Second Base

plus there's not a lot of pressure. If you suck, its not like there's some young prospect coming up to take your job.

I had totally forgot about this. Dipoto's moves haven't worked out up to this point but he is still far more competent than Reagins was. 

Some of you Mofos need a Coke and a smile...
 

Pretty sure Trumbo in Colorado would result in balls that never land.  It'd actually be a hazard for NASA.  Illegal. 

Even though the rumor was debunked, I totally love those trade rumors.  It gets the adrenaline up and discussing them is a fun way to pass the time in these ridiculously long offseasons. 

Even though the rumor was debunked, I totally love those trade rumors.  It gets the adrenaline up and discussing them is a fun way to pass the time in these ridiculously long offseasons. 

Pretty sure Trumbo in Colorado would result in balls that never land.  It'd actually be a hazard for NASA.  Illegal. 

I know I'm in the minority, but I'd deal Trumbo for Kluber + Bauer.  Bauer's had his own issues, but I think he's the type of high reward SP you want to take a chance on.  As for Kluber, big body, inning eater, hard fastball, control of secondary stuff.  Should be solid. 

You say that Trumbo and Aybar get you the most pitching for the least loss, and I can agree with you on Trumbo because I feel Calhoun would be better defensively, reach base more often and would even swipe a few bags while hitting for some power, but the lost of 2-3 wins by dealing Aybar seems like an unnecessary move.  I feel that trading Bourjos (instead of making him a 4th OF) and trading Iannetta could net us enough SP depth without sacrificing many wins at all.  
 
In fact, given Grant Green's ability to hit the ball and his athleticism, I'd more willingly deal Kendrick than Aybar because I feel we have an adequate backup and help on the way in the form of prospects. 

I would do that trade in a heartbeat.  It'd save the Angels at least 5 million this year alone and take a good pitcher and place in in front of a better defense in a pitcher's park.  I think that Fister on this team would give us a sub 3.50 ERA and would equate to a solid #3 starter.  
 
I'm just not sure I could stand the endless jokes about his name.

Really thought we might bring him back in a pinch runner role. 

Buehrle is gonna be 35 and is owed $30M over the next two seasons.... and there's no way they would take Blanton.  They know Hanson is washed up as well.  And it would provide them what, $4M in salary relief?  Iannetta makes $5M and Hanson will make around $4-5M in arbitration. 
 
We're looking for cost-controlled young pitching.  The last thing we need is more bloated payroll for another guy in his mid-thirties.  

There wouldn't be much I wouldn't pay to have Dave Duncan instructing pitchers and coaches on this team.  The man is a miracle worker.  See Joel Pineiro, Kyle Lohse, Jake Westbrook. 

Wisler and Burch Smith for Trumbo would be a nice little deal.

Scherzer is a pretty good starter, but this was the first year where he was more than "pretty good". It's possible that he has broken out and reached his full potential but just two years ago he had a 1.35 WHIP and a 93 ERA+. This is also the first time he has pitched more than 200 innings in a season.
 
I would love for him to be on the Angels, but Detroit is going to ask for the moon for him, if they really do try to trade him.

I'm pretty busy watching the football game hoping the Chargers make it a close game, and reading the board.

It is cheaper to pay the luxury tax on a 40 million payroll overage than a $50+ million dollar posting fee. You cannot justify Tanaka by selling it as keeping under the luxury tax. Either the guy is a $120 million dollar pitcher (posting fee plus salary) or you're pissing money away.

That would be fine if he allowed his baseball people, rather than personal emotion, to decide how the money is spent. Bringing in a name alone isn't going to pack the park over the long term.

Dipoto really doesn't tip his hand when it comes to free agency and trades.  The only player I can recall Dipoto saying he was making a priority, being up-front about everything and signing was C.J. Wilson.  And so far that looks like it may have been his best acquisition because Wilson's actually worth the money he's being paid and isn't showing any signs of slowing down.  
 
I think the Angels are acting like the luxury tax is their ceiling, but there's no doubt Arte has a flair for the dramatic and would love to stick it to the Dodgers by winning a championship, which could be a motivating factor in his decisions. 

If it were me, I'd tender Hanson and see what he does in relief.  Could turn into a setup man.  At worst he'd be a swingman with upside.  I'd non-tender Williams mostly because I think Shoemaker and Roth could be better, younger, less expensive options.  As for Volstad, keep him in AAA as depth.  
 
