2018 Hot Stove League

[beatlesrule]

The terms have been agreed to, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, who tweets that the deal will not come with any options. Astros upgrading and probably aren't done. Great signing for them. Brantley is easily worth more than 16 million a year and blows away who we have in RF. Good thing Eppler signed Bour

Why do you think Eppler didn't sign Brantley and trade Kole?  I hope reports come out that they at least tried like with Happ.  Brantley also might want to win a ring and so maybe the Angels weren't even in the discussion since the Astros are much better and won it all 2 years ago.

[Troll Daddy]

7 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

Astros landing Realmuto would be a great addition to that line up as well. It could be right up there with the Angels with the right pieces. 

Why are you such a butthead ... you don’t mean half the things you post here.

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

plus, if Tucker can play CF, he can replace Springer but it seems he'll end up on a corner.  They've also got Yordan Alvarez.  

Good call, I always forget they keep moving Springer from RF to CF...  They still have Reddick for two more years too...  Springer, Brantley, Reddick, along with Marisnik, Kemp, and Fisher.... Maybe they are thinking of rotating everyone thru the DH spot... But they still have Tyler White.

They seem to have an excess of OF parts.  

[VariousCrap]

21 minutes ago, totdprods said:

They could flip Tucker for Realmuto now too. And interested in Cruz for DH.

Watch them land Realmuto and the Dodgers pivot back to Grandal...

I read the Dodgers are willing to resign Grandal, but only for one year.

[ten ocho recon scout]

2 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

I read the Dodgers are willing to resign Grandal, but only for one year.

Offer him 13 months, but backloaded

[Lou]

lol 

[Lou]

23 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

Why do you think Eppler didn't sign Brantley and trade Kole?  

because other teams realize he's Kole Calhoun. 

[Docwaukee]

21 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Good call, I always forget they keep moving Springer from RF to CF...  They still have Reddick for two more years too...  Springer, Brantley, Reddick, along with Marisnik, Kemp, and Fisher.... Maybe they are thinking of rotating everyone thru the DH spot... But they still have Tyler White.

They seem to have an excess of OF parts.  

they've done well at turning spare parts into something useful.  see the Gerrit Cole deal.  I would definitely consider Kemp as our 4th OFer.  He can also play 2b and back up CF.  Problem is that the cost would likely be a good young pen arm like Buttrey or Anderson.  If they're somehow able to get anything useful for Reddick, then I'll just SMH.  

[Docwaukee]

8 minutes ago, Lou said:

because other teams realize he's Kole Calhoun. 

the best we can hope for at this point is to let him recover some value by playing and then we trade him at the deadline for fringe prospect.  

[Angel Oracle]

I'll be so glad when Cold is no longer in the regular lineup.   Dude gave everything he had, but is on his last legs as a Halos player.   Not bad for a 10th round pick, but his time is likely up at age 32 in 2019.

Make this a reverse jinx thread, and prove me WRONG, Cold! 

[Lou]

10 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

the best we can hope for at this point is to let him recover some value by playing and then we trade him at the deadline for fringe prospect.  

why would we trade him when we're battling for home field advantage throughout the playoffs? 

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

why would we trade him when we're battling for home field advantage throughout the playoffs? 

that's a good question.  ask your unicorn.  

[UndertheHalo]

2 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

that's a good question.  ask your unicorn.  

 

[Lou]

6 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

that's a good question.  ask your unicorn.  

[nando714]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

Where does their prized OF prospect Kyle Tucker play now? Or is he viewed as a CF?

I think they’re trying to get rid of Reddick and his contract 

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Or he can not be stupid...   https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/offseason-spending-on-relievers-isnt-working-out/

Fwiw, I'm not against spending on the pen, but history has shown that other than truly elite closers, spending BIG money on the pen is a mistake.  Last year's free agent RPs were a case study in reliever volatility and the risks involved with paying top money to middle relievers. 

Where have you gone Scot Shields-gio, a nation turns its lonely eyes to youuuuuu......

[Inside Pitch]

4 minutes ago, nando714 said:

I think they’re trying to get rid of Reddick and his contract 

Yep, they can even point at Calhoun and try to argue Reddick is a bargain.....

