Official 2021-22 Hot Stove League Thread.

[Lou]

It's spring training already?

[HanfordGuy]

11 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

This is probably what sank the scherzer deal. 

Perry brought Neapolitan and Boras took it as a slight against Scherzer’s eyes.

[HanfordGuy]

4 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I’m still waiting for an answer back on why the Ray deal didn't happen.

I’m sure the M’s front office people were given strict orders to not let Ray leave without signing a contract. Angels never had a chance to plead their case.

[mmc]

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

8 minutes ago, HanfordGuy said:

Perry brought Neapolitan and Boras took it as a slight against Scherzer’s eyes.

This will get lost in the thread.... i wish it didnt.

[Dtwncbad]

Just now, ten ocho recon scout said:

This will get lost in the thread.... i wish it didnt.

I gave it a smirky nod

[ten ocho recon scout]

9 minutes ago, HanfordGuy said:

Perry brought Neapolitan and Boras took it as a slight against Scherzer’s eyes.

"Angels were the next closest to signing Scherzer"...

 

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Bullpen isn't done yet. They'll need one more reliever in my opinion. Also, one more starter (Stroman) and a backup catcher. That's it. 

Kinda big hole in the middle of the lineup and defense, I dunno. Bigger deal than another reliever, imo. 

[Second Base]

2 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

Kinda big hole in the middle of the lineup and defense, I dunno. Bigger deal than another reliever, imo. 

I think the offense should be pretty solid, without making any other additions. Stassi, Walsh, Fletcher, Rendon, Trout and Ohtani are all above average hitters (and in some cases more) pet their position. They can afford poor offensive production from SS and still have a very good offense. Just look in at all the Giants teams that have made the playoffs over the past decade. Never really a good offense as much as a timely offense. 

But pitching, I don't think the Angels can afford to take chances on pitching. They need as deep of a bullpen as they can build, because most of their pitchers aren't going 7 innings (more like 5) and I trust Loup and Iglesias in the 8th and 9th, but that leaves a lot of time to mess things up in the 6th and 7th. 

I think one more good reliever, and a breakout performance from one of the young arms they acquired at the deadline, could solve this issue. 

[Tank]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

@Chuckster70 are you going to ask your birdie if there’s any truth to the Correa rumor?  

[Pancake Bear]

9 minutes ago, Second Base said:

I think the offense should be pretty solid, without making any other additions. Stassi, Walsh, Fletcher, Rendon, Trout and Ohtani are all above average hitters (and in some cases more) pet their position. They can afford poor offensive production from SS and still have a very good offense. Just look in at all the Giants teams that have made the playoffs over the past decade. Never really a good offense as much as a timely offense. 

But pitching, I don't think the Angels can afford to take chances on pitching. They need as deep of a bullpen as they can build, because most of their pitchers aren't going 7 innings (more like 5) and I trust Loup and Iglesias in the 8th and 9th, but that leaves a lot of time to mess things up in the 6th and 7th. 

I think one more good reliever, and a breakout performance from one of the young arms they acquired at the deadline, could solve this issue. 

Offense was pretty garbage last year. If the outfield actually develops like it's supposed to we might be able to afford a hole at short. That is far from certain. If Adell and Marsh don't improve, the offense is actually really one injury away from being awful. 

Fletcher can't be relied on, neither can Stassi. Walsh can't hit lefties. The offense is not at all reliable, especially since Trout hasn't had a healthy season in three years and he still missed over twenty games in both 2018 and 2019. He hasn't really had a full season since 2016.

Team pitching was much better than offense last year despite no top end talent other than Ohtani and Raisel, and despite injuries to some of their best arms. If they overlook the offense, they're gonna find themselves losing a lot of games. 

[Second Base]

Fletcher is a career .280/.330 hitter that's now entering his prime. And you don't think he can be trusted? Then why not say we need a starting second baseman? 

I trust Fletch. 

Walsh hit 29 HR's and got on base 34% of the time in his first season as as a starter, and he too is now entering his prime. 

I trust Walsh. 

[Make Angels Great Again]

F it. Get Rodon and Chris Taylor. Rodon should be cheaper than stroman so maybe it's possible if Arte doesn't bitch out.

[Stradling]

5 minutes ago, Second Base said:

Fletcher is a career .280/.330 hitter that's now entering his prime. And you don't think he can be trusted? Then why not say we need a starting second baseman? 

I trust Fletch. 

Walsh hit 29 HR's and got on base 34% of the time in his first season as as a starter, and he too is now entering his prime. 

I trust Walsh. 

I’d trust Fletcher. Lot more if he didn’t change his entire approach. He swung at everything and turned back into the 4% walk guy he was in the minors. 

[Lou]

Syndergaard, Iglesias and Loup is not bitching out. 

[Pancake Bear]

8 minutes ago, Second Base said:

Fletcher is a career .280/.330 hitter that's now entering his prime. And you don't think he can be trusted? Then why not say we need a starting second baseman? 

I trust Fletch. 

