ksangel

Agree about Cowart but he's not a bad backup at 2B/3B defensively and I have not given up that he'll figure out hitting at ML level...did hit over .300 two years in a row at AAA and is a good pinch runner too. I believe they'll keep Valbuena to rotate at 1B with Pujols and trade Cron since Valbuena gives them more flexibility since he can play 3B also and he bats lefty plus Thaiss may only be a year away at 1B and hits left handed so would replace Valbuena then.

Great move that brings defensive flexibility to the infield with Cozart being able to play 2B, SS or 3B and insurance at SS if Simmons were to get hurt or just needs days off. Not worried about his offense either with all the offensive firepower the Angels now have. What a stud defensive team the Angels have...gold glovers at 4 positions and solid defense at 3...only hole is 1B. Got Upton, Ohtani, Kinsler and now Cozart and Angels only gave up Wiki Hernandez, Troy Montgomery, Gray and Elvin Rodriguez to get them...way to go Eppler!!! Stoked about 2018 Angels! Definitely a legit playoff contender and have distanced themselves from the Rangers and Mariners.

I believe Eppler will fix 3B and realizes Valbuena isn't the answer but there's no rush as there was at 2B. I think they've got to figure out in spring training whether Ohtani can DH with any regularity before making decisions at 1B, 3B and DH and getting rid of Cron or Valbuena. I'd be ok with either Headley or Frazier at 3B/1B instead of Valbuena. Yankees got within one win of the WS with Headley and Frazier at 3B so obviously they have the capability to play at a championship level. Both are better defensive players than Valbuena. With Upton and Kinsler added the offense will be much better so not worried about offense at 3B at this point...only defense.

"Hernandez has a slight edge defensively, and Walker has a slight edge offensively. Yes Hernandez will likely give you 1 WAR more than Walker per year. Walker will probably cost somewhere between 2 years 18M and 3 years 27M. Yes Hernandez will average out to make around 2M less per year. But is Hernandez really worth giving up Skaggs or Bridwell AND Jones? When the only benefit is 2M less and 1 WAR more per year, I don't think so " The other piece is Walker won't sign for $9M per year. He got $17.2M last season and $10.55M the year before so he's not going to play for less than he played for in 2016 since he continued to put up solid numbers.

Ohtani isn't going to be available the day before he pitches, the day he pitches and the day after he pitches to be the DH - and he will not play in the field - so that leaves three out of every six days (or 81 or 162 games) that only two additional players would be available on the bench to pinch hit, pinch run, substitute defensively and injuries. Can't use the spare catcher for these either...too risky if starting catcher gets injured. So it will be an issue half the season if a six man rotation is used.

Typically, a 25-man roster will consist of five starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. Starting with this premise, but changing it to six starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers and two catchers leaves 10 spots on the 25 man roster. Trout, Upton, Calhoun, Simmons, new 2B, Pujols take six spots so that leaves four spots for 3B and reserve outfielders and infielders. If they sign Moustakas and he plays 3B every day - he's not a candidate to play outfield and probably wouldn't play 1B, that leaves three spots. So do the Angels then carry only one spare outfielder and one spare infielder when Ohtani isn't playing or pitching because one of the three spots left would have to DH or play 1B? The six man rotation puts a whole new spin on how the Angels fill the 10 remaining spots on the roster...flexibility will be key and signing Moustakas to play 3B would seem to hamper that flexibility.

You have to wonder if this (above quote from scotty@AW) helped sell Ohtani on signing with the Angels. With regard to 3B - after reading the following in MLBTrade Rumors - "Signing Moustakas would cost the Giants two draft picks (their second- and fifth-highest choices) in 2018 and $1MM in international bonus pool space" - would this also apply to the Angels signing Moustakas? If so then don't see Eppler going after Moustakas. Starting to see signing Cozart for 2B as a real positive - he could be a back up at SS in case Simmons got hurt or needed a day off and the defensive quality wouldn't suffer that much. And with him as back up SS, if the Angels go with a six man rotation - and it seems likely that will try that - which means having only three utility players - catcher, outfield and infield (possibly Cowart since he can man 2B and 3B) in order to keep the maximum # in the bullpen. For whether it's a five or six man rotation you've still have to have the same number in the bullpen since their usage wouldn't change either way.

What's the interest in Walker? Doesn't fill the need for speed or lead off hitter and will be entering age 32 season. Has recently had back surgery and spent significant time on DL the past two years. Made $17M+ last year and supposedly is looking for a 3-4 year contract at a similar salary. I get it he's a free agent and wouldn't cost prospects but for that type of money and injury history is he the best long term solution?

Offer Baldoquin and Taylor Ward to Jerry...two of his great moves...bet he'd jump at that trade...LOL

This seems right on the mark so the Angels have to have some flexibility at 3B, 1B and DH to work with integrating Ohtani into the offensive side. Signing Todd Frazier to match up with Valbuena at 3B makes some sense and not as costly as signing Moustakas plus Frazier could/would also play 1B at times. Don't see Moustakas wanting to play 1B plus Frazier typically has a much higher OBP than Moustakas. Watched a film clip of an interview with Ohtani's manager from Japan and he said Ohtani is a much better hitter than pitcher at this time and much more of a natural hitter than pitcher. He went on to say Ohtani lacks consistent control of his pitches and can get wild at times. Hoping Angels either pick up Hernandez or Kinsler - both solve 2B/lead off issues and both steal some bases. Don't want Walker since he's basically a station to station player with no stolen bases. Signing Walker would force Angels to bat Calhoun or Simmons at lead off - not an ideal situation. Kinsler/Hernandez Trout Upton Pujols (he'll play mostly every day at 1B or DH) Ohtani or Frazier/Valbuena when Ohtani sits or pitches Calhoun Valbuena/Frazier Simmons Maldonado Have an issue with six man rotation - it forces team to carry one less relief pitcher so during an entire season don't know how that would work out especially considering starting pitchers aren't going deep into games that much anymore.

