Angels to Acquire Max Stassi for OFs Rainier Rivas, Raider Uceta

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, UndertheHalo said:

 I don’t know anything about the D. 

You know plenty about the D don't deny it.

[UndertheHalo]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

You know plenty about the D don't deny it.

Damn. Tee’d myself up for this one. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

I don’t know anything about the D. 

 

 

 

[failos]

The Angels just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about trade deadline culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in the winter meetings where you can become successful by being an asshole.

If you screw someone over during the trade deadline, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the top free agents, after hearing about this, are not going to want to sign with the Angels, nor will they ask to be traded to the Angels. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Eppler has alienated an entire market with this move.

Billy Eppler, publicly apologize and resign or you can kiss Cole and the Playoffs goodbye.

[Pancake Bear]

3 hours ago, m0nkey said:

It'll be funny if Cole doesn't come here

He might not, but it isn't like there aren't other options available on the FA market. None as good, sure, but he doesn't make or break 2020 for us, he just gives us the best shot at the playoffs.

3 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Looking more into Stassi, what I think Eppler sees is a guy who has a chance of blossoming with a fresh start and new organization. There's a decent chance he does what he did in 2018, which is hit for league average and be a very good defender. If you squint just right, there's some untapped hitting potential as well. Plus the plausible, if tenuous, Gerrit Cole connection.

Now if Stassi bombs and Cole signs elsewhere and Rivas and/or Uceta crush, then this is going to be Eppler's Bagwell trade.

Considering most prospects fail, if Stassi has value, I'm not overly concerned with trading two guys outside the top 30. Could they turn into something? Sure. But chances are high we win this trade.

[UndertheHalo]

3 minutes ago, failos said:

The Angels just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about trade deadline culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in the winter meetings where you can become successful by being an asshole.

If you screw someone over during the trade deadline, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the top free agents, after hearing about this, are not going to want to sign with the Angels, nor will they ask to be traded to the Angels. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Eppler has alienated an entire market with this move.

Billy Eppler, publicly apologize and resign or you can kiss Cole and the Playoffs goodbye.

Yes

[Vlad27Trout27]

aah, haven't seen this much hate on trade since the Simmons trade.

as of right now, I feel like it was overpriced. but if this move can get us Cole I'm all on that train.

Stassi most likely would have been dfa.

[ten ocho recon scout]

16 minutes ago, RBM said:

Trolling? What did he do exactly? 

Inside joke...

[goldenGlove]

I'm sure anyone who is upset about these guys being traded has watched them and/or heard a lot of scouting reports and has reason to not like seeing them go.... But as someone who literally only knows them because of one thread on AW, it seems these guys were our #7 and #8 best OF prospects at best? And we had no depth at catcher at all and nobody close to the majors. And Smith is injury prone and Lucroy is old and Garneau is playing decent but in a small sample size. 

Seems pretty fair to me

[tdawg87]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Both prospects were in my top 30, and while I think this is a stupid, awful trade, I'm excited about Stassi, always liked him.

Fun fact, Stassi is from my neck of the woods and I watched him play back in high school.

Sorry to disappoint you all with my indifferent response. I wouldn't have traded either of those prospects, let alone both, but Max Stassi is a fantastic defender and is relatively young.

"while I think this is a stupid, awful trade"

Stop being so indifferent, Scotty.

[Second Base]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

"while I think this is a stupid, awful trade"

Stop being so indifferent, Scotty.

That is me being indifferent. 

[Duren, Duren]

When a team like Houston identifies a pair of mid value prospects on your team you got to think they know what they're doing. 

Low risk for them, doesn't affect their present roster. But they have the luxury of depth and patience.

They seem to win every trade and keep replenishing their talent pool. 

Stassi can be of some value now, but has basically not much upside. But a good defensive catcher shouldn't be under estimated. Seems like a situational starter against certain teams/pitchers and likely a specialist battery mate for whoever right now. 

But if he can get in sync soon with any starters he will be worth the value lost.

[Angel Oracle]

When are the Halos finally going to know what they are doing, regarding starting pitching?

[UndertheHalo]

55 minutes ago, Duren, Duren said:

When a team like Houston identifies a pair of mid value prospects on your team you got to think they know what they're doing. 

Low risk for them, doesn't affect their present roster. But they have the luxury of depth and patience.

They seem to win every trade and keep replenishing their talent pool. 

Stassi can be of some value now, but has basically not much upside. But a good defensive catcher shouldn't be under estimated. Seems like a situational starter against certain teams/pitchers and likely a specialist battery mate for whoever right now. 

