Stoneman concedes. Just like that.

by goodvibe61 on Nov 23, 2006 2:11 PM PST

After panicking over the signing of Gary Mathews Jr., I stepped away from any media for half a day, just to try to chill out a little and try to make a little sense out of things.

I came back this morning feeling a little better, because I still felt that the bottom line was that this signing is not the "major move" Mr. Moreno promised the fans this winter. So perhaps this signing was just a stepping stone to something bigger, better, something that would truly help take the club to the next level.

The first thing I saw this morning was this article, published in the LA Times today. Apparently all is indeed lost.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-angels23nov23,1,3183971.story?coll=la-headli nes-sports-mlb-angels

Basically the meat at the end of the article is this: Stoneman decided that trading Santana and/or Shields to get Andruw Jones or Vernon Wells wasn't worth it, and that a club with Andruw Jones/Vernon Wells and without Santana and Shields would not be as good as a club with Santan Shields and Gary Mathews Jr.

Stoneman said "Losing Santana and Shields would be tough".

And for the minority of us here that we're hoping for one of these deals to happen, Stoneman validates it won't, by "intimating that any trade won't be of the blockbuster variety, saying obviously our options our more limited than they were".

To quote a scene that pretty much fits my mood this morning.."And that's that".

I guess the couple things I'm thinking right now are:

I'm sure all the folks here will be very happy, because Santana isn't going to be moved no matter what.
Everybody here gets their wish, that we are going with MacPherson and Kotchman, to be the answers to our offensive troubles.

A few weeks ago I wrote on here, pleading with Stoneman to show he has what it takes to be the GM of this organization. To make the moves required to take the club to the title.

After seeing this signing, and reading his statements, it is definitely time for him to go.

Stoneman has no stones.

A few of the things I believed in recently still stand more than ever. Santana better become the number one starter, by the end of this season, and he better be in the Cy Young conversation within the next two seasons or so. If he's more valuable than a bona fide hall of famer like Andruw Jones, and only plays on the field once a week, he better by god show that he deserves this kind of reverence. I will be watching each and every start with an interest not previously seen.

We're most definitely NOT World Series contenders. It's a shame.

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Comments

Happy?

Given the reaction to the GMJ signing around here, I think the majority of people here are decidedly unhappy with this move, and would much rather see either Santana or Shields (but probably not both) go in a deal for Jones or Wells, particularly if they were to sign Zito to fill out the rotation. That was the idea I'd gotten around here, anyways. People just didn't want to trade them for some lesser talent.

by jjackflash on Nov 23, 2006 2:18 PM PST reply actions

At least he is not a midget

I was getting self conscience about our midget centerfield

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2006 2:46 PM PST reply actions

Problem is...

Santana or Shields by themselves would not fetch Jones/Wells. They said Toronto scoffed at Santana/Aybar for Wells. How much would we be willing to give for one of these guys?

by thewebb on Nov 23, 2006 6:54 PM PST reply actions

Very valid point

I am curious what we offered this is the first I have heard.

The pisser is that the 07 CF class is Wells, Jones, Ichiro, and Hunter and we have the Garbage Man clogging center

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2006 6:56 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, that is a tough one to swallow

A couple of things keep me sane on this point

A) One more year of watching Figgy butcher CF may have killed me. (although if he ends up being the every day 3B it may be the same difference)
B) We needed to be better next year, '07. Waiting for a big dog would be fun but there's just no guarantee we'd get one of those guys anyways and if the market stays like this the contracts will be really rediculous. I.E. if Soriano is worth 8 years/136 m what is Jones/Wells worth? 10 years/200 m?

by thewebb on Nov 23, 2006 7:01 PM PST up reply actions

I am coming to grips with this kind of but

We had better make one hell of a run at ARod if he opts out next winter. Money be damned because I will be able to identify 10 mil a year I would rather not spend.

I think Figgins is d u n done. No room in the lineup for a slap hitter like him. I like Maicer better at third. Hopefully DMac wins the position

You are right those contracts will be silly, but they are younger and better than Soriano/matthews.

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2006 7:29 PM PST up reply actions

I think I agree on Izturis over Figgins

I'd rather have Figgins roaming around filling in at spots than counting on him at a position.

Hopefully Wood is ready next year for SS or 3B.

I also agree that if DMac could ever stay healthy he would be ideal at 3B.

