Troutstanding

What is sad about that? .285 AVG with RISP is perfectly good.

Scioscia has said he won't have a pitcher who goes only at home due to the issues it would present to the other starters.

Trout

Dodgers being NL will want to have their pitcher getting AB's while Angels in AL wouldn't want that.

Nice read. I couldn't say if there's a whole lot to garner from the information posed as of course you could take any two things or two seasons and find all sorts of similarities. Nonetheless I'm definitely more optimistic about the Angels 2016 than before Spring Training started and this article does a good job putting it into words while trying to remain cautious and fair to some serious question marks.

Tell that to yourself.

Yup, it was Mike Trout's absolutely horrendous August that caused us to not win the World Series in 2015. Can you believe it? His OPS+ was only 91! 91! That's like... 10% below the average... 10%!!! We never should have signed that guy... /s

"If Escobar hits first, the Angels will still likely need to find another hitter to bat second, because Scioscia said Trout is going to hit third. Last year he bounced him between second and third." Sigh

Off topic I know... but Trout should bat second, not third...

As far as I know, Cespedes is considered to be a team friendly guy, well-liked by teammates and coaches. I could be wrong. Cespesdes has some red flags but neither of which pertain to clubhouse chemistry or his arm.

Upton > Cespedes....

All FA acquisitions carry some degree of risk. Some carry more than others. Hamilton risk > Upton risk, by a lot.

Except Hamilton was riddled in red flags and Upton isn't.

It's hard to say since he's only had two full seasons... But with his age, upside, high floor, defensive ability, the fact that he's ginger... I'd say something like 5/100.

In my opinion your outlook only makes sense if Simmons is a FA after 2016. The upgrade defensively is much more pronounced at SS than 3B, also.

If that were the case, we would have.

Who is that one guy? Simmons?

Not sure if you're overvaluing Santiago or undervaluing Solor/Baez... Santiago is barely a starting point.

I'm aware he has opt out clauses. He does not however have more than three years guaranteed money at $25m/year as an 'elite' player would.

Elite players get $25m for many more than three years.

It's December 11th... Jesus Christ.

I would finish off my line up the same way as yours.

In the first inning and any time there is less than two outs, the clean up hitter will have a chance to bring in Trout (and/or Escobar) anyway... unless Pujols GIDP, which admittedly is a real possibility. I think by batting Upton 3 and Pujols 4 you would be taking away RBI and lead off chances from Upton and giving them to Pujols. I'd rather not have Pujols (atrocious with RISP and terrible OBP last season) with those things. I do understand the appeal of splitting up Trout and Pujols but I don't think it would be more effective than having the spots filled by who are IMO new-textbook appropriate players for the spots.

What makes more sense to me would be to do: Escobar Trout Pujols Upton (For the purposes of having Trout and Upton 2 and 4 respectively, not to bat Albert 3rd)

It's my first year following the Angels with Billy Eppler as GM.