Rosenthal: Why did the Angels do it? (re: Freese / Bourjos)

[jsnpritchett]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/seattle-mariners-desperate-free-agent-options-mike-napoli-nelson-cruz-carlos-beltran-jacoby-ellsbury-shin-soo-choo-112613

 

 

This is the Bourjos-related excerpt from a larger article:

 

 

" A number of rival executives question why the Angels traded not just outfielder Peter Bourjos but also outfield prospect Randal Grichuk to the Cardinals for third baseman David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas.

 

The answer might be that the perception of Bourjos is greater than the reality.

 

Bourjos, 26, has appeared in only 156 games the past two seasons, producing only a combined .659 OPS while dealing with a hamstring injury and a wrist problem that eventually required surgery.

 

Freese, 30, was more productive over that period, even though he regressed last season, struggling in particular in April (after missing time with a strained lower back) and then again in the postseason.

 

Add it all up, and the move became almost a necessity from the Angels’ perspective, according to sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

 

The Angels’ biggest need is starting pitching, but they also had a vacancy at third base. Bourjos did not have enough value to bring them a controllable starter. Some of the teams that liked him in the past no longer had a need. Others, like the Phillies, did not have enough to offer.

 

Meanwhile, the free-agent market at third base is extremely thin. Freese projects to earn $4.4 million in his second year of arbitration, according to Matt Swartz of MLBTradeRumors.com. The Angels could have signed Eric Chavez, soon to be 36, for say, $2.5 million to $4 million. But they preferred the potential for a bounce-back season from Freese, who had an .839 OPS in 2012.

 

Bourjos, projected to earn only $1.1 million in his first year of arbitration, is more affordable than Freese, and comes with an additional year of club control. But the Cardinals apparently took the position that he wasn’t all that accomplished, prompting the Angels to include Grichuk in the deal.

 

Grichuk, 22, hit 22 homers and had a .780 OPS at Double-A Arkansas last season despite playing in a pitcher-friendly league and pitcher-friendly park. He is a good defender with a strong arm, but his plate discipline could limit his major league potential – in 542 plate appearances last season, he drew only 28 walks.

 

Salas, 28, will at least add to the Angels’ bullpen depth – he was sort of an odd man out for the Cardinals last season, but has averaged nearly a strikeout per inning in the majors. The ‘pen, in fact, could develop into a strength – the Angels are in agreement with free-agent righty Joe Smith on a three-year, $15.75 million contract, pending a physical.

 

Did the Angels get robbed in the Freese deal? Time will tell. But they had their reasons. Teams always have their reasons, no matter how questionable a trade might appear."

 

 

[Angel Oracle]

We do have a drunk driver on the roster now (see Simers article on Freese the drunk driver this morning).

Nice trade Manic Moreno and Jerry Dipoto, you now have a 3B who has a bad back, questionable ethics, and drives after drinking.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Angel Oracle

[Brandon]

I've hungout with a lot if people here and attended various board functions. I don't think many here can reprimand him for drinking and driving.

Finally a good balanced article. He brings up PBJs low value where everyone here was expecting some kind of ace.

I'm in the wait and see camp.

[Deek]

We do have a drink driver on the roster now (see Simers article on Freese the drunk driver this morning).

Nice trade Manic Moreno and Jerry Dipoto, you now have a 3B who has a bad back, questionable ethics, and drives after drinking.

 

So he'll fit right in here at AW...

[mancini79]

Tigers are doing pretty well with their DUI guy.

[YouthofToday]

"Did the Angels get robbed in the Freese deal? Time will tell. But they had their reasons. Teams always have their reasons, no matter how questionable a trade might appear."

True, but the recent history of Angel trades is absolutely abysmal.

[ukyah]

awful trade, no two ways about it. i'm sick and tired of hearing about how we weren't going to get a frontline starter for pbj. fine, hold on to him, but you don't just trade him for a player that he's better than already. it was a stupid trade and the reasons given for the trade are even more stupid.

[Stradling]

So if you hold on to him and he gets hurt again? Or you hold on to him and try and get value for him when he is your fourth outfielder? Does he have more value as our fourth outfielder or does Freese have more value as our starting 3rd baseman?

[Brandon]

Pete had no value and wasn't going to gain any as a platoon/back up role.

