Spring Training Roster Spot Battles

[Angelsjunky]

We'll probably see the Angels sign at least a catcher, possibly a reliever, and maybe some sort of surprise move for either a bat or a rotation upgrade, but with the the Bour, Harvey, and Cahill signings, we can at least squint and see how the team is going to look on Opening Day. But there are a few intriguing roster spot battles that might not be solved until Spring Training:

1) 3B/2B. Assuming he's healthy, and aside from the unlikely scenario where the Angels grab Machado and find a taker for Cozart, he'll be pencilled in at 3B or 2B. But which one? It depends upon how Taylor Ward, David Fletcher, and possibly Luis Rengifo play in ST. Right now I would guess the default is that Cozart starts at 3B, Fletcher at 2B, La Stella is the UT, and Ward and Rengifo in AAA. But if Ward could theoretically hit his way to an Opening Day starting job at 3B; Rengifo (at either 2B or 3B) less likely, but possible. And Cozart's flexibility even makes it possible that he's a super UT/platoon at 2B/SS/3B.

2) Bullpen. Buttrey, Anderson, Garcia, and probably Robles are locks, but then what? Probably Bedrosian as well, and a swingman (see below) - so that might be it, at 7. Jerez is probably due for AAA. Jewell and Middleton probably need minor league rehabs. Noe Ramirez? We'll probably be seeing a rotating cast all year, but OD is unclear.

3) Backup catcher. Presumably the Angels will sign a starting catcher, but then one of Smith or Briceno is backup. Or maybe not and those are the budget catching corps?

4) 4th outfielder. Bourjos is the likely candidate, but Hermosillo is probably the 4th outfielder of the future, but Hermosillo and Puello are also candidates.

5) 6th starter/swingman. The rotation is probably set with Heaney, Skaggs, Harvey, Cahill, and Barria. But the team will almost certainly want to carry a guy - one of F Pena, Tropeano, Peters, Cole, Farrell, Almonte.

Anything else? Or any of these not really issues and already solved?

[Second Base]

I'd really have to see how the roster shapes up before Spring Training before even thinking about this.  I mean the Angels could still be players for Moustakas, Tulowitzki, Grandal, Maldonado, or some other catcher traded, or they could end up going after Kikuchi.....There are just too many directions this can go before we even start thinking about position battles. 

[totdprods]

19 minutes ago, Second Base said:

I'd really have to see how the roster shapes up before Spring Training before even thinking about this.  I mean the Angels could still be players for Moustakas, Tulowitzki, Grandal, Maldonado, or some other catcher traded, or they could end up going after Kikuchi.....There are just too many directions this can go before we even start thinking about position battles. 

Yup - I have a hunch there’s still one more transaction that breaks things up. A big signing, or a trade involving someone currently slotted for a role on the 25-man. 

[Stradling]

I think they will trade for a catcher considering the 40 man is now full.  Just a hunch.  I know we have some pretty useless names on the 40 man that can easily be removed.  

[Second Base]

Just my guess, but to round it all out, I think the Angels will trade for Alex Avila, and then sign a lotto ticket like Drew Pomeranz or Shelby Miller for a couple million, and if Jon Jay is still left on the market, grab him for a few million.