25-Man Roster (Updated 12/28)

[Angelsjunky]

Is this about right? Bold-face are missing pieces:

Major League Team

Catchers (2): Lucroy, Smith

Infielders (6): Pujols, Bour, Simmons, Cozart, Fletcher,  La Stella

Outfielders (4): Upton, Trout, Calhoun, Bourjos

DH (1): Ohtani

Rotation (5): Skaggs, Heaney, Harvey, Cahill, Barria

Bullpen (7 of...) : Buttrey, Anderson, Garcia, Bedrosian, Robles, Tropeano, F Pena, Cole (or reliever)

AAA/DL Depth

Bench: Hermosillo, Rengifo, Ward, Walsh, Puello, Briceno, Thaiss

Rotation: Tropeano, Cole, Peters, Smith, Canning, Suarez, JC Ramirez (2nd half)

Bullpen: N Ramirez, Jerez, Farrell, Middleton, Jewell (at some point)

 

That's just the most likely scenario, as I see it. There might be some changes: Briceno instead of Smith, Rengifo instead of La Stella, Hermosillo vs. Bourjos, etc. But that's the gist of it.

Anyhow, I like the depth - lots of useful options. 

EDITED TO INCLUDE LUCROY

[kevinb]

Tropeano and JC Ramirez will be in Anaheim 

[Angelsjunky]

14 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

Tropeano and JC Ramirez will be in Anaheim 

Tropeano maybe instead of Cole, but I'm not sure Ramirez will be ready.

[Travis Painter]

27 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Is this about right? Bold-face are missing pieces:

Major League Team

Catchers (2): Catcher, Smith

Infielders (6): Pujols, Bour, Simmons, Cozart, Fletcher,  La Stella

Outfielders (4): Upton, Trout, Calhoun, Bourjos

DH (1): Ohtani

Rotation (5): Starter, Skaggs, Heaney, Harvey, Barria.

Bullpen (7) : Buttrey, Anderson, Garcia, Bedrosian, Robles, Cole, Reliever

 

AAA/DL Depth

Bench: Hermosillo, Rengifo, Ward, Walsh, Puello, Briceno, Thaiss

Rotation: Tropeano, JC Ramirez, Peters, Cole, Smith, Canning, Suarez

Bullpen: Jewell, N Ramirez, Jerez, Farrell, Middleton

 

That's just the most likely scenario, as I see it. There might be some changes: Briceno instead of Smith, Rengifo instead of La Stella, Hermosillo vs. Bourjos, etc. But that's the gist of it.

Anyhow, I like the depth - lots of useful options. Eppler will likely spend the remaining $20-25M on a catcher, starter, and possibly (but not definitely) a reliever. 

Missing Felix Pena as the swing guy out of the pen.  I guess he could be stashed in Salt Lake City at the beginning of the season.  

[Angelsjunky]

I'll update to add Pena and Tropeano, put Cole in AAA, get rid of "reliever."

[Docwaukee]

6 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

I'll update to add Pena and Tropeano, put Cole in AAA, get rid of "reliever."

I think you had it right.  Trop will start in AAA and pitch in the rotation there.  I like Cole's chances of being in the pen with Pena as the long guy or maybe in AAA as well if we add another arm in the pen.  I do think we'll add one more starter and a reliever although I don't think it will be someone high priced.  Maybe around the $3-5m range.  

 Bour, La Stella, Pena, Cole, Peters, Farrell all still have an option or more.  Garcia, Ramirez, Robles, Bedrosian, Austin Brice, and Almonte do not.  So we might see Brice and/or Almonte start the year on the 25 man if they have a good spring.  

Brice in particular is interesting.  sits at 94 and hits 96 with a 50+% GB rate.  But he's got poor control.  He's still only 26.  

Almonte got torched in AAA last year at SLC.  I think he's more likely to be the next guy off the 40 man should we need a spot.  We're currently at 39

Noe is either going to be on the major league club or get released as well.  I favor the latter but they've kept him longer that I figured they would so they might keep giving him chances.  

 

[Docwaukee]

I really think our AAA rotation starts the year as Canning, Suarez, Trop, Pena, Peters.  Maybe Farrell as well.  There's also Forrest Snow and Luis Pena.  

[totdprods]

To me, it still feels a little too early to make any black and white assumptions about the 25-man. 

We have, by my estimation, around $22m left to spend and three clear-cut needs: catcher, another SP, and likely a RP. 
A 4th OF or additional IF could be an opportunistic buy still. 

