Maydab23

I realized like 5 years ago this team would never win anything as long as Arte owns the team.  He's not going to approve a full rebuild.  I 100% expect them to spend more money again this offseason, and again not go over the luxury tax, to try to win with the young group we have + free agents + whatever you get from Trout/Rendon

Thank goodness the Umps aren't doing something important, like Air Traffic Control.

You don’t trade a quarter for three dimes when you only get to put so many coins on the field 

he has a full NTC.  He had 4/89m remaining on his contract when the Angels acquired him and he signed with the halos at 5/106.  (not counting what they paid him in 2017).  That extra year was probably a misread of the market by Eppler and crew.  
Upton has always been a good player to have and a tough player to watch.  He's averaged 4 WAR per 650 pa the last 4+ years.  The reason he's tough to watch is that he's an avg defender or slightly below but the optic is such that his bad plays look really bad.  Tonight was a prime example.  He got a really good jump on that ball.  Better than most would and took an absolutely atrocious route.  It looked so awful but most players out there wouldn't have been in a spot to make that catch.  It just looks even worse for him because he makes it look like he can get there or actually does get there but when he fails it's because he doesn't finish.  He's actually terrible at going back on the ball and good at coming in on the ball which makes me question why they've had him playing more shallow since he's come to the halos.  But his defensive metrics are neutral.  It's just the bad plays that really stick out.  
Paying him the extra 17m for his age 34 season was probably unnecessary as the FA market sort of collapsed after that.  But it's not egregious.  His failures with RISP as an Angel are a new thing and weren't part of his career norms prior to coming here.  It should be an aberration but we'll see.  But again, it's a bad optic for the fans.  
As far as moving him to 1b, I have made my feelings known.  I just don't think he has the hands for it.  We've seen balls clank off of him in the OF and I think that gets accentuated at 1b.  Maybe he ends up being fine but there are going to be some really ugly plays if he's put there.  
He's owed 51 mil in his last two years at age 33/34 which makes him pretty untradeable even if he were willing and he has the NTC so we might as well get that out of our minds.  It's just not happening.  
As mentioned, Marsh likely forces the issue in 2021 but not before that.  I think the Angels will find a way to move on from Albert by then and Upton can take over that role although he won't be as bad.  
Right now, he's still a very good player (not a great  one) who had a bad game.  If he ends up being a capable 1bman then great, but I wouldn't count on it.  

Whomever gets corrected by Taylor will react violently.
Whoever reacts violently was likely corrected by Taylor.

I think it is probably a little myopic for us to compare Adell to Springer, Upton and Hunter.  If he has the career of Upton or Hunter or consistently puts up years like Springer has that is a major win.  Someone on here last year said Adell had the floor of Upton, that is pretty arrogant.  Upton will retire with 350-400 home runs and will be in the Hall of Very Good.  If Adell can be close to any of these guys then we have ourselves a helluva player.  He can be less than those guys and guess what?  We still have a helluva player.  My fear is if he isn’t a Hunter, Upton or Springer he will be looked at as a failure, much like Howie and it will all be because of fan expectation narrative.  

W/L records are often largely the product of what was already on hand, so just to add to your comparisons here are the respective lineups and SP/CL that both guys inherited and their previous season's stats.
Dipoto
Pos - Player(age) status - OPS+
C - Mathis (28) signed,  38
1B - Trumbo (25) pre arb, 114
2B - Kendrick (27) signed, 126
SS - Aybar (27), signed, 110
3B - Callaspo (28), signed, 112
LF - Well (32), signed, 86
CF - Bourjos (24), pre arb, 116
LF - Hunter (35), signed 116
DH - Abreu (37), signed 105

That's an entire lineup in place, 7 positions OPS+ 105 or better, 6 positions 110 or better.   Three guys on the wrong side of 30. 
Other bench players under contract/control - Maicer Izturis, Bobby Wilson, Hank Conger, Reggie Willits, Andrew Romine, Efren Navarro, Mike Trout, Brandon Wood.

