2014 Rotation

[Second Base]

Personally, I think we'll see Dipoto finally get a little creative this offseason.  Right now, the Angels have 11 million to play with before exceeding he luxury tax.  

 

I think Dipoto will go out and sign Hiroki Kuroda to a one year deal (15 million) with two player options (and will catch heat for forfeiting our 1st round selection in the draft).  The reason why he'll do this, it takes the pressure off the Angels finding a team willing to surrender a #2/3 SP the Angels need in return for Kendrick.  When teams know the Angels are in need, the Angels have an inherent disadvantage in the negotiating process.  This effectively puts them over the threshold by 4 million.

 

Then the Angels will deal Howie Kendrick and Alex Yarbrough to Baltimore for Miguel Gonzalez.  That should put the angels under the Luxury Tax by about 6 million.

 

Then they'll top it off with the most non-creative but heavily anticipated move that everyone can see from a mile away.  They'll sign Joe Smith for 2 years 10 million with a team option for a 3rd year. 

 

They'll end up just under the Luxury Tax and their starting rotation will be Weaver, Wilson, Kuroda, Gonzalez and Richards.  The bullpen will be Frieri, Smith, Burnett, Salas, DDLR, Jepsen and Blanton.  Freese will be at 3B, Green will be at 2B, Calhoun will be in RF and they should be a competitive ball club. 

 

Hate the Kuroda signing all you want, but so far I'm 2 for 2, with the Freese-Bourjos trade and the Smith signing.  As I said before, I'll probably be totally wrong in the end and the Angels will end up doing something different, but so far I've been right, not just in the personnel but their prices as well.  I don't think anyone here would be against a rotation of Weav, Wilson, Kuroda, Gonzalez and Richards. 

[Scott34]

I would. Why are we still intent on giving away picks for a 1-2 year boost?

[Docwaukee]

Hate the Kuroda signing all you want, but so far I'm 2 for 2, with the Freese-Bourjos trade and the Smith signing.  As I said before, I'll probably be totally wrong in the end and the Angels will end up doing something different, but so far I've been right, not just in the personnel but their prices as well.  I don't think anyone here would be against a rotation of Weav, Wilson, Kuroda, Gonzalez and Richards. 

I didn't realize that Gonzalez is the same guy that I was big on when he was a halo farm hand. 

 

Where did he go for two years?  Was he injured?

 

I still hope we keep kendrick. 

[Brent Maguire]

Not exactly groundbreaking news but:

@JimBowdenESPNxm: The Angels are "in" on both Bronson Arroyo and Bartolo Colon but are NOT close on anyone according to sources

[Scott34]

Colon on a 1 year deal would be awesome.

Arroyo on a 2 year deal would be solid as well.

[jshep]

I would honestly be more surprised by a report that there's a guy the Angels AREN'T in on.

[Inside Pitch]

At this point holding on to Trumbo is probably for the best. Go into 2014 with the best possible offense. Go all in on Tanaka or (ugh) Garza, and then trade Kendrick OR Aybar for a 4th starter. Trade Iannetta for a prospect to get under the luxury tax threshold.

 

If we are looking for the best possible offense then we keep Kendrick over Trumbo.   The 41 points of extra OBP HK gives us is better than the 14 points of SLG% that MT would.

 

The fact that HK is actually good at run prevention makes it a no brainer.

[Inside Pitch]

Colon on a 1 year deal would be awesome.

Arroyo on a 2 year deal would be solid as well.

 

MLB Network is talking about a 13 or 14 per year for Arroyo.   

Edited November 24, 2013 by Inside Pitch

[SigBaby]

No thanks to Colon or Arroyo. I'd rather get a sure thing #3 and take a flyer on some risks for the 5 spot. Niemann is solid when healthy

[tdawg87]

If we are looking for the best possible offense then we keep Kendrick over Trumbo.   The 41 points of extra OBP HK gives us is better than the 14 points of SLG% that MT would.

 

The fact that HK is actually good at run prevention makes it a no brainer.

 

I'm not saying Trumbo is irreplaceable, but I think Green can easily replace Kendrick's production in the lineup. Obviously he can't replace the defense but that's a different topic. Who replaces Trumbo? The idea may be that his 109 OPS+ is easily replaceable but I don't think there is anyone in the system who could right now, as sad as that may be.

