Does anyone have any idea what Eppler's offseason game plan is?

[Chuck]

Besides @ettin in his recent article, has Eppler been on record for what his offseason game plan or strategy is? 

@Jeff Fletcher? 

[tdawg87]

Play Xbox while fueling Arte's yacht and signing guys who will immediately get hurt and 

[Lou]

why would this offseason be any different? 

[WeatherWonk]

10 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Besides @ettin in his recent article, has Eppler been on record for what his offseason game plan or strategy is? 

@Jeff Fletcher? 

Wouldn't he want to play this pretty close to the vest? It's a GM swamp out there.

[Chuck]

3 minutes ago, Lou said:

why would this offseason be any different? 

I know there's always that proverbial "we're aiming to get better" take from Eppler and I do like him a bunch, but I wonder if they have some players in mind to trade for or sign via FA. 

[Lou]

1 minute ago, Chuckster70 said:

I know there's always that proverbial "we're aiming to get better" take from Eppler and I do like him a bunch, but I wonder if they have some players in mind to trade for or sign via FA. 

that was my point. other than commenting in very general terms, when has he ever stated what the plan is?

[Hubs]

Trent Rush tweeted earlier that he had Eppler in Studio for an hour tonight and that he’d be airing it on Thursday at 7. They talked offseason strategy supposedly.

[Lou]

Sweet!!!

who's Trent Rush?

[Hubs]

1 minute ago, Lou said:

Sweet!!!

who's Trent Rush?

He hosts Angels talk on AM830. 

 

[Chuck]

5 minutes ago, Lou said:

that was my point. other than commenting in very general terms, when has he ever stated what the plan is?

Yeah, I'm just an anxious fan wondering where we go this offseason. 

I wonder if it will be something gnarly like Harper or Machado (which I doubt), or go for some killer trades of cost controlled talent, or just fill in here and there, making just some minor moves. 

[Hubs]

1 minute ago, Chuckster70 said:

Yeah, I'm just an anxious fan wondering where we go this offseason. 

I wonder if it will be something gnarly like Harper or Machado (which I doubt), or go for some killer trades of cost controlled talent, or just fill in here and there, making just some minor moves. 

I think he’ll shake things up a bit. 

He’s averaged 4-6 new players every year from opening day to opening day. I don’t expect anything different.

if you look back at who was on the team back when he took over versus now, it’s a big difference.

[wopphil]

I kind of have the feeling it is going to be a disappointing offseason. Perhaps we do something like sign a mid tier reliever and someone like Gio Gonzalez. Marginal improvements that dont move the needle much.

[Tank]

14 minutes ago, Lou said:

that was my point. other than commenting in very general terms, when has he ever stated what the plan is?

When has ANY Angels GM revealed their plans publicly?

all of us should be used to the silence by now, while realizing that silence doesn't equal inactivity.

[kevinb]

No clue. But I’m very interested to see what he pulls out of his hat. 

[Tyler]

Good thread. I'm a little worried myself... just being honest with it we are so far behind the Yankees and Red Sox that if we don't go all in and they get these guys then we might as well trade Trout because the middle is a recipe for consistent mediocrity.... aka the last decade of Angels baseball...

[JAHV76]

Eppler seems like a guy who’s  working multiple angles at the same time. I wouldn’t doubt by next week they sign a starting pitcher, catcher and a least one  relief pitcher. 

 

One can be hopeful at least.

[eligrba]

Other than the auctioneer with the Seattle Marlins,  no other GM has done much.

Not worried, just patiently curious. 

[The_Outrunner]

I'm assuming with the GM meetings upcoming, we could be in for a few trades. I highly doubt we pick up anyone huge...Unless Arte want's to go over the budget 

[Torridd]

9 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Besides @ettin in his recent article, has Eppler been on record for what his offseason game plan or strategy is? 

@Jeff Fletcher? 

It's funny Chuck I was going to create a topic if Eppler's moves are based solely on Moreno's restrictions (say budget) or does he have some plan in mind? 

[Torridd]

8 hours ago, Hubs said:

Trent Rush tweeted earlier that he had Eppler in Studio for an hour tonight and that he’d be airing it on Thursday at 7. They talked offseason strategy supposedly.

AKA an hour of spin

[Blarg]

8 hours ago, Hubs said:

Trent Rush tweeted earlier that he had Eppler in Studio for an hour tonight and that he’d be airing it on Thursday at 7. They talked offseason strategy supposedly.

So they got about five minutes out of him. 

[totdprods]

8 hours ago, Hubs said:

I think he’ll shake things up a bit. 

He’s averaged 4-6 new players every year from opening day to opening day. I don’t expect anything different.

if you look back at who was on the team back when he took over versus now, it’s a big difference.

Non-tendering Shoemaker and Parker definitely indicates a step in that direction. He’s going to move on from unreliable pieces and start plugging in guys who will have more long-term use to the team. It’s why I can definitely believe they’re looking at different options for RF.

I think Eppler is going to get a little more aggressive in rewriting the team DNA this offseason. He has a new manager and the team/organization is quickly becoming one in which he has been the primary architect. I imagine an extension or some assurance of job security has either been discussed or is expected at this point. 

So I don’t think his efforts this offseason will be 2019 focused. They will be more for 2020-2022. That’s not to say he won’t do something dramatic like trade for Greinke, Kluber, or Realmuto, or won’t rule out signing Harper or Keuchel, but I don’t think we’ll see the same stopgap mindset. And I don’t think he’ll eat into the farm too much, which makes me think if he does add a big name, it will be via FA, or a deal where he assumes salary, like Greinke. He may sign some minor names to start ‘19 which aligns with his usual offseason work, but the path will be much clearer for our AA/AAA prospects to bust through and begin establishing themselves in anticipation of the 2020+ seasons.

[Jeff Fletcher]

9 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Besides @ettin in his recent article, has Eppler been on record for what his offseason game plan or strategy is? 

@Jeff Fletcher? 

He has said multiple times that he’s planning to add pitching, starting and relief, and maybe a catcher, but that most of the upgrades offensively will come from within. 

He also specifically said durability is a key for pitchers. OBP for hitters  

I’ll go back and find the stories later. One was immediately after the season and the others were during the GM meetings. 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Jeff Fletcher

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, eligrba said:

Other than the auctioneer with the Seattle Marlins,  no other GM has done much.

Not worried, just patiently curious. 

The auctioneer might be the best Dipoto nickname we’ve seen. 

[Dtwncbad]

12 minutes ago, Stradling said:

The auctioneer might be the best Dipoto nickname we’ve seen. 

I prefer DiPhoto.

The hair is perfect and he likes attention.