The Official 2020-2021 Hot Stove Offseason Thread

[BTH]

Did anyone see what Buster said in this piece?

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/30450338/how-handle-owner-arte-moreno-three-tips-new-los-angeles-angels-gm-perry-minasian

[mmc]

6 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Did anyone see what Buster said in this piece?

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/30450338/how-handle-owner-arte-moreno-three-tips-new-los-angeles-angels-gm-perry-minasian

Tip No. 1: Minasian should focus entirely on winning in 2021 and forget about the future. The 2022 season and beyond? Don't worry about it. For now, anyway. Go all-in on the upcoming season. 

The Angels have not won a playoff game since 2009, and have appeared in the postseason only once since then. Trout has 12 playoff at-bats. This is what grates on Moreno's nerves more than anything else. If Minasian decides he wants to simultaneously focus on infrastructure and winning in '21, he'll probably keep some ammunition in reserve for the future -- and that would be a mistake, others say. His best chance to win favor with Moreno is by winning immediately, and if Minasian can do that, he'll buy himself some time to focus on other aspects of the organization. The advice is: If he has an extra dollar to spend, spend it on the 2021 roster.

The Angels could have a spectacular year in the draft -- they own the ninth pick overall -- and in player development, but if the big league team fails to make the playoffs, none of the minor league work will matter to Moreno.

Tip No. 2: Minasian should communicate with Moreno frequently and never let him be caught by surprise by any development. Others say Moreno wants the ultimate responsibility to be in the hands of the general manager, and he wants to believe that the GM and the manager are on the same page.

Minasian is known to be really good at working with people, at reading people and their moods. In baseball in this era, front-office folks are often defined as being part of one of two camps. You've got your Analysts, and you've got your People Persons -- and Minasian is seen as fitting into the latter group, having really started his baseball life working in the Rangers' clubhouse when Buck Showalter managed. "The Energizer Bunny," Showalter recalled, saying that the way Minasian absorbed and processed information "was like Peter Gammons on steroids."

Tip No. 3: Don't obsess over Moreno's participation (invasion?), because if he really gets to a point where he is micromanaging decisions about the Angels' roster under Minasian, that probably means the team is struggling and Minasian might have effectively lost power anyway.

The challenge for Minasian is real, because the wide perception among evaluators is that the Angels are pretty far removed from being a title contender. They were 25th in ERA in the 60-game season, at 5.09, ranked 27th in defensive runs saved, at minus-26, and were 29th in defensive efficiency. Iglesias was Minasian's first big move to help shore up those numbers. There will be others, and Moreno -- an owner who can be found hovering over instructional league action at 10 a.m. -- will be watching.

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, mmc said:

Tip No. 1: Minasian should focus entirely on winning in 2021 and forget about the future. The 2022 season and beyond? Don't worry about it. For now, anyway. Go all-in on the upcoming season. 

The Angels have not won a playoff game since 2009, and have appeared in the postseason only once since then. Trout has 12 playoff at-bats. This is what grates on Moreno's nerves more than anything else. If Minasian decides he wants to simultaneously focus on infrastructure and winning in '21, he'll probably keep some ammunition in reserve for the future -- and that would be a mistake, others say. His best chance to win favor with Moreno is by winning immediately, and if Minasian can do that, he'll buy himself some time to focus on other aspects of the organization. The advice is: If he has an extra dollar to spend, spend it on the 2021 roster.

The Angels could have a spectacular year in the draft -- they own the ninth pick overall -- and in player development, but if the big league team fails to make the playoffs, none of the minor league work will matter to Moreno.

Tip No. 2: Minasian should communicate with Moreno frequently and never let him be caught by surprise by any development. Others say Moreno wants the ultimate responsibility to be in the hands of the general manager, and he wants to believe that the GM and the manager are on the same page.

Minasian is known to be really good at working with people, at reading people and their moods. In baseball in this era, front-office folks are often defined as being part of one of two camps. You've got your Analysts, and you've got your People Persons -- and Minasian is seen as fitting into the latter group, having really started his baseball life working in the Rangers' clubhouse when Buck Showalter managed. "The Energizer Bunny," Showalter recalled, saying that the way Minasian absorbed and processed information "was like Peter Gammons on steroids."

Tip No. 3: Don't obsess over Moreno's participation (invasion?), because if he really gets to a point where he is micromanaging decisions about the Angels' roster under Minasian, that probably means the team is struggling and Minasian might have effectively lost power anyway.

