The Official 2019 Angels Spring Training News & Gameday Thread

[Chuck]

All news, tweets, game updates, stats, rumors and injury updates go here!

I'll start off with this...

 

.

 

 

[Docwaukee]

I think Cozart should start the year at 2b.  I didn't like his 3b D at all last year but he looked solid at 2b to start the year.  

[Chuck]

2 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I think Cozart should start the year at 2b.  I didn't like his 3b D at all last year but he looked solid at 2b to start the year.  

I agree. Plus if Ward has a solid ST camp you almost have to go with him at the hot corner no?

Also, I know Cozart is making a bunch of $$$ but if he is utter shit in ST and Fletcher or Rengifo light it up,  do you just hand the 2B job to Cozart?

[Broad Street]

10 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. Plus if Ward has a solid ST camp you almost have to go with him at the hot corner no?

Also, I know Cozart is making a bunch of $$$ but if he is utter shit in ST and Fletcher or Rengifo light it up,  do you just hand the 2B job to Cozart?

Yes, even though I've got a baseball boner for Fletcher. Spring Training isn't necessarily a precursor for things to come. Look at Ohtani, he was utter shite in spring training last year.

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. Plus if Ward has a solid ST camp you almost have to go with him at the hot corner no?

Also, I know Cozart is making a bunch of $$$ but if he is utter shit in ST and Fletcher or Rengifo light it up,  do you just hand the 2B job to Cozart?

Absolutely! ... Cozart is a established veteran who’s ability Eppler believes in. One month of ST isn’t going to change that imo. 

Its crazy to think after a few months any GM would give up on a player you signed for 3yrs/38M. 

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, Troll Daddy said:

Absolutely! ... Cozart is a established veteran who’s ability Eppler believes in. One month of ST isn’t going to change that imo. 

Its crazy to think after a few months any GM would give up on a player you signed for 3yrs/38M. 

Well, pre-injury last season he was below average offensively and defensively. If that trend continues in ST and the other options are smoking HOT, plus better leadoff options (Fletcher and Rengifo), you gotta go with them. 

Hopefully Ausmus and Eppler put the best 9 players out on the field to start games, not based on the amount of $$$ they're getting paid. 

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. Plus if Ward has a solid ST camp you almost have to go with him at the hot corner no?

Also, I know Cozart is making a bunch of $$$ but if he is utter shit in ST and Fletcher or Rengifo light it up,  do you just hand the 2B job to Cozart?

spring won't change anything for Cozart unless he gets injured or isn't recovered.  

If Ward has a great spring, then I'd much rather see him at 3b and Cozart at 2b than Fletcher at 2b and Cozart at 3b.  

No matter what they are telling us, I think there is almost no shot of Rengifo breaking camp on the major league club.  

[Chuck]

2 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

spring won't change anything for Cozart unless he gets injured or isn't recovered.  

If Ward has a great spring, then I'd much rather see him at 3b and Cozart at 2b than Fletcher at 2b and Cozart at 3b.  

No matter what they are telling us, I think there is almost no shot of Rengifo breaking camp on the major league club.  

Crazier things have happened, but if Rengifo gets on base, steals bases and shows good D at 2B while Cozart shits the bed maybe he's our utility INF, or both players perform well and another team has a need for a starting 2B or SS, trade Cozart. 

[Troll Daddy]

6 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Well, pre-injury last season he was below average offensively and defensively. If that trend continues in ST and the other options are smoking HOT, plus better leadoff options (Fletcher and Rengifo), you gotta go with them. 

Hopefully Ausmus and Eppler put the best 9 players out on the field to start games, not based on the amount of $$$ they're getting paid. 

One month of ST isn’t going to determine the best nine players. 

[Docwaukee]

5 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Well, pre-injury last season he was below average offensively and defensively. If that trend continues in ST and the other options are smoking HOT, plus better leadoff options (Fletcher and Rengifo), you gotta go with them. 

Hopefully Ausmus and Eppler put the best 9 players out on the field to start games, not based on the amount of $$$ they're getting paid. 

Gonna be hard to argue that Cozart should lost his job to a rookie with no track record or another that has a minimal track record based on a bad spring.  

Now if he's sucking balls a month in and Rengifo is tearing up AAA, it may be time to start considering some shifting around.  

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Crazier things have happened, but if Rengifo gets on base, steals bases and shows good D at 2B while Cozart shits the bed maybe he's our utility INF, or both players perform well and another team has a need for a starting 2B or SS, trade Cozart. 

If a contender's SS gets injured and they want Zack, I would trade him in a heartbeat.  Of all the players who we're hoping to see bounce back, I would rank Cozart at the bottom of the list for odds of that happening.  

[Chuck]

3 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

Gonna be hard to argue that Cozart should lost his job to a rookie with no track record or another that has a minimal track record based on a bad spring.  

Now if he's sucking balls a month in and Rengifo is tearing up AAA, it may be time to start considering some shifting around.  

That's fair enough. 

[Docwaukee]

16 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

That's fair enough. 

plus that gives you an extra year of control for Rengifo.  

[ScottT]

Cant wait to spend 15 minutes to get from my $65 seats to the place where they serve $14 beers.  

Not as cheap as it used to be, but Spring Training! F UC k yeah!

[Troll Daddy]

 

[Docwaukee]

Just now, RBM said:

I think it will be Cozart at 3B and Fletcher at 2B. Fletcher looked great there ladt year. It will come down to who wins a starting spot between Fletcher and Ward and I think Fletcher gets the job. Rengifo will most likely start in AAA and will be in place to replace either. 

I agree that this is the most likely outcome

70% - Cozart 3b, Fletcher 2b, Ward and Rengifo AAA
25% - Cozart 2b, Ward 3b, Fletcher and Rengifo in AAA
5% (or less) - Cozart 3b, Rengifo 2b, Ward and Fletcher in AAA

I think we're going to see more La Stella vs. righties than most are anticipating at this point.  I think he could get as many starts as fletcher early on due to his career .345 obp.  

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

8 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I think Cozart should start the year at 2b.  I didn't like his 3b D at all last year but he looked solid at 2b to start the year.  

Fletcher looked better at 2B, than Ward did at 3B, so I would expect Cozart to play 3B at least at first...

[Troll Daddy]

 

[krAbs]

4 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

 

1st day of pitchers/catchers reporting to ST, about a week before the first game..two pitchers down.

In other news:

I came.

[floplag]

15 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I agree. Plus if Ward has a solid ST camp you almost have to go with him at the hot corner no?

Also, I know Cozart is making a bunch of $$$ but if he is utter shit in ST and Fletcher or Rengifo light it up,  do you just hand the 2B job to Cozart?

i dont know, doesn't it make more sense to play the longer term solution at his more natural position?  I think Fletcher has more value at 2B than 3. 
Of course most will suggest Regnifo is that long term answer but i think we might want to wait and see how her performs first and then adjust when he forces the issue.  
If for some odd reason lets say Regnifo tears it up and forces that now, then we all smile and be happy and adjust however that  needs to play out, but going into ST, i think its the right idea.
Of course Ward could also derail all of that.  should be an intriguing spring battle at least at those spots. 

[Docwaukee]

38 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

 

@Jeff Fletcher  - when Meyer comes back, will he work as a starter or reliever?  

[UndertheHalo]

I am simply shocked that Tropeano is hurting again. 

[Glen]

Come on down, Dallas Keuchel!

[m0nkey]

 

[Glen]

2 hours ago, Dochalo said:

@Jeff Fletcher  - when Meyer comes back, will he work as a starter or reliever?  

At this point you have to assume he won't throw pitch on the big league team this year.