Tommy La Stella

[DMVol]

Cliff Pennington is available....

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/03/athletics-release-cliff-pennington.html

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Then Fletcher should be playing then. Better defense and offense 

OB% says different.  It's too early to argue about.  However if you are really pissed off on the decision start a demonstration demanding Scioscia back.

[Tank]

6 hours ago, Jay said:

Welcome to the board, TBailey.

Beating a dead horse isn't only acceptable on Angelswin, it's encouraged.

i think it needs to be added to our code of conduct.

[Troll Daddy]

 

[AngelsHilo]

18 hours ago, ettin said:

To piggyback on Jeff's statement, defense sample size usually takes multiple seasons to stabilize, i.e. 81 games in defensive terms is a small sample.

Like Fletcher (David and Jeff) but let's not crown him a Prince of the Universe just yet.

So I wanted to look at a larger defensive sample size re: LaStella.  I didn't realize this.  I just assumed when we got him, La Stella was a decent singles hitter, sound defensively, and could be used as a pinch runner.  Well, I looked at his numbers.  His overall career fielding % is .973.  His best position is 2B, at .983.  Hardly stellar.  He has a career 4SB's with 3 CS.  Not sure if he is a good runner going from first to third or second to home, but he is definitely not a base stealing threat.   He does have a career OPS of .709.

I still believe he can be a great bench piece for us offensively.  He could spell Fletcher or Cozart against tougher righty's as an occasional starter, or come in late in the game and play 1B for Albert or Bour.   But to have him get 300 AB"s (which he has done once in his career in 2014 as a Braves rookie)?  I don't think so.  Last year with the Cubs, he had 192 PA's in 123 games.  He started 22 games, of which two were as a DH.  I think that's kind of the threshold for his playing time.  I don't think splitting time with Fletcher is a short or long term solution.  While we hope Fletcher will help with the bat, we know he won't give up extra outs/runs defensively.

I think you need to let Fletcher play.  If Fletcher screws up, then give his playing time to Ward or Rengifo.

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, Fregosi said:

....I think you need to let Fletcher play.  If Fletcher screws up, then give his playing time to Ward or Rengifo.

To make it a little more complicated, I think Cozart’s best position is probably 2b...maybe Ward can force things with his play at 3b at SLC.....

[Angel Oracle]

AO gloss for when LaStella struggles:   Stella Artois

We all will need an extra couple of bottles of it.

[HaloWay94]

Fletcher can easily be an every day second baseman that puts up a .285 BA with 15 steals and above average defense. Why are we writing him off as a bench player. La Stella is a joke. Doesn’t deserve playing time. The OBP argument is absurd. The idea that Fletch peaked at .316 OBP is ridiculous. If that’s our logic Taylor Ward will never start based on his first call up OBP. Fletch is a good contact singles-doubles hitter. La Stella is below average defense with a bat that’s equal or worse than Fletch’s.

 Fletch needs to be starting. Heck I’d start him over Cozart.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, HaloWay94 said:

Fletcher can easily be an every day second baseman that puts up a .285 BA with 15 steals and above average defense. Why are we writing him off as a bench player. La Stella is a joke. Doesn’t deserve playing time. The OBP argument is absurd. The idea that Fletch peaked at .316 OBP is ridiculous. If that’s our logic Taylor Ward will never start based on his first call up OBP. Fletch is a good contact singles-doubles hitter. La Stella is below average defense with a bat that’s equal with Fletch on his best day. Fletch needs to be starting. Heck I’d start him over Cozart.

It is not ridiculous at all to think Fletch will struggle with OBP.  He walked less than 5% of the time in the major leagues and in the minors it was just over 6%.  The name of the game if you don’t have power is getting on base, something that La Stella has shown a knack for doing.

[failos]

La Stella Angels of Anaheim

[Jeff Fletcher]

 

LaStella has. .709 OPS over nearly 1,000 major league PA’s. In 1500 minor league PAs its .842. Fletcher is .674 in 312 MLB PA’s and .743 in 1500 minor league PA’s.

There is no evidence that Fletcher is better than La Stella offensively.

Fletcher is better defensively but as we’ve seen the Angels can’t really afford to give up anything offensively right now. 

Also, the Angels have waaaaaaaay more information than any of you and this is the decision they made. They’re trying to win. They aren’t always right but they always always always always make the decision with more info than you or I have.

Both will play. If one separates himself, he’ll play more. 

This is not an issue you should be worked up about. 

[Lou]

Fletch just called you guys idiots.

Again.

