Our Picks

Since the Winter Meetings start today, I thought it would be fun to post our predictions. They can be predictions for any team or just based off the Angels. 

Here are my winter meeting predictions:

Judge signs with a mystery team (Mets, Phillies, Braves, Houston)
Mets sign Verlander
Trea Turner signs with Phillies
Angels trade for Scott Barlow and make a decent trade for a shortstop (Joey Wendle)
Padres sign Syndergaard 
Houston signs Cody Bellinger 
Brandon Nimmo signs with Toronto

And the big surprise is that the Padres trade Tatis Jr to the Baltimore orioles for Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser and two pitching prospects. 

The Angels have made a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire Hunter Renfroe. 

 

If the answer is yes for him, what should be done with him?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/11/torii-hunter-si.html

That was such a fun and unexpected signing.  After Matthews and Steve Finley were busts we finally had our CF. Looking bad Hunter earned every cent of that contract and we should have extended him rather than being mesmerized by Hamilton. 

 

Angels acquire Gio Urshela from the Twins for Alejandro Hidalgo (DFA Diaz)

Angels sign Tyler Anderson (3 years, $39 million)

I think Wallach was one that we may have left off in discussions of possible arb-eligible guys.  I imagine they'll probably just non-tender him.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/10/mlb-projected-arbitration-salaries-2023.html

Angels (7)

Griffin Canning (3.075): $1.1MM


Luis Rengifo (3.043): $2.4MM


Jaime Barria (3.035): $1.2MM


Chad Wallach (3.030): $800K


Jared Walsh (3.010): $2.7MM


Taylor Ward (2.164): $2.9MM


Patrick Sandoval (2.149): $2.8MM

“The Los Angeles Angels will be sold for at least $3 billion, a record price for a baseball franchise, several MLB owners believe. The negotiations are brisk, and the sale is expected to be consummated within the next few months.”

https://t.co/5P4H8UtgAw

Gameday Thread: Angels @ A's (10/5/22 1pm Pacific): Ohtani on the mound to wrap up the season

Gameday Thread: Angels @ A's (10/3/22): Sandoval on the mound, Rendon at 3B, hitting 5th

Gameday Thread: Rangers @ Angels (9/30/22): Detmers on the mound, O'Hoppe catching

Here's a fun one.  

In 154 games this season, at the end of the 5th inning, the Angels have been leading 68 times, tied 24 times and behind 62 times. 

ahead, tied, behind at the end of the inning.  

5th - 68, 24, 62
6th - 70, 15, 69
7th - 65, 19, 70
8th - 63, 15, 76
9th - 61, 13, 80

So a net of 18 losses when ahead or tied after 5 innings.  -7 from the end of the 5th to the end of the 6th.    

Anyone want to join my pen depth campaign?  

An above average offensive team will get about 6200 plate appearances per year.  

I don't know the major league avg for the top 9 PA's so I'll use the halos for the last few years because it's applicable at least in part as to how injuries, days off and performance will impact that average.  

For the last 5 years it's about 450 PA per player.  Or about 4000 PA total.  

Which means that about 1/3rd of your PA come from players that aren't in your starting 9.  

That's 2000 PA.  Or lets call it 5 players averaging 400 PA each.  

Even if you have a very unusual season where all 9 of your starters don't lose at bats due to poor performance and very little due to injury and occasional days off, you're talking about probably around 1200 PA.  So even in an ideal situation you're still gonna have 3 guys getting 400 PA.  

So we're going to go into the off season and potentially into 2023 with question marks in LF, 1b, 2b, SS, 3b, and C.  

I don't think it's fair to compare the Angels to monster payroll teams like the Yanks, Dogs or Mets in terms of how they're able to create depth.  

But Atlanta might be a good comp assuming a reasonably healthy Rendon next year and if so, Trout, Ohtani and Ward combine to cancel out their top four of Swanson, Riley, d'Arnaud, and Harris.  They combined for about 20 WAR.  I think our top 4 can do that.  And even if the Halos top four don't quite get there, it's less important for what I'm trying to show here.  Because, let's be honest.  If injuries, or poor performance keep that from happening (again) the offense really only has a chance of being solid at best and probably about average.  

