DCAngelsFan

Dipoto personally scouted him..  Said "he's no Baldoquin" and that's all she wrote....

He's bad - he's very short-term thinking, impulsive, ignores boring things like investing and building for the future, and egomaniacal --  needs his butt kissed by anyone he pays, so he's surrounded by "yes" men -- and maybe the worst thing is giving his sons free reign to ruin, er, "run" things.  They're not evil, they're just not good.  
It's a very dysfunctional organization from everything I've heard - but he has a beautiful park, (which he didn't build), and a history and legacy (that he's ruining), so there's a certain inertia to the club and its finances that no amount of baseball incompetence seems to damage too badly.  
 

It began when fans of other teams - notably the Yankees, later the Phillies, and others, openly fantasized about day he became a F/A and they could get him to play for *their* team.
Add to that the number of sportswriters suggesting the same, or suggesting it was time for the Angels to trade him (to their favorite team), and how we were wasting his best years, so should trade him to a contender (their favorite team) - has been particularly noisy this season.  
He's a generational player, in every way, a first-ballot Hall Of Famer, and a quality guy, to boot.  Everyone wants him, and makes no secret of it, and he's in his prime.
Kershaw has been a great pitcher - but with his injuries and missed starts, declines in velocity, and age - I think most people looking at his salary demands would know they're probably getting a Carl Pavano contract.
 

This.
There is zero guarantee it works out. It could totally backfire. But its the plan we implemented 2-3 years ago. Changing course in the middle of the plan, especially since its showing positive signs, would be a horrible move. Like quitting med school year 6 to get a job bartending because youre making cash now, and getting laid. 
It sucks, but everyone is gonna have to be patient. Be prepared for another boring 2019. It is what it is. 

While you are 100% correct on Calhoun, I don't believe "going big" is that necessary. The biggest thing this team should do is extend Mike Trout. The rest, is boring and sucks because it requires patience, but Eppler just needs to let those kids on the farm develop and build an inexpensive juggernaut. 
Need a new RF? How about the best outfield prospect in baseball in Jo Adell? Not only does he give us elite defense, but he gives you a legit shot at 30/30.
Need a 2B? Jahmai Jones is 20 years old, has reached AA already, is tearing it up in the AFL right now and has 20/20 potential. 
Need pitching? Look not further than Griffin Canning. Top 100 prospect, So Cal product, top of the rotation potential, already in AAA. Then there's Jose Suarez and Pat Sandoval to consider too. Both have limited upside but look major league ready at a young age.  Then there's Aaron Hernandez who they just drafted. He'll probably make his way to AA in his first season of pro ball and has Garrett Richards type of upside. 
Need a first baseman? Matt Thaiss is still developing, but right now he projects to be a league average option, which would be a huge upgrade over Pujols. 
Third baseman? Taylor Ward is worth paying attention to. He'll probably return to AAA but the upside is there. Plus there's Kevin Maitan and Jeremiah Jackson down at the lower levels, both of which have star potential. 
In the outfield there's a whole collection of upside plays in Brandon Marsh, Jordyn Adams, Trent Deveaux and D'Shawn Knowles. 
Eppler has done such an amazing job building up this great farm of ours now.  All the Angels need to do is be patient and let it pay dividends. Not all those guys will pan out, but we have enough of them that quite a few will, and the Angels will be dangerous and inexpensive when that happens. 

You keep that up you'll go blind.....

I absolutely didn't want Hamilton - while his stats were actually good in Texas his walk year, he totally failed the "eye test" - he looked hopeless to me - just massive holes in his swing whenever I saw him play - couldn't hit a breaking ball with a tennis racket.   Pretty much what he looked like playing for us ...
And those eyes - yeesh, he always looked a bit crazy to me.  I didn't foresee the personal issues, of course.  I only wanted us to participate to make his cost higher to Texas or Seattle, but never thought we'd sign him.  
 