[angelsnationtalk]

On 3/30/2019 at 6:38 PM, stormngt said:

OB% says different.  It's too early to argue about.  However if you are really pissed off on the decision start a demonstration demanding Scioscia back.

I’m not pissed but I am scratching my head when you have a player that basically showed he deserves the spot last year and is a grinder but doesn’t win it. That’s what I think but obviously just an opinion.

[Lou]

16 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

I’m not pissed but I am scratching my head when you have a player that basically showed he deserves the spot last year and is a grinder but doesn’t win it. That’s what I think but obviously just an opinion.

How does a .674 OPS show he deserves a starting position? 

[Glen]

I'll be glad when we get rid of him and can focus 100% of our vitriol where it belongs: on Cozart.

Sorry, Cozart. Somebody has to wear the target.

[GrittyVeterans]

None of Fletcher/La Stella/Cozart should be starters on a contending team. It’s the sad reality that two of them have to play everyday for us. 

Eppler did a poor job this offseason of filling holes

[HighDesertHalos]

I love how salty Fletcher is!

[UndertheHalo]

3 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

 

LaStella has. .709 OPS over nearly 1,000 major league PA’s. In 1500 minor league PAs its .842. Fletcher is .674 in 312 MLB PA’s and .743 in 1500 minor league PA’s.

There is no evidence that Fletcher is better than La Stella offensively.

Fletcher is better defensively but as we’ve seen the Angels can’t really afford to give up anything offensively right now. 

Also, the Angels have waaaaaaaay more information than any of you and this is the decision they made. They’re trying to win. They aren’t always right but they always always always always make the decision with more info than you or I have.

Both will play. If one separates himself, he’ll play more. 

This is not an issue you should be worked up about. 

Honestly, I think this betrayal of your son is fu*cked up. 

[AngelsHilo]

4 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

 

LaStella has. .709 OPS over nearly 1,000 major league PA’s. In 1500 minor league PAs its .842. Fletcher is .674 in 312 MLB PA’s and .743 in 1500 minor league PA’s.

There is no evidence that Fletcher is better than La Stella offensively.

Fletcher is better defensively but as we’ve seen the Angels can’t really afford to give up anything offensively right now. 

Also, the Angels have waaaaaaaay more information than any of you and this is the decision they made. They’re trying to win. They aren’t always right but they always always always always make the decision with more info than you or I have.

Both will play. If one separates himself, he’ll play more. 

This is not an issue you should be worked up about. 

Career WAR -  La Stella - 1.1...Fletcher - 2.0. 

Fielding  Ave.  - La Stella - .982... Fletcher - .994

Again, I'm not questioning La Stella's role on the Roster.  But he's at best a PH, should Start not more than 25 games this Season, and play late inning Defense to give guys a blow.  He's not a 300 AB guy.  Fletcher should at least get an opportunity for 300+ AB's. If he proves inadequate, give Ward or Rengifo  shot.  Again La Stella is not the solution.

[stormngt]

9 hours ago, angelsnationtalk said:

I’m not pissed but I am scratching my head when you have a player that basically showed he deserves the spot last year and is a grinder but doesn’t win it. That’s what I think but obviously just an opinion.

Fair enough.  I wont argue with your premise.   Personally I believe both Fletcher and Barria deserve starting spots.

[fan_since79]

18 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

AO gloss for when LaStella struggles:   Stella Artois

We all will need an extra couple of bottles of it.

If I bought them at the stadium my wallet would be tapped out. I'll drown my sorrows in the cheap stuff.

[T.G.]

La Stella's playing time can be linked to Ward's failure to secure the job at 3B.

[angelsnationtalk]

13 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Fair enough.  I wont argue with your premise.   Personally I believe both Fletcher and Barria deserve starting spots.

Totally agree with that. Barria, in my opinion, was our best pitcher last year and Fletcher was mr heart and hustle that brought a spark plug. Even Victor Rojas continues to say that he is a true baseball player. 

[angelsnationtalk]

9 hours ago, Lou said:

How does a .674 OPS show he deserves a starting position? 

2018 OPS

Fletcher: .678

LaStella: .672

LaStella is a good bench option don’t get me wrong, but Fletcher, in my opinion, won the spot based on his performance last year. Like a David Eckstien...

[AngelStew43]

Jeff Fletcher, did anyone take into account the number of walks Tommy LaStella received because he was batting in front of the pitcher?  I'd bet that if those walks were removed, the OBP would be a lot closer.  Shallow fly balls and weak groundouts by LaStella aren't very exciting.