Keep Kole!

[AngelsHilo]

Don't trade him!

[angelsnationtalk]

Nope.... his value just went up a little. Playoffs teams NEED that defense! Good chance to trade him at the deadline. 

[AngelsHilo]

He's a good teammate and I like seeing the way he and his teammates interact.  While the defense has always been stellar, he's turned it around with the bat.  Yeah he's gonna get $14MM next year.  Adell has been tearing the minors up but he's still an unknown bat in the Majors.  I say keep Kole one more year.  

[ten ocho recon scout]

Its crazy that a year ago he looked totally lost. That first half last year, not just the results, but he just seemed like a headcase almost. Like he was scared or something.

Been really cool to see him turn it around.

[Stradling]

I have it on good authority that Adell will be better next year than Kole has been this year.  The reason he will be better is because Trout was better than Abreu.  

[ScottT]

Ugh.

I love Kole, but it's a business.

[Pancake Bear]

Or, on the other side of the table:

His HR totals are up. Aside from that, he hasn’t really been better than the last couple of seasons pre-2018. Both major analytics sites have his overall defense as even or negative. 

I’m skeptical he gets anyone willing to pay $14 mil for him next season considering it’s his age 32 season. His HR total is likely a fluke, and his defense may be trending down if BR and FG are correct.

If there is a taker in the offseason, I think you take what you can get. More likely, his option is simply not picked up. And honestly, I doubt they bring him back on the cheap.

[ScottT]

Yep

[DMVol]

We are so screwed with our starting pitching that I think you would have to consider a trade for a decent starter....if that guy isn’t out there, keep him....

[arch stanton]

Deadline rentals generally involve prospects, not major leaguers. The only way you could expect a viable starter in return for Kole is in a multi-team deal where a team that’s out of it gets the prospects. That could still happen in the winter with his option getting split between teams 

[Angel Oracle]

At least keep him this season, then exercise the option, and if there is a pitcher out there on a team needing an experienced and solid RF, then they could trade him and if necessary send enough of the 2020 salary with him.

[totdprods]

28 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

At least keep him this season, then exercise the option, and if there is a pitcher out there on a team needing an experienced and solid RF, then they could trade him and if necessary send enough of the 2020 salary with him.

I think this is a fair plan. If the Angels wind up not signing Gerrit Cole, they could still have the money needed for another SP, and Kole could give them some offensive cushion or trade piece for a similarly valued vet SP. Also, open to the idea of a restructured deal for 2020 if it cut his salary down some, and he was open to a role where he potentially lost RF to Adell, covering 1B/4th OF instead. 

Julio Teheran could be that arm. He has a $12m option for ‘20. The Braves have Markakis as a RF option next year, but he’s also on a team option.

Teheran’s had another solid, durable year. Markakis as well, but he’s taken a bit of a step back.

The Angels could even go with a winter swap of Calhoun and Bedrosian for Teheran and Markakis and I’d argue it’d help both teams out. Markakis can transition more to the role Bour filled, with the ability to cover RF if Adell struggles, or RF/LF if anyone gets hurt. Braves would get a hometown relief arm they need, and a more dynamic RF to upgrade over Markakis. Opens up a rotation slot for Bumgarner (who they will sign) or one of their many SP prospects. The money evens out fairly. The Angels would get a solid arm for ‘20.

Edited July 24, 2019 by totdprods

[Lou]

6 hours ago, Randy Gradishar said:

What's interesting is that he somehow has a negative dWAR this year, last I checked.

If this is true, they should just do away with dWAR altogether.

[Slegnaac]

What is the deadline for exercising the $14M option?

[totdprods]

7 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

What is the deadline for exercising the $14M option?

I think only a few days after end of WS.

[Lou]

10 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

What is the deadline for exercising the $14M option?

5 days after the WS 

[Slegnaac]

So really no time to see if they can sign a FA Pitcher before deciding on exercising the Option.

[angelsnationtalk]

41 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I think this is a fair plan. If the Angels wind up not signing Gerrit Cole, they could still have the money needed for another SP, and Kole could give them some offensive cushion or trade piece for a similarly valued vet SP. Also, open to the idea of a restructured deal for 2020 if it cut his salary down some, and he was open to a role where he potentially lost RF to Adell, covering 1B/4th OF instead. 

Julio Teheran could be that arm. He has a $12m option for ‘20. The Braves have Markakis as a RF option next year, but he’s also on a team option.

Teheran’s had another solid, durable year. Markakis as well, but he’s taken a bit of a step back.

The Angels could even go with a winter swap of Calhoun and Bedrosian for Teheran and Markakis and I’d argue it’d help both teams out. Markakis can transition more to the role Bour filled, with the ability to cover RF if Adell struggles, or RF/LF if anyone gets hurt. Braves would get a hometown relief arm they need, and a more dynamic RF to upgrade over Markakis. Opens up a rotation slot for Bumgarner (who they will sign) or one of their many SP prospects. The money evens out fairly. The Angels would get a solid arm for ‘20.

The thought is good but the value doesn’t add up. The Braves would need to throw in a Buttrey-like prospect to even the deal. 

[totdprods]

1 minute ago, angelsnationtalk said:

The thought is good but the value doesn’t add up. The Braves would need to throw in a Buttrey-like prospect to even the deal. 

Uh, why? For Bedrosian?

Calhoun alone arguably isn’t worth Teheran and Markakis. 

[Lou]

3 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Uh, why? For Bedrosian?

Calhoun alone arguably isn’t worth Teheran and Markakis. 

Yeah, I didn't get that either

[Blarg]

53 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Also, open to the idea of a restructured deal for 2020 if it cut his salary down some, and he was open to a role where he potentially lost RF to Adell, covering 1B/4th OF instead. 

I don't believe they can restructure Calhoun's option year. They would probably have to release him, pay the option, then re-sign him to a new deal. If Calhoun is still performing at this level at the end of the season he would first look for a multi year deal in free agency rather than accept a platoon role. 

[totdprods]

4 minutes ago, Blarg said:

I don't believe they can restructure Calhoun's option year. They would probably have to release him, pay the option, then resign him to a new deal. If Calhoun is still performing at this level at the end of the season he would first look for a multi year deal in free agency rather than accept a platoon role. 

That’s what I meant, restructure wasn’t the right word, just sort of a quick catch-all. They could decline the option and re-sign him to a new deal. And I agree he’d probably get a better deal elsewhere, unless he really wanted to stay in Anaheim in a new role. 

Would re-signing him to a new multi-year deal make any sense at all, with an assumption that he starts transitioning more to a 1B/OF hybrid? Could help free up Thaiss/Ward/Walsh/Rojas as pitching trade bait too, knowing we have 1B sewn up for the next 2-3 years between Calhoun and Pujols.

Not what I’d want, but throwing it out for discussion. It’d be very Erstad-esque, but Kole fits that bill I think.

Edited July 24, 2019 by totdprods

[nate]

He had an incredible game last night.

Still, with Adell waiting in the wings, it is unfortunate but the money he makes could go to pitching which is a dire need right now.

[Jay]

Kole's value is exactly what somebody is willing to pay.

No more, no less.

 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

Kole's value is exactly what somebody is willing to pay.

No more, no less.

 

Raise your hand if you thought this wasn’t the case.