The future

[Troutipoo27]

We know this season is over but I'm just trying to get a feel on next year and why you guys think.

[Angel Oracle]

We will be better, because the injuries were excessive this season.

But there will still be some holes to fill throughout 2014.

I can see maybe being over .500, but beyond that I'm not so confident.

[Troutipoo27]

And before anyone says anything I know it's a long ways away. I'm just asking.

[stormngt]

I know that when you see a team play poorly we as fans have the right to be critical and cynical.  However, I am an optimist and I am an Angel fan, so yes, I am going they are CAPABLE of making the playoffs in 2015.  I do not think they are far behind that position right now.  In 2013 everything that has gone wrong has gone wrong.  We had no depth and we had debilitating injuries.  We were weak at starting pitching and it turned into a disaster.  Our defense which was supposed to be good was poor, and our big money power hitters have hit poorly for them.

 

But that doesn't mean we are not capable of making the playoffs.  IF we improve our pitching!  We need 1 or 2 more starting pitchers depending if we can resign Vargas.  I believe a rotation of Weaver, Wilson, Vargas, (player to be named), and Richards can be a solid starting rotation.  Blanton and Hanson should be for depth only.  We have to find solutions in our bull pen.  

 

Offensively we have the weapons to be a playoff club.  Pujols and Hamilton has to be close to their norms (not neccesarily all stars but they have to be good)  PB, Trout, Hamilton, and Calhoun are a nice foursome in the outfield.  

 

I do see Kendrick traded in the off season for pitching.  So it would be important that his replacement is a solid major leaguer and not a black hole.

[Eric]

The Angels have too many different problems to address for them to be in contention for the foreseeable future. It's going to take at least 2 seasons to fit the right pieces into the right spots.

 

The Angels need to get at least 2 starting pitchers, 3-4 bullpen arms, 3rd Base, SS, DH, Catcher and a utility guy just to even think of making a run.

 

That's just too many pieces to try to put into place for next season.

 

And that doesn't even get into the depth needed in the farm system that should be addressed.

[Troutipoo27]

Starting line up next year.

Borjous

Trout

Pujols

Hamilton

Trumbo

Kendrick

Iannetta

Jimenez/cowart

Aybar

Rotation:

Weaver

Cj

Hanson

Vargas

Williams/Richards/FA sign

Bullpen

Ass plus

Burnett

Jepsen

Kohn

Frieri

Soooo we need to address he pen

[Eric]

If you can't see all of the holes in that roster for next year, you're too much of a fanboy and need to step back and look at it objectively.

 

The Angels have failed in ALL aspects of their game this year.  Their pitching has sucked, they change the weather in the towns they visit by whiffing so much at the plate and their defense has been, well, an adventure, to put it mildly.  By running that same crew out there next year, why should anything change?

[HaloCory22]

The future, Conan?

[Dreams]

The offense and defense will be better next year.  

 

Our pen will be better.  How could it be worse, right?  Still, I don't know if it will be sufficiently better.  Maybe we'll get lucky and pull some relievers through our farm system.  Morin, Alvarez, Maronde?  Bring them up!  Other than those guys, it looks like most of our good minor league pitchers are far away from the majors.

 

So, improve the pen, pick up a #3 SP, get a solid year from Richards, then yes we'll make the playoffs.  Likely?  No, but baseball (as we all know by now) is very unpredictable.

[Tank]

The future, Conan?

In the year 2000 . . .

[Justabitoutside]

I have to be optimistic for next year so I can can still watch games this year.

[bloodbrother]

As it stands, don't know how they can properly address the needs in one offseason. They need a lot of pitching help first and foremost. Then, they need Pujols and Hamilton to actually play well, which is possible. Still, don't know how they can fix the pen AND rotation in one offseason.

[AngelsFaninGA]

You guys crack me up ... silly poll Did you suddenly forget who owns the team?

 

So I'm assuming you voted No

[Troutipoo27]

The Angels have too many different problems to address for them to be in contention for the foreseeable future. It's going to take at least 2 seasons to fit the right pieces into the right spots.

The Angels need to get at least 2 starting pitchers, 3-4 bullpen arms, 3rd Base, SS, DH, Catcher and a utility guy just to even think of making a run.

