TNAngelsFan71

twitter called.  they want their post back.  

It depresses me to think this franchise doesn't have this magnanimous man. There's no way Sosh would've lost 90 games this season. He's as good as managers get IMO, and he should be part of this team 

I also see Atlanta as a good fit for him if SF doesn't make him a career Giant. I just think he may be someone to keep an eye on if his market is slow.  Cole is obviously the first choice and the best fit for the Angels pitching wise in a long while. It's been nice to have a bit of a debate on this with both sides having some compelling views and it not becoming a group snark fest. 

Bumgarner is just one year older than Cole. He’s not old and declining. He had an injury that he pitched through and once recovered he pitched as well as anyone for the months of June, July, and August.
He isn’t Cole or Strasburg, but he’s definitely #3. And if they get Cole for 30ish M, and can get Bumgarner for around 20M, and add Grandal for 16.... yes that’s $66 M to go with the 120 in contracts and 20 in arb, but a little creative bookkeeping in years one and two and they can get this team... is it enough?
 

We need starters that are not afraid to attack the strike zone. Every one of our starters seemed to nibble especially once ahead in the count. Is that a reflection of the pitching coach? the philosophy as put forth by Eppler / Ausmus? or just pitchers not being allowed to trust their stuff and seeing what happens? I miss the attitude pitchers like Percival had of here's my best pitch … hit it if you can.... if you do I tip my cap, if you don't go have a seat.

Eppler to Red Sox
Scioscia to Angels as GM
Maddon to Angels as Field Manager
 
 

This reeks of a poor decision on Eppler’s part to hire Ausmus.  Nothing in his stint with the Tigers pointed to him being a good manager.  My guess is that Ausmus showed to Eppler in 2018 that he could fully embrace metrics and manage by the “big book of stats”.  
One thing Sosh was really good at was building a clubhouse chemistry that always fought through bad times.  I don’t know that I saw any of that with the 2019 club, even with all the injuries.  
If I’m Eppler I might start worrying about my job as well....

i guess we can give him another season to determine the grade....And those saying he's a better manager than Mike...Bs.

Also, I think Ausmus is going by the numbers now more than he did while in Detroit.  I get it, if the rotation wasn't the shit show it is it likely pays off more.... but it's painful to always be playing from behind and not seeing the team take risks (push)...  People looking at the team play cautiously and arguing they have given up arent getting it...   The data says don't take risks, avoid outs at all costs...  Some of you don't realize it but you just miss Mike Scioscia and his willingness to push the issue at all times.

C - as in he did all the work required.
I didn't like the hire, not a fan of the guy in general but I don't know how much to blame him for.   I think he's following the same game plan everyone uses now.  People wanted a saber inclined modern manager that used data instead of a traditionalist that trusted his gut....  Thats exactly how he has operated. 
Blarg made a good point saying his in game decisions seem at time to be nonexistent, his not taking AP out is again a great example of the modern way of doing things.   Speed on the paths is trivialized in systems were out prevention carries the highest weight and removing a better hitter for a better runner is frowned upon.   Does a fast runner increase your chances to score on a hit? Absolutely, but the onus is on the hitter to get the hit... So, yeah.... Trivialized.
I always found it funny that all the guys that get labeled stat nerds didn't hate MS, while many of the guys who tended to mock statistical usage hated him because he was an outdated dinosaur.  Sometimes people can't see the forest for the trees.
I love the analytical stuff in the game and yet I hate station to station baseball.  We have assets we aren't using simply because the data argues it's not worth the risk.
It's boring.

If I had a choice between Ausmus and Scioscia next season  ... I’d take Scioscia in a heartbeat 

I’m old school and I can’t stand the opener. I miss the days of complete game pitchers, complete no hitters by the starter, 200 plus innings guys, 200 plus K’s, 20 game winners. The game has changed so much but not all for the better. These pitching changes make me appreciate guys like Ryan, Drysdale, JR Richards, Valenzuela, Langston and many many more. Give me 7-8 innings and bring in a setup guy and then a fireball closer. That’s the way I remember it. This opener stuff may be strategic but it makes them all look soft. 

I think the OF prospects we have coming up fairly quickly will out perform Goodwin in short order. Calhoun (while I love his play) is almost assuredly not having his 14M option picked up and Lucroy is not in the plan beyond this season.  If we can acquire virtually any SP with control beyond this year that can win 4-5 starts from here on out is a huge addition to winning this year and beyond.

You sell off the assets that are not in the long term plans.... Lucroy, Goodwin, some of the AAA middle IF depth, possibly Calhoun ( kind of hesitant on this one)…. and target players that can help both short and long term by either being controllable beyond this season or by being added to the pot to go after the SP we need so desperately. I would have zero issues trading Goodwin and Lucroy to get a player that can be added to a deal to get Ray/Greinke, Boyd, etc. 

I know some here arent fans, so maybe ill look like a weirdo stating this. But it feels "odd" to go through this without Sosh.
Say what you want about his lineups, matchups, whatever. But he was the one constant on this team for 20 years. He was an absolute rock with the Adenhart tragedy. Kind of wish he was around today as we go through this.

McCutchen 2/24M -- use Calhoun as 4th OF and platoon at 1B/Pujols
Donaldson 1/15M -- Cozart/ Fletcher are 2B and Util... let Ward get the time in AAA and use as needed.
Maldonado 2/8M -- Go after Realmuto when he hits FA in 2 yrs.
Kikuchi 6/42M 
Richards 1/at league min w/player option at 10M
Kikuchi/Heaney/Skaggs/Barria/Canning -- nontender Shoemaker, Bedrosian and Tropeano (saves estimated 7.4M arb costs)
so AAV's of  12 + 15 + 4 + 7 = 38 M - 7.4 = 30.6M
1. McCutchen - RF
2. Trout - CF
3. Otani - DH
4. Donaldson - 3B
5. Upton - LF
6. Simmons - SS
7. Pujols/Calhoun -1B
8. Cozart/Fletcher - 2B
9. Maldonado - C

McCutchen 2/24M -- use Calhoun as 4th OF and platoon at 1B/Pujols
Donaldson 1/15M -- Cozart/ Fletcher are 2B and Util... let Ward get the time in AAA and use as needed.
Maldonado 2/8M -- Go after Realmuto when he hits FA in 2 yrs.
Kikuchi 6/42M 
Richards 1/at league min w/player option at 10M
Kikuchi/Heaney/Skaggs/Barria/Canning -- nontender Shoemaker, Bedrosian and Tropeano (saves estimated 7.4M arb costs)
so AAV's of  12 + 15 + 4 + 7 = 38 M - 7.4 = 30.6M
1. McCutchen - RF
2. Trout - CF
3. Otani - DH
4. Donaldson - 3B
5. Upton - LF
6. Simmons - SS
7. Pujols/Calhoun -1B
8. Cozart/Fletcher - 2B
9. Maldonado - C