If the season started tomorrow, would you be happy?

by LosAngel on Nov 22, 2007 9:30 PM PST

If the Angels don't make any more offseason moves, how would you rate the job Reagins has done. I think/hope that he must have a grand plan that includes more than just this but according to Tony, "We're in good shape," Reagins said. "If the season opened tomorrow, I'd be happy where we are."

I, for one, would not be satisfied. I like the Cabrera trade, but I don't agree with the Hunter deal, unless it leads to another trade to free up some of the outfield logjam. The #1 priority this offseason was to get power out of 3rd, and so far, we have not addressed that need. I would actually like another power arm in the pen, but I don't view that as an absolute necessity.

If Reagins does have a grand plan that includes more moves, he has pot committed himself to execute that plan. I'm hoping his quote is just posturing to get our potential trade partners to lower the price. However, given the current make up of the team, and despite him saying this gives us more options, he's actually painted himself into a corner where he has to make another move.

So I ask you, if the season started without any more moves being made, how would you rate Tony's first offseason as GM?

Poll

If no more moves were made this offseason, what grade would you give Tony?

A

16 votes

B

50 votes

C

18 votes

D

5 votes

F

3 votes

Don't be freakin stupid, Tony's gonna make more moves. This can't be it!

32 votes

124 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

IF there are no more moves made

The Salt Lake Bees are looking better than 5 major league teams.

by Rev Halofan on Nov 22, 2007 9:46 PM PST reply actions

No

by Pwn on Nov 22, 2007 10:17 PM PST reply actions

Today's 2008 LAA of A

I think that if we sped up the clock to opening day with this roster, I am ECSTATIC. I don't care where the power comes from, we needed somebody else to hit at LEAST 25 HR a season. to plug into the lineup, and we got him. We needed to address concerns over if our #4/5 starter would ever be a consistant source of enough quality outings to count on for a season, and we got Garland- who is truly tailor made to give up all we really wanted from Ervin anyway.

Now, the infield WILL be our big issue from now on, but that's really a GREAT problem to have compared to what we were going to have to deal with soon- nameley the breakdown of our pitching dominance (we've done it with SURPLUS and CONSISTENCY) and watching a very good but very old outfield disintegrate before our eyes from wear and tear in the next two seasons.

Instead, we now clear space for Wood's come-up in the next two years, keep Howie on this team (I really consider him the untouchable, make-or-break our Angels' future part of a potential Cabrera package), make do with quality defense/fast baserunning from our cheap-as-hell shortstop, and have a Gold Glove/great lineup plugin waiting to happen at 1B between Kotchman and Morales. Now we get another everyday OF who we also actually WANT to get ABs every day. Reggie and Juan are lovely, but I'd rather have TH for 130+ games a season. With the group we have now, we can come up with great rotations across the whole outfield to rest everybody until GA comes off the books and we trade/otherwise lose guys and Vlad can become our full-time DH until he retires.

But here's what I love most: This fall, I saw the Yankees and Cleveland clinch playoff spots and thought, "If we can't get one up on the Indians before the postseason comes, we're fucked." I think we all know we would have rolled the Yankees like nothing. I think we make for hard fought and ultimately winnable series with the Indians. But I think that from day one of the 2007 season, the Red Sox could absolutely crush us. We were just a terrible matchup, and a lot of that had to do with the past few seasons' inability to yield a lineup stong enough to make the Sox staff work hard from 1 through 9.

We had a couple of chances in our 3 games, but once the Red Sox pitchers made it out of those few trouble spots, we had no way to reapply any pressure. We could get them pinned once, but if they wriggled free we'd never catch them again (I'm thinking of game 2 and the first half of game 3, obviously.) A healthy GMJ would have done wonders, though probably not against Beckett. With GMJ, Howie, and Kotchman all 100%, we win a game at least. With everybody up, a rock solid 1-4 starting rotation, AND Torii Hunter in that lineup, we can take this series and win another championship.

Is this my favorite iteration of what could have come? No. Would I welcome a trade that brings Cabrera to play 3B? If we can do it without losing Howie, hell yeah (though I'd be happiest to keep our starting 1B and Catcher too.) Do I want to see another guy over 30 added to this roster? Hell no. But of the season started tomorrow, do I think we compete for a championship and not just the West? Absolutely I do, and it's the first time since our elimination at the hands of the best team in baseball that I have thought so.

by Brendo on Nov 22, 2007 10:50 PM PST reply actions

I think M Cab is coming

Reagins said there are other possibilities out there

Um.........

by hauldog on Nov 22, 2007 11:31 PM PST reply actions

Just to be exact...

