Hubs

Defensively, Trout was down because he didn't play next to Torrii Hunter in RF and Trumbo in LF. Shuck was awful defensively and Hamilton was a step down. Next season, it's likely Trout/Bourjos/Hamilton in the OF most of the time, though Calhoun and Shuck will play. IF TRUMBO is traded that is.

Honestly, Lucho Jimenez might win the 3B job over Middlebrooks. And Doubrant isn't an established or young starter. He's 25 and had a 4.32 ERA. They can do better for both of these players. Also, if they trade both, then JB Shuck is a full-time OF or DH. Which I for one do not want to see. My predictions are that one of Trumbo and Bourjos is traded, probably Trumbo. And one of Kendrick and Aybar is traded.

Ok, so I started this thread a few days ago but I think: 1) Luis Jimenez will be the regular third baseman by July. 2) Morin will be a part of the pen very early in the season. 3) Shoemaker will be the Joe Saunders / Matt Palmer AAA fill in starter. 4) Lindsey will see some time 5) Cron will see some time

With Trumbo 1. Trout 2. Calhoun 3. Pujols 4. Hamilton 5. Trumbo 6. Kendrick 7. Iannetta/Conger 8. Jimenez/Green 9. Aybar With Bourjos 1. Bourjos 2. Calhoun 3. Trout 4. Pujols 5. Hamilton 6. Kendrick 7. Iannetta/Conger 8. Jimenez/Green 9. Aybar I like the first one better. And I'm a Peter Bourjos fan.

While I'm a big Bourjos fan, Calhoun proved he deserves a spot. Question not answered above, who is the DH? If they trade Trumbo, then isn't a platoon of Hamilton / Pujols the DH? And doesn't that mean that there is a spot for Bourjos in CF?

In 2013, the Angels had a down year but did have several rookies make their debuts. Now, none made the impact that Trout had made in 2012, but a few players did do well enough to show they belonged for 2014. Hank Conger and Kole Calhoun stand out and Luis Jimenez showed signs of life with the bat to go along with spectavular defense before slumping and getting injured. Grant Green did hit well. So I ask, Which guys from the system will make an impact for 2014?

Jays trade package mentioned above: Iannetta (5), Kendrick (9), Blanton (8) for Mark Buehrle (19), Sergio Santos (4), and Izturis (3). They could also throw in a prospect like CJ Cron to make it happen. What that does is give the Jays a C and 2B plus a salary dump in Blanton and we take back 27 M in Salaries for 2014 plus the same amount in 2015.

Best deal is to somehow get David Price from the Rays (But that may be tough) And then re-sign Vargas. Would anyone be in favor of an Izturis return in a package from the Jays?

Shuck is Reggie Willits and/or Orlando Palmiero. If people can't see why Peter Bourjos is a better player than they don't understand baseball. Now, the question comes down to keeping two of Bourjos/Trumbo/Calhoun then I understand that. Keep in mind too that our highest rated prospects after Calhoun, at 1st or in the OF are CJ Cron, Randal Girchuck, and Travis Witherspoon. Well Witherspoon was waived after the season, Cron had an Okay season in Arkansas (Trumbo's 09 was superior at the same age), and Grichuck may repeat AA after posting a .306 OBP. He's only 22 for next year though. If we had any injuries, there wouldn't be a big hitting prospect ready to jump in if they dealt Bourjos/Trumbo/Calhoun. It means JB Shuck would get AB's.

I understand trading an offensive piece or two or three for pitching pieces, but to unload just to reload…hmmm I mean if Trumbo, Bourjos, and Kendrick brought us David Price, then I'm all for it. But they won't.

I'd also take a flyer on a one year deal for Barry Zito or Phil Hughes.

