Let us ALL be realistic!

[stevestevens]

Glad to hear you all have such lowered expectations so the gameday thread should be readable again.

 

while many think we will come in third place, the team will still be expected to win every game.  

[maximus p]

Looks like someone has had some unanswered prayers when dealing with Angels free agency.  The 90's were pretty rough on all of us YK.  Not even prayers to the Almighty could rescue us from that disaster.  

And we are the mother ****ing ANGELS for God's sake!

[Hollyw00d]

Glad to hear you all have such lowered expectations so the gameday thread should be readable again.

 

 

the quality of the team and the quality of the GD thread are inversely proportional

[Inside Pitch]

Glad to hear you all have such lowered expectations so the gameday thread should be readable again.

Meh...  I think they will be better than people think, I just hope the team doesn't shoot itself in the foot again trying to be a WS contender in January.

 

I like this team, I think if the pitching carries it's own weight they could be very good.  Essentially, last year's plan only better thought out and implemented.

[Docwaukee]

this team has almost no depth if things stay as is.  Sure, the top 5 could end up all panning out and pitching well.  Seems quite the stretch that 3 guys that haven't consistently ever been in a rotation for a full season would all make a full seasons worth of starts. 

 

Currently our depth is Shoemaker, Volstad, Roth, Blanton, and maybe Sappington by mid season.  That seems pretty light.  This team is two starters away from having legitimate depth.  One starter away from having pretty decent depth although not great.  And if everything stays as is, they have very little. 

 

Last year's depth was Williams, Richards, Enright, Roth and Buckner.  Not much different than our current depth if we don't get anyone else.  I know we will, but depending on the quality, we may want to get two. 

 

Still also concerned about the pen.  Yes, they are probably now league average, but I am just not comfortable with that.  I think there is a much better chance that we have a few guys that could step up vs. really not having much talent the last 3 years otherwise. 

 

Still got a fair amount of work to do, but there is still time.

[YouthofToday]

Volstad deserted the Angels and fled to South Korea.

[Erick McClendon]

I've been critical of Dipoto, I wonder who the real JD is

 

The real JD is Jon Daniels. the GM that actually runs things in Texas..

[eligrba]

The real JD is Jon Daniels. the GM that actually runs things in Texas..

 

And he seems to be doing a pretty good job.  Texas has certainly made solid player decisions over the past 5 years, unlike my Angels.  I can't think of a bad trade or signing that Texas has done in that time period.

 

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.

[mtangelsfan]

And he seems to be doing a pretty good job.  Texas has certainly made solid player decisions over the past 5 years, unlike my Angels.  I can't think of a bad trade or signing that Texas has done in that time period.

 

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.

 

He keeps bringing back the worse manager in the American League for one.

[eligrba]

He keeps bringing back the worse manager in the American League for one.

 

Who does better than Mensa Mike and his staff.  I understand that Ron Washington is not considered the best manager in the majors, but his team has done much better than the Angels over the past five years.  That has to mean something?  What would be better, a respected manager with an underperforming team or a "bad" manager with a competitve team?

[wopphil]

And he seems to be doing a pretty good job. Texas has certainly made solid player decisions over the past 5 years, unlike my Angels. I can't think of a bad trade or signing that Texas has done in that time period.

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.

Not sure I agree. Beltre and Darvish were great moves. But the Andrus deal looks terrible, the Kinsler deal was bad, and I think he overpaid for Choo. Plus, he dealt away a lot of the farm's talent in the Adams and Garza trades.

[full circle]

Berkman didn't work out too well.

[Jim]

Still also concerned about the pen.  Yes, they are probably now league average, but I am just not comfortable with that.  I think there is a much better chance that we have a few guys that could step up vs. really not having much talent the last 3 years otherwise. 

 

Still got a fair amount of work to do, but there is still time.

Me too. With Frieri at the top and Jepsen anywhere near, I don't believe we have changed enough, yet. Like you said, there is still time left. 

[Jim]

Not sure I agree. Beltre and Darvish were great moves. But the Andrus deal looks terrible, the Kinsler deal was bad, and I think he overpaid for Choo. Plus, he dealt away a lot of the farm's talent in the Adams and Garza trades.

