Mike Trout on playing CF

[Tyler]

Brilliant. Blarg, stay out of discussions you have no knowledge about.

[Tyler]

Last May:

 

“We constantly field calls about players, but we are not actively shopping Peter Bourjos or looking for a fit for him," Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto said. "We believe he’s an asset to us."

 

last July: 

 

"I don't (want to trade Bourjos)," Dipoto said. "Peter is a valuable asset to the organization. Today, he's a valuable asset. He makes us a better 25-man roster. He happens to have a fair amount of market value because he's a young center fielder who can go out there and perform in an every-day role. He also has a tremendous amount of value to us going forward because of what he's able to do for this team both in an every-day role and from a balancing-the-payroll perspective.

"All of that together makes it very difficult for me to envision a scenario in which moving Peter is a good idea."

With a smile on his face, though, Dipoto adds two caveats – "but you never say never" and "you have to give to get."

Last Nov:

Bourjos lost his job to Trout in May and was essentially mothballed for the summer, his role reduced to pinch-runner and late-game defensive replacement. He started two games from July 31 on.

But Dipoto loves Bourjos' skill set and is confident Bourjos can regain his 2011 form, when he hit .271 with 12 homers, 11 triples, 26 doubles, 72 runs and, according to FanGraphs, saved 21 runs on defense, second-most in the major leagues.

Bourjos has struggled to make consistent contact, but his plate discipline improved in 2011, as he went from 79 strikeouts and 18 walks in 86 games in the first half to 45 strikeouts and 14 walks in 61 games in the second half.

"He's a terrific defensive center fielder; he can fly, and he's done it before," said Dipoto, who will be in Indian Wells for general managers' meetings Wednesday through Friday. "We've seen what he's capable of when given an opportunity to play. We believe in Pete's upside. He has the ability to play every day in the big leagues."

 

All of that indicates it would take a very good return to replace Bourjos' value to the team, but trading him is not out of the question. He wants a substantial return in order for it to make sense on a net balance, if not they are more than fine keeping him and taking advantage of what he brings to the table for the team.

Supports everything I have stated.

[Docwaukee]

Yeah, no.

Like I already said, he didnt try to move Bourjos even though there was interest around the league.

come on dude.  LT just posted something showing that Dipoto would have traded Bourjos had he got an offer that he thought was enough.  He may not have 'actively' tried to move him, but if someone made the right offer, Bourjos would have been gone.  I am sure there were offers, but none were worthy relative to Bourjos value as assigned by JD.  You are essentially saying that Bourjos was untouchable during the offseason.  That was clearly disproved.

 

There is really no point to this though. 

[Tyler]

Im saying he was asking for the moon and he was banking on this dynamic of trio.

[Blarg]

Were is the proof there were any offers in the offseason? Your last comment about the Angels fielding offers were last May. The only comment since then was Dipoto saying he doesn't want to trade him but not that anyone was looking for him in trade.

[Lifetime]

Supports everything I have stated.

LOL ya....... No

[Tyler]

And that would make Dipoto unreasonable, not the offers for Bourjos.

[Blarg]

Oh, and would suggest you to refrain from insults in a subject you obviously have no real knowledge of. Opinion does not equal knowledge.

 

Brilliant. Blarg, stay out of discussions you have no knowledge about.

[Lifetime]

Im saying he was asking for the moon and he was banking on this dynamic of trio.

If the moon is fair return value, then yes of course he was. Outside of that, he was happy to maintain Bourjos and what he brings to the team and it will stay that way until an appropriate offer comes along. 

[mancini79]

Still waiting for the offers that Dipoto turned down for Bourjos....

[Lifetime]

And that would make Dipoto unreasonable, not the offers for Bourjos.

Only within your delusional perception

[Docwaukee]

Still waiting for the offers that Dipoto turned down for Bourjos....

don't hold your breath. 

[Docwaukee]

I will say that's it admirable that Shane continues to fight to the death about something he believes is true yet can't prove. 

[OregonLAA]

It cracks me up that Bourjos is kind of the new Mathis except he can hit and plays stellar defense

[Tyler]

I'll take the loss on this one but here is my stance and sorry if it contradict with any path that LT led me down like (net value discussion) since it's hard to follow on mobile version (now on the computer)

 

 

- Should have traded Bourjos this past offseason

- Dipoto should have actively pursued trades around the league to get multiple pitching prospects near MLB ready

- Marlins were one of those teams publicly pursuing Peter Bourjos

- Bourjos' value was not at an all-time low like people think because he was being looked at as squeezed out by the emergence of Mike Trout + an extra year of ownership (which he will no longer have for the team he eventually gets traded too)

- Dipoto's plan was to have a 3 CF outfield because of a pitcher's park with flyball pitchers.

- Pitching depth has been a huge concern since day one, not OF depth

- Peter Bourjos and Mike Trumbo are the most expendable, tradeable assets the team has.

- Yes, you need cheap talent to balance out the albatross contracts that are Hamilton, Wilson, and Pujols

- That is why you get multiple pitching prospects for the most expendable, tradeable assets.

- Bourjos is expendable because of Trout and his outstanding ability to play CF

- Trumbo is expendable because of his lack of defensive skills and CJ Cron.

- Now we are heading to missing the playoffs and will probably be extending Vargas to a fat contract.

 

http://www.angelswin-forum.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_activity&mid=42&search_app=forums&userMode=content&sid=830928faac14d1527adfa0ec14628336&search_app_filters[forums][searchInKey]=&search_app_filters[forums][sortKey]=date

 

There's a direct link to my posts so that people can see that I never said there were reasonable offers on the table, only that you shouldn't say there weren't because he (Bourjos) is still an Angel. Dipoto clearly said he wanted to stick to his plan unless he was blown away, which I acknowledged.

[Brent Maguire]

"Bourjos' value was not at an all-time low like people think because he was being looked at as squeezed out by the emergence of Mike Trout + an extra year of ownership (which he will no longer have for the team he eventually gets traded too)"

 

Considering he was coming off a season where he had a .606 OPS, I'd say his value was probably lower than any other time in his career. Club control is important obviously but it wasn't an opportune time to trade him and obviously the players that other teams offered weren't good enough. 

 

Letting him play this year full time is great because A) He's better than he showed last year B)His value will be way higher in the midst of a trade scenario and C) He's actually produced in his time so far this year. 

[Tyler]

We'll see if holding onto Bourjos was the right move.

[xboom28x]

I would be all about keeping Bourjos if the pitching staff was even league average. But this staff sucks. Outside of Weaver and Burnett, everyone is either overrated, inconsistent or just blows. Bourjos and Trumbo are the only trade pieces we have and I would rather keep Trumbo

[T.G.]

i just wanted to post something in what has the potential to be the longest thread ever.  First the rally wig record now this... my luck is turning.

[Troll Daddy]

They is really no right or wrong answer to this question ... except for the fact that both feel more comfortable in there natural position. Since Trout has some LF experience ... then he is better suited than BJ playing LF.

 

This season is close to being in the toilet ... who really cares?

[CaliAngel]

Trout just seems right in CF. 

 

Would it really be detrimental to Bourjos to put him in LF?

 

Team is just so dysfunctional as it is.