You have 24 players listed, some of whom I'm wondering if they make the roster. Scott Cousins will not be on the opening day team. Sorry, but he's not. The third best reserve OF, maybe fourth. Not happening. Neither are John Hester (unless they trade Iannetta) or Cory Rasmus. Wasn't Cassevah cut? (Yes he's a member of the Rockies) Neither is Joe Blanton for that matter. Or Tommy Hanson. Or Jerome Williams (at that Salary figure). And I doubt Chris Nelson is back, but maybe….So taking those away... 17 players make $137.625…I think Trout and Hank Conger will make more than you listed. What's that 17 player team look like? Forgot a few people from this years team too. INF Pujols, Kendrick, Aybar, Green, Trumbo OF Trout, Hamilton, Bourjos, C Iannetta, Conger 3-4 position player spots. Need at least one back up outfielder and a back up MINF or starting third baseman. My picks would be Calhoun, Jimenez, and Romine or Tommy Field. JB Shuck is probably back too. All make 500k or around there. $2M total. SP Weaver, Wilson, Richards…need two guys. I'd bring Vargas back for one of those spots, and try to trade for another guy to fill it. Save for that, you're either looking at Joe Blanton or Jerome Williams and Vargas… is that a playoff caliber rotation? No. RP Frieri, Jepsen, Burnett, JC Gutierrez. Forgot Dane De La Rosa, who rounds out the pen. He definitely pitched well enough to guarantee him a spot over guys like Cory Rasmus. Leaves 1-2 spot for Michael Kohn? Or another name? Maybe Roth? Or maybe a FA? Adding a proven closer like the Beard is for sure a good add, but perhaps the finances preclude that from happening. So now you're looking at a payroll of roughly $140 M with two rotation spots to fill and maybe add a closer as well? And no proven 3rd baseman, where a veteran platoon would be a good add. Also, need to consider the log jam that Trumbo/Pujols/Hamilton/Trout/Bourjos/Shuck/Calhoun currently occupy which is 7 guys for five spots. I don't think Shuck is starting caliber, but he is a decent lefty off the bench. Calhoun being able to fill in at 1st helps his case, when Trumbo is the DH at least. So shopping list would be two starters, one of them who could be Jason Vargas, and also a third base veteran, and a closer. Since the Luxury tax is based off the 40 man roster and also includes benefits, they need to get a guy on the cheap for the rotation, or just let Blanton pitch every fifth day and hope for the best. That was a god awful signing. Tanaka and Vargas would be my two picks, plus The Beard and Eric Chavez. Realistically though, looking at these numbers, that can only happen if they unload salary. And that's not going to be easy outside of Kendrick and possibly Iannetta.

For Iannetta and Kendrick, the Angels should target Sergio Santos, Ricky Romero, Macier Izturis, and Cash. The Angels may have to throw in a legit hitting prospect here as well. Romero needs a change of scenery, and yes the Angels would be taking a chance that a guy who used to be the top Blue Jays starter would rebound. He's from Cal State Fullerton. Santos is a closer, but they have another one, and he was untouchable the last two months. He's the guy they are really going after here. And Izturis is a guy who can back up the infield positions, whom we all know what to expect out of. I know that doesn't seem like a great haul, three guys coming off injuries, etc. Save some money, get a valuable bullpen piece if not a closer, a reliable back-up, and a project starter who was once an ace. I'd like more, but what's realistic and what they're gonna get is probably a big difference.

Wally Joyner has to be the favorite. He just declined to stay on the Phillies staff. He has a local connection, played for Scioscia. He is more old school and had reported conflicts with Sandy Alderson on Sabermetrics. Alderson was Billy Beane's mentor in Oakland. Seeing as he'd fit in more with Scioscia and less with DiPoto…I wonder if he's the right choice. Eddie Murray would take the job…perhaps. A HOF as the hitting coach? Hmmm These are all retreads though, so you'd have to wonder if they'd go that route. There is some benefit to having a coach who players can say, wow he did that? Yet, also, those types aren't always the best hitting coaches either. Vizquel will probably get one of the jobs… third base would be tough as he's not done it, according to Alden Gonzalez, but I've seen many third base coaches get moved to bench coach…Plus Griffen handles the infielders. Salmon of course has the pedigree as a hitter and would likely have been a HOF candidate if not for injuries. The guy hit and walked. Seems smart and a leader type. I think they'd have given him a roving instructor job (like Vizquel has) if not for the fact that he wants to be close to his kids. Though that seems to be less of an issue now, as he is on most Angels broadcasts. Will they hire an experienced coach or younger guys? I wonder.

"In addition to the third base and hitting coach jobs, Dipoto said the team probably will add two new coaches, at least one of whom is likely to assist the hitting coach." From the Fox Sports West Story.

I think they are going to hire an experienced hitting coach and a younger assistant hitting coach. As for 3rd base, who knows. Could be Tim Bogar who did serve as the 3rd base coach for the Red Sox in 2010-11 and is currently the Travelers Manager. Eddie Murray is a darkhorse candidate for the hitting coach job. As is Chili Davis (if the A's let him go) which is not likely. I also saw in a story that they are hiring two additional coaches. Is this an assistant hitting (Salmon) and an assistant pitching (Percival).

Pitching staff under butcher has had some really good seasons. Losing Vargas and Weaver for a ton of starts, depending on Williams and Joe Freaking Blanton plus Hansons troubles? How is any of that Blantons fault? Also Burnett getting injured and Madson not recovering? Not his fault either. This staff still gave up around 700 runs which is nowhere near bad.

Hitting coach could be Wally Joyner

What's the difference if they give him 500k on a renewal for 2014 and then $13.5M in 2015 or giving him 7M a year for two? It benefits both parties, giving Trout some money early, and keeping the Angels Salary Cap Number (Luxury Tax Number) in better shape for the next two years. No one sees this logic?