Eppler knows Angels top priority is a 2B and more starting pitching. So If he doesn't get Ohtani he'll go after a Lynn or Cobb. Just don't see Eppler stripping the Angels farm system or ruining defense of major league club like Dipopo is doing to Mariners just to get Ohtani. Very grateful for that and that Dipopo is gone and ruining one of our main competitors...maybe not this year or the next but for the future.

12:20pm: The Cubs announced on Thursday that they’ve agreed to a three-year contract with free agent right-hander Tyler Chatwood. The 27-year-old Chatwood, a client of Excel Sports Management, will receive “around $40MM” on the contract, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Twitter link). Turned out to be $38M...which is amazing $'s considering it's just a little less than the Angels will pay Richards, Shoemaker, Skaggs, Heaney and Bridwell combined.

In a MLBTrade Rumors article it stated a pro for Cubs was they travel far less during a season than Texas, Angels or Mariners... "the Cubs’ setting in the Midwest means they travel as many as 10,000 miles less per season than the Rangers and upwards of 23,000 fewer miles than the Angels and Mariners in a given season". They have had winning teams recently and are losing two of their starting pitchers - Arrieta and Lackey - so there's opportunity to step in and start. Not sure how they would use him in the field though - not at 1B with Rizzo there and they seem set in the OF too.

Or the Marlins won't trade Gordon at this time because he may be included in a deal to SF with Stanton. Eppler had to make the move or it could have been a signal to Ohtani that the Angels weren't as interested as the Mariners...$1.3M difference to Mariners offer is much greater than $300,000. Interesting to see that Ohtani made $2.4M last year in Japan so he's not hurting for cash as a 23 year old.

Possibly a reaction to Mariners making same deal with Twins for $1M in International $'s but they only gave up their #10 prospect.

I could believe this if Eppler is comfortable with Calhoun or Simmons as lead off hitter or believes they can get Kinsler for less.

Angels have huge hole at 2B, Phillies know that so have little incentive to not want the moon and stars.

Went from playing in Florida (GCL Braves play at Disney World) where there's a large Hispanic speaking population to Danville, Va., population 40K, which isn't close to any city in Virginia with 1% Hispanic speaking population and a Hardee's every block (not McDonald's) with their 2/3 lb. thick burger. And he goes from little money to a millionaire at 17 to boot...sure recipe for failure. Good signing for a Angels farm system that was light on high impact infield prospects.

If he's really serious about wanting to hit then it should come down to Angels and Mariners. He a P/DH in Japan so why would he expect to play in the field in the MLB? And if he's looking at Mariners can he really believe it's best for the team to move the #1 DH in baseball to LF to accommodate him being DH?. It's realistic that the Angels would play Pujols at 1B when he DH's.

Interesting that since 2014 he's only played 16 games in the field - all in the outfield - so basically he's been a DH/P for the past four years. Advantage American League teams?

Bedee = Skaggs... Skaggs is better right now because he's made it to the majors. Don't see Barria being a match to Bedee...he's been Giants #1 prospect in recent years but stumbled a bit at AAA last year. Has potential of being top of rotation starter as Skaggs was projected to be when he was a prospect. Shaw = Cron Cron's made it to majors but Shaw projects as a better defender / better hitter for average and power. Panik = ??? I'd think the Angels would have include Jones or similar minor leaguer with Cron and Skaggs to be in the ballpark with what Giants are offering since Panik is an established 2B, won a GG in 2016 and was an all-star in 2015. And don't think it's that bad to include Jones since the Angels OF would be set for long enough time for Marsh and Adell to reach the majors. Gordon -2B Trout - CF Upton - LF Stanton - RF Pujols - DH Calhoun - 1B Simmons - SS Valbuena - 3B Maldonado - C

Have to wonder how much Johnson's stats were effected by how poor of defense Atlanta had last year and if the Angel FO thinks he'll rebound pitching for a much better Angels team.

Valbuena, his bat flip and general lazy attitude...wish Angels would fine him every time he does the bat flip especially when he stands there like he's hit a HR but it's not and he trots to 1B when he should be on 2B...such disrespect for how the game should be played. Bush league stuff. Puig especially after he flipped a fan the bird and his general disrespect for how the game should be played. Carl Everett...caveman attitude during his playing days and after his playing career he was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and also had authorities take his daughter from his custody for charges “of excessive corporal punishment.” Bryce Harper...ego gone wild Billy Martin...now he was a real piece of work Roy Halladay...witnessed him walk by a group of young fans wanting an autograph or just an acknowledgment at a spring training game without so much as giving them the courtesy of a wave or hello let alone an autograph...that's a real A-Hole to me. Luckily Torii Hunter was behind him and came over and gave each of kids an autograph and talked with them...that's how players should respect fans.

I agree with your #4 and #5 as the main reasons. I coached travel ball for five years when my son played and we didn't allow pitchers to throw curves, sliders...etc. - only fast balls and change ups - and limited their innings too. Most other teams didn't follow these standards. Kids today play year round and 100+ games per year. It takes it's toll.

Agree with not looking to the future especially since Machado has stated he wants to return to his original position - SS - which he played throughout the minors.