mulwin444

DFA'd

I mean, maybe? Jake's 6 seasons in the minors produced 4.93 ERA 1.508 WHIP 7.5 K/9 in 507.1 IP so it's not like they didn't take a long look at him.

Two things working against Eppler - timing and prospects. Cole was acquired by HOU for 4 major league ready prospects including a Starting Pitcher in Musgrove. We didn't have that depth. Greinke was acquired for, again, 4 prospects and HOU was pushing for a World Championship. Say we acquired Cole in 2018 somehow, we still don't make the playoffs and lose him to the Yankees this offseason. Greinke is only a move you make to try to win in 2019 and now Houston has 8 less prospects and two pitcher over 36 owed a combined $116 mil ($50 mil for Greinke, $66 mil for Verlander) with their next best pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery and a lot of question marks.

A reliever who can strike out more than a batter per inning, picked up for nothing with years of control and options left...an Eppler special. Looks like a good deal.

Upton in LF and Castellanos in RF...that works as long as the ball never leaves the infield haha

Yep, near-elite potential starting pitching with years of control. That's about it.

It had one of the best game #161's for the Angels: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX201510030.shtml 5 run rally in the 9th to keep the wild card hope alive.

We won with power, timely hitting, an above average rotation and the best bullpen in the American League with Weber, Donelly, Shields, KRod (5.2 IP in the regular season, 18.2 IP in the playoffs) and Percival.

Um, no...

Last season, Angels were 7th in the AL (15th in the MLB) in runs scored with Trout, Simmons, Ohtani, Upton, and LaStella all missing big chunks of time. Now, everyone is coming in healthy and the projected line-up is: 1 - Fletcher 2B/LF (.290 .350 OBP) 2 - Trout CF (40 HR 1.000+ OPS) 3 - Ohtani DH (30HR .900 OPS potential) 4 - Rendon 3B (30 HRs .950-1.000 OPS) 5 - Upton LF/DH (30 HRs .250 .800+ OPS) 6 - Pujols/LaStella 1B/DH/2B (Combine for 30 HR with average from .250-.300 .730-.800 OPS) 7 - Simmons SS (.280 .330 OBP 10 HRs) 8 - Goodwin/Adell RF (Goodwin capable of .260 .330 .790 OPS with 15+ HR, Adell is TBD) 9 - Castro C (.230 .330 .750 OPS 10+ HRs) Bench: Rengifo (.230+ .330+ .700 OPS), Outside of the MOTO, this line-up is not "horrid" unless you are unfamiliar with its meaning. The peaks are obviously high but the drop off after that is not as significant as we saw last season when you had a line-up featuring Taylor Ward, Matt Thaiss, Anthony Bemboom, Michael Hermosillo, Justin Bour and Jared Walsh

If there is one thing Eppler has shown is his ability to get solid, cheap bullpen arms either via waivers, trade for a PTBNL, promoted from within, or signed to a minor league deal.

If Boston is eating salary, the Angels are giving up someone of value for an aging, expensive question mark. Not getting a "Captain" vibe from Price...especially considering his career in the postseason. Big 'meh' from me

We're either giving them a handful of Rondons and taking on salary or giving something of significance so Boston can eat $10+ mil a year. I'd rather save those bullets ($20+ mil left on payroll or the prospects) for someone who is worth it...even if it happens at the trade deadline. Eppler has a talented roster, tradable assets and some financial flexibility, he can be patient.

They don't need a broken, $30+ mil per year "mentor"...they need a guy that can take his turn in the rotation and give them quality innings. The mentor thing is not essential...

Hmmm, you mean the Angels' offseason didn't end when we missed out on Keuchel/Ryu and Eppler wasn't just sitting in his office spinning around in his chair? Weird... Nice signing...just what they need

Sonny Gray - Bad in 2016 and 2018, decent in 2017...three years of injury concerns and underperformance but Eppler should have totally grabbed him. Trevor Bauer - Great "stuff" but complete headcase who has only has one season where he hasn't gotten in his own way, and he missed time due to injury. Alex Wood - Made all of 7 starts due to injury and he was bad - but I'm sure it would have been different here. Tanner Roark - Was "eh" with Cincy and "meh" with Oakland but we totally should have added him to our collection of 5 starters Wade Miley - Was so awesome he pitched in one game in Houston's playoff run People's hate-boner for Eppler is pretty amusing at times.

I think he was trying to say "he wasn't acquired as a pitcher this offseason but will impact the rotation since he is now healed from Tommy John surgery"...yeah, I had to take a 2nd look as well

This is the best and deepest Angels team since 2015...they are set up for the future, have financial room to still make moves, have talent at every minor level and have a decently high 1st round pick still incoming. I know people want every base covered (ha!) but it's impossible to account for every variable. As it stands, they have a terrific offense, one of the best infield defenses in the league, youth, speed, some legit bullpen pieces, an average rotation with the potential for it to be better if some of the talented kids progress. There is a lot to like about this team even if people here didn't get the endorphin rush they were hoping for entering the offseason.

This...Keuchel went to the team that offered him the best deal. We didn't lose out on him because who is on the roster.

Yeah, Rendon, Simmons, and Fletcher at 2B is a ridiculously good defensive infield.

Hey, he's into Greek...not that there's anything wrong with that...

Odorizzi- Accepted the QO so never an option but I would have liked him. Wheeler- Wanted to play on the East Coast and stay near family in New Jersey. Reportedly took less money to sign with Phillies than what the White Sux offered. Sounds like we would have needed to massively overpay to get on his radar. Stras- It was cute when he made the West Coast tour but, when WAS whipped out it's 7 year deal for its 31/32 year old (next season) World Series hero, he wasn't an option. Also, it was awesome of the Nats to totally fuck the market. Cole- Who knew as the offseason began you'd need a 10/$360 mil deal to possibly pry him away from the Yankees...and that's if they didn't match us...which they totally would have. Bumgarner- Odd dude who chose happiness and comfort over max possible dollars because, ultimately, $85 million is still a ridiculous amount of money and you still get to play where you want. Keuchel- Likely the Angels best option after Cole on the free agent market but he's still an uninspiring lower-middle rotational option. Ryu- 33 and has a history of injuries. Rightfully not pursued.

Could Dylan Bundy be better than we think? Well, of course not because Eppler traded for him. Now, if some other GM traded for him, it would be viewed as a missed opportunity and another example of Eppler's "complacency".

All for the low price of $34 mil over two seasons (if his 2021 27 starts/165 innings vesting option kicks in)...we can start printing playoff tickets