TBailey

I still think that unless they get someone they know they really want...they will keep Kole, and they will bring him back next season on a new and cheaper deal. 

Kole makes this team better. Some may not agree and that is fine. But imo, he makes us a better team.

1 minute ago, #WeNasty said:

Ok, Adell, Trout and Upton will be the starters.  Goodwin, for around league minimum will be the 4th outfielder until Marsh or someone is ready to come up.  So there just isn’t room for Kole, not at even a bargain of $8-10 million.  He deserves to be a starter, just won’t happen here after 2019.

I could definitely see that happening. But I’m simply giving my opinion. I don’t think the Angels are just gonna let him walk so easily as some of us here think. 

7 minutes ago, #WeNasty said:

Well the more we win the harder it will be to justify trading him.  But no, he is not going to be here for a few more seasons, nor should he be.  If he has that kind of value where he deserves to be with a team for a few seasons after this one then simply pick up his option and trade him in the off season.  There just won’t be room for him here, not with Trout, Adell, Upton, Marsh, Goodwin, and then the following wave of outfielders.  

You can always find room for a gold glove player with pop on your team. At what cost? That’ll be the deciding factor. Kole is still a very important player. Marsh won’t be here yet. Goodwin? Very replaceable.

I don’t think trading Kole is smart especially the way we are going right now. In fact, I hope we bring Kole back next season and for a few more thereafter. He doesn’t need to play RF. He can platoon outfield spots and 1B. Even though he’s not a high average Hitter, his HR production and defense have brought some serious impact to this team. IMO trading Kole is a bad mistake UNLESS we are blown away with a return. 

6 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Im not sure how we 'value' the catchers position... only that describing Lucroy's defense in a positive manner is not how I would describe it at all. 

He may not be the defensive catcher that Maldonado was but he’s definitely an offensive upgrade. I think we have to consider what catchers  there are in the league who are above average with both the glove and the bat. Not many. So you have to choose what you want right now with a catcher. You choose a bat, we will complain about the defense. You choose the glove, we will complain about the offense. It’s what you value. 

On 5/5/2019 at 10:22 PM, AngelsLakersFan said:

We are obviously watching different sports.

No, we are definitely watching the same sport. We just have different opinions in the value of the catcher’s position. 

I think Lucroy was a good signing. He’s got some power. He’s hitting .260 plus. He’s got good defensive skills. Lucroy has been the best catcher this team has seen in quite some time. 

I can’t imagine Eppler looking to trade Simba. Just looking at the totality of circumstances the team has faced since 2014 trying to get back to the playoffs: you don’t trade the best all around short stop in Major League Baseball to back load the truck with prospects. When  you have a player like Trout paired with Ohtani, add Simmons, not to mention Adell waiting in the wings, the last thing this team would do is trade  a player who’s playing arguably the toughest position on the field. You just don’t do it. It hurts the team even if you get 2-3 promising prospects. 

Just now, TBailey said:

I agree with you. I think we are too analytical as fans from time to time. The Angels are fielding an everyday lineup right now, which is ultimately the biggest issue.

Aren't*****

18 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Can you tell me specifically what benefit would be achieved with another left handed bat?

You use the word balance, but I literally do not understand this.

Everyone knows, generically speaking, how lefty vs righty and righty vs lefty works.

But in the real world of baseball, also generically speaking, we don't really see everyday right handed hitter thatvsuck against right handed pitching.  We do see lefties that struggle against lefties.

So my personal theory is (again generically speaking) that there is really no such thing as a lineup that is "too right handed" but there would be such a thing as a lineup that is "too left handed."

If you had all lefties, there us a very good chance a few of them would be a problem against a lefty.  That's a problem to solve.

If you had all righties, I really doubt you would have multiple players in the lineup that would be problems against right handed pitching.

So I do not understand the notion that a heavily right handed lineup NEEDS more left handed bats for "balance."

Yes you can cherry pick some players to make a point, like finding a left handed bat that destroys righties and is more than fine against lefties too.

