Lifetime

Keith Law is FOS

Then don't f'ing trade him now if you're not going to get a like valued return. It's a stupid move plain and simple.

As for the trade, I get that the offseason isn't over and that Dipoto can still (hopefully/somehow) pull a rabbit out of a hat and assemble a good pitching staff to complement the strong offense. I'm also happy that this strengthens Calhoun's place on the team; as far as I can tell, I was touting Calhoun back when you and Dave were saying that he wasn't much of a prospect. Whatever. But I see it as a bad trade, at least taken in a vacuum - and as the first move of the offseason. Bourjos and Freese are roughly equal, although Bourjos is three years younger and with more upside. Grichuk has some potential while Salas is another mediocre middle reliever with one good year a couple years ago. This trade could turn out well, but the consensus view of most fans and analysts is that the Angels got taken. This has been par for the course with Dipoto and Reagins, which is very, very discouraging.

Then reason would argue that they shouldn't have traded Burjous since they weren't going to get a sure thing, no?
 
Why the urgency?

Well sure, I get that he became expendable. That doesn't mean he should have been traded for a crappy reliever who was likely to be non-tendered.

oh puleese Chuck. 3B is not a big problem here. We don't have great options there right now, but that is low on the priority list. Offense is NOT the issue this team needs to address. We made a marginal upgrade in a position that wasn't critical while trading low on a very good player. 

I feel like we just left the pawn shop...

I agree sort of. I don't think this trade addresses our primary need but the return value is my biggest issue with it, not that he was traded.

The best overall lineup for this team had Bourjos in center, Trout in left, and Calhoun / Hamilton splitting time at RF/DH with Trumbo (who seemed to have the most trade value) being shipped off for pitching.

I don't get the logic that, in order to make room for Calhoun (not a bad idea), you make an awful deal for Bourjos (a terrible idea)....why not just wait until you get a better offer....work on something else, wait till spring but don't a dumb thing just because you want to get Calhoun in the lineup...

Read this right after the trade happened and it's hard to disagree with anything he said. 
 
This part hurts the most:
 
"This trade will be sold as speed-and-defense for power, but Bourjos actually has a higher career Isolated Slugging mark than Freese does. This is an average hitting elite defender for a slightly above average hitting meh defender, only the meh defender costs more and is closer to the end of his career."

not a fact

Read about it here.
 
Cameron nails it here:
 
"The Angels needed a third baseman, I guess, but they traded a good player for a worse player who costs more. Anaheim keeps spinning their wheels, while the Cardinals keep marching on towards sustained excellence. Some things really do stay the same."
 
Its almost embarrassing. I'd say that the Angels are on their way to becoming a joke of a franchise, but the thing is the last four years have been terrible so we're already there. This trade just confirms it. I was hoping that we'd see a shift in gears this off-season, but it looks like more Dipoto being Dipoto.

this trade has arte's fingerprints all over it?

not a fact

thisHe wasn't an injured riddled player. He didn't have ghost injuries. He had bad luck.

bourjos was not a 4th OF

Then don't f'ing trade him now if you're not going to get a like valued return. It's a stupid move plain and simple.

how did he earn a starting role over a healthy Bourjos? You have got to be f'ing kidding me Chuck.

Then don't f'ing trade him now if you're not going to get a like valued return. It's a stupid move plain and simple.

Chuck with all due respect this is why I wanted to trade Trumbo, whose value is high right now, so that we could have Bourjos in CF while Calhoun swapped in and out with Hamilton between DH/RF.
 
I think if this trade holds true (Bourjos/Grichuk for Freese/Salas) it was a losing one for us in many ways. In fact I'd go further and say that the fact they want to keep Trumbo over Bourjos shows a real lack of faith in Hamilton and his power staying consistent (thus the need for Mark's power in the lineup).
 

Bourjos isn't a bench player... 

then don't trade him now when his value is low due to injury. 

Bourjos isn't a bench player... 

Bourjos isn't a bench player...