vladdy#27

Cody Bellinger had 22 DRS in 2019 in the outfield, that was tied for 2nd in all of baseball. His UZR was 10.3, good for 4th in all of baseball. So safe to assume he was one of the best defensive outfielders in all of baseball last year. The Dodgers still had him start 28 games at 1B 
In 2018 he started 85 games at 1B and only 50 in the OF
In 2017 he started 83 games at 1B and only 43 in the OF
Marsh isn't Cody Bellinger. If he can learn to play first and that gets him into the lineup in 2020 and allows flexibility going forward then that is great considering we have Trout, Upton, Adell, and Adams not too far behind. 

Cody Bellinger had 22 DRS in 2019 in the outfield, that was tied for 2nd in all of baseball. His UZR was 10.3, good for 4th in all of baseball. So safe to assume he was one of the best defensive outfielders in all of baseball last year. The Dodgers still had him start 28 games at 1B 
In 2018 he started 85 games at 1B and only 50 in the OF
In 2017 he started 83 games at 1B and only 43 in the OF
Marsh isn't Cody Bellinger. If he can learn to play first and that gets him into the lineup in 2020 and allows flexibility going forward then that is great considering we have Trout, Upton, Adell, and Adams not too far behind. 

You know, if you asked me for a perfect scenario before the start of the 2017 world series, this would probably be it.
 
Astros v Dodgers, they go back and forth throughout, then the dodgers lose in heartbreaking fashion and the Astros are later revealed to have cheated and they get harsh penalties for doing so.
 
Perfect.

The Brewers. That one game they win is the wild card game because there isn’t a 3 run error in right. Strasburg doesn’t opt out and completely reset the pitching market. Astros win the WS so Cole doesn’t care about winning as much. The Angels sign Cole for 7/$245

And Roberts will mismanage them in the playoffs and lose.

Outbid on Cole, Strasburg never seemed likely to leave Washington, Wheeler wanted time stay East, Bumgarner wanted to play in Arizona, and Ryu needed four years which is reckless. And Odorizzi took the QO.

Keuchel.
A 1 year contract to Teheran shouldn’t change anyone’s approach 

Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran quality starts total in 2019 - 25
total for the Angels in 2019?  22

https://www.mlb.com/news/prospects-ready-for-big-seasons

https://www.mlb.com/news/prospects-ready-for-big-seasons

https://www.mlb.com/news/prospects-ready-for-big-seasons

Something I have thought of is signing one starting pitcher now and evaluating where we are at.
We need a lot to go right in our rotation to have a shot.
Ohtani starting 20+ games (assuming he's on an innings limit)
Heaney starting 25+ games and pitching like he did in 2018
Bundy hopefully improving on his 2019 numbers
Canning starting 25+ games
Whatever free agent pitcher we sign pitching to their potential
If 3 or 4 of these things don't happen and we end up having Sandoval/Saurez/Barria/Peters start 50-60+ games it likely wouldn't have mattered if we signed or traded for another guy. But let's say 4 of these things do happen. We can then trade for a starting pitcher that will solve the 5th spot. 
If we sign or make a trade now and 3 or 4 of these things end up not happening it's basically wasting money/prospects.
Head into the season with
Ryu/Bumgarner/Keuchel
Ohtani
Heaney
Canning
Bundy
Or if adding 2 guys is necessary sign one of the cheaper guys you mentioned Wood/Miley/Teheran and have Canning start the year in Triple-A (probably the route I would go)

I understand that is what the book recommends but that was my point about defining a good hitter versus your best hitter and what that gap is between the two in performance.
When you run the math on it, there is a compelling case that putting two excellent on-base guys in front of Trout might be the optimal way to go rather than a general scenario that The Book recommends in more "normal" situations.
Sa you have a lead-off guy who gets on-base at a 35% clip. Then you have a 2nd batter that gets on-base at a 40% clip, then you have Trout at a 48% clip.
By the time it gets to Mike it is one of four general scenarios:
#1 and #2 both on-base: 14%
#1 on-base, #2 out: 21%
#2 on-base, #1 out: 26%
#1 and #2 both out: 39%
So what this is saying is that 61% of the time there will be another man on-base when Trout steps up to the plate. Now could you just have the #2 hitter bat 1st and then Trout 2nd? Sure that is acceptable too but that 40% on-base guy will only be on-base 40% of the time in front of Trout hitting out of the two-hole. Personally, I want Trout up in more RBI rich situations so there is a case to be made for #2, #3, or even #4 in the lineup but the former two get Mike more at-bats.
Just something to think about. We are talking high quality hitters here so it changes the calculus a bit from the standard.

I think we could see La Stella bat leadoff vs R.
I think we could see La Stella at 1B sometimes.
I think we could see Fletcher bat leadoff vs L.
I think we could see Fletcher in the OF sometimes.
I think we could see Pujols play more vs L.
I think we could see Ohtani bat more vs R.

Lineup to start the year
2B Fletcher
CF Trout
3B Rendon
DH Ohtani
LF Upton
SS Simmons
1B Pujols
RF Goodwin
C Castro/Maldonado

Lineup by the end of the year
RF Adell
CF Trout
3B Rendon
DH Ohtani
LF Upton
SS Simmons
1B La Stella
C Castro/Maldonado
2B Fletcher
 

I can’t imagine Trout and Rendon aren’t hitting back to back

The way I look at it, the Angels traded Cozart and a first round pick for 7 years of Rendon and a 25 year old pitcher.

I think Trout should be in the 2 spot and Rendon protecting him. That seems optimal. 

if we had signed Eovaldi instead of Harvey last year, we'd probably be one and done with Rendon and Nate would be our #3 starter.  

harvey's not even a bad signing. one year deal that didn't work out. those are the kind of deals they should have been doing more of. if they perform well, and you're out of it, then you can dump him off to a playoff team for a nice prospect.
harvey had the high ceiling potential to do well. cahill was the shit show because his ceiling was very low.

I wouldn't want to give up Marsh considering Kluber was injured all of next year and going into his age 34 season. 
He's owed 17.5M in 20 and a team option at 18M in 21
If we're trading Marsh it needs to be for somebody with 3+ years of control. 

I wouldn't want to give up Marsh considering Kluber was injured all of next year and going into his age 34 season. 
He's owed 17.5M in 20 and a team option at 18M in 21
If we're trading Marsh it needs to be for somebody with 3+ years of control.