Barrett

1 minute ago, fan_since79 said:

They probably thought that the ratings would have been lower than usual, since it's not an elimination game. The actual wild card games, on the other hand, will draw a lot of viewers.

 

What is a lot of viewers? It'll mostly draw the fans of those two teams and then maybe some outside but not much. Baseball nationally isn't what it was, regionally it is doing well though. So the viewership in the two cities will be doing really well.

We have 3 out of the 30 players on this team. Crazy that Judge is number 2

Just sign Harper and be done with it Angels.

I look forward to having a new manager strictly for when Pujols is on the roster next year and he starts at first base or at DH over Ohtani and the board will collectively lose their shit and say....well I thought it was just Mike. 

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

because it doesn't matter 

Well ya every game in September and most of August didn't matter, but why Marte didn't they see enough of him when the season actually mattered? 

Is there any reason Marte is starting? 

30 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

My only problem with Realmuto is that he's only got two years of club control left.  So you're looking at a substantial outlay in prospect currency to get him and then a potential extension at the same exact time Trout and Simmons become free agents.  

I'm good with making that kind of strong commitment if we became the favorites to win the division for a few years in a row.  But based on where the other teams  are headed, that looks like 2021 to me assuming we retain Trout and Simmons.  

 

 

Simmons will be how old when his contract is up and hits free agency?

1 hour ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I think they can do all that, although upgrade doesn’t necessarily mean “get a star.” They could get modest upgrades at a few spots and a big upgrade at one. 

Remember, the Angels already have a few spots they are above average. They just have to get to average at the others. You don’t need a star at every position. You need to not have any black holes. 

I didn't say stars. I don't care if the team had no stars, the Angels when we won had no stars. Just give me a team that doesn't blow at multiple positions. I am tired of having black holes at positions in the line up. 

2 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

How do you define “heavy”?

Personally I think this team needs upgrades at 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Catcher and an ace type starting pitcher. We are all well aware of bullpen fluctuating from good to bad year to year. So I wouldn't touch the bullpen. But that's what I would define as heavy and that's not even calculating if Calhoun is garbage or good Calhoun next year. So I guess heavy I would define as those 4 positions. 

2 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I think they can make the playoffs in 2019.

As currently constructed? Or do you feel they need heavy upgrades as I do to make the playoffs in 2019. 

11 minutes ago, floplag said:

i think its funny how people are cherry picking the period that supports them.  Bottom line we has back to putting up Calhoun-esque numbers over the second half.   It didnt get him quite back to season averages but the second half was better than a lot of guys in the league. 

As to next year, well i think thats the 64 dollar question, and the largest reason why i would prefer going after Harper for example over Machado. 

Calhoun has value after the second half, combined with the gold glove, could be a solid trade chip.  Worst possible case scenario, you teach him to play 1B a la Erstad and he becomes the left side platoon with Albert.  

All that assume we make some power moves, which is yet to be proven.  I see the off season in 1 ways, they either go bold in an effort to retain Trout, or they go bargain hunting and prepare for life after Trout.   I really dont see a choice C for this franchise that makes any real sense.   

I suspect that if he IS our opening day RF then one of 2 things had to have happened, we either went bold somewhere else, or we basically decided to pass on '19.

I agree. And if they pass on '19 what is that saying to Trout and their fans? 

11 minutes ago, floplag said:

i read it, perhaps i misunderstood, care to clarify?
From what i read you suggested that the team would spend only about 30 mil. 
Considering that as of today we are committed only to about 125M going into next year without about 50 coming off the books pre-arb/raises/etc.. from the current levels of about 174.
30 mil doesnt even get back to current levels, what have i overlooked?

Sources: Sportrac

I think he is saying that the AAV isn't what you should be looking at you should be looking at the actual numbers. 

For those who say no I am curious why not? I get that people don't see Trout as the person who would ask for that kind of responsibility. But that's not the question. The question is would you give Trout the ability to give his input into free agency. 

10 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Hey Dogs, I know of a manager whose contract is up after September 30.   He even liked the color blue in his playing days.

I can see the Dodgers signing Mike as their manager next season. 

4 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Trout 

I get that. But who else in baseball are capable of being the "right" guy?

Just now, Stradling said:

And

I am saying over the course of the year it hasn't been as bad as people think. Definitely could be better. But I think our offense and starting pitchers need boosts first imo. Our teams OPS is 16th and teams starting pitching era is 18th. 

