THE Official 2019-2020 Hot Stove Thread

[Justin]

2 minutes ago, WeaverFever said:

Are we going to be able to afford Ohtani when the time comes? 

Yes. And anyway, even if he gets to free agency, that's years away. That's waaay down on my list of concerns. 

[krAbs]

I love this time of the year because everyone starts whipping our their profoundly negative takes about every free agent pitcher on the market. What I've learned reading this board: Ryu is a huge mistake, Bumgarner is a huge mistake, Keuchel is a huge mistkae, Price is a huge mistake, and Kluber won't be worth it; but, we BETTER sign at least two starting pitchers.

[Justin]

4 minutes ago, krAbs said:

I love this time of the year because everyone starts whipping our their profoundly negative takes about every free agent pitcher on the market. What I've learned reading this board: Ryu is a huge mistake, Bumgarner is a huge mistake, Keuchel is a huge mistkae, Price is a huge mistake, and Kluber won't be worth it; but, we BETTER sign at least two starting pitchers.

The Angels better acquire two starting pitchers. I do not care if they are free agents. 

Ryu is the only one I would consider a "huge" mistake. I would like them to acquire Keuchel and Kluber. 

Who would you like to see the Angels get?

[Taylor]

8 minutes ago, WeaverFever said:

Are we going to be able to afford Ohtani when the time comes? 

We're going to lose him to the Phillies or Yankees for sure.

[Second Base]

1 minute ago, SoPas Angel said:

The Angels better acquire two starting pitchers. I do not care if they are free agents. 

Ryu is the only one I would consider a "huge" mistake. I would like them to acquire Keuchel and Kluber. 

Who would you like to see the Angels get?

Ryu is the only FA that can be a front of the rotation pitcher, and he doesn't cost a draft pick, and silver lining to all the injuries, low mileage on the arm.

As more of an anecdote, Trout is a huge fan of him too. 

I don't know how he may fit in the clubhouse or whatever else. But from a pretty production standpoint, he's likely the best.

[mmc]

Really hope this doesn’t happen, I would like to see Kole on a winning team (though I’ll be happy to see him get paid so if they offer the most, and we don’t have to face him, I can’t complain)

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Taylor said:

We're going to lose him to the Phillies or Yankees for sure.

or the CWS because they're going to spend a lot of money and they're ready to compete 

[mmc]

 

[hangin n wangin]

29 minutes ago, SoPas Angel said:

If this is how the Angels start the season, I will be very disappointed. I wonder how many people who want - or are even just okay with - Ryu in the rotation watched him pitch last season or are just looking at his numbers. He was great in the first half and very good in the second half, but Dodgers fans were holding their breath with every start, wondering if the next pitch would cause a major injury for the fourth time in five seasons. 

When you combine that with the fact he will be 33 on Opening Day and the anticipation that he will receive something like 5/150, there has never been a free agent pitcher I have wanted less.  

If he wants 5/150, we obviously run for the hills. That would be downright ridiculous considering his age and injury history.

However, if we can do a two year deal with him, that would be pretty cool. I think Ryu knows he’s a little vagina and his ass muscle is bound to rip at any moment.

[Justin]

1 minute ago, Second Base said:

Ryu is the only FA that can be a front of the rotation pitcher, and he doesn't cost a draft pick, and silver lining to all the injuries, low mileage on the arm.

The no-draft-pick and the fact that he isn't your typical 33-year-old are definitely in the positive category. 

The three major injuries from '15-'18 are the biggest red flag and what scare the hell out of me. 

If he could be had for 2 or 3 years, the risk would be a lot more reasonable. But he's a Boras client, so I am not expecting him to sign a reasonable contract with anyone except maybe the Dodgers. 

[Warfarin]

24 minutes ago, CanadianHalo said:

So in your ideal scenario we go out and get 2 pitchers that can’t stay healthy? Add them to a rotation with Heaney who can’t stay healthy and Ohtani who is coming back from injury. 

Given the fact we are in dire need of pitchers who can eat innings I just can’t wrap my head around why anyone would even suggest Ryu

 

I understand what you are saying, but a lot of pitchers struggle to pitch a season's worth of innings, which is why so many teams now aim to have 8-9 quality SPs.  Ryu did pitch 180 innings last year.

