Do you think the Angels will heavily pursue Anthony Rendon?

[mmc]

Everyone always talks about pitching when it comes to free agency as it's by far our biggest need and it seems like our organization is well aware.  But will the Angels heavily pursue the top free agent position player, Anthony Rendon?  He has been a top 10 player in the league for the past few seasons, and would undoubtedly be a big upgrade to our offense.  He will, of course, come with a very expensive contract that I'm not necessarily sure both I and the organization would be comfortable signing him to, considering the state of our pitching.  But how much do you expect Arte and Billy to pursue him due to our need for another offensive star (especially at 3B)?

[CanadianHalo]

No.

Next question 

[tdawg87]

The Nats offered him 7/210 so no.

He'd be an incredible addition to the lineup but that's essentially Cole's contract going towards offense because reasons. 

[totdprods]

Literally the only way would be if it becomes abundantly clear that the Angels will not be able to sign Cole or any of the top five SPs or so, and decide to just go all-in on offense, trade for an arm(s), and round out the rotation with bargain bins, cross their fingers, and hope to improve SP next winter. 

Just doesn’t seem likely. 
 

[nate]

No

[floplag]

No, we wont have the budget for that plus pitching unless we are willing to get close to or go over the lux tax, which i dont see happening.

some people spend far too much time saving shit just to play i told you so later, Cals... but that having been said have we done the latter part of the post yet?

[Second Base]

It will be a big upgrade getting Tommy La Stella back, and it won't cost 200+ million dollars. It will be a big upgrade having Rengifo with a year of MLB action under his belt, so he will know what to expect. The same with Ward, and the same with Thaiss.

The way I see it working out, if we decide this into one week increments and figure the Angels will play 6 games per week, typically with a day off on Monday, but sometimes Thursday, Shohei Ohtani, in an effort to limit his innings, will become our Sunday starter. This means he will DH Tuesday through Friday, four games a week. When that happens, Albert, whether we like it or not will play 1B, Fletcher at 2B and La Stella at 3B.

But the two games a week that Ohtani isn't DHing, Pujols will likely use one of those, and rest the other, opening up two starts a week at 1B. La Stella will shift across the diamond to 1B for those two games, with Fletcher moving to 3B and Rengifo getting two starts at 2B in connection with his utility infielder role, which likely means one start per week at shortstop to spell Simmons.

La Stella: 4 starts at 3B, 2 at 1B.

Fletcher: 4 starts at 2B, 2 at 3B

Simmons: 5 starts at SS.

Rengifo: 2 starts at 2B, 1 start at SS, pinch hitting and running.

Pujols: 4 starts at 1B, one at DH

Ohtani: 4 starts at DH

Upton 5 starts in LF, 1 at DH.

Trout: 6 starts in CF

Adell: 6 starts in RF

Goodwin/Hermosillo: 1 start in LF, late innings defensive replacement in LF on a regular basis, and pinch hitting it pinch running duties.

[Jay]

musical chairs in the infield

 

[Stradling]

The only way they target a guy like Rendon is if they trade Simmons for pitching, then trade for a guy like Thor, AND get Cole to sign early. As much as I like Rendon, I am not ready to watch Fletcher play SS.  

[Dtwncbad]

Angels must secure front line pitching by any means necessary.  It could be as simple as spending huge money in free agents.

But let’s say Cole and others sign elsewhere.  If that happens the Angels will have to make trades.  If the Angels have to trade Adell and other young offensive players to land the front line starters, then they money they did not spend on Cole could certainly be used to pursue a guy like Rendon.

Is it likely? No.

Could it happen?  Yes but again, not likely.

[angelsnationtalk]

36 minutes ago, Stradling said:

The only way they target a guy like Rendon is if they trade Simmons for pitching, then trade for a guy like Thor, AND get Cole to sign early. As much as I like Rendon, I am not ready to watch Fletcher play SS.  

I like the idea. But gotta keep in mind if we’re trading someone like Marsh, Suarez, Thaiss, Yan and maybe Ward for Thor then there’s got to be the idea of us signing him to an extension. Which could possibly be around $25M. Add that to Cole and Rendon and we’re pushing an addition of $85M. The extension would kick in once Pujols is gone so maybe it could still work. 

[angelsnationtalk]

If Strasburg opts out and the Angels push open the payroll would you guys consider signing Cole and Strasburg and not Rendon? 

[Stradling]

5 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

If Strasburg opts out and the Angels push open the payroll would you guys consider signing Cole and Strasburg and not Rendon? 

Yes.  

[tdawg87]

6 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

If Strasburg opts out and the Angels push open the payroll would you guys consider signing Cole and Strasburg and not Rendon? 

I mean of course.

[kevinb]

No I don't even think they make the call. You can't have 3 guys on your team making over 200 million plus. Just isn't feasible for long term success. 

[Tank]

13 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

If Strasburg opts out and the Angels push open the payroll would you guys consider signing Cole and Strasburg and not Rendon? 

In a heartbeat. Pitching is the greatest need right now.

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

No I don't even think they make the call. You can't have 3 guys on your team making over 200 million plus. Just isn't feasible for long term success. 

So they won’t sign Cole?

[Dtwncbad]

5 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

No I don't even think they make the call. You can't have 3 guys on your team making over 200 million plus. Just isn't feasible for long term success. 

We don’t know that.  You suspect it, but you could be wrong.

[tdawg87]

10 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

No I don't even think they make the call. You can't have 3 guys on your team making over 200 million plus. Just isn't feasible for long term success. 

Well it's a good thing we only have one guy making that much.

[Angel Oracle]

22 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

If Strasburg opts out and the Angels push open the payroll would you guys consider signing Cole and Strasburg and not Rendon? 

An emphatic yes!

[angelsnationtalk]

13 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

I mean of course.

@Stradling

 imagine that managed by Joe Maddon. Woooooo boy that’d be fun. Angels might still consider trading Simmons halfway through to clear some $. Either way I don’t see him getting an extension. 
rotation 2020:

Cole, Strasburg, Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, filler. Then they trade Simmons 

[tdawg87]

Sick rotations!

The Angels sign Cole and Strasburg then trade Simmons in a package to NY for Thor.

Cole, Strasburg, Syndergaard, Ohtani, Canning

I'll be in my bunk.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

@Stradling

 imagine that managed by Joe Maddon. Woooooo boy that’d be fun. Angels might still consider trading Simmons halfway through to clear some $. Either way I don’t see him getting an extension. 
rotation 2020:

Cole, Strasburg, Ohtani, Heaney, Canning, filler. Then they trade Simmons 

Well it would be bitter sweet because you don’t get Thor without giving up Adell.  

[tdawg87]

Just now, Stradling said:

Well it would be bitter sweet because you don’t get Thor without giving up Adell.  

Thanks for ruining my bunktime.

[tdawg87]

Hot take: Marsh makes Adell a trade candidate.