The Official Los Angeles Angels 2023-2024 Hot Stove Offseason Thread

[Angel Oracle]

Polanco has similar remaining one year contract as Kepler, $10.5 million.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Good call. Actually Polanco is a switch hitter and can play 2B, SS and 3B so I'd rather they go for him and Buxton.

 

Yeah, Polanco is essentially a slightly better, more consistent version of Rengifo.

[Angels 1961]

14 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

5 years/$75 million remaining for someone (Buxton) who has averaged only 70 games the past five full seasons would not be the best use of that money.

Kepler would be the better idea money wise (1 year/$10 million left), plus more durable and a LHH unlike Buxton.   Allows one more season of OF depth while assessing it.

You would want Kepler not Buxton he is always hurt. 

[Tank]

i'm a big fan of avoiding guys whose description always includes the phrase "but when he's healthy . . ."

pass on buxton.

[Angels 1961]

37 minutes ago, Chuck said:

 

I always wonder how a player is approached on deals like this. Players agent call teams or do teams have this big board and call agent. How many people are working with Perry on calls to players. I know every team bring in players on minor league deals for depth hoping some can really help. I remember when Brendan Donelly came off scrap heap to be big help.

[Chuck]

Just now, Tank said:

i'm a big fan of avoiding guys whose description always includes the phrase "but when he's healthy . . ."

pass on buxton.

I get that..but hell even Rendon was primarily a healthy guy you could count on when we signed him. 

You just never know. 

[Angel Oracle]

12 minutes ago, Chuck said:

I get that..but hell even Rendon was primarily a healthy guy you could count on when we signed him. 

You just never know. 

The worry is that Buxton has only exceeded 92 games once since 2015 MLB debut.   He is either totally injury prone or a combo of that and durability issues.  

The bat has been solid enough the past 5 seasons, when healthy (mid .800s OPS).  But, the RISP hitting has generally only been in the mid/upper .600s), well below non-RISP OPS.

Defense has taken a hit the past two seasons (0 dWAR).

Edited December 18, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

A trade for both Kepler AND Polanco would be intriguing.  

Position player depth would be solid, and would only be a 1 year/$20.5 million hit combined for both players.  

Would still leave them some $45-50 million under the 2024 tax threshold, to only be used for pitching.

[jsnpritchett]

3 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

A trade for both Kepler AND Polanco would be intriguing.  

Position player depth would be solid, and would only be a 1 year/$20.5 million hit combined for both players.  

Would still leave them some $45-50 million under the 2024 tax threshold, to only be used for pitching.

Very curious to see what it would take to acquire something like that, though.  Angels obviously don't have much depth in the minors given all the moves they made in '23, so I don't think it'd be as easy as the Renfroe/Urshela ones.  They'd be taken on roughly the same amount of total salary for '24 as they did for those two in '23, but I think it's fair to say that Kepler and Polanco are both a little better than Renfroe and Urshela.

[BTH]

 

[EdmontonAngelsFan]

 

[N-From-OC]

4 minutes ago, BTH said:

 

One guy I’ve wanted, not just now but before he was moved from Toronto. But I just hope it works out if we do sign him.

[Angels 1961]

7 minutes ago, BTH said:

 

Going to be 33 next May please not a 3 or 4 year. Two years tops, but I'd rather have Clevenger.

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, jeskola said:

no thanks? i would prefer someone not a grandpa already?

Ok. Find a young player that plays 1st and 3rd in free agency that puts up Turner’s numbers that won’t require a 5-8 year deal. Let me know who that is.  

[Lazorko Saves]

8 hours ago, Taylor said:

Great, even more positions for Anthony to not play because of injury.

Well, be fair to Rendon, B-R has correctly listed his primary position as IL.  So he's filling his primary spot in the lineup most days.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Lazorko Saves

[Taylor]

5 minutes ago, Lazorko Saves said:

Well, be fair to Rendon, B-R has correctly listed his primary position as IL.  So he's filling his primary spot in the lineup most days.

This f'ing rocks. Lmao

[Angels 1961]

20 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Ok. Find a young player that plays 1st and 3rd in free agency that puts up Turner’s numbers that won’t require a 5-8 year deal. Let me know who that is.  

You are right no younger players out there. Turner not a 3B anymore. I feel he would want to go to contender, Arizona be nice fit. Angels need lefty bat in lineup like a Brandon Belt or Joc Pederson.

[jsnpritchett]

38 minutes ago, BTH said:

 

Hate to keep being this guy, but Stroman is another player who basically has zero margin for error. He's great an inducing ground balls and preventing hitters from barreling up, but his other metrics are...not great. If you can get him at a reasonable AAV for 2 or 3 years, sure, maybe it's worth a shot--but he seems like a guy who has more downside than upside, given his skill set. 

[Chuck]

41 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Hate to keep being this guy, but Stroman is another player who basically has zero margin for error. He's great an inducing ground balls and preventing hitters from barreling up, but his other metrics are...not great. If you can get him at a reasonable AAV for 2 or 3 years, sure, maybe it's worth a shot--but he seems like a guy who has more downside than upside, given his skill set. 

Yep. 

[ScottM]

Stroman would've been fun when he left the Jays 4 1/2 years ago.

[mmc]

 

[mmc]

 

[Angels 1961]

Could halos be in mix for Bellinger? What was impressive last year is how he cut down on Ks. Could this be Arte's big splash? Something is up with Angels Arte will not take losing Ohtani and do nothing. They have the money I see a big move coming. 

[Tank]

2 hours ago, Chuck said:

I get that..but hell even Rendon was primarily a healthy guy you could count on when we signed him. 

You just never know. 

understood. the upside for him is off the charts.

the problem is that he can't stay healthy, and he has no history to show otherwise. we've reached the point with trout where everything ends up being 45 days on the IL now at minimum. adding buxton MIGHT work out differently, but there isn't enough optimism from where i sit to warrant a trade for him. 

[BTH]

1 hour ago, jsnpritchett said:

but he seems like a guy who has more downside than upside, 

This is true of most free agents.