OC Register: Angels’ Jo Adell is working out with Matt Holliday in preparation for key season

[AngelsWin.com]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jo Adell has one more chance to show the Angels what he can do.

Adell, who has still not lived up to the potential that once had him considered a top prospect, will be out of options next season. If the Angels don’t have a spot for the outfielder in the majors, he’s likely to be in another organization.

“He knows what’s at stake,” General Manager Perry Minasian said on Wednesday at the GM Meetings. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in the spring.”

Adell has been working out this offseason with longtime major league outfielder Matt Holliday, a six-time All-Star who works for Scott Boras, Adell’s agent.

Adell, 24, hit .207 with a 706 OPS in 17 games last season. He would have gotten an opportunity to play more, but he suffered an oblique injury just after he was recalled to the majors to replace Mike Trout in July.

Defense was considered Adell’s biggest issue a few years ago. He’s improved in the field, but he still has work to do offensively.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed in my career, somebody improve defensively as much as he has over the last three years,” Minasian said. “I think there’s some strides to be made offensively that he knows, that he’s working on as we speak.”

At the moment Adell is likely fourth on the Angels’ outfield depth chart, behind Trout, Taylor Ward and Mickey Moniak.

HOW MANY ARMS?

Minasian made it clear that the Angels will pursue pitching, but he didn’t say how many starters or relievers he feels they need.

The Angels’ top five starting pitchers are Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, Tyler Anderson and Chase Silseth.

“You need more than five,” Minasian said. “You need more than six. You need more than 10. The amount of starting pitchers you need to have a productive year is significant. We’re looking to improve that group if we can. The more the merrier.”

As for the bullpen, the Angels have closer Carlos Estévez and then a group of young pitchers who have yet to establish themselves.

“We have some good young arms in the bullpen,” Minasian said. “With that being said, we’ll look to add more.”

Related Articles

• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels hire Ron Washington as new manager
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels GM Perry Minasian looking for a manager who can ‘command a room’
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Shohei Ohtani named finalist for AL MVP Award
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Perry Minasian faces plenty of questions as GM Meetings begin
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels decline options on Aaron Loup, Eduardo Escobar

NOTES

Boras said Cody Bellinger is open to playing either outfield or first base, but most of the teams pursuing him are interested in him playing center field. He also said he didn’t believe it was in a player’s best interest to bounce around between different positions because of the risk of injury. Bellinger could be a fit for the Angels in the outfield or at first base. …

Boras said he’s in favor of Arte Moreno continuing to own the Angels. “You want people in the game that are invested in it and in my meetings with Arte, he’s very much into it,” Boras said. “He likes it, likes to talk about the game and sit down and talk to you for four or five hours. So as long as you have passionate owners, and these things aren’t assets and you’re not an absentee owner, then I’m very much for those people being in the game.” …

The Angels depleted their farm system with a series of trades aimed at getting them in the playoffs in 2023, but Minasian said he still believes the organization has assets to move this winter. “We have a lot of desirable players,” Minasian said. “That’s something we’ve done over the last few days, talk to teams and see if we match up. … It’s hard. Making trades is hard. But we do have some pieces that people like.”

View the full article

[Tyler]

Arte's biggest weaknesses is he keeps hiring these bum general managers.

[Stradling]

10 minutes ago, Tyler said:

Arte's biggest weaknesses is he keeps hiring these bum general managers.

Perry isn’t a bum GM. 

[Angelsfan1984]

7 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Perry isn’t a bum GM. 

I like how he says great hire in the Washington thread then calls perry a bum GM. The brain power on here recently is next level. 

[BTH]

1 hour ago, AngelsWin.com said:

Boras said he’s in favor of Arte Moreno continuing to own the Angels.

I would be too if he was paying my client $245M.

[BTH]

1 hour ago, AngelsWin.com said:

We’re looking to improve that group if we can.

Judging by Tyler Anderson’s 2022 season, I’d say you can.

[Torridd]

Why is this "his last chance?' Sounds a bit negative. I understand that he's been hyped but he may been called up too soon. I hope he figures things out.

[totdprods]

5 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Why is this "his last chance?' Sounds a bit negative. I understand that he's been hyped but he may been called up too soon. I hope he figures things out.

Out of options.

[Angelsjunky]

Matt Holliday: "Get traded to the Rockies."

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Matt Holliday: "Get traded to the Rockies."

Somewhere Dante Bichette is hoping nobody notices him.

[Pancake Bear]

Having two guys catch most of their games last season who aren't really experts at leading a pitching staff in calling games with Thaiss and Wallach certainly did our pitching no favors. Stassi, meh as he is with a bat, is almost certainly a lot better at working with pitchers than those guys. Ditto, O'Hoppe.

Team defense last season, especially with the shift getting the can, was probably also not doing our pitching any favors. That isn't to say they're all going to be all stars now with better catchers and a manager who is noted for his work on team defense should push us in a more positive direction. Obviously, who we get as a pitching coach will be consequential as well. 

