stanick88

@stanick88 raises a good point about Stanton. I think he does have a no-trade clause, and he may only be willing to waive it for an LA team. 

But would he waive his no trade clause to go to the phillies at this point? I believe he has a full no trade clause right? 

I guess we will find out but I wonder if our assumption that taking on the Stanton contract makes him attainable proved to be wrong.
He is a special talent and there could be a team that has resources that decides he is a must have.
The Yankees could puff their cheat out and go get this guy with top prospects and barely notice the money.  If they wanted to.
 

We would need to trade Calhoun, Marsh, Barria, Chris Rodriguez, Middleton and probably something else to get those two. Cron would be a throw in, or we'd also have to include Thaiss. 

May be I am just being a pessimist, but I think we can actually contend for a wild card and even an AL West title next year. If Richards comes back healthy and our rotation can stay somewhat healthy, then we have a shot. If you remember, we were hot several times in the second half last year and finished our last ten games with an 8-2 record.  Just getting Richards and Shoemaker back, along with now having Maybin, markedly improves our roster over what we were trotting out on the field in the second half. Now imaging we sign someone like Holland and Sean Rodriguez to platoon with Cowart, and take a flier on someone like CJ Wilson on a one year show me deal ( this amount of spending is what I see as likely from our front office). Or even if we spend alittle more and sign one of the top reliever (Chapman, Jansen, Melancon), and/or a Neil's Walker, and/or a starter like Hill then we really have a chance to make an impact this season. I think we are a lot closer than people think.  Our Farm system is still bad. But it is coming along. We now actually have prospect that we can get excited for, and we have a protected #10 pick to see what Eppler can make of it. I remember back to 2002 when we were not supposed to be better than .500 and everyone knows how that year turned out, and that was without Trout and with a similar rotation. This year may we may be better than people think. And I can't wait for this upcoming season. 

I'd definitely take a flier on Holland.

I hope that Trout wows again. I hope that Simmons flashes some beautiful rangy defensive plays. I hope Calhoun takes an additional step forward and shines even more. I hope that the platoon in LF produces a 95+ wRC. I hope that Cowart scores a bench role to platoon at 3B and produces against RHP as he did in the Minors last year. I hope that Carlos Perez guns down a bunch of runners and produces at league average with the bat. I hope that Kyle Kubitza finds a platoon role with Giavotella at 2B. I hope Cron hits like he did in the last two months of the season for all of 2016. I hope Albert Pujols returns sooner rather than later and belts 25 or more HR's. I hope Jered Weaver, in what might be his last year in an Angels uniform, shuts down the competition and is honored in his final starts. I hope that Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Shoemaker, and Nick Tropeano blossom and help the team. I hope Garrett Richards finds his 2014 performance and dominates the opposing hitters putting him in Cy Young contention. I hope Hector Santiago, who is an incredible ambassador for the franchise and for the community, has another All-Star season whether in the rotation or relief. I hope Arte Moreno, who has always run a high payroll, finds it within himself to make the right decisions for the right reasons moving forward. I hope Billy Eppler is given the full empowerment his positions requires to improve the team in a meaningful way. I hope the Big Catorce is able to make excellent in-game tactical decisions and not leave his starters or relievers in too long. I hope. I hope. I hope.

some of my earliest memories are at angel stadium. A fan since as early as my memory serves me. Born in 1988, so i would assume Ive been a fan since i could comprehend fandom which would prob be around 1991 

Of all those players you mentioned he drafted Newcomb. I'm not wrong about whether or not he drafted quality players. One guy in three years and our minor leagues being ranked very very low when he left is proof enough that you're reaching here.