But let's look at the rest.  

Outside of their top 4 for WAR, they had 10 other guys with 140 or more at bats.  Those 10 guys accumulated 8.5 WAR.  The remaining 292 PA came from 9 guys for a total of -1.5 WAR.  

Gameday Thread: A's @ Angels (9/28/22): Lorenzen on the mound, O'Hoppe catching, hitting 8th

GameDay Thread: Angels @ Twins (9/25/22 11am Pacific): Suarez on the mound, Thaiss at 1B

Coming into the season all the talk was on Marsh and Adell.  But it was Rengifo who developed into a huge asset.   Capable of fielding 3 infield positions at a major league level, it was his production at the plate becoming the most pleasent surprise.   Looking forward to watching this man over the next years.

There's no excuse not to watch and follow along unless you have plans tonight guys and gals. The game is free on MILB.tv.

Details:

 

The game is FREE on MILB.tv tonight. 


Here's the link: https://www.milb.com/live-stream-games/2022/09/22/aa/all/all

Even though the offense was fairly putrid this year, I feel like I can see a path to improvement for 2023.  It's gonna take some work for sure, but for whatever reason, I feel like it will get addressed appropriately.  

The bullpen on the other hand...

Not only has it been a hot mess for two years in a row, I am having a hard time visualizing how much it improves from this year to next.  I know we've got a few guys in the minors that will be here soon, but are they really ready to contribute at a high level from the start of next season?  

Tepera isn't very good.  Nor is Loup.  Hoping that both just suffered from typical reliever volatility and will be better next year.  Because we know they're going to be given a shot to redeem and they are unlikely to be traded considering their performances and salaries.  

Quijada is solid.  But this was a break out year and he's not exactly a guy I'm super comfortable with handing closer duties to for next year.  

Herget will likely be here again but it would surprise me if he produces at the level he did this year.  

Wantz?  maybe as a mop up guy at best

Warren?  I thought he would progress to a solid 6th/7th type but his short stint this year was ugly and his peripherals in AAA aren't good.  

Ortega?  Another guy I'm not sure I trust.  

Barria is fine as a swing guy or multi inning guy if someone leaves early for whatever reason but again.  not a guy I would consider for the late innings.  

That's maybe 4 or 5 kind of ok arms with a lot of questions otherwise and even the ok guys could turn into questions pretty quick.  

I seriously doubt that we spend on relievers again.  That was a disaster.  

So do we cross our fingers on guys currently in AA or pickups from the scrap heap or guys recovering from injury?  

I think this is going to be Minasian's toughest task this winter.  Piecing together a capable bullpen because that's about the best I see it being next year is capable.  

 

Gameday Thread: Mariners @ Angels (9/19/22 1pm): Suarez on the mound, no Trout

Gameday Thread: Mariners @ Angels (9/16/22): Lorenzen on the mound, Stefanic at 2B

Not "news" to anyone here, really, but a nice, detailed write-up about Sandoval, Detmers, and Suarez. 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/09/angels-pitchers-breakouts-reid-detmers-patrick-sandoval.html

 

Thur Sept 15

LA Chargers @ Kansas City

Sun Sept 18

Cincinnati @ Dallas

Miami @ Baltimore

NY Jets @ Cleveland

Houston @ Denver

Washington @ Detroit

Chicago @ Green Bay

Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

Atlanta @ LA Rams

Arizona @ Las Vegas

New England @ Pittsburgh

Carolina @ NY Giants

Seattle @ San Francisco

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

Monday Sept 19

Tennessee +9.5 @ Buffalo -9.5

Minnesota +1.5 @ Phidelphia -1.5

Two bonus games this week

Here are the week 1 results:

 

Gameday Thread: Angels @ Guardians (9/14/22 10am Pacific): Sandoval on the mound, Fletcher at SS

Gameday Thread: Angels @ Guardians (9/12/22 3pm Pacific): Detmers on the mound, still no Fletcher