TroutAdell

If you have to add at least 3-5 pitchers for 2019 you can’t afford to sign a guy who won’t be available for the season (maybe September). We know that Arte won’t go over the luxury tax limit. Besides, with the hard sinker and hard slider delivered with a fairly violent motion Richards will be more prone to injury.

Detroit was entering a rebuild and were looking to unload Verlander’s contract. The Mets have no reason to trade DeGrom unless they are overwhelmed by an offer. Other teams can offer way more than the Angels. What happens after 2019 when Degrom could walk after 2020. At that point you are in a position to have to trade him if he doesn’t agree to an extension. I think he would be a great pickup but only if you could extend him for 3-4 years.

The problems with the pen and the rotation can be directly tied to the lack of pitching prospects in the upper minors. Eppler has to pluck his pen pieces from the waiver wire instead of AAA. Every time a starter goes down, which is often, he has to reach for DFAs or pen guys to start. Luckily, there now seems to be a good group of arms in the lower minors. 2019 will probably be another .500 team but maybe by 2020 the farm will finally be ready to contribute on the mound. As for the everyday lineup Eppler reached for Cozart thinking that his career year at age 32 could be sustained and the that Kinsler’s downward trend was just a fluke. The teams that are successful build from within and are younger than what the Angels put out this year. As it stands the Angels are quite a ways behind the Astros, Red Sox and Yanks. Cleveland and Seattle, not to mention the A’s are all better at the moment. This will take more than one offseason to right the ship. Arte and Eppler must start by talking Albert into retirement. Go all in on Machado but stay away from the expensive pitching market and hope for a healthy 2019.

Don’t bring back Nagy or the current training staff. I am tired of the muscle injuries and a constant need for TJ surgery. A new manager will want to hire his own coaches especially the pitching coach. I think that Eppler will go with Girardi.

Certainly not your average 19 year old. He has the makeup and desire to be a great one. All Angels fans should be excited to see his progress.

All these injuries to the pitching staff falls to the pitching coaches and the training staff. Hopefully a mew manager next season will bring these changes.

I have no doubt the there are serious concerns with training staff and overall pitching instruction throughout the organization. All the injuries to pitchers would preclude me from signing any pitcher for more than three years.

Very hard to win when the late innings pen guys are totally unreliable and also the offense being Trout, Simmons and seven outs. This team is several players away from being a contender at the moment. Eppler needs to change his strategy on putting together a bullpen and stop signing older plugin types.

This team goes only as far as Trout can take them, the rest of the lineup is “dead from the feet up”( Simba is an exception). It is time to start preparing for 2019 and jettison Kinsler, Valbuena, Young, and just about the entire pitching staff. It is also obvious that Scioscia has lost the team. Eppler better start looking for a new training staff. This many players on the DL is ridiculous.

Time for Heaney to hit the DL and time to take a serious look at the pitching coach and the training staff.

Alex Johnson Chico Ruiz Rick Miller- an amazing defensive CF Rance Mullinex

I have to give the Blue Jay credit for attacking Trout with high fastballs. This should be every team’s method until he makes adjustments. Of course, Trouty will make the adjustments.

Putting together a solid bullpen may be one of the hardest jobs in baseball. Colorado spent huge money on their pen in the offseason and it has been mediocre at best. The Cubs and Indians have had awful bullpens this season. The other issue is that very few relievers are reliable from year to yesr. The Angels need to commit to developing late inning guys in the lower minors. Hopefully, next season will bring better results. I, for one, don’t want Eppler to trade any top 20 prospects for pen arms unless they are young and controllable.

My guess that any long term contract with Trout will have an opt out clause after two or three years. This gives Trout the chance to see the progress of the team and organization. If he feels there is no way to compete for the WS he will certainly opt out.

Scioscia is a big problem when it comes to playing young players. His insistence on platooning and choosing veterans over potential have been a problem for several years now. By the ASG the Angels will be out of it for this season. There should be ample playing time for Fletcher, Thaiss, Ward and Fernandez but no way that Sciocsia goes for it. Eppler needs to take control of the roster and insist on playing young guys to see who can fit in the club’s future plans.

Is it an organizational problem that everyone of these pen players coming up can’t throw strikes? Something is amiss here

He could have 600 at bats and he still would not hit MLB pitching. His bat wrapped around his head with the end pointing to the pitcher creates the longest swing I can remember. He is no Julio Franco or even Francisco Franco. Dump him!

This is inevitable for someone who throws so many splitters. Add to that the sharp slider and high 90s fastball and the torque on his elbow is outrageous. At worst he can be a huge asset as a DH this season and beyond

I don’t understand the love for Blash. He has such a long swing that he will not hit a decent fastball. Can’t get behind him being on the roster. He will be a career AAA.

What has Cowart done to be kept on the 40 man roster? He has had plenty of opportunities to show something and has failed every time. It has been no secret that this team lacks quality depth, I can’t remember the last time it did. Valbuena, Marte, and Young are all expendable immediately. I am not particularly excited by Blash. He has an extremely long swing and was unable to catchup to high fastballs when he was. Hermosillo is fine as a fourth outfielder. Calhoun will get more chances because of his contract and Scoscia playing his favorites. I don’t think trading prospects to chase a one game playoof against the Yankees or Red Sox is prudent at this time. Wait until the offseason.

This tram has too many holes to contend unless Upton, Pujols, Cozart Ohtani start to hit. The offense has been horrendous outside Trout and Simmons. The pen is awful in high leverage situations and Scoscia has no ability to motivate this squad. Trading young talent for an outside chance of playing the Yankees or Red Sox in a one game playoff doesn’t warrant trading the best prospects now.

How about just Bad rosian?

It is too early in the season to predict the final record. There is a better than even chance that some starting pitchers will suffer injuries. Anyvextended DL stint eould be costly considering the lack of depth now. Now, if everyone is healthy I think 88-74 is about right.

Stealing bases takes a lot of toll on the body. He is way too valuable to risk another injury to his hands or a strained hammy. However, he should pick his spots and steal when it is really necessary.

The starters have been solid since the Yanks left town but still need more length from them. 5-6 innings from starters puts too much pressure on the pen.