$30 Million Off Season, how do YOU spend it?

[jessecrall]

Daniel Murphy's assets are lost on me. He's versatile only in the sense that if you pencil him in at 2B, he'll grab a glove and take the field. But he's brutal over there, 18 runs below average in 71 games last year and -15 in 139 games in 2017. If you play him at second for any length of time, he will cost you wins. So that makes him a 1B essentially spelling Pujols. If he's at 1B and he rediscovers his 2016-2017 stroke, great. But last year, he was 6% better than the league offensively and he turns 34 at the beginning of the season. Does anyone expect him to improve at the plate? Were he some bargain basement flyer, fine, but he's projected to get 2/28. I don't see how that's tenable when Descalco was as good a hitter with better on-base skills, isn't a butcher at 2nd, will cost a fraction as much and is 2 years younger. Or you stick with internal options like Thaiss and spend elsewhere.

[failos]

Definitely Keuchel. This team is in dire need of pitching.

[popo85]

Agreed we need SP whether via FA (Keuchel, Evoldi) or Trade (Tehran)

[AngelsLakersFan]

11 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Sign me up. Unfortunately I think the reasoning behind the hitting coach was to turn him around again so they could spend in other places.

With the budget where it is and the needs as broad as they are it’s hard to imagine an outcome that doesn’t involve Calhoun in right field. Unfortunately with the way he finished the season I’m very worried about what he’ll do next year. They need him to rebound but I think he’s more likely to be a problem offensively. The team is much more likely to take a risk on Calhoun and save those resources for a pitcher. Having a legit bat in front of Trout and Ohtani could be the single biggest upgrade we make, but it’s hard to see it happening.

[AngelsLakersFan]

11 minutes ago, jessecrall said:

Daniel Murphy's assets are lost on me. He's versatile only in the sense that if you pencil him in at 2B, he'll grab a glove and take the field. But he's brutal over there, 18 runs below average in 71 games last year and -15 in 139 games in 2017. If you play him at second for any length of time, he will cost you wins. So that makes him a 1B essentially spelling Pujols. If he's at 1B and he rediscovers his 2016-2017 stroke, great. But last year, he was 6% better than the league offensively and he turns 34 at the beginning of the season. Does anyone expect him to improve at the plate? Were he some bargain basement flyer, fine, but he's projected to get 2/28. I don't see how that's tenable when Descalco was as good a hitter with better on-base skills, isn't a butcher at 2nd, will cost a fraction as much and is 2 years younger. Or you stick with internal options like Thaiss and spend elsewhere.

They don’t need him to play second base though. They need a first basemen who can play third. Can Murphy play an adequate third? If so then he should definitely be in the running.

[wopphil]

2 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

With the budget where it is and the needs as broad as they are it’s hard to imagine an outcome that doesn’t involve Calhoun in right field. Unfortunately with the way he finished the season I’m very worried about what he’ll do next year. They need him to rebound but I think he’s more likely to be a problem offensively. The team is much more likely to take a risk on Calhoun and save those resources for a pitcher. Having a legit bat in front of Trout and Ohtani could be the single biggest upgrade we make, but it’s hard to see it happening.

This might be solvable by signing a guy like Gonzalez. If Calhoun sucks, Gonzalez can take at bats in right. If Calhoun is good, Gonzalez can take at bats from Pujols at first.

The more I think it through, the more I think Gonzalez would be huge for this club.

[jessecrall]

1 minute ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

They don’t need him to play second base though. They need a first basemen who can play third. Can Murphy play an adequate third? If so then he should definitely be in the running.

He hasn't played 3rd for any real length of time since 2015 and he was a little below average per DRS and more than a little via Total Zone Runs and UZR. That was 3 years ago. Unless you sign him to a bargain-basement price to willingly backup Cozart & Fletcher, he just doesn't make any sense to me.

[GrittyVeterans]

2 minutes ago, jessecrall said:

He hasn't played 3rd for any real length of time since 2015 and he was a little below average per DRS and more than a little via Total Zone Runs and UZR. That was 3 years ago. Unless you sign him to a bargain-basement price to willingly backup Cozart & Fletcher, he just doesn't make any sense to me.

We need a 1st baseman though. He can hit leadoff and play 1B. Albert Pujols is not a viable option, I hope Eppler realizes that

[AngelsLakersFan]

6 minutes ago, wopphil said:

This might be solvable by signing a guy like Gonzalez. If Calhoun sucks, Gonzalez can take at bats in right. If Calhoun is good, Gonzalez can take at bats from Pujols at first.

