40 Man Roster

[Stradling]

Who should go, who should stay, who should be added that needs to be added that is already in the system?  I think we will add Jam Jones and Jo Adell, and I would assume an arm or two should be added from our system, although I am not sure which of the list Doc shared will be protected.  We also need to save at least 4 spots for pitching and most likely a catcher.  

[Jeff Fletcher]

Adell doesn’t need to be added this winter. He won’t be added till his major league debut. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

Also remember that Félix Peña and Zack Cozart need to go back on. So they are essentially at 42 now. Cahill is the only one who automatically comes off, as a FA.

[Stradling]

Players that more than likely won’t be on next years 40 man:

Tropeano

Cahill

Kole

Luis Garcia

Walsh

Bemboom

Smith

Bour

 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Adell doesn’t need to be added this winter. He won’t be added till his major league debut. 

Right, but if you have 40 on your 40 man roster when you activate him, you will subject that player to waivers and could lose them.  

[totdprods]

I don’t think Adell will be added until it’s time to bring him up. 

Jones will be added I’m sure, Rojas probably not, they’ll roll the dice like they did Walsh. Lund probably won’t be added - numerous 4th OF types are exposed every year and passed over. Ortega and De Horta are sleeper candidates to be added, especially considering Eppler’s precedent when he added Castillo and Madero in years prior. 

They liked De Horta enough to bring him back to LA for the spring exhibition series, and since his first two brutal AAA outings, he’s gone 34 IP in 13 G (multi-inning RP?) with a 4.24 ERA, .202 BAA, only 3 HR allowed in the PCL, and an intriguing 21 BB to 47 K. I get a Justin Anderson 2.0 vibe from him, in terms of career trajectory. 

Ortega’s stuff didn’t transfer to AA yet, but I don’t think the Angels can risk losing an arm with that much life in it, and he’s a legitimate deep Rule 5 draft prospect, IMO.

All of these guys being R5 eligible also moves them to the front of the trade bait line too, I’d think. If you can pry away someone like Dylan Bundy or John Means from Baltimore, a team that should have the 40-man space and playing time to experiment with for guys like Jones, Rojas, or Ortega - obviously there would be more established prospects discussed too - then it should be considered.

Edited September 5, 2019 by totdprods

[Stradling]

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they start the year with 39.  You also gotta figure they will have to have a 3rd catcher that can be added to the 40 man roster.  

[Docwaukee]

guys likely or absolutely off the 40 man at seasons end:

Calhoun - even if we add him back at some point it won't be till after a portion of the FA period is over.  Maybe even after the roster limits are set.  They won't exercise his option.  
Bemboom
Cahill
Bour

guys possibly off the 40 man

Walsh - I don't think because of his ability to pitch
Ward - I think they keep him if they don't trade him.  
Luis Garcia - could have put him in the probably but Eppler is still big on guys with velo and might keep him.  Also, a likely casualty of his projected arb number
Noe Ramirez - no options but still a decent mop up option at he front of the pen.  
Del Pozo - good showing so far.  Control issues in the past.  
Jose Rodriguez - probably not good enough to stick for very long but has options
Luke Bard - Billy likes him some Luke Bard.  options.  good arm.  
Jake Jewell - 50/50
Adalberto Mejia - 30/70 that he'll stick. 
Cam Bedrosian - might be an arb casualty.  A good trade candidate.  
Nick Tropeano - still has options even though he's an arb1.  
Taylor Cole - 50/50 - still has an option

guys likely added to the 40 man

Jam Jones

guys possibly added to the 40 man

Jose Rojas - 50/50
Brennon Lund - unlikely
Luis Pena - unlikely
Adrian De Horta - unlikely
Jeremy Rhoades - dark horse to have added.  I would guess his odds are above 50%
Ryan Clark - doubtful
Jack Kruger - very unlikely
Oliver Ortega - very likely but not so much that it's a foregone conclusion
Felix Pena - might be an injury casualty.  
Cozart - one can dream.  He probably gets through spring but not an absolute.  

other guys added

FA SP #1
FA SP #2
FA/waiver BP 

so -4 and + 4 in terms of likely.  

Cozart, Pena, and Ortega I think are pretty much gonna make it.  So that's +3.  I'm gonna say they protect Rojas and maybe one more like Rhoades.  

