Move Brandon Marsh to First Base?

[Troll Daddy]

[Dtwncbad]

3 hours ago, jordan said:

Erstad played in 126 games at 1B in 1997, 70 games in 1998 then won gold gloves in 2000 and 2002 in the outfield.  Won his GG at 1B in 2004.  Marsh can probably move around like this to fill the needs of the team. 

Having Erstad at 1B was lame.  He didn’t hit enough for a 1B.

[Pancake Bear]

5 minutes ago, RBM said:

 

I think Marsh will play most of, if not the full season in AAA. I think Adell will most likely start the season in AAA but be our RFer by May or June. 
The kids are coming but I don’t see the team forcing it unless they earn it in AAA. 
It will happen as the Simmons, Pujols and Upton contracts expire over the next few years. 

Nice. 

[Docwaukee]

21 minutes ago, Sean-Regan said:

I'm unclear - what does Simmons have to do with it? Pujols, I can maybe see. But, I mean, unless Marsh and Adell really have setbacks, they'll both be ready at latest by 2020 Spring Training, perhaps sooner. Based on his AFL work, I think Marsh likely starts the year in AAA. I don't know that Adell has much more to prove there, tbh.

Adell actually had some issues with AAA pitching last year.  In particular vs. lefties.  He had no issues with them at AA.  It was subtle and small sample so it might mean nothing and could just be that his overall timing was a bit off once he moved up.  His AFL performance was unspectacular btw.  It was solid though and it was nice to see his BB rate at a level you'd like.  He still k's at a near 30% clip though.  I don't even remotely have a problem with him spending a couple months at AAA just to prove he can make some adjustments from last year.  If he does then great, call him up.  If it takes him a little longer, then so be it.  Marsh will go to AAA because for the same reasons.  Because there are still adjustments that can be made from AA to AAA potentially and the Angels will want to see that in action before starting his clock.  

Something seems to have kinda clicked with Marsh at the plate though in his last 140 PA at AA and through the AFL.  They'll want to see that it's not some sort of hot streak before they bring him up.  But damn the hit tool has been way more impressive that I expected.  I thought he be a 270-280 type max with a ton of walks but the k's have dropped, the walks are still there and the avg. has gone up.  Dude has been putting on a clinic at the plate even if the power isn't totally there yet.  

[Second Base]

If I had to guess how it all works out....

2020: Goodwin starts in RF, Upton in LF, Trout in CF, Hermosillo as the 4th outfielder. Come mid May, Goodwin will merely be hitting .250, which is decent but not enough to hold off a charge from Adell or Marsh, and Hermosillo isn't playing enough to have any sort of consistency at the plate. Adell will have punished AAA pitching for a few weeks and the Angels will make the switch, demoting Hermosillo to AAA, Goodwin into a 4th OF role. Marsh's bat will wake up by June 1st, in time for Upton to hit the IL with a knee ailment that will sideline him for 6 weeks. Goodwin will start at first, but then he'll get injured too and Marsh and Hermosillo will be promoted. Upton will return after the all Star break, but mostly to a DH role which means less playing time for Albert. Adell and Marsh both show enough to secure spots for next year. Angels make it as a wild card team but are eliminated in ALDS. Trout MVP.

2021: Goodwin is traded in the off-season, Pujols retires and Upton, Ohtani, Marsh and Adell will be rotating between the spots, at least until Upton his the IL again early in the season, and Marsh and Adell run away with the corner outfield spots. Second half of the year Adell and Marsh break out and fulfill the promise of their potential. Angels win the division but are eliminated in ALCS. Trout MVP.

2022: The Angels have the elite, all Star  outfield Upton is relegated to part time DH duty in his final contract year. Jordyn Adams absolutely destroys AAA and breaks into the lineup later in the year in a part time role. Angels win the World Series. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Trout MVP.

2023: Trout shifts to a corner outfield, part time DH role at age 32. The two days a week he DH's, Jordyn Adams starts in CF, the other 4 days a week serves as a 4th outfielder. He proves to be far too good for this part time role. The Angels suffer from World Series hangover and lose in the ALDS, but on the bright side, all three of Trout, Adell and Marsh make the all Star team. Trout finished top 5 MVP.

2024: In a surprise move, Trout moves to 1B/DH at age 33 to accommodate Jordyn Adams in CF. Angels hit their stride, win the division and another World Series. Trout wins his final MVP, though, like Cabrera before him, Trout remains in the conversation for 2-3 more years.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Brandon Marsh is like the 97th best prospect in baseball. He’s 21 and he’s never played an inning at Triple-A.

I think you guys should all stop worrying about what’s going to happen when the Angels have too many outfielders. 

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Brandon Marsh is like the 97th best prospect in baseball. He’s 21 and he’s never played an inning at Triple-A.

I think you guys should all stop worrying about what’s going to happen when the Angels have too many outfielders. 

[Pancake Bear]

13 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Brandon Marsh is like the 97th best prospect in baseball. He’s 21 and he’s never played an inning at Triple-A.

I think you guys should all stop worrying about what’s going to happen when the Angels have too many outfielders. 

It’s October and the team is not in the playoffs. Give us this one. 

[Angelsjunky]

3 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Brandon Marsh is like the 97th best prospect in baseball. He’s 21 and he’s never played an inning at Triple-A.

I think you guys should all stop worrying about what’s going to happen when the Angels have too many outfielders. 

Any other poster would get a Debbie Downer for this.

I do agree, but it is another postseason-less October, so this sort of thing is just beginning. 

As for Marsh, I think the hopeful speculation is that he's better than that ranking and on the verge of a big breakout, more of a top 50 prospect.

The position thing will all work itself out.

[Angelsjunky]

3 hours ago, Second Base said:

If I had to guess how it all works out....

