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

[ScruffytheJanitor]

19 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Well shit then the coaches will get us a 90 win season with that Ron Washington attitude!!! 

JK we will be a 70 win team.

I assumed he meant "Washington will bring the coke." 

[jsnpritchett]

8 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

Getting Gio back would be nice and all to strengthen the depth of this offense but boy are we still sorely in need of some power in this lineup 

Even before he broke himself in half last season, his underlying batting metrics weren't that great.  I think people see his .299 batting average and think he was solid. 

[Taylor]

11 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Even before he broke himself in half last season, his underlying batting metrics weren't that great.  I think people see his .299 batting average and think he was solid. 

Yeah but maybe we can flip him at the deadline. /s

[tdawg87]

11 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Even before he broke himself in half last season, his underlying batting metrics weren't that great.  I think people see his .299 batting average and think he was solid. 

He's Fletcher before Fletcher sucked. I think he has value.

[tdawg87]

Jason, let's face it; you don't like anyone. It's understandable. I get it.

But we gotta keep pushing the floor up, little by little. 

[Erstad Grit]

33 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

Getting Gio back would be nice and all to strengthen the depth of this offense but boy are we still sorely in need of some power in this lineup 

Soler and JD still sitting out there.

[jsnpritchett]

4 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Jason, let's face it; you don't like anyone. It's understandable. I get it.

But we gotta keep pushing the floor up, little by little. 

It's not that I "don't like anyone."  It's just that I don't think a move like signing Urshela will make one bit of difference to the ultimate outcome of this season.  I fully understand the "raise the floor" theory/strategy--but it's so uninteresting and just generates mediocrity.  I am beyond frustrated with this franchise and when I see the same ol' names who didn't help the team in the past being trotted out here and elsewhere, it just makes me want to scream.

[jsnpritchett]

Also, I hadn't seen this tweet before I posted what I did above.

 

[mmc]

 

[ThisismineScios]

1 minute ago, Erstad Grit said:

Soler and JD still sitting out there.

Just don't see how or why they "rotate" the DH. Even if you sit Rendon, Trout, and O'Hoppe once a week (which is a lot), that's still 3-4 games worth of ABs. Why would they think it's better to have Ward, Adell, Drury, and Rengifo fill that spot than 5 days of a Soler/JD type? Just weird. Plus those guys would have real value at the deadline. 

[mmc]

12 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Jason, let's face it; you don't like anyone. It's understandable. I get it.

But we gotta keep pushing the floor up, little by little. 

Lets do that with good players

[jsnpritchett]

4 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/cardinals-designate-guillermo-zuniga-for-assignment.html

Zuniga, 25, signed with St. Louis on a big league deal last offseason despite the righty never having pitched above the Double-A level to that point in his career after the right-hander became a free agent on the heels of a pair of seasons where he struck out a combined 29.8% of batters faced at the Double-A level. Despite that minimal experience, it didn’t take long for Zuniga to make his big league debut last season. The Cardinals added him to the roster in time for him to make his big league debut on May 2 as he struck out two without allowing a hit or a walk in a scoreless inning of work.

That would be Zuniga’s only big league appearance for quite some time, as he returned to Triple-A shortly after and spent time on the injured list in the minor leagues. Eventually, the club called Zuniga back up to the majors in August though his stay on the big league roster once again proved to be short-lived. The righty allowed a run on two hits while striking out two in the sole appearance of his second stint in the big leagues before being placed on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain that eventually ended the right-hander’s season.

In between Zuniga’s brief stints in the majors this year, he struggled badly at the Triple-A level with a 7.63 ERA across 29 appearances. While he struck out a respectable 25.3% of batters faced during that time, he struggled badly with his control and allowed a worrisome 13.7% walk rate. In addition to his seemingly wavering command this past season, health is another concern for the righty entering the 2024 campaign. Updates on Zuniga’s strained right forearm have been few and far between since he was transferred to the 60-day IL back in September, so it’s unclear if he’s expected to be ready for Spring Training.

That being said, the right-hander has flashed a plus breaking ball and can touch triple digits with his heater, making him an enticing arm for most any team to add as optionable bullpen depth if healthy. Looking ahead, the Cardinals will have seven days to either trade Zuniga or attempt to pass him through waivers. If they’re successful in passing Zuniga through waivers, he figures to remain in the organization as non-roster depth headed into the 2024 campaign.

Edited February 7 by jsnpritchett

[Chitown27Fan]

1 minute ago, mmc said:

Lets do that with good players

I hope I am wrong but it sure feels like we are taking the route of we are signing these scraps from other teams becasue they were cut due to being bad but they are not as bad as what we had last year so there is the icing on our cake we are better but still bad.

[Ochocinco!]

More relievers!!!!! 

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, Tank said:

no worries. rendon will report to camp ITBSOHL.

Being in shape hasn't been the problem, being made of glass is.

[tdawg87]

12 minutes ago, mmc said:

Lets do that with good players

Urshela is a good player. If you have any better suggestions for infield depth please share.

I'm serious. Not being a dick.

[mmc]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

Urshela is a good player. If you have any better suggestions for infield depth please share.

I'm serious. Not being a dick.

He’s not the worst player but I don’t know that I’d call him good and his play is absolutely trending in the wrong direction.

 

And I already said what IF I wanted, Rosario.

[Ochocinco!]

2 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Urshela is a good player. If you have any better suggestions for infield depth please share.

I'm serious. Not being a dick.

This^ the more average to above average major leaguers we have on this roster. The less we have to see the likes of Jake Lamb, Jack Mayfield, Jose Rojas etc

[tdawg87]

3 minutes ago, mmc said:

He’s not the worst player but I don’t know that I’d call him good and his play is absolutely trending in the wrong direction.

 

And I already said what IF I wanted, Rosario.

Well sir I did not see that post.

I like Rosario. 

[rafibomb]

42 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

Like this move a lot. Keep bringing on the flamethrowers. 

[Inside Pitch]

31 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Urshela is a good player. If you have any better suggestions for infield depth please share.

I'm serious. Not being a dick.

He can play SS, so that's a plus but his offense was really batting average driven last season.  

30 minutes ago, mmc said:

He’s not the worst player but I don’t know that I’d call him good and his play is absolutely trending in the wrong direction.

And I already said what IF I wanted, Rosario.

I'd like him too.  I'm pretty sure he wants to start.  Marlins could offer him that but who knows what they are willing to spend. Would be a nice get IMO.

[Tank]

37 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Being in shape hasn't been the problem, being made of glass is.

how about if he goes all buzz aldrin out there?

[tdawg87]

Look all I'm saying is, Urshela would not be a bad signing IMO. He's gonna come cheap on a 1 year deal. 

There are better options, sure, but we could do so much worse. And we have.

[Chuck]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

Look all I'm saying is, Urshela would not be a bad signing IMO. He's gonna come cheap on a 1 year deal. 

There are better options, sure, but we could do so much worse. And we have.

As of right now the team doesn't have a good enough backup SS/3B so I say sign Urshela. He should be cheap and maybe he gets back to his old self when he was driving the ball? 

Worst case scenario, he's a great backup defensively who makes good contact... unlike the Andrew Velasquez's of the world that we've been trotting out there when a MIF goes down with an injury.

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Look all I'm saying is, Urshela would not be a bad signing IMO. He's gonna come cheap on a 1 year deal. 

There are better options, sure, but we could do so much worse. And we have.

So long as it's not at anything close to what he made last year, I agree.  I wasn't being critical, just saying his game seems to have changed.