That means 3 come off.  I'm gonna predict Garcia, Mejia and either Bard or Cole.  

but that would mean another pen addition or two.  I think that means the end of the Taylor Ward era.  He'll get traded for pitcher of similar pedigree.  High round pick that had a little momentum to start but hasn't been able to catch on. 
 

[mmc]

Cozart should get DFA'd.  He provides no value to us being on the 40 man roster.

[stormngt]

2 hours ago, Baghdad Strad said:

Who should go, who should stay, who should be added that needs to be added that is already in the system?  I think we will add Jam Jones and Jo Adell, and I would assume an arm or two should be added from our system, although I am not sure which of the list Doc shared will be protected.  We also need to save at least 4 spots for pitching and most likely a catcher.  

Louis Garcia,  , Cahill, Ward, Bour, Calhoun, and Tropeano are gone.

[Jeff Fletcher]

4 hours ago, Baghdad Strad said:

Right, but if you have 40 on your 40 man roster when you activate him, you will subject that player to waivers and could lose them.  

Well, that’s an issue for April or May or whenever. Not November. 

[totdprods]

I understand a lot will change over the course of the 2020 season, but in addition to the fairly tight 40-man we have now and the impending adds of presumably Jones, at some point Adell, and possibly Ortega, Lund, De Horta, Rhoades, there is a huge crop of prospects we will need to protect next season. We don't really have many players departing via FA in the next couple seasons either. After 2020, only Cozart, maybe Simmons, maybe La Stella, and then Pujols, Heaney, Bedrosian, Robles after 2021.

There are quite a few fringe guys who have been productive...Beasley, Mattson, possibly one of Hanewich/Procopio, Dennis Brady, Nonie Williams, Francisco Del Valle...

But also here's the big names...Brandon Marsh, Chris Rodriguez, Jose Soriano, Hector Yan, Kevin Maitan, and Livan Soto. All are eligible for the Rule 5 next winter. Adrian Rondon is already R5 eligible, and not likely on anyone's radar this year, but if he has a big season next year, he could show up here too.

The year following? Aquino, Knowles, Deveaux, Pina, Hernandez, Bradish, possibly Orlando Martinez, Michael Stefanic...

The Angels are starting to get to a spot where every year they'll have numerous guys to add if they want to keep that depth, and being on the 40-man, any played added is automatically slotted into the MLB depth chart. Specifically, a lot of pitching to add. This leads me to think that 1) we will have to thin out the ridiculous IF glut via trade in the next season (unless we let all the FAs walk at end of this year) or so 2) we will have enough young, controlled pitching on the 40-man to move one or two for a more established starter or Eppler will be a little cautious when it comes to tying up multiple dollars/multiple years in the rotation when so many guys will be on the cusp.

Edited September 5, 2019 by totdprods

[totdprods]

So, obviously, there will be trades, injuries, guys who flame out, guys who emerge...but here's a basic glance at baseline, internal, controlled talent we have the next few seasons. Leaving out anyone who might wind up on the chopping block - Kevan Smith, Felix Pena, Noe Ramirez, Nick Tropeano, etc. Players in their walk year in gold, players in their out-of-options year in blue - they will have to have stuck in the bigs by end of this year, or they're potentially out. New 40-man additions, either because they have to be added for R5 protection or will likely join the club that season, in green.
 

