Eppler: "I have nothing active now" in regards to improving the starting pitching

[Duren, Duren]

This is a pretty good look at Maddon and his thinking right now. Seems he, Eppler and Arte are on the same page and in sync about how the team conducts itself and baseball philosophy. Lots of interesting personal stuff about his life and current motivation.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28670937/joe-maddon-opens-leaving-chicago-cubs-returning-la-angels

[T.G.]

2 minutes ago, Duren, Duren said:

This is a pretty good look at Maddon and his thinking right now. Seems he, Eppler and Arte are on the same page and in sync about how the team conducts itself and baseball philosophy. Lots of interesting personal stuff about his life and current motivation.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28670937/joe-maddon-opens-leaving-chicago-cubs-returning-la-angels

Craig agrees.

[Redondo]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Nah, it's this Snell.  Just a wee bit on the older side

Matt Snell?

[Tank]

2 minutes ago, Redondo said:

Matt Snell?

yep.

[AngelsLakersFan]

3 hours ago, True Grich said:

Fabian adds that last line... "We're open to it..."

 

Maria's question is different from Jeff's question which was: "Asked if he could still supplement the starting pitching, #Angels GM Billy Eppler said: "I have nothing active right now."

Maria's question was specific to the Dodgers and others weren't posed the same way.

 

It's like a game of telephone...

 

 

Billy seems a little testy there. Reporters are mining for quotes and repeating the same answer back to a different question is generally kinda douchey.

[ten ocho recon scout]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

That has to be a chick throwing that

Or one of our pitchers

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

I thought it was Arte who pulled out. 

APU!

[Lou]

[Jeff Fletcher]

7 hours ago, Dtwncbad said:

What is he supposed to say?  I have multiple deals in the works?  No.

He isn’t going to say that now and then have the media in his face 24/7 on what is happening, and he also doesn’t want the absence of a deal to look like another failure to execute.

I believe he is going to say this no matter if he has four deals working or zero.

Actually, he says that pretty much every time you ask him in the off-season. 

[Docwaukee]

Billy's offseason has likely been pretty interesting.  There were question surrounding whether it was his decision to bring in Maddon and let Ausmus go where he may have been overruled by the owner, and now the owner pulls a deal that makes the team better and likely doesn't cause significant future damage in such a way that doesn't even give him much of an opportunity to go back to the table and discuss options.  

@Inside Pitch has mentioned that this was supposed to be Arte's off season, but I don't think he meant Arte looking over Blly's should at every turn (which we don't really know is true or not).  We were all hoping that Arte would hand Billy a pile of cash and let him do his thing but was that ever really something we could expect?  

You take the good with the bad.  If Billy wanted to keep Brad then I am glad Arte stepped in.  But killing the deal with the dogs makes me want him to go back to his living room and enjoy a glass of wine.  

We'll never know how all of this played out ultimately.  The team is better than it was and has a solid chance at the playoffs.  I'm read for the BS conjecture to fade and for actual baseball to start.  

[Docwaukee]

8 hours ago, Erstad Grit said:

I'm not. Angels are the ones who have slated him as our number 1 SP. 

I advocated adding 2 frontline SP thus moving Ohtani to 3 and taking the pressure/expectations off. 

two front line starters?  that's kind of a tall order don't you think?  

I would have liked that too but it's absolutely unrealistic.  

[Erstad Grit]

2 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

two front line starters?  that's kind of a tall order don't you think?  

I would have liked that too but it's absolutely unrealistic.  

beginning of the off-season when Rendon was nowhere on my radar I was hoping for something like Cole + Wheeler + Castro and maybe a guy like Teheran 

[Glen]

Live shot from Eppler's office:

 

 

[Inside Pitch]

8 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Billy seems a little testy there. Reporters are mining for quotes and repeating the same answer back to a different question is generally kinda douchey.

I kinda liked it. 

He basically said you can stop asking the same question four different ways, I've already said everything I was going to say.

Eppler is always super cordial, almost folksy.  The slight tinge of anger was different.

 

[Lou]

8 hours ago, Glen said:

Live shot from Eppler's office:

 

We're getting Penske!

[The_Outrunner]

Kinda wish we would take a flyer on Aaron Sanchez and Colin McHugh. 

[zenmaster]

He's not gonna tell us if he's close to another deal before it happens after the near 100 page debacle that is still going down. 

[Dtwncbad]

11 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Actually, he says that pretty much every time you ask him in the off-season. 

Come on Jeff.  Context and timing.  In the early offseason or mid offseason he is going to say that of course.  Every offseason you have things to get done.  He of course is going to let people know he is doing his job.

This late in the offseason, coming off the failed trade, he isn’t going to say he has multiple trades developing.  In THIS context and THIs timing there is no way he says that.

If he said he had multiple trades going NOW, it would trigger all kinds of additional questions and attention he doesn’t want.

”So you are not satisfied with what you have now?”  “Does this mean you consider your offseason moves inadequate?”  “So the failed trade has left you with the need for another deal?”  “Were these deals part of the motivation to pull out if the other deal?”  “Is Arte involved in these ongoing trade talks?”

Jeff, in the context and timing of NOW, Eppler is not going to say he has trade activity right now as he would in the early offseason.  He wants to get off this subject right now.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Dtwncbad

[Stradling]

Eppler could have easily said, “we’re always working to improve our team”. 

[Cosmo_Kramer]

5 hours ago, Lou said:

 

We're getting Penske!

You're not Penske material

[beatlesrule]

2 hours ago, Cosmo_Kramer said:

You're not Penske material

Really...well, we'll just see about that. Tata Tuttle.

[tdawg87]

6 hours ago, Dtwncbad said:

Come on Jeff.  Context and timing.  In the early offseason or mid offseason he is going to say that of course.  Every offseason you have things to get done.  He of course is going to let people know he is doing his job.

This late in the offseason, coming off the failed trade, he isn’t going to say he has multiple trades developing.  In THIS context and THIs timing there is no way he says that.

If he said he had multiple trades going NOW, it would trigger all kinds of additional questions and attention he doesn’t want.

”So you are not satisfied with what you have now?”  “Does this mean you consider your offseason moves inadequate?”  “So the failed trade has left you with the need for another deal?”  “Were these deals part of the motivation to pull out if the other deal?”  “Is Arte involved in these ongoing trade talks?”

Jeff, in the context and timing of NOW, Eppler is not going to say he has trade activity right now as he would in the early offseason.  He wants to get off this subject right now.

I like how you keep picking arguments with the one guy on this forum who literally speaks to the FO during the off-season.

[Dtwncbad]

2 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

I like how you keep picking arguments with the one guy on this forum who literally speaks to the FO during the off-season.

Not picking an argument at all.  We all see the situation Eppler is in and common sense says that in THIS situation Eppler said what I would expect him to say.

I would say the forum would be better if more people were willing to “engage” with Jeff honestly instead of just showering him with likes.

I like Jeff and love that he is here and will chat.  But that doesn’t mean I am going to avoid disagreeing with him or avoid making a counterpoint where I see it.

Shame on me I guess.

 

[Dtwncbad]

Wish I had quick access to a Greta “How dare you” meme.

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Dtwncbad said:

Not picking an argument at all.  We all see the situation Eppler is in and common sense says that in THIS situation Eppler said what I would expect him to say.

I would say the forum would be better if more people were willing to “engage” with Jeff honestly instead of just showering him with likes.

I like Jeff and love that he is here and will chat.  But that doesn’t mean I am going to avoid disagreeing with him or avoid making a counterpoint where I see it.

Shame on me I guess.

 

I agree, shame on you.  He owes us nothing yet gives us what he can.