vladdy#27

Question? Do you guys want me to post these as often as I can, preferably daily?

I like a good "fringe prospect makes good" story as much as anyone else, but I think some here have somehow managed to overhype Jose Rojas. I mean, maybe he turns into a decent platoon player, but I wouldn't expect too much. He seems on a similar level as Walsh, but without the two-way usefulness.

Cozart, Calhoun, Harvey, Allen, Cahill, maybe even Bour...it’s worth playing them out this season in the off chance you can turn them into the next Sandoval or Buttrey.  
The kids will be here by end of year. 

Great - one less game we’ll have to play without Trout, Ohtani, and Upton. 

Ward and Rengifo would still likely get the first shot since they're on the 40-man

2008-2009 kind of felt this way. We lost Guerrero, Lackey, Figgins, K-Rod, and Teixeira.
Obviously a little different and over a longer period of time. But those guys were with the Angels for a long time  Teixeira wasn’t an Angel for long but losing him still stung.  

Arte just handed out the largest contract in history to retain the best player in baseball for the rest of his career.
Anyone who calls Arte cheap from here on out is officially a dumbass.

I told my wife the same thing. We have a 4 month old and I was like he will be 12 when Trout is finishing his contract

I think Trout could actually buy the Phillies now if he wants to.

The two way player (Ohtani) rule is plain stupid and without any merit. It should not matter in the least what a player does in the field whether it is play a defensive position or pitch or both in a single game. 

I’m not interested in watching the kids play ... I’m more interested in winning. As of now I want Cozart on the field. I like Taylor Ward ... just not ready to see him as a starter. 

Shouldn’t Gott be a constant reminder of how infinity replaceable non-elite relievers are?

What makes you say that? Why would pitchers be more valuable than in years past? If anything, one could argue that pitchers are less valuable because they pitch fewer innings. I suppose the Verlanders and Scherzers of the world are even more valuable because they can still pitch 200, even 220+ innings a year. But 180 innings is the new 200. Consider:
2018: 13 pitchers with 200+ IP; leader 220.2
1998: 56 pitchers with 200+ IP: leader 268.2
So I'd say a 200-IP pitchers is more valuable, but the overall value is less--at least as a portion of a team's overall measurable contribution (e.g. WAR).
EDIT: Actually, 165 IP might be the new 200. In 2018, only 32 pitchers pitched 180+ IP,  whereas 53 pitchers surpassed 165...about the same number as pitched 200 twenty years ago.

Just noting that you go to "realistically" on Fletcher and then just list what you hope for on Ward.
And that's fine but "realistically" Ward hasn't even shown that he is good enough to be a bench guy in the majors.

Matt Palmer, 2009: 11-2, 3.93 ERA, 40 G, 13 GS with absolute garbage peripherals - 4.1 BB/9, 5.1 K/9 - yet he got shit done. 
One of the many that rose up after the Adenhart tragedy. As sad as that season was, it was one of the best Angel teams I've seen.

Item #1:
Moustakas ('15-'18) - .267/.324/.484/.808 while averaging 30 doubles, 29 HR, 42 BB, 91 strikeouts in 149 games his last 3 full seasons
Angels 3B in 2018 - .220/.278/.369/.648 with 31 doubles, 18 HR, 43 BB, 166 K

Item #2:
He's available via FA and potentially not very expensive.

Item #3:
The Angels apparently are still willing to spend, since being named finalists for Britton, and had also been connected with Josh Harrison.
Conversely, the Angels haven't been linked to him, as was the case with Harvey, Cahill, and Lucroy.

Item #4:
It moves Cozart to 2B, where he hit and fielded better last year than 3B. 
Doesn't cost any prospects and provides additional depth at 1B. 
His defense is solid and he hits well in clutch, high-lev, and RISP situations.
Also could help free up one of Ward, Rengifo, or Fletcher in a deal for relief help.

I’m going to go back to the loss of draft pick and loss of international money.  Can you imagine paying $18 million for a catcher for one year, and losing the draft pick and international money.  One year?  I would understand losing that for a longer term on a better player, but not for one year of a good but not great catcher.  

speaking of speed, Ward had the 5th fastest on the halos last year at 28.1 ft/sec.  0.3 behind Shohei and about 1 ish behind Young jr, Trout and Hermosillo (Herm was the fastest on the team at 29.3 ft/s and 23rd fastest in baseball) 
speaking of stand out abilities, damn if it ever actually clicks for Herm.   He does most of what he does on raw ability but he's got tremendous speed, very good raw power and surprisingly good plate discipline.  Dude really could turn into Aaron Hicks (a very underrated player in my book) with more speed.  Another ceiling comp I like for him is Tommy Pham.  He's a sleeper that is on the 40 man already with two more option years which would allow him to get another 1000 abs over the next couple years which I really think he needs.  I am sure he'll get some trips back and forth but my guess is that they'll keep him around long enough to see if he can turn that corner around age 26 or so (he's entering his age 24 season).  
I know he didn't look even remotely ready during his short time last year, but one thing he did do in a small sample was this vs. LHers .261/.370/.435 (only 27 PA).  You know that guy a team like the Cards call up at age 25/26 and it seems like he came out of nowhere and everyone it like 'how the hell do they do that crap'.  Herm can be one of those guys for us.  
 

Isn't that Torii Hunter Jr?

Mathis on Napoli --- this is the greatest...
 

Wonder if these mean's we be after one of Britton or Miller? we still need a lefty. 

Trout extension..... The rest would fall into place.

Seems like he would be a good fit for the bench. He has some pop, can play 1B/3B, and be the 8th man in the pen. 
And if things worked out he’d be under club control for 3 years following 2019

Scott Spiezio in Game 6 vs. SF 2002