Anaheim Ohtanitrouts

Felt like looking up Valbuenas splits this season just so I can get an idea of what Mike is thinking, if he is thinking at all. Valbuena's actually worse against RHP than against LHP LOL.

Unfortunately I would say I agree ?

If they favor upside so much I find it weird that they don't include Maitan

Hmmm well he's 36, last season was his 2nd worst season ever, this season is his worst season ever, and any guess on what next season might be?

I see multiple people mentioning LeMahieu and I have to ask why? He's had one season over 100 ops+ in his entire career, how is he going to be that much of an upgrade on Fletcher? Fletcher's OPS+ right now is 107, I know small sample size, but why spend money when you already have a minimum salary guy playing better and also have Rengifo who has an OPS of 1.019 in AAA and posted an 897 OPS in AA in 40 games earlier. Am I missing something because I find LeMahieu to be one of the most overrated of all the Rockies players.

I really hope we stop making average to below average signings and really focus on signing top caliber (younger than 30) players and letting the rest of our spots be filled by our strong farm system. Signing guys like Young, Kinsler, Cozart, Marte, Valbuena, etc. do very little to actually improve the team and may actually hurt the team in the long run by blocking the path for our younger minor leaguers. For me the number one signing I would like to see us go for is Kelvin Herrera, or someone of that age and quality. Also, if we end up trading Parker, Bedrosian, or Alvarez, I would like us to sign a second relief pitcher. Obviously this team needs a quality bat but I can't see us going after Machado or Harper and I don't know how many other options out there are clear upgrades. For me the two players I am most interested in going for are Arenado and Gennett, both free agents in 2020 so I think there's a chance they can be pried away with some trades (or we can just wait an extra year and go all in on the 2020 season for Trouts likely last year).

I hate to say it but I agree about Trout. Hes been the best player in baseball for what now, 7 years in a row? And hes been to the playoffs one time? Obviously we all want him to stay but I think it's time to get realistic and think why would he stay? The man deserves to win and at the very least should be playing in the playoffs every year...

Trying to be optimistic, here are some positives to take from the game: Pena pitched well to recover from a poor 3rd inning, at least looking like potential to be a solid contributor out of the pen or starting every now and then. Fletcher looks like the real deal and I'll be happy to watch him for the next couple seasons. Things we've learned from this game: It's probably time to move Upton out of the 4 spot. It's too early to call his contract a bust but you can't keep throwing the least clutch player in baseball out there in a cleanup spot and behind Trout. This nonsense with benching Ohtani against lefties has to stop soon. It'd be one thing if we were actually competing and had someone better to play but throwing out garbage like Valbuena and Marte while leaving a generational talent on the bench defies all logic. I can't wait for this trade window to close so we can see if these young minor leaguers can actually make a difference.

You shouldn't be walking the bases loaded and walking in runs if you're a major league pitcher, let alone on 9 pitches. Gotta be better there

Yeah in my original post I mentioned that I did not think Shohei would be pitching at full health in 2019 and that 2020 would be a more realistic goal for his full return to the rotation. I agree on Ward and hope to see him up getting at bats very soon

Hey figured I should make a post here, been lurking on this forum for a little while now. Moved to OC in 2002 when I was 7 during the WS run, family has been STH's ever since. In grad school now so I don't live in OC anymore but still come back to visit the fam every now and then. Going to my first game this season on Friday night and I am buzzing to finally watch Ohtani play in person. Would have to say Simmons is my favorite current player and back when I was a kid Figgy was my favorite.

I agree, I hope he isn't but I'm just trying my absolute hardest to think of a reason Valbuena hasn't been DFA'ed. I want to believe Eppler has some type of plan here.

To be honest the only reason I can think of is purely trying to boost his value to where someone will trade literally anything for him to take his salary off the books and save Arte some money. But yes there is no real reason he should even be on the team.

I'd like to see the Angels shift from signing stop gap veterans and really pursue a top caliber player while letting other holes be filled by our now great farm system. I'd really like to see us go all out for Arenado, either by trade this offseason or wait one more season for his free agency. I want to believe that Rengifo can be the answer to our 2B issues and even if not I think Fletcher is good enough to play that role for us for the next couple years. Not to mention you still have Cozart who with Fletcher's emergence I would trade him for literally anything to get that salary off the books, but if not still provides value to the team with above average defense and some pop. Obviously a RF is a need too but I think making any big signing there risks blocking Adell's path to the team, I wouldn't mind one more season of Calhoun with Adell coming up towards the end of next season. So for me I think we should focus on two main signings: a big top caliber batter that can really help reshape the lineup and the most glaring need for this team a serious closer. I'm not picky when it comes to closers but we need anyone who can be that type of high leverage guy, someone like Kelvin Herrera would be perfect for this team, young and growing into a closer role. I think the bullpen is really not as bad as it appears its just missing the most important piece. You get Middleton back next year hopefully healthy and can put him in a set up role and let Anderson, Alvarez, Robles, Pena, Meyer, Cole etc. make up the rest of the pen and we are really not in that bad of shape. That bullpen to go with a rotation of Ohtani, Skaggs, Heaney, Barria, and either Suarez, Canning, or some free agent (obviously Corbin would be ideal but I don't know if we're going to be willing to spend that kind of money on a SP after all the injury problems this year) and you have a pretty solid pitching staff overall. To be realistic I think 2020 is the year we are really going to push for anything, I want to believe it can be next season but it's hard to envision Shohei pitching at a consistent health which is what we really need to take this team to the next level, I can't even remember the last time we had a true ace. To go along with that I think 2020 can be Adell's first full season and hopefully Ward, Thaiss, and Marsh can also be making an impact by then. It's been a gloomy year but I still think the future is bright for this team.

Upton has an SDI of +4.0 and is 24th in the AL.... they might need to rework that metric

Donaldson? Another guy on the wrong side of 30 coming off his worst season ever? I'll pass. Would much rather see the Angels go after a young player on the up for once.

Joe buck, thank god. His shitty commentating can distract me from valbuenas shitty playing.

My biggest issue with cozart is if you look at his career stats I think you can't even be slightly surprised by his performance this year. His OPS+ last season was 141 and his highest in any other full season was 92 out of 4 years. I think that's less of a break out year and more of an anomaly. Add to that he was 31 after that good year and it just looks like a below average signing. I still think he'll have value as an above average defensive player with some pop but if we get a chance to trade for anything you take it. Hopefully Eppler learns from this experience. Now on to the positive, we have one of the best farm systems in baseball and I think overall the club is pointing up. There's no way injury problems can get worse and it's just a matter of time before one of these guys coming up turns into a star. We just need to be patient and hope these next 2 years with Trout we can at least make the playoffs both years and win some games.

Because I like the guy, I'd rather see degrom pitch for the mets than be on the DL with the angels

1 player from the superior league.. of course its the worst roster ever

Deck McGuire is 29 with a career minor league era over 4, and pretty much no upside. I know we have ridiculous injuries but is this really the best we can put out

Now a run directly attributed to an umpire error nice...

Whats the point in having a review system if you still get the calls wrong my god frustrating

Hey just made an account and wanted my first post to be in this thread