1 hour ago, stormngt said:

As I have stated over and over again:  we need a lockdown bullpen.  A lockdown bullpen makes mediocre starters look great.

Our bullpen ERA is ranked 9th in MLB.

5 hours ago, Stradling said:

You call it artificial they call it a flexible budget.  “They will go over for the right guy”. I think the right guy will be Trout, but we will see.  

If Harper and Machado aren't the right guy who else in baseball is? 

13 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Unless that person is Arte Moreno, then you have to take it with a grain of salt. I'm sure Billy has a plan that he presents to Arte and if he can sell them on a scenario in which spending just a bit more can put them into the place they want to be than hed be willing to consider.

If the sales pitch is, hey we need to spend 45 million and maybe well be playing for the 2nd wildcard...of course Arte is going to laugh at that. However if the pitch puts the Angels in the direction of being definitively relevant into October...he'll be all ears. The juice always has to be worth the squeeze, especially when its millions of dollars on the line.

This isn't trying to divert the conversation at all which I have been known to do from time to time. But do you think there is a something the Angels can do this off season to put us in the race with Houston? With out going above 200 million dollars in payroll.

12 minutes ago, floplag said:

ok, but in what context?  30 mil AFTER arbitration and housekeeping or total?  

It is in the Wil Myers thread. You can find more context in that. I am just trying to be the messenger if you didn't want to go through it. 

2 minutes ago, floplag said:

30 mil sounds low to me, i wonder why he would predict that number.  is that 30 total, 30 after arbitration?  

We are as of today only at about 125 M committed for next year according to Sportrac down from our current 173, thats 50 mil raw coming off.    If you take 20 off the top of whats left for raises, arbitration etc we are still only about 145, and the Luxury tax will be 206 M?

Is he suggesting that payroll is fixed somewhere around current levels?  If so put any significant FA out of your mind, not happening. 

Sidenote; Why would Donaldson accept a 1 year deal at this point?  

someone feel free to double check my numbers there they feel wrong from a quick lookup, lol 

I don't want to speak for Fletcher but from my understanding is he had a convo with someone in the organization and he said something about a higher number that they had to spend and the guy basically laughed at Fletcher. Told him 30 million is cap.

1 minute ago, hangin n wangin said:

If they don't, that's a problem. 

If they do, that's an even bigger problem.

The Angels are displaying signs of lunacy. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

But he will be in the best physical condition of his life in spring training. My dads 70 and moves better than Pujols. 

I have a feeling which kind of sickens me but my feeling is that the Angels will go with Ward at 3rd Cozart at 2nd with Fletcher rotating both those positions. Pujols is a mainstay at 1st because well reasons. I think they don't sign a starting pitcher and sign or trade for a catcher, pay for a closer and that's it. I really have no optimism for this off season. I also don't see Trout signing an extension and see him waiting for free agency. He is close enough to it he might as well see what it is about. At least that's what I would do if I were him. 

What I would love for them to do is sign Donaldson on one year deal with option or 2 year deal with option. Trade Cozart and let some team eat his salary. Put Fletcher at 2nd. Trade Calhoun and replace with something cheap as in a 1 year deal. Trade for a catcher. Sign a starting pitcher. and sign/trade for a closer. Oh and cut Pujols and play anyone at 1st for league minimum or 1 year deal. 

37 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

You do realize that his 1B OPS was .640 in 2018?

Remember who you are responding to.

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

There are 433 qualified batting seasons in the majors over the last three years. Of those 433 seasons, Albert has the 2nd and 23rd worst seasons by fWAR (2017 and 2018); he is the only player to have two seasons in the top 23; the next player to have two seasons is Chris Davis (1st and 30th).

Albert's 2016 is 60th of 433, so also very bad. 

Albert's fWAR rank by year:

2018: #134 of 143

2017: #144 of 144

2016: #131 of 146

 

Most of us realize just how bad Albert has been the last few years, but that makes it crystal clear that he should not be playing baseball, or at least starting, on a team that is at all serious in reaching the postseason. He is a bad player - one of the worst in baseball. 

#benchpujols

I don't understand how the rest of the organization doesn't see this.  This can't be a in game revenue thing either, no fan is going to games to watch that waste of space.