WeatherWonk

I agree, love to see Lowrie, but I suspect Epplers priority is now a catcher and/or reliever. Fletcher's performance in 2018 and the acquisition of LaStella probably has him thinking he has that covered rather cheaply and can spend elsewhere.

I'm sorry, but Casey Stern is an intelligent guy. He's one of the most objective personalities they have. And he is a good radio guy, who communicates well.
There are many people on MLB radio who dont think the Angels are going hard enough for good players. Emmolo and Stanton sure dont. Their take is that we are not that far from competing for a playoff spot but all we do is sign retreads. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay and Houston are way above us and the Yankees are still about 15-20 wins better than us.Never mind Boston. And Cleveland could win their division with 85 wins. So they are in.
It's obvious. We're treading water in 2019. Don't blame the MLB guys for recognizing it, and saying it.

I'm sorry, but Casey Stern is an intelligent guy. He's one of the most objective personalities they have. And he is a good radio guy, who communicates well.
There are many people on MLB radio who dont think the Angels are going hard enough for good players. Emmolo and Stanton sure dont. Their take is that we are not that far from competing for a playoff spot but all we do is sign retreads. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay and Houston are way above us and the Yankees are still about 15-20 wins better than us.Never mind Boston. And Cleveland could win their division with 85 wins. So they are in.
It's obvious. We're treading water in 2019. Don't blame the MLB guys for recognizing it, and saying it.

A lot more appealing than a "bird in the hand" team like Boston or NYY or even the Dodgers, instead of our "two in the bush" team? 
Imagine having a lineup of Betts, Benintendi, Trout,  Martinez, Bogaets, Devers, and so on. Who could resist that for, money comparable to anything that Arte would offer?
Well, anyway, if all these prospects are as good as advertised, Trout will know before the end of 2020.

Agreed. And if Calhoun tanks again, it would be nice to have an offensive option to Calhoun, instead of just a defensive replacement for Upton late in games (VERY necessary). Given how good a fielder Calhoun is, if he isnt hitting again, he could at least be a defensive replacement in left or center (to spell Trout, if needed). But that leaves us needing an offensive option.
I know, I know, Adell is the second coming of Trout to some. I doubt he will make much impact for the next 1.5 seasons of playing time, even IF he is as good as some think. 

This still doesnt move the needle towards the playoffs much, IMO. And it's 25-33% of what we have to spend. Though, why a big market team has to sit at around 170 million is beyond me.....
I understand the upside potential. A somewhat expensive gamble. He's probably here, because the other starter options weren't about to take a single year, at this point in the off season. And starters are disappearing fast. Possibly some desperation motivation going on, here.
He will be adjusting to the AL, though. Decent career numbers, overall, against the AL, but...........he started one game each year against the AL, the  last two years. Not good results, but obviously a small sample. HOU really rocked him in 2017, but they did that to everyone, that year. All of his good years against AL opponents came when he was good in NY. If he is back to that kind of pitching, he might do well.
We need more than this, though. Has our offense improved enough to overcome another starter who is probably going to give up 4.0+/9?
I guess this lefty from Japan is what AW says we are getting, based on some kind of Boras mind-meld that Arte suddenly has going. I hope he's better than Harvey AND I hope we don't get outbid again, like so many other starters we have supposedly pursued this year.
 

And he should. At Salt Lake.
He's not ready. I'd rather have a combination of Cozart and Fletcher than any type of Ward continuing to learn to hit/field and Cozart OR Fletcher.
Besides, has he even played a full season at 3rd yet? Maybe just barely.
He needs to hone his skills a bit more at AAA.
We need to be a winning machine. Not an incubator at the major league level. He still has more to prove at AAA. He has options galore.
Let's face it. The only reason he was up before September was because we were out of it in July, Cozart was gone and Valbuena and Marte sucked. His learning curve couldn't hurt us anymore that we were already hurt. 

After the first inning, a lineup that might go Kemp, Altuve, Brantley, Bregman, Correa, Guriel, Springer (or some permutation) is going to be tough to keep off base. Above average speed, except for Guriel, too.
Platooning Brantley increases chances he stays healthy;  something he has had problems with.
WOW, a club with Major League depth...............I suspect they will try and flip one of their expensive outfielders for pitching. Maybe Springer? Maybe Reddick? Both depart after this season, I believe.

LOL!! 
Biting humor..........I love it!

