Who's on first?

[Hubs]

First Base is not settled. Who gets the most playing time at first in 2020?

La Stella?

or

Albert Pujols?

[floplag]

its wishful thinking to believe its not settled, it is.
It will be Pujols until someone unseats him.
I think on days he DHs it will be LaStella, on other days he will give others rest.
I think the kids will get a chance to take the job as much as possible as well but until one of them actually does out perform Pujols, it wont matter.

[kevinb]

Pujols. They aren’t paying him 25 mil to sit on the bench. 

[eligrba]

10 minutes ago, Kevinb said:

Pujols. They aren’t paying him 25 mil to sit on the bench. 

They paid Hamilton almost as much to sit on someone else's bench.

[kevinb]

13 minutes ago, eligrba said:

They paid Hamilton almost as much to sit on someone else's bench.

Pujols is a better person and a half of famer

[Pancake Bear]

People seriously think they’re going to sit/platoon GG nominee Fletcher or 2019 All Star La Stella so Pujols doesn’t get his feelings hurt?

Thats idiotic. 

[kevinb]

6 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

People seriously think they’re going to sit/platoon GG nominee Fletcher or 2019 All Star La Stella so Pujols doesn’t get his feelings hurt?

Thats idiotic. 

What’s the bet Pujols has the most starts at 1st base this year for the Angels?

[VariousCrap]

If Angels management is smart:

LaStella against RHP.
Pujols against LHP.

The games Ohtani can't DH, Pujols can DH and LaStella plays 1B.

 

 

[VariousCrap]

8 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

People seriously think they’re going to sit/platoon GG nominee Fletcher or 2019 All Star La Stella so Pujols doesn’t get his feelings hurt?

Thats idiotic. 

No way that happens.  Maddon has a hard-on for Fletcher too.

[Chuck]

12 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

If Angels management is smart:

LaStella against RHP.
Pujols against LHP.

The games Ohtani can't DH, Pujols can DH and LaStella plays 1B.

This is it really. Case closed! 

Because the Angels have nowhere for Thaiss to play, I'd like for them to take a look at him at his old college position, catcher. 

If not it's back to AAA for him or trade bait. 

I hear he's looked REALLY good defensively at 3B over the winter and what I saw from him in Anaheim he really impressed me at the hot corner. Between him, Rengifo and one of Marsh or Adams, you'd like we'd have enough to land a good #2 type in a trade. 

[Stradling]

Trade Thaiss or La Stella, whichever one brings back the most talent.  With Rengifo, La Stella is here for only one more year.  

[Chuck]

5 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Trade Thaiss or La Stella, whichever one brings back the most talent.  With Rengifo, La Stella is here for only one more year.  

There are some teams looking for 2B out there. hmmmm

[Chuck]

The Nationals don't have a 2B as Kendrick is slated to play 1B. 

How about Tommy La Stella for RHP Austin Voth?

[Second Base]

Who WILL get the most reps?  - Pujols. You want that answer to be La Stella but I've yet to see a manager with the fortitude to put a vocal clubhouse leader, clear cut first ballot Hall of Famer, making 25 million a year on the bench.

Who should get the most reps? - La Stella and Thaiss. La Stella because he's coming off an all-star season and has earned that look, and Thaiss because he's the Angels future at the position beginning next year. Plus he's a really good defensive depth option for 3B, and you can use him as the emergency catcher. All he needs are the reps. 

I think the way it will shake out is Pujols will start the year at 1B and DH when Ohtani isn't, while La Stella gets his reps by giving Pujols, Fletcher, Simmons and Rendon the occasional day off to keep the whole rotation of infielders "healthy". But once June rolls around, it'll be less about keeping them all healthy and more about keeping pace in the dogfight that figures to be the AL West. 

That's when we'll see what was previously mentioned. You can't bench Rendon, Simmons or Fletch, La Stella needs to play, and Pujols is over 40. So Pujols will be relegated to hitting against LHP and DH only. By the end of the year, he'll retire though. Hitting twice a week will offer no momentum and Thaiss will have murdered AAA pitching particularly by the end of the year. The Angels won't want to carry him on the active roster next year, so he'll use the past ASB as his farewell tour. 

And this only becomes more complicated if the Angels sign Ben Zobrist as many have posited. 

[DMVol]

53 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

People seriously think they’re going to sit/platoon GG nominee Fletcher or 2019 All Star La Stella so Pujols doesn’t get his feelings hurt?Thats idiotic. 

I would like to think you’re right....maybe Maddon has the credibility and job security to pull it off....but I’ll have to see it to believe it...

[stormngt]

Pujols will be regulated to the bench once someone starts to out produce him.  The Angel's management had to believe Pujols last couple years under contract would be with a greatly reduced role. 

