Dipoto's strategy

[ettin]

Yeah -- J.B. Shuck is a decent find -- still pales when compared to Eck and Fig.  But you're right -- he deserves credit for picking him off the discard pile.

 

As far as Lowe goes -- given our bullpen woes, spending 1 mil or whatever they did on him wasn't a bad move regardless of how it worked out.  To be honest, that's sort of my beef.  He should have made a few of those deals once he missed the boat on the 6th year FAs.

 

140 Million dollar payroll and Jb Shuck stands out as one of his better moves.   Let that sink in.

 

He was a year off on LaTroy Hawkins too. Dipoto's BABIP is really high the last two years.

 

[ettin]

I wouldn't say he outperformed expectations at all.  Are you feeling comfortable with him closing in 2014?

 

As an aside to the question, I think we will be completely match up based next season, even in the closer role.

 

[Mark68]

True, but those ugly 1-2 week periods could happen at any time, including the September stretch run when he pitches in his own personal nightmare of Arlington.

To be fair, most of our pitchers' personal hell happens to be Arlington. Just look at Weaver's stats there.

 

I can see why. I've been to a game there in July. It IS hell.

[mtangelsfan]

hey, it's nicer than Houston in July.........

 

or Corpus Christi

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I agree with you that November probably wasn't maxing out Bourjos' value, but for all we know we could've been battling other teams for Freese and this needed to spend Bourjos. Lots of other teams out there with more prospects than us.

 

I rather doubt that there was a line for Freese's services. This was a panic move.

Edited December 1, 2013 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Halos of Anaheim]

Dipotos strategy: Undervalue high value players, overvalue low value players, wait to address teams needs until the Winter Meetings when it's too late, then panic and sign a guy of the likes of Blanton, and in this years case, potentially Josh Johnson or Arroyo.

 

Probably the worst run FO in baseball.

[Stradling]

I have a feeling, call it a gut feeling, that the Angels will not sign Josh Johnson at the winter meetings this year.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

To be fair, most of our pitchers' personal hell happens to be Arlington. Just look at Weaver's stats there.

 

I can see why. I've been to a game there in July. It IS hell.

 

The first game I ever went to at Arlington was in July the year the park opened. It was like watching a game in a convection oven.

[AngelStew43]

I think we're all in on Tanaka.  I really don't like the all of the eggs in one basket approach.  

 

If we come up short on Tanaka, one viable option, Hughes, is already off the board.

[Halos of Anaheim]

I have a feeling, call it a gut feeling, that the Angels will not sign Josh Johnson at the winter meetings this year.

That's not the god damn point. We'll sign a guy for much more than he's really worth, or the same amount as a guy who we could have got for better value. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

And in the blue corner...

[SoWhat]

Lmao

[Docwaukee]

Freese wasn't a panic move.  Or at least that's my opinion.  It was a bit hasty but really I think it's a window into what the real strategy is.  Win in 2014 or 2015.  Not what I was hoping for really but it's an interesting dilemma

 

do you:

A.  Continue to push to have the best possible team you can in 2014 and perhaps 2015 because of your fairly narrow window of production from Trout, Weaver, Wilson and potential production from Pujos and Hamilton.  ie Bourjos for Freese

 

or

 

B.  Trade away some of your everyday players for pitchers that might be ready in 1-2 or even three years. 

 

option A maximizes your window of opportunity for the next 2 years which is frankly the best chance to get productive years from the above aging players not named Trout and it also maximizes your chance to show Trout you have a winning team that he needs to stay a part of.  It could completely backfire if you don't win and then from 2016 and beyond you are likely gonna really suck.

 

option B certainly improves you for 2016 and beyond but it probably weakens you for the current window of Weaver, Wilson, Pujols, Hamilton being productive. So you run the risk of being mediocre for each of the next 4 years.

 

I think it's clear they have chosen option A. 

[jshep]

Totally agreed, doc.

 

I'm more than a little uneasy about the way they're going about it, but it's not surprising that they're doing so, especially with Arte's attitude towards rebuilding and Dipoto being on the last guaranteed year of his contract.

 

At this point, I'm pretty much just hoping that they 1) manage to piece together "win now" teams that actually ya know...win. and 2) They don't totally set the future ablaze in the process.

 

My confidence in their ability to do anything better than that is pretty much gone at this point.

Edited December 2, 2013 by jshep

[Mark68]

Freese wasn't a panic move.  Or at least that's my opinion.  It was a bit hasty but really I think it's a window into what the real strategy is.  Win in 2014 or 2015.  Not what I was hoping for really but it's an interesting dilemma

 

do you:

A.  Continue to push to have the best possible team you can in 2014 and perhaps 2015 because of your fairly narrow window of production from Trout, Weaver, Wilson and potential production from Pujos and Hamilton.  ie Bourjos for Freese

 

or

 

B.  Trade away some of your everyday players for pitchers that might be ready in 1-2 or even three years. 

 

option A maximizes your window of opportunity for the next 2 years which is frankly the best chance to get productive years from the above aging players not named Trout and it also maximizes your chance to show Trout you have a winning team that he needs to stay a part of.  It could completely backfire if you don't win and then from 2016 and beyond you are likely gonna really suck.