With the rotation I outlined, beyond those 6, we'd have Suarez, Barria, Sandoval, and Pena as depth - that's potentially 9 guys who can make starts.  Do I expect Ryu, Price, Heaney to make all of their starts?  No - of course not, but I feel the pitching staff should be looked at on the whole, and ideally, you can "map out" around 950 innings or so from all the guys you have.  So - maybe Ryu pitches around 150, same with Price.  Maybe Heaney is ~100-120, etc.  There will be plenty of starts for our "depth starters" too, but again, that's the key with roster building these days - your 6th, 7th, 8th SPs on the depth chart are, quite likely, going to get a number of starts.

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Good news everyone!  Claude who is on his sabbatical has changed his name. @Rendzone will be arriving in a few weeks.  Maybe we will trade for Chris Sale and he can change his name to @SaleCity which sounds like a discount electronic store.  

I'm not spending a dime there

[floplag]

For me, right now, it looks like this:

#1.  Make the trade for Kluber that only costs lets say Rengifo and one other youngster is thats valid,  adds 17M

#2  Sign Keuchel,  he projected at something like 3 39 or about 13 per, i think it goes a little higher at this point with Roark getting 12, so lets say 3-4 years at 15 or 16 per.

#3.  Solve catcher either thru a separate trade for a controllable long term guy or just bring back Maldonado or go get Castro, shouldn't add more than 5 or 6 per.   Might lean to Castro only because it would solve it a little longer than a 1 yr on Maldy for equivalent D and Castro hits a little more serviceable, but Maldy might cost a bit less and keep future options open. 

#4.  Finally, if you want a little gravy take a shot at a 1 yr deal for RF to keep it warm till Adell/Marsh is 100% ready.  Maybe bring Kole back or go off book and give Puig a 1 year, maybe 6-8M.   Id prefer Kole due to being LH and while both have great arms Kole is the better defender overall... but either would do.  As said, gravy, but if you want to leave nothing to chance, there ya go. 

It adds about 40-45 M, which definitely puts us in lux tax range, but the money balances over the next couple years as Upton and Pujols move off books so we never reach the high range of penalties in the third year and it normalizes as Adell, Marsh, and the rest of the kids make the big club. 

[krAbs]

2 minutes ago, SoPas Angel said:

The Angels better acquire two starting pitchers. I do not care if they are free agents. 

Ryu is the only one I would consider a "huge" mistake. I would like them to acquire Keuchel and Kluber. 

Who would you like to see the Angels get?

haha not meaning to targeting you, specifically. And I get it. Every pitcher out there has an issue of some sort - unless they don't, and then their issue is the price tag. I would be good with any two of those, tbh. The trick is I'd like enough money left over to sign a catcher, and ideally a bullpen arm - and also I'd like to not totally sell the farm. I personally like the idea of Kluber and Ryu because the upside of a healthy/in-form Kluber-Ryu-Ohtani front three is incredible. I also think that Keuchel plays to our team's strengths well.

[krAbs]

1 minute ago, RBM said:

Be wary of residing in the aggregate. 

Very very true

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

9 minutes ago, Taylor said:

We're going to lose him to the Phillies or Yankees for sure.

Or worse. The MLB is going to put a team in Japan so he can sign back home. 

[Justin]

1 minute ago, krAbs said:

haha not meaning to targeting you, specifically. And I get it. Every pitcher out there has an issue of some sort - unless they don't, and then their issue is the price tag. I would be good with any two of those, tbh. The trick is I'd like enough money left over to sign a catcher, and ideally a bullpen arm - and also I'd like to not totally sell the farm. I personally like the idea of Kluber and Ryu because the upside of a healthy/in-form Kluber-Ryu-Ohtani front three is incredible. I also think that Keuchel plays to our team's strengths well.

I should also add regarding my not wanting Ryu:

Most of my friends are Dodgers fans, and I absolutely CANNOT handle the thought of the Angels signing Ryu to a big contract, having him constantly be on the IL as he has been the last five years, and all of my friends saying "Thanks for taking him off our hands. Can't believe you guys paid so much for Fat Boy [which is what most of them call him, particularly my Korean friends]"

Although perhaps it's my fault for having so many friends who are Dodgers fans. 

[Jay]

26 minutes ago, WeaverFever said:

Are we going to be able to afford Ohtani when the time comes? 

Let's hope his value is so high that it becomes a concern.

 

[Lou]

The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a two-year, $12-million deal with Japanese infielder/outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

 

Additionally, the Rays will pay a $2.4-million posting fee to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan's Central League, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, who added that the deal is still pending a physical and likely won't be announced until next week.

Tsutsugo, who was also drawing interest from the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays, had bigger offers on the table but decided the Rays were his best fit, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

[Homebrewer]

7 minutes ago, Lou said:

The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a two-year, $12-million deal with Japanese infielder/outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

 

Additionally, the Rays will pay a $2.4-million posting fee to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan's Central League, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, who added that the deal is still pending a physical and likely won't be announced until next week.

Tsutsugo, who was also drawing interest from the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays, had bigger offers on the table but decided the Rays were his best fit, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

He likes playing in big empty stadiums? Probably a dream of many Japanese players.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

18 minutes ago, floplag said:

For me, right now, it looks like this:

#1.  Make the trade for Kluber that only costs lets say Rengifo and one other youngster is thats valid,  adds 17M

#2  Sign Keuchel,  he projected at something like 3 39 or about 13 per, i think it goes a little higher at this point with Roark getting 12, so lets say 3-4 years at 15 or 16 per.

#3.  Solve catcher either thru a separate trade for a controllable long term guy or just bring back Maldonado or go get Castro, shouldn't add more than 5 or 6 per.   Might lean to Castro only because it would solve it a little longer than a 1 yr on Maldy for equivalent D and Castro hits a little more serviceable, but Maldy might cost a bit less and keep future options open. 

#4.  Finally, if you want a little gravy take a shot at a 1 yr deal for RF to keep it warm till Adell/Marsh is 100% ready.  Maybe bring Kole back or go off book and give Puig a 1 year, maybe 6-8M.   Id prefer Kole due to being LH and while both have great arms Kole is the better defender overall... but either would do.  As said, gravy, but if you want to leave nothing to chance, there ya go. 

It adds about 40-45 M, which definitely puts us in lux tax range, but the money balances over the next couple years as Upton and Pujols move off books so we never reach the high range of penalties in the third year and it normalizes as Adell, Marsh, and the rest of the kids make the big club. 

Flop, I like your ideas. 

2. Keuchel/Bumgarner I approach both with the same contract 18-22M per 3+ option and which ever jumps we add as the #2. Behind Kluber and in front of Ohtani. I believe either will be fine and they would age ok. Of the 2 I would prefer MadBum due to his World Series and Playoff experience.

I might break that 7-8 into 2 contracts.

1. For Betances he is coming back from an Achilles and the arm looked good velo was there and break on 2 seamer.

2. For Corey Dickerson as a fill in for Adell/Marsh. He may accept less than a Calhoun 1/2 year reunion.

3. Daniel Hudson yeah, I know..... He looked good during the playoffs though!

This would open a spot for us to move a bullpen piece like Bedrock to SD for Hedges/Mejia.

[Angel Oracle]

Preferences in order:

Gray, Kluber, Keuchel, MadBum, Ryu (changing course since he may get offered $30 million/year), and Price (no freaking way)

[mmc]

 

[floplag]

Someone help me out here on the Gray love, i dont see it.   His numbers away from Coors are not stellar and his career numbers are not nearly as good as some other sin this conversation. So why is this guy so high on some people lists?  What am i missing here? 

[Stradling]

9 minutes ago, floplag said:

Someone help me out here on the Gray love, i dont see it.   His numbers away from Coors are not stellar and his career numbers are not nearly as good as some other sin this conversation. So why is this guy so high on some people lists?  What am i missing here? 

The thought his numbers would normalize when he isn't pitching half of his games using one way to approach hitters and another using another.  He's younger than the other options.  More strike outs than innings pitched.  Good ERA except in 2018.