Hubs

Does anyone actually think he’s gonna play every game starting on opening day? He’ll get 35 games tops, which is not enough to see if he’ll be the everyday guy in 2021. Had they had a full season and he got say 85 games then I could see him being the everyday guy.

I dont think Adell is going to be a fixture in the Angels OF Until 2022. He had a chance to come up midseason and take the job full time by 2021, but now, with the shortened season, he's only likely to be get a little time if any.

I agree with the not splitting up Trout and Rendon. Ohtani hits in 2/3 of the games, then in those games it’s likely it goes 2/3/4/5 Trout/Rendon/Ohtani/Upton. RRLR. When Pujols plays he’ll hit 6th in this scenario. In the 1/3 of games Ohtani doesn’t hit, I’d expect the Angels to try to add a lefty bat, and Thaiss and Walsh are the likely two. I’d expect them to hit 6th with Pujols hitting 5th and Upton to slide to the 4 spot. I don’t expect them to slot into the #5 spot as a lefty unless they are mashing the ball and then that alters things. Castro could also move up if he’s hitting as a lefty hitting catcher with power and it’s not like we’ve seen that since Napoli. LaStella or Goodwin will be playing a lot of the time if Fletcher Is playing the others position. So that’s a pretty balanced lineup L/R. There will usually be 6 Righties and 3 Lefties in the lineup. It could occasionally be 7/2 or 5/4.

I am sure that we all agree that Albert probably will get 30-35 games at 1st base. I am sure that we all agree that Ohtani is the primary DH, but likely gets a max of 40 games as DH. So that leaves 20 games at DH and lets say 30 at 1st. Albert plays in 2/3 of the games, so I'm giving him 10 of the DH starts, the rest will likely go to Upton, Trout, and Rendon. That leaves 30 games at 1st. La Stella is not going to play 1/2 the time at 1st. Thaiss should be the logical choice, but Rojas and Walsh and Ward all have 1st base experience. The first three are left handed hitters. The vast majority of 1st base time will go to Pujols, then one of the four names above. Then maybe LaStella gets 2-3 starts there. I think any of the three could hit similarly to LaStella's career numbers, and they all could be capable of hitting to an .800 OPS too.

He might have a path to playing 30 games in the majors this year, but I doubt it will be more than that.

Closers: Middleton, Robles Set-Up: Buttrey, Bedrosian, Andriese, Anderson/Bard/Barnes Left Handed Relievers: Buchter, Quintana Long Relief: Pena, Noe Ramirez I figure it's a 10 man pen to open the season.

Jose Rojas also could be a lefty off the bench. La Stella will not play 1st. Also, with all of the lefty bench options, I think Ward could see some time in the lineup, as a righty off the bench. With 26 men, and a 13 man lineup 12 man pitching staff (not incl Ohtani), you'd have Trout, Rendon, Pujols, Fletcher, Simmons, and Upton as righty hitters, plus Castro and Goodwin as lefty hitters. Then your bench is likely LaStella, Thaiss from the left side, Stassi from the right side, and Rengifo as a switch hitter. Then who fits as the last man? Another lefty or a righty? Goodwin also isn't guaranteed the job, and he could be on the bench, with Adell as the starter. Rengifo and Thaiss also have options and could be up and down. At 30 men, you likely carry two more pitchers to a 16 man staff, and two more hitters. That's likely to be an OF and an INF, though I could see a 3rd C, and just an OF. At 28, you likely drop a pitcher and a hitter, but maybe two pitchers.

LaStella is not going to play 1st. He's played a total of 5.1 Innings in his career as a 1B. He hit .295/.346/.486 last year in his first year in Anaheim, and the ball was juiced, so he hit 16 HR, after having just 10 in his career prior to that point. Mat Thaiss or Jared Walsh will get the lefty starts at 1B this season. They may not hit quite to those numbers (over 80 games), but they will be the guy there. Pujols will get majority of the starts, maybe 35 to Thaiss/Walsh's 25. Also depends on who starts in RF, as I think Walsh could see some time there.

4 or 5 days a week, when Ohtani isn't starting at SP or on his recovery day. 2B Fletcher/LaStella CF Trout 3B Rendon DH Ohtani LF Upton SS Simmons 1B Pujols/Thaiss C Castro/Stassi RF Goodwin/Adell/Walsh/Ward When Ohtani is a SP or recovery day: UTIL Fletcher CF/DH Trout 3B/DH Rendon LF/DH Upton 1B Pujols/Thaiss SS Simmons 2B LaStella C Castro/Stassi RF/CF/LF Goodwin/Adell

60 is a weird number, especially with 10 games against each of the 4 division opponents. But I don't get the 7 games away, 7 games at home stuff, they should've split it 6-4 Home/Away vs. Mariners and 6/4 Away/Home vs. The A's. I'd have done that. It may have taken a bit of swapping, but it would've been better.