 

I'd rather keep both and trade Aybar, personally.

[Second Base]

I would. Why are we still intent on giving away picks for a 1-2 year boost?

 

Simple.  As I indicated on twitter, the reality is prospects and pitching is worth its weight in gold in the trade market.  If you don't have it, or you're looking to trade for it, you're inherently at a disadvantage.  When the Angels go shopping Howie Kendrick at the Winter Meetings or after Cano signs somewhere, I can't see any team giving up more than a #4/5 starter in return for him.  Teams can ask for the moon and the Angels would be forced to pay it.  

 

It's no secret the Angels need a #2/3 SP and a #4 SP.  If they can't get a #2/3 via trade, they'll have to settle for a #4/5, which in essence means the Angels will be forced to acquire a #2/3 starter via Free Agency.  Bartolo Colon would fill that need, but he'd also cause a rift in the clubhouse because C.J. Wilson has been vocal about his distaste for Colon and the paths he's chosen to take in his return to MLB.  They could go after Matt Garza, but that will likely cost at least 5+ years and after last year's twitter rant, it's pretty clear that guy is a chauvinistic douchebag.  Really, that leaves two pitchers, Masahiro Tanaka and Hiroki Kuroda.

 

Tanaka may or may not be posted and even if the Angels do have the highest bid, the proposed changes to the posting system would indicate that Tanaka could then negotiate with the top three offers, in which case there's no guarantee he'd choose the Angels over the likes of the Dodgers or Yankees.  But Kuroda's family lives in So-Cal, he's a solid #2/3 SP and he'd likely only cost the Angels a 2 year pact.  

 

Basically what I'm saying, the Angels are going to be forfeiting their 1st round pick regardless because for the sake of Scioscia and Dipoto's jobs, the Angels need to win in 2014 and in order to win, they need another top of the rotation starter and they can't get it via trade so they'll need to get it via FA.  Kuroda's the safest and least expensive bet to fill this need. 

[SigBaby]

Hasn't Kuroda made it clear it's the Dodgers, Yankees, or Japan?

[Inside Pitch]

I'm not saying Trumbo is irreplaceable, but I think Green can easily replace Kendrick's production in the lineup. Obviously he can't replace the defense but that's a different topic. Who replaces Trumbo? The idea may be that his 109 OPS+ is easily replaceable but I don't think there is anyone in the system who could right now, as sad as that may be.

 

I'd rather keep both and trade Aybar, personally.

 

Honestly...  If you truly believe that Green can replace what Kendrick does offensively, which was actually more than what Trumbo gave us last year (rates wise) -- then an argument could be made that you replace Trumbo's bat with Green...  You do that and then you don't lose anything defensively, if anything, you have more flexibility out of his spot on the roster.  That sort of a scenario would also allow more time for Cron to prove he's the heir apparent at DH..

 

Seriously --  replacing Trumbo's no glove 109 OPS+ with Green's no glove 105 OPS+ seems a lot better than replacing HK's 118 OPS+ plus glove.

 

I think Grant Green is the worst fielding Angels player I've seen since Luis Polonia.  I'd have said Chili Davis, but I actually enjoyed watching Chili butcher balls in the OF.

 

Edit: You'd likely save more money that way too.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Inside Pitch

[Second Base]

“My approach has always been if I get an offer from any team, no matter where they’re from, I will take that as seriously"

 

 

“That has never been the case with what I’ve been thinking.” he said when being asked of a potential return to Japan.

[Inside Pitch]

Grant Green's bat...  

 

2 years, 218 AAA games...  .309/.356/.473.  If he could roll out a .275/.335/425 batting line in MLB -- find me one good reason why you wouldn't put him at DH and call it a day?

 

His glove is awful.

[SigBaby]

I wouldn't mind a platoon of Shuck and Green where Green is a DH and Shuck plays LF with Hamilton as DH

[Brent Maguire]

I hope Shuck doesn't receive more than 200 PA next year. 

 

He's a very marginal player. .308 wOBA and 0.5 WAR with below average defense last year. The .293 BA is nice but otherwise he's not a very good player.