The more I think it through, the more I think Gonzalez would be huge for this club.

I’ve been thinking the same way, except Gonzalez is a back of the lineup hitter. Aside from 2017 he’s been a low on base guy. This might be all we need, but I can’t help but be drawn in by McCutchen’s speed and .366 obp the last two years.

[jessecrall]

11 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

We need a 1st baseman though. He can hit leadoff and play 1B. Albert Pujols is not a viable option, I hope Eppler realizes that

If you're going to jettison Pujols and his contract, why would you then sign a slow, expensive, defensively incapable infielder with knee problems coming off a sub-replacement-level season to replace him?

[GrittyVeterans]

15 minutes ago, jessecrall said:

If you're going to jettison Pujols and his contract, why would you then sign a slow, expensive, defensively incapable infielder with knee problems coming off a sub-replacement-level season to replace him?

Not jettisoning Pujols' contract...he is going to be here no matter what...we need a platoon partner for him and a leadoff hitter..check two boxes with one signing

[jessecrall]

7 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Not jettisoning Pujols' contract...he is going to be here no matter what...we need a platoon partner for him and a leadoff hitter..check two boxes with one signing

Look, if we sign Murphy, I wish him all the best. i hope he rediscovers his 2017 stroke, is healthy all year, looks like '79 Keith Hernandez at 1st, accepts gay marriage and finds a great parking space every time he goes to Trader Joe's. I just don't see it happening and he's not worth an 8-figure AAV to find out. You're talking about spending ~$40 million next year on two old, banged-up 1B. Descalco is a waaaay better option.

[2112]

2 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Not jettisoning Pujols' contract...he is going to be here no matter what...we need a platoon partner for him and a leadoff hitter..check two boxes with one signing

You know that Pujols is like the sacred cow here right?  They all hate he's still here but they will all come unglued it you suggest some logical way to use him...

[Stradling]

4 hours ago, floplag said:

Now that i disagree with, pending how you define over the top.
I posted a response to your question yesterday that i think absolutely puts us in a WC spot.  Does it put us in the WS, probably not, but its a step in the right direction.
 

If you spend $30 million you can get into the wild card any number of ways.

[Docwaukee]

17 minutes ago, Stradling said:

If you spend $30 million you can get into the wild card any number of ways.

you just made me realize that the only way this happens is if we get Donaldson on the cheap and he reverts to his 2017 form.  

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

you just made me realize that the only way this happens is if we get Donaldson on the cheap and he reverts to his 2017 form.  

You have to build a team that gets you to the trade deadline with a real possibility to make the playoffs.  At that point with the prospects we have they can improve the team to build it to really compete down the stretch.  To me it is about the current pen being good enough until the deadline.  It is about getting a Suzuki type of catcher for around $3 million.  Then you go after Murphy or Donaldson, and see which one wants to commit to 1 or 2 years at your price.  If neither do, then you know you can get Moustakas, who extends a good line up, but isn’t a great player.  Then you go after the best starter you can get and the next level down.  I like the idea of adding a Tony Sipp type, who I think is under rated.  You can also free up a few million by non tendering a few guys if that helps any.  

[Docwaukee]

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

You have to build a team that gets you to the trade deadline with a real possibility to make the playoffs.  At that point with the prospects we have they can improve the team to build it to really compete down the stretch.  To me it is about the current pen being good enough until the deadline.  It is about getting a Suzuki type of catcher for around $3 million.  Then you go after Murphy or Donaldson, and see which one wants to commit to 1 or 2 years at your price.  If neither do, then you know you can get Moustakas, who extends a good line up, but isn’t a great player.  Then you go after the best starter you can get and the next level down.  I like the idea of adding a Tony Sipp type, who I think is under rated.  You can also free up a few million by non tendering a few guys if that helps any.  

I'm actually pretty confident that the pen can hold things together next year and be pretty good.  The rest of what I see needing to happen is getting avg offense and one very good performance from 1b, 2b, 3b, C, RF.  Or at least that one good performance and 3 of the other 4 being avg.  I think Calhoun, and 2b (whether it's Cozart of Fletcher) are going to be at least avg.  1b is likely going to be a dud.  C could be avg if we sign Suzuki.  I just don't see that one really good performance coming from anyone we currently have.  Donaldson gives you that chance.  Granted, there is as likely of a chance that he's mediocre and spend a ton of time on the DL.  But it would be nice to take that shot at least.  

