Sign Alex Wood or Trade Prospects for a Starting Pitcher?

[Chuck]

What do you prefer?

[Second Base]

Both. The Angels pitching staff is 8 deep right now, with significant injury risks in Ohtani, Heaney and Canning, and unproven commodities in Sandoval, Barria and Suarez.

They need to be 10 deep. 

There aren't any mid rotation starters available in free agency, but Alex Wood has a reasonable shot at emerging as one again. Signing him would be a good thing. 

And trading for another, more consistent option to put in the middle of a rotation would also be a good idea, if you can swing it without sacrificing too much.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Second Base

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, Second Base said:

Both. The Angels pitching staff is 8 deep right now, with significant injury risks in Ohtani, Heaney and Canning, and unproven commodities in Sandoval, Barria and Suarez.

They need to be 10 deep. 

There aren't any mid rotation starters available in free agency, but Alex Wood has a reasonable shot at emerging as one again. Signing him would be a good thing. 

And trading for another, more consistent option to put in the middle of a rotation would also be a good idea, if you can swing it without sacrificing too much.

As long as any trade didn't include Adell or Marsh, and didn't deplete the farm too much

[angelsnationtalk]

Trade. We have enough mid-rotation arms. Need the ace or #2 guy now to lead the rotation.

[DMVol]

Depends on the trade.....

[floplag]

Hard to measure option 2 without context.  I think most of us would prefer the top of the rotation guy all things being equal.
Personally so far i havent liked most of the rumors or ideas as i didnt find them balanced enough, i felt we were giving up too much and not getting enough in return.

[Bronson]

I think we should sign Alex Wood AND trade for a top of the rotation starter. 
 

Don’t know if we can do that without going over the luxury tax.

[Hubs]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Both. The Angels pitching staff is 8 deep right now, with significant injury risks in Ohtani, Heaney and Canning, and unproven commodities in Sandoval, Barria and Suarez.

They need to be 10 deep. 

There aren't any mid rotation starters available in free agency, but Alex Wood has a reasonable shot at emerging as one again. Signing him would be a good thing. 

And trading for another, more consistent option to put in the middle of a rotation would also be a good idea, if you can swing it without sacrificing too much.

The Angels are more than 8 deep.

Ohtani, Canning, Teheran, Bundy, Heaney, Pena, Sandoval, Barria is 8. Suarez, Peters, Beasley are 9-10-11.

I'd like another pitcher too, but one who could work out of the pen too if he cant go long, that's why I like Alex Wood. But Taijuan Walker or Jimmy Nelson may be nice on Minor League Deals.

[VariousCrap]

2 hours ago, Second Base said:

Both.

 

Agreed.

[Stradling]

We probably have to come to the realization to get a top of the rotation arm it is going to cost either Adell and others or Marsh AND Canning along with others.  Either that or we are trading for an arm that could very well be someone you are hoping for a bounce back season from.  Someone like Sonny Gray.  

[VariousCrap]

1 hour ago, Bronson said:

I think we should sign Alex Wood AND trade for a top of the rotation starter. 
 

Don’t know if we can do that without going over the luxury tax.

They can and should do both.

[Hubs]

Ohtani is a top of the rotation arm and Canning has that potential. The only guy out there that may be available (I don’t think Clevinger is available) is Jon Gray.

How much better is Jon Gray or Boyd when you factor in the cost. Is it better to keep the prospects for a possibly needed July trade and just sign Wood, Walker, or some of the other riskier FA?

[VariousCrap]

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

We probably have to come to the realization to get a top of the rotation arm it is going to cost either Adell and others or Marsh AND Canning along with others.  

 

I agree those are the most likely scenarios right now and I think that is why Eppler is fine to wait.  Eventually, the price will come down or some team will get an injury to a player in ST and they'll then need to make some sort of move.

[Chuck]

If it's both, I'd rather sign Walker and trade for a top flight arm.

[VariousCrap]

And for the record (so @Lou can bring it up in the future ), if the only move the Angels make the rest of the off-season is taking a chance on Alex Wood, I will still be thrilled with this off-season even if we didn't get the top of the rotation guy I hoped for.

Edited January 3, 2020 by VariousCrap

[Erstad Grit]

I just don't see the SP we line up with via trade. Price? Depends on how much they pay down. Clevinger? Sure but I doubt they would without Adell. I'd rather have Alex Wood than Archer, Boyd, etc. Maybe Hendricks but not sure why they'd trade him. So I'll say wood unless price is dramatically paid down or clevinger can be snagged without Adell. 

[Dtwncbad]

3 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

As long as any trade didn't include Adell or Marsh, and didn't deplete the farm too much

The way to get a really good pitcher is to trade a really good prospect.

I am on board to make Adell “untouchable” if at all possible, but. . . 
 

I would RATHER trade Marsh and get a better return than trade lesser prospects for a lesser return.

[Buttercup]

Since a trade hasn’t happened yet I feel the asking prices are sky high. It might be best to sign Wood now and seek a trade during the season. Marsh and other prospects might have gained value at that time as well. More starters are likely to be available once some teams have lost their playoff hopes. 

