Angels best under the radar FA signings?

[Erstad Grit]

49 minutes ago, Stradling said:

He had a better offensive career than Gwynn. 

He should be at least a HOF candidate and I don't understand the lack of respect for his career.  

[mtangelsfan]

54 minutes ago, Stradling said:

He had a better offensive career than Gwynn. 

eh?

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Taylor said:

In 2004 he had 30 HR, 40 SB (!), and a .971 OPS, and finished 23rd in MVP voting.

He was underrated even during his best years.

Honestly, I think he played in the wrong era, which is why he was underappreciated. He had power but never threatened a HR title, and he stole bases, but he was never very fast, nor did he ever achieve a crown in that category either. He played in an era where we were still talking about batting average and home runs for hitters and wins and ERA for pitchers. 

The fact that his OBP was high made his at bats incredibly boring, never on Sportscenter. And he was chubby, he didn't look the herculean part of McGwire or the athletic specimen like Griffey Jr. And he was simply an ok defender in a non premium position. 

I don't think Bobby was a HOF player, but he definitely is Hall of Very Good. 

 

[Stradling]

9 hours ago, mtangelsfan said:

eh?

Played the same amount of games as Gwynn, was on base more times, more doubles, more home runs, more RBI, more runs, more stolen bases.  

[mtangelsfan]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

Played the same amount of games as Gwynn, was on base more times, more doubles, more home runs, more RBI, more runs, more stolen bases.  

It just really is a strange comparison.  Different times, different goals.  

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, mtangelsfan said:

It just really is a strange comparison.  Different times, different goals.  

Yea I know it’s a weird comparison, but at the end of the day it doesn’t make it less true. The goal offensively has always been to create runs, Abreu did that better. 

[AngelStew43]

Rick Miller, won a Gold Glove for us in 1978.  Great centerfielder.  

[mtangelsfan]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

Yea I know it’s a weird comparison, but at the end of the day it doesn’t make it less true. The goal offensively has always been to create runs, Abreu did that better. 

creating runs is also dependent on being on a good offensive team, which Gwynn almost never one.  He was quoted more than once about walks and that they weren't appreciated during his time

[Stradling]

Just now, mtangelsfan said:

creating runs is also dependent on being on a good offensive team, which Gwynn almost never one.  He was quoted more than once about walks and that they weren't appreciated during his time

I don’t disagree but individually Abreu did more to create runs than Gwynn, which is independent of their teammates. Additionally neither guy was the type to get pitched around. 

[TempeAngel]

Scott Spiezio and Brad Fullmer.

Stoneman had built a home grown team but needed to find a 1B and DH.

He signed Spiezio and Fullmer and they were a huge part of the 2002 World Series season.

 

[Erstad Grit]

47 minutes ago, TempeAngel said:

Scott Spiezio and Brad Fullmer.

Stoneman had built a home grown team but needed to find a 1B and DH.

He signed Spiezio and Fullmer and they were a huge part of the 2002 World Series season.

 

Crazy that Bengi Gil was our 1B at the start of the year in 2002. 

[happybat4]

7 hours ago, Erstad Grit said:

Crazy that Bengi Gil was our 1B at the start of the year in 2002. 

He only started 5 games at first that year so it didn't last long. He was a solid bench player for a couple years. 

[Deek]

My two favorites: K. Escobar and B. Abreu...

 

Both those guys were nails for us for a few years....

[Don]

Ben Weber? Technically a waiver pickup in 2000 if we're splitting hairs here, but dude was a huge part of that World Series team.

[happybat4]

1 hour ago, Don said:

Ben Weber? Technically a waiver pickup in 2000 if we're splitting hairs here, but dude was a huge part of that World Series team.

Add Brendan Donnelly to the list.

[m0nkey]

On 10/21/2022 at 6:54 PM, Taylor said:

In 2004 he had 30 HR, 40 SB (!), and a .971 OPS, and finished 23rd in MVP voting.

He was underrated even during his best years.

The original "home run derby ruined their swing" guy

[m0nkey]

On 10/23/2022 at 9:46 PM, TempeAngel said:

Scott Spiezio and Brad Fullmer.

Stoneman had built a home grown team but needed to find a 1B and DH.

He signed Spiezio and Fullmer and they were a huge part of the 2002 World Series season.

 

Brad Fullmer, my all time favorite Angel hitter

[Don]

3 hours ago, m0nkey said:

Brad Fullmer, my all time favorite Angel hitter

That dude's whole physical being was made entirely of steroids. Loved him.

[NYC Angel Fan]

On 10/18/2022 at 11:44 AM, DMVol said:

I think they signed Geoff Zahn that winter also.....he wasn't a top of the rotation guy but a solid innings eater for several years....

3 straight sub-4.00 ERA years and won 18 games on the '82 division winner. Was bummed they only started him one game those playoffs, though he wasn't stellar in that game...

[NYC Angel Fan]

On 10/17/2022 at 7:37 PM, Erstad Grit said:

What non upper-tier FA stands out from our past?

Perry might need to accomplish a lot on a near frozen budget. 

I'll start off with Bert Blyleven, Kelvim Escobar, and Bobby Abreu. 

I believe that Blyleven and Escobar were touted pretty highly as FA's, if memory serves me correctly.

[Erstad Grit]

10 minutes ago, NYC Angel Fan said:

I believe that Blyleven and Escobar were touted pretty highly as FA's, if memory serves me correctly.

I disagree. 

Blyleven just had a mid 5 Era and lost 17 games. 

Escobar had talent, but the angels plan to use him exclusively as a SP was met with skepticism.  

I could also be rewriting history with my own memory.  GMJ wasn't actually as bad as I remember in year 1. 

[NYC Angel Fan]

On 10/17/2022 at 7:37 PM, Erstad Grit said:

What non upper-tier FA stands out from our past?

Perry might need to accomplish a lot on a near frozen budget. 

I'll start off with Bert Blyleven, Kelvim Escobar, and Bobby Abreu. 

Don Baylor

David Eckstein-- pretty under-the-radar, claimed off waivers.

Maybe Scott Spezio, for his 2002 playoff run alone.

 

[NYC Angel Fan]

2 minutes ago, Erstad Grit said:

I disagree. 

Blyleven just had a mid 5 Era and lost 17 games. 

Escobar had talent, but the angels plan to use him exclusively as a SP was met with skepticism.  

I could also be rewriting history with my own memory.  GMJ wasn't actually as bad as I remember in year 1. 

I remember GMJ as seeming the worst-ever FA signing by the Angels at the time, so maybe my memory has the same affliction as yours...

There were definitely questions about the plan to use Escobar as a starter, but if I recall correctly-- and I might not be-- it was a thin starting pitcher FA class that year, so he was considered to be one of the best.

In any case, you're right about Blyleven-- my bad. (I'd forgotten about the intervening Minnesota years after the successful Cleveland run...)

[JAHV76]

Matsui seemed like a surprising signing but worked out.

[T.G.]

Matsui was a horrible signing because it gave birth to Claude's fifteen minutes of fame.