Walsh hit 29 HR's and got on base 34% of the time in his first season as as a starter, and he too is now entering his prime. 

I trust Walsh. 

Then you're either ignorantly or deliberately ignoring data. Fletcher was a below average hitter last year. That is a fact. You can argue it won't continue, but that assumes the league hasn't figured out his flaws as a batter and he'll be able to adjust back.

Walsh hit .170 against lefties with a 48 wRC+ last season. He's a platoon bat until he can prove he is able to hit lefties. 

[Dtwncbad]

12 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

Then you're either ignorantly or deliberately ignoring data. Fletcher was a below average hitter last year. That is a fact. You can argue it won't continue, but that assumes the league hasn't figured out his flaws as a batter and he'll be able to adjust back.

Walsh hit .170 against lefties with a 48 wRC+ last season. He's a platoon bat until he can prove he is able to hit lefties. 

I have always liked Fletcher but I got really sick of him offensively last year.  I hope the 2022 version of him is not a repeat is 2021. I won’t have much patience for it.

[Docwaukee]

6 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Check his age -- guy will enter his age 24 season this year having played fewer than 120 games above Low A -- only 14 games above A ball.   Jackson can spend the next two years toiling in A ball and still be ahead of that guy developmentally. 

Someone attempted to play the Angels system's youth as a relative negative, but it's when you see a deal like this that the youth really stands out.

I will say this much -- this dude is the prototype Rays trade.  Someone else's number one pick, solid floor, showing average to better skills across the board.  Little risk.   They will turn him into Wendle, promote him at at 25/26 and repeat the process when he turns 30. 

he did lose a year due to covid.  I would have thought Wendle could have gotten a better return but they sure seem to hit on those guys who are a year away.  

[Warfarin]

With the payroll checking in around 176mil now, I'm guessing we probably have another 10-15mil left to spend, give or take.

Likely we can expect one more solid addition, but nothing flashy.  I would not expect Stroman at this point.

There will probably be "deals," so to speak, after the CBA is ratified, assuming that there will only be a few weeks for a number of players to sign with teams before an abbreviated spring training. 

Anyway, glad to see one huge need (closer) was taken care of.  Need most of the available money for 1 more SP and a SS, assuming we spend only 1-2 mil on a backup catcher.

[totdprods]

18 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

With the payroll checking in around 176mil now, I'm guessing we probably have another 10-15mil left to spend, give or take.

Or since it was about $180m last year, we could be ‘done’, short of another $1.5m back-up catcher like Suzuki and a repeat of the $1m deals for Cishek and Watson.

I could very well see this being it for the most part. It would explain all the SS depth added, Lorenzen as a SP, and Iglesias happening after almost all the big SP had dropped off the board.

Maybe they snag a bargain late into the offseason for another $10m or so, as I sort of remember them doing with Cody Allen, but might be a wrap it as it’s right in line with prior payroll and can be argued filled every need.

Edited December 1, 2021 by totdprods

[Angel Oracle]

So as of now, the rotation is probably Ohtani, Thor, Sandoval, Suarez, Barria, and Lorenzen.

Bullpen is probably Iglesias, Loup, Mayers, Warren, Quijada, Marte, Ortega, and Junk?

Focus remaining pitching money on one more late innings guy (Tepera?) and one more veteran middle innings guy?   And pray that Detmers will truly be ready by June?

[CanadianHalo]

If they just spent the bulk of their remaining budget on Iglesias then our expectations for this season shouldn’t be very high.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, CanadianHalo said:

If they just spent the bulk of their remaining budget on Iglesias then our expectations for this season shouldn’t be very high.

Unless for a refreshing change the team stays healthy enough, and the younger players take another step forward.

[CanadianHalo]

 

[totdprods]

They're in very good shape heading into the lockout. We are basically right at 2021 payroll levels. They've added two SP, retained the closer, and added one more plus bullpen arm. 

Would not surprised me if they flipped the switch from proactivity to being more opportunistic once the lockout ends. There will be a ton of free agents available still and I'm assuming not much time before the season begins. It'll be a good climate for nabbing some impact on one-year deals. Maybe someone like Mark Melancon or Brad Hand fails to find a closing opportunity. The corner outfield market is a little thick, perhaps you get someone like Joc Pederson or Tommy Pham or Jorge Soler for 1/$10m. Angels could still revisit Marsh for Meyer and add another potential MLB-ready SP into the mix.

Guys like Chris Archer, Danny Duffy, Vince Velasquez, Aaron Sanchez, Chad Kuhl, Jordan Lyles, Martin Perez, Jacob Junis, Mike Foltynewicz all have some viability of being solid pick-ups on the cheap. 

If they find some value at RF, SS, or SP/RP in the FA market once it resumes, it could make it easier to pull a trade for someone like Castillo. A move they probably should continue look to make, but maybe are best waiting on until they have more clarity on the CBA, allow the asking price to drop, and perhaps form have an avenue to replenishing any MLB talent they'd lose in that deal.

Edited December 1, 2021 by totdprods