I absolutely didn't want Hamilton - while his stats were actually good in Texas his walk year, he totally failed the "eye test" - he looked hopeless to me - just massive holes in his swing whenever I saw him play - couldn't hit a breaking ball with a tennis racket.   Pretty much what he looked like playing for us ...
And those eyes - yeesh, he always looked a bit crazy to me.  I didn't foresee the personal issues, of course.  I only wanted us to participate to make his cost higher to Texas or Seattle, but never thought we'd sign him.  
 

My point is that when he signs a 10-year deal, he wants to know he’s with an organization that is committed to trying to win every year. No team can guarantee him it will be good for the next 10 years. (Maybe only the Yankees but I can’t see him wanting to play there.)
The Angels have made moves every winter to try to get better. They have never gone into rebuilding mode. 
If Trout says to Billy Eppler: prove to me that we are going to try to win, Eppler is going to do it. I wish you guys could sit down with the guy sometime. He has an answer for everything. Why do you think Ohtani picked the Angels?
Also, the Angels really do treat their players like a family. Eppler and Arte and Carpino all went to NJ after Trout’s brother in law died. I am sure that did not go unnoticed. 
Plus, they’re going to offer him a ton of money. 
I could be wrong. Based on my knowledge of the people and the situation, I think it’s more likely than not that he’ll re-sign. 

Absolutely - around the time DiPoto quit, looking ahead was a wasteland - there was *zero* international presence, little to no money to spend on FA's and internationals, and an empty farm - there was absolutely no reason to be optimistic long-term - there was no way to see how we could acquire the talent to compete.
We could enjoy watching Trout play - but I think many fans never really saw how bad it was - there was really no hope of fielding a playoff team in the foreseeable future. 
He's progressed this team a lot since he came on, when it didn't seem he'd have the resources to do so.  And that's the thing - it's not just what he did - it's what he was able to do in an environment with so few resources to improve things. 
Of course he deserves an extension - you can't fire a guy for not being a miracle worker.  
The thing that kicks me in the, uh, "gut" was we interviewed Eppler but chose DiPoto.  
 
 

Absolutely - around the time DiPoto quit, looking ahead was a wasteland - there was *zero* international presence, little to no money to spend on FA's and internationals, and an empty farm - there was absolutely no reason to be optimistic long-term - there was no way to see how we could acquire the talent to compete.
We could enjoy watching Trout play - but I think many fans never really saw how bad it was - there was really no hope of fielding a playoff team in the foreseeable future. 
He's progressed this team a lot since he came on, when it didn't seem he'd have the resources to do so.  And that's the thing - it's not just what he did - it's what he was able to do in an environment with so few resources to improve things. 
Of course he deserves an extension - you can't fire a guy for not being a miracle worker.  
The thing that kicks me in the, uh, "gut" was we interviewed Eppler but chose DiPoto.  
 
 

Absolutely - around the time DiPoto quit, looking ahead was a wasteland - there was *zero* international presence, little to no money to spend on FA's and internationals, and an empty farm - there was absolutely no reason to be optimistic long-term - there was no way to see how we could acquire the talent to compete.
We could enjoy watching Trout play - but I think many fans never really saw how bad it was - there was really no hope of fielding a playoff team in the foreseeable future. 
He's progressed this team a lot since he came on, when it didn't seem he'd have the resources to do so.  And that's the thing - it's not just what he did - it's what he was able to do in an environment with so few resources to improve things. 
Of course he deserves an extension - you can't fire a guy for not being a miracle worker.  
The thing that kicks me in the, uh, "gut" was we interviewed Eppler but chose DiPoto.  
 
 

Absolutely - around the time DiPoto quit, looking ahead was a wasteland - there was *zero* international presence, little to no money to spend on FA's and internationals, and an empty farm - there was absolutely no reason to be optimistic long-term - there was no way to see how we could acquire the talent to compete.
We could enjoy watching Trout play - but I think many fans never really saw how bad it was - there was really no hope of fielding a playoff team in the foreseeable future. 
He's progressed this team a lot since he came on, when it didn't seem he'd have the resources to do so.  And that's the thing - it's not just what he did - it's what he was able to do in an environment with so few resources to improve things. 
Of course he deserves an extension - you can't fire a guy for not being a miracle worker.  
The thing that kicks me in the, uh, "gut" was we interviewed Eppler but chose DiPoto.  
 