 

option B certainly improves you for 2016 and beyond but it probably weakens you for the current window of Weaver, Wilson, Pujols, Hamilton being productive. So you run the risk of being mediocre for each of the next 4 years.

 

I think it's clear they have chosen option A. 

They have chosen poorly.

 

[Docwaukee]

Totally agreed, doc.

 

I'm more than a little uneasy about the way they're going about it, but it's not surprising that they're doing so, especially with Arte's attitude towards rebuilding and Dipoto being on the last guaranteed year of his contract.

 

At this point, I'm pretty much just hoping that they 1) manage to piece together "win now" teams that actually ya know...win. and 2) They don't totally set the future ablaze in the process.

 

My confidence in their ability to do anything better than that is pretty much gone at this point.

 

I just really, really, really hope that Ric Wilson and his stafff know what they are doing.  Because they are our only hope for the team beyond 2016 and they are doing it somewhat short handed with limited international presence and pics/prospects being pissed away. 

[SoWhat]

Jeff Fletcher from the OCR said their plan is to be more agressive in the international market to help build the farm. Idk if it's true, but I sure as hell hope so.

[Brent Maguire]

Doc nailed it.

The Freese trade shows that they made a move for a guy who fills a need at 3rd and we're willing to give up a potential long term asset in Bourjos. Just hoping we make the playoffs next year or these moves will look plain awful.

[OregonLAA]

I don't know what would be wrong with signing Josh Johnson. I bet he has a bounce back year. I hope we sign him.

Really though, people are acting like there are amazing free agent pitchers out there. Tanaka, Garza and Ubaldo are it.

[Stradling]

That's not the god damn point. We'll sign a guy for much more than he's really worth, or the same amount as a guy who we could have got for better value.

My point is Josh Johnson already signed with the Padres. Go back to screaming at me.

[Stradling]

That's not the god damn point. We'll sign a guy for much more than he's really worth, or the same amount as a guy who we could have got for better value.

My point is Josh Johnson already signed with the Padres. Go back to screaming at me.

[Docwaukee]

Doc nailed it.

The Freese trade shows that they made a move for a guy who fills a need at 3rd and we're willing to give up a potential long term asset in Bourjos. Just hoping we make the playoffs next year or these moves will look plain awful.

 

 

To me, Grichuk was the kicker.  If you think Randal is expendable and unlikely to ever see the halos lineup then he could have been moved for a pitching prospect.  You might not get a AA/AAA guy for him, but maybe a high - a guy with some good upside.  Personally, I think a package of bourjos and grichuk could have gotten a real nice AA/AAA guy ready to go by mid 2014.  It's clear they weren't going to get club controlled major league ready pitching, but it doesn't mean they couldn't have gotten pitching at all. 

 

But again, they obviously have a different philosophy than I'd like them to have which is ok as long as they win the next two years. 

 

I would have been willing to accept a competitive team with a mind for the future.  If they went out and made some moves to get a few pitching prospects and/or near major league ready guys then playing meaningful baseball in september would have been ok. 

 

Now, if they don't make the playoffs over the next two years, I can't fault the general fan for paying less mind to the team. 

 

I likely won't regardless (nor will a bunch of us), but I am sure the vibe for the non casual fan is going to go from skeptical to down right nasty. 

[Second Base]

Doc, you're correct in that Bourjos and Grichuk could've netted us a nice AA/AAA pitching prospect.  But I think the reason why that didn't happen is simple.  That AA/AAA pitching prospect wouldn't be able to help the Angels in 2014.  Dipoto is making moves with 2014 and only 2014 in mind because right now, his job is on the line.  If the Angels don't win, he will be fired.  2015 and 2016 are the furthest thing from his mind.  Right now, he just needs to make them competitive in 2014.  He can worry about 2-3 years down the road once he knows that will actually be his responsibility and not his successor's. 

 

Some call it desperation, but honestly, I think anyone would do the same in his situation.  You have to get your patient breathing again before you treat his wounds. 

[Brent Maguire]

My point is Josh Johnson already signed with the Padres. Go back to screaming at me.

Lol it only took a few posts for people to understand this.

[Halos of Anaheim]

My point is Josh Johnson already signed with the Padres. Go back to screaming at me.

I'll save the screaming for the ''great value'' #5 pitcher Dipoto signs this winter who ends up having a 4.75 ERA.