Mauch Won

For the sake of argument say 95 wins would get us into the playoffs.  I looked at a couple seasons and different teams and the pitchers identified as starters for those seasons in Baseball Reference are responsible for 50-55% of the wins, so we need 46-52 wins from our rotation. 
ZIPS is projecting the following wins

Bundy   12

Heaney 9

Canning 7

Ohtani.  5

Sandoval 9

That gives us a projection of 42 wins and does not include a sixth starter.  Bauer is projected at 13 wins by ZIPS with Porcello at 11, Happ, Tanaka, and Paxton at 9, Odorizzi at 8, and Wainwright and Fiers at 7.    Popular trade candidates are German Marquez (13), Sonny Gray (12), and Hendricks (11) 

I think the cost per win for Bauer will be steep, the conversation about pitching every 4th day will be short of had at all with the Angels, and based on history, Mickey Calloway might not collaborate with Bauer.  I think option 1 despite all the fun memes is a non starter. 
 

My preference is to build for the long term and trading for an ace and signing a rotation arm short term is best.   I also don’t think we have the pieces to get a Marquez or Gray after seeing what the Mets and Padres have been throwing around this off season

So we are left with signing the best two FA pitchers to one year (two years at most) contracts.  Adding positions players with any budget we have left and trade for need at the deadline.  

15 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

2013 Fan Fest was a lot of fun.  Tim Salmon and a great round table discussion. 

I wonder if @Mauch Won has a copy of that Moon over the Ath's stadium?

Yes, I do.  

I had season tickets to Arizona baseball Refsnyder's last year there.  He plays a good outfield if they think his bat will work in the bigs

Guess shaking down parents for $300 a month for their mediocre kids to play club baseball in Tucson wasn't cutting it anymore.   Liked Jack as a player for the Angels.  Less enthused about his role in the development of youth players.  Hope he helps the org.

If the Angels go the expensive free agent route, my preference is Alex Gordon.   If they go less expensive free agent, Gerardo Parra.   More and more though, I really would like to see Eppler trade for a player like Corey Dickerson and add to a young core.  Trout, Simmons, Calhoun, Richards, Heaney, Skaggs, Tropeano is a pretty good foundation.  Dickerson would fit right in.

Check out this post on MLB Trade Rumors: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/12/cubs-sign-jason-heyward.html

Our 4th and 5th OF are likely to be league minimum players, is it worth a roster spot for the potential power off the bench?

1) Sign Alex Gordon

2) Sign Freese

3) Sign Howie

4) Trade CJ for salary relief and prospects

The baseball groundhog came out and saw his shadow. Three more years of Scioscia.

Going a bit out of the box and avoiding the trade route, how about Asdrubal Cabrera. While not his primary position, he has played 2B.

Welcome home Cheo.  

Just finished Benji's autobiography.  He gives Jose a lot of the credit for making him the catcher he became.   This is a good move not because he is a 2002 alumni, but because he was a good defensive catcher and Benjamin Molina Sr. taught his sons and a lot of other Puerto Rican players who made it to the bigs about the game.   When you read the book, you will see that Mr. Molina raised players who will be good coaches.

I never knew that Benji had never played catcher before the Angels signed him.   His first time behind the plate was at his try out for the Angels. 

1) I don't want to see Ersty in a Dodger's uni.

2) My son really wants to play for Ersty at Nebraska. 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Trade CJ for Justin Turner and ML. Let Freese walk.

Trade Salas for Rob Refsnyder (2b for NYY) Watched Ref play at Arizona. He meets the grit need we have had for years.

Attempt to sign Jason Heyward and either Jordan Zimmerman or Mike Leake.

If Mickey Hatcher comes back we will know Eppler is Reagins 2.0

For years we have heard about the plight of small market teams being able to compete.  In 2009, I looked at the rankings of the TV markets to see which city would be best suited from a television market standpoint for baseball.   I rechecked the rankings on www.digitalsyndicate.tv/markets and with some minor changes it is the same picture as it was in 2009.

Four of the top 5 markets are served by two teams, Philadelphia is the exception.  

The teams with the smallest television markets are Padres (27), Royals (31), Reds (33), and Milwaukee (34)

Top 35 markets without teams are Orlando (19), Sacramento (20), Portland (23), Indianapolis (25), Charlotte (26), Hartford (28), Raleigh-Durham (29), Nashville (30), Columbus (32), and Salt Lake (35)

I am suspicious of Portland after they kicked the Beavers out of their stadium in favor of soccer.   New Orleans is 53.  San Antonio  is 37. 

Move the A's to Sacramento.    Charlotte is a possibility for the Rays.

I picked JeDi.  My assumption is Sosh leaves for greener pastures.   If Sosh doesn't opt out Dipoto is gone

I am glad that CJ is supporting Hamilton in this poop storm that is going on but I think Sosh's quote is a polite and more accurate assessment of Hamilton's state than CJ's.

Unfortunately, every contract is governed by the collective bargaining agreement which includes the joint drug agreement. For the same reason ARod's contract was not voided, Hamilton's will remain in force. At best, the Angels will be able to collect damages for time missed due to the relapse. If Hamilton comes back when his shoulder has healed, the Angels won't recover any money.

In the spring 1994, I had a conversation about the stadium with Tom Daly, the Mayor of Anaheim at the time. He talked about how the Rams continued to make demands on the city which if not met, would lead the team to leave. the Rams demands and presence were also causing a strain on the relationship between the city and the Autry's. We agreed that the Rams would never be satisfied and it may cost the city the good relationship with the Aitry's. While the Rams left, I wouldn't say that they lost the Rams as much as let them go to keep the Angels.

Comebacks

Joe Blanton

Just say that the Angels will do their road jerseys in Spanish to honor the area's large Latino community.  Problem solved.

http://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/685214

The explanation given was to allow the CWS to finish and give the players a chance to enjoy being drafted. Not sure about only having 14 days to sign players if that rumor holds true.

Equipment manager is going to be busy handing out numbers this spring.14 members of the 40 man roster.

We tried hard for Randy Johnson and missed.   Back then the Halos had to overpay for the top notch FA's.   IMO, one of the things that helped turn the tide was Bill Stoneman keeping tight lipped about players and contracts.