Seems tricky to pull even half of those off with the $$$ remaining - that's not an indictment on Harvey's $11m btw.
If the team is serious about upgrading those spots and competing in 2019, I feel like there's still one move to be made that'll be hard to predict - be it signing one of the bigger name FAs left, a major trade, a major salary dump involving Calhoun or Cozart. Or maybe just a simple hike in payroll.

I feel pretty strongly that there is something ahead that will change what's listed above dramatically still.
My guess is one of the following: 
1) A payroll hike, enabling another impact signing - Keuchel, Grandal, perhaps Machado, or a salary absorption trade like Greinke, Kluber, Bumgarner, Gray
2) A significant trade for an impact player like Realmuto, Stroman, Franco

Otherwise, Bour and Harvey are going to wind up as our top 'name' additions and the rest will be filled out cheaply.

I have a feeling we'll see a little bump in payroll before all is said and done, and one more addition come in around $10m-$20m AAV, and the rest of the needs filled out cheaply.

[TroutField]

21 minutes ago, totdprods said:

To me, it still feels a little too early to make any black and white assumptions about the 25-man. 

We have, by my estimation, around $22m left to spend and three clear-cut needs: catcher, another SP, and likely a RP. 
A 4th OF or additional IF could be an opportunistic buy still. 

Seems tricky to pull even half of those off with the $$$ remaining - that's not an indictment on Harvey's $11m btw.
If the team is serious about upgrading those spots and competing in 2019, I feel like there's still one move to be made that'll be hard to predict - be it signing one of the bigger name FAs left, a major trade, a major salary dump involving Calhoun or Cozart. Or maybe just a simple hike in payroll.

I feel pretty strongly that there is something ahead that will change what's listed above dramatically still.
My guess is one of the following: 
1) A payroll hike, enabling another impact signing - Keuchel, Grandal, perhaps Machado, or a salary absorption trade like Greinke, Kluber, Bumgarner, Gray
2) A significant trade for an impact player like Realmuto, Stroman, Franco

Otherwise, Bour and Harvey are going to wind up as our top 'name' additions and the rest will be filled out cheaply.

I have a feeling we'll see a little bump in payroll before all is said and done, and one more addition come in around $10m-$20m AAV, and the rest of the needs filled out cheaply.

I think they find someone to take Cozart and eat some of the money, they have so much IF depth right now.

 

He might make sense for SD, they are looking for a 3rd base stop gap to Tatis. Not sure what we could get back from then as secondbase insists they aren’t willing to move hedges. Maybe if we threw in something like Marsh and salary relief for Cozart into the deal it entices them to move Hedges, though. 

[Docwaukee]

20 minutes ago, totdprods said:

To me, it still feels a little too early to make any black and white assumptions about the 25-man. 

We have, by my estimation, around $22m left to spend and three clear-cut needs: catcher, another SP, and likely a RP. 
A 4th OF or additional IF could be an opportunistic buy still. 

Seems tricky to pull even half of those off with the $$$ remaining - that's not an indictment on Harvey's $11m btw.
If the team is serious about upgrading those spots and competing in 2019, I feel like there's still one move to be made that'll be hard to predict - be it signing one of the bigger name FAs left, a major trade, a major salary dump involving Calhoun or Cozart. Or maybe just a simple hike in payroll.

I feel pretty strongly that there is something ahead that will change what's listed above dramatically still.
My guess is one of the following: 
1) A payroll hike, enabling another impact signing - Keuchel, Grandal, perhaps Machado, or a salary absorption trade like Greinke, Kluber, Bumgarner, Gray
2) A significant trade for an impact player like Realmuto, Stroman, Franco

Otherwise, Bour and Harvey are going to wind up as our top 'name' additions and the rest will be filled out cheaply.

I have a feeling we'll see a little bump in payroll before all is said and done, and one more addition come in around $10m-$20m AAV, and the rest of the needs filled out cheaply.

racist  

[totdprods]

6 minutes ago, TroutField said:

I think they find someone to take Cozart and eat some of the money, they have so much IF depth right now.

He might make sense for SD, they are looking for a 3rd base stop gap to Tatis. Not sure what we could get back from then as secondbase insists they aren’t willing to move hedges. Maybe if we threw in something like Marsh and salary relief for Cozart into the deal it entices them to move Hedges, though. 

They just got Kinsler to help with that. 

