What Direction Should the Angels Take?

[fan_since79]

Rebuilding will take 3-5 years. My first move would be to put Trumbo at first and DH Albert. You have to hope Hamilton can find any semblance if his stroke(or he suffers a stroke). Please move Aybar out of the lead off position. Hit him 9th. Leadoff Shuck until Bourjos returns. Move Callaspo to the two hole and hit Trout third where he belongs. Move Pujols to 4th and hit Howie 5th until or if Hamilton can ever hit again.

The rotation should be Weaver, Vargas, Williams, Wilson and Hanson. Put Blanton deep in the pen and only use him in blowouts. Trade Scott Downs now to a team lookibg for a lefty specialist. Come July put everyone on the market except Trout, Trumbo, Weaver and Richards.

Try to load up on Foreign players before there is an international draft in 2015. Draft arms with high ceilings.

Replace Butcher and Eppard immediately. Butcher may be the worst pitching coach ever. Eppard doesn't seem to be helping any one . You know they won't replace Sosh, but they should.

I cannot disagree with a word you said.

[JB Abell]

I cannot disagree with a word you said.

i second that

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I voted for the third option, although the second one is more likely because we have so many untradeable contracts. Who knew that Vernon Wells was only about our fourth-worst problem contract-wise.

[Mark68]

When they get to a fork in the road, take it.

 

My apologies to Yogi Berra.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Alden Gonzalez's opinion.

 

Question of the Day, 6/3 â€¦

Buyers or sellers at the Trade Deadline? – @nooneimpressive

It’ll depend on where the Angels are after the next eight weeks (Thanks, Captain Obvious!), but I think they’re either buyers or spectators towards the end of July. I’d be shocked if the Angels were all-out sellers, even if they do continue to struggle. I just don’t see them blowing this whole thing up and going into rebuild mode because they couldn’t make the playoffs this year. Besides, the Albert Pujols and Josh Hamiltoncontracts don’t really let you go into rebuild mode.

– Alden

[vlad27]

Keep - Trout , Trumbo , Weaver , Kendrick , Aybar Bourjos

Trade - anyone else - keep the homegrown guys build around them -

[vlad27]

Pretty sure Hamilton has a no trade - but watch us trade him to the Yankees and eat 75 percent of his salary and watch his career revive .....

[Brent Maguire]

Rebuilding will take 3-5 years. My first move would be to put Trumbo at first and DH Albert. You have to hope Hamilton can find any semblance if his stroke(or he suffers a stroke). Please move Aybar out of the lead off position. Hit him 9th. Leadoff Shuck until Bourjos returns. Move Callaspo to the two hole and hit Trout third where he belongs. Move Pujols to 4th and hit Howie 5th until or if Hamilton can ever hit again.

The rotation should be Weaver, Vargas, Williams, Wilson and Hanson. Put Blanton deep in the pen and only use him in blowouts. Trade Scott Downs now to a team lookibg for a lefty specialist. Come July put everyone on the market except Trout, Trumbo, Weaver and Richards.

Try to load up on Foreign players before there is an international draft in 2015. Draft arms with high ceilings.

Replace Butcher and Eppard immediately. Butcher may be the worst pitching coach ever. Eppard doesn't seem to be helping any one . You know they won't replace Sosh, but they should.

AO strongly agrees with this. 

[Hoops McCann]

Besides, the Albert Pujols and Josh Hamiltoncontracts don’t really let you go into rebuild mode.

 

This really seems to be the crux of the issue in terms of rebuilding or even how to do it.

 

I dont see how the team can go into rebuild mode with the contracts of AP and Hamilton on the books.  It would make more sense to have AP go for surgery and hopefully come back next year to the 2012 level (or better, which I think he is capable of). 

 

No team is going to assume the contracts of AP...plus, I am certain he has a no-trade in his contract and will veto any trade.  Hamilton, again, I dont see anyone taking on that contract unless the Angels eat a good portion of it.  Maybe the Yankees would be a potential partner...or even the Phillies, but teams that could assume a chunk of his contract are few and far between.

 

What I think is easier to be rebuilt is the pitching...both the starting and relief.  Maybe package some starters and prospects for some #1/#2 (only if they have a year or more on existing contracts).  Dont want to get into the same issue w/ Grienke and expensive rentals.  In the long run, it never works out. 

[gurn67]

Everybody always points out of the 2002 team turned things around. Well, that team went 64-40 after game 58. Even if this team were to do the impossible and duplicate that, they're 89-63 and that's not getting you in the one game playoff this year with Houston being added to the AL.

[kevinb]

Keep - Trout , Trumbo , Weaver , Kendrick , Aybar Bourjos

Trade - anyone else - keep the homegrown guys build around them -

Why would you keep Weaver Kendrick and Aybar if we aren't going to be good for a couple years might as well trade them for prospects who will be good in a couple years. Get rid of as much salary as you can

[HaloFan85]

We're stuck with Pujols for several more years, and Hamilton for a couple more years at least.

 

Regarding the rest of the team, get rid of everyone except Trout, Trumbo, and Weaver. Trade for young prospects and develop them. No more trades for aging veterans who can't produce any more. Just stop that in its tracks.

 

Fire the manager and the coaches. They all go. Bring in people who can motivate and inspire.

Your first line is why they won't do your second line.  They basically commited themselves to winning for the next 3-5 years with the signings of Pujols and Hamilton.  The back end of Pujols's contract is better suited for rebuilding.

 

Your last line is what they should do before anything else.  They need to completely rebuild the coaching staff from top to bottom.  Hopefully by next year.

[Docwaukee]

Again, they are not going to totally blow this team up 1/3 of the way thru Hamilton's first season.  And frankly, it's worth the chance of Josh and Albert coming around in order to maintain a competitive mix around them in that I think we'll see 2 seasons of the next four where those guys perform capably. 

 

It doesn't need to be a rebuild per se.  They can move a couple guys close to FAcy at the ASB this year.  A couple next year if 2014 is as bad.  etc.  Why not do it piecemeal and try to field a somewhat capable team in the mean time.   It might cost you a year or two of getting the franchise back to it's winning ways, but at least they have a chance in between. 

 

I don't think I can stomach Brandon Harris and JB Shuck in the everyday lineup for the next couple of years.