Second Base

Mod Edit:
 
Scotty, you can knock off the crap in this thread.  It doesn't look really good for somebody who tries to post with authority about prospects to show bias or have personal agendas against certain prospects.
 
Stop posting in this thread if you can't behave like an adult.

Undoubtedly, Dipoto and Scioscia are both on the hot seat right now.  I don't see this team rebuilding, Arte's proven that he wants a winner and wants it now.  But it's pretty clear that he's become disenchanted with the on-field performance and Scioscia's a part of that.  I think he gets the axe. 
 
As far as Dipoto goes, when you hire a GM and allow him to completely rebuild your organization's front office and minor league staff, you've basically made a LONG TERM commitment.  I don't think Dipoto will be fired, but I'm not sure he'll be retained at the end of his tenure either. 

Yup, I listed them with him in mind.  He has his strengths and weaknesses, and it appears that correctly valuing pitchers is not one of them. 

The holdup in signing Darvish when he was coming out of high school was that it was considered a dishonor to skip Japanese Baseball altogether and go to the U.S.  The Angels wined and dined Darvish, made home visits and offered him an out of this world signing bonus that would've brought him to the U.S.  He even wanted to come to the U.S.  But I think his parents, culture and JPPL swayed his opinion in a different direction.  It also didn't hurt that he was given word that he'd enter the top level of Japanese Baseball straight out of high school, whereas if he came back stateside, he'd have started off in Rookie Ball like any other prospect.  Plus his support system was probably different at the time.  Coming out to the states at age 18 when all you've known is Japanese culture your whole life would've been a completely different battle.  By the time Darvish actually did come over, he'd been all around the world, was a celebrity, knew how to handle all the pressure and expectations and was in general, just more mature than he would've been straight out of high school.  
 
Personally, I think Yu made the right decision.  He established himself back at home and succeeded at that level, met his career goals and then came out here.  By the time he came to the U.S. he didn't need money, he didn't need fame or status or to prove anything to anyone.  He simply came to play ball and when you can simplify the game to that measure, you're more likely to meet success. 

The Angels didn't fire the scout that discovered Mike Trout, they promoted him to National Crosschecker.  Get your facts right Wally World.
 
And yes, the Angels have scouts, I know a few of them and talk to a couple on a semi-regular basis.  People seem to forget that the Angels scouted Yu Darvish in high school and did everything in their power to sign him away from Japan when he was 17/18.  Then there's Jerry Dipoto, who after his playing days was a jack of all trades for the Rockies and included scouting into some of his job description.  The AGM Scott Servais' side of the house does the majority of the minor league scouting.  

The holdup in signing Darvish when he was coming out of high school was that it was considered a dishonor to skip Japanese Baseball altogether and go to the U.S.  The Angels wined and dined Darvish, made home visits and offered him an out of this world signing bonus that would've brought him to the U.S.  He even wanted to come to the U.S.  But I think his parents, culture and JPPL swayed his opinion in a different direction.  It also didn't hurt that he was given word that he'd enter the top level of Japanese Baseball straight out of high school, whereas if he came back stateside, he'd have started off in Rookie Ball like any other prospect.  Plus his support system was probably different at the time.  Coming out to the states at age 18 when all you've known is Japanese culture your whole life would've been a completely different battle.  By the time Darvish actually did come over, he'd been all around the world, was a celebrity, knew how to handle all the pressure and expectations and was in general, just more mature than he would've been straight out of high school.  
 
Personally, I think Yu made the right decision.  He established himself back at home and succeeded at that level, met his career goals and then came out here.  By the time he came to the U.S. he didn't need money, he didn't need fame or status or to prove anything to anyone.  He simply came to play ball and when you can simplify the game to that measure, you're more likely to meet success. 

The Angels didn't fire the scout that discovered Mike Trout, they promoted him to National Crosschecker.  Get your facts right Wally World.
 
And yes, the Angels have scouts, I know a few of them and talk to a couple on a semi-regular basis.  People seem to forget that the Angels scouted Yu Darvish in high school and did everything in their power to sign him away from Japan when he was 17/18.  Then there's Jerry Dipoto, who after his playing days was a jack of all trades for the Rockies and included scouting into some of his job description.  The AGM Scott Servais' side of the house does the majority of the minor league scouting.  

Richards has really worked hard on repeating his mechanics.  He's not quite where he wants to be just yet, but he'll get there and when he does, he's going to be dominant.  He's really become someone of an expert on what he needs to do, sometimes you'll see him make a decent pitch and see his angry reaction because there's something he was trying to do that he didn't.  
 
As for next year's rotation, I'm good with Weav, Wilson and Richards.  But because of the inconsistency of the offense and bullpen, they're going to need two pitchers a lot better than Jason Vargas and Jerome WIlliams to seriously compete next year.  Look for the Angels to try and land two legitimate middle of the rotation starters via trade/free agency in the offseason.  
 
I know it's a long shot, but I'd do whatever it takes to try and bring Hiroki Kuroda in.  He's pitched in So-Cal before and seemed to enjoy it. 

Right on point AJ, AA is the great divider.  It's shown flaws in Cron, in that despite his immense power, his inability to consistently square up pitches has left him vulnerable.  Grichuk's power has certainly transferred over, but we;ve also seen flaws in his approach, which have led to more stiekouts and more swings and misses than we've come to expect.  At the same time, it's given us a gauge to measure Taylor Lindsey's development.  The power, discipline and contact have all increased or stayed the same.  
 
You'll have to excuse me if I'm extremely skeptical of Borenstein.  Last season, in a relatively neutral setting against competition generally younger than him, Borenstein managed to hit .266 with 11 HR's.  Granted he's made some adjustments but the .340 batting average 23 HR's look extremely fake to the discerning eye.  His K/BB ratio has remained constant, he doesn't look particularly taller or stronger than he did a year ago.  This is Cal League inflation at it's finest.  
 
I like Borenstein as an overall package because he does a little bit in every category.  But I'm not going to be entirely surprised if he ends up hitting .270 with 15 HR's next year and we have to read Toby poppin' off about how it's all the Angels fault for messing him up and that he wishes Zach would be traded. 

Scott is absolutely right, this guy is INCREDIBLE.  Watching him during the WBC, I was drooling, but they kept going on about how he didn't want to defect and was being well compensated.  His power is off the charts and could contend for a HR crown immediately.  More power than Cesepdes, more athletic that pretty much every 1B in the game (maybe not Goldschmidt). 

That is the issue Toby, you are the only one that thinks what he says is bad mouthing him. He compared him to a major league starter on a first place team and you were offended by the comparison. That is just silly and myopic. It's not like he compared him to Willits. He says things like he plays above his skill level, that is not an insult. Because of the situation you are in you feel these are slights to him. I hope he is an amazing player that plays above his skill level no matter what that skill level may be.

Nava has 341 PA's this season.  If his current numbers were prorated over approx. 600 ABs he would generate a .280 BA, .370 OBP, 16 hrs, 90 runs, 90 rbi's.  Hell, even his production in 341 PA's appearances is great for a platoon.  Minor leaguers are not guaranteed to ever make the MLB roster, so scoffing at a comparison to Nava is ridiculous.

This one's relatively dated,  you'll certainly see a better one this offseason. 
 
http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2013/2013-la-angels-prospects-23-mark-sappington.html

R.B.I. Baseball is recalling all their games and rereleasing the game without Jack Clark as 1B for the Cardinals. Gutsy move by Namco and Tengen.

I hear that Albert made Arte Moreno fly to St. Louis to have Jack Clark canned.

Am I not the only one who finds what the Angels immediate plans for 3B to be fascinating?  And by immediate I mean 2014 and 2015, Cowart should be ready to go in 2016.  We know the Angels won't going into a full-scale rebuild, so clearly they intend to compete the next two years, and the monetary primary focus will of course be in the rotation.  
 
