Is Jared Walsh the answer for 1B?

[DMVol]

8 minutes ago, Revad said:

I can see Walsh being in front of him, but Ward too?

I don’t think we’ll be spending any money on position players this winter....it should all go to pitching....Ward, Walsh and Thaiss may well all get chances next year....not the worst situation, they all have some potential....and they are cheap.....

[tdawg87]

Just now, DMVol said:

I don’t think we’ll be spending any money on position players this winter....it should all go to pitching....Ward, Walsh and Thaiss may well all get chances....not the worst situation, they all have some potential....and they are cheap.....

I think we re-sign Simmons. But other than that I agree. We have plenty of bench depth.

[DMVol]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

I think we re-sign Simmons. But other than that I agree. We have plenty of bench depth.

Simmons is the tough call....maybe catcher too....otherwise, it may not be ideal but, until we can get Pujols and Upton off the books, stay in house....

[Revad]

13 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Simmons is the tough call....maybe catcher too....otherwise, it may not be ideal but, until we can get Pujols and Upton off the books, stay in house....

It’s time to see what the farm did, add some pitching and this is decent team.  Fletcher, Rendon and Simmons?  Plus trout, I’m ok with that 

[failos]

Hmmm maybe Walsh is the real deal after all

[JustATroutFan]

Pujols might have used steroids back when he was on the Cardinals. I have been suspicious of the guy for years. McGwire was a hitting coach of his as well. Big red flag. 

[khouse]

18 hours ago, failos said:

Hmmm maybe Walsh is the real deal after all

If he's not...I think given what he has shown...he has upped his value to, possibly, be included as part of a future trade package. Which may well be the case with Marsh now being trained in Long Beach to handle 1B...

[ScottT]

So nice to have a reason for Pujols to sit consistently.  That's been part of the problem with his contract and playing time. Nobody coming up and slow starts by those given the chance.  Or just the same mediocrity (Cron) or worse.

[ScottT]

Itd be nice if Ohtani would cooperate.

Pujols sits if others produce 

[Angels 1961]

Big difference for Walsh A. getting to play everyday  B has cut way down on strikeouts  only 8 in 48 ab

[Revad]

7 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

Big difference for Walsh A. getting to play everyday  B has cut way down on strikeouts  only 8 in 48 ab

Definitely worth a look 

[Angel Oracle]

.997 OPS in 48 at bats, 5 HRs, 12 rbis

Edited September 13, 2020 by Angel Oracle

[Angelsjunky]

.705 SLG. Only 48 PA, but still. I'd like to see him take some walks, though.

[ScottT]

12 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

.705 SLG. Only 48 PA, but still. I'd like to see him take some walks, though.

He's got a decent amount of that in him.  Moreso than Adell in the minors.  They may start pitching him more carefully. 

[2112]

On 9/11/2020 at 10:14 AM, DMVol said:

 

I think Marsh is viewed as a better CF’er than Adell. His defense is supposedly top notch.

He also has a cool beard.  

[Angelsjunky]

I'd love to see Walsh reach 10 HR. 5 more HR in 13 games is Troutian, though.

[Angel]

Not only is Walsh better than Thaiss defensively and officially a major league hitting threat .900 + OPS, (likely unsustainable this season but who knows?)  Walsh is also our only successful hitting LHH as it stands, in today's game Walsh was the ONLY LHH in the lineup.

Thaiss is dust in the wind.

[Stradling]

14 minutes ago, Angel said:

Not only is Walsh better than Thaiss defensively and officially a major league hitting threat .900 + OPS, (likely unsustainable this season but who knows?)  Walsh is also our only successful hitting LHH as it stands, in today's game Walsh was the ONLY LHH in the lineup.

Thaiss is dust in the wind.

Thaiss is probably just as good as Walsh and he is two years younger.

[Tank]

I'd like to see Thaiss get more playing time. I just don't see Ward having a future here. Glad to see Walsh hitting so well - he really launched that homer tonight.

[ScottT]

I could see both of them being decent or a little better.  Gonna be tough if one takes off... for the other to get an opportunity, though. 

[Warfarin]

I think we are probably seeing what Maddon envisions for them.  Walsh is now starting regularly at 1B and, as mentioned, was the only LHH in the lineup yesterday against a LHP, which is a huge sign for Maddon's faith in him.

Thaiss, it appears, is being force-fit into a super utility role.  He's played what, 1B, 2B, 3B, LF ... I don't know.  I think this offseason, they'll encourage him to continue to develop and practice in all sorts of areas around the diamond.

He has potential, but I feel they've asked him to try so many different things in a short period of time that it makes it hard to succeed.

For now, though, I'll say that it appears Walsh is close to earning a role as the strong side of a 1B platoon next year with Pujols.

Once Marsh is promoted next year, we should have some pretty good LH pop, with Walsh, Marsh, Ohtani (if his offense can be fixed), and Thaiss off the bench.

[happybat4]

It was never answered before, but do they still want Walsh to pitch at all?

[Stradling]

7 minutes ago, happybat4 said:

It was never answered before, but do they still want Walsh to pitch at all?

The only thing I’ve read is Walsh saying he hasn’t pitched this year due to a shoulder issue but that he’d still like to try pitching next year. 

[DMVol]

1 hour ago, Warfarin said:

.....For now, though, I'll say that it appears Walsh is close to earning a role as the strong side of a 1B platoon next year with Pujols.

If Pujols is still in the lineup next year, I think it would tell you a lot about the commitment to winning in 2021.....not bashing Pujols, he gets enough of that and doesn’t deserve a lot of it....but to continue to play any 40+ year old long past his prime, Pujols or anybody else, for wrongheaded reasons that deprive the team of a younger, better bat in the lineup, doesn’t show commitment to winning....sometimes commitment isn’t about spending money...Arte has done plenty of that....it’s about making a tough call....and sitting a Hall of Famer is a tough call....but it needs to happen...

[Angels 1961]

On 9/10/2020 at 8:26 PM, Angelsjunky said:

Walsh has shown some stick since being called up. If I were Maddon I'd tell Thaiss and Ward to pick up a catcher's mitt again and say, "Whoever can handle catching duties halfway decently has a bench job next year." Either one would be more valuable as a multi-positional OF/1B/C.

Ward is 3rd catcher on team when active.