[Second Base]

Well, we know Jackson Holliday has benefited from Matt's tutelage.  

I really don't have high expectations for the Angels in 2024, nor do I think Taylor Ward is likely to be not only be the same again, but to put it all together. So I see no harm in sticking Adell out there every single game, and seeing what comes of it.

And as far as having assets that you can move in the trade market, I guess that really depends on what you're looking to acquire. If you want a 30-something middle reliever, then sure, the Angels have the pieces to get that done. Every team does. 

[stormngt]

27 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

Having two guys catch most of their games last season who aren't really experts at leading a pitching staff in calling games with Thaiss and Wallach certainly did our pitching no favors. Stassi, meh as he is with a bat, is almost certainly a lot better at working with pitchers than those guys. Ditto, O'Hoppe.

Team defense last season, especially with the shift getting the can, was probably also not doing our pitching any favors. That isn't to say they're all going to be all stars now with better catchers and a manager who is noted for his work on team defense should push us in a more positive direction. Obviously, who we get as a pitching coach will be consequential as well. 

Remember those same pitchers who struggled last year did well the year before with veteran catchers.  I am not positive but it seemed like they did better under OHoppe as well.

[Angelsjunky]

9 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Somewhere Dante Bichette is hoping nobody notices him.

Have you played with Baseball Reference's "Neutralized Batting" tool that converts stats to a neutral run-scoring context (for era and field)? It really brings to light how mediocre (or, at best, just kind of good) Bichette was. 

 

[Tyler]

15 hours ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

I like how he says great hire in the Washington thread then calls perry a bum GM. The brain power on here recently is next level. 

You probably clap for people who drive when the light turns green. 

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

Have you played with Baseball Reference's "Neutralized Batting" tool that converts stats to a neutral run-scoring context (for era and field)? It really brings to light how mediocre (or, at best, just kind of good) Bichette was. 

I have not, thank you for pointing it out for me.  But, the fact that his 1995 season (NL MVP Runner up), was good for 1.2 bWAR (1.8 fWAR) pretty much ended any debate for me about how devoid of context raw counting stats are.

He incredibly only managed 8.9 fWAR for his entire career despite batting .299 with 274 HRs and 1100+ RBI. 

[Angelsjunky]

1 minute ago, Inside Pitch said:

I have not, thank you for pointing it out for me.  But, the fact that his 1995 season (NL MVP Runner up), was good for 1.2 bWAR (1.8 fWAR) pretty much ended any debate for me about how devoid of context raw counting stats are.

He incredibly only managed 8.9 fWAR for his entire career despite batting .299 with 274 HRs and 1100+ RBI. 

Yup. By comparison:

Raw career numbers: .299/.336/.499, 1141 RBI; 162 game average: 26 HR, 108 RBI

Neutralized: .274/.310/.459, 254 HR, 962 RBI; 162 game average: 23 HR, 88 RBI

If you look at his peak Coors seasons, there's even a larger gap between raw and neutralized.

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

Neutralized: .274/.310/.459, 254 HR, 962 RBI; 162 game average: 23 HR, 88 RBI

It wouldn't hurt to neuter a couple Angels so they could reach those numbers. Let's start with Rendon. 

[Angelsfan1984]

2 hours ago, Tyler said:

You probably clap for people who drive when the light turns green. 

This is a truer depiction of me when the light turns green.

[Angel Oracle]

Last chance for Adell here in 2024?

[Blarg]

28 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Last chance for Adell here in 2024?

Quit obsessing on negatives. 

[Erstad Grit]

On 11/8/2023 at 5:36 PM, Angelsjunky said:

Matt Holliday: "Get traded to the Rockies."

This is a really funny comment and it's probably true for JA. 

[Inside Pitch]

On 11/9/2023 at 1:10 PM, Blarg said:

It wouldn't hurt to neuter a couple Angels so they could reach those numbers. Let's start with Rendon. 

Keep in mind those numbers were smack in the middle of the PED era, when 900 OPS middle IFers grew on trees or so it seemed.

[Blarg]

6 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Keep in mind those numbers were smack in the middle of the PED era, when 900 OPS middle IFers grew on trees or so it seemed.

Let me guess, you're not invited to many parties.

[Angels 1961]

I'm a big fan of Adell. He was rushed up in 2020 and had defensive problems for few years. He has worked hard and seems to be a very decent OF on defensive side. Last year when he was brought up he got hurt and missed like 4 weeks. In 2022 Upton was let go after ST and the Marsh and Adell in OF did not work. Marsh got traded and has done quite well in Philly. Adell is still very young and I hope he gets regular playing time in 2024. With Ohtani gone DH will open up and open up AB for Trout in that spot so maybe Adell will get regular playing time. If Adell is traded I think it will be a mistake.