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

What do you prefer?

You can do Wood now and then see where you are later and if trading a prospect makes sense...    Both wasn't an option but..  Prolly should be.

[eligrba]

23 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

You can do Wood now and then see where you are later and if trading a prospect makes sense...    Both wasn't an option but..  Prolly should be.

[Angelsjunky]

Alex Wood is a solid pitcher, but is he a marked improvement over what the Angels have already? I don't think so. He or Walker would just give the Angels another guy who could be a #3 in a best-case scenario but is probably more likely a #4. Like most other pitchers in their rotation.

On the other hand, as others have mentioned, to acquire a pitcher who would actually move the needle in any significant way would likely require trading Marsh, which I don't think they (rightfully) want to do. 

The chance to improve the rotation in terms of quality and not just quantity without  trading valuable assets like Marsh ended when Ryu signed. I'm not saying that the Angels should have out-bid on any of the free agents, but that was the chance. Gray, Syndergaard, Clevinger and maybe Bauer would improve the rotation. Those are guys who have been rumored to be possible acquisitions. But  all will require Marsh and possibly much more.

Unless Eppler can somehow convince a GM to part with one of those guys without  gutting the farm, I'd rather be patient and go with what we've got. The Angels are an 85-90 win team. With some luck, they could be 90-95 wins and win a wildcard and still have Marsh, Rengifo, etc. Trading for Gray makes them an 86-92 win team. Is that improvement worth Marsh/Rengifo/etc? I don't think so.

[Pancake Bear]

5 hours ago, Second Base said:

The Angels pitching staff is 8 deep right now, with significant injury risks in Ohtani, Heaney and Canning, and unproven commodities in Sandoval, Barria and Suarez.

They need to be 10 deep. 

Don’t they still have Pena and Peters? That is ten. 

[hangin n wangin]

26 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Alex Wood is a solid pitcher, but is he a marked improvement over what the Angels have already? I don't think so. He or Walker would just give the Angels another guy who could be a #3 in a best-case scenario but is probably more likely a #4. Like most other pitchers in their rotation.

On the other hand, as others have mentioned, to acquire a pitcher who would actually move the needle in any significant way would likely require trading Marsh, which I don't think they (rightfully) want to do. 

The chance to improve the rotation in terms of quality and not just quantity without  trading valuable assets like Marsh ended when Ryu signed. I'm not saying that the Angels should have out-bid on any of the free agents, but that was the chance. Gray, Syndergaard, Clevinger and maybe Bauer would improve the rotation. Those are guys who have been rumored to be possible acquisitions. But  all will require Marsh and possibly much more.

Unless Eppler can somehow convince a GM to part with one of those guys without  gutting the farm, I'd rather be patient and go with what we've got. The Angels are an 85-90 win team. With some luck, they could be 90-95 wins and win a wildcard and still have Marsh, Rengifo, etc. Trading for Gray makes them an 86-92 win team. Is that improvement worth Marsh/Rengifo/etc? I don't think so.

I agree with what you're saying regarding being patient, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to get another possible number 3, especially if it's just a one year deal. Why not have more depth (even more upside with Wood), just in case? We have seen what has happened the past few years. Regardless of if Wood is a top end starter or not, he would still improve the team if he pitched like a number 2/3, which he has before.

[Inside Pitch]

8 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Alex Wood is a solid pitcher, but is he a marked improvement over what the Angels have already? I don't think so. 

If he's 100% healthy -- yes, he has been.   

49% GB rate
0.85 HR/9
2.25 BB/9
3.49 FIP

The weakest part of his game is said to be his K rate and even that sits at 8.2

The issue with him has been and likely always will be -- is he healthy.

 

[Second Base]

29 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Alex Wood is a solid pitcher, but is he a marked improvement over what the Angels have already? I don't think so. He or Walker would just give the Angels another guy who could be a #3 in a best-case scenario but is probably more likely a #4. Like most other pitchers in their rotation.

On the other hand, as others have mentioned, to acquire a pitcher who would actually move the needle in any significant way would likely require trading Marsh, which I don't think they (rightfully) want to do. 

The chance to improve the rotation in terms of quality and not just quantity without  trading valuable assets like Marsh ended when Ryu signed. I'm not saying that the Angels should have out-bid on any of the free agents, but that was the chance. Gray, Syndergaard, Clevinger and maybe Bauer would improve the rotation. Those are guys who have been rumored to be possible acquisitions. But  all will require Marsh and possibly much more.

Unless Eppler can somehow convince a GM to part with one of those guys without  gutting the farm, I'd rather be patient and go with what we've got. The Angels are an 85-90 win team. With some luck, they could be 90-95 wins and win a wildcard and still have Marsh, Rengifo, etc. Trading for Gray makes them an 86-92 win team. Is that improvement worth Marsh/Rengifo/etc? I don't think so.

And I think that's part of the reason why I keep saying Price isn't the worst way to go. He improves the rotation and would likely cost very little of anything in prospects.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Second Base