Lastly, in an unrelated point, I think we should be counting on the much more reliable Morales at 1B and if Kotchman outplays him and takes the spot away it's a bonus.

by thewebb on Nov 23, 2006 7:36 PM PST up reply actions

Wood

Is still at AA. He'll probably be headed to AAA in '07, he's not on the 40 man (see one of the threads from a few days ago), and you're probably not going to see him called up until at least early '08; September '07 if things are desperate. I'm pretty sure the organization would prefer to take its time with them. Besides, the Angels have been asked if they'll ever put him at 3B and they've consistently said they won't.

Light Up That Halo!

by Clutch on Nov 24, 2006 9:54 AM PST up reply actions

damnit

that should have read he'd be ready for the next year, meaning '08. Sorry, bad typo.

by thewebb on Nov 25, 2006 9:23 PM PST up reply actions

and ofcourse I agree they are better

They're just unknowns. If someone told me you can live with what you have for 1 more year then you're guaranteed Jones or Wells in free agency, I'd say let's wait without thinking. There's a very good chance however we could have waited for one of those guys, struggled through 07 with Willits, Figgins, etc and then gotten caught with our pants down again in 08.

by thewebb on Nov 23, 2006 7:39 PM PST up reply actions

I agree

but i would at least like to have the chance. now we don't. If we do, we have to trade a guy with a no trade clause and probably eat a lot of his contract. no bueno.

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2006 9:44 PM PST up reply actions

stuck?

Nothing in his contract says he can't play left, right? GA isn't getting any younger and Rivera is always mentioned in trade circles. There are other options.

by thewebb on Nov 25, 2006 9:25 PM PST up reply actions

GMJ at a corner spot

Talk about poor production. Why not resign Erstad and put him at first while we are at it. Throw Figgy at Third and start Jose everyday also.

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 26, 2006 1:28 PM PST up reply actions

nice sarcasm, but...

in this scenario we'd have a masher in center.

by thewebb on Nov 26, 2006 6:30 PM PST up reply actions

I hear you

but the team is not well served with GMJ at a corner spot at all

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Nov 26, 2006 6:35 PM PST up reply actions

Inside scoop?

Does somebody have inside information that Gary Matthews Jr. will be buying a house in Garbage Grove? Property values in GG should go up when the widening of the arteries on the 22 is complete.

by Yetijuice on Nov 24, 2006 10:57 PM PST up reply actions

Why in God's name would he do that?

The good side of GG is the extreme western part, near Seal Beach. Most players buy in places like Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda, or even Newport Beach (where Myspacecobar lives).

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Nov 25, 2006 5:47 PM PST up reply actions

La Mirada

I heard that Gary was going to be buying a pad in the Northeast end of La Mirada until he found out that the Krispy Kreme on Beach and Imperial was closed.

Just kidding. He lives n Santa Monica and will be part of the noontime rush on the ten east and five south...

by Rev Halofan on Nov 25, 2006 6:23 PM PST up reply actions

All he's saying is...

That he doesn't want to trade either player. THIS DOES NOT MEAN HE WONT TRADE OTHER PLAYERS. Do you really think Santana and Shields are the only talent we have that we could trade for?

Saunders, Moseley, Aybar, Iztuius, DMac, Morales, Adenhart, Rivera

And many other names that we can still trade and are valuable.

by Obscurity on Nov 23, 2006 11:46 PM PST reply actions

Re-read those comments

Stoneman didn't rule out a move -- White Sox third baseman Joe Crede is still a possibility -- but intimated any trade won't be of the blockbuster variety.

"We might look here and there to see if there's someone who might help us," Stoneman said. "Obviously, our options are more limited than what they were."

Does that sound like a trade for Manny Ramirez is happening to you?

Fire Mickey Hatcher. An entire generation of Angels offense depends upon it.

by scareduck on Nov 24, 2006 6:24 AM PST up reply actions

Of course not...

But then again, I never thought trading for Manny was a good idea. But it doesn't mean that there aren't options.

by Obscurity on Nov 24, 2006 12:15 PM PST up reply actions

Although I don't have

any hard data to back it up, my prediction for 07 is that Kotchman and D-Mac have breakout years. I know it's an all heart statement, but with all the high expectations of years past. It just make baseball sense that they would have good years when we don't expect anything.

by higdog on Nov 25, 2006 1:43 PM PST reply actions

Agree

I have been thinking that this will be -the- year that they both put it together. Think about what a team they could be if they both start working towards their hype errrr potential!

Confucious say: "Baseball wrong - man with four balls cannot walk."

by ineptituderunsamok on Nov 25, 2006 2:12 PM PST up reply actions