I agree. He, like most other GM's in his position find themselves needing to make moves out of necessity rather than desire. Some work and some don't. As the years go by and he finds himself with less to work with in the way of a stellar minor league, we'll just see how efficient he is. I saw the Berkman acquisition as the first truly desperate move he's made. Overall I think he has been a good GM for the Rangers. Although, his true test has yet to come. With a thinned out minor league system and an ever increasing payroll, we'll see how he keeps his team in contention?   

[eligrba]

Not sure I agree. Beltre and Darvish were great moves. But the Andrus deal looks terrible, the Kinsler deal was bad, and I think he overpaid for Choo. Plus, he dealt away a lot of the farm's talent in the Adams and Garza trades.

 

Good points.  I forgot about the Garza trade.  The Kinsler trade remains to be seen whether it was good or bad (money not being a consideration), and Choo is an improvement over Cruz, I think.

[tomsred]

Good points.  I forgot about the Garza trade.  The Kinsler trade remains to be seen whether it was good or bad (money not being a consideration), and Choo is an improvement over Cruz, I think.

I think his point on Choo wasn't whether he was better than Cruz, but the fact that they overpaid for him thus utilizing too much remaining salary capacity.

[Inside Pitch]

The real JD is Jon Daniels. the GM that actually runs things in Texas..

 

The real JD is from Tennessee and has nothing to do with baseball.   

Edited December 27, 2013 by Inside Pitch

[VariousCrap]

If the Angels can't sign Tanaka, they have to go for Garza.  Garza is a strong #3 and won't cost a pick.

 

If this teams #3 is Capuano, Hammel or Maholm, this team is in serious trouble.

 

Finally, if the Angels sign Garza, I'd wouldn't mind seeing them sign Maholm or Hammel to add some depth.

[Guest]

The real JD is Jon Daniels. the GM that actually runs things in Texas..

The dude pulled a Jerry D when he signed Choo.

[YouthofToday]

The classic Ron Washington YouTube video -->

If you have no idea what I'm talking about definitely watch the clip.

Edited December 28, 2013 by YouthofToday

[sneaky_flute]

Not sure I agree. Beltre and Darvish were great moves. But the Andrus deal looks terrible, the Kinsler deal was bad, and I think he overpaid for Choo. Plus, he dealt away a lot of the farm's talent in the Adams and Garza trades.

15 million for a shortstop who's expected to be a consistent 4-win player isn't terrible by any definition of the word. Andrus is a fairly uncommon case as he was approaching free agency in his mid 20s and the contract is pretty fair to both camps. 

 

Also, the talent Daniels traded for Adams and Garza consisted of potential set-up guys and back-of-the-rotation pitchers and their farm has a surplus of those types.

 

The only move of his that I consider questionable is the Adrian Gonzalez trade at the beginning of his tenure. 

[sneaky_flute]

oh and keeping Ron Washington

[Inside Pitch]

15 million for a shortstop who's expected to be a consistent 4-win player isn't terrible by any definition of the word. Andrus is a fairly uncommon case as he was approaching free agency in his mid 20s and the contract is pretty fair to both camps. 

 

Also, the talent Daniels traded for Adams and Garza consisted of potential set-up guys and back-of-the-rotation pitchers and their farm has a surplus of those types.

 

The only move of his that I consider questionable is the Adrian Gonzalez trade at the beginning of his tenure. 

 

Chris Davis for Uehera could have turned out better.   Mostly I was suprised the Rangers let him leave.  Wasn't Mike Olt part of the Garza trade?  

 

C.J Edwards isn't looking like a back of the rotation or set up guy either...  http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=edward000car

Edited December 28, 2013 by Inside Pitch

[edgur1995]

Will all of these remaining FA pitchers wait until Tanaka is signed? Or will those that decide not to put in a bid, or believe they can't compete with the big dogs regarding his contract, sign the what will be perceived as bargain pitchers like Arroyo, Maholm and Capuano in the meantime before Tanaka is signed?

 

I'm concerned that Jan. 24th is too late and many of these pitchers mentioned above, if not all, will sign with someone else before that date. There is a chance the Angels are left with nothing.

 

That's why we shouldn't wait for the fireworks and act quickly but smartly.

[edgur1995]

If the Angels can't sign Tanaka, they have to go for Garza.  Garza is a strong #3 and won't cost a pick.

 

If this teams #3 is Capuano, Hammel or Maholm, this team is in serious trouble.

 

Finally, if the Angels sign Garza, I'd wouldn't mind seeing them sign Maholm or Hammel to add some depth.

 

That's a lot of dough your talking about though. What about our bullpen?