So this pretty much means Chris Nelson, Grant Green, Andy Marte and Luis Jimenez will be battling it out.  We'll probably see a timeshare of sorts but my goodness, that's a lot of uncertainty for a team with championship aspirations.  And personally, I love it.  If any one of those guys succeeds it'll be an amazing story you'd never get sick of.  Nelson hits .301 with the Rockies, is sent packing for nothing, ends up actually being a good 3B.  Grant Green, the man without a position suddenly has a position and replaces the man he was traded for.  Andy Marte, once a great porspect, abandoned by so many finally figures it out and lives up to the potential.  Luis Jimenez, with his million dollar smile and winning attitude, written off by pretty much every major publication comes up to the majors and does exaxctly what he did in the minors, hit.
 
It'll be really exciting if any one of those guys pan out.  My money is on Green and Lucho.    

Am I not the only one who finds what the Angels immediate plans for 3B to be fascinating?  And by immediate I mean 2014 and 2015, Cowart should be ready to go in 2016.  We know the Angels won't going into a full-scale rebuild, so clearly they intend to compete the next two years, and the monetary primary focus will of course be in the rotation.  
 
So this pretty much means Chris Nelson, Grant Green, Andy Marte and Luis Jimenez will be battling it out.  We'll probably see a timeshare of sorts but my goodness, that's a lot of uncertainty for a team with championship aspirations.  And personally, I love it.  If any one of those guys succeeds it'll be an amazing story you'd never get sick of.  Nelson hits .301 with the Rockies, is sent packing for nothing, ends up actually being a good 3B.  Grant Green, the man without a position suddenly has a position and replaces the man he was traded for.  Andy Marte, once a great porspect, abandoned by so many finally figures it out and lives up to the potential.  Luis Jimenez, with his million dollar smile and winning attitude, written off by pretty much every major publication comes up to the majors and does exaxctly what he did in the minors, hit.
 
It'll be really exciting if any one of those guys pan out.  My money is on Green and Lucho.    

Am I not the only one who finds what the Angels immediate plans for 3B to be fascinating?  And by immediate I mean 2014 and 2015, Cowart should be ready to go in 2016.  We know the Angels won't going into a full-scale rebuild, so clearly they intend to compete the next two years, and the monetary primary focus will of course be in the rotation.  
 
So this pretty much means Chris Nelson, Grant Green, Andy Marte and Luis Jimenez will be battling it out.  We'll probably see a timeshare of sorts but my goodness, that's a lot of uncertainty for a team with championship aspirations.  And personally, I love it.  If any one of those guys succeeds it'll be an amazing story you'd never get sick of.  Nelson hits .301 with the Rockies, is sent packing for nothing, ends up actually being a good 3B.  Grant Green, the man without a position suddenly has a position and replaces the man he was traded for.  Andy Marte, once a great porspect, abandoned by so many finally figures it out and lives up to the potential.  Luis Jimenez, with his million dollar smile and winning attitude, written off by pretty much every major publication comes up to the majors and does exaxctly what he did in the minors, hit.
 
It'll be really exciting if any one of those guys pan out.  My money is on Green and Lucho.    

Am I not the only one who finds what the Angels immediate plans for 3B to be fascinating?  And by immediate I mean 2014 and 2015, Cowart should be ready to go in 2016.  We know the Angels won't going into a full-scale rebuild, so clearly they intend to compete the next two years, and the monetary primary focus will of course be in the rotation.  
 
So this pretty much means Chris Nelson, Grant Green, Andy Marte and Luis Jimenez will be battling it out.  We'll probably see a timeshare of sorts but my goodness, that's a lot of uncertainty for a team with championship aspirations.  And personally, I love it.  If any one of those guys succeeds it'll be an amazing story you'd never get sick of.  Nelson hits .301 with the Rockies, is sent packing for nothing, ends up actually being a good 3B.  Grant Green, the man without a position suddenly has a position and replaces the man he was traded for.  Andy Marte, once a great porspect, abandoned by so many finally figures it out and lives up to the potential.  Luis Jimenez, with his million dollar smile and winning attitude, written off by pretty much every major publication comes up to the majors and does exaxctly what he did in the minors, hit.
 
It'll be really exciting if any one of those guys pan out.  My money is on Green and Lucho.    

