Angels sign Michael Lorenzen (1 year, $6.75 million)

[Inside Pitch]

20 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

You may not be, but I am.

If they follow this up with a signing that can actually count as an addition, then it won't matter.  But this is more of the same.

[failos]

This guy is getting paid more than Ohtani.

[jsnpritchett]

I honestly don't know how anyone could "love" this deal.  If I squint *really* hard at his stats and also assume that they're signing one of Ray/Stroman/Scherzer, at best I'd be "meh" on it.  But, seriously, where is this "upside" I see some talking about?  What is there to "love"?  I genuinely want to see what I'm missing.

[ten ocho recon scout]

38 minutes ago, Cosmo_Kramer said:

Not sure how Lorenzen got 7 million after his last couple years

Inflation.

[AngelsLakersFan]

... I really hope these guys know what they are doing...

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

1 minute ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Inflation.

[bloodbrother]

Just now, AngelsLakersFan said:

... I really hope these guys know what they are doing...

Their track record speaks for itself!

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Love this deal. But it’s nothing to do with my post a few days back

Live look at the birdie

[eligrba]

6 minutes ago, failos said:

This guy is getting paid more than Ohtani.

Yep.  There is a lot wrong about that. 

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Why they would promise him a spot in the rotation is beyond me.... per the tweet.

If they said they would give him an opportunity to compete for a spot! Then I would feel a little better about it.

Well, at least it isn't the normal 1/10M deal that Eppler consistently handed out to broken down starters...

[totdprods]

Lorenzen has a really good slider, a strong fastball, and generates a lot of grounders and soft contact. The Reds have had a horrible infield defense of late. Didn't really have a shortstop. He has five or six pitches, and is pretty committed to improving. Been working at Driveline. 

He might not put it all together next year, but there's plenty of hope here.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Lorenzen has a really good slider, a strong fastball, and generates a lot of grounders and soft contact. The Reds have had a horrible infield defense of late. Didn't really have a shortstop. He has five or six pitches, and is pretty committed to improving. Been working at Driveline. 

He might not put it all together next year, but there's plenty of hope here.

And we don't have a shortstop either! So, how is that going to make him or his stuff better? 

Reach as a Starter!

Better as a long man out of the pen!

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Lorenzen has a really good slider, a strong fastball, and generates a lot of grounders and soft contact. The Reds have had a horrible infield defense of late. Didn't really have a shortstop. 

He's going to feel right at home then!

LOL...

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Just now, Inside Pitch said:

He's going to feel right at home then!

LOL...

Wait, did he play short stop in little league??????

The Piece!

[Angel Oracle]

Why is a normally reliever being put in the rotation?

1.37 career WHIP and 3.8 career BBs per 9 innings are making it hard to be confident.

Edited November 29, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[totdprods]

8 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Yep.  There is a lot wrong about that. 

Six years of service time will give you that. Soon enough and Ohtani might make more in one year than Lorenzen might make in his career.

Edited November 29, 2021 by totdprods

[jsnpritchett]

Just now, totdprods said:

Six years of service time will give you that. Soon enough and Ohtani might make more in one year than Lorenzen might make in his career.

Not if he keeps finding suckers like the Angels.

[Lazorko Saves]

The only way this is a terrific move is if we're going with something like an 8 or 9 man rotation next year.

[ettin]

14 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

If they follow this up with a signing that can actually count as an addition, then it won't matter.  But this is more of the same.

 

11 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I honestly don't know how anyone could "love" this deal.  If I squint *really* hard at his stats and also assume that they're signing one of Ray/Stroman/Scherzer, at best I'd be "meh" on it.  But, seriously, where is this "upside" I see some talking about?  What is there to "love"?  I genuinely want to see what I'm missing.

It is my impression that by adding Lorenzen to the back-end of the rotation, it will allow the Angels to deal away other starters for an upgrade. Additionally, if the Angels like his glove work he could pick up reserve outfield duties and someone mentioned on Twitter that he could substitute in as a pinch hitter, too. Seems like a versatility play for our roster, particularly in NL games and just as importantly a way to deal out some combination of Detmers, Marsh, or possibly one of Canning, Sandoval, and/or Suarez/Barria to a team like the Reds, for instance, for Castillo, perhaps?

[failos]

[ScottM]

17 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I honestly don't know how anyone could "love" this deal.  If I squint *really* hard at his stats and also assume that they're signing one of Ray/Stroman/Scherzer, at best I'd be "meh" on it.  But, seriously, where is this "upside" I see some talking about?  What is there to "love"?  I genuinely want to see what I'm missing.

Back to back 2 WAR years in 2018-2019. I think 1 WAR on the open market is worth something like $8-10M. Plus if he starts, there's obviously potential for more innings. He also played in one of the biggest hitters parks in the league. Anaheim suits him well if healthy. 

Edit: I'm not in the "love this deal" camp but I think there's sense to it pending other moves.

[totdprods]

4 minutes ago, ettin said:

It is my impression that by adding Lorenzen to the back-end of the rotation, it will allow the Angels to deal away other starters for an upgrade. Additionally, if the Angels like his glove work he could pick up reserve outfield duties and someone mentioned on Twitter that he could substitute in as a pinch hitter, too. Seems like a versatility play for our roster, particularly in NL games and just as importantly a way to deal out some combination of Detmers, Marsh, or possibly one of Canning, Sandoval, and/or Suarez/Barria to a team like the Reds, for instance, for Castillo, perhaps?

I think at this point it's pretty safe to say Robbie Ray (maybe Stroman) is probably the target and, if they miss out, they'll make a strong pivot towards Luis Castillo, in which yes, including a MLB-ready SP will almost be necessary, if not two. That's where Lorenzen helps us.

1. Ray/Castillo/Stroman
2. Syndergaard
3. Ohtani
4. Sandoval
5. Lorenzen
6. whoever is left of Suarez, Canning, Barria, Detmers, Bachman if there's a Castillo trade

Edited November 29, 2021 by totdprods

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, ScottSted said:

Back to back 2 WAR years in 2018-2019. I think 1 WAR on the open market is worth something like $8-10M. Plus if he starts, there's obviously potential for more innings. He also played in one of the biggest hitters parks in the league. Anaheim suits him well if healthy. 

I've never liked the whole notion of 1 WAR=$8M on the open market.  If you take it to the extreme, it's ridiculous.

4 minutes ago, ettin said:

 

It is my impression that by adding Lorenzen to the back-end of the rotation, it will allow the Angels to deal away other starters for an upgrade. Additionally, if the Angels like his glove work he could pick up reserve outfield duties and someone mentioned on Twitter that he could substitute in as a pinch hitter, too. Seems like a versatility play for our roster, particularly in NL games and just as importantly a way to deal out some combination of Detmers, Marsh, or possibly one of Canning, Sandoval, and/or Suarez/Barria to a team like the Reds, for instance, for Castillo, perhaps?

A lot of shuffling and hoping in these scenarios.

[AngelsLakersFan]

23 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

If they follow this up with a signing that can actually count as an addition, then it won't matter.  But this is more of the same.

This feels like one of those Eppler signings where you’d scratch your head until someone mentioned spin rate.

[Lazorko Saves]

4 minutes ago, ScottSted said:

Back to back 2 WAR years in 2018-2019. I think 1 WAR on the open market is worth something like $8-10M.

We're not in the open market, we're in the Arte Market for pitching, which looks like this: