’t unusual behavior for young players. 

I’d be happy with either of them playing for the Angels. There are plenty of bad boys in the HOF. 

Harper to the best of my knowledge has never been considered a dirty player.  

[Troll Daddy]

7 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Harper to the best of my knowledge has never been considered a dirty player.  

Get over it ... you’re making a big deal out of nothing. It’s just a game

Your opinion is based on money. If the Angels inked Machado for 5yrs/150M you would be dancing in the streets along with everyone else here. 

[Make Angels Great Again]

Harper is a totally different animal than Machado.

Machado is a dickhead.

Harper is an in your face hard noser with a good serving of pretty boy jock thrown in.

[zenmaster]

Are they (Harper & Machado) going to sue the owners for collusion if they don't get the money they expected? I think Bryce expected $400M+ and 10 years and Machado not much less.

[GrittyVeterans]

14 hours ago, Blarg said:

Your argument was more relevant 5 years ago. Since then there has been a shift in another direction by ballclubs. Not just a couple but the entire league. 

Robinson Cano was the last player to receive a 10 year contract back in 2014 by the Mariners. 

The next longest contract was Jason Heyward for 8 years in 2016.

You have to go back to 2011-12 to find more contracts that exceed 8 years. They just aren't happening anymore and i don't think Machado is getting anything past 7 years and Harper walked on his best deal from the Nationals that were over paying for the home grown talent. He is just not that good of a player once you eliminate his singular (steroids) stand out year. 

Miguel Cabrera?

[Angel Oracle]

10 hours ago, Troll Daddy said:

The same can be said about Bryce Harper. They’re both young and play hard ... this type of immaturity isn’t unusual behavior for young players. 

I’d be happy with either of them playing for the Angels. There are plenty of bad boys in the HOF. 

At age 26 with 6 MLB seasons under their belts, the maturity should have kicked in already.

[Stradling]

27 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

At age 26 with 6 MLB seasons under their belts, the maturity should have kicked in already.

I just think it is funny he thinks Manny plays hard.  

[totdprods]

Red Sox are said to be exploring some deals for one of their catchers - Vasquez, Swihart, or Leon - in return for some rotation depth, though their pen certainly could use some help as well. 

I wouldn't mind watching that opportunity unfold this spring. Any one of them could be a good pick-up, bumping Smith off-roster or possibly through waivers to AAA. Depending on how everyone's health endures through spring, we might be in a position to move a fringe reliever or SP for a catcher with some potential like Swihart - such as Tropeano.

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, totdprods said:

Red Sox are said to be exploring some deals for one of their catchers - Vasquez, Swihart, or Leon - in return for some rotation depth, though their pen certainly could use some help as well. 

I wouldn't mind watching that opportunity unfold this spring. Any one of them could be a good pick-up, bumping Smith off-roster or possibly through waivers to AAA. Depending on how everyone's health endures through spring, we might be in a position to move a fringe reliever or SP for a catcher with some potential like Swihart - such as Tropeano.

Then we could sign Bucholtz, who I believe is still a free agent.  

[totdprods]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Then we could sign Bucholtz, who I believe is still a free agent.  

Exactly - free up a little bit of $$$ in moving Trop, and snag one of the leftover FA SPs for minor-league depth or #5 contention.

[Stradling]

If you could get Bucholtz you could stash Barria at AAA as insurance for when one or all of our starters hit the DL.  

[totdprods]

9 minutes ago, Stradling said:

If you could get Bucholtz you could stash Barria at AAA as insurance for when one or all of our starters hit the DL.  

Which I'd love, personally. Not convinced we should rely on Barria to run with #5 spot for the season. Obviously, that's what Trop, Ramirez, Pena, Suarez, and Canning are for - but with our injuries...

Someone like Swihart would be incredibly useful with his versatility, and Leon still has some potential. Either could emerge as a long-term catcher option if they find themselves, and that gamble would be certainly be worth dipping into our pitching reserve if our health holds up over the spring or we sign another cheap arm or two.

[m0nkey]

14 hours ago, Blarg said:

Once the Nationals recinded the 10 year deal, Harper lost all negotiation power. He (Boras actually) can't waive it in front of other owners and say, best this. 

But can they wave it in front of other owners?

[Docwaukee]

grabbing additional rotation help would make me happy.  

I wouldn't give up any of our young depth for one of Boston's crappy catcher though.  Trop is gonna be a big winner under Doug White.  

I like the idea of Buchholz, Santana, or Gio Gonzalez.  Gio in particular.  It seems you could ink 170 ip with an era of 3.7 to 4.2 pretty easily.  

That being stated, at some point you have to sacrifice the known for the unknown or at least the less known.  I think Eppler is intent on finding out what the long term value is of several players this year.  

[Angel Oracle]

I'm still hoping that having Doug White could persuade Cole to sign here after the 2019 season.   

With Arenado apparently closing in on a new Rockies deal, Cole could be that one "put you over the top" type FA that the Halos could sign. 

[Angel Oracle]

The main thing is that NO other sport has its' key FAs signing even close to THIS late in the process.

Boras is helping to make a mockery of the game. 

Machado and Lozano are just plain delusional.

[UndertheHalo]

Literally all of the teams that ever engage in FA acquisitions of significance are going to be interested in Cole.  Hopefully the Angels are in but I don’t think we should be too attached to getting him. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by UndertheHalo

[Angel Oracle]

22 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Literally all of the teams that ever engage in FA acquisitions of significance are going to be interested in Cole.  Hopefully the Angels are in but I don’t think we should be too attached to getting him. 

He's not a get at all costs guy, just as anyone not named Trout should be.    But it's nice to have the pitching coach that unleashed Cole in 2018.

[Homebrewer]

4 months and almost 170 pages, spring training camps are open, and it's still about Harper, Machado and Keuchel, where they might end up and what they might be worth.

[Glen]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

If you could get Bucholtz you could stash Barria at AAA as insurance for when one or all of our starters hit the DL.  

This post is suddenly relevant.