Set aside the fact that I'm fairly certain that calling him up now actually has no impact on his service time (I believe that is why the Rays called up Myers when they did as the cutoff had already passed). I'm indignant because you are pinching pennies on one of the most fungible assets in baseball. Berg has a low ceiling. At best, he becomes Darren O'Day and makes $4 million per year in free agency when he is 34 FREAKING YEARS OLD!
 
The line that you never know which reliever is the next Rivera/Papelbon/Shields is patently false. These aren't guys that just fall out of trees. Pedestrian minor league relievers don't become elite relievers for years on end. So why worry about saving one or two million bucks over his arbitration years which won't start until three year from now when you are trying to win a World Series in the immediate future? That is pocket change to a team with the spending power of the Angels. The odds of a guy like Berg even being in the majors long enough to see his arbitration years are small to begin with. But on the off chance he turns out to be decent, the Angels will have figured it out now during a period where it doesn't hurt them if he turns out to be awful. That has value in its own right. If that costs them an extra two or three million in a few years, then I would argue that it is more than worth it (and again, I don't think there are service clock repercussions this late in the season). The same goes for just about any other of their fringe prospect guys. Call up Shoemaker. Recall Roth. Keep Green in the lineup somewhere when Howie gets healthy. Start Calhoun every single day. Call up anybody that they think might be able to help the 2014 team now and see if they can hack it. The only good thing about the Angels being horrible is that it has granted them two months of free evaluation time for their young players.
 
Now, if we were talking about a high end talent like Cron (not that he's ready, just an example) then maybe you have a point because the future money it costs is several times higher. But even then, for a team that intends to contend in 2014, it should be a minor concern. Budget control is great, but flags fly forever.

Berg would need to be added to the 40-man, but I'd be willing to give it a shot.  I mean 92 mph over the top isn't working, why not try a guy throwing 85 from the side?

Easy answer, everyone they have room or necessity for on the 40-man roster. Cory Rasmus, Michael Roth, John Hester and Andrew Romine.  There's an exciting group if I ever saw one!
 
Now a better question might be, "how does the 40-man change in the offseason?".  That one would be entirely more interesting, because as I see it, there are a lot of unnecessary players inhabiting spots on the Angels 40-man and there are some prospects who definitely need to be placed on said 40-man.  
 
Cut Gutierez, Stange, Taylor, Field and Cowgill.  Add Lindsey, Cron, Grichuk, Schugel and Morin.

Easy answer, everyone they have room or necessity for on the 40-man roster. Cory Rasmus, Michael Roth, John Hester and Andrew Romine.  There's an exciting group if I ever saw one!
 
Now a better question might be, "how does the 40-man change in the offseason?".  That one would be entirely more interesting, because as I see it, there are a lot of unnecessary players inhabiting spots on the Angels 40-man and there are some prospects who definitely need to be placed on said 40-man.  
 
Cut Gutierez, Stange, Taylor, Field and Cowgill.  Add Lindsey, Cron, Grichuk, Schugel and Morin.

Links to all of the discovery and discipline over the last several years? Only last year did we see Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, and Yasmani Grandal receive suspensions.
 
Your post is a little naive in thinking that MLB has been actively working on the issues up until the last two years. This time around the New York Yankees have a $35 million dollar interest in having MLB enforce it this time.
 
They (meaning the MLB and the Yankees) are doing their best to shame A-Rod out of baseball because of a LOT of money. They have been aware of PED use throughout baseball for years but when it has impacted them in such a large monetary fashion they suddenly take mammoth action.
 
I can do without the BS from MLB. They had their chance years ago to make these grand announcments and didn't do so.
 
Yes A-Rod deserves to be punished I said that in my original post. But I can do without the 5-day wait to announce it (on the day that A-Rod returns to action) and I can do without MLB's feigned shock and awe campaign.
 
Just hand out the suspensions and move on.

I don't like A-Rod but I can't help but feel for him a little bit because MLB has ignored this problem for years and has done little to enforce it. It just reeks a little of Selig trying to grandstand and act like he suddenly found out about this pervasive issue and has moved fast to squash it.
 
A-Rod certainly has done wrong and may have even tried to block and tamper with the investigation so he does deserve punishment. But I can do without MLB standing up on its soapbox.