Raul Ibanez heading to Angels

[Adam]

I really don't understand why anyone would be against this. At worst he becomes a great bat to have off the bench.

[bloodbrother]

Agreed. Dude won't cost much and at worst he gives them a lefty bat off the bench with some power.

[xboom28x]

Not going through 8 pages... but even if Ibanez flops thru June... Cron could step in after 3 months of seasoning in the minors.

[YouthofToday]

addition by subtracting his would be 87 rbi against us next season.

Sigh...

[Lou]

Who knows.  How's that relevant to my post you quoted?

 

 

seriously?

[Mark68]

Storm!! You need more exclamation marks!! 

 

Ahhh...just leave him alone. He's channeling his inner AO.

[Wallerrrr]

Santiago is a #3-6 quality starter. His innings and runs allowed last year has him around a 3, but his peripherals and in turn is FIP/xFIP have him as a #6 type guy. He has a solid K rate, so his stuff is deceptive and misses bats, so he has always had a high ceiling, but his walk rate is atrocious and at is age it's unlikely to see the significant improvement required to become a top of the rotation starter. I certainly hope he's more 3 than 6 that's for sure. I see him as a poor man's Kelvim Escobar.

 

he's also 26 and just entering his "prime" years which is b*tchen too

[19HALO71]

Really not a fan of this.  He was absolutely atrocious outside of his first two months to start the year and now he's 41.  How well has signing players over 38 ever worked out for us? Finley, Matsui, all the way back to Dave Parker.  

Then this is a perfect move for the angels!! Being that we usually have an atrocious start. 

[Brent Maguire]

I really don't understand why anyone would be against this. At worst he becomes a great bat to have off the bench.

Yup.

I have no issues with a .750 OPS bat off the bench. Depth is what killed this team last year and it would be nice to have some going into the season.

[mrwicked]

would love to sign him.

seems like a great clubhouse guy too - anyone who can put some fire under these guys' lazy asses is OK in my book.

[Jim]

AJ, it's a one year deal. Ibanez isn't digressing, he's been pretty steady in his latter years. His swing is still one of the quickest in baseball and it generates a ton of power when he connects.

I already broke down his 1st half vs. 2nd half numbers and why he sucked. He played sparingly and the entire team blew chunks.

Spare me with the Trumbo love, you among many others shit on him and gave him very little trade value when with the Angels.

I agree, he hasn't shown himself to be any less a player over the last few years. No reason to believe he can't match his production from last year, and I really like the idea of his veteran presence off the bench.  

[Jim]

Why does is the term swingman suggest he's a 5th starter? Masterson was a swingman a few years back. Just because Hector can relieve and start? He has #3 type stuff, not #5. He more than fills the void left by Vargas.

Skaggs was the top F'n prospect in baseball a year ago. Arizona ****ed with his mechanics, Dipoto already recognizes the change and will get his arm angle back to where it was a year ago.

You mean Butcher, right?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The age (41) bothers me, but he's been a clutch performer all through his career. I'd take a chance on a one-year deal. I think he can still produce.

 

For a one-year deal, I'm all over this, if for no other reason than we wouldn't have to face him. The guy beats our brains out. It would be nice to have him on our side for once.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Jeff Fletcher]

Have read through this whole thread but wanted make a point I made on twitter (apologies if it's already been posted)....

Ibanez is the one confirmed name on the Angels list only because his name was leaked (presumably by his agent). My understanding is the Angels talked to him, but I don't believe he's the top of their list.

Despite all the questions I get about who the Angels prefer and who they've talked to and what offers they've made, they don't tell us. (Not very good for negotiating.) It takes a lot to work to get anything.

So don't obsess over Ibanez. He may be No 5 on their list.

[red321]

Have read through this whole thread but wanted make a point I made on twitter (apologies if it's already been posted)....

Ibanez is the one confirmed name on the Angels list only because his name was leaked (presumably by his agent). My understanding is the Angels talked to him, but I don't believe he's the top of their list.

Despite all the questions I get about who the Angels prefer and who they've talked to and what offers they've made, they don't tell us. (Not very good for negotiating.) It takes a lot to work to get anything.

