Perry's Off-Season Report Card

[WicketMaiden]

I like what I've seen from Minasian so far. He seems to be a bit more interested in raising the floor rather than catching lightening in a waiver-wire bottle to raise the ceiling. My report card:

Rotation - B minus - No ace acquired, but solid arms that should keep us in games without relying on the luck of the gods to hold their limbs together or re-kindle their youth.

Bull-Pen - B plus - Got a legit Closer (A real one), and some solid late pick-ups creating lots of potential variation from the pen. Got some depth too.

Line-up - B minus -  Lagares is a nice late inning replacement, Fowler isn't great in RF but may hold his own (and I put that one down to JM), Iglesias was a great pick-up and Suzuki looks solid.

Farm - C - didn't really add to it, didn't blow it up either. 

Overall - B minus. 

 

[Warfarin]

It's too early for me to assign grades, but I think by far the biggest changes/additions he has made is to the infrastructure of the FO.  He has imported a lot of very good talent and, hopefully, built a player-development team in place that will help BOTH MLB players and minor league players/prospects develop and achieve better outcomes than they would have otherwise.

[Redondo]

1 hour ago, Warfarin said:

It's too early for me to assign grades, but I think by far the biggest changes/additions he has made is to the infrastructure of the FO.  He has imported a lot of very good talent and, hopefully, built a player-development team in place that will help BOTH MLB players and minor league players/prospects develop and achieve better outcomes than they would have otherwise.

This will be the key to the clubs development

Growing the farm and player development is the way to a long term successful team.

[angelsnationtalk]

Too early to grade new acquisitions, but I'll give a current grade based on ST performances. 

Rotation - Optimistic C+ - Year after year the Angels have struggled heavily here. Giving a "C+" is a passing grade but solid performance will raise it to a "B+" if Quintana maintains the durability he's always shown and Angels strike gold again with Cobb having another Bundy-like change. Also, Ohtani can COMPLETELY change how this rotation looks. Mr. Blister Boy. 

Bull-Pen - C- then B within 24hrs - Perry has done a great job with finding arms. It remains to be seen if they are quality arms, but he's shown early that he can find the players rather than just sticking young guys Barria and Peters out there to fill a void. Also cool seeing C-Rod get a chance. Dude has a nasty fastball. 

Line-up - B+ - The lineup is stacked (again), but what I really like about this is the depth pieces behind the starters. Minasian brought a BUNCH of players in to compete for spots. That's something we haven't seen in awhile. Lagares has been incredible, plus his glove is a must. 

Farm - C - It is what it is. Though, it was nice seeing Minasian revamp the roster without dealing any notable prospects. Only downfall was losing Soriano in Rule 5, but hopefully he gets returned at some point during the season since he's coming back from TJ.

Overall - C+

Edited March 30, 2021 by angelsnationtalk

[totdprods]

I'd actually give Billy Eppler a better grade for this offseason than Minasian so far. A lions-share of what will drive the club this year is what Billy put together - acquisitions like Bundy, Ohtani, Rendon, and Upton - and the farm that Billy refused to deal from, even though he very well could have in the last year or two in a knee-jerk move to save his job. 

All Minasian has really done is 1) fill in the fringes with mostly role players and 2) not fuck up (or take advantage of) what prospect capital Billy built. I can't get too excited about guys like Cobb, Fowler, Suzuki or even Jose Iglesias yet. I really like the Raisel trade, but only because it cost us literally nothing somehow (sorry Leo Rivas fans) and Quintana, because I think he'll be durable if not decent. I actually think he won't be as good as many here hope, but still solid. I also think Maddon is pulling a ton of these strings so far, so also difficult to credit Perry too much yet. 

With that said...Perry has a chance to absolutely crush Billy where Billy failed most. Finding good vet stopgaps. If Jose Iglesias, Cobb, Fowler, Lagares, Cishek, Watson can pull that off, then Perry vaults way, way up, but I can't say I'm more excited about Cobb, Jose Iglesias, Suzuki or Fowler than I was at any point than guys like Teheran, Maybin, Castro or Kinsler. 

So...

