Official 2022-23 Offseason Hot Stove Thread

[BTH]

35 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I definitely agree with the first bolded part.  As for some of the ones you listed, DeJong is owed over $12M ($9.2M this year, plus at least $3M in buyouts) and has been awful at the plate for three years now.  Mondesi hasn't been able to stay on the field the last two years, so who knows what you'd get in '23?  I'm not sure that I'd want to give up much of anything for either of them (especially DeJong).  As for Lopez, it's looking like his 2021 might be a massive fluke. Shades of Fletcher's 2020, maybe.

You'd require St. Louis to pay down DeJong's salary as part of the trade. The Angels and Cardinals matched up on a similar deal with Fowler two seasons ago.

If Mondesi's healthy, a big if, his defense is insane and gives him a 2.5-3 fWAR floor even if his bat isn't good.

Lopez's defense is great. Maybe you platoon Lopez (a LHH) at SS with Fletcher (a RHH)?

[BTH]

39 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

What I do wonder is - what does the FO think of Soto?  He had just a handful of games, but he was awfully impressive in that time.  The offensive performance is unsustainable, but perhaps the player development crew helped him unlock some potential?

His minor league offensive track record before 2022 is so bad that it's hard for me to buy into him being a decent offensive player.

It was a small sample and defensive metrics aren't the most reliable, but it's kind of concerning that he had -1 DRS and -3 OAA at SS last season. Not sure what's up with that.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Trendon

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Trendon said:

You'd require St. Louis to pay down DeJong's salary as part of the trade. The Angels and Cardinals matched up on a similar deal with Fowler two seasons ago.

If Mondesi's healthy, a big if, his defense is insane and gives him a 2.5-3 fWAR floor even if his bat isn't good.

Lopez's defense is great. Maybe you platoon Lopez (a LHH) at SS with Fletcher (a RHH)?

I'm just not sure any of the three really improves the current situation that much, especially when you factor in the risk for each and the cost to acquire them (whatever it might be, it's still something). 

[BTH]

Just now, jsnpritchett said:

I'm just not sure any of the three really improves the current situation that much, especially when you factor in the risk for each and the cost to acquire them (whatever it might be, it's still something). 

The biggest thing it improves is depth. Then you can enter 2023 with the middle infield mix with Unnamed SS, Fletcher, and Rengifo at the major league level with Soto and Velazquez in AAA.

The acquisition cost for DeJong and Mondesi should be pretty low.

[Tank]

On 11/19/2022 at 8:27 PM, Trendon said:

From what I’ve seen from that account, they aggregates reports from other reporters and spin it as their reports.

I don’t buy those accounts. It’s too easy to make logical connections, aggregate reports from other reporters, and tweet it as if you have sources.

This is precisely why everyone should only read Jon Heyman.

[Tank]

7 hours ago, Lou said:

So Bowden is saying we might get one. 

Or might not. 

And that’s why he was a major league GM.

[Warfarin]

36 minutes ago, Trendon said:

His minor league offensive track record before 2022 is so bad that it's hard for me to buy into him being a decent offensive player.

It was a small sample and defensive metrics aren't the most reliable, but it's kind of concerning that he had -1 DRS and -3 OAA at SS last season. Not sure what's up with that.

Anecdotally, it seems the Braves (and Dodgers) have a track record of promoting guys who end up performing considerably better than their minor league numbers.  I have suspected that they encourage their minor leaguers to work on specific weaknesses / issues, which in turn makes their numbers look poor, so that when they get promoted, they can perform better.  Basically - the focus in the minors is to create the best player, not necessarily achieve the best statistical results.

I am not saying that is the case with Soto, but maybe, just maybe, they helped him unlock something that will make him a league average offensive SS.  As for the defensive statistics - I tend to not trust those as readily, especially with such a small sample size.  His scouting track record indicates he should be a good defender, so I'll wait to see him play more before making any judgments in that regard.

[BTH]

17 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

Anecdotally, it seems the Braves (and Dodgers) have a track record of promoting guys who end up performing considerably better than their minor league numbers.  I have suspected that they encourage their minor leaguers to work on specific weaknesses / issues, which in turn makes their numbers look poor, so that when they get promoted, they can perform better.  Basically - the focus in the minors is to create the best player, not necessarily achieve the best statistical results.

I am not saying that is the case with Soto, but maybe, just maybe, they helped him unlock something that will make him a league average offensive SS.  As for the defensive statistics - I tend to not trust those as readily, especially with such a small sample size.  His scouting track record indicates he should be a good defender, so I'll wait to see him play more before making any judgments in that regard.

I'm trying to temper my expectations with Soto's offense. It's rare for the Angels to have a prospect who comes up and lights the world on fire for a couple weeks when they first come up. Usually, it's the opposite.

I do think the new PD did a good job in at least developing Soto into a usable major leaguer.

In regards to his defense, yeah, it was such a small sample size. When I looked at his defensive stats, I was shocked because he looked like a good defender to me in the majors, and I know he's been a good defender in the minors.

[Blarg]

Didnt want to search for the uniform thread. Check this hat out.

[Tank]

34 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Didnt want to search for the uniform thread. Check this hat out.

Distress signal?

