Junkballer

What were they thinking???!!!

Stroman is still a possibility, but, being the last of the top-tier pitchers he can afford to wait until the last possible minute.  I'm supposing that he can command 6 years or more.  I would hope that the Angels offer a higher AAV for 4-5 years in hopes that his agent thinks he can still get a healthy contract as a 34-35 y.o.  That being said I hope Syndergaard and others are lobbying him and that the Angels do what it takes to sign him.  I like that he has the confidence in himself that he can be, or become, the #1 for any team and he'll be an anchor at the top of the rotation while their pitching prospects mature, whether Ohtani re-signs or not.

7 hours ago, ThisismineScios said:

The one thing we can guarantee is they are going to spend money. Which to me is a little…little…bit reassuring. The payroll is below last year’s. I know Arte is Arte, but the offer to Max at least says he may go beyond. And there is not even a Bengie Molina getting a triple’s chance at Arte walking into 2022 with a lower payroll than 2021 after getting called out by his manager, Trout, and everyone with a pulse. This isn’t it, that much we probably know for sure. 

I lol'd.  He has hit several triples but they are probably all on miscategorized errors like this one.  Seeing him having a coronary once he makes it to third, and his teammates laughing their asses off is hilarious.

2 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Which is why we're getting Correa.

The five families of Glendale need to have a sitdown with Minasian before that happens.

2 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

Let's say for a second that this rumor is true, and that Arte offers a 10 year mega contract to Correa.

What would people here think?  

Well, they'd have a more realistic idea of what he does with his yacht.

5 minutes ago, HanfordGuy said:

C’mon Perry!!!

 

1 hour ago, UndertheHalo said:

The Angels are offensive to god. 

The Cowboy never specified whether they were the fallen variety or not, so maybe.

40 minutes ago, Stradling said:

What would you guys think if we signed Kershaw to a 2 year deal?

Signing Syndergaard with his innings limits and likely initial struggles post-TJS, the prevailing wisdom was that the other FA SP arm would have to be someone who could be counted on to pitch 170+ innings.  That doesn't describe Kershaw.  Besides, he's going nowhere besides LAD or TX.  One or the other.

22 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

I really doubt they'd go for BOTH Ray and Castillo.

If we sign Ray to a 5 year deal, we'll need our young talent, more than ever, to help offset the high-priced contracts we'll have.  In a few years, we'd have Trout, Rendon, Ohtani, and Ray combining to earn over 125mil for just 4 players.  Trading the farm for Castillo doesn't make sense in that context.

I feel like if we did trade for Castillo, we'd likely in turn use the remaining money to fill out the bullpen and get a decent SS.

I doubt that cashing in the necessary trade pieces are Minasian's preferred option so I think it likely that Castillo is the fallback position in case of not being able to sign Ray.  If that's the case it is a really good sign after years of negotiating with their primary target, not succeeding and THEN pivoting to whichever picked over produce was remaining.  Being that a Castillo trade, by any team, doesn't have lockout urgency attached to it at the same level as the FA's, it seems judicious to lay the groundwork for such a trade as a back-up move early. 

The Lorenzen signing works for both scenarios, with signing Ray, they trade a SP to some team for SS, and if Castillo, as I think you mentioned earlier, Sandoval or Suarez along with Marsh/Adell and others to Reds.  In any event we are going to get a peek into how well Minasian can evaluate players because Lorenzen is definitely the opening move of a upcoming trade.

29 minutes ago, totdprods said:

This is also the same team that waived a productive arm to a division rival and traded Raisel Iglesias for Noe Ramirez (just to release him) and a fringe prospect who likely makes no MLB impact.

They won’t give Castillo away but I doubt he’s impossible to get. 

I think trading Castillo is a bit different than the other trade pieces of the past.  It sends a message to their fanbase about at what level they intend to compete at this season and therefore the return, presumably prospects, will need to justify not only the trade value aspect but also from a fan relations standpoint.  For all the reasons other teams want him, he is a great fit for the Reds also and while trade value might dip slightly next off-season, only slightly so.

33 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

Because of previous reports that indicate that the Reds aren't interested in trading Castillo, I'm inclined to think that they are looking for over the top overpayment offers.

24 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Hey @Chuckster70 is this the little birdie you are referring to?

 

7 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

It's Za--  Gr-----

He did play for AZ, but if so, Chuck misspoke when he said "top-tier" pitcher.  Wouldn't be the sexy pick, but not the end of the world either.  BR has him projected at 4.03 ERA.  Meh, but he would provide 160 innings that wouldn't have to be assigned to Canning or Barria.  Assuming a low price compared to the "top-tier" arms, it would allow for spending elsewhere and a more balanced club overall.

16 minutes ago, Pancake Bear said:

Ray has always had great K rates. His walk rate was awful in 2020, but turned elite in 2021. If it is Ray, you're getting a guy who puts up good innings and strikes out a lot of guys. The concern is that he can't replicate the control he had in 2021. Worth noting:

 

There are no 'safe' options. Scherzer is old. He wasn't expected to still be good at this point, and now people expect him to go another couple years. Maybe he will, but it's a risk. None of Stroman, Ray, or Gausman is without risk. Whoever it is, I'm stoked they're going for it, and if they get another top reliever, that's an impressive push by the team to add high end depth.

Stroman relies on more ground ball outs as opposed to strikeouts compared to Ray and Gausman.  I could see him looking for a team that does defense really well and don't think the Angels can take full advantage of what he has to offer.  Also, speculation has been that he may command a longer term than the other two.

Scherzer may be the best choice all things considered, shorter term, best pitcher last year until the Dogs overused him, but for me, the caveat isn't his age as much as how much his AAV will impact filling out the rest of the roster.

I'd be happy with any of the 4 but despite all the talk that starting pitching should be their overwhelming focus, there are other significant needs that a lower AAV with Gausman/Ray would fund.  Ohtani, Gausman/Ray, Syndergaard, Sandoval, Suarez, (Canning/Barria/etc.) is sufficient if BP gets it's closer and another solid arm, and they don't screw the pooch on SS.

5 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Its obviously Randy Johnson.

 

About fuckin time!

Far beyond ashes, that bird was broken down into its subatomic components.

5 minutes ago, Stradling said:

He said signing so I’m going to assume it isn’t a trade. 

Yeah, definitely don't see Bauer coming here for a multitude of reasons.  Just trying to follow the Phoenix breadcrumbs.

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

A new birdie has risen like a phoenix from the ashes with good news to come real soon. 

IF this is a hint,  Scherzer has played for Arizona.  Then again it could be a trade for Trevor Bauer who started his career there and whose career at this time could be considered in ashes.

Yes Chuck, thankful for the AW family, even all the nutty uncles. 

35 minutes ago, Angels_Make_Me_Drink said:

 

Mad Max

Gausman

Ray

Stroman

Gray

Greinke

For me, not assuming Mad Max is out. I just got a hope that Arte is willing to go balls to the wall this year to fully commit to building a winning team around Trout and Ohtani. 

My main concern about signing Scherzer is that it may lead to prematurely trading Marsh/Adell in order to fill out the rest of the team's needs, or that they go bargain basement for those spots, including the bullpen.

My guess is that Syndergaard is the biggest name acquisition.  I just don't see Minasian going down to the wire on the bigger name SP's and Iglesias.  The potential for ending up with the dregs is too high to play the waiting game with them.  They will be in on them but when he sees the market for mid-range arms start to shrink further, he will get serious about signing someone along the lines of a Jon Gray, a #3 with #2 potential, and pivot to the BP.  I also don't think they'll sign Raisel because his market will be hot and his representation may let bidding go down to the wire.  At some point, knowing that they aren't going to commit to an all out bidding war for the most sought after closer available, they will have to make a decision to cut bait and go after a second tier closer or closer by committee approach.  Loup allows for that being that they can go after a Graveman, or, go after two late innings guys who want to make the jump to closer and let competition settle the closer role among the three.  

Lastly, I don't think we see any top prospects included in a trade at this juncture.  I get the sense that Minasian knows that there will be opportunity to get better trade value in-season than preseason, especially with the lockout uncertainty, and that he wants to have the prospect capital to be in that game as it unfolds.  

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

Doesn't make sense to sign this guy then let Iglesias go. Then the pen is worse.

Graveman and the pen is equal or better