Rotation: D mostly due to the fact that I think our best pitchers are already here, and I'm not sold on Quintana and Cobb being any better than #4-#5 at best.
Bullpen: B- because Iglesias looks like a steal, otherwise this is a C+.
Lineup: C+ because at the end of it, I don't think Iglesias does much more than Simmons. Lagares might be the big catch, ironically. 
Farm: B mostly because he didn't trade it away to pieces, and because we only lost Jahmai Jones and Jose Soriano and neither were huge losses. I also think we may see a surprise guy like Kean Wong, Yordi Rosario, Jhonathan Diaz, Ibandel Isabel, or Hansel Rodriguez, one of his low-key minor league deals, become a good prospect.

C+ from me.

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Warfarin said:

It's too early for me to assign grades, but I think by far the biggest changes/additions he has made is to the infrastructure of the FO.  He has imported a lot of very good talent and, hopefully, built a player-development team in place that will help BOTH MLB players and minor league players/prospects develop and achieve better outcomes than they would have otherwise.

Yup, Alex Tamin by himself was probably his best off-season move.  

[Inside Pitch]

19 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I'd actually give Billy Eppler a better grade for this offseason than Minasian so far. A lions-share of what will drive the club this year is what Billy put together - acquisitions like Bundy, Ohtani, Rendon, and Upton - and the farm that Billy refused to deal from, even though he very well could have in the last year or two in a knee-jerk move to save his job. 

All Minasian has really done is 1) fill in the fringes with mostly role players and 2) not fuck up (or take advantage of) what prospect capital Billy built. I can't get too excited about guys like Cobb, Fowler, Suzuki or even Jose Iglesias yet. I really like the Raisel trade, but only because it cost us literally nothing somehow (sorry Leo Rivas fans) and Quintana, because I think he'll be durable if not decent. I actually think he won't be as good as many here hope, but still solid. I also think Maddon is pulling a ton of these strings so far, so also difficult to credit Perry too much yet. 

With that said...Perry has a chance to absolutely crush Billy where Billy failed most. Finding good vet stopgaps. If Jose Iglesias, Cobb, Fowler, Lagares, Cishek, Watson can pull that off, then Perry vaults way, way up, but I can't say I'm more excited about Cobb, Jose Iglesias, Suzuki or Fowler than I was at any point than guys like Teheran, Maybin, Castro or Kinsler. 

So...

Rotation: D mostly due to the fact that I think our best pitchers are already here, and I'm not sold on Quintana and Cobb being any better than #4-#5 at best.
Bullpen: B- because Iglesias looks like a steal, otherwise this is a C+.
Lineup: C+ because at the end of it, I don't think Iglesias does much more than Simmons. Lagares might be the big catch, ironically. 
Farm: B mostly because he didn't trade it away to pieces, and because we only lost Jahmai Jones and Jose Soriano and neither were huge losses. I also think we may see a surprise guy like Kean Wong, Yordi Rosario, Jhonathan Diaz, Ibandel Isabel, or Hansel Rodriguez, one of his low-key minor league deals, become a good prospect.

C+ from me.

Spot on.   It really "more of the same" type of off-season, the big difference being he traded for a legit closer.   Like Eppler he was forced to work within certain restraints, so he deserves credit for adding as many pieces as he did.  But really it's just more of the same.  Still hate the Fowler addition but here's to hoping they use him in a platoon where he may get prove capable.

Ward, Barria, Rengifo, and Sandoval, being in AAA along with Adell, and Marsh, makes for a nice amount of depth and hopefully lessens the chances they blow up the farm to repair a black hole at the deadline.  I think Davis Daniel and Brady end up being useful pieces too.  Frankly, I think what they saw of Daniel may have made it easier for them to consider starting CRod as a RP.

[totdprods]

42 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Spot on.   It really "more of the same" type of off-season, the big difference being he traded for a legit closer.   Like Eppler he was forced to work within certain restraints, so he deserves credit for adding as many pieces as he did.  But really it's just more of the same.  Still hate the Fowler addition but here's to hoping they use him in a platoon where he may get prove capable.

Ward, Barria, Rengifo, and Sandoval, being in AAA along with Adell, and Marsh, makes for a nice amount of depth and hopefully lessens the chances they blow up the farm to repair a black hole at the deadline.  I think Davis Daniel and Brady end up being useful pieces too.  Frankly, I think what they saw of Daniel may have made it easier for them to consider starting CRod as a RP.

