First Base?

[Docwaukee]

8 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Yeah between Walsh and Thaiss I think we'll be fine at 1B. Throw in La Stella and we almost have too much depth at the position.

I agree with you that we need a significant upgrade at catcher so any shortcomings at the 1B position become an afterthought.

plus, it's all about opportunity.  What's available at 1b vs. what we have isn't a huge delta if at all whereas at C, the difference is enormous.  

[floplag]

Doesnt really matter, were not spending any more money on the position when we have needs elsewhere.  0 WAR may not be pretty but at least its league average, something we were not in other places.   In short, its not a problem right now.

[UndertheHalo]

It’s not league average at 1B. 

[tdawg87]

9 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

Walsh and Thaiss are both guys whose value to a good major league team is extremely speculative.  Tough to say we have too much depth at 1B IMO.  The earlier suggestion that we get Grandal and stick him at 1B when he’s not catching sounds like a really good one to me. 

Every MLB team has "holes". Sexual comments aside, we can take the hit at a position like 1B if we have significant strengths elsewhere, which we do. 

But we need to plug the hole at catcher because we literally have nothing there right now. At least we have options at 1B.

[UndertheHalo]

56 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Every MLB team has "holes". Sexual comments aside, we can take the hit at a position like 1B if we have significant strengths elsewhere, which we do. 

But we need to plug the hole at catcher because we literally have nothing there right now. At least we have options at 1B.

No I agree - which is sort of why I mentioned the Grandal thing.  I’m just bemoaning a not great situation.  I’m hopeful that Thaiss or guys like Walsh or Ward may prove to be useful in the majors.  I just don’t have a ton of confidence.  I’d definitely like to see them more then Pujols tho. 

Edited October 15, 2019 by UndertheHalo

[T.G.]

I'd be thrilled if Thaiss could just be league average.

Edited October 15, 2019 by True Grich

[floplag]

52 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

It’s not league average at 1B. 

Fair enough, allow me to rephrase even though im sure youll find issue with that as well... in WAR Terms its a neutral.  He didnt cost us any games he didnt win us any.    
Its also still moot since were not spending any more money on the position. 

[UndertheHalo]

25 minutes ago, floplag said:

Fair enough, allow me to rephrase even though im sure youll find issue with that as well... in WAR Terms its a neutral.  He didnt cost us any games he didnt win us any.    
Its also still moot since were not spending any more money on the position. 

All I’m saying is that it’s not a good situation and none of us need to try and spin it any other way. We just have to hope for best with the unproven guys we have.  Like I said, the Grandal idea is a good one and it’s a place that maybe we can be optimistic that they’ll put some money. 

[floplag]

11 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

All I’m saying is that it’s not a good situation and none of us need to try and spin it any other way. We just have to hope for best with the unproven guys we have.  Like I said, the Grandal idea is a good one and it’s a place that maybe we can be optimistic that they’ll put some money. 

No, it isnt, but its also not our worst problem or what i think of as a priority.  
It will take care of itself over the next year or two, until then its just pointless worry or complaint. 

[Chuck]

Thaiss hit 22 HR's between AAA and the big leagues this past season, Walsh hit 37 dingers. 

Both bat lefthanded, both can play two positions (Thaiss 1B, 3B) and Walsh can play 1B, RF and pitch in relief. There's a good chance if neither are traded that they both are on the 2020 Major League roster next season. 

[Chuck]

I wonder if the Angels try Taylor Ward out at 1B too as he can already play 3B, LF and act as an emergency C if needed. 

The guy had an impressive AAA season slashing .306/.427/.584 with 27 HR. He walked 80 times and stole 11 bases. He's got a canon for an arm and some athleticism too. 

I really hope we don't trade him for nothing because he's gotten better each of the last two seasons offensively. We just need to find a home for him on the defensive side of things.

One other thing, for those attributing his AAA numbers to half of his games played in Salt Lake, keep in mind he was equally as good on the road in Triple-A this past season.

[Angel Oracle]

Scott brought up moving Marsh to 1B in another thread.   There is precedent for moving an excellent defender from the OF to 1B: Erstad.     Of course, Erstad already had significant MLB experience before that move.  Marsh will be a rookie. 