I have a hard time believing anyone is going to have any interest in Cozart. He's a tad expensive, he just had major surgery, he wasn't exactly much more than a one-hit wonder already, and the FA market is flooded with IF options right now. Why would you want Cozart for $26m when Tulo, Dozier, Beckham, Cabrera, Forsythe, Flores, Murphy, LeMahieu, Harrison, Marwin, SRod, Lowrie, Walker, Solate, Escobar, Moustakas, Iglesias, and Galvis (a Padres favorite), are all still available, likely for less $$$? 

If Cozart is dealt, it's probably not going to be a very good deal for the Angels - they'd be taking on a lot of salary, or including some significant prospect capital, with Cozart (and still likely other salary) simply moving teams to round out the deal's value, like Realmuto and Starlin Castro for Tyler Skaggs, Brandon Marsh, Luis Rengifo, and Zack Cozart.

[Blarg]

8 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Rengifo instead of La Stella

You mean Rengifo instead of Fletcher, right?

[totdprods]

If I were to try and dream up a realistic remaining offseason...

1) Sign Mike Moustakas to a 2/$16m for 3B (-$8m)
2) Sign Yasmani Grandal to 3/$45m for C (-$15m)
3) Sign Yusei Kikuchi to 6/$42m for SP (-$7m) 
4) Sign a trio of RPs to ST invites/minimum dollar deals and let them battle it out (Soria, Holland, Delgado, Hudson, etc.)

Rotation (5): Skaggs, Harvey, Heaney, Kikuchi, Barria/Pena/prospects
Bullpen (7): Anderson, Buttrey, Robles, Garcia, Bedrosian, Brice, winner of ST competition
Line-up (9): RF Calhoun, SS Simmons, CF Trout, LF Upton, DH Ohtani, 1B Pujols, C Grandal, 3B Moustakas, 2B Cozart
Bench (4): C Smith, 1B Bour, INF La Stella, OF Bourjos/Parker/Hermosillo

The spending goes a few mil over budget, and the pitching isn't addressed nearly as much as I would have liked at the onset of the offseason...
But that line-up is much improved, as is the bench. Lots of additional power, OBP, and defense added to the equation. Lots of L/R balance and batting order versatility. The rotation is risky still but has a lot of upside, and the bullpen is a gamble once again, but the Angels don't lose any prospects except a draft pick. 

It'd be a very flexible team midseason too. 
With Simmons, Cozart, Moustakas, and Bour all under control for '19 and '20, the Angels can utilize Ward, Fletcher, Rengifo, Thaiss, and Jones as pitching upgrade tradebait. Conversely, any of those vet IFs and Calhoun could be dealt to free up some money and add prospects (i.e, Sandoval, Buttrey, Jerez) or playing time if the Angels are out of it.

I'm actually pretty satisfied with this outcome.

[stanick88]

11 minutes ago, Blarg said:

You mean Rengifo instead of Fletcher, right?

I understand that rengifo is the new hot pet prospect for everyone, but he hasn’t Had MLB success yet. So why is everyone ready to pencil him in to start when people like fletcher have already had success at the MLB level. Fletcher is like an after thought around here, which I dnt get. Give the dude a chance, as he can be our spark plug like he was at the end of last year. I think Fletcher may surprise people, win a starting infield job with us, and have a solid year with the glove and bat. 

[Docwaukee]

6 minutes ago, totdprods said:

They just got Kinsler to help with that. 

I have a hard time believing anyone is going to have any interest in Cozart. He's a tad expensive, he just had major surgery, he wasn't exactly much more than a one-hit wonder already, and the FA market is flooded with IF options right now. Why would you want Cozart for $26m when Tulo, Dozier, Beckham, Cabrera, Forsythe, Flores, Murphy, LeMahieu, Harrison, Marwin, SRod, Lowrie, Walker, Solate, Escobar, Moustakas, Iglesias, and Galvis (a Padres favorite), are all still available, likely for less $$$? 

If Cozart is dealt, it's probably not going to be a very good deal for the Angels - they'd be taking on a lot of salary, or including some significant prospect capital, with Cozart (and still likely other salary) simply moving teams to round out the deal's value, like Realmuto and Starlin Castro for Tyler Skaggs, Brandon Marsh, Luis Rengifo, and Zack Cozart.

any trade where we're giving up top prospects from our system feels pretty unrealistic right now as does being able to move Cozart unless someone is desperate for a SS and isn't in on Machado.  The teams that might fit that bill are the Padres, Dbacks, Pirates, and Brewers.  A flip of Cozart and some cash for Cervelli?  I don't see the Brewers giving up on Arcia, but their middle infield is garbage.  Maybe we could get a platoon C or relief arm and do a salary dump.  