[mmc]

Am I the only one that thinks it's just as likely that Loup and Tepera are good for us next season as pretty much any free agent reliever we might try to sign this year?  Just really not feeling putting any considerable amount of money into it, nothing above Archie Bradley 1/$3.75M type deals.  I'd spend on LF, MIF, 1B, another starter, and backup catcher before I do bullpen

[ukyah]

6 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

I definitely agree with the first bolded part.  As for some of the ones you listed, DeJong is owed over $12M ($9.2M this year, plus at least $3M in buyouts) and has been awful at the plate for three years now.  Mondesi hasn't been able to stay on the field the last two years, so who knows what you'd get in '23?  I'm not sure that I'd want to give up much of anything for either of them (especially DeJong).  As for Lopez, it's looking like his 2021 might be a massive fluke. Shades of Fletcher's 2020, maybe.

try to pry oswald peraza loose from the yankees. they're going to trade 1 or 2 from their combination mlb infield and minor league infield prospects this offseason. this is the one i'd try to get, but i'm not sure what it would take. i do know that kinder-falafel is a wast of time. you might as well just go with squid then.

[Lou]

7 hours ago, Blarg said:

Didnt want to search for the uniform thread. Check this hat out.

 

[Warfarin]

6 hours ago, mmc said:

Am I the only one that thinks it's just as likely that Loup and Tepera are good for us next season as pretty much any free agent reliever we might try to sign this year?  Just really not feeling putting any considerable amount of money into it, nothing above Archie Bradley 1/$3.75M type deals.  I'd spend on LF, MIF, 1B, another starter, and backup catcher before I do bullpen

No.  Relievers are extremely volatile.  You see it happen all the time - relievers who are terrible one year, rebound the next and pitch rather well.

I'm cool with sticking with those guys.  I don't think we need a 1B now with the trade we just made, nor do I think we need another SP.  LF/MIF are the key areas, IMO.  I'd even say two OFs - one who has potential and can be optioned, as we really need more legit OF depth.  I do think we should go after RPs, but mainly the modest 1 year type deals like you mentioned.  Definitely not someone like Kenley Jansen.

[DMVol]

8 hours ago, mmc said:

Am I the only one that thinks it's just as likely that Loup and Tepera are good for us next season as pretty much any free agent reliever we might try to sign this year?  Just really not feeling putting any considerable amount of money into it, nothing above Archie Bradley 1/$3.75M type deals.  I'd spend on LF, MIF, 1B, another starter, and backup catcher before I do bullpen

I pretty much agree but I think Urshela is our 1b option, platoon at least, every day if Walsh continues to struggle....I would put bullpen ahead of 1b, C and SP but I think you are right, it wouldn't be a surprise if Tapera and Loup are decent, better than 2022, if not what they were in 2021.....I'm not sure I'd go after another SP....maybe if a trade presented itself (kind of like O'Hoppe for Marsh) but I wouldn't prioritize it....

[angelsnationtalk]

Sources: #Dodgers and #Angels showing interest in free agent OF Mitch Haniger. The #Rangers, as first reported by @Ken_Rosenthal, also are among the most active suitors for Haniger.

Of note, Haniger has a career .846 OPS at Angel Stadium. @MLBNetwork @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 21, 2022

[angelsnationtalk]

How we feeling if Angels get Haniger and Senga?

[OhtaniSan]

6 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

How we feeling if Angels get Haniger and Senga?

I would be thrilled

[Stradling]

10 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

How we feeling if Angels get Haniger and Senga?

It’s a good off-season if they do that then trade for our SS. 

[totdprods]

21 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

How we feeling if Angels get Haniger and Senga?

If be stunned if they spent that much.

[totdprods]

39 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Haniger has been, IMO, the most obvious fit going into the winter. Feels like the Noah Syndergaard deal, v 2.0.

1/$20m and hope for a rebound all over again.Wouldn’t mind a Ward, Trout, Haniger, Adell/Moniak OF. 

At that point, barring a trade, I’d suspect they’d sign one more arm to a 1-yr, like a Lorenzen or Lugo or Cueto. Maybe a back-up catcher and cheap vet RP or two, but that’s about it.Plenty of question marks, but...

Rotation: Ohtani, Anderson, Sandoval, Detmers, 1-yr FA, Suarez
Bullpen: Loup, Tepera, Herget, Quijada, Wantz/Ortega, Barria, cheapish vet RP or two
Lineup: 2B Rengifo, CF Trout, DH Ohtani, RF Ward, 3B Rendon, 1B Walsh, LF Haniger, C Stassi, SS Fletcher
Bench: O'Hoppe/cheap vet, Urshela, Velazquez/Soto, Moniak/Adell, one more spot...

That's not a bad bunch. Feels very realistic and not a huge financial stretch.

Edited November 21, 2022 by totdprods

[angelsnationtalk]

13 minutes ago, Stradling said:

It’s a good off-season if they do that then trade for our SS. 

Yup! I think signing an OF or a SS will indicate a trade will follow. 
If either of those scenarios happened then i'd feel slightly optimistic for the season. Health is my biggest concern with these guys.
Which also makes me feel like Perry might not want to trade guys like Adell/Rengifo/Suarez, etc. He wants to keep the depth.

[mmc]

 

[Vlad27Trout27]

So, did Arti just say fuck it to the payroll liits or could there be a deal already in place with a new owner that is dictating these moves? feels like this is the first time in a long time that our names are constantly beeing associated with free agents; we've been connected to Kodai, Anderson (we signed), Perez, SS class, Hangier..etc

[angelsnationtalk]

Just now, Vlad27Trout27 said:

So, did Arti just say fuck it to the payroll liits or could there be a deal already in place with a new owner that is dictating these moves? feels like this is the first time in a long time that our names are constantly beeing associated with free agents; we've been connected to Kodai, Anderson (we signed), Perez, SS class, Hangier..etc

I don't think much has changed (yet). Angels are slightly below what they paid last year in terms of payroll so they could just be spending their money that they have. 

If they signed Swanson/Turner/Correa then i'd suspect something is up.