"This doesn't have any bearing on any other moves," Reagins said. "We look at things that make sense. I don't think you can be closed-minded about anything. If there are opportunities that make you better, you have to take a look at it."
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AhuttEaCtMsSBEFYkJwbgPA5nYcB?slug=sh-hunterangels112207&pr ov=yhoo&type=lgns

by jerryhattrick on Nov 23, 2007 1:26 AM PST up reply actions

LA Times

"All I can say is I'm going to be looking at some other things to make us better," Reagins said. "The winter meetings are coming up, and I'm sure we'll have more discussions. I'm going to be open-minded."

Um.........

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2007 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

If the season started tomorrow

I'd be perplexed.

I'd wonder why we had improved our strengths (rotation, outfield) and depleted our weaknesses (infield, defence).

There HAS to be more to come.

DFA Mota and Gubicza

by UK Halo on Nov 23, 2007 3:09 AM PST reply actions

Not only that

but the Angels got OLDER at a position (outfield) where they were already pretty old. This just doesn't make sense, and the talk in the papers is that the Halos are going to cut loose a raft of A-grade prospects and Howie Kendrick to get Miguel Cabrera. If Reagins does that, he's made an enemy.

Hoping Ervin Santana turns it around in Salt Lake. Go, Ervin!

by scareduck on Nov 23, 2007 5:54 AM PST up reply actions

Arg

This speaks to the problems a lot of Angels fans aren't seeing.
First we just DON'T have the best rotation in baseball right now, even though we're so used to saying that we do. Santana didn't find consistency and no amount of kicks to the butt (or AAA demotions) will force it. Weaver couldn't possibly produce at the level of his rookie season over a whole year and dropped off. Moseley clearly isn't seen by this club as an option to fill out he rotation. So now we're left with 6 pitchers (counting Saunders and Adenhart) and a lot of questions.
So we trade O-Cab (whom I LOVED on this team) as he likely peaked in value and productivity for a workhorse SP who put up average-to-above-average numbers over and over again in a more hitter-friendly park than the Big A. This means that we have a killer 1-2 punch in Lackey and Escobar (possibly next year's Cy Young), a #3 with a lot more potential in Weaver, a pair of guys who are just better than most 4 and 5 starters in the league win Saunders and Garland, and the luxeries of a very good spot starter/looong relief man in Moseley, and trade bait (or at the very least a seriously decent home #5s) in Adenhart and Santana.
Meanwhile, our outfield is falling apart. Vlad needs time at DH or he will be purely useless in the fall (as evidenced by his no-show vs Boston.) GA is in left until he retires, despite his balky back and tendency in recent years to have foot problems. GMJ was a good pick up defensively, but hardly the productive power bat we were hoping for last offseason. Meanwhile, Reggie is too young and a singles hitter, Rivera has yet to have a single complete season of productive offense, and we all remember Figgins filling in... Adding an iron man (even if he's A-Rod's age) with some guaranteed power and great defensive flexibility lets us rotate players for rest as they age, effectively stretching out their productivity as well as we can. Is it as ideal as seeing our own young prospects grow into significant contributions? Probably not, but at least we maximize our chances at winning another World Series through the next bunch of years.
I don't see our infield as being as poor as others do. We have a fantastic true 1B who plays great Defense and was hitting well before being concussed last season, as well as a nice switch hitting backup/DH/situational hitter to give us options- both of whom are cheaper than dirt. Howie is perhaps the most promising young 2B in baseball. SS is a hole for now yes, and projects to be our weakest position short term. But if the season started today, I am fine with Figgins playing third if only to make sure he stays in the lineup. Remember again that I was all for trading Figgy before last season, but I think he's really putting it together in the batters' box and will continue to do so, while playing regularly at one position helped him keep his errors down. Napoli/Matthis will do alright if only for their ability to call a game and work with what is again a very good pitching staff.
There's a lot of worry about what a trade for Cabrera would cost us, but I think Reagins has set us up beautifully to get a deal done in a variety of ways or not at all and still be a better team for opening day than we were at the end of last season. We now have a surplus of both pitchers (Santana/Saunders/Adenhart) and league-ready guys (Figgins/Morales/Reggie/Rivera/Aybar/Izturis/Napoli/Matthis) and position playing prospects to get a deal done without losing Howie or even Casey. Plus, if we don't get a deal done, we have a deep well of players filling out the roster for Scioscia to tinker with and a great outlook for the next 5 years, easily.

