Angels sign David Fletcher to an extension (5 years, $26 million, with club options for 6th and 7th year)

[Angelsfan1984]

4 minutes ago, Lou said:

I was wondering how long it would take for the trade scenarios to appear.

You waited a whole minute to make that observation. You're no MMC of witty responses.

[jsnpritchett]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

Be REAL interesting to see if Minasian works on extensions for guys like Walsh, Adell, Canning, Marsh, etc. in the next year or two if they start showing up as legit, healthy, productive MLBers.

Walsh won't be a free agent until he's 32/33 and isn't even arb eligible for a couple more years.  Even if he does pretty well this season and next, he doesn't really seem like the type of guy you'd bother extending into his FA years.

[Taylor]

How long until someone complains we're wasting Fletcher's prime years?

[jsnpritchett]

We're wasting Fletcher's prime years.

[jsnpritchett]

2 minutes ago, Taylor said:

How long until someone complains we're wasting Fletcher's prime years?

Not long.

[Slegnaac]

1 hour ago, mmc said:

 

Those Palm trees are making me hungry.

[Warfarin]

32 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Walsh won't be a free agent until he's 32/33 and isn't even arb eligible for a couple more years.  Even if he does pretty well this season and next, he doesn't really seem like the type of guy you'd bother extending into his FA years.

Yeah, and usually a 1B isn't someone you lock up for many years.  Errr, wait a second..

[Warfarin]

So another way to look at this deal is we bought out 1 guaranteed year of Fletcher's free agency, and perhaps up to 3.  Again, great deal.  Fletcher is now set for life with this contract and we have our 2B for many years to come.

In terms of long-term, we should effectively have our OF, 3B, and now 2B set for many years.  C and SS are unknown.  1B may or may not be Walsh, but 1B typically isn't a position that's too hard to fill long-term anyway.

[sammyscioscia]

Even if somehow the league's pitchers figure him out, he's still a viable defensive player and makes high contact.  He's also a great clubhouse personality and improves team chemistry.  The league also lacks scrappy players like this, they have an advantage over the stubborn two-outcome players that riddle the league today.  

[Warfarin]

4 minutes ago, sammyscioscia said:

Even if somehow the league's pitchers figure him out, he's still a viable defensive player and makes high contact.  He's also a great clubhouse personality and improves team chemistry.  The league also lacks scrappy players like this, they have an advantage over the stubborn two-outcome players that riddle the league today.  There's a very low chance this is a bad contract. 

Yeah.  Fletcher isn't an elite player, but he's a very good, underrated player who has an incredibly high floor due to his defense and fantastic bat control.  Even if he regresses a bit from recent levels, he'll still easily earn this contract.  And if for some reason he falls off a cliff, it's a cheap deal and we don't have to pick up those options.  However, I am not anticipating that happening.

[failos]

That’s a steal!

[Slegnaac]

4 minutes ago, failos said:

That’s a steal!

Of second!

[sammyscioscia]

I feel like any big highly expensive contracts will hurt us, even on the pitching end.  If we can refrain from overpaying FAs and focus on players who do well for us and want to win for us we won't even have to worry about the luxury tax.  We won't have to spend that much to begin with.  Teams like the A's and Rays prove this year in and out.  But we'll actually reward our best players by actually paying them and keeping them around.

[aznhockeyguy]

Wow, what a steal by the Angels.  Fletcher went to Cypress High School so he's literally at his hometown.  I think that's why he was willing to take such a discount.  But still, this is way below value for him.  Fletcher reminds me as a right handed Ben Zobrist without the power.

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, sammyscioscia said:

I feel like any big highly expensive contracts will hurt us, even on the pitching end.  If we can refrain from overpaying FAs and focus on players who do well for us and want to win for us we won't even have to worry about the luxury tax.  We won't have to spend that much to begin with.  Teams like the A's and Rays prove this year in and out.  But we'll actually reward our best players by actually paying them and keeping them around.

This is largely the Dodger model - draft and develop your talent, keep your core players on big deals, and let the others go and replace them with young good players.

That is the model I am hoping to see Minasian build.  It can’t be built overnight, but he does have the foundation to ultimately get there if he’s patient and builds a strong infrastructure.

[Cosmo_Kramer]

[Revad]

5 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

Holy shit

I agree

[sammyscioscia]

It almost feels wrong getting Fletcher at this price, I hope he doesn't read this forum...

[Revad]

Would you want hang out with Trout and Rendon?

[Warfarin]

5 minutes ago, sammyscioscia said:

It almost feels wrong getting Fletcher at this price, I hope he doesn't read this forum...

It's a trade-off for a lot of players.  Fletcher didn't come up as a big-time prospect.  He's someone who has considerably improved with playing time.  He won't be a superstar, but he's a really solid player and something that all championship teams need.  

Still, every player is possibly one injury away from losing their abilities, or one significant regression away from becoming irrelevant.  Fletcher took the financial guarantee, and I don't blame him.  With 26 mil guaranteed at the minimum, he and his family will never have to worry about money ever again.

[Inside Pitch]

47 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

This is largely the Dodger model - draft and develop your talent, keep your core players on big deals, and let the others go and replace them with young good players.

That is the model I am hoping to see Minasian build.  It can’t be built overnight, but he does have the foundation to ultimately get there if he’s patient and builds a strong infrastructure.

Angels and Indians were doing this in the 90s -- long before it became the Dodger's model.   Look back at the 90s Angels and try to find a single home grown guy they lost to FA..   

Zippo.

[ELEVEN]

6 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

Those Palm trees are making me hungry.

Now I want InO.

[AngelsWest]

11 hours ago, Taylor said:

How long until someone complains we're wasting Fletcher's prime years?

Already saw it on Twitter!

[Docwaukee]

Seems like Fletch has become one of the leaders of the club.    Good move.  

[Torridd]

Fantastic! So the Angels get twin wins yesterday!