But if he can get in sync soon with any starters he will be worth the value lost.

Ya this is my *concern* so far as that goes.  I’m not actually worried this is a problem.  But it would be annoying as shit if one of those guys ends up being an MLB player or like an asset worth something in a trade. 

 Unfortunately i trust the Astros to find good players a lot more then the Angels.  Like I said, the evidence is that they’re just a lot better at this kind of stuff.  

[greginpsca]

1 hour ago, kj_maestro said:

I'm sure anyone who is upset about these guys being traded has watched them and/or heard a lot of scouting reports and has reason to not like seeing them go.... But as someone who literally only knows them because of one thread on AW, it seems these guys were our #7 and #8 best OF prospects at best? And we had no depth at catcher at all and nobody close to the majors. And Smith is injury prone and Lucroy is old and Garneau is playing decent but in a small sample size. 

Seems pretty fair to me

Didn't we lose Garneau? He was DFA'd.

[GrittyVeterans]

I was adamant about needing a catcher but not sure I like this deal overall

[Inside Pitch]

Apologies if this has already been posted...

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/instagraphs/angels-acquire-stassi-still-have-trout/

This may make some people feel better, or convince them FG is dumb.

 

[Hufflepuff]

This could be over thinking things, but I've read that Stassi and Cole have a good relationship. Maybe this is the first part in persuading Cole to be an Angel next year. I have no problem with this move either way, and if it betters our chances at getting Cole... great

Cole

Ohtani

Canning

Heaney

(Don't really care)

 

[rafibomb]

Looking at the bright side it could be nice having an elite pitch framer (arguable the best in the majors) helping out our young pitchers like Canning and Suarez who seem to really rattle when they don't get those borderline calls. Actually, it will be nice to have an elite pitch framer in general. 

[rafibomb]

25 minutes ago, azmancini said:

If Stassi is that good defensively, why in hell did Houston sign machete?  

"Is Maldonado an upgrade over Stassi?

Defensively, not really. Offensively, also not really.

While Maldonado rates as a better thrower and blocker than Stassi, Stassi’s framing is so far ahead of Maldonado’s that it more than compensates. This is best seen in their 2019 metrics. Maldonado has 1.4 framing runs above average, 3.0 blocking runs above average and 0.2 throwing runs above average for a total of 4.6 defensive runs above average in 639.2 innings, per Baseball Prospectus. Max Stassi has 6.6 framing runs above average, -0.3 blocking runs above average, and -0.2 throwing runs above average for a total of 6.1 defensive runs above average, in 210 innings. Stassi has accumulated more defensive runs above average than Maldonado in less than a third of the innings.

But Stassi has been so poor at the plate this year, batting .176. Naturally Maldonado must be an upgrade offensively, right? If Maldonado has been better offensively, the difference is marginal at best. Maldonado has been a poor hitter every year of his career. While Stassi has been offensively putrid this year, he at least has a record of being passable offensively in 2018."

https://www.crawfishboxes.com/2019/7/31/20732006/houston-astros-reacquire-martin-maldonado-but-why-chirinos-stassi-cubs-catcher-trade

 

[Billy_Ball]

29 minutes ago, azmancini said:

If Stassi is that good defensively, why in hell did Houston sign machete?  

Because Machete hits career .219, better than Stassi's career .218.

[eligrba]

Looks like the return of Jeff Mathis.

[Jay]

[tomsred]

8 hours ago, azmancini said:

If Stassi is that good defensively, why in hell did Houston sign machete?  

Because he is currently hitting better, and is nearly as good defensively.  Plus he has more experience in the bigs.  Machete is a rental to get them through this year.  We are dealing with the longer term, not this year.  Maybe we can get Stassi to hit, maybe not, but he has only had around 90 sporadic AB's this year.  Right now we need someone to help the pitching staff, and he can possibly make a difference in that regard because his defensive skills are that good.

Don't forget, the Astros also have Chirinos, and he is their offensive catcher of choice, and he is their primary catcher.  You should read the article I referenced in my earlier post on "Why the Astros should not make a mistake and give up on Stassi."  I think it explains things pretty well.  It was written about a ten days ago.  

[UndertheHalo]

15 hours ago, calscuf said:

Any of you dummies who loved and then hated Dipoto think maybe, just maybe, the exact same thing could and is happening with Eppler?

JeDi!!!!

JeDi is definitely better then Eppy.  As far as nick names go.