La Stella at 1B?

[Angel Oracle]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 8:32 AM, greginpsca said:

I think LaStella gets traded. They should sell while his value is high. He is on an expiring contract at the end of this year. $2.9 ml. The team could have Thaiss be the 1b/3b backup, and save over $2mil which could go to help get a pitcher or catcher and stay under the tax. And the team can use Rengifo in the utility mid inf spot.  Five years each of Thaiss & Rengifo vs one year of LaStella.

His 2nd half injury though may have removed some of that value.

[totdprods]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

His 2nd half injury though may have removed some of that value.

The huge glut of FA 2B available does too. I don’t think La Stella has much trade value right. 

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Lou said:

Thaiss is 1" taller than La Stella 

And much better defensively.

[Duren, Duren]

A tepid defense of Albert. Sort of. He's here for a couple of more years, so he has to play a role on the team. Like it or not.

Despite recent years of injury and regression. He really was not a glaring negative in the lineup. 

Close to a hundred RBIs, cut down on strikeouts a little. Some clutch at bats and hits along the way. You don't get that many RBIs by luck. 

His production and stats have settled into a basic 240 - 250 average with 90 plus RBIs. Not superior, but not worse than many other first basemen.

He just needs to start less and maybe not have more than 300 - 350 at bats. Keeps him fresher, allows for a transitional phase into retirement.

If there was a proven better option at first, fine. There isn't at the moment. 

Defense is an issue, but the mix of DH/platoon first basemen and defensive replacement scenarios could reduce his presence to an acceptable degree.

Just because he has faded from his great years and not lived up to expectations doesn't mean he is useless. If he was just a younger, generic power hitting first baseman his production wouldn't bring on the angst it does for some.

Accept the fact that he will be playing a few more years and hope a better option materializes as soon as possible. In the meantime, remember he is a historically significant player who has had a career far beyond almost every player in history.

All greats decline. What will Trout be producing when he nears forty? We don't know. If Albert had his great years with the Angels, more respect would be accorded. 

As a platoon first baseman/DH he isn't the horrible albatross some assume. And obviously there aren't many better options at present. It's a matter of trying to use him to extract maximum value.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pujolal01.shtml

[tdawg87]

La Stella needs to get his groove back.

[Pancake Bear]

4 minutes ago, Duren, Duren said:

If there was a proven better option at first, fine. There isn't at the moment. 

 

La Stella. He batted 50 points higher and got on base at a 40 point higher clip. Fletcher already said he was an option for 1B, unlike Upton, so it isn’t some unrealistic idea (at least not until someone on the team tells us it is). But if La Stella isn’t playing 1B, he needs to be traded. It’s a pure waste to have him platoon with anyone at this point. It would be even more of a waste to have Fletcher platoon. 

[angelsnationtalk]

On 12/15/2019 at 8:08 AM, totdprods said:

You know, the Angels could really go nuts for offense and sign Castellanos too instead of an arm. He could start in RF, and transition to 1B as year goes on. Sigh Keuchel.

Option 1) Flip Goodwin and a prospect to Cincy for DeSclafani and Barnhart or Casali.
Option 2) Or go even further on offense. send Goodwin and better prospects to Chicago for Contreras and Quintana.

Option 1:

Rotation: Keuchel, Ohtani, Heaney, DeSclafani, Bundy

Lineup: Fletcher 2B, Trout CF, Rendon 3B, Ohtani DH, Upton LF, Castellanos RF/1B, Simmons SS, Pujols/La Stella 1B, Barnhart/Casali C

Eventually, Adell in RF and Castellanos at 1B.

Option 2: 

Rotation: Keuchel, Quintana, Ohtani, Heaney, Bundy

Lineup: Fletcher 2B, Trout CF, Rendon 3B, Ohtani DH, Upton LF, Castellanos RF/1B, Contreras C, Simmons SS, La Stella/Pujols 1B Simmons SS

And again, eventually Adell in RF and Castellanos at 1B.

They could go the Minnesota/pre-Cole Yankees route and build an absolutely ridiculous offensive team.

Love option 2. Hate the idea of trading Marsh and looking like the Twins.

Unfortunately, trading for Contreras likely means we part with Marsh. If we trade him it should be for a pitcher. Unless they really value Rengifo and a different prospect(s). 
I'm sure the Angels will sign Keuchel but I doubt they will have money after that to get Castellanos. Maybe they could get Keuchel and trade for Contreras. 

[Lou]

45 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

La Stella needs to get his groove back.

what did I say about effort?

[tdawg87]

29 minutes ago, Lou said:

what did I say about effort?

[ten ocho recon scout]

14 hours ago, Lou said:

Thaiss is 1" taller than La Stella 

Front to back, or around?

[Lou]

3 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Front to back, or around?

[Dtwncbad]

I am not worried about where LaStella plays.  If he rots on the bench it will be due to team success.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Dtwncbad

[Revad]

On 12/15/2019 at 11:08 AM, totdprods said:

You know, the Angels could really go nuts for offense and sign Castellanos too instead of an arm. He could start in RF, and transition to 1B as year goes on. Sigh Keuchel.

Option 1) Flip Goodwin and a prospect to Cincy for DeSclafani and Barnhart or Casali.
Option 2) Or go even further on offense. send Goodwin and better prospects to Chicago for Contreras and Quintana.

Option 1:

Rotation: Keuchel, Ohtani, Heaney, DeSclafani, Bundy

Lineup: Fletcher 2B, Trout CF, Rendon 3B, Ohtani DH, Upton LF, Castellanos RF/1B, Simmons SS, Pujols/La Stella 1B, Barnhart/Casali C

Eventually, Adell in RF and Castellanos at 1B.

Option 2: 

Rotation: Keuchel, Quintana, Ohtani, Heaney, Bundy

Lineup: Fletcher 2B, Trout CF, Rendon 3B, Ohtani DH, Upton LF, Castellanos RF/1B, Contreras C, Simmons SS, La Stella/Pujols 1B Simmons SS

And again, eventually Adell in RF and Castellanos at 1B.

They could go the Minnesota/pre-Cole Yankees route and build an absolutely ridiculous offensive team.

Castellanos would be great but maybe too pricey for too long (unless Marsh is traded).  I’m thinking someone more like Eric Thames for around $5 million/year for one or two years.