Sherlock31

The win total doesn't mean anything if you do not win the ws, the 2001 Mariners which won 116 games and then choked in the alcs.....
That 2002-2004 Yankees didn't win any ws..
The 2010-2014 Giants they didn't win 100 games but they were considered a dynasty, because they won three ws.
This Astros team is very good but to be consider a dynasty they need to win more than one ws.
 

Jeff sorry I disagree, if my team went 13-33 for their last 46 games, of course I'd want to know if they still care or not....

What offense are you talking about? 
No Trout, no Ohtani, no Upton, No La stalla, that's like 70% of the offense were missing...

Oh F*ck yeah 2011 we got Borenstein that year

While I'm still tepidly optimistic about next year, this really does feel like a low point for the team. A really depressing year, strange because it started with Trout getting that contract.
Still, not as bad as the last two months of 1995. 

I'd rather win 1 WS in 3 years than 100 wins for 3 consecutive years and 0 WS.

The win total doesn't mean anything if you do not win the ws, the 2001 Mariners which won 116 games and then choked in the alcs.....
That 2002-2004 Yankees didn't win any ws..
The 2010-2014 Giants they didn't win 100 games but they were considered a dynasty, because they won three ws.
This Astros team is very good but to be consider a dynasty they need to win more than one ws.
 

We'll need to allocate those funds toward pitching. Look at the Giants run in the post season. Three world series victories in five years, and for the most part, their offense had a couple good guys then a collective group of role players that came up with timely hits.
If your pitching is good enough, that's all you need.
So if there is money left over, and someone solid falls into our lap, then sure. But other than that, wait for Adell and Marsh. They're going to be extremely good. And Rengifo will be even better, as Will Thaiss. And La Stella will be healthy. His performance didn't seem overly fluky to me. He's never done that before but it's not like he was bad before either. Simply put, he was given an everyday shot, the right field fence is short, he elevated the ball and the new baseball flies. It's a perfect storm of production and I don't see any reason why it can't continue. And hopefully Upton will be healthy too.
I like the offensive outlook moving forward. The Angels have very promising bats moving through the system. But not really the arms, beyond Soriano, Rodriguez and Kochanowicz.

If Ohtani recovers from TJ surgery to the condition he was in on his first 2 starts against the A's last season. He will be a #2 starter as long as we sign someone like Cole to the Ace position. He has the potential to be an Ace sown the road, but it would great to remove some of the pressure from him with a proven Ace in the mean time.

What we have been told by Fletcher is that it's not the average annual salary it's the actual salary for the year. If I was a betting man I would say that the salary we have typically stayed around lately is the max for Arte. Until that changes I don't see him going above it much if at all. 

That stuff is legit. As others have said, his command will determine if he's a 4 starter/reliever or a #1.

This is why you pay your agent big money, so they can teach you how to get out of the jail free of charge.....

I really don’t think any of that was in his contract. Everything he did fell under the terms of the MLB drug program, which followed him no matter where he signed. 
He was subject to a lot more testing because of his past offenses and if he failed a test he was subject to harsher penalties, which included loss of salary. 
The loophole was if he used drugs and admitted it, without failing a test, there were no penalties, but that was a loophole in the MLB drug program. It had nothing to do with the Angels. They had no power to add their own restrictions on to the MLB rules. 

Hi,
I have been reading this board multiple times daily for years.  I really want to express thanks to the many long-time contributors; particlary Doc, Second, TPod, and the many more who offer the routine contributions on the state of the farm; I have no other trusted source.
I have chose to write for the first time in many years because I quite simply don't understand the "Cole or nothing" mantra that appears to have  become etched in stone.  Let me start by saying that I agree that if we were to draw it up, Cole is at the top of the list.  The reasons have been discussed ad nauseum.  And I agree with most we need a 3/4 innings eater "in addition to Cole."
All of that said, I suggest we pump the brakes.  I get the whole "local connection," White, Sassi, etc.  But lest we need to be reminded he is a Boras Client.  If we know anything about Boras, we know he's going to holdout until very late in the process and likely take the largest offer regardless of location.  This leave Eppler, who I admire but also understand currently has one year to prove himself, in a very difficult spot.
Does he "plan" on acquiring Cole and proceed by adding that 3/4 starter, only to potentially be left out of the other top players available via FA or trade?  Or does he make a "best offer" and proceed with a secondary plan unwilling to wait around?
As a Laker fan and recently impacted by the KL debacle, I can fully understand why he would move on despite my desire to roll-the-dice and put us in contention in the most obvious way possible.
Am I wrong for feeling it's not a "Cole or bust" offseason?  Are people truly of the mindset our '20 season rests largely on attaining Cole?
Mike
 
 

I'm okay with giving him one more offseason, but if you have a repeat of this past offseason, he needs to go. The results this year are not in line with where we should be in our "rebuild" process to me. 
If it doesn't start to turn around by year 5 of his rebuild, then it's time to go.

I’m at 60% and 1 more year with out playoffs. We have trout ohtani and this is his complete team we need to be making the playoffs for him to continue this process. It can’t be year 6 and still haven’t sniffed the playoffs.  

Where's the 0 years option?

Very good analysis, AJ.
Too bad the usual dickwads had to show up. 

With all due respect, Eppler's "kind of guys" have sucked balls this year.
Ok, perhaps that wasn't very respectful.

Do you know why we went through another year of prime Trout without a playoff appearance? Because our farm system was empty 3 years ago. That isn't Eppler's fault. 
Contenders are built through the farm. You cannot buy a successful team. If you try, you'll spend a lot of money on has been's and your team will still suck. We tried this in 2012 and 2013. It didn't work. At least, though, in those years, we were in position to contend. Right now we are not quite there.
I don't have the stomach to go all in right now when we aren't quite ready to contend. We'd be paying top prices for an extra few months of pitchers who aren't going to help us win this year (we aren't making the playoffs this season). 
 
Also, can we get over this "We need to outbid the Dodgers and Yankees". When is the last time you saw either of them go big on a free agent? Seriously. If you follow news reports, both of them have been tight on what they're willing to spend. Given that the Sox are already spending more than any team in baseball on payroll this season, I wouldn't count on them going big either.
The Astros have an expensive team that just got more so. Why? Because they know they can't afford Cole so they just traded for his replacement. They're already spending a crap ton of money and that's with Cole making 20mil less than he will next season. What money are they shedding to pay for that? They literally just added Greinke at 30+ mil per season for the next two seasons. That trade only makes sense if they're letting Cole walk. 
The Angels may not end up with Cole, but they've got a much higher chance of getting him than any of the teams you mentioned. 

True, but Altuvs and Braman are getting big raise next year (32 mil) and Springer and Correa are in-line to get pay in the next 2 years, unless they are willing to spend 250 mil on payroll, otherwise I think they'll let Cole walk.

True, but Altuvs and Braman are getting big raise next year (32 mil) and Springer and Correa are in-line to get pay in the next 2 years, unless they are willing to spend 250 mil on payroll, otherwise I think they'll let Cole walk.

True, but Altuvs and Braman are getting big raise next year (32 mil) and Springer and Correa are in-line to get pay in the next 2 years, unless they are willing to spend 250 mil on payroll, otherwise I think they'll let Cole walk.

Yes, but he also told me that it doesn't matter. 

How about Robby Ray and Mike Leake
just guessing with only slightly more info than you guys.