The challenge for Minasian is real, because the wide perception among evaluators is that the Angels are pretty far removed from being a title contender. They were 25th in ERA in the 60-game season, at 5.09, ranked 27th in defensive runs saved, at minus-26, and were 29th in defensive efficiency. Iglesias was Minasian's first big move to help shore up those numbers. There will be others, and Moreno -- an owner who can be found hovering over instructional league action at 10 a.m. -- will be watching.

That's stupid.

[mmc]

2 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

That's stupid.

All of these tips were exclusively from people who have worked for Arte in the past.  If they say that's what he's looking for I'm inclined to believe it.

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Well here's a highlight of Rengifo.Hopefully he's turn it around soon. 

Good to see Barría is in midseason form.

[eligrba]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

Good to see Barría is in midseason form.

Like clock work.

[ukyah]

3 hours ago, mmc said:

All of these tips were exclusively from people who have worked for Arte in the past.  If they say that's what he's looking for I'm inclined to believe it.

you go ahead and believe anonymous supposed former employees. just a little tip, he doesn't say they worked in the front office or on the field. 

[mmc]

 

[mmc]

Mel Rojas Jr is another OF I’d like us to pick up for cheap.  Of course there’s a chance he’s another Upton (albeit without the obnoxious contract), but if he can hit anywhere close to how he did in the KBO he’d be a great platoon bat.

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, mmc said:

Mel Rojas Jr is another OF I’d like us to pick up for cheap.  Of course there’s a chance he’s another Upton (albeit without the obnoxious contract), but if he can hit anywhere close to how he did in the KBO he’d be a great platoon bat.

I heard an interview with him on MLB radio, where he was incredibly honest.  He has never played in the majors and said he would only come here if he was guaranteed an MLB contract.  He brought up that he has to think about providing for his family and playing in the KBO allows him to do that.  He did say that he would consider offers from MLB, Japan and the KBO.  

[mmc]

 

[tdawg87]

11 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

[mmc]

Sugano would be my #2 free agent target after Bauer.  Especially because he will be cheaper than most starters of his caliber, because teams will be skeptical.  Definitely believe it's worth the gamble for the Angels though.

[mmc]

 

[Cosmo_Kramer]

Would be interesting if the Angels end up with Iglesias, Bradley, Bauer, and Gray all from the Reds.

It's possible..

[Tyler]

Gotta get James McCann.

[Chuck]

35 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

I wonder if Ohtani helps bring him over? 

NPB Scouting Report: Tomoyuki Sugano

By TED BAARDA

In a surprise move the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s NPB are reportedly considering posting their ace, Tomoyuki Sugano.The Giants have never posted a home-grown player, and Sugano is a central part of a team that will be going to the Japan Series for a second consecutive year. Lack of fan attendance this season may be a factor in the decision for the Giants, as the posting fee from Sugano may help offset any financial losses for the team. Sugano was expected to pursue MLB opportunities after the 2021 season as a free agent.

Background:

In terms of MLB preparedness, the 31-year-old Sugano has nothing left to prove in the NPB.

He has been an elite pitcher in the league since his arrival with a career 100-50 record, 2.35 ERA, and 1.04 WHIP to go with strong peripheral numbers (8.0 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, and 0.6 HR/9) (LINK). Sugano has won the Central League MVP (2014) and 2 Eiji Sawamura Awards (NPB equivalent of the Cy Young) in 2017 and 2018, with a Pitching Triple Crown (Leading league in Wins, ERA and strikeouts) in 2018. He is a candidate for the Sawamura award again this season based on his strong work, and may add to his 3 Gold Gloves as well.

Sugano has also shown up big in the playoffs, winning the 2013 Climax Series MVP (equivalent to the LCS MVP) in his rookie season and throwing a no hitter in the 2018 Climax Series to eliminate the Yakult Swallows (LINK).

Season	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K/9	BB/9
2017	17-5	1.59	0.85	8.2	1.5
2018	15-8	2.14	1.01	8.9	1.6
2019	11-6	3.89	1.25	7.9	2.1
2020	13-2	2.05	0.90	8.6	1.6

Sugano also appeared for Team Japan in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, tying teammate Kodai Senga for the tournament lead in strikeouts with 16. He pitched six innings allowing one unearned run against Team USA in an eventual Japanese loss in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Pitching Style:

The right-handed Sugano has a unique wind-up as he starts with both feet facing towards home plate, but will turn his upper body 90 degrees towards third base before starting to move his feet. He releases the ball from a ¾ arm slot and repeats his delivery well. Out of the stretch Sugano has a quick delivery with a small leg kick which allows him to help control the running game.