[Angel Oracle]

Okay, I’m stupdified.

Why would anyone keep Taylor Cole off of the 25 man roster?

Dude had strong numbers here in 2018.

How much longer thusly, will we have to put up with the BadRock show?

[totdprods]

7 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

any trade where we're giving up top prospects from our system feels pretty unrealistic right now as does being able to move Cozart unless someone is desperate for a SS and isn't in on Machado.  The teams that might fit that bill are the Padres, Dbacks, Pirates, and Brewers.  A flip of Cozart and some cash for Cervelli?  I don't see the Brewers giving up on Arcia, but their middle infield is garbage.  Maybe we could get a platoon C or relief arm and do a salary dump.  

That was a total theoretical, meant to point out how unlikely, if not impossible, Cozart would be to move. 

There's just way too many good IF options available in FA that are likely to sign for less than Cozart's $13m AAV.

Cervelli maybe? But I'd think Pittsburgh would rather get some prospects or cheap talent back for him, and simply sign a FA IF.

[totdprods]

8 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Okay, I’m stupdified.

Why would anyone keep Taylor Cole off of the 25 man roster?

Dude had strong numbers here in 2018.

How much longer thusly, will we have to put up with the BadRock show?

To me, it's purely because of the fact that he has options, and have our pen won't. The best way for us to have a good bullpen is to have at least a dozen guys to use throughout the year. Any vets we add likely won't have options,and being vets, they'll get first shot for success. It's creating depth. 

[greginpsca]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

That was a total theoretical, meant to point out how unlikely, if not impossible, Cozart would be to move. 

There's just way too many good IF options available in FA that are likely to sign for less than Cozart's $13m AAV.

Cervelli maybe? But I'd think Pittsburgh would rather get some prospects or cheap talent back for him, and simply sign a FA IF.

Pirates need a ss. They lost Mercer to Free Agency. To move Cozart, the Angels could eat a part of the $26m owed over 2 years to help make him affordable. If they ate as much as half, the Angels would get $6.5 m relief this year and next.

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, greginpsca said:

Pirates need a ss. They lost Mercer to Free Agency. To move Cozart, the Angels could eat a part of the $26m owed over 2 years to help make him affordable. If they ate as much as half, the Angels would get $6.5 m relief this year and next.

And they're also mentioned as having interest in Tulo, as Hurdle is their manager. Jose Iglesias, Adeiny Hechavarria, Freddy Galvis, Alcides Escobar, and Tim Beckham also feel like good FA SS fits for them, and likely won't cost as much as Cozart, even if Angels ate some money.

Unless they specifically like Cozart from his days in Cincy (he has a .600 OPS against Pittsburgh, and a .600 OPS in PNC Park, so probably not), I just can't see them wanting to go that route.

[WeatherWonk]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

To me, it still feels a little too early to make any black and white assumptions about the 25-man. 

We have, by my estimation, around $22m left to spend and three clear-cut needs: catcher, another SP, and likely a RP. 
A 4th OF or additional IF could be an opportunistic buy still. 

Seems tricky to pull even half of those off with the $$$ remaining - that's not an indictment on Harvey's $11m btw.
If the team is serious about upgrading those spots and competing in 2019, I feel like there's still one move to be made that'll be hard to predict - be it signing one of the bigger name FAs left, a major trade, a major salary dump involving Calhoun or Cozart. Or maybe just a simple hike in payroll.

I feel pretty strongly that there is something ahead that will change what's listed above dramatically still.
My guess is one of the following: 
1) A payroll hike, enabling another impact signing - Keuchel, Grandal, perhaps Machado, or a salary absorption trade like Greinke, Kluber, Bumgarner, Gray
2) A significant trade for an impact player like Realmuto, Stroman, Franco

Otherwise, Bour and Harvey are going to wind up as our top 'name' additions and the rest will be filled out cheaply.

I have a feeling we'll see a little bump in payroll before all is said and done, and one more addition come in around $10m-$20m AAV, and the rest of the needs filled out cheaply.

I absolutely love these scenarios. We would contend tor a WC spot, for sure.

Hey, what are you doing in 2020, if Eppler doesnt get extended???

[Angelsjunky]

Edited to include Cahill. Looks like the rotation is set.

[Angelsjunky]

Edited to include Lucroy. The 25-man is relatively complete. Eppler still might make some moves - either another reliever or possibly a 2B/3B or RF, but this could be just about it.