[beatlesrule]

It does suck watching the Astros get even better while your team with the billionaire owner won't match or try to beat any of the competitions offers. If the Astros do in fact get Realmuto, they will be even more of a powerhouse which will make them far and away the best team in the division.  The Angels as they are right now, aren't even a wild card team.  There is a lot of time left sure but guys are starting to sign more and more and Eppler's comments about the trade market aren't very encouraging.  Most of us know and accept the needs of this team and fixing them within a budget is obviously proving to be difficult.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

It does suck watching the Astros get even better while your team with the billionaire owner won't match or try to beat any of the competitions offers. If the Astros do in fact get Realmuto, they will be even more of a powerhouse which will make them far and away the best team in the division.  The Angels as they are right now, aren't even a wild card team.  There is a lot of time left sure but guys are starting to sign more and more and Eppler's comments about the trade market aren't very encouraging.  Most of us know and accept the needs of this team and fixing them within a budget is obviously proving to be difficult.

The Astros are not better than they were at the end of last season.  Their owner is also a billionaire.  

[kevinb]

I hope the Astros get better. They are trying to keep up with the Angels in that regard. This will be a hotly contested division with all the young arms the Angels will throw at the Astros. Once Adell comes up in the second month of the season he will push Upton to first base and have 3 GG outfielders. While Upton is killing it at 1st. Should be an exciting year, hopefully the Angels sign Maldonado to help the pitching staff. 

[Erstad Grit]

8 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

It does suck watching the Astros get even better while your team with the billionaire owner won't match or try to beat any of the competitions offers. If the Astros do in fact get Realmuto, they will be even more of a powerhouse which will make them far and away the best team in the division.  The Angels as they are right now, aren't even a wild card team.  There is a lot of time left sure but guys are starting to sign more and more and Eppler's comments about the trade market aren't very encouraging.  Most of us know and accept the needs of this team and fixing them within a budget is obviously proving to be difficult.

You do realize angels patrol is higher correct?  Issue is not arte refusing to spend,  issue is it has been spent poorly 

[Docwaukee]

19 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

I hope the Astros get better. They are trying to keep up with the Angels in that regard. This will be a hotly contested division with all the young arms the Angels will throw at the Astros. Once Adell comes up in the second month of the season he will push Upton to first base and have 3 GG outfielders. While Upton is killing it at 1st. Should be an exciting year, hopefully the Angels sign Maldonado to help the pitching staff. 

[beatlesrule]

Dec. 17, 9:28pm: The Ramos deal includes a $2MM signing bonus, meaning Ramos’s 2019 salary will technically be $6.25MM, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter link).

So Eppler needs to get a catcher at least as good as Ramos for 6.25 million or less in order for this not being a missed opportunity.

26 minutes ago, Stradling said:

The Astros are not better than they were at the end of last season.  Their owner is also a billionaire.  

They upgraded though so how are they not better? They haven't lost anyone major either.

20 minutes ago, Erstad Grit said:

You do realize angels patrol is higher correct?  Issue is not arte refusing to spend,  issue is it has been spent poorly 

I mentioned Arte's budget. The Angels should have been shedding salary all these years starting in 2016 but Arte needed to create the illusion of winning to get his 3 million fans. It's his team though so hey, if he wants to own a mediocre franchise that has only gone to the playoffs one time since 2009, that's his prerogative.

 

[Stradling]

Just now, beatlesrule said:

Dec. 17, 9:28pm: The Ramos deal includes a $2MM signing bonus, meaning Ramos’s 2019 salary will technically be $6.25MM, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter link).

So Eppler needs to get a catcher at least as good as Ramos for 6.5 million or less.

They upgraded though so how are they not better? They haven't lost anyone major either.

I mentioned Arte's budget. The Angels should have been shedding salary all these years starting in 2016 but Arte needed to create the illusion of winning to get his 3 million fans. It's his team though so hey, if he wants to own a mediocre franchise that has only gone to the playoffs one time since 2009, that's his prerogative.

 

They’ve lost Morton, probably Martin, probably Keuchel, the pitcher that had TJ surgery.   

[Stradling]

Also it’s silly to pretend he’s only getting paid $6.25 million.