Role - Player(age) status ERA+

SP 1 - Haren (30) signed, 119
SP 2 - Weaver (28) signed, 156
SP 3 - Santana (28) signed, 111
SP 4 - Piniero (32) free agent, 73
SP 5 - Chatwood (21) rookie, 79
SP 6 - Williams (29) signed, 103
CL - Walden (23) pre-arb, 127
RP - Downs (35) signed, 256
RP - Thompson (26) pre-arb, 126

That's 5 of 6 SPs under contract.   Three RPs under contract.  
Other pitchers under contract/control - Garret Richards,  Kevin Jepsen, Michael Kohn, Trevor Bell, Bobby Cassavah.
Obviously the big needs were A SP, and bullpen pieces...   They had enough money to sign AP, Wilson, and two RPs that couldn't throw.
___________________

Eppler
Pos - Player(age) status - OPS+
C - Iannetta (32) free agent - 78
1B - Pujols (35) signed - 118
2B - Giovatella (27) arb - 96
SS - Aybar (31) - pend FA - 81
3B - Freese (32) free agent - 109
LF - Joyce (30) free agent - 60
CF - Trout (23), signed -179
RF - Calhoun (25) signed - 104
DH - Cron (25) pre-arb - 106

So, three unsigned positions, one pending FA.  Of the remaining 5 spots, 4 under 30.  Three positions 105 OPS+ or better.
Other bench players under contract/control - Kaleb Cowart, Carlos Perez, Taylor Featherston, Kyle Kubitza, Jett Bandy

Role - Player(age) status ERA+

SP 1 - Richards (27) arb, 104 
SP 2 - Santiago (27) arb, 105
SP 3 - Weaver (32) signed, 81
SP 4 - Shoemaker (28) pre-arb, 85
SP 5 - Wilson (33) signed, 97 (Injured would not pitch again)
SP 6 - Heaney (24) pre-arb, 108
CL - Street (31) signed, 120
RP - Alvarez (26) pre-arb, 106
RP - Smith (31) signed 106
Other pitchers under contract/control - Nick Tropeano, Mike Morin, Cam Bedrosian, Fernando Salas, Trevor Gott, Tyler Skaggs.
So -- the big needs..   A starting C, 3B, LF, pretty much an entire bench.   The strength of these teams was supposed to be the SP... (5 TJS incoming).   The budget was capped.
When you consider the budgets, rosters, farm systems, both GMs inherited and the respective injuries sustained by the teams (not to mention the rise of the Astros), the W/L records only serve as a greater indictment of Jerry Dipoto's tenure.   
To argue otherwise is to stick one's head in the sand.
 

I very rarely post but I’ll jump in as well since Australia is hi-jacking the thread.
I have been in Sydney for 1 1/2 years (from SoCal) and there’s a decent amount of baseball fans here. 
I play in a well organized rec league here and quite a few know the game well and are fans of various MLB teams. 

I very rarely post but I’ll jump in as well since Australia is hi-jacking the thread.
I have been in Sydney for 1 1/2 years (from SoCal) and there’s a decent amount of baseball fans here. 
I play in a well organized rec league here and quite a few know the game well and are fans of various MLB teams. 

I very rarely post but I’ll jump in as well since Australia is hi-jacking the thread.
I have been in Sydney for 1 1/2 years (from SoCal) and there’s a decent amount of baseball fans here. 
I play in a well organized rec league here and quite a few know the game well and are fans of various MLB teams. 

I very rarely post but I’ll jump in as well since Australia is hi-jacking the thread.
I have been in Sydney for 1 1/2 years (from SoCal) and there’s a decent amount of baseball fans here. 
I play in a well organized rec league here and quite a few know the game well and are fans of various MLB teams. 

I very rarely post but I’ll jump in as well since Australia is hi-jacking the thread.
I have been in Sydney for 1 1/2 years (from SoCal) and there’s a decent amount of baseball fans here. 
I play in a well organized rec league here and quite a few know the game well and are fans of various MLB teams. 

Long time lurker, extremely rare poster here (I think the last time was the offseason when Beltre and Carl Crawford were FAs) but I just have to know.
Why no mention of Tommy La Stella in guys we should target? 
Just curious to people's opinion since he is left handed, at least somewhat expendable by his club and given his MiLB track record and lack of consistent playing time in bigs, indicates some upside to break through to another level.

Simmons should strike out more.

let's rebuild with trout in his prime

Bye bye, Jeppy.  He had a good year in 2014.

Stupid Prince Can'tFielder!
When was the last time this team developed an everyday starting catcher? Pudge, and that was 25 years ago!
Fire DanYELLS!!!
Fire Maddicks!
Fire the training staff that can't keep Profar on the field!