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

[rafibomb]

There were apparently a lot of teams viewing him as a starter in this market so who knows?I really don't mind this move at all and believe it can work out so well that Lorenzen can actually earn himself a nice multi-year deal at the end of this contract. I  can easily see a CJ Wilson type trajectory for him. Keep in mind, Wilson was converted to a starter for his age 29 season as well.

Wilson's 2005-2009 seasons (age 24-28):

280.2 IP  4.30 ERA  4.12 FIP  8.37 K/9  4.10 BB/9  0.87 HR/9

Michael Lorenzen's 2016-2021 seasons (age 24-29)

360.0 IP  3.65 ERA  3.92 FIP  8.08 K/9  3.50 BB/9  0.85 HR/9

There's also the added value that he has a pretty decent bat and can also play a pretty decent outfield as well.

 

However, the problem is that this is the type of move you make when you have the luxury to afford this type of risk. I will feel better about this move if we acquire someone like Stroman or Ray. I will feel A LOT better if we do that along with plug in our holes in the middle infield as well. Hopefully we don't have to wait until after the player's strike to achieve the former.

Edited November 29, 2021 by rafibomb

[HanfordGuy]

[HanfordGuy]

Angels sign Michael Lorenzen (1 year, $7 million)
…and then…

 

 

[rafibomb]

Also LMAO the headline of this video from 2019. Talk about a video that ages like milk. But it also shows that he has the potential to really offer a lot and the Angels could be the team to finally unlock it (I'm assuming they used Ohtani as a selling point to him as well). Would be pretty cool to see Ohtani and Lorenzen working together in the offseason showing Lorenzen how to prepare for the season as a potential 2-way player. Btw I am not saying he will be even a league average hitter but there is value at the very least as an occasional pinch-hitter off the bench and defensive substitute.

 

Edited November 29, 2021 by rafibomb

[arch stanton]

Could Michael Lorenzen become a better two-way player than Shohei Ohtani?

Asked and answered

[ukyah]

this video actually kinda psyched me up for him. he looks like a motivated individual.

[tdawg87]

I went to bed thinking that this was obviously a precursor to another move and I wake up with explosive diarrhea and lower abdominal pain.

[Rico]

That's a lot of money for a guy with a 5.59 ERA.  Could have had an actual good reliever with that money.

[tdawg87]

11 minutes ago, cals said:

Pics or GTFO

Pics of what, my diarrhea or my fupa?

Yes.

[IheartLA]

This is incredibly underwhelming. It feels like they wanted a 1 year deal SP.

[Warfarin]

5 hours ago, rafibomb said:

However, the problem is that this is the type of move you make when you have the luxury to afford this type of risk. I will feel better about this move if we acquire someone like Stroman or Ray. I will feel A LOT better if we do that along with plug in our holes in the middle infield as well. Hopefully we don't have to wait until after the player's strike to achieve the former.

Yeah, that's the key thing.

Lorenzen feels like a guy that forward-thinking teams take gambles on and see them do well/better than before, BUT .. the problem is, we likely don't have a ton of financial resources available, so we don't exactly have the luxury to take one-year gambles on "projects" like this guy.

Again, if this is just a precursor to other moves, then it'll make more sense.  If this ends up being our only other move for a SP though, then yeah, that's a major fail.

[Taylor]

[Blarg]

This feels like an Eppler move. 

[Angelsfan1984]

2 minutes ago, Blarg said:

This feels like an Eppler move. 

Which is exactly why perry is going to trade lorenzen to the Mets for scherzer and a prospect when they sign him to a stupid contract. 

[GrittyVeterans]

Nothing but risks being taken this off-season by a team that needs sure things. Good lord

[Stradling]

7 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Nothing but risks being taken this off-season by a team that needs sure things. Good lord

Any suggestions on who a sure thing is in free agency?  I mean, I guess they could have given Gray $56 million because you know he is at least a #4 starter.  

[Angelsfan1984]

24 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Any suggestions on who a sure thing is in free agency?  I mean, I guess they could have given Gray $56 million because you know he is at least a #4 starter.  

You can bet that the Dodgers are sure they just burned 8.5m on Heaney. 

[GrittyVeterans]

38 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Any suggestions on who a sure thing is in free agency?  I mean, I guess they could have given Gray $56 million because you know he is at least a #4 starter.  

Ray would be nice.
Trade market. Gotta go get somebody at some point. Let’s hope they get Castillo

[floplag]

I like it, solid depth signing, lots of possibilities and options... i mean i hate that this is what time was spent on now but otherwise i have no issues with it at all. 

[AngelsFaninGA]

My prediction is Lorenzen spends most of his time in relief while making the occasional spot start to cover for an injury, and offers much more value as a reliever than as a starter. Bit of an overpay but at least provides good bullpen depth with starter upside. 

[Angel Oracle]

9 hours ago, HanfordGuy said:

Angels sign Michael Lorenzen (1 year, $7 million)
…and then…

 

 

Watch them sign Stiffler.

[Duren, Duren]

Ballparks matter  Pitching in the Reds ballpark does not help pitchers. Decent fly ball contact often  sends a ball over the fence or against a wall. Many of those would be caught in the Angels park. 

Not to build up this guy too much, but he is a versatile, wily pro. He has a good arsenal of pitches and can be used in multiple ways. He's a battler, somewhat like Cobb.  $8 million may be a bit inflated, but it's another one year gamble. It paid off with Iglesias, failed with a few more recently. Solid depth acquisition. 

It seems Arte is in a win now mode. This signing has little long term importance, but is a useful piece for mound service in 2022.

[ScottM]

15 hours ago, Lazorko Saves said:

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

Oh no doubt Arte could be fucking up again. If this is all we do on the starting pitching front, we're in trouble. Again. 

Only point here is that just because 1 year upside deals haven't worked in the past with different players, it doesn't mean that Lorenzen is automatically a bad move. If we get 1-2 WAR out of him, it's a good signing. A $7M contract isn't insane for this kind of signing in 2021 

[jsnpritchett]

2 minutes ago, Duren, Duren said:

Ballparks matter  Pitching in the Reds ballpark does not help pitchers. Decent fly ball contact often  sends a ball over the fence or against a wall. Many of those would be caught in the Angels park. 

 

He has a 4.24 career ERA in away parks, with a 1.482 WHIP, compared to 3.92 and 1.276 at home.  His HR/9 is higher at the Reds' park, but he walks more and gives up more hits away.  The park isn't the problem.

[ettin]

10 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

I went to bed thinking that this was obviously a precursor to another move and I wake up with explosive diarrhea and lower abdominal pain.

So no different from any other day, then?