How disappointed will you be if the Angels don't sign Gerrit Cole?

[ukyah]

Just now, Stradling said:

Do teams usually go with a one man rotation?  If so why would it be called a rotation?  

 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, ukyah said:

 

I’m completely lightened up.  

[mtangelsfan]

4 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I’m completely lit.

 

[Dtwncbad]

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I really don't have any expectations.  Maybe Cole signs early or maybe he signs later while Boras tries to drive his price up.  If it's the latter any team waiting on him is likely to be let down as they miss out on other players.  I hope the FO is aggressive with their plan whether it's FA, trades or a combination of both.  All they can do is try but I really hope we don't end up with a couple of peanuts like last off season. 

[floplag]

Depends entirely on what they do it its place and how high his cost goes.
Its the most obvious solution, but not the only one.
We do need an ace, no question, but the closer he gets to Trout money the lower my interest gets. 
If it comes down to we could get 2 good guys for the same money i might have to look at that and maybe put the bigger money in a bat.  
Bottom line here is that we cant be held hostage or locked in on any one deal, the deal still has to make sense. 

[redoctober2002]

If the Angels ended up getting one of Odorizzi/Wheeler/Strasburg and one of Gibson/Hamels/Keuchel I would be okay on missing out on Cole. I don't like Bumgarner's home away splits to justify the money he'll command and Ryu's injury is worrisome considering how many injuries the pitching staff has experienced. Strasburg is more worth the risk since he's much more productive despite the injury concerns. 

[tdawg87]

30 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I’m completely lightened up.  

Strad just had a Double Double for breakfast. Shits goin great.

[tdawg87]

Just now, redoctober2002 said:

If the Angels ended up getting one of Odorizzi/Wheeler/Strasburg and one of Gibson/Hamels/Keuchel

Odorizzi and Gibson....

[TroutField]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

Ohtani isn't 87 gas 

His 120-150 innings aren’t making this team a playoff team alone. 

[Lou]

12 minutes ago, TroutField said:

His 120-150 innings aren’t making this team a playoff team alone. 

right, that's why we'd sign Cole 

[tdawg87]

13 minutes ago, TroutField said:

His 120-150 innings aren’t making this team a playoff team alone. 

Right, which is why we'd be adding Cole and another pitcher.

[UndertheHalo]

I don’t know why it is that I’m surprised every time I see angels fans that are butt hurt about good things happening for the Angels.  Hypothetically losing a top 5 pitcher, one of a handful of legit aces in his prime to the dodgers = best thing to happen in a decade.   

[fan_since79]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

My expectations are low. I'll be pleased if we sign him. 

After following this team for over 40 years, I'm not disappointed anymore at anything that happens. It is what it is. 

We DID win a World Series, and Seattle and Texas haven't. I keep that thought in mind during the dark days.

[TroutField]

23 minutes ago, Lou said:

right, that's why we'd sign Cole 

Cole and Ohtani dont transform the Angels into a playoff team. 

[Erstad Grit]

46 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Odorizzi and Gibson....

Yeah I'm great with odorizzi being the second tier pitcher we add but not our main

[kevinb]

Not at all disappointed. This off season isn't built on one player. We have the games best player and we were a 90 loss team last year. I just want the Angels to get good players this off season that makes the Angels a playoff team. If Cole is one of those good players great. If he is not one of them then so be it, Just make the Angels better this off season Eppler. Make this a playoff team. Make them fun to watch again. 

[Lou]

Just now, TroutField said:

Cole and Ohtani dont transform the Angels into a playoff team. 

I would disagree

[Chuck]

3 hours ago, Stradling said:

I absolutely think Ohtani could be an Ace, all the more reason to sign Cole.  It’s not like having two dynamic 3rd baseman or catchers where only one can play at a time. 

Right.

I mean, the Astros had three aces for crying out loud.

[wopphil]

As for a non-Cole offseason, what if it went something like this:

Wheeler - 5/100 (16 first year)

Odorizzi - 4/56 (12 first year)

Donaldson - 3/66 (20 first year)

Grandal - 4/56 (12 first year)

That's a huge offseason with 60 mil in new money for 2020, which is potentially doable.

[Chuck]

4 minutes ago, wopphil said:

As for a non-Cole offseason, what if it went something like this:

Wheeler - 5/100 (16 first year)

Odorizzi - 4/56 (12 first year)

Donaldson - 3/66 (20 first year)

Grandal - 4/56 (12 first year)

That's a huge offseason with 60 mil in new money for 2020, which is potentially doable.

I wouldn't be opposed to this Cole-less offseason plan. Sign me up! 

[Billy_Ball]

24 minutes ago, TroutField said:

Cole and Ohtani dont transform the Angels into a playoff team. 

Agreed.  Maddon will.

[Stradling]

34 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

I don’t know why it is that I’m surprised every time I see angels fans that are butt hurt about good things happening for the Angels.  Hypothetically losing a top 5 pitcher, one of a handful of legit aces in his prime to the dodgers = best thing to happen in a decade.   

Consider the source. 

[fan_since79]

7 minutes ago, Billy_Ball said:

Agreed.  Maddon will.

Maddon can't hit in the lineup and pitch.

We still need a major upgrade on the field, especially in the rotation. A manager can't make lemonade out of stale lemons.

[Duren, Duren]

I wouldn't be disappointed, because it would be too big a commitment to a pitcher through his decade of the thirties. A power pitcher who already had arm problems.

You might get a few good years from him at the beginning, but the odds are that his value decreases over time. 

And even if he is great in the next couple of seasons, much more is needed to transform the team into a top contender.  

Money sent his way should be smartly spread between different positions of need. Of course starting pitching is the top priority, but catching, a power hitting third baseman, and depth elsewhere will be necessary.

It doesn't have to be totally 'moneyball' designed, but the Angels have to be smart and not get carried away by emotion and hype. They have been burnt more than enough times by chasing after the biggest hyped free agent of the moment. 

ESPN did have a story earlier in the week saying the Angels are the front runners for Cole. And getting him would certainly be a major upgrade. But it's a 162 game season, and at most he plays about 20% of those. 

I would be happy if he's acquired because he will be an immediate difference maker. But not distraught if goes elsewhere. 

On another note, there is a a great Jeff Fletcher cover story in the current issue of Baseball Digest about Trout. You have to subscribe or buy the actual newsstand magazine, which I did. Baseball Digest is one of the few long running publications (also Street and Smith) that I remember reading as a kid.

https://pocketmags.com/ca/baseball-digest-magazine

I have stacks and stacks of old magazines in my basement that are part of my collectible collections. From time to time it is fun taking a trip back in time to one's youth (along with Topps cards, etc.) and recapture that naive enthusiasm of being a kid.