Official 2022-23 Offseason Hot Stove Thread

[Hubs]

23 hours ago, Angels 1961 said:

Yeah, forgot about his knee surgery. So, who knows how he will look.

Velazquez will not hit enough to be even on the team.

[totdprods]

40 minutes ago, Hubs said:

Velazquez will not hit enough to be even on the team.

I can’t recall right now, but I remember Velazquez had a pretty solid run offensively his last month or so…and his glove is good enough to be the last guy on the bench IMO. 

I’ve been a big Livan Soto fan for a couple years now, and think he’s very likely to fill that Velazquez role as soon as Opening Day, but for the sake of maintaining depth I would personally keep both with the way the infield is currently constructed, at least to begin the year. Soto getting AAA reps, Velazquez subbing for Urshela or whomever at SS late in game.

[Dtwncbad]

Many keep saying the Angels were really hurt by having a major “depth” problem last year.

I don’t know if that’s really the right way to look at it.

The offense was terrible with Velasquez, Fletcher, Adell, Marsh, Walsh, and Stassi.

Those guys were counted on not as depth.  They were counted on as primary players.

No amount of fixing the depth is going to overcome a terrible offensive starting lineup.

Therefore I want so see the team fix some of this offensive problem by upgrading the starting positions and not just shoring up the depth.

[Lazorko Saves]

8 hours ago, Lou said:

 

What is this, hats for Australians?

[angelsnationtalk]

5 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Many keep saying the Angels were really hurt by having a major “depth” problem last year.

I don’t know if that’s really the right way to look at it.

The offense was terrible with Velasquez, Fletcher, Adell, Marsh, Walsh, and Stassi.

Those guys were counted on not as depth.  They were counted on as primary players.

No amount of fixing the depth is going to overcome a terrible offensive starting lineup.

Therefore I want so see the team fix some of this offensive problem by upgrading the starting positions and not just shoring up the depth.

That's a good point. These guys are essentially depth players in a way. 

If the Angels can actually sharpen their talent at the top then these are pretty good depth pieces. Rather than looking the opposite way,

[BTH]

14 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Many keep saying the Angels were really hurt by having a major “depth” problem last year.

I don’t know if that’s really the right way to look at it.

The offense was terrible with Velasquez, Fletcher, Adell, Marsh, Walsh, and Stassi.

Those guys were counted on not as depth.  They were counted on as primary players.

No amount of fixing the depth is going to overcome a terrible offensive starting lineup.

Therefore I want so see the team fix some of this offensive problem by upgrading the starting positions and not just shoring up the depth.

That’s why people are saying they need to get a SS and LF upgrade.

No one’s saying prioritize 4th OF over LF or UTIL INF over SS.

[T.G.]

Upside Down La Hat Meaning

Kill The Hype, commonly known as KTH LA, is a mysterious hat company that only exists online and is probably situated in Los Angeles. The company has a website that is frequently unreachable and no public face. Turning sports club emblems on caps upside down is a KTH trademark technique.

Because this club is unworthy of being represented in the same manner as the Nasty Boys or the Great Eight, it is essentially the St. Peter of caps, requiring that the insignia be worn upside down.

 

Whatever it is... I think it's dumb.

[ten ocho recon scout]

53 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Many keep saying the Angels were really hurt by having a major “depth” problem last year.

I don’t know if that’s really the right way to look at it.

The offense was terrible with Velasquez, Fletcher, Adell, Marsh, Walsh, and Stassi.

Those guys were counted on not as depth.  They were counted on as primary players.

No amount of fixing the depth is going to overcome a terrible offensive starting lineup.

Therefore I want so see the team fix some of this offensive problem by upgrading the starting positions and not just shoring up the depth.

That's a great point. It's not so much lack of depth (aside from the Trout / Rendon injuries and replacements) as much as the core of the team plain sucked.

Hoping Walsh bounces back. But I still have no idea what to make of him.

But as long as we get poor offense from basically the entire infield (stassi included), and Adell sucks, there isn't a lot that's going to change by just having a better bench

[angelsnationtalk]

Just now, ten ocho recon scout said:

That's a great point. It's not so much lack of depth (aside from the Trout / Rendon injuries and replacements) as much as the core of the team plain sucked.

Hoping Walsh bounces back. But I still have no idea what to make of him.

But as long as we get poor offense from basically the entire infield (stassi included), and Adell sucks, there isn't a lot that's going to change by just having a better bench

Exactly this. Sadly, it comes down to spending a lot more, but essentially if you got a Turner/Swanson/Correa then you force Rengifo/Fletcher/Urshela/Walsh to be depth pieces which is what they truly are. 