I have a good feeling about Lagares. I think he might displace Fowler for some ABs sooner rather than later, and maybe Fowler can bring some late-inning 'we need a walk' pinch hit capability, or at least give us a guy faster than Pujols or the catchers out there. Fowler could do well in that role. 

I really like Brady, Daniel, and Warren and Wantz too. They're not ready, but by mid-year or next year they should be able to start displacing waiver claim type guys like Bard, Quijada, Keller and start covering some of the old vets who walk. 

[Erstad Grit]

Fowler is still baffling to me. I hope I get surprised. 

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Spot on.   It really "more of the same" type of off-season, the big difference being he traded for a legit closer.   Like Eppler he was forced to work within certain restraints, so he deserves credit for adding as many pieces as he did.  But really it's just more of the same.  Still hate the Fowler addition but here's to hoping they use him in a platoon where he may get prove capable.

Ward, Barria, Rengifo, and Sandoval, being in AAA along with Adell, and Marsh, makes for a nice amount of depth and hopefully lessens the chances they blow up the farm to repair a black hole at the deadline.  I think Davis Daniel and Brady end up being useful pieces too.  Frankly, I think what they saw of Daniel may have made it easier for them to consider starting CRod as a RP.

Right.  I think it's also an example of how, perhaps, someone can acquire the right talent but perhaps not maximize it.  Maybe Minasian is putting better systems in place to help get "more out of" the players that Eppler acquired.  So, perhaps, a tandem effort.  But that said, it is hard for us, as casual fans, to know the kinds of systems that the FO is putting in.

Regardless, the credit doesn't really matter to me - I am just hoping we see an improved team that's exciting to watch.

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

I have a good feeling about Lagares. I think he might displace Fowler for some ABs sooner rather than later, and maybe Fowler can bring some late-inning 'we need a walk' pinch hit capability, or at least give us a guy faster than Pujols or the catchers out there. Fowler could do well in that role. 

I really like Brady, Daniel, and Warren and Wantz too. They're not ready, but by mid-year or next year they should be able to start displacing waiver claim type guys like Bard, Quijada, Keller and start covering some of the old vets who walk. 

Lagares has been hitting the ball really well and producing some of the best contact of his career.  Not sure the exact changes he has made, but we do see players who emerge and improve against the odds (i.e., being an older player).  Lagares is very good defensively, so if he can produce decent offense, he's an upgrade over Fowler, IMO.

[greginpsca]

More like a progress report. Final grade comes around November 1st.  So, for now i give him B- / C+.

[Taylor]

Has he hired a ninth scout yet? Let's not forget that the Dodgers have 85 scouts and the Angels have 8.

[Drink More Yakult]

Hard to grade him now but I’m not really sure what he would have needed to do to get an A+ grade from some people. I think it’s disingenuous to give any grades if an A was impossible to achieve (and save an A+ for pulling a fast one on another GM like the Blue Jays trading Vernon Wells for Mike Napoli without eating money)

He didn’t petition the commissioner to make the Angels exempt from the luxury tax and he didn’t convince Pujols to retire.

Bauer signed for too much and the aces that ended up getting traded would have completely obliterated our farm system. Was he supposed to convince them to take less money and lesser packages?

The Iglesias’ acquisitions look like bright spots that don’t hamper the future but the pitching, especially the bullpen, was still lacking. He really turned it around in the past week by adding 5 bullpen arms. We really just need 2 to be above average.

I’d like a better RF than Fowler but with Adell, Marsh, and Adams knocking on the door, we can’t really do anything besides a stopgap for now. Ozuna, Brantley, or Pederson wouldn’t have been much better.

The biggest negative I can see is potentially not extending Bundy or tying up Quintana beyond this year. 

What I like the most is that there is decent depth between the 26 man roster and the alternate site. Bullpens usually rely on guys having a good year so the extra arms give a better chance at having a good bullpen this season. I know that’s the Eppler strategy that didn’t work but at least we aren’t using the strategy of reclamation projects with high spin and velocity dips that ended up being a sign their elbows were going to explode.

Perry really needs the opportunity to go through a draft and international signing period to add to the farm. We had some good drafts in the last few years but a lot of talent is in the low minors. Without a season last year, we missed the chance for them to build their value which hurts the overall rating. It would be dumb to trade away those guys when they’re only going to get more valuable.

