rafibomb

If Jerry is smart he would have learned his lesson with Ray and not sign Snell 

https://twitter.com/JimBowdenGM/status/1743327841217909129?t=wmPpFCvoY4PhgqRI8J4zmQ&s=19      

Nice job @Angelsjunky.  I like optimism season.  
Just want to point out where a lot of ground gets made up.  Lamb, Fletcher, Okey, Soto, Grichuk, Velazquez, Padlo, Phillips, Paris, Cron, Cabbage, Moustakas, Walsh, Adams and Escobar.  
1297 PA  and -5.0 WAR.  
Number of PA from guys still on the roster that could contribute
3517 PA and 12.9 WAR.  (.0036679 WAR per PA)
So that's 21% of the team's PA being dreadfully awful.  
That WAR rate per PA is actually pretty reasonable if they add some additional depth AND we don't get ravaged by injuries again.  But let's drop the additional decimal places and call it .003/PA which is a shade under a 2 WAR player for a full season.  
6200 PA - 3500 PA = 2700 PA x .003 = 8.1 WAR.  
So with some health and savvy depth moves, a 21 WAR offense.  Which would have ranked 12th in 2023.  And that's not assuming a ton of improvement from the young guys.  Essentially, the guys currently on the team have worked at that pace when out there.  They just need to be out there.  
It's better than I expected and I would like to direct everyone to the Minnesota Twins of 2023 as a comp.  Not a single player with a WAR in the 3's, and 15 guys with a WAR above 0.7.  Overall they were the 10th best for position players.  

Evidence:

The 2002 had no real superstars - just a bunch of good players - guys from solid regulars to borderline stars. Note the lack of "black holes"....just Nieves and Fabregas were significantly below replacement level, and they only contributed 196 PA, or a total of -1.3 negative WAR from 215 PA. Compare that to some of the recent teams: In 2023 the Angels got -5.0 WAR from about 1100 PA worth of players; or in 2022, it was even worse: -7.1 WAR from about 2,000 PA. That means about a third of PA were from below replacement performers.
 
 

I like it AJ, my opinion of your predictions kind of falls in line with @BTH’s post.  All of those players are capable of doing that, but for all of them to do that will be challenging.  None of those numbers look unrealistic, except maybe Rendon or Adell. The offense is still lacking a power bat to put up there with Trout.  I hope it can be Adell.  As for Steamer, I can’t imagine looking at O’Hoppe  or Schanuel and think they are sub 2 WAR guys, same with Drury.  If Rengifo puts up a year like you are projecting AJ, maybe that will shut up his haters once and for all.  Guys like him, Ward and Sandoval are the whipping boys of our fanbase on Social Media.  

Man I was really hoping at least one of those international guys would have truly broken out last year.

Man I was really hoping at least one of those international guys would have truly broken out last year.

Japanese Ben Joyce?
On December 26, Tohoku Fukushi University's right-handed pitcher Keita Horikoshi (20) hit a speed gun of 101.9mph. On this day, his 15 pitches were over 99.4 mph.
(Reference in Japanese) Sponichi Annex on December 27, 2023

I hope you all are having a wonderful time with either friends or family. 
What did you all get for Christmas?
What are y’all cooking for this special holiday? 
I got really good seats to the Titans vs Seahawks game yesterday and some clothes, jackets and other cool shit.
Yesterday I served up my grandma Picini’s homemade marinara sauce with homemade meatballs & Italian sausage. A nice antipasto salad as well. Today I’m cooking a prime rib.

Lots of teams have won the WS without Ohtani. So can the Angels.
 

Dylan Hernandez is a troll
 

Imanaga's team, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars (NPB), won the league championship last time was in 1998. When Imanaga became a free agent, he had talked many times to a senior player in college who is currently on the same team, "I regret not being able to clinch the pennant."
(Reference in Japanese) Full Count on December 11, 2023
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The NPB playoffs, which determine the right to participate in the Japan Series, are held in two stages. This 2023 year, the BayStars advanced to the playoffs with the league's third-best, but were eliminated in the first stage without a win. Imanaga pitched in one game as a starting pitcher, but got a no-decision. Bauer's inability to participate in the game due to injury was also a factor in the loss.
He probably wants to go to a team that can at least make the playoffs. So if negotiating with him, they will need to explain that they will become well-positioned to compete in the postseason over the next few years.
 

Least annoying bit of Angels related info today.  The news Perry was wanting or willing to trade was worse.

We couldn't win with Ohtani on a cheap contract. We weren't winning with him on the contract the Dodgers gave him.

We couldn't win with Ohtani on a cheap contract. We weren't winning with him on the contract the Dodgers gave him.

We couldn't win with Ohtani on a cheap contract. We weren't winning with him on the contract the Dodgers gave him.

Risky move for the Dodgers. If the Angels made this move Glasnow wouldn't make it past year one without another injury or huge regression.

Risky move for the Dodgers. If the Angels made this move Glasnow wouldn't make it past year one without another injury or huge regression.

Yamamoto will be a Dodger as well. 

Risky move for the Dodgers. If the Angels made this move Glasnow wouldn't make it past year one without another injury or huge regression.

How great would it be if the Dodgers don’t win it all and then Dodger fans will be bitter as the team spends $68 million each year after he retires. 

@Docwaukee told us this right after the signing. He is vindicated.

Remember when one of the greatest players of all time reached free agency and left his team to sign the biggest contract in baseball history? 
I'm talking about ARod in December 2000. 
The Mariners won 116 games the next season. 
Do I think the Angels are going to win 116 next season? 
Yes, obviously. 
Just kidding. 
But my point is: None of us know what is going to happen. 
I remember when the Angels finished the 2001 season losing 18 of their final 20 and I thought This team will never win a championship. 
And I remember 12 years and one day ago when the Angels signed Pujols and CJ Wilson on the same day and I thought This guarantees at least one World Series appearance in the next three years. 
None of us know what is going to happen. 
Except maybe Lou. 
I miss that guy on days like today.