Hmm, 3 of 10 home vs. A's, 6 of 10 home vs. Astros, 4 of 10 home against the Rangers, and 7 against the Mariners at home? Then they get the Dodgers for 3 at home, the Diamondbacks for 3 at home, Giants and Padres for 2 each? Seems like a weird way to split the games, but then, everything about this season is weird. Oh and they finish with three against the Dodgers.

I don't think it would be, unless they work out a deal for expanded playoffs. Someone is going to set a pace that is crazy, like 41 or 42 wins. Just due to the nature of a shortened season. It's like 113 win pace over the 162, but in a short season, it will happen. Division winners will be in the 36-38 win range with Wild Cards being in the 33-35 range. 35-25 is only 10 games over, which is not a lot. Here's the updated PECOTA from 3/26/20 https://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/ They have the best team at 103, which would be updated to a 38 win Dodgers team, but I'd tack on a few more, maybe the end up at 41 or 42. They have the worst team at 62, which would equate to the Orioles winning 23 games. I can see them finishing with less than 20. In the AL, they have the Astros winning 98, or 36 games in the shortened season. I think they're going to struggle this year with no trash cans, and the A's and Angels will both be better than the Astros.

It was 75% the same staff between 2012 and 2013, Kluber didn't make a huge jump until 2014, Bauer was their worst regular starter in 2015 when he arrived. Clevinger didn't breakout until 2017.

I think the National media is drastically underestimating Callaway's influence on the staff. Scott Radinsky had been fired the year before midseason. The 2012 Indians staff had a 4.78 ERA (14th out of 14), with the 13/14 strikeouts, 13/14 walks and 12/14 in hits. Cleveland's rotation in Year 2013 improved to 7/14 in ERA and 2/14 in Strikeouts but Still was 13/14 in walks allowed. 3/14 in hits. In 2014 ERA was up to 5/14 , 1/14 in SO, and 7/14 in walks. 7/14 in hits. In 2015 ERA was 2/14, 1/14 in SO, 1/14 in walks. 1/14 in hits. In 2016 ERA was 2/15, 1/15 in SO, 4/15 in walks, 1/15 in hits. in 2017 ERA was 2/15, 1/15 in SO, 1/15 in walks, 1/15 in hits.

Abbott also started the season after he was drafted. I cannot find a single instance in the last 40 years of a pitcher being drafted and playing that season without any minor league experience. Bob Horner in 1978 was drafted in June and debuted ten days later, but he was an infielder, he never played in the minors. Mike Morgan, in 1978 was drafted in June, and and debuted 5 days later. But he was from HIGH SCHOOL. Tim Conroy also did it that year, and also for the A's. Also from High School. He made two starts, and then wasn't in the majors again until 5 seasons later (82). Brian Milner, was a catcher from the Blue Jays, who also jumped from High School to the majors, also in 1978, and started two games. He was sent down, and never returned to MLB. His son is in Angels Camp in 2020. David Clyde was a High School Pitcher who debuted for the Rangers with no minor league experience, and in the season he was drafted, 1973. He hurt his shoulder two seasons later and his career was over by age 26. Dave Winfield started two weeks after the 1973 draft in the OF for the Padres, straight out of college. He never played in the Minors. He is a Hall of Famer. Eddie Bane (yes, that Eddie Bane) was drafted 11th overall in 1973, went straight to the Twins a month after the draft. He spent the entire 1974 minor league season in AAA, then came back to the majors at the end of 1975. He Bounced between AAA and the Majors before becoming a scout in the early 1980's. Dave Roberts (not that Dave Roberts) was the fastest, being drafted and then debuting for the Padres in 1972 less than 24 hours later. He had two good seasons and then faded. Pete Broberg in 1971 went straight to the Washington Senators, as the #1 overall pick, and pitched well, for three years, then went to the minors before being traded. He was finished at age 28. Burt Hooton, pitched for the Cubs two weeks after the draft in 1971 after being the #2 pick. Was shaky, sent to the minors, and came back in September. Hooton might be the most successful pitcher on this list, pitching 15 seasons and winning the 1981 NLCS MVP with the Dodgers. Rob Ellis was the 3rd pick in 1971, and he also went straight to the majors as a 3B for the Brewers. He played 36 games that year, and then played an additional 28 over the next 4 seasons. He never made it back to the majors. Steve Dunning was selected 2nd in 1970, bypassed the minors and started for the Indians 10 days later, he did okay, but his career was over by age 28. Mike Adamson was the first pick in the first round of the 1967 draft out of USC, and he was 19 when he made his debut a few weeks later. He went to AAA to finish the year. Began the next year in AAA, then was called up again, and his MLB career was over by age 21. So bottom line is that it's best not to rush picks to the majors. Only four of these 12 guys have had successful careers, Winfield, Hooton, Hoerner, and Mike Morgan. https://www.mlb.com/news/players-who-went-directly-from-the-draft-to-mlb