• 2020:
  • Rotation: Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, Sandoval, Barria, Suarez, Peters
  • Bullpen: Robles, Buttrey, Bedrosian, Anderson, Middleton, Cole, maybe Bard, maybe Ortega
  • Infield: Stassi, Pujols, Fletcher, Rengifo, Simmons, La Stella, Thaiss, Ward, Cozart, Walsh, Jones, probably Rojas
  • Outfield: Upton, Trout, Goodwin, Hermosillo, Adell, maybe Lund
  • DH: Ohtani
    • The Angels will get a little bit of IF and OF reinforcement with Adell, Jones, and Rojas all likely to join the 40-man. The bullpen might see some help in Ortega.
    • The Angels will also lose some of their IF depth via FA at end of year, with Cozart almost definitely gone, and likely one of La Stella/Simmons.
• 2021: 
  • Rotation: Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, Sandoval, Barria, Suarez, Peters, Soriano, Yan, Rodriguez
  • Bullpen: Robles, Buttrey, Bedrosian, Anderson, Middleton, Cole, Beasley, Mattson, maybe Ortega, Bard
  • Infield: Stassi, Pujols, Fletcher, Rengifo, Ward, Thaiss, Walsh, Jones, probably Rojas, maybe Soto, maybe Maitan
  • Outfield: Upton, Trout, Goodwin, Hermosillo, Adell, Marsh, maybe Lund
  • DH: Ohtani
    • The Angels are on track to add a ton of upper-end pitching talent - Soriano, Yan Rodriguez, Mattson, and Beasley's versatility - important as our best SP and two best RPs hit FA.
    • The Angels might have two dynamic infielders to add - Soto's glove, discipline, and speed might give him good UT IF opps, Maitan could boom or bust.
    • Marsh is a significant add to the outfield.
    • Pujols' mega-deal comes off payroll. 
• 2022:
  • Rotation: Ohtani, Canning, Sandoval, Barria, Suarez, Peters, Soriano, Yan, Rodriguez, Bradish, Aquino
  • Bullpen: Buttrey, Anderson, Middleton, Cole, Beasley, Ortega, Mattson, Hernandez, Bard, Pina
  • Infield: Stassi, Fletcher, Rengifo, Ward, Thaiss, Walsh, Jones, Rojas, Soto, Maitan, Stefanic
  • Outfield: Upton, Trout, Goodwin, Adell, Marsh, Hermosillo, Knowles, Deveaux, maybe Lund, Martinez
  • DH: Ohtani
    • This is the year in which our current crop of talent has to have established itself, otherwise they fall into out-of-options danger. 
    • Some dynamic arms add in to either the pen or rotation, too far out to project now - but Hernandez, Aquino, Pina, and Bradish all have a real shot at impacting the club.
    • This is ironically the first season Adell would need to be added by to be protected - Knowles and Deveaux could be big sparks by now, Martinez likely a safe 4th OF.
      • Either way, a lot of outfield talent hits the MLB club in Upton's final year...

Looking at our core for the next three seasons, the talent we expect to add to the 40-man or establish itself from within, and the relatively few players we're losing, should really be seen as an encouraging sign of the work Eppler has done. These next three years are really what he's built us towards. Don't let the PTSD of Dipoto/Reagins or the deluge of injuries cloud you too much, or lead you to think kneejerk actions need to be made this offseason. Go look at what we have to work with as a baseline the next three seasons. We're in good shape - health permitting.

PS - after 2022 is the year in which Jordyn Adams, Jeremiah Jackson, Will Wilson, William Holmes, Alexander Ramirez, and the '19 drafted college pitchers will need to be added, so it doesn't stop there. 
Paris and Kochanowicz after 2023.

Edited September 5, 2019 by totdprods

[Second Base]

The biggest one I want to see DFA'd is Cozart. He's useless to b this roster and would only serve to block Fletcher or Rengifo, both of which he's considerably worse than. Why keep him all winter only to cut him in Spring?

Get rid of him now so you don't have to expose guys like De Horta, Ortega or Rojas to the rule 5 draft, where he'd get scooped up.

[totdprods]

6 minutes ago, Second Base said:

The biggest one I want to see DFA'd is Cozart. He's useless to b this roster and would only serve to block Fletcher or Rengifo, both of which he's considerably worse than. Why keep him all winter only to cut him in Spring?

Get rid of him now so you don't have to expose guys like De Horta, Ortega or Rojas to the rule 5 draft, where he'd get scooped up.

I think a DFA is in his future, but I unfortunately think he'll be given at least ST and perhaps the some of the regular season, if healthy. 

It'll give the Angels a shot at recouping some - any - value in the deal, and I think this club is simply too player-friendly to cut him after two seasons of surgeries. And I'm not saying that with any sort of Scioscia/Arte vets-first connotation, just that I think the Angels have intentionally tried to build a very player-friendly, patient clubhouse that treats players well and errs on giving the player/veteran the benefit of the doubt. Eppler fortunately pulls the trigger much quicker than past GMs, but I think building that positive clubhouse here helps them convince players to come here (Upton, Ohtani, Kinsler) and is something they're careful not to mess with. I expect Cozart to be the defense-first UT IF unless he's totally awful in ST or continues to be hurt.