This team is unquestionably a bit better than it was last week. Judge for what Reagins has done right now, and not for what we speculate may or may be the price for other trades that may or may not happen at all.

by Brendo on Nov 23, 2007 9:45 AM PST up reply actions

unhappy

I like Torii. He's a twice all-star, great defender and baserunner. Under Scioscia, he will steal more bases and will be adept at taking extra bases on hits.

But, his 162 game average is an underwhelming 88-34-25-93-.271-.793 (R-2B-HR-BA-OPS). Twice he has hit for 100+ RBI, never 100+ runs. Alone, he will not provide adequate protection to Vlad.

In all he DOES NOT justify $18M/season! Only three players took more than that last season-- Torii will be paid more than ManRam and Thome! Plus, It makes signing Lackey and K-Rod more difficult.

So, he gets a C, but we all know he's not done. The team is better now, but it doesn't take any prowess to overpay to bring in a player.

Eat My Angel Dust.

by Angels95 on Nov 23, 2007 12:34 PM PST reply actions

RBI's and Runs

Look at Minnesota's lineup. That has more to do with the RBI's and runs than Torri does.

Manny makes 20 mil. Thome is a bust. What is your point?

Vernon Wells contract averages 18 per.

Torri plays a premium defensive position and that factors into what market is.

Um.........

by hauldog on Nov 23, 2007 1:11 PM PST up reply actions

edit:

I spell-corrected "ood" to "odd" instead of "good". Although "very odd defense" is more fun to see in print.

Also, the last line is more of a question than a declaration. What do people think about our bargaining postion.

Eat My Angel Dust.

by Angels95 on Nov 23, 2007 1:59 PM PST up reply actions

nvr mnd

Fixed it.

Eat My Angel Dust.

by Angels95 on Nov 23, 2007 2:03 PM PST up reply actions

Re

Manny made $17 last year. Vernon Wells is 28. Calling thome a bust is ridiculous. Minn. lineup sucks but putting him in the Angels lineup isn't going to make him rise to the top 15 in production. Arguably, his age will substantially offset his newfound support.

I cannot see any good argument that we did not overpay. The argument should be whether is was a slight overpayment or a ridiculous one, rather than just the bunch of cheerleading at HH.

If we lose Matthews to HGH and Arte is willing to keep our young FAs in 2009, then this move is borderline. But chances are pitchers will still pitch around Vlad, we'll fail to re-sign some talent in 2009, and we'll be paying $18 a year for a 80/20/80/.270 + very good defense.

Another thing: teams are now in a better position to bargain with us because we have more expendable young players and made a solid declaration we will (and must) make a major trade. What do you all think?

Eat My Angel Dust.

by Angels95 on Nov 23, 2007 2:03 PM PST up reply actions

Torii by himself

is not enough. The trade, standing alone, given today's market earns Reagins a B-/C+. TH is exciting and baseball is an entrtainment industry.

Last year proved we needed depth in pitching.

Last year proved Vladdy needs solid backup. I could almost feel the weight pressing down on him during game 3 without even Sarge Jr., or GA.

Go get 'em!

and Salmon goes upstream!

by LAcubedfan on Nov 23, 2007 6:24 PM PST up reply actions

Nothings ever good enough for you Angel fans

anymore!...I've been a fan since I use to parade around as a little kid in the 80's on little league day. And I sure as heck can tell you all that I longed for these days in which our payroll was in the top 5 in baseball. Stop all your whining and bitching and enjoy the new era of being an elite team. Most fans around baseball would love to be in our shoes. I don't know why you all are all whining about losing this guy or that guy or spending this much money....who EFEN cares??? I want to win! And in the end...we have a good product on the field that we no longer can be ashamed of (unlike the 90's teams with small payrolls). STOP YOUR COMPLAINING!

If I hