halosfan1970

If Wilson pitches well and the Angels are in contention in July, there is no reason to trade him at all. If he's giving you an ERA of 3.50 and pitching toward 200 innings, keep him and give him a QO at the end of the season.

Look at Pujols' 2015 season. I'm guessing but I have no doubt he will produce 30 HRs in 2016. Unfortunately, for Pujols to do that, we are going to see a BA of .230 and 25 GIDP. An opposite field double from Pujols is going to become myth from the past.

Don't you get the feeling that the Mets and the Cubs are "the teams" to play for right now and no amount of reasonable money can change that?

Those old fashion names are coming back in to style. Ethel and Audrey are available.

Just picture CJ Wilson with that beautiful hair riding shirtless on a horse... maybe with a McLaren in the background.

It absolutely sucks, but it is unchangeable. The damage is done, and it's time to move on and improve the team. Hopefully, Moreno can see that too.

Sunk cost.

Honestly, both cost a draft pick, so Murphy's left handed bat is his only real selling point over Kendrick.

Escobar is an improvement on Giavotella. Even if Escobar regresses some, offensively and defensively he is a more well rounded 2B than Giavotella. Escobar at 3B is a tougher call. At 34, it's hard to discount his defensive decline over the past two seasons. Freese for all his faults, is an average defensive 3B and Escobar may not even be that any longer. Offensively, Escobar offers higher OBP upside than Freese with less power. However, Escobar is going to be cheaper than Freese. Escobar is costing less than $6m/year (AAV) for one or two years. Freese probably comes in costing $3m/year more. That $3m/year on a budget buys another bullpen arm.

I still think you all have too much hope expecting Upton or Gordon. I see a much less exciting outcome: sign Freese for 3B, use Escobar for 2B, and a trade of CJ Wilson - Andre Ethier for LF. All that leaves just enough money to sign one bullpen arm. With the definite improvements to the bench (Pennington, Gentry, and Soto), its a better 25-man roster than 2015, but every other team in the AL West is getting better. This doesn't keep up with the rest of the division.

I try not to overvalue Angel players, but Garrett Richards and Kole Calhoun together would be a terrible overpay for Arenado. Maybe the Rockies value him that way, but that would be ridiculous in the same way teams aren't paying the Marlins' asking price for Fernandez. The Angels have very few tradeable pieces at this point. Richards may be two years older than Shelby Miller, but he is just as controllable (through 2018). If Richards is made available, all of baseball takes notice.

I suppose, but it also reduces Escobar's AAV (luxury tax salary base) of $6.5m to under $6m. Freese's last arbitration salary was $6.4m. So, the next two years of Escobar will both be less expensive than Freese in 2015.

Does the ESCOBAR stock cans of whipped cream in case HAMILTOWN makes a one night appearance?

Once all the big name OF free agents are signed, we'll finally get the long awaited CJ Wilson for Andre Ethier trade. It will be exciting!

You'll get David Freese and Dexter Fowler, and you'll like it!

What if? Tears; infinite sadness; and more tears.

So we sign Gentry to a one year non-guaranteed contract ($1m) that is slightly less than Cowgill's arbitration estimate ($1.2). Even if Gentry's offense doesn't improve, it's roughly equivalent to Cowgill's. Gentry is a clear upgrade in defense and baserunning. As a 4th OF, this is a great signing.

Craig Gentry (OF), Cliff Pennington (IF), and Geovany Soto ( C) make for a much stronger bench in 2016 than Cowgill (OF), Featherston (IF), and Iannetta ( C) in 2015. Adding Justin Morneau (1B/DH) would be a solid move too.

Sadly, Daniel Murphy rates significantly better as a 2B defender than Johnny Giavotella.

Hector Santiago for Neil Walker one-for-one is an overpay. There are other options available. Asdrubal Cabrera is a FA, and he profiles similarly to Walker.

The Angels can easily generate Winter Meeting excitement. Announce that offers are being accepted on Richards and Heaney, and you have hot-stove fun.

Great press conference Dusty Baker had today at the winter meetings. Two quotes: “Yeah. I think it’s a great thing. I mean, I got a buddy at home that’s being abused by his wife. So I think this policy needs to go further than the player. I think the policy should go to whoever’s involved. Sometimes abusers don’t always have pants on." "I think that’s the No. 1 thing that’s missing, I think, in the game is speed. You know, with the need for minorities, you can help yourself. You’ve got a better chance of getting some speed with Latin and African-Americans. I’m not being racist. That’s just how it is.” The Nationals hired a winner there. The ghosts of Jimmy the Greek and Al Campanis probably both agree. http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2015/12/08/dusty-baker-on-the-aroldis-chapman-allegations-i-dont-believe-reports/ http://deadspin.com/dusty-baker-had-a-hell-of-a-press-conference-1746937308

Adding Ben Revere at LF and Neil Walker at 2B and resigning David Freese at 3B would be very low key, but it would be an improvement over the 2015 lineup.

It's nothing like losing that beautiful Aybar smile.

Salas is very predictable with inherited runners.