2020: Goodwin starts in RF, Upton in LF, Trout in CF, Hermosillo as the 4th outfielder. Come mid May, Goodwin will merely be hitting .250, which is decent but not enough to hold off a charge from Adell or Marsh, and Hermosillo isn't playing enough to have any sort of consistency at the plate. Adell will have punished AAA pitching for a few weeks and the Angels will make the switch, demoting Hermosillo to AAA, Goodwin into a 4th OF role. Marsh's bat will wake up by June 1st, in time for Upton to hit the IL with a knee ailment that will sideline him for 6 weeks. Goodwin will start at first, but then he'll get injured too and Marsh and Hermosillo will be promoted. Upton will return after the all Star break, but mostly to a DH role which means less playing time for Albert. Adell and Marsh both show enough to secure spots for next year. Angels make it as a wild card team but are eliminated in ALDS. Trout MVP.

2021: Goodwin is traded in the off-season, Pujols retires and Upton, Ohtani, Marsh and Adell will be rotating between the spots, at least until Upton his the IL again early in the season, and Marsh and Adell run away with the corner outfield spots. Second half of the year Adell and Marsh break out and fulfill the promise of their potential. Angels win the division but are eliminated in ALCS. Trout MVP.

2022: The Angels have the elite, all Star  outfield Upton is relegated to part time DH duty in his final contract year. Jordyn Adams absolutely destroys AAA and breaks into the lineup later in the year in a part time role. Angels win the World Series. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Trout MVP.

2023: Trout shifts to a corner outfield, part time DH role at age 32. The two days a week he DH's, Jordyn Adams starts in CF, the other 4 days a week serves as a 4th outfielder. He proves to be far too good for this part time role. The Angels suffer from World Series hangover and lose in the ALDS, but on the bright side, all three of Trout, Adell and Marsh make the all Star team. Trout finished top 5 MVP.

2024: In a surprise move, Trout moves to 1B/DH at age 33 to accommodate Jordyn Adams in CF. Angels hit their stride, win the division and another World Series. Trout wins his final MVP, though, like Cabrera before him, Trout remains in the conversation for 2-3 more years.

The only thing that stands out as completely unlikely is Pujols retiring. Even if he absolutely sucks in 2021, he'll be a player coach/pinch-hitter and get a couple hundred at-bats. He'll retire after the season at age 48.

[Lou]

14 hours ago, Sean-Regan said:

You mean like the Dodgers wasting Bellinger at 1B? You’re right, the Dodgers are stupid. SMH. We don’t want to emulate them. Good athletes playing part time at 1B would never work. 

Bellinger played 13 complete games at 1B this year. (28 starts)

[Second Base]

7 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Brandon Marsh is like the 97th best prospect in baseball. He’s 21 and he’s never played an inning at Triple-A.

I think you guys should all stop worrying about what’s going to happen when the Angels have too many outfielders. 

Just generating some off-season conversation to keep the board as lively as it is, Jeff.

Fans talking about things that are aren't immediately pressing is why places like AW exist.

[Jeff Fletcher]

7 minutes ago, Second Base said:

Just generating some off-season conversation to keep the board as lively as it is, Jeff.

Fans talking about things that are aren't immediately pressing is why places like AW exist.

Fair enough. 
 

Carry on.

[Claude]

Hopefully the Upton at first base discussion never gets its own thread. 

[Claude]

3 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

The only thing that stands out as completely unlikely is Pujols retiring. Even if he absolutely sucks in 2021, he'll be a player coach/pinch-hitter and get a couple hundred at-bats. He'll retire after the season at age 48.

He says he can play until he’s 50. He has a very high opinion of himself even though ESPN stopped showing him years ago and nobody’s bothered to tell him. 

[totdprods]

I feel like Upton at first would be a disaster. 

I’m not worried about how any of it plays out. It’s just too premature. Adell and Marsh both need to prove they can thrive in AAA, and then both will need to prove they can produce immediately in the bigs, all while things like injuries and slumps and trades can muddy things on the way. Pujols and even Upton will be off the books soon enough.

If we have to ‘suffer’ through one year of having too many productive players or prospects waiting for playing time, I’ll take that as a good thing.

[Jay]

18 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Fair enough. 
 

Carry on.

Translation: WHATEVER

 

[Lou]

1 minute ago, Jay said:

Translation: WHATEVER

[Dtwncbad]

Sorry for the conversation buzz kill, but when Adell and Marsh are ready, if the Angels have too many outfielders and no first baseman, It is more likely they just trade for a legit, established 1B.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Sorry for the conversation buzz kill, but when Adell and Marsh are ready, if the Angels have too many outfielders and no first baseman, It is more likely they just trade for a legit, established 1B.

I doubt it.  

[Lou]

3 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Sorry for the conversation buzz kill, but when Adell and Marsh are ready, if the Angels have too many outfielders and no first baseman, It is more likely they just trade for a legit, established 1B.

or sign a veteran with a decent bat 

[Dtwncbad]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

or sign a veteran with a decent bat 

Yes maybe trade the outfield surplus for pitching and sign a bat to play 1B.  Whatever.  But Marsh is absolutely not being converted to 1B.  It’s not happening.  They would move the aging Upton there long before they moved Marsh, and THAT is most likely not happening.

[T.G.]

Trade Marsh for CJ Cron now.

 

 

 

[angelsnationtalk]

Interesting idea. In my opinion, Marsh is too athletic with an incredible arm that it would be a waste to put him at first base. Hopefully Adams can fill out and get better. All good prospects 

[Angelsfan1984]

I think they need to just stick Pujols in left and then have every pitcher throw everything on the right side of the plate. Everyone will roll everything over to the left side of the infield and pujols will look like the stud that he is with those cement afterburners he calls feet.