That's just too many pieces to try to put into place for next season.

And that doesn't even get into the depth needed in the farm system that should be addressed.

what do you want the f***ing Allstar team out there?

[Troutipoo27]

I'm not seeing what we need to address. A rookie 3B is fine Iannetta and Conger are fine 1 more starting pitcher Blanton out of the pen Hanson as the 5th guy is fine. The bullpen hasn't been all that bad this year, besides Frieri who has been bad the last 2 weeks. We have Burnett back so 1 or 2 more guys out of the pen maybe a closer and put Frieri as the set up man.

It's just been a what ever could go wrong has gone wrong year. Injuries have decimated us. A full healthy year Borjous, Pujols, Vargas, Hanson, Hamilton, weaver and Burnett would be nice.

[Torridd]

We know this season is over but I'm just trying to get a feel on next year and why you guys think.

There are so many things that can happen so I said yes. It can be as easy as getting one more starter and shoring up the bullpen.

[Waybackman]

It's going to take several seasons to dig out of this mess. I say 2014 will be all about rebuilding and watching with interest if Pujols and Hamilton continue to be the worst signings ever.

[Torridd]

As it stands, don't know how they can properly address the needs in one offseason. They need a lot of pitching help first and foremost. Then, they need Pujols and Hamilton to actually play well, which is possible. Still, don't know how they can fix the pen AND rotation in one offseason.

Why not?

[TroutAdell]

Injuries are a huge part of the equation for every team. While the Halos have had several injuries so have the Yankees, Dogs, Texas, St Louis, etc. the difference is these teams have overcome their injuries to compete. The Amgels have a long way to go to rebuild the system to be able to plug holes with prospects not DFA'D DBacks rejects.

I think the Angels are 3-5 years away from competing on a regular basis.

[bloodbrother]

Why not?

 

Because there is a lot of work to be done in both areas and they already have a ton of money committed to players going in 2014. They won't have a ton of money to spend. Likely have to see them trade Kendrick or Aybar this offseason for an arm, then sign some low cost guy coming off a down year or something and hope for the best. Same goes with RP. Gonna have to go dumpster diving for some cheap options there and hope for the best. It's asking a lot to do that and to HIT on all of them. Then, after all of that, they still need to hope that Pujols and Hamilton actually play well next season, because if they don't, the offense doesn't become a strength like it should be

[gotbeer]

Cloudy, with a chance for meatballs.

 

Playoffs, maybe.  Competitive, Yes.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I think anything is possible but the team has quite a few glaring holes in the rotation.  If Pujols is healthy and both he and Hamilton produce that's huge for the team going forward.  By produce I don't mean superstar or MVP type production I mean what people hoped we would realistically get out of them as they age.  I think some kind of trade is going to have to be made to help the rotation and the likely candidates are Howie, Aybar and Trumbo.  You don't trade for the sake of trading but they can't keep throwing money at high priced FA's to fill the roster and they need to acquire a younger starter or two that they can plug into the rotation. 

[Eric]

what do you want the f***ing Allstar team out there?

 

OK, I'll take that.

 

In the meantime, though, how about just addressing the deficiencies that the Angels have instead of saying "We suck right now, but we can't get rid of anyone."

 

There are only 5 players that can't/won't be moved, Pujols, Hamilton, Wilson, Weaver and Trout.

 

Everyone else is either under-performing to what the Angels need or can help this team more through being traded than staying.

 

Look, there's a reason why the Angels have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and have flat out stunk the last 4 years.

 

As the saying goes, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results."

 

The Angels have played themselves out of ballgames in all aspects, defense, pitching, hitting, baserunning, managing.

 

For crying out loud, watching this team try to play baseball leaves a perpetual loop of Yakety Sax in my head nightly.

 

But if you're OK with that, then go right ahead and claim that the pieces are already in place for a run. Both reality and history, however, disagree with you.

[ettin]

Although I think we will do better next season, it will probably not be enough to win the division.

 

I do think 2014 will be a transition year where are younger prospects develop and we retool the lineup to better optimize our offense, pitching, and defense.

 

2015 is a more likely target for winning in my opinion.

[Angel Oracle]

In the year 2000 . . .

In the year 2525...