And I too believe Richards is going to solidify himself as a solid #3 SP next season.  180+ innings, ERA under 3.75. 

I don't mean to too my horn (actually, yeah I really do) but I've got a pretty decent handle on the value of our prospects.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses as writers/bloggers and within my won fandom, my focus is on scouting and prospects.  
 
What may seem like an incorrect valuing of a prospect could either be a difference in opinion, or could be a necessary construct of my writing.  The last thing I wanted to do was to write another article that wreaks so heavily of homerism that I'm ashamed to write it and can't stand even having to read it.  Admit it, you've all seen them before, some blogger out there genuinely believes the Angels will trade Mark Trumbo and Kaleb Cowart to the Detroit Tigers for Rick Porcello.  
 
I know I've seen it.  So in order to avoid being that guy, I literally force myself to go a bit overboard on some of these so that any Oriole, Cardinal or Pirates fan that stumbles across this article isn't put into a sour mood because some idiot Angel fan thinks his players are better than everyone and is actually convinced other teams should part ways with their valuable players/prospects in return for his garbage. 
 
I hope that explained it adequately. 

Trout to the Tigers for Miguel Cabrera, 300 million dollars, Torii Hunter, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Omar Infante and a full controlling share of the Detroit Pistons, Redwings and Lions as well as a partridge in a pair tree just for funsies. 

Well I look at it from the Cards perspective.  They've gone to the World Series pretty frequently and have a team built to last (seriously, Miller, Martinez, Wacha).  They'd like a good everyday CF that fits their needs, but it isn't as if they need to actively go search out one because for the next 5 years you can pencil them in as a WS contender....without Bourjos.  He's a luxury, not a necessity. 
 
Lynn may be the odd man out in their rotation, but he provides depth and reliable performance as well as innings.  In free agency, he's easily worth 6+ years at over 12 million a year.  So there's really no reason for them to deal unless you give them something they can't get elsewhere without sacrificing your farm.
 
You offer them Bourjos because that's what they need, but also realize Bourjos is in arbitration and is coming off two DL ridden seasons.  There's some risk involved for them.  You have to sweeten the pot a little.  They need a shortstop and while we can't give them one that'd start right now, we can offer one that'd start in 2-3 years and still have a good one in reserve (Jose Rondon). Finally, add a depth piece you can sell high on. I'd say that's Borenstein right now.  
 
Angels fans can wish for a Bourjos-Lynn swap and under normal circumstances, that'd be a good deal to make for both sides.  But the fact of the matter is, there are no Free Agent SP that you won't need to drastically overpay for.  The Angels are not in an advantageous position.  They're forced to overpay by default.  Which is why I am not mad about the Hanson-Walden trade.  We netted a young SP with a solid track record for a solid RP.  It didn't work out but that's still a trade I'd make this time a year ago. 

That can't be right, Brad Asmus is Jewish and you know the anti semites in baseball wouldn't allow that to happen.

Napoli wouldn't come back to the Angels at this point in his career.  Scioscia places a great emphasis on the relationship between his pitchers and catchers and he and Dipoto were both able to agree that Mathis' bat wasn't cutting it and that Chris Iannetta was a good option. 
 
Dipoto and Scioscia are still capable of working together and finding a common medium, and perhaps Brian McCann could be that guy, but the Angels catching really isn't the problem, so it wouldn't be in their Angels best interest to lose focus on what their true needs are. 
 
They need pitching, young, controllable pitching and depth in the rotation.  You'd think that Ubaldo Jimenez would be part of that solution but that would be oversimplifying the issue.  The Angels are looking to remain under the salary tax this year, which opens up more funds next year and allows them more breathing room (the tax line will be increasing in 2015 as well).  They may make one or two signings tops, but I wouldn't expect these acquisitions to cumulatively add up over 10 million.  This means a bullpen arm is likely as well as a lower tier SP like Phil Hughes. 
 
As for the young SP depth they so desperately seek, I think Dipoto will show his true colors.  He's always been a high OBP and defense oriented scout/GM.  He'll take full advantage of the market emphasis on power hitters.  There aren't enough proven middle of the order hitters available this winter.  He's almost guaranteed to trade Mark Trumbo. 
 
He won't trade Bourjos because his value is too low and whatever pitching staff he assembles is going to need all the defense it can get, either from him or Calhoun (or both assuming there's a time-share).