It makes a lot of sense. Young arms, cost-controlled, throwing hard, working short stints. 
TBR had some success with it, of course. So did other clubs. Could Epps be watching for the right kind of starter/relievers to coalesce out of the post-meeting miasma?  
The openers strategy has its merits............not sure if that's what you were alluding to.

Wouldn't that be the equivalent of dumpster diving in bins outside of a Salvation Army store?
Or using something from a compost heap?
I guess it would fit Arte's budget, though..............hmmmmmm.

I think this is a great synopsis of where were are at.
But I just dont see how we could have ruined the next five years by signing guying like Ramos or Happ or Cutch or Familia, who only got 2-3 year contracts. This franchise can afford that. And no loss of a pick or intl pool money for any of them.
OAK still has work to do, with their pitching. Who knows if all the Rays who had career years will regress? I think the bar for the second WC spot is not that high, but out of our reach, with our current configuration.
 

I think this is a great synopsis of where were are at.
But I just dont see how we could have ruined the next five years by signing guying like Ramos or Happ or Cutch or Familia, who only got 2-3 year contracts. This franchise can afford that. And no loss of a pick or intl pool money for any of them.
OAK still has work to do, with their pitching. Who knows if all the Rays who had career years will regress? I think the bar for the second WC spot is not that high, but out of our reach, with our current configuration.
 

Wouldn't that be the equivalent of dumpster diving in bins outside of a Salvation Army store?
Or using something from a compost heap?
I guess it would fit Arte's budget, though..............hmmmmmm.

I'd rather have two #1s and have to fill the backside of the rotation, than NO #1s and a staff of backsides (take that as literally as you like). The Astros also have McHugh and the youngster James, who struck out 29 in 23 innings and had a WHIP of 0.96. He started three games last year. Yeah, his nerves got to him in the playoffs.
And the Astros signed Chirinos. And they have Stassi. They have catchers.
Some say we are simply waiting for the big dogs to sign, and then POW!!! We swoop down and pluck bargains for pennies on the dollar.
Well, this is exactly how a team that professess interest in improving, but is really interesting in increasing their bottom line, would be "proceeding". 2019 will be Arte's most profitable year ever, I expect.
"Well, we tried.........." Now Wilson Ramos is apparently gone, too.
70 million under the salary cap.................in the second largest market in baseball, with one of the most lucrative TV contracts ever. No outside radio station to split your local radio profits with. No ownership partners to share the profits with, like the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Dodgers, the Cubs, the Giants..
Ah, the sound of three million turnstiles turnin'............

I agree!

That's pretty much what I was saying. Dipoto has improved OUR chances of moving up in the AL West, by virtue of decimating his team. We are probably guaranteed at least a third place finish.

It's very relevant to the Angels. Though the Angels have done very little in the off season, Dipoto has made sure that we will finish at least third in the AL West.
Then, there's the Rays aspect of the trade. The Rays are one of the teams that finished ahead of the Angels in the WC race.

It's very relevant to the Angels. Though the Angels have done very little in the off season, Dipoto has made sure that we will finish at least third in the AL West.
Then, there's the Rays aspect of the trade. The Rays are one of the teams that finished ahead of the Angels in the WC race.

It's very relevant to the Angels. Though the Angels have done very little in the off season, Dipoto has made sure that we will finish at least third in the AL West.
Then, there's the Rays aspect of the trade. The Rays are one of the teams that finished ahead of the Angels in the WC race.

I've worked on a farm and continue to have a large vegetable garden each year, in two different countries.
Watching things grow on the farm is slow and boring. Sometimes rewarding, sometimes not. 
Miracle-Gro is a fool's fertilizer. All leaves, no fruit.
 

It's very relevant to the Angels. Though the Angels have done very little in the off season, Dipoto has made sure that we will finish at least third in the AL West.
Then, there's the Rays aspect of the trade. The Rays are one of the teams that finished ahead of the Angels in the WC race.

LOL! That is the most amazing image! I dont know HTF it applies here, but I dig the chai latte out of it!!!!
Lou, you are the master of the amazing animated GIFs and images. I bow down to you, in this area.

LOL! That is the most amazing image! I dont know HTF it applies here, but I dig the chai latte out of it!!!!
Lou, you are the master of the amazing animated GIFs and images. I bow down to you, in this area.

I dismissed it outright, when I read it in the primer because we dont need Ohtani. Adell is breaking ST camp with the big club and displacing Trout in CF by mid-May. I read it on AW, somewhere.