So Far This Offseason:

[stormngt]

Our crappy pitching staff lost one of our few quality pitchers:  Vargas

Our crappy defense lost its best defensive outfielder:  Bourjos

We probably improved our offense at 3b.  Have we improved our defense on the infield?

 

He added one quality relief pitcher to our blowpen.

 

And our starting pitching depth we let walk in Williams.

 

Is that about it????

[markb]

It's December 7th.

[mtangelsfan]

so so far this off season up to December 7th.  Does that work for you?

[Mudville]

Pearl Harbor day.

[mtangelsfan]

My cousin's birthday

[bloodbrother]

Our crappy pitching staff lost one of our few quality pitchers:  Vargas

Our crappy defense lost its best defensive outfielder:  Bourjos

We probably improved our offense at 3b.  Have we improved our defense on the infield?

 

He added one quality relief pitcher to our blowpen.

 

And our starting pitching depth we let walk in Williams.

 

Is that about it????

 

They signed Mike Monster. What more do you want

[Docwaukee]

Vargas is the definition of an average pitcher. 

 

When we had a rotation of Weaver, Wilson, Vargas and Richards, we actually won games.  Get a mediocre pitcher and we can win games. 

 

The defense had an uncharacteristically bad year.  It would be odd for them to perform as poorly.  Not saying they'll suddenly be great, but at least average.  Bourjos had less than 200pa.  He's a non factor.  Calhoun didn't look very good, but he's a solid defender.  Trout will have a better year defensively this year as weill Aybar.  Freese could depending on his back.  If he's injured, Lucho is great there defensively.  Conger improved as the season went on.  A few non-crappy pitchers will help as well.  Fewer baserunners mean less time on the field.   

 

The bullpen not only adds Smith, but it get Burnett back as well.  There is at least a little more depth here.  Not all good depth, but some better options.  Plus, Mike Morin is coming.  This guys is gonna have a big impact. 

[Greg_Bearringer]

I don't totally disagree, but here's another way of looking at it:

 

1) the FO decided not to fix a bad pitching staff by overspending on mediocrity. 

 

2) we exchanged our second or third best outfielder (out of four) to fill a giant defensive and offensive hole it 3rd base. 

 

3) We let a pitcher who gave us a few pretty good years go-- for an improved chance at having an ACTUAL solution to our pitching woes. 

 

That is admittedly the sunny view. But dude-- its Infamy day. Let's wait for the moves to be made before we judge the offseason (or, if you prefer, lets wait to see the "mistakes" become fully realized before criticizing them). 

[Troll Daddy]

Our crappy pitching staff lost one of our few quality pitchers:  Vargas

Our crappy defense lost its best defensive outfielder:  Bourjos

We probably improved our offense at 3b.  Have we improved our defense on the infield?

 

He added one quality relief pitcher to our blowpen.

 

And our starting pitching depth we let walk in Williams.

 

Is that about it????

 

We improved our offense by giving Calhoun a starting job. We also made our best player happy by giving him center field.

I think overall our outfield as gotten better by trading Bourjos and sacrificing a little bit of defense.

 

Maybe it's just me but I think Trout and Calhoun make for better chemistry on the field .... GRIT!

[Docwaukee]

I don't totally disagree, but here's another way of looking at it:

 

1) the FO decided not to fix a bad pitching staff by overspending on mediocrity. 

 

2) we exchanged our second or third best outfielder (out of four) to fill a giant defensive and offensive hole it 3rd base. 

 

3) We let a pitcher who gave us a few pretty good years go-- for an improved chance at having an ACTUAL solution to our pitching woes. 

 

That is admittedly the sunny view. But dude-- its Infamy day. Let's wait for the moves to be made before we judge the offseason (or, if you prefer, lets wait to see the "mistakes" become fully realized before criticizing them). 

I especially like #3.  I think Jerome is great and I was sad to see him go, but now it's an opportunity.  I would like to see what Shoemaker can do there as well.  His stuff will play well in Anaheim.  SLC paused his career. 

[stormngt]

It's December 7th.

 

Thus the terminology "so far this off season".  

[m0nkey]

It's December 7th.

It's raining

[Stradling]

Our crappy pitching staff lost one of our few quality pitchers: Vargas

Our crappy defense lost its best defensive outfielder: Bourjos

We probably improved our offense at 3b. Have we improved our defense on the infield?

He added one quality relief pitcher to our blowpen.

And our starting pitching depth we let walk in Williams.

Is that about it????

I like playing with words too, so here it goes.