I’m probably too optimistic but I’m not sure what he really could have done better without tying up too much money or trading away too many prospects. 

[Warfarin]

41 minutes ago, Drink More Yakult said:

Hard to grade him now but I’m not really sure what he would have needed to do to get an A+ grade from some people. I think it’s disingenuous to give any grades if an A was impossible to achieve (and save an A+ for pulling a fast one on another GM like the Blue Jays trading Vernon Wells for Mike Napoli without eating money)

He didn’t petition the commissioner to make the Angels exempt from the luxury tax and he didn’t convince Pujols to retire.

Bauer signed for too much and the aces that ended up getting traded would have completely obliterated our farm system. Was he supposed to convince them to take less money and lesser packages?

The Iglesias’ acquisitions look like bright spots that don’t hamper the future but the pitching, especially the bullpen, was still lacking. He really turned it around in the past week by adding 5 bullpen arms. We really just need 2 to be above average.

I’d like a better RF than Fowler but with Adell, Marsh, and Adams knocking on the door, we can’t really do anything besides a stopgap for now. Ozuna, Brantley, or Pederson wouldn’t have been much better.

The biggest negative I can see is potentially not extending Bundy or tying up Quintana beyond this year. 

What I like the most is that there is decent depth between the 26 man roster and the alternate site. Bullpens usually rely on guys having a good year so the extra arms give a better chance at having a good bullpen this season. I know that’s the Eppler strategy that didn’t work but at least we aren’t using the strategy of reclamation projects with high spin and velocity dips that ended up being a sign their elbows were going to explode.

Perry really needs the opportunity to go through a draft and international signing period to add to the farm. We had some good drafts in the last few years but a lot of talent is in the low minors. Without a season last year, we missed the chance for them to build their value which hurts the overall rating. It would be dumb to trade away those guys when they’re only going to get more valuable.

I’m probably too optimistic but I’m not sure what he really could have done better without tying up too much money or trading away too many prospects. 

I think this is a very excellent take.

As for the RF option, that better option might end up being Lagares if he continues to hit like he has, but we'll see.

I agree on the depth.  I feel Perry has done a nice job of addressing a lot of areas of concern at once.  He just added 4 possible bullpen arms in the last few days, increasing the depth we have, which in turn has actually helped increase our SP depth too, as likely both Sandoval and Barria can stay stretched out as SPs in AAA/alternate site, which gives us SP7, SP8, and SP9 (Suarez) if/when injuries occur.

The biggest thing he can do is that last point - the farm system.  He'll have his first opportunity to draft and develop players this year.  Also - let's look to see if our current prospect group can continue to improve.  A key thing a lot of the newer FOs do (that are good) is to help their current group of prospects continue to get better by providing them with a strong blend of analytics and scouting.

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Yup, Alex Tamin by himself was probably his best off-season move.  

I really hope they listen.  That's the concern now for me.  Might be hyperbole but it sounds like he can sort of define org. culture going forward.  

I have no idea how to grade Minasian's off season right now because it seems to me it was as much Maddon and Arte's as well.  

I think Joe was allowed to have a ton of influence on the moves and I also think Arte pretty much drew his normal line on budget.  

Don't know if this is an actual issue, but I really hope that Minasian and Tamin and the other front office guys have the ability to assert themselves and do what they think is right.  

but seriously, I'm confused about the off season.  It started fine with the Iglesiasiss acquisitions.   Then Quintana.  Then a bunch of what the F.  I should have realized that they were out of money at that point.  I was literally in my car on the way down to try out for the pen until they made some of those last minute moves.  Here's my assessment on that.  

Hey Joe, what about the pen?

I think it'll be fine.  Trust me.  

a month later...

Fuck...

[Second Base]

Grades are all relative. I'm sure if the Angels blew their wad on Bauer, everyone would love the off-season and give Minasian an A across the board. 

I'd say that Minasian came in with a plan and executed it. Whatever grade you want to say that is, is your discretion. 

1. He wanted to build his front office and a rapport with the coaching staff.

2. With the budget provided, he wanted to make improvements across the board, and not simply in one area. 

3. He didn't want to deplete the farm system. No sacrificing their future for the present.

4. Minasian wanted to spend money, without gambling the future of the organization on large contacts. He used smaller contacts to fit current needs. Allow money to come off the books, prospects to develop and then spend available funds to meet future needs. Financial sustainability, not spending money you don't have.