The problem is we havent had a player out oroduce him.  Because he is a HOF and owed 25 million someone would have to beat him out.  That is difficult because the ABs needed to beat him out will be in short supply thus the player has to crush the ball immediately. 

[Second Base]

24 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Trade Thaiss or La Stella, whichever one brings back the most talent.  With Rengifo, La Stella is here for only one more year.  

@Chuckster70 I think Rengifo will be traded. The Angels need pitching, and he's clearly major league ready, though there breakout may still be a year away. But, in the meantime whoever has him will last least enjoy the defense he provides until he becomes that .350+ OBP and 20+ SB leadoff hitter in 2021. The Angels could certainly use that type of production except Rendon and Fletcher are pretty established.

And Simmons, I just don't think Billy Eppler, the GM that pays more attention to defense than any other team builder, will let the finest defensive SS maybe ever just walk away at age 31. Doesn't seem like his MO. So Rengifo just won't have a roster spot. Not this year with La Stella, and not moving forward because Rengifo is better than a utility infielder in the long run. 

Thaiss....I flip flop on. On the one hand, he's blocked at 1B and despite his excellent progression as a good defensive 3B, he's not overtaking Rendon, ever. And the going rate for good offensive 1B on the free agent market seems to be between 5-15 million a year these days, so pretty easy to get that covered.

On the other hand, he's turned into a very good defensive 1B and a very good defensive 3B, and the power has finally developed the way the Angels thought. And while a good offensive 1B does only cost 10 million a year, Thaiss figures to be a good 1B in 2021 and he'll be making a half million a year, saving the Angels 9.5 million. And speaking of 2021, La Stella will hit FA after 2020, and Pujols may not even be upright after this season, so Thaiss has a pretty clear path to an everyday role soon. And in the meantime, he's got minor league options. 

I picture Rengifo going to Boston in a trade for David Price. At first glance that looks like an awful idea, but Boston needs to cut salary, needs a starting 2B, and quite frankly, the Angels need that salty veteran that takes the ball every fifth day to mentor the younger pitchers. Who better than Price, the guy who was the top prospect, the guy that developed a rapport with Maddon, the guy that's pitched in the biggest games baseball has to offer. If parting with Rengifo is the difference between the Angels owing Price 3 years and 60 million versus 3 years and 45 million, they'd probably make that deal. 

That's how I see it shaking out.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

27 minutes ago, Second Base said:

So Pujols will be relegated to hitting against LHP and DH only. By the end of the year, he'll retire though.

Pujols will retire October, 2021...

[kevinb]

Pujols will have a year long goodbye trip like Jeter before him. In his last year of his contract. 

[Pancake Bear]

Even Pujols doesn’t think he’s better than Fletcher or La Stella. 

Now, with La Stella only here for 2020, he may get traded. If that happens, there’s a better than even chance Pujols will play as long as he’s healthy and isn’t hitting below the Mendoza line. 

But if Simmons, Rendon, Fletcher, and La Stella are all healthy and on the roster, Pujols will only play when Ohtani sits or against lefties (unless La Stella or Fletcher stops hitting, but that isn’t likely). 

Anyone who thinks Pujols still gets the majority of reps over La Stella if all four other infielders (and Ohtani) are healthy, I don’t what to tell you other than you’re nuts. 

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

And this only becomes more complicated if the Angels sign Ben Zobrist as many have posited. 

I hope Zo retires and takes care of his family, but if he does play, I wouldn’t mind it being with us. I’ve always liked him. 

[UndertheHalo]

It sure would be nice if Thaiss plays his way into the line up 

Edited December 27, 2019 by UndertheHalo

[kevinb]

5 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

Even Pujols doesn’t think he’s better than Fletcher or La Stella. 

Now, with La Stella only here for 2020, he may get traded. If that happens, there’s a better than even chance Pujols will play as long as he’s healthy and isn’t hitting below the Mendoza line. 

But if Simmons, Rendon, Fletcher, and La Stella are all healthy and on the roster, Pujols will only play when Ohtani sits or against lefties (unless La Stella or Fletcher stops hitting, but that isn’t likely). 

Anyone who thinks Pujols still gets the majority of reps over La Stella if all four other infielders (and Ohtani) are healthy, I don’t what to tell you other than you’re nuts. 

So no bet?

[Claude]

2 hours ago, VariousCrap said:

If Angels management is smart:

 

[Second Base]

8 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

I hope Zo retires and takes care of his family, but if he does play, I wouldn’t mind it being with us. I’ve always liked him. 

He is a family man first and was born and raised in the Midwest. With the exception of his half season in Oakland, he's always started on the other side of the country. I don't think we'll see him follow Maddon or West.