So don't obsess over Ibanez. He may be No 5 on their list.

 

You read the entire thread? Ouch.

 

I would imagine the Angels want someone who could spell Pujols at 1b, and potentially for an extended period and Ibanez doesn't offer that flexibility. While Calhoun and Kendrick are capable of playing first I don't think that would be the Angels' preference long term.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I would imagine the Angels want someone who could spell Pujols at 1b, and potentially for an extended period and Ibanez doesn't offer that flexibility. While Calhoun and Kendrick are capable of playing first I don't think that would be the Angels' preference long term.

 

I wonder if Hamilton is capable of playing first base. We seem to have a much easier time replacing outfielders.

[saangels]

Apparently we didn't learn our lesson with Hideki Matsui.  We don't need another slow, aging left handed DH to clog up the bases.  Granted, Ibanez has raked at Angel Stadium over his career, and had a good season last year; but how much longer can he continue to put up these numbers?  He's in his forties for crying out loud.  

[Scott34]

Yeah that 126 OPS+ Matsui put up was disgusting!

[Stradling]

Well Hideki played well for us and it's a one year deal.

[Brent Maguire]

The dislike for Matsui is very weird. He was our best hitter the one year he was here.

[Docwaukee]

The dislike for Matsui is very weird. He was our best hitter the one year he was here.

he put up the best overall numbers that year aside from Torii.  You have to remember, that he was essentially Vlad's replacement, and won a WS the year before and he was the WS MVP. 

 

The Halos actually went as he went that year.  He started slow and so did the Angels.  He had a stretch in the middle of the year where he slumped and the halos dropped from 3 to 10 games back in the standings.  The teams failures that year lined up almost perfectly to when he struggled.  So the perception was that he didn't do well when in fact he was actually pretty damn good and I would certainly take a similar performance at DH in 2014.

[Brent Maguire]

Very good point Doc.

I know he started slow but it's unfair to discredit him for hitting well in the 2nd half when the team was out of it. He was a cheap 1 year guy that produced very well.

Funny because I think he would be the perfect guy for our vacant DH role if this were 2010.

[stormngt]

Storm!! You need more exclamation marks!!

First of all, unlike Wells, and Hamilton he wasn't meant to be a "big splash" free agent signing or trade. I wish Wells and Hamilton put up numbers close to his numbers in 2010. He was only signed for one year and 6.5 million. It's your problem if you expected him to be a big bat. His numbers for the 2010 season (.274/.361/.459/.820) were almost identical to his numbers with the Yankees in 2009 (.274/.367/.509/.874). You expected to have better numbers than he had with the Yankees playing in a pitcher friendly stadium with two of pitching friendly stadiums in the division? The Angels never expected him to put up the numbers Vlad put up in his prime.

In 2010, he got off to a slow start (.252/.334/.398/.732- before the all start break), but he slow start wasn't as bad as some of you are making it out to be.

The Angels didn't give up anyone for Matsui. They let the injured Vlad, that put up worse numbers than Matsui leave. In 2010, Vlad's numbers in the second half sucked. He disappeared when the Rangers needed him the most.

You can spray as much perfume on it as you want but bull shit is still bullshit. Vladdy worst year as an Angel was better than Matsui. He had better numbers in 2009 and 2010. We should have kept him and not signed Matsui who batted like Wells until August. I may have expected too much from Matsui but Iif you replace Vladdy you should play better than Vladdy.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

You can spray as much perfume on it as you want but bull shit is still bullshit. Vladdy worst year as an Angel was better than Matsui. He had better numbers in 2009 and 2010. We should have kept him and not signed Matsui who batted like Wells until August. I may have expected too much from Matsui but Iif you replace Vladdy you should play better than Vladdy.

Lol. You can't stick your head and the sand, ignore the facts, make it seem he had a bad season, and he was bad signing, but you would be wrong. 

[disarcina]

well, not the best -- but better than we've got and probably all we can afford.......one year deal.......incentive laden I hope starting with number of ABs