5. Whatever acquisitions he brought in, they needed to fit the culture Maddon is creating.

And again he did all that. The front office has some really intelligent men analyzing everything right now. Minasian added Shohei, Cobb and Quintana, without sacrificing Barria, Sandoval, Rodriguez or Detmers. He put Iglesias at SS and Fowler in RF for next to nothing. And the bullpen has been completely rebuilt. Do we have any holdovers from last year vin key roles? Maybe Mayers, that's it. 

Mission Accomplished. 

Now let's see if it works.

Edited March 30, 2021 by Second Base

[Inside Pitch]

Well said @Second Base

Seriously.  He didn't muck anything up.  He didn't take away from anything, he mostly added everywhere he could.  It wasn't flashy but he showed himself capable of working within a game-plan.

I think we get a clearer picture of who he is next winter.

I would like to see him extend one of our arms but -- whatever.

[Lhalo]

18 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

I think we get a clearer picture of who he is next winter.

Why? Is someone big coming off the books?

[Docwaukee]

39 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Well said @Second Base

Seriously.  He didn't muck anything up.  He didn't take away from anything, he mostly added everywhere he could.  It wasn't flashy but he showed himself capable of working within a game-plan. hard line budget.  

I think we get a clearer picture of who he is next winter.

I would like to see him extend one of our arms but -- whatever.

 

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Well said @Second Base

Seriously.  He didn't muck anything up.  He didn't take away from anything, he mostly added everywhere he could.  It wasn't flashy but he showed himself capable of working within a game-plan.

I think we get a clearer picture of who he is next winter.

I would like to see him extend one of our arms but -- whatever.

I think you have to weigh the pros and cons in the extension. Generally speaking, only high upside players get extended. Guys that fall in that "solid" category can typically be attained in negotiations before free agency. Teams take on a ton of risk in extensions, and the payout only occurs of things break right. 

Look at Rougned Odor. Texas extended him and it's seemed like a pretty safe bet for both sides. But his lack of plate discipline, coupled with swing and miss tendencies have come back to bite Texas.

Do the Angels have ANY pitchers worth taking on financial risk in extending right now? Maybe Bundy or Canning, but there isn't a body of work substantial enough to justify the risk yet. Bundy got worse as 2020 went on, Canning into question the sustainability of his breakout. Maybe Canning's breakout is coming, and maybe it isn't. 

In every case, there doesn't seem to be an upside in negotiating an extension on Marsh 2021 over November of 2021. Players trips through FA haven't recently been short or enjoyable. Things tend to drag out into February and even then, the top FA are still the only ones landing extremely lucrative deals. The mid-tier guys get stuck in between and settle. 

So teams don't have enough reason to negotiate. There's also the uncertainty in the new CBA and potential work stoppage to worry about too. 

My guess is the Angels won't be signing any extensions, and the players union and owners are going to play hard ball until January 2022 before agreeing on anything, resulting in a flurry on contacts signed just weeks before ST. 

 

 

 

[AngelsLakersFan]

1 hour ago, Dochalo said:

but seriously, I'm confused about the off season.  It started fine with the Iglesiasiss acquisitions.   Then Quintana.  Then a bunch of what the F.  I should have realized that they were out of money at that point. 

I guess you hadn't been reading my posts all off season about fans needing to get ready to be disappointed. 

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Lhalo said:

Why? Is someone big coming off the books?

[Docwaukee]

32 minutes ago, TaylorBot said:

that just means we have to replace our starting 1bman.  

[Pancake Bear]

Honestly, it's hard to assess because a lot of his moves are wait-and-see types of moves. We didn't go all-in on a TOR arm, but we've gone down the throw-the-whole-budget-at-one-guy offseason before. Multiple times. So far it has never worked. Maybe spreading the money around will end up being the better decision, but it comes down to whether Minasian and his crew (and Maddon, apparently) have the ability to spot enough undervalued talent to make it work. Generally, guys who aren't viewed as high value commodities by the league are viewed that way for a reason.

I don't believe we're a WS contender, but with what appears to be an uneasy crown at the top of the AL West, there may be room for the Angels to sneak in and win it. It's still Spring for another day - gotta keep my optimist hat on at least till Thursday.