2020-2022:  Upton/Trout/Adell in the OF

2023 and forward:  Trout/Adams/Adell in the OF  

[nate]

3 hours ago, floplag said:

Fair enough, allow me to rephrase even though im sure youll find issue with that as well... in WAR Terms its a neutral.  He didnt cost us any games he didnt win us any.    
Its also still moot since were not spending any more money on the position. 

wut?

Among the 19 qualifying MLB 1b, Pujols had the worst OPS.  He cost the Angels plenty of games.

[Troll Daddy]

7 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

This is a cool and good stat.  Thanks ! The Angels should continue with this. 
 

Random dumb stats that don’t mean anything are very precious to me. 

[Pancake Bear]

4 minutes ago, Troll Daddy said:

Dad, why are you running yourself down? We all say dumb crap sometimes. No need to revel in it.

[Dtwncbad]

18 hours ago, TroutField said:

Is everyone content with 1st base being Thaiss/Pujols/Lastella? Pujols will get more DH at bats with Ohtani back on the mound next year.  I think if we could package Thaiss up with a low level prospect to get back a solid every day 1st baseman you would have to look at it. (Not sure who that would be, admittedly) I have doubts about Thaiss being more than a bench player/AAAA player. Thoughts? 
 

I get it’s not on the to do list but if the rotation, OF, bullpen, and catcher is all shored up 1st could be last thing to look at improving. 

No.  But I can suffer through it if the pitching is properly fixed.  But no. No.

[Erstad Grit]

I thought Pujols retired during the ST Louis series last year? 

 

 

[Dtwncbad]

On 10/15/2019 at 2:39 PM, floplag said:

Doesnt really matter, were not spending any more money on the position when we have needs elsewhere.  0 WAR may not be pretty but at least its league average, something we were not in other places.   In short, its not a problem right now.

Regarding 0 WAR— don’t get fooled by the zero.

0 WAR means he is no better or worse than some scrap heap replacement player you can plug in there.  Just realize that a scrap heap replacement player might “lose” a whole lot of games for his team over a season compared to a league average player.  0 WAR means Pujols is no WORSE than the garbage replacement player.  So it can absolutely mean that he is losing games for the Angels just like a junk replacement player would.

 

[floplag]

2 hours ago, Dtwncbad said:

Regarding 0 WAR— don’t get fooled by the zero.

0 WAR means he is no better or worse than some scrap heap replacement player you can plug in there.  Just realize that a scrap heap replacement player might “lose” a whole lot of games for his team over a season compared to a league average player.  0 WAR means Pujols is no WORSE than the garbage replacement player.  So it can absolutely mean that he is losing games for the Angels just like a junk replacement player would.

 

... FFS people youre so determined to hate the guy it legit doesnt matter what someone says that isnt vitriol...  So what, did we have better?  No, we tried, they were all worse, end of story.    Move on. 

[Pancake Bear]

5 minutes ago, floplag said:

... FFS people youre so determined to hate the guy it legit doesnt matter what someone says that isnt vitriol...  So what, did we have better?  No, we tried, they were all worse, end of story.    Move on. 

2 WAR is technically league average. 0 is well below league average. 

[Stradling]

On 10/15/2019 at 1:18 PM, stormngt said:

You mean stats like WAR?

No I don’t think he meant WAR. 

[Stradling]

On 10/15/2019 at 2:24 PM, Calzone 2 said:

Pujols is not the problem. 

 

....Stradling 

Correct. 

[Dtwncbad]

15 minutes ago, floplag said:

... FFS people youre so determined to hate the guy it legit doesnt matter what someone says that isnt vitriol...  So what, did we have better?  No, we tried, they were all worse, end of story.    Move on. 

Sorry to inform you there was zero, and I mean  zero “hate” for Pujols in my post.

zero.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Sorry to inform you there was zero, and I mean  zero “hate” for Pujols in my post.

zero.

How much hate?

[Pancake Bear]

3 minutes ago, RBM said:

Agreed. Especially when you consider the team WAR by position around the league. I looked at it by position earlier and:

The Angels team WAR at 1B was -0.9. Ranked 27th in the league. It’s definitely an issue and we should be looking to upgrade this offseason. Playoff teams don't rank 27th at 1B. 

It’s not as big an issue as Starting Pitching (ranked 30th) or Catcher (ranked 27th) but I think Eppler should have a plan to upgrade all 3 positions. 

Here’s your upgrade: Play Pujols as a bench bat.