Yes We Can

My comment was based on Billy Eppler's tenure, not Reagins, Dipoto, Herzog, Port, Dalton, Walsh or Haney.

Seriously? Eppler left us with five straight losing seasons. He failed. It doesn't matter what he inherited. The team never got better with him. Never better in his half decade of effort. I wish him well and hope he connects with Jeter in Miami but his time in Anaheim was a failure.

Well, based on this article alone and what was posted on Hollander... IMO Arte will chose Hollander.

I agree. As an example, If he went with a college pitchers instead of toolsy athletes we could have a Brady Singer in our 2021 rotation instead of Jordyn Adams in A+ ball. In retrospect his decision to steer clear of college pitchers for position players backfired. Probably cost him his job.

2014 is the last season we have had 5 starting pitchers each start at least 24 games. And Skaggs had 18 starts before his UCL injury. So I think winning 98 games in 2014 was more about adding pitching depth and not about the "all in" moves. Yes, we went "all in" that year with Josh Hamilton and that was a disaster. And yes, we had gone "all in" with Pujols and CJ Wilson in 2011 and those big spends did not pay off over time. I am pretty sure we were still paying Vernon Wells not to play baseball - foreshadowing our future with Hamilton. I think trading for Santiago and Skaggs, signing Joe Smith, Matt Shoemaker's first year as an MLB starter and adding Huston Street's expiring contract at the trade deadline were the keys to the 2014 success. So if the Angels follow the 2014 blueprint (without an "all in" dumb signing like Hamilton) by trading for or signing SP and RP depth and add a 2B, I think they can be a playoff team. 2014's Skaggs, Santiago, Shoemaker, Street, David Freese and Joe Smith 2021's Richards, Shoemaker, Barria, Treinen, Kolten Wong and Jake McGee

Bo Bichette went down with a sprained knee in mid-August for a month. Simmons was coming back from his own injury and there were some twitter rumors out there but it never went anywhere. The Blue Jays traded for Jonathan Villar at the trade deadline instead.

I think Steve Cohen is going to be a great MLB owner. We have Arte...

I was referencing the tendency of Arte to kind of get too involved in personnel decisions sometimes. Obviously not to Jerry's level but I think both teams would be better off if they stepped back a little. And they do both have really nice Yachts...

Yep. He should get every opportunity to win the position in Spring Training, or at least the platoon job versus RHP's. I think Matt Thaiss will get a look also. Looks like Pujols may go into retirement splitting time between 1B/DH and playing maybe 80 games.

From the outside looking it seems like he gets too involved at times and needs to back off a bit. Kind of a Jerry Jones syndrome. For example, I don't know that Mark Walter is as involved in the day to day as much as Arte. Who knows? It's his team so he can do what he wants but when it impedes progress it's concerning as a fan.

I like the idea of signing Blake Treinen and maybe Jake McGee. The Dodgers have an abundance of bullpen talent so those guys may not be re-signed. They have 5 more years of control with Graterol, 3 with Floro, 6 with Gonzalez, 3 with Kolarek and 4 with Ferguson. They also have Kelly signed for two more years and Jensen for 1.

They have Bo Bichette so it doesn't make a lot of sense. Would they move Bichette to 2B and play Biggio at 3B/OF?

It's only a narrative if people continue to narrate.

I think Ohtani will have a good year. My projection is he will start around 22 games and will be very effective leading the team into the playoffs.

Fixed for the 2008 version. Round and Round...

Yes. We discussed Wong yesterday. He is a more viable option for MIF. But if we can create a bundle for Lindor and Plesac it would be great. And the Angels have Pujols and Upton coming off the payroll the next two years. They could re-sign Lindor.

I agree with @OhtaniSan. Take Lindor and his 1/21 M contract off the Indians hands but leverage it to get Plesac and his 5 years of control. I would include Adell and either Rengifo/Ward in a package.

True. I also don't think you trade your best power hitter, who has two more years of team control, within your division. I don't think this proposal would end up getting done by either team.

Nice job!!

I don't think the Rangers would come close to doing it. Adell is nothing but a big question mark right now. He may end up in SLC to start the season. Actually, I don't like it that much for the Angels either. Gallo has a career 38% K rate and two years of control. Lance Lynn would be a really great addition but he's a FA in 2022 and it will be tough to re-sign him. He currently has an assignment bonus in his contract if he is traded to a club on the west coast.

So the hypothetical is Bauer, Stroman and Gausman all accept their qualifying offers taking them off the market for 2021. I don't think we have a shot at Bauer but I like the idea of adding Stroman or Gausman. I think the next step is still the same - to sign or trade for 1 or 2 SP's to complement Heaney/Bundy/Ohtani/Canning and the depth of Barria/Sandoval/Naughton. It's going to be a strange FA market but I like the idea of going after Robbie Ray or JA Happ on 2 year deals. 1 year if the market is really tight. Another option is trading for a young SP with multiple years of control. Adell and Rengifo and a MiLB pitching prospect for Plesac? Don't know what it would take...

I would like to see them hold on to Rengifo as a utility guy even if they sign someone like Wong. He's still developing and I think his value could increase. But if his inclusion in a trade helps get you a quality SP you have to consider it.

Here is some good info on the QO process. https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-21-qualifying-offer-candidates-and-decisions

They got it right.

Jason McLeod worked with Joe Maddon in Chicago. I wonder if this gives him an advantage. I've read some good things about him. Also, like everything I hear about Logan White.