totdprods

That’s why ultimately, even though most would feel like we need to acquire three SPs, I believe the Angels will really only aim to get two arms. I do think they will land a 3rd SP, but it won’t be what most here rosterbate too - it’ll be along the lines of another Félix Pena or Dillon Peters move for some SP depth. Those two did wind up being some of our better starters last year too. Not saying much, but fine as depth. There will be good arms at the deadline and a better sense of what farm we can deal from, and a good FA class next season too.

Our best bet here is that Callaway and Wheeler have a great rapport and the Angels get out to a quick lead as a result.

I agree with this - I think he'll nab someone pretty quick that will, ideally, wind up being our third best arm acquired. Probably someone fairly cheap or short-term commitment. I don't think Odorizzi fits that, and definitely not Wheeler, but I think Teheran or Hamels both make a lot of sense. From there, I think he'll start working on signing Cole while having already done something to help the rotation. And then, once Cole presumably signs, he can hit the pause button on the rotation, focus on catcher, focus on bullpen, focus on some depth, and wait out both the trade and FA market for the second-best SP that he might add. Wait until the best value emerges. It will be a gamble, but ultimately it might allow them to get a much better deal on an arm come January or February rather than over-paying now.

To get a better one?

This is more about finding a guy to be the back-up, replacing the guys we currently have that can't seem to do much of either. If they were fortunate enough to get Jansen or McGuire for a cheap price, neither really are proven to be capable of checking both boxes right out of the gate, but could turn into that as soon as this year. And it would save money for pitching.

It'd be less about getting them for the big-league help, and more about getting a catcher prospect in our system. I know the prospect for prospect deals don't happen often, but the Angels have guys like Deveaux, Knowles, Martinez, Lund, Hermosillo that all could probably equal something there. There's also the idea of shopping someone like a Bedrosian or even Goodwin to the Jays as they could use help in both areas - the Angels shed a couple mil, gain a legit catching prospect (ideally something else too). It sucks, but the Angels could (they certainly don't have to) non-tender Stassi since he might be injured to start the year, try to re-sign him to a minor-league deal off the 40-man, and they'd basically re-acquire Stassi in the form of a very small trade for Maile, who as mentioned, should come very cheaply. Non-tendering Kevan Smith to save $1m feels a little more likely to me, in my opinion. Regardless of who the Angels get for primary catcher, finding someone who can be optioned or with a little more clearer skill-set behind the plate as back-up makes sense.

None of these guys should really cost all too much... Luke Maile, 29 in 2020, is a non-tender candidate, projected to earn $800k. Hits and throws right-handed. Came up in the Tampa org while Maddon was there, but did not play on a Maddon coached MLB team. Might actually be a worse hitter than Stassi - .198/.252/.304/.556 in 657 PA with 30 doubles, 10 HR, 40 BB, 179 K Wasn't much of a hitter in the minors either - career slash of .253/.331/.357/.688 Solid 33% CS% in the bigs though. Really doesn't seem all that different from Stassi, also projected to make $800k, except with less upside and not currently injured. Danny Jansen, 25, comes with at least one option remaining, still pre-arb, hits and throws right-handed. 16th round pick, was a very good hitter in his last two seasons in the minors, .884 OPS in '17 across A+ through AAA, .863 OPS in '18 at AAA In the majors, he has a .215/.293/.374/.667 OPS and a 79 OPS+ across 562 PA with 41 XBH, 47 BB, 113 K Relatively small-sample size 26% CS%, including a 31% mark in 2019. It's in-line with a career 25% mark in the minors. Age offers some upside and potential, but even with hitting-friendly AL East ballparks, his line isn't terribly exciting. The fact he has options, age, potential, and offensive and defensive upside makes him sort of a better version of Stassi - worth pursuing, in my mind. Reese McGuire, also 25 in 2020, hits left-handed and throws right-handed. Believe he will be out of options. Former 1st round pick of the Pirates, he was a Top 100 prospect (#50-#100 range) around '14-'15. Aside from a .859 OPS in '17 in only 45 games, he's been a fairly mediocre hitter in the minors, with a .261/.325/.347/.672 career slash. In limited MLB action though, 138 PA in 44 G across two years, he's hit .297/.343/.539/.882, with 17 XBH, 9 BB, 27 K. Strong 36% CS% in the minors, only 21% CS% in limited MLB play. Catchers tend to come around a little later, so he still has a shot at becoming an above-average MLB catcher. Did his bat happen to turn a corner right when he reached the bigs? Still the #25 prospect on Toronto's Top 30 at MLB.com Gabriel Moreno (#8), will be 20 in 2020, likely ticketed for A/A+. Hits and throws right-handed. Signed for $25k out of Venezuela. Career .294/.339/.468/.807 hitter in the minors, with 38 doubles, 8 triples, 16 HR, 35 BB, 63 K in 154 G/643 PA, and a 33% CS% Alejandro Kirk (#12), will be 21 in 2020, likely ticketed for A+/AA. Also hits and throws right-handed. Signed out of Mexico. Career .315/.418/.500/.918 hitter in the minors, with 41 doubles, 2 triples, 17 HR, 89 BB, 60 K in 151 G/619 PA with a 38% CS%. Sort of get some Willians Astudillo-vibe from him. 5'9", 220, big contact skills and a great eye. Riley Adams (#27), will be 24 in 2020, probably in AA again, though AAA isn't out of the question. 3rd round pick in '17, born in Encinitas, graduate of University of San Diego. 6'4", 225, hits and throws right-handed. Career .265/.363/.410/.773 hitter - in 2019, at A+/AA he hit .261/.366/.443/.809 with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 14 HR, 46 BB, 123 K, 29% CS%

Another update on Contreras and why the Cubs might be open to moving him... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/nl-notes-contreras-banks-hefner.html A Willson Contreras trade won’t do the Cubs any favors in 2020, but it’s more preferable than moving any of the team’s other star players, opines Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic. Some rival organizations believe Chicago will indeed make that move this offseason, and there would surely be ample interest in the 27-year-old catcher if the Cubs put him on the market. Contreras is one of baseball’s best offensive catchers, and the Cubs maintain that he’ll improve as a pitch framer, although as Sharma notes, he continues to rate near the bottom of the league in that category. Parting ways with a franchise catcher isn’t ideal, but the Cubs do at least have a strong internal replacement available in Víctor Caratini. The same can’t be said for shortstop, third base, or first base, so a trade of Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, or Anthony Rizzo is tougher to envision. The Cubs don’t have to trade any of those players, Sharma points out, although ownership seems unlikely to green-light a major payroll increase and the MLB pitching staff and minor-league system both need augmenting.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/blue-jays-catchers-drawing-trade-interest.html Seems like any one of these guys could be a reasonable target for the Angels, even the minor league prospects the Jays have.

...because we need pitching and a catcher?

Biggest concern about Canning right now, for me, is his health holding up. The talent is there, but until he rattles off a healthy season or two, I think the Angels should be proceeding with a bit of caution and expectation that banking on him for to hold a rotation spot with 30+ GS/180 IP is unrealistic. If they place that expectation on him in 2020 without a real contingency, they’re playing with fire.

Cubs will have plenty of interest in moving Quintana or Chatwood, or even Darvish or Hendricks too. They need to clear payroll. Honestly even Lester could emerge as an option if he’s particularly fond of Maddon. Heyward does not need to be involved. Kimbrel could even be on the table. Due to the fact they need help relieving salary, the Angels can work a lot of different frameworks here. Yes, the cost will be high, but there is a lot of win-win here for both clubs.

Definitely wasn't calling it a good trade...and Uceta or Rivas could haunt us one day...but overall, don't think there's any real harm done here.

That deal doesn’t bother me much, because while Rainier and Raider are exciting, just really how difficult would it be to sign a couple comparable guys this next international period? They were $700k total. I get that we’d just back to being even steven for project Latin outfielders, but they’re far enough away and not elite enough to where they’re irreplaceable. Sign one less toolsy SS and one more OF.

Totally agree. It was frustrating as hell because turf toe sounds pretty easy to bounce back from. And there would be stretches where it didn’t hurt much and then it was agonizing for a few days. Demoralizing because you think you’re coming out of it.