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LA Times: Analysis: Angels must assess who'll pitch in to help turn things around


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Club should look to improve the rotation and bullpen if it expects to be in contention for the American League West title next year.

It has been a nice little run for the Angels since Aug. 23, their 21-8 record before Monday's game against Oakland taking some sting out of another disappointing season, but they can't let it fool them into thinking they can roll into 2014 with this personnel.ft8LOOIDi4Y

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There are reasons for the good finish that should factor into future decisions.  Namely, Kole Calhoun and Garret Richards.  

 

I'm tired of the Scioscia's kind of team bullshit.  A Scioscia kind of team is good at situational hitting?  What kind of nonsense is that?  

 

I don't blame him for the club's failure this year, but he didn't deserve credit for David Eckstein and Scott Spiezio, either.  They aren't a .500 team because they have the wrong mix of players.  They are a .500 team because several players didn't perform as expected... and because they had a considerable amount of injuries.   

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"We're pitching well with terrific situational hitting, good baserunning and solid defense. That equation adds up to winning," Scioscia said. "Early, we were built around batter's box offense, and when that struggles, it becomes one-dimensional. That's something we need to take a broader look at."

Situational hitting. Ugh...

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"We're pitching well with terrific situational hitting, good baserunning and solid defense. That equation adds up to winning," Scioscia said. "Early, we were built around batter's box offense, and when that struggles, it becomes one-dimensional. That's something we need to take a broader look at."

Situational hitting. Ugh...

It's funny that people picked the 'situational hitting' part of that quote to focus on.  It's actually a pretty agreeable quote. 

 

The Halos were one dimensional to start the year and that one dimension failed. 

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Weaver, Wilson, Richards, Vargas and ??

 

Goodbye Williams, Blanton, Hanson

 

We need pen guys -- the Madsen thing didn't work out so well.

 

I think we should re-sign Vargas -- he pitched well before he went out with that blood clot type issue or whatever it was.........Sounded like a real health scare.

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Why are we content with mediocrity in the rotation?

I don't think anyone is content with a mediocre rotation.  You have to make the best with the resources you have. 

 

They can't afford to trade any minor leaguers and the FA market is thin.  They have Weaver, Wilson and Richards set.  Two good and one solid.  If they can upgrade relative value vs. replacement for guys like Trumbo, Aybar, Kendrick, or Bourjos then maybe the rotation won't be medicore but a bit above. 

 

You have to take your starting point into account when creating expectations.  We have two 2's and a 5.  We need another two and a 3 to have a good rotation but a couple of 3's or a 3 and 4 will make them capable.  I want the former but would be ok with the latter. 

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I don't think anyone is content with a mediocre rotation.  You have to make the best with the resources you have. 

 

They can't afford to trade any minor leaguers and the FA market is thin.  They have Weaver, Wilson and Richards set.  Two good and one solid.  If they can upgrade relative value vs. replacement for guys like Trumbo, Aybar, Kendrick, or Bourjos then maybe the rotation won't be medicore but a bit above. 

 

You have to take your starting point into account when creating expectations.  We have two 2's and a 5.  We need another two and a 3 to have a good rotation but a couple of 3's or a 3 and 4 will make them capable.  I want the former but would be ok with the latter. 

 

Agreed, Doc. I'm surprised you haven't been crucified (yet) for calling Weaver a #2, but I think its clear now that that's what he is.

 

That said, while I agree that we shouldn't assume Richards is anything more than a #5 for purposes of building a rotation, I think he'll be at least a #4 next year. He's made positive steps forward this year and I think it will continue.

 

So we're left with the same plan that we had a couple months ago: somehow Dipoto needs to turn some or most of Trumbo, Bourjos, Kendrick, Aybar--and a few secondary and superfluous prospects like Cron, Grichuk, and Yarbrough  - into one or two #2-3 starters, and also need two strong relievers.

 

I think the Angels need to go "balls deep" on Tanaka. Signing him makes it so they only need to get one starter via trade, and are also freed up to use trading chips on a couple relievers.

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Definitely need Tanaka. He solves many problems. Would be great if Green could play 3B. I'd rather keep Kendrick and Trumbo, but I don't know if that's doable. Calhoun's performance all but leaves Bourjos out of the mix. The problem is his injury. He may be seen as injury-prone.

 

I like Frieri, but I still don't see him as a closer. We need bullpen help almost as much as starters. Again, acquiring Tanaka would allow the team to keep Williams in the pen, giving us one less problem to think about.

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.....Would be great if Green could play 3B....

It made sense for him to play 2b with Howie hurt but when Howie came back and Romine gets the starts at 3b, you have to wonder about long term plans....Scioscia said they didn't want to put Green in a tough spot at 3b since he hadn't played there much in the minors but, with everything at this point geared to 2014, not sure why you couldn't give him a look at 3b....I don't think Romine has much 3b experience either (I may be wrong ont that)....I'm sure winter ball and/or spring training would give Green some time to adjust to 3b but it's not like we're playing for anything this year anyway....

Makes me wonder if they main thing was to see him at 2b, in case Howie is traded....no real plans beyond that....

Edited by DMVol
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Weaver in 2013 was clearly a #2, pretty much even with Wilson. 

2014 will hopefully show at least a partial return to even the 2012 Weaver. 

I'm happy with a #1/2, #2/3, #3, #4, and a #5 for a rotation, as long as Pujols and Hamilton get their acts together and the pen does a solid job.

Edited by Angel Oracle
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I wouldn't count on Weaver or Wilson being any better than they were this year.  Hopefully they don't decline at all.  At some point, however, that is going to happen.  If they can sign Tanaka and Richards can build on a solid 2014 as the #5 then there is hope that the rotation will be solid for the next 2-3 years without having to do much. 

 

Putting themselves in a position to not have to add 2-3 starters every offseason would be great.  At this point, Tanaka is the only guy with potential to make that possible.  Although there are some potential solid FA SP's in the 2015 class, I can see a bunch of them getting locked up before then.  I have no doubt that Kershaw will get locked up.  I can see Bailey, and Sherzer getting locked up as well.  Lot's of team options too.  So that class could end up being pretty weak. 

 

If Weaver and Wilson have off years or decline normally, Richards doesn't make progess, and they fill the other two spots with stop gap guys, they could end up in a worse position at the end of next season than currently.  Granted, I want a better bullpen, but there is always a FA or two or a trade that can be made to help the team with limited financial or player expense to improve the pen at any given time.

 

This is not the case with SP.  They have almost no one coming up from the minors any time soon.  Tanaka is potentially our only opportunity for a young, club controlled starter with #2 potential that won't cost players in return for the next 2-3 years.  

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