Sugano throws his fastball in the low 90s. He has a 4-seam fastball that he can locate to all quadrants of the strike zone and a 2-seamer with some run that he will try to keep low in the zone. His best secondary pitch is his mid 80s slider that he uses to run away from righties and in to jam lefties. His slider has late downward break to it which makes it a good putaway pitch or a good option to induce weak contact.

Sugano also has a high-80s splitter that he uses primarily away to lefties but will also throw it away to righties on occasion. His splitter has good downward action and he will throw a lot of them in the dirt with two strikes hoping for a chase. He also throws a high 70s curve sparingly that he will use to steal a strike early in an at-bat, often attempting to back-door it and get an outside strike against lefties.

While Sugano’s stuff is enough to make him a viable starter in the Majors, what sets him apart is his command. He primarily throws his fastball on the outside corner with precision and works his other pitches off that. Against righties he will throw the slider on the outside corner or start it there and let it break off the plate. Due to the late break of the slider it tunnels well with the fastball. Against lefties he locates the splitter on the outside corner consistently, which also pairs well with his 4-seamer, and he will mix in the inside slider to keep hitters honest.

Like with just about every pitcher there are some injury concerns, as the team reported some ligament damage in 2014, and in 2019 he did not pitch for over a month from Sept. 15 until Oct. 23 (which ended up being the final game of the Japan Series), and did not look like himself when he was on the mound. Pitchers in the NPB are also not subjected to such rigorous pitch count monitoring as in the US, as evidenced by his 3 shutouts this season with pitch counts of 122, 125 and 135.

Those numbers are not outliers either, as NPB starters typically will throw over 100 pitches per start. This possible overuse of his arm may worry some teams as they pursue trying to sign him. However despite that, he rebounded from 2019 with a great season this year.

Conclusion:

Tomoyuki Sugano is the most accomplished pitcher in the world who has yet to appear in MLB. He has a consistent and exceptional track record in the NPB, and playoff and international success to his name as well. He projects as a No. 2 or 3 starter in the Majors with an MLB comp of Johnny Cueto, so he should have plenty of suitors if does end up getting posted.

[Chuck]

So Perry Minasian's presser today after the trade may have mentioned "run prevention" 10 or so times. 

That in mind, I wonder if the Angels go after a Pillar and/or Eaton or Bradley for RF in a platoon?

Here's who's available via FA to fill the RF need. 

[Hubs]

Maybe Puig to continue the Cuban theme.

[Second Base]

I've watched Sugano a couple of times. My biggest concern is a general lack of athleticism, and when he loses it, it takes him a couple of batters to find it again, which in the major leagues can result in crooked numbers. 

But, I love the late life on his fastball, and his deception. His slider is absolutely elite at any level, Japan or MLB. Just from the video that Chuck posted, the splitter is a good pitch as well. But that change up is garbage and would get crushed in the majors. Never saw the slow curve and as I understand he doesn't throw it enough to be impactful anyway.

Just a pure guess in my part, nothing more, but I think he's probably a #3/4 starter.

 

 

[Vlad27Trout27]

If Sugano is projected to be a 2/3, i wouldn't mind us going after him rather than Bauer. 

He'll cost way less than bauer, doesn't have a QO and if he can be a 2/3 it'll be worth the contract. 

Plus, it'll allow us to spend the saved money on other spots.

I also think this something that Perry and the one of assistant gm, that worked with the dodgers, would do.

With the saved money, and i don't know how much we saved from the Iglesias.

Sign Bradley or treinen

Than also sign Mecgee, which should give us an Ace Bp! 

[DMVol]

43 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

If Sugano is projected to be a 2/3, i wouldn't mind us going after him rather than Bauer. 

He'll cost way less than bauer, doesn't have a QO and if he can be a 2/3 it'll be worth the contract. 

Plus, it'll allow us to spend the saved money on other spots.

My thoughts exactly....unless the Yanks or somebody drives up the price, he makes more sense than losing a draft pick or giving up a premium prospect in a trade...

[Chuck]

1 hour ago, Hubs said:

Maybe Puig to continue the Cuban theme.

I've always been intrigued with Puig. Since Minasian is all about run prevention, how is his defense @Inside Pitch?

[mmc]

Will anyone touch Puig with the sexual assault allegations?

[Chuck]

22 hours ago, mmc said:

Mel Rojas Jr is another OF I’d like us to pick up for cheap.  Of course there’s a chance he’s another Upton (albeit without the obnoxious contract), but if he can hit anywhere close to how he did in the KBO he’d be a great platoon bat.

Can he play RF?