I also am not sure I want to have that extra lefty in the lineup to draw the tough left handed reliever that dominates lefty hitters in the game in the 8th inning with the game on the line.

Anyway, if I am missing something I want to know.  It just seems to me that this notion of "balance" is a bit old school and may not actually pass an actual analysis of benefit versus vulnerability. . .simply because generally speaking right handed batters do not have the level of vulnerability you typically see with left handed batters.

I dont see the need for more lefties in a right handed lineup.  My guess is the righties hit the righties fine.  Otherwise they wouldn't be major league hitters.

Do I have a point?  Or let me know what I am missing in this point.

I agree with you. I think we are too analytical as fans from time to time. The Angels are fielding an everyday lineup right now, which is ultimately the biggest issue.

Harvey really doesn’t look that bad for giving up 3 runs. Working rather quickly, some balls left up. Other than that, he’s composed.

We may have something brewing here 

If he can stay healthy when he returns, if he returns, he will dominate. It’s times like these that test a player’s faith. It makes you cherish the game. So if he gets the chance to pitch soon, he’s going to hold on to that moment and ride the bull by the horns. No doubt. I was blessed enough that I played this sport for many years. I dealt with injuries as well. No, not in the pros but playing my way through my entire college career and let me tell you, as an injury keeps reoccurring, anyone would feel the way he does right now. This guy is a awesome and he’s someone that I hope returns to the mound very soon because we haven’t seen the best of him yet. 

I miss the days where Simmons knew he was not a power hitter. Come back, Andrelton.

Everyone (including myself) seems to critique Eppler to the core as to why we didn’t go after some of these guys. But this isn’t the first time he’s passed on key free agents. 

Take a look at Joe Kelley too.

It seems he already knows some players success will not translate to what they are demanding in dollars.  Obviously that’s been a main issue in free agency already. Bryce Harper is the the only marquee free agent who is actually playing out of his mind right now. I’m sure Eppler knew Bryce would play this well. But his job was to lock up our main fish here (which he did) 

I’m sure some of these players will turn it around assuming it’s very early on. It’s the sport in itself that can humble any player extremely fast. Trout doesn’t even have a HR yet. He will probably still hit close to 40 of them. But the point is that the talent will eventually show. 

I know Bourjos and LaStella positions look bald right now for our own lineup but we have to remember that Eppler has had a plan. He’s not dumb. In fact if we had any other gm, I’m not quite sure Trout would be some confident in staying with us. Eppler is a huge reason Trout is here. Which means he’s got something brewing, but some things just take a lot of time and we fans are just impatient because it’s our favorite time of the year (Except Christmas of course ha) but you get the point...

It’ll be a problem all year especially if Eppler really is cool with Bourjos and lastella trying to half slap baseballs.

Didn’t we start 12-3 last season? And look where the ended up. Not saying it’s going to be different or anything lol but you never know. Also, not having Ohtani and Upton really effect this lineup. And they have 1 hr. 

First pitch swing roll overs are my favorite. 

My thinking is: Fletcher should be the starting 3B and Cozart 2B. Cozart probably plays more loose at 2B. Fletcher just grinds where ever on the field. Makes no sense to keep putting a guy out there who continues to have bad at bats and rolling over weak. 

Angels had every opportunity to give Pena the 2 run cushion before he caved in the 3rd. Frustrating to watch 2 quick outs then a disaster unfold. As I type this out and Canha goes yaya. Smh.

@Jay heck yeah! Lol

Hey, guys! New member here. I’m sure Im beating a dead horse, but I scratched my head a little as well when I saw LaStella  start the last two days. I thought Fletcher earned his playing time. He’s a grinder. Regardless of OBP numbers, there are times where the lineup just plays out differently when you have certain guys in there. Let’s say kevin smith has a better obp than Lucroy, (not saying he does) it doesn’t mean that Smith is more of an offensive threat. I think they’re just playing the mix and match game especially when it comes to “analytics” now. It’s only game #2. Seeing that Fletch got in the game and had a hit may also be an indicator that Ausmus has a tight rope on players who are just analytical matchups at the moment. Just my thoughts...