Buttercup

This law affected my work. I freelance write for several publications and have had to cut back how many articles I write for them. I would write a weekly column but now that puts me over the limit of full time employment status. These are small family publications that barely squeak by and could never afford the extra costs of having multiple full-time employees. 

This law affected my work. I freelance write for several publications and have had to cut back how many articles I write for them. I would write a weekly column but now that puts me over the limit of full time employment status. These are small family publications that barely squeak by and could never afford the extra costs of having multiple full-time employees. 

This law affected my work. I freelance write for several publications and have had to cut back how many articles I write for them. I would write a weekly column but now that puts me over the limit of full time employment status. These are small family publications that barely squeak by and could never afford the extra costs of having multiple full-time employees. 

Musgrove is exactly the kind of upside play I can see Eppler making as a second acquisition. 
 
Everyone would hate it, and it might not work, but it wouldn’t surprise me. 
 
 

 
Eppler likes spin, ground balls, velo and strikeouts. I’ll let you guys do the searching.

Great read for those wanting to see how FanGraphs projects Rendon to produce $270m of value over the life of this contract. Caution, It compares him to similar players and may cause arousal. 
 
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/anthony-rendon-deserves-the-equivalent-of-the-bryce-harper-deal/

Great read for those wanting to see how FanGraphs projects Rendon to produce $270m of value over the life of this contract. Caution, It compares him to similar players and may cause arousal. 
 
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/anthony-rendon-deserves-the-equivalent-of-the-bryce-harper-deal/

I know this is off topic, but looking at the contracts handed out this offseason, Patrick Corbin's 6-year/140 million deal really looks like a bargain!

The infield alignment: Rendon at 3B, Simmons at short, Fletcher will be at 2B and Pujols at 1B with La Stella at UT.
This means....
1. Matt Thaiss and Luis Rengifo are expendable. Maybe one sticks around but that's a long shot from where we are standing. I think we can expect one or both to be traded soon. 
2. The Angels have lots of young pitching, and I think Eppler will hold onto Canning, Sandoval and Suarez, to see what Calloway can make of them. But Barria doesn't really fit what Eppler targets in others, and I think he's going to deal him away too.
3. The Angels are short on LHB... Again. So I don't think they are going to trade Marsh. I think it will be Jordyn Adams. 
4. We don't know for sure what they can spend, but after the Cozart trade, it was looking like it would be 55-60 million on next year alone. Rendon's contact is slightly backloaded, so I figure he's probably going to make 25 this next year, which opens up 35-40 to spend.
5. That infield defense is built for ground balls. So.... Without further adu, here is the plan for the remainder of the Angels off-season.
--------
A. Angels trade Luis Rengifo and Jordyn Adams to Cleveland for Corey Kluber.
B. Angels sign Hyun Jin Ryu for four years, 90 million. 
C. Angels trade Jaime Barria to San Diego in return for Austin Hedges. 
------
The rotation lines up as Kluber, Ryu, Ohtani, Heaney, Bundy and Canning.  You know the rest.

Ohtani 

Angels had interest in Lindblom, I liked him too, was hoping we’d get him

Season still salvageable!

Eppler said they are still working on acquiring a front line starter. But out of all the names mentioned as available in trade or free agency I wouldn’t call any of them “front line”. So who the heck are they talking about? 
The most disappointing part about losing Cole is I think it means losing Marsh (our best trade chip). And are they going to use him to acquire a number 3 because that’s all that’s being made available? I would ask Eppler but he hasn’t been taking my calls

Of course there are, just not any sexy names.   
Here is how most of the remaining upper crust went last year:
MadBum:  207  In fact hes gone over 200 every year since11 save for those 2 seasons with odd injuries.
Ryu:  182  Hes the one im not interested in,he wont repeat last year and his durability is certainly suspect having not done more than 15 since '14
Kuechel:  112, 204 the year before.  no less than 150ish since '13
Teheran:  174, actually his lowest since 13
Roark:  180, only once since '14 was he under 165
Miley:  167,  160 plus each year since '12 but '18. 
I still think Lindblom might be worth a look  168 and 194 in the KBO last 2 years, and even before that he had seasons of 177 and 210.  If he truly found something over there it might be worth a look. 

Bottom line there are still guys out there that make us better.  WEll have to do the sexy stuff on the offensive side. 
 

Opportunity to buy low on Blake Snell?
Anyone?

Front line for the Angels is #3 or #4 for most teams 

I just hope Eppler isn't squeezed by the other teams because they know we're desperate for pitching.

I feel things are about to get real interesting for the Angels. If they grabbed Cole they’d need a catcher and may not have had a lot of resources left for more moves. Now Eppler will have to get more creative. One things certain. They won’t be sitting still. 

My heart breaks for Trout.

And it worked out better for us on both of those i feel. 

And it worked out better for us on both of those i feel. 

I’m not fond of complimenting people. Would much rather run them myself. But, I have to say. Aside from Fletch your articles are about as good as anything you can read angels related. 

I get it, I just like to rib people! 😄

Rendon is probably more of a back-up plan in case they miss out on Cole...not in addition to. But they could still sign perhaps one of Ryu/Bumgarner, or at worst Keuchel/Teheran, and/or make an aggressive trade for an arm, perhaps a bat as well. 
Say, sign Rendon, one of Ryu/Bumgarner, trade for Ray, or trade for a Cubs SP/C. They could just opt to double-down on offense and hope the arms they are able to get work. 

Really I think if the Angels clear $300M in an offer they will walk away with Cole. It may be 10 years, $300M, it may be 9 years, $315M, 9 years, $324M, whatever. Just get it done, he is vital for our long-term competitiveness.