We have added to our coaching staff by adding character guys that have an Angels history, bringing back fan favorites in Baylor and Disar.

So far this offseason we have added to our number one need from last year by adding one of the top free agent relief pitchers to a three year deal, this should help not only this year but for the next few years. We also added a sleeper left handed specialist that will add much needed depth to our bullpen.

We have traded our fourth outfielder to get a league average third baseman, who had a down year last year, but adds more power to the position than we have had in about ten years.

We still have at least two valuable trade pieces left to go out and get those starter pitchers we desperately need.

We have done these moves already and the Winter Meetings haven't even started yet.

Way to go Dipoto!

That was fun.

[stormngt]

Vargas is the definition of an average pitcher. 

 

When we had a rotation of Weaver, Wilson, Vargas and Richards, we actually won games.  Get a mediocre pitcher and we can win games. 

 

The defense had an uncharacteristically bad year.  It would be odd for them to perform as poorly.  Not saying they'll suddenly be great, but at least average.  Bourjos had less than 200pa.  He's a non factor.  Calhoun didn't look very good, but he's a solid defender.  Trout will have a better year defensively this year as weill Aybar.  Freese could depending on his back.  If he's injured, Lucho is great there defensively.  Conger improved as the season went on.  A few non-crappy pitchers will help as well.  Fewer baserunners mean less time on the field.   

 

The bullpen not only adds Smith, but it get Burnett back as well.  There is at least a little more depth here.  Not all good depth, but some better options.  Plus, Mike Morin is coming.  This guys is gonna have a big impact. 

 

However, Bourjos was our best outfielder so we lost him for the "hopeful" offensive producation of Freese.  Your are right, we should expect  Burnett back and that along with Smith could be sufficient improvement on our blow pen....we hope.

 

Vargas was an average pitcher in a crappy lineup.  That means he was good.  My point is that our starting pitching as is  worse off than it was during the season.  If Lucho is an option at third base, than why the hell did we trade PB?

[Docwaukee]

that's like looking at a painting halfway thru and saying it looks like crap. 

 

Give JD a chance to pinch it off. 

[stormngt]

I don't totally disagree, but here's another way of looking at it:

 

1) the FO decided not to fix a bad pitching staff by overspending on mediocrity. 

 

2) we exchanged our second or third best outfielder (out of four) to fill a giant defensive and offensive hole it 3rd base. 

 

3) We let a pitcher who gave us a few pretty good years go-- for an improved chance at having an ACTUAL solution to our pitching woes. 

 

That is admittedly the sunny view. But dude-- its Infamy day. Let's wait for the moves to be made before we judge the offseason (or, if you prefer, lets wait to see the "mistakes" become fully realized before criticizing them). 

 

 

I guess you guys do not understand the english words "so far this off season".  I am not saying the total off season will be a disappointment.  I am saying so far it is.

 

Bourjos was replaceable, but so was Trumbo and Calhoun.  I advocated trading the one who brought us the best pitcher.  You see, that is what we need.  Pitching!  If PB couldn't bring us a pitcher than maybe we should have looked to trade Trumbo instead.  Just in another thread people are advocating trading Trumbo for Cahill and Skaggs.  If we could have gotten Cahill or Skaggs for Trumbo than why the hell did we trade PB?  By trading Trumbo now we lose a back up 1b and DH.  Calhoun could have been that player had we not traded PB.

 

And I am hopeful the right moves will be made.  I am hopeful that Freese plays like an all star.  However, my gripe so far is that it looks like our biggest off season move was to improve our offense at 3b.  And our biggest need was improvement on pitching and we let one of the few "average or above pitchers" walk.

[Docwaukee]

However, Bourjos was our best outfielder so we lost him for the "hopeful" offensive producation of Freese.  Your are right, we should expect  Burnett back and that along with Smith could be sufficient improvement on our blow pen....we hope.

 

Vargas was an average pitcher in a crappy lineup.  That means he was good.  My point is that our starting pitching as is  worse off than it was during the season.  If Lucho is an option at third base, than why the hell did we trade PB?

If the Halos came out today and said they were good to go for the 2014 season then I would be on board with your concern.  While it still may not work out as best it could, it's an unfinished product. 

[KingJustinian]

However, Bourjos was our best outfielder so we lost him for the "hopeful" offensive producation of Freese.  Your are right, we should expect  Burnett back and that along with Smith could be sufficient improvement on our blow pen....we hope.

 

Vargas was an average pitcher in a crappy lineup.  That means he was good.  My point is that our starting pitching as is  worse off than it was during the season.  If Lucho is an option at third base, than why the hell did we trade PB?