 

Lol....
Blake Wood was a Cincinnati Red at the deadline last year, the Angels didn't acquire him until late August.   Matt Shoemaker was on the DL from June on last year.
So you wanted to trade a guy we didn't have and someone that had been on the DL for six weeks at the deadline...  brilliant!!!
If only it wasn't for Stinking Stubborn Arte...
 

Of course it happens when he's pitching well. God forbid some shitheel like Bedrock have this problem.

Next Thread: An AL MVP discussion in which CubsFan doesn't mention Mike Trout.

Ty Cobb wasn't a racist, bro. Get with the times.

Lots of high-end pitching prospects in this draft - so, would think we'd draft a pitcher - but if a good bat falls to us?  
Hankins' inconsistency in velocity is frightening - sounds like an injury in the making.  But I'd have a hard time spending a 1st round pick on a high school pitcher not named Sidd Finch, anyway - the washout rate remains too high - would rather look for a college junior, closer to the majors,  like Kowar.
But in the end, the guys who get paid to do this will make the pick, having much more info to work with than I do, so will just let them do their jobs, then complain they got it wrong

Lots of high-end pitching prospects in this draft - so, would think we'd draft a pitcher - but if a good bat falls to us?  
Hankins' inconsistency in velocity is frightening - sounds like an injury in the making.  But I'd have a hard time spending a 1st round pick on a high school pitcher not named Sidd Finch, anyway - the washout rate remains too high - would rather look for a college junior, closer to the majors,  like Kowar.
But in the end, the guys who get paid to do this will make the pick, having much more info to work with than I do, so will just let them do their jobs, then complain they got it wrong

Cole takes a lot of deep breaths as he settles in - he has the look of someone going to the gallows, and just wanting to get it over with - just hoping he can die well, at least - and maybe not poop his pants.   He's looks "out" before the first pitch is thrown.    
His swing kinda reminds me of that line from Tin Cup?  "My swing feels like an unfolding lawn chair."  Like that - I've seen him swing late at an 88 mph fastball.  I think he'd be late on a knuckleball.  Or a whiffleball. 
His bat appears depressed, and seems to be growing a douche beard out of moss.  He once swung the bat at the ground in disgust - and missed.  
No idea what they're saying to him - should probably start with "You're feeling veeerrrryy sleeeppppyyy..." - he looks a basket case, mentally.  

He's still in denial - he doesn't have the tools he once had - and never will again.  He has to re-invent himself with what he has left - but to insist on doing it in the majors shows he's not ready, mentally, to do that.  
Like a drunk, he needs to hit bottom.  Get cut, no phone calls, no more sycophants floating his ego - just "Hey, didn't you use to be Matt Harvey?"  
If someone on staff has a rehab plan for him, a la Kazmir, call him up, pitch the plan, and tell him to call back when he's ready to get to go to the minors, and work the plan.  Then forget him.  

Glancing at Fangraphs pretty much bears out your thinking - his most effective pitch is the change, the sinker and curve are actually a bit below average - but the curve has improved as an effective pitch.  He throws the change about 20% of the time - I mean, it's not a pitch you can throw every time and be effective, but could probably work it in a few more times a game in leverage counts.
In a way, I'm fairly happy with our starters - provided they stay, well, *you know* -  the worst-case coming in could have been a debacle - relatively healthy, the team will stay in contention throughout - not gonna run away, but we'll be in the mix, pending some move(s).  

Glancing at Fangraphs pretty much bears out your thinking - his most effective pitch is the change, the sinker and curve are actually a bit below average - but the curve has improved as an effective pitch.  He throws the change about 20% of the time - I mean, it's not a pitch you can throw every time and be effective, but could probably work it in a few more times a game in leverage counts.
In a way, I'm fairly happy with our starters - provided they stay, well, *you know* -  the worst-case coming in could have been a debacle - relatively healthy, the team will stay in contention throughout - not gonna run away, but we'll be in the mix, pending some move(s).  

And to "Pujols was terrible (as an Angel)"  soon ...
 

And to "Pujols was terrible (as an Angel)"  soon ...