The extended Kole Calhoun experiment

[UndertheHalo]

It’s a good thing the Angels have guys ready to come up and take over at 3b. 

[Angelsjunky]

Ward could be a very useful utility player if the Angels were willing to play him at LF/RF, 3B, and C. Why not?

[UndertheHalo]

Why not just follow through on the year + long project and give him 3B ?

[Angel Oracle]

Just now, Angelsjunky said:

Ward could be a very useful utility player if the Angels were willing to play him at LF/RF, 3B, and C. Why not?

He needs to get a lot better defensively to handle the 3B portion.  

[Docwaukee]

1 minute ago, Angelsjunky said:

Ward could be a very useful utility player if the Angels were willing to play him at LF/RF, 3B, and C. Why not?

I think that's the route they'll go with him ultimately.  Robb Quinlan v. 2.0.  Throw some 1b in there and he gets in there vs. lefties 

[tomsred]

We're going to have a lot of utility players.

[Lou]

1 minute ago, tomsred said:

We're going to have a lot of utility players.

and first basemen 

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Why not just follow through on the year + long project and give him 3B ?

they aren't going to throw in the towel on the season or Cozart's 25m owed as much as we'd like them to.  More the latter at this point.  

It will be interesting to see what they consider more important short term.  Giving Ward major league reps at the dish or giving him minor league reps in the field.  

[UndertheHalo]

2 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

they aren't going to throw in the towel on the season or Cozart's 25m owed as much as we'd like them to.  More the latter at this point.  

It will be interesting to see what they consider more important short term.  Giving Ward major league reps at the dish or giving him minor league reps in the field.  

Maybe it’ll help him out to give him a vote of confidence and just let him play there ? There’s no way he’s that bad.  He fielded the position all of last year and with the Angels for almost a month.  This is a head thing as much as it’s doesn’t know the position thing.  

I hate it when they do this.  We’re not in any pennant race.  If they thought they would be they would have behaved differently then they have.  Cozart sucks fielding 3B as well.  If he has to play put him over at 2B.  Everyone claims Fletcher and LsStella are utility players right ?

 

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, tomsred said:

We're going to have a lot of utility players.

as much as we were all rubbing our rabbits foot in the hope that Ward was the next Josh Donaldson, I think we all knew it was completely unrealistic.  He's 25 with about 130 games at 3b in his professional career.  

He can certainly get better.  The one thing that's most noticeable about his defense is poor footwork and hand position that comes with repetition.  He's got the reflexes and arm.  

He's likely that guy who puts some solid seasons together at age 28-30 as an avg to slightly above hitter with solid defense.  

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Maybe it’ll help him out to give him a vote of confidence and just let him play there ? There’s no way he’s that bad.  He fielded the position all of last year and with the Angels for almost a month.  This is a head thing as much as it’s doesn’t know the position thing.  

I hate it when they do this.  We’re not in any pennant race.  If they thought they would be they would have behaved differently then they have.  Cozart sucks fielding 3B as well.  If he has to play put him over at 2B.  Everyone claims Fletcher and LsStella are utility players right ?

 

even as bad as it's been, we're 4.5 games back and 3.0 games out of the wild card.  At this point, if you are going to make a chance, you have to be convinced that it makes the team better right now.  It will likely play out that we're not in a pennant race, but they need more time before the white flag is raised.  

I agree he looked better last year for some reason but they are probably working on some things with him that could potentially make him very good and not just serviceable.  

[UndertheHalo]

Just now, Dochalo said:

even as bad as it's been, we're 4.5 games back and 3.0 games out of the wild card.  At this point, if you are going to make a chance, you have to be convinced that it makes the team better right now.  It will likely play out that we're not in a pennant race, but they need more time before the white flag is raised.  

I agree he looked better last year for some reason but they are probably working on some things with him that could potentially make him very good and not just serviceable.  

I don’t know man.  I just don’t agree that it’s a white flag thing.  It’s very possible that he makes the line up better.  Even if he does struggle in the field. 

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

I don’t know man.  I just don’t agree that it’s a white flag thing.  It’s very possible that he makes the line up better.  Even if he does struggle in the field. 

not saying it would be if they brought him up.  I agree it could make the lineup better.  Anything is better than Cozart.  That sort of thing rarely happens across all of MLB though where a veteran is ousted for a young player after 19 games.   It's an internal perception thing.