If you fill in "depth" pieces for Rengifo/Walsh/Fletcher then i'm not sure you've raised your floor at all.
Same can be said for outfield help and rotation help. 

[Dtwncbad]

5 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Exactly this. Sadly, it comes down to spending a lot more, but essentially if you got a Turner/Swanson/Correa then you force Rengifo/Fletcher/Urshela/Walsh to be depth pieces which is what they truly are. 

If you fill in "depth" pieces for Rengifo/Walsh/Fletcher then i'm not sure you've raised your floor at all.
Same can be said for outfield help and rotation help. 

Yes they have to spend to fix this.  Unless the plan is to get large progress from all those players I mentioned.  That sure seems like a dumb plan.

So grabbing an impact bat kinda needs to happen if you are serious about 2023.  I really don’t care if it’s a SS or OF but it seems to make more sense to grab a SS since that was the biggest offensive hole (therefore the largest upgrade).

 

[angelsnationtalk]

2 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Yes they have to spend to fix this.  Unless the plan is to get large progress from all those players I mentioned.  That sure seems like a dumb plan.

So grabbing an impact bat kinda needs to happen if you are serious about 2023.  I really don’t care if it’s a SS or OF but it seems to make more sense to grab a SS since that was the biggest offensive hole (therefore the largest upgrade).

 

100%. Fixing SS does help them with options to swing a trade for something else as well (SP/OF). 
If not, it's going to be hard for this team to compete by betting on just health plus bounce-back years for half the team.

They need to figure things out if they want to compete against the Astros/Mariners for division
and
Orioles, Jays, Rays and other teams for the WC. 

[Condor1984]

Urshela should start at 1B. That shouldn't be beyond a 3B with decent OBP. Walsh should go to the bench. 

The pursuit should still be for a decent SS. 

[TempeAngel]

I agree that Urshela should be at 1B over Walsh but I think the next move is for an OF'er. Rengifo can handle SS and he's affordable. Bottom line, I feel better with Rengifo in the lineup over Adell.

[Blarg]

39 minutes ago, Condor1984 said:

Urshela should start at 1B. That shouldn't be beyond a 3B with decent OBP. Walsh should go to the bench. 

The pursuit should still be for a decent SS. 

 

24 minutes ago, TempeAngel said:

I agree that Urshela should be at 1B over Walsh but I think the next move is for an OF'er. Rengifo can handle SS and he's affordable. Bottom line, I feel better with Rengifo in the lineup over Adell.

Urshela has played all of 7 innings at 1st base his entire MLB career. It would be stupid to start him there over Walsh.  

[Pancake Bear]

4 minutes ago, Blarg said:

 

Urshela has played all of 7 innings at 1st base his entire MLB career. It would be stupid to start him there over Walsh.  

No. He's played it internationally and in the minors. He will most likely be primarily platooning with Rendon to ease him back and against lefties for Walsh. 

[Blarg]

7 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

No. He's played it internationally and in the minors. He will most likely be primarily platooning with Rendon to ease him back and against lefties for Walsh. 

8 games in his minor league career, 15 games outside of MLB. He is not a 1st baseman. 

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Blarg said:

8 games in his minor league career, 15 games outside of MLB. He is not a 1st baseman. 

Seems as if Perry disagrees.

[Chuck]

6 minutes ago, Blarg said:

8 games in his minor league career, 15 games outside of MLB. He is not a 1st baseman. 

Urshela is a slick fielding 3B. He won't have any problems playing first base in a platoon with Walsh. He may end up being the better 1B of the two after we review the results next season. 

[Pancake Bear]

57 minutes ago, Blarg said:

8 games in his minor league career, 15 games outside of MLB. He is not a 1st baseman. 

He is now. 

[Blarg]

52 minutes ago, Lou said:

Seems as if Perry disagrees.

[Pancake Bear]

Speaking of Hatteberg in 2002:

[Tank]

15 hours ago, Lou said:

 

that's @Adam's hat. he thought it stood for Vegas.

[angelsnationtalk]

https://www.sanspo.com/article/20221122-25HZIQSRP5PW3F2ROPKDXBXEG4/

Looks like Shintaro Fujinami will be posted December 1st.

Boras client that throws over 100mph

 

[Stradling]

Sign them all!  By them I mean players. 

[N-From-OC]

24 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

https://www.sanspo.com/article/20221122-25HZIQSRP5PW3F2ROPKDXBXEG4/

Looks like Shintaro Fujinami will be posted December 1st.

Boras client that throws over 100mph

 

Think he stays a starter or if we sign him, would we make him a Long man or relief?