Both teams sold low hoping for potential seen and both filled a need.

I have more faith in Freese bouncing back than Pete.

[Troll Daddy]

I believe Grichuk will be the most productive player for the Cardinals from this trade.

[Mudville]

The people that do not like the trade sound like fanboys. All stats and past performance said the Angels traded a low value player with high potential never realised for a guy with a resume equal to Chase Headley to cover a position that hasn't been adequetly filled since Figgens left. And yet if the Angels had traded for the over priced Headley the same fanboys would be praising the deal.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

The Angels held onto PB after 2012 and 2013 did nothing to increase his value.  Calhoun's play made him even more likely to get moved and the Angels got a 3B and RP both of which were needs.  Only time will tell but on paper this was a trade of mostly 2013 underperforming ML'ers and hopefully for the Angels the change of scenery works out for Freese and Salas.       

[WallyWorld]

potential bounce back seasons FTW

[Stradling]

potential bounce back seasons FTW

Says both Cardinal and Angels front offices

[Scott34]

awful trade, no two ways about it. i'm sick and tired of hearing about how we weren't going to get a frontline starter for pbj. fine, hold on to him, but you don't just trade him for a player that he's better than already. it was a stupid trade and the reasons given for the trade are even more stupid.

 

This.

[Tyler]

I've hungout with a lot if people here and attended various board functions. I don't think many here can reprimand him for drinking and driving.

Finally a good balanced article. He brings up PBJs low value where everyone here was expecting some kind of ace.

I'm in the wait and see camp.

 

Does that mean you're a bad influence?

[Chuckster70]

This was my exact stance during the civil war Bourjos for Freese thread last Friday.

Now that Rosenthal said it maybe you'll believe me.

[Chuckster70]

awful trade, no two ways about it. i'm sick and tired of hearing about how we weren't going to get a frontline starter for pbj. fine, hold on to him, but you don't just trade him for a player that he's better than already. it was a stupid trade and the reasons given for the trade are even more stupid.

100% disagree. But I'm not going to regurgitate my take on this, again.

[LightTheHalo]

Peter Boujos is not "better than" David Freese. They are different types of players. Bourjos in Anaheim is a redundant piece; Freese fills a position of need. Bourjos career OPS is .704. Freese is .783.

[Chuckster70]

Peter Boujos is not "better than" David Freese. They are different types of players. Bourjos in Anaheim is a redundant piece; Freese fills a position of need. Bourjos career OPS is .704. Freese is .783.

Exactly!

[HaloCory22]

Does that mean you're a bad influence?

I can probably count 15--20 people here who are "bad influences" Myself included. Not proud of it, but attacking Freese over his DUIs is dumb.

[ELEVEN]

the move became almost a necessity from the Angels’ perspective

 

[floplag]

Yeah, this is the first article that articulated the reality of it, props to Rosenthal

[RePLAY]

we needed a third baseman.....simple as that.  Why hold on to a player that ddint increase in value over the past 2 years?  You think his value will increase knowing Calhoun is right there playing too? lol 

[stormngt]

So if you hold on to him and he gets hurt again? Or you hold on to him and try and get value for him when he is your fourth outfielder? Does he have more value as our fourth outfielder or does Freese have more value as our starting 3rd baseman?

 

If he gets hurt again, his value would be the same.  I disagree with him as our fourth outfielder.  If we had no trades we would have Trout, Hamilton, Calhoun, Trumbo, and Pujols as our OF, DH, 1b.  Add PB and we have six players for five positions.  Of the six players, Hamilton and Pujols as serious health issues.  (no I do not believe breaking a wrist on a bean ball constitutes health issues for PB). AND I am not convinced Calhoun is better than PB.  Yes Calhoun did great for the Halos in 2013, but PB did great for the Halos in 2011.  Even so, if each player in your top five play 140 games average, that would leave PB with 110 games to play.  Do you guys really believe Pujols and Hamilton are going to play a140 games each? 

 

Finally, by trading PB, we keep Trumbo.  And of the two, Trumbo was most likely to bring in a pitcher.  The argument that PB couldn't net us a pitcher is a flawed one.  By keeping PB and Trading Trumbo we could have gotten a pitcher.