I've looked over the Angels 2014 Salary commitments and the next few years as well. Knowing the Trout will likely set records in the arbitration process, as well as the fact that they have over $100 committed the next three years as well as many arbitration cases…. While the team may not want to give Trout $100 plus million at this stage, they could look into getting him under contract for 2014 and 2015 or even a three year deal so they don't have to go into arbitration with him. Because they'll lose. Unless his Agent asks for double what Ryan Howard and Pujols asked for (10 and 10.5) in their first years. Seeing as they can pay him 500-600k for 2014 and probably are going to be looking at 10-14 in 2015, 15-18 in 2016, and 18-22 in 2017 which would all set records...Perhaps it is better to say sign a three year, 29 M deal now. Or a 2 year 13 M deal. They can pay him say a $5M signing bonus, and a low salary in 2014, perhaps a $1M figure, then save in 2015 with say a $7 M deal. Or if they get him to go three, give him a $9M signing bonus now, and $1 M for 2014, $7M in 2015 and $12M in 2016. This helps the Angels luxury tax wise, it helps Trout get some cash a year early and he'll still get a similar amount of money. They'll also have one final arbitration year in 2017, where they could set arbitration records. Alternately they could make him the first $300M player now, but that's a little excessive.

I like Trumbo, and honestly don't want to see him traded, but to say he has zero trade value is a ridiculous notion. I also like Calhoun though and see no spot for him if the Angels are all healthy. He's a patient high average, high OBP left handed hitter. The Angels need that. Furthermore, Cron is going to jump to SLC next year and while his numbers in the minors haven't equalled Trumbo's at the same level, he profiles as a similar hitter and will cost 500k. If they can get good value in a trade for Trumbo, as well as getting Calhoun in the lineup and also believe Cron to be ready in 2015, isn't this the time to move him?

I'm saying that they need to re-structure their team, they have 14 Million committed in 2014, and that doesn't include Price. $14.1 committed next year to four players: Longoria, Zobrist (if they declined his option, otherwise it's going to be 18.6 M), Joel Peralta, and Matt Moore. They then have 21 spots to fill. Cost controlled guys definitely in their plans number as many as 9, (McGee, Cobb, Jennings, Loboton, Archer, Odorozzi, Gomes, Torres, & either Lee or Beckham). That's $4-5 M. Arbitration eligible guys as many as 10 (Price, Niemann, Roberts, Joyce, Rodriguez, Fuld, Duncan. Hellickson, Ramos and Gimenez). That could be $34-$35 M more. They have 9 free agents. And have a $5 M option with no buyout on Yunel Escobar. Guys like Loney and Roberto Hernandez will want good money. They have no wiggle room. Maybe 5-10 M if they non-tender a few players. Where's the offense coming from? But their staff is loaded. Adding $12M in offense for $14M in pitching is not a bad deal for them. They could have a lineup like Jennings CF Zobrist LF Myers RF Longoria 3B Trumbo 1B/DH Kendrick 2B Loney 1B/DH Loboton C Lee SS And would then be able to cut Roberts at 4-5 M and not bring back Escobar at a $5M option. Their rotation would be solid even without Price. Moore Hellickson Cobb Niemann Hernandez/Odorrozi Their pen would be solid and they'd have the money for a closer. They may get better offers than what I am saying is possible, but two major league offensive starters for Price is not a huge price to pay.

Mike Sciosica is ten times the manager Eric Wedge is even on his worst day. The only guys I could see replacing Scioscia with are Kirk Gibson (if the D'backs fire him to give Matt Williams the job), Darin Erstad, Joe Torre, and/or Tony LaRussa.

My thoughts exactly.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/derek-jeter-manage-york-yankees-210500083--mlb.html It's a "Contributor" Article, but I don't hate the idea for them. Doesn't affect the Angels, but it is interesting to consider the concept of a Player-Manager again. It keeps Jeter in the lineup, but not as the full-time guy on an aging roster. He's three hits shy of Molitor for 8th all-time. Three more successful seasons like 2011 where he had 162 hits (not to mention seasons like 2012 when he had 216) would put him at 3800 all time. Realistically to pass Rose though, he'd have to hit 150 hits a season for 6 more years. I don't think that's gonna happen and we all hate it when a guy hangs on to get stats….still as fit as he is, if he can recover from the injury next year, he could hang on to pass Rose. It's even more likely for him to do 2 more seasons as the mostly full-time guy, yet then transition into a part time player and pass the record getting 100 hits for the next six years as a backup occasional guy…which normally Jeter wouldn't likely stand for, but also he would be the manager, so no one would look at him negatively for holding on. Interesting concept.