 

Bourjos is better than Trout?

[stormngt]

We improved our offense by giving Calhoun a starting job. We also made our best player happy by giving him center field.

I think overall our outfield as gotten better by trading Bourjos and sacrificing a little bit of defense.

 

Maybe it's just me but I think Trout and Calhoun make for better chemistry on the field .... GRIT!

 

Making our best player happy by giving him the CF job is poor logic.  If you wanted to make our best player happy offer him a 10 year extension for mega dollars to be determined by Arte and his agent.  I am sure he would have been a lot happier with that than being given the CF job.

 

If I am not mistaken, Calhoun played the last two months of the season so our offense isn't really that improved.  And even if it is, we once again went to improving offense over our need, pitching.

[Stradling]

I agree with it being poor logic, but I also think he was going to be our fourth outfielder this coming year. I think Calhoun has enough potential to make the move the Angels made.

[stormngt]

I especially like #3.  I think Jerome is great and I was sad to see him go, but now it's an opportunity.  I would like to see what Shoemaker can do there as well.  His stuff will play well in Anaheim.  SLC paused his career. 

 

To be honest, I hope Shoemaker becomes a surprise. I also hope Jeremy Berg gets his change on a major roster.  I am not doom and gloom, but I am fearful the angels are gambling on getting Tanaka and if not we may end up with Blanton in the rotation again.

[Docwaukee]

I guess you guys do not understand the english words "so far this off season".  I am not saying the total off season will be a disappointment.  I am saying so far it is.

 

Bourjos was replaceable, but so was Trumbo and Calhoun.  I advocated trading the one who brought us the best pitcher.  You see, that is what we need.  Pitching!  If PB couldn't bring us a pitcher than maybe we should have looked to trade Trumbo instead.  Just in another thread people are advocating trading Trumbo for Cahill and Skaggs.  If we could have gotten Cahill or Skaggs for Trumbo than why the hell did we trade PB?  By trading Trumbo now we lose a back up 1b and DH.  Calhoun could have been that player had we not traded PB.

 

And I am hopeful the right moves will be made.  I am hopeful that Freese plays like an all star.  However, my gripe so far is that it looks like our biggest off season move was to improve our offense at 3b.  And our biggest need was improvement on pitching and we let one of the few "average or above pitchers" walk.

 

why does the order matter?  We have no idea what else they are planning so how can what they have done so far be right or wrong? 

 

They might sit on their hands the rest of the offseason

They might get Tanaka and Price

They might get Scott Baker and Matt Garza

They might trade Trumbo for Cahill, sign Colon and Hart

They might trade Kendrick for a pitcher and pick up another somewhere else

 

'so far' they have not addressed all of the percieved needs of the team.  But why would you have expected them to by now?

[fan_since79]

We also have the only real Joe Smith in baseball history. The other one, who played for the Yankees in 1913, well, his birth name was Salvatore Persico.

 

The only Joe Smith ever. Imagine that. We're set!

[stormngt]

I like playing with words too, so here it goes.

We have added to our coaching staff by adding character guys that have an Angels history, bringing back fan favorites in Baylor and Disar.

So far this offseason we have added to our number one need from last year by adding one of the top free agent relief pitchers to a three year deal, this should help not only this year but for the next few years. We also added a sleeper left handed specialist that will add much needed depth to our bullpen.

We have traded our fourth outfielder to get a league average third baseman, who had a down year last year, but adds more power to the position than we have had in about ten years.

We still have at least two valuable trade pieces left to go out and get those starter pitchers we desperately need.

We have done these moves already and the Winter Meetings haven't even started yet.

Way to go Dipoto!

That was fun.

I will give you that.  But maybe our second OF or DH could have brought us a pitcher.  than our #3 OF could have played DH.

 

I do agree the coaching staff maybe better, but the gods gift to coaching staff can't make crap and turn it into a diamond.  There still needs to be talent and our starting pitching (what I would say our no 1 need was) has gotten worse.  

[red321]

Angels won the 2012-2013 Hot Stove Pennant (Hamilton)

Angels won the 2011-2012 Hot Stove Pennant (Pujols/CJ)

Angels won the 2012 Trade Deadline Pennant (Grienke)

Angels won the 2010 Trade Deadline Pennant (Haren)

Angels won the 2009 Trade Deadline Pennant (Kazmir)

Angels won the 2008 Trade Deadline Pennant (Teixeira)

 

 

Maybe doing nothing is best