Third starter or legit upgrade at catcher?

[Docwaukee]

Let's say the the Halos went out and got Cole as well as another capable starter.  

At that point, would you rather see them add an additional starter or someone like Grandal?  

Personally, I would choose Grandal and it would somewhat depend on who that 2nd starter ended up being.  But I think I would prioritize and upgrade at catcher over a third arm for the rotation.  

[Claude]

How about two new catchers. If Romine and Maldonado are both available. Sign both. 

[eligrba]

I believe that all of the Angel's young pitchers will improve dramatically next year.  They will have some quality internal options for slotting #4 and #5.

[Stradling]

I’d choose three starters.  We need quality depth in the rotation and you literally can’t win without quality major league pitching.  Catchers have value on both sides of the ball, so if you can’t get offense from one you can probably get away with a really good defensive catcher, basically what they expect Stassi to be. 

[AngelsWin.com]

If I have to choose, Grandal over a third starter after Cole and say a Ryu/Wheeler/Odorizzi.

[Lou]

pitching

pitching pitching

pitching pitching pitching

 

[Brandon]

Probably pitching. Off the cuff there seems to be more value there than a catcher.

[Stradling]

You can get offense from 8 other guys on the team, so if your catcher isn’t hitting but is solid defensively then so be it.  You only get pitching from the dude on the mound and we need as many of those guys, with good stuff, that can take the ball every five or six days as we can get our hands on.  

[ettin]

In this scenario I would choose a catcher over a 3rd starter. However I think it is possible to do both with the understanding that the starter might be a bit of a reclamation project possibly.

[floplag]

I voted legit offensive weapon.
IF we got two arms its like getting three with Ohtani's return, and the rest of the staff is capable enough to handle 4-8ish
The bat would be the best bang for the buck. 

[Glen]

I think the chances of us signing one of the big free agent pitchers are very good.  I think the chances of us signing two of them are decent at best.  I think the chances of us signing three of them are non-existent.  Now if you're talking sign/trade for 1/2, then yeah, sign another pitcher.  If we sign two upper-tier pitchers, then there won't be enough money left to get Grandal.  

So I guess what I'm saying is, we're stuck with Stassi so get as much pitching as we can.  And how do people feel about Kevan Smith?  His hitting was decent, or very good if you're an Angels catcher.  How's his defense?

[Angelsjunky]

Grandal, definitely. Assuming Eppler is successful in his presumed off-season goals, he'll be adding one of Cole/Strasburg AND one of Wheeler/Odorizzi/Hamels AND getting Ohtani back...and that's without adding a third starter. At that point the weakest point on the team is catcher.

[hangin n wangin]

I take the starters all day. Catchers are just too iffy for me. They take too many days off and their value seems to vary so much by the year. Plus, there are catchers like Navarez and Garver that come out of the wood works. This team needs starting pitching bad.

[Stradling]

How bout Shoemaker as the 3rd arm which gives you possibly enough to upgrade at catcher as well.  

[Lou]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

How bout Shoemaker as the 3rd arm which gives you possibly enough to upgrade at catcher as well.  

who's going to make the other 25 starts? 

[Lou]

might as well sign Garneau

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, Stradling said:

How bout Shoemaker as the 3rd arm which gives you possibly enough to upgrade at catcher as well.  

I would definitely like to seem them grab someone like that regardless.  

 

9 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

I take the starters all day. Catchers are just too iffy for me. They take too many days off and their value seems to vary so much by the year. Plus, there are catchers like Navarez and Garver that come out of the wood works. This team needs starting pitching bad.

I just don't feel like this is true.  Or I guess I should say that I feel like it happens with pitchers way more often.  

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

who's going to make the other 25 starts? 

I think he's saying that Shoemaker needs a third arm.  

[Lou]

Just now, Dochalo said:

I think he's saying that Shoemaker needs a third arm.  

perv

 

oh wait, that's leg. 

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, Lou said:

perv

 

oh wait, that's leg. 

not necessarily.  

[Lou]

1 minute ago, Dochalo said:

not necessarily.  

carry on, soldier

[AngelsLakersFan]

I think a lot of us are going to be disappointed this off season...

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, RBM said:

I think we need three SP's but why can't we also upgrade at catcher.

I would still be ecstatic if we ended up with Cole, Wheeler and Grandal.

But I would be happier with Cole, Wheeler, Hamels and a lesser upgrade at catcher - d'Arnoud, Castro, McCann, Chirinos.

I'd be happy with that as well. 

Though they might be able to get Cole, Wheeler, Grandal and say a Matt Shoemaker or Michael Pineda who started flashing his electric stuff then got suspended. Has to serve the remaining 39 games, but we could get him in early May and I think we can sign him for relatively cheap. 

[Chuck]

Just now, AngelsLakersFan said:

I think a lot of us are going to be disappointed this off season...

We're definitely setting ourselves up for disappointment. There's no doubt about that. 

[Angelsjunky]

McCann retired.

But it is a good point: there are a half dozen or so decent catchers available. But I don't think it is a choice between a third starter and what kind of catcher, but how good of a second starter and catcher.

So it might be:

Cole, Odorizzi/Hamels, Grandal or 

Cole, Wheeler, Castro/d'Arnaud/Avila/Cervelli/Chirinos