wopphil

I truly don't understand why this system exists.  It makes no sense whatsoever, and serves only to punish teams for signing free agents and players for rejecting a qualifying offer.  Who benefits from this system?  Why not just give the team that loses the player a compensatory, sandwich pick, without making the signing team forfeit a pick. 
 
Makes zero sense. 

Nice if Trout gets it ... but the price of doing business will greatly increase with the award.

I think the team should expand the search beyond arms and consider targeting a young, bona fide third-baseman.  Perhaps a third-baseman and a guy who can slot into the pen.   

I would consider trading him for Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez and Rosenthal.  Anything short of that, and no deal. 

A package of Zach Lee, Joc Pederson or Seager would be much more appealing than Trumbo and Kendrick. I think the Dodgers have the advantage on this one

I'm calling buyer beware on David Price right now. 

I think one thing is clear: we have some very good trade chips in Aybar, Kendrick, Ianetta, Bourjos and Trumbo. We ought to be able to get some pitching talent in exchange for some of those guys.

Napoli wouldn't come back to the Angels at this point in his career.  Scioscia places a great emphasis on the relationship between his pitchers and catchers and he and Dipoto were both able to agree that Mathis' bat wasn't cutting it and that Chris Iannetta was a good option. 
 
Dipoto and Scioscia are still capable of working together and finding a common medium, and perhaps Brian McCann could be that guy, but the Angels catching really isn't the problem, so it wouldn't be in their Angels best interest to lose focus on what their true needs are. 
 
They need pitching, young, controllable pitching and depth in the rotation.  You'd think that Ubaldo Jimenez would be part of that solution but that would be oversimplifying the issue.  The Angels are looking to remain under the salary tax this year, which opens up more funds next year and allows them more breathing room (the tax line will be increasing in 2015 as well).  They may make one or two signings tops, but I wouldn't expect these acquisitions to cumulatively add up over 10 million.  This means a bullpen arm is likely as well as a lower tier SP like Phil Hughes. 
 
As for the young SP depth they so desperately seek, I think Dipoto will show his true colors.  He's always been a high OBP and defense oriented scout/GM.  He'll take full advantage of the market emphasis on power hitters.  There aren't enough proven middle of the order hitters available this winter.  He's almost guaranteed to trade Mark Trumbo. 
 
He won't trade Bourjos because his value is too low and whatever pitching staff he assembles is going to need all the defense it can get, either from him or Calhoun (or both assuming there's a time-share). 

I doubt his bat. I don't like his swing. He gets no leverage with it, he won't consistently drive the ball. He would be a serious downgrade from Howie. And I put his chances of becoming even a part time 3b at less than 10%. There was a reason Beane traded him and I saw it last season.

It's a day Ralston Schmidt will never forget.

I'd actually consider Trumbo for Cishek and a starting pitcher prospect.

I'd still trade Aybar over Howie.  People aren't going to like Green.  Just a feeling.  Downgrade from Howie to Green is greater than the downgrade from Aybar to a util guy imo.  I know I'm in the minority on this but I wouldn't trade howie till Lindsey is ready.  I also think Aybar gets you more in trade than Howie. 
 
Tremendous defenders at SS have the opportunity to make up for offense because of the number of chances they get.  Brendan Ryan was a 3.5 WAR player for 4 years because of his defense.  Romine could be that guy. 

The best part of getting Santana for five years and $75 million is watching AO go apeshit crazy about it every other year.

I'm not buying it. It's probably a mix of a hot streak and tired young pitchers trying out new things/fixing bad habits

Well, at this point my guess would be that it's a combination of the hip condition and such, which has limited him strictly to 1B/DH this year.
 
And even if he is physically capable of catching every once in a while, I'm not sure you would want to throw him back there for the first time all season in the World Series.

Amazing to think how much better off we would be if we had never made the Harden trade. Our rotation would be set (and relatively cheap), we wouldn't have to be preparing to trade Kendrick, Aybar, Trumbo and/or Ianetta, and we would have plenty of money to throw at the pen. All while staying under the cap. That trade might literally end up setting the franchise back five years.

Amazing to think how much better off we would be if we had never made the Harden trade. Our rotation would be set (and relatively cheap), we wouldn't have to be preparing to trade Kendrick, Aybar, Trumbo and/or Ianetta, and we would have plenty of money to throw at the pen. All while staying under the cap. That trade might literally end up setting the franchise back five years.

I leave jury duty to those who get paid by their employer to be there.

I've tested them for close to 15 years.

I've been pulled for Jury Duty only one time where I actually had to go down to the courthouse.
 
When the defense attorney asked me my profession, I said Poker Player. When he asked me if I could spot tells (body language) I responded that the tongue jut he just gave at the conclusion of his question told me that he had already made up his mind to excuse me, he was just looking for the reason to be able to. He turned to the judge asked for me to be dismissed and the judge approved it among a courtroom full of chuckling.
 
I haven't been asked back since.

Amazing to think how much better off we would be if we had never made the Harden trade. Our rotation would be set (and relatively cheap), we wouldn't have to be preparing to trade Kendrick, Aybar, Trumbo and/or Ianetta, and we would have plenty of money to throw at the pen. All while staying under the cap. That trade might literally end up setting the franchise back five years.

In your guys' dreams.  They are laughing their asses off that we are stuck holding the bag.
 
They got to date and bang the hot chick for years, for free.  We married her after her looks faded and ass got big.  And now, they're banging even more hot chicks.  And we're stuck home every fall paying for her shopping trips and steroid lawsuits.

Does he feel bad for you when you have a rough day at work? And have you made $150 mil over your life? Feel bad for orphaned children, not rich athletes.

Technically, the last catcher the Angels traded was actually Chris Snyder, btw.

The Cards organization is run better than any team in baseball. And like someone else said, they are in a position to be very good for the indefinite future.