Angels in 2030

interesting that the BoSux had 4-5 guys signed and listed shortly thereafter the 9am start time. 

Padres and Asstros also had 4+ signed within the first 20-30 minutes.

Crickets....

They should reject it.  The problem the players are having though is that they need to SHUT-THE-F-UP.  Going into bunker mode and let your lawyers/PA do the talking behind the scenes.  Anyone commenting/etc. on social media and/or thru media is losing the fan war.  It's tone deaf in this economic environment.  How many owners are we hearing from complaining about the players and the terms of the negotiations?  They don't....and that's why they will ultimately come out the winners.  

If anything, they should just be saying we want to play and help the economy and country get back.  That's at most what they should say.  Anymore beyond is a losing proposition for them. 

Just realized it's 9am EASTERN time zone...so that's 6am on the west coast!  Why the heck that early?  Kinda wack for west coasters being 6am.  

5 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

When does the period of being able to sign the remaining HS/College amateurs begin? 

"Teams will not be allowed to contact undrafted players, their family members or any player representative from the moment the draft ends until 9 a.m. ET on June 14 and no promises/conversations about signing an undrafted player can take place before or during the draft."

Per chuck, 2020 LA Angels motto: "More dicks on the mound!"

38 minutes ago, Stradling said:

So I asked my kid if he know Seminaris since they went to high school, my kids response, “yea, he’s a dick, I hope he does well, but if he doesn’t it will be a lot easier to hate the guy”

So he's (LH) John Lackey V2.0

Angels scouting director said they went BPA on their board at each pick.  Not sure i believe him on this one.....seems off the board to me and maybe an underslot pick.  I hope i am wrong and we got ourselves a guy that was under the radar due to the virus cancelled HS season.  It's certainly possible that's the case.  He has good stats as a junior.  So it's possible he grew body & development wise and just didn't get to showcase it to scouts.  Wonder if they see him a SS or if they view his LT position moving to 3B.  We need some truly 3B.  Get bigger, develop power and become that 3B we need down the road. 

I really liked what we did in the draft -- mostly the 1st and last picks.  We have several high upside, young pitching.  We needed guys like Det/Seminaris -- guys who throw strikes, don't walk hitters and who can impact the team in the next 0-2 3 years.

The two HS kids at OF and SS.....don't as much.  That's an area we have way too may of right now.  Would have preferred to go more P or a catcher instead.  If it's truly BPA, then sure it's ok.  I skeptical the SS was truly BPA versus needing a few extra bucks to spend on signing other guys.  But it seems like we have a bunch of raw 17-19 yr old SS.  We already know we have enough OFs to field a hold division or two for the next 10+ years.  But i do like that both these guys are under-the-radar types and could develop into something really good over the years.  I like that risk taking in the draft.  combined with the two bookend college Ps, it's a good overall draft strategy.

and it's at the exact spot we would have picked if we didn't sign Rendon.  Looking forward to 2025-2035 Angels-Win posts that we blew it wasting so much money on Rendon rather than have Jared Kelley.  The future is bright.

Can we skip to the 3rd already....jeesh

The "safe" complaining is so funny.  This dude is an inning eater who throws strikes and doesn't walk anyone.  You know who that sounds like on the Angels the past 3-5 years?......NOBODY.

Just because he doesn't throw 97-100 people say he doesn't have the ceiling.  The draft and minor leagues are littered with guys who can throw 97+.  It doesn't mean those guys are Aces.  They have to have other pitches, they have to be able to throw strikes, locate, have a gameplan & execute, etc.  It's become this sexy thing guys can't overlook -- like big boobs but a fat chick or ugly.  

Sure i want an Ace....but do you realize that's way easier said than done?  Guys develop into aces....they aren't born.  At this point, i'd love a #2-4 guy who can pitch past 7+ innings (much less thru 5) and stay healthy for the whole season.  Shouldn't we first lower our expectations?  We can't even have guys pitch 100 freaking innings!

Give me this guy....and i'll hope CRod stays healthy and because that fantastic Ace along with Otani.  Maybe Jack Kochanowicz (or Yan/Soriano) becomes that Ace.  But i'll be pretty happy having a bulldog strike thrower #3 (at least) set thru 2030. 

If we pick Detmers, then 3-4 hours from now i'm going to start beating the drum that he's the steal of this years draft and will be a star.  Of course, i have absolutely no basis/knowledge whatsoever to back that up; and honestly i'm going with that same thought no matter whoever we choose lol (unless we go Catcher).

For specific player, i'd take the HS arm Abel (assuming Meyer off the board).  He looks the part and a potential special player.  Otherwise any other P really -- i don't care if it's a safe pick or high upside.  Just No to a catcher at #10.  High upside HS SS or OF is usually good, but we have enough of those and especially so between 17-20 yrs old.   

My top three: Pitcher, pitcher or pitcher.....in that order.

100 guys is a bit ridiculous and not realistic.  It would be a good move and give you more bites at the apple for developing a young guy into a ML player, but just not happening.  40, making 44 total, is a normal number i'd say.  So in this environment, i'd say 20-30 might be the average this year.  I'm just fearful we sign only 5-10 guys.

Regarding scouts, i think you would be a bit naive if you think the relationship they've built with players and their families do not go a loooong way to signing an UDFA.  There is no money difference, so something small like relationship will be a big factor.  If one team's scout you've seen all the time and talked to a bit is now gone and out of the picture temporarily and 20+ other team's guys are still there -- you don't think those other teams will negatively recruit against the Angels and it will impact their chances?  It will for many guys.  Some may just be from the area and love the Angels and sign no matter what the situation (like i would).  But others....it'll impact some guys decision. 

I truly believe we're going to see a stark contrast between one set of teams and another with regards to the post-5th round UDFAs.  Teams like the Red Sox are going to be in that group that spends & signs a ton of guys.  The other group is going to go cheap & not spend much at all -- especially with lesser scouts and those relationships developed with the players/families.  It's going to be extremely obvious who is in and who is out spending wise. 

The tea leaves sure point to the Angels being in one group right now.  I really hope that's an incorrect reading of the organization's mindset right now.  

11 hours ago, RBM said:

I've always thought Bill Bavasi should get more credit than he does for building the 2002 WS team.

Bavasi drafted Erstad, Washburn, Glaus, Lackey and Shields and signed K-Rod and Ramon Ortiz as amateur FA's when he was General Manager. He was Farm Director when Salmon, Anderson, Percival and Molina were coming up through the minors.

Stoneman came in before the 2000 season. He held on to what he had - which was huge. He added Eckstein, Kennedy, Spiezio, Appier, Donnelly and Fullmer. And in 2002 everyone stayed healthy and the Angels made their run.

BTW, i was referring to Buzzie, not his son Bill, as a GM.  Anyway, I agree that Bill did some good things, especially late setting up that 2002 team.  Stoneman's best work, imo, was actually setting up the 2004+ run.

Don't forget Nick Adenhart in 2004.  Also from a P standpoint: Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver, Darin O'Day (UDFA).. Joe Saunders too (not great, but a decent SP for a few years)

13 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

I'm only gonna be upset if when the draft is done they fail to go out and sign 40+ guys to 20k contracts...   It would be the Baldoquin situation in roids

Bingo.  that's what i am looking at as well.  

I didn't mean to say previously that the Angels/Arte might not be all-in for winning.  Certainly Arte wants to win and he's been a great owner (better than most).  But it's the WAY it's being done sometimes that concerns me.  I want a smart organization that builds from within (again, the Stoneman Angels path...not the Bavasi path).  Best way to get results is to hire good scouts, baseball people, development coaches, etc. and spending on the right places (i.e., internal).  Here we are presented with a great opportunity.  Will we take advantage of it?  I'm optimist...but very concerned at the same time (due to history and the recent scouts issue).  

11 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

is anyone going to be upset if we get a position player in this draft since we don't have a 2nd rounder?

You know that answer Chuck -- someone will get upset no matter what we do. lol.  That's the fan(atic) in us all. 

All that social media stuff just seems like a cesspool and the end of civilization.  It's like the future world/people leftover in that movie Idiocracy (2006).  Just human waste.  Glad i never ventured into it.  I'm relatively young, yet i have never had (nor been on) My Space, Facebook, twitter, tic tok (is that something?) or any other of them.  Well, i guess some might throw this into it too...but...

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

Rumblings that a team might punt the draft - and it’s likely the Angels. 
 

If Arte pulls this, wouldn’t surprise me if Eppler just left once his contract was up. 

 If we're talking about punting on the first pick, i can understand that if the guy they want is not available -- considering the next draft will be really good.  But anything besides that is unacceptable.

Anyway, I hope this isn't true.  But we will find out pretty soon based on their selections and what they do going after UDFA.  I'm very interested to see what they do with the UDFA.  With their cutting all the scouts/etc., this is going to tell me just how committed the team and Arte is to the Angels, winning and the LT of the organization as a whole.  IF they are not 100% in, then i'm no longer going to be either.  I have felt this way for the past 5 years or so....but they keep doing something random that makes me think they are fully committed (like a big FA signing).  The problem is all those moves are dumb moves -- that are historically exactly what the Angels FOs/Ownership has almost always done with the exception of the Stoneman (golden) years.  I had great hopes for Eppler, but it just seems he isn't given the full reigns to do his thing. 

Woke?  I don't get involved with any of that stuff honestly, so i could be wrong.  But wouldn't the woke crowd consider an ethnic minority owner be champion/favorite of that group?  I'm immediately regretting even asking and commenting on it as the whole classification of groups bore me & are quite annoying.

At #10: Meyer, Abel, Detmers & Crochet in that order.  Nobody else (especially NOT Bailey).