If you do that and sign Happ for 2 years and Buchholz for 1 at the right price, you are pretty close from a payroll standpoint.  Then Fletcher becomes your util .  Would really like to find a way to work Descalso in there still.  I would also see if you could swing a trade for a guy like Andrew Toles as your 4th OFer.  He could run into a roster crunch with the dogs.  

If you wanted to save some money on the SP side, you could make a trade for a cheaper back of the rotation starter instead of signing Buchholz.  It would probably be a guy we'd turn our nose up to but perhaps someone that Doug White has advised on that he thinks would be a good candidate for his techniques.  

Simmons, Trout, Ohtani, Upton, Donaldson, Albert/Descalso, Calhoun, Cozart/Fletcher, Suzuki and off the bench you'd have Fletcher, Descalso, Toles, and backup C 

Happ, Heaney, Barria, Skaggs, Buchholz or trade with depth as Shoe, Pena, Canning, Suarez and some minor league FA deals like Matt Moore, Chris Tillman Drew Pomeranz, or Jaime Garcia.  Or Eppler works his magic and finds us another Felix Pena.  

Some minor league FA relievers that could be targeted are Zach McAllister, Carson Smith, Jandel Gustave, Adam Warren.  Couple of those guys could get major league deals instead of course.  

[Troll Daddy]

Wisely 

[floplag]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

If you spend $30 million you can get into the wild card any number of ways.

When 20-25 of it goes to pitchers?   I highly doubt that, an offense of what we have now plus a Suzuki isnt going to get that done.  

[Second Base]

I hear yacht fuel,is expensive these days...

[Second Base]

But if it's me, and I'm fully aware the Angels likely won't do any of these...

Yusei Kikuchi at 5/45. 21 million left to spend.

Lance Lynn at 1/9 with a team option for 2/20. 12 million left to spend. 

Trade Kole Calhoun, Brandon Marsh, Matt Thaiss, Jose Suarez and Chris Rodriguez for Starling Marte. Still 12 million left.

Sign Daniel Murphy at 1/9 with a team option for 2/20. 3 million left to spend. 

Sign Suzuki for 1/3. 

Use magical pixie dust and convince Albert to retire, but keep his money.

RF Marte, CF Trout, DH Ohtani, LF Upton 1B Murphy SS Simmons, 3B Cozart, 2B Fletcher, C Suzuki

Bench: OF Young Jr., UT Fernandez, C Smith

Rotation: Skaggs, Heaney, Barria, Kikuchi, Lynn

Bullpen: Buttrey, Parker, Alvarez, Robles, Pena, Shoe, Anderson, Middleton/Jerez/Jewell

Solid team.

[kevinb]

I thought about it a lot. Pretty much everyone is in agreement no one wants to win in 2019, no one thinks we can win in 2019. Save the 30 million and call it an offseason. 

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Kurt Suzuki..... Our Winter 2018/2019 Logan Morrison!

[Stradling]

5 hours ago, Kevinb said:

I thought about it a lot. Pretty much everyone is in agreement no one wants to win in 2019, no one thinks we can win in 2019. Save the 30 million and call it an offseason. 

I’ve thought about it a lot.  You’re incapable of participating in threads like this.  

[TNAngelsFan71]

McCutchen 2/24M -- use Calhoun as 4th OF and platoon at 1B/Pujols

Donaldson 1/15M -- Cozart/ Fletcher are 2B and Util... let Ward get the time in AAA and use as needed.

Maldonado 2/8M -- Go after Realmuto when he hits FA in 2 yrs.

Kikuchi 6/42M 

Richards 1/at league min w/player option at 10M

Kikuchi/Heaney/Skaggs/Barria/Canning -- nontender Shoemaker, Bedrosian and Tropeano (saves estimated 7.4M arb costs)

so AAV's of  12 + 15 + 4 + 7 = 38 M - 7.4 = 30.6M

1. McCutchen - RF

2. Trout - CF

3. Otani - DH

4. Donaldson - 3B

5. Upton - LF

6. Simmons - SS

7. Pujols/Calhoun -1B

8. Cozart/Fletcher - 2B

9. Maldonado - C