halosfan1970

Let Kubitza and Cowart duke it out in ST for the starting 3B job since they hit lefthanded, Marte is their righthanded platoon partner. 

 

Move Escobar to 2B. 

What happens with LF in this scenario? Nava full-time? A platoon at three separate positions (C, 3B, & LF) is pretty hard to fit in to a 25 man roster.

It's about $200k above the midpoint between the two initial submissions, but it's also $300k below the mlbtraderumors arbitration estimate.

Seems a fair agreement for both sides.

Trading Wilson now is a sell low proposition since he is coming off surgery. Every team is going to want the Angels to take on a majority of his salary.

If the Angels move him at the August 1st trade deadline, that will mean the Angels are out of playoff contention. If they are in contention, and he is performing well, there is no reason to trade him.

Trading Wilson during Spring Training after teams can see him throw is the only trade window that seems to make sense.

Aside from Mike Trout, who we don't trade under any circumstance, I'm hard pressed to think of anyone else on the roster who another team would want badly enough to give up a player who isn't either still in the minors or on the decline.

Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, Kole Calhoun, and Andrelton Simmons each have real (in some cases significant) trade value.

The Angels may not be willing to trade any those assets, or they may not line-up well with a prospective trade partner. However, "hard pressed" is hyperbole.  

Put me in the "might as well re-sign Freese for one year (+ team option year) and move Escobar to 2B" group.

That gives Cowart/Kubitza another season to take over at 3B, and means NO draft picks lost.

If Freese is ready to take a reasonable one-year deal (or one and an option), this makes perfect sense. Freese projects to give you exactly what he gave you last season at 3B. Escobar is an offensive improvement over Giavotella, and he can't be any worse defensively at 2B.

David De Jesus and Shane Victorino are both still available too.

No other team is in a rush to sign him that's for sure.

Can we please also remember Luis Jimenez , Grant Green, and Daniel Robertson while our thoughts go out to Colin Cowgill and Efren Navarro?

There's always room for one more AAAA player on the 25 man roster.

Who does belong?

David Murphy is an OK left-handed bat at this point in his career. His power is gone, and the Big A further kills that. His defense is not something you want in LF on a regular basis. For the $7m option. I see why the Angel's passed. I'd like to see a legitimate LF brought in via free agency or trade. We'll see if it happens.

Colin Cowgill is a perfectly reasonable fourth outfielder, but Craig Gentry is a better fielder and a superior base runner. Gentry at $1m non-guaranteed is an upgrade at 4OF.

Efren Navarro is a light hitting, low OBP player. He is a brilliant defensive 1B at a position where defense isn't critical. I like him, but he just doesn't offer a skillset that justifies a spot on the 25 man roster.

I've seen complaints on here today about losing David Murphy, Colin Cowgill, and Efren Navarro. All three appear to be really good guys.

Not one of them belongs on the Angels' 25 man roster if they are going to contend in 2016.

I'm also sad to admit it that I'd probably rather have the first 2 than the 2nd 2 going into this season. I know it's hard to put up worse numbers than we had last year in left field but I'm not sure this year is looking to be much better. Which of these 2 awesome casts of characters would you rather have on opening day 2016?

David Murphy hit .265/.281/.400 in 162 plate appearances for the Angels in 2015. His 2016 option was for $7m. You are remembering his time here far more kindly than it deserves.

I know his defense is meh~ However, with our lack of left handed power I keep thinking he would be a great platoon guy with Cron at the 1B/DH spot while we wait to see if AP#5 can return healthy to take the DH spot fulltime. He tied for the lead in the NL for bombs with 36 in 2013. And last year hit 27 which would have led our squad from that side of the plate. His salary was 8.1M last year 2015 with the Pirates and I think with the slow down in the market and his opportunities maybe getting smaller we might be able to secure some affordable left handed power with him that wont break the bank. He is also only 29 years of age next year. His averages of 29 HR's/88 RBI's wouldn't hurt also and his avg is a little shy of Calhoun's last year.

His defense isn't "meh." Alvarez's 1B defense is an abomination beyond anything we've seen with Cron. Cron's defense is at least improving with innings to below average. Alvarez's defense is clearly in the awful range.

Morneau, while older, seems like a better depth move than Alvarez.

Skoal for everyone.

AO, you've posted this several times but I'm interested in knowing why you think these guys are "being held hostage" by the owners, or what that even means.

 

Perhaps it's the other way around? Maybe both players have ludicrous asking prices and are unwilling to lower them even a little bit.

For once AO is mildly amusing. Thank you AO. That's better than being willfully obtuse. 

Mock RFK all you want. I went to two baseball games there. It was better than Angels stadium.

I lived in DC for 13 years. I too have seen Washington National's games at RFK. RFK is a crumbling relic. It hasn't seen use as an MLB stadium in nearly a decade, but, in 2005...

The bathrooms were non-existent. The concourses were significantly narrower than Angel's Stadium. The food service was a far cry from even Angel Stadium's limited offerings. The stadium seating was a multi-use football bowl. The stadium's infrastructure has not been maintained to Anaheim's level. The surrounding neighborhood does not provide adequate post-game safety even compared to the area surrounding Angel's Stadium.

RFK is wholly unsuited to hosting any modern sport. It is in no way an appropriate comparison to Angel's Stadium.

The MLB stadiums I have been to are:  Angel Stadium, Chavez Latrine, Qualcomm Stadium, Overstock.com, and Wrigley Field.

I've driven by but have not been inside: Marlins Park, Turner Field, US Cellular Field, and Candlestick Park.     

You survived RFK without falling concrete landing on your head? Good Day!

No, but at this point I'll settle for you in a monkey suit with a catcher's mitt in LF before the crap we have out there now.  

Matt Joyce is still available. I sense a regression to the mean.

The churros are stiff and the brisket sandwich gave me the poos.

Would you trade Tropeano for Ozuna?

One for one? Yes. Four years of control and better upside than Blackmon.

While I like Morneau as a depth signing he will have no place to play when Albert comes back.

I like Morneau as a depth piece too. Obviously, he doesn't address either need at LF or 2B, but I think he's probably a more capable 1B back-up to Pujols than Cron. 

Soto - C, Morneau - 1B/DH, Pennington - IF, and Nava - OF would be a very solid bench. 

We call that an upgrade.

David Murphy was a marginal upgrade over Matt Joyce, but that doesn't justify bringing him back. His average dropped once getting here, his power is gone, and his defense in LF made Joyce's routes look solid.

If you want a 35 year old left hander on a one year deal, Justin Morneau in a 1B/DH rotation probably provides more impact for the cost. 

santorum

he be perfect for the current roster, couldn't hit worth shit

All those years of Schofield and DiSarcina and we're complaining about Simmons before he even takes his first at bat as an Angel.

you know what word isn't used enough?   

 

tard.  

I still think "santorum" is underused.

But he never mentions who or what caliber FA outfielders he's talking to. He could be talking to Matt Joyce for all we know.

Oh and he mentions that Pujols is doing great. But how's his foot doing?

Matt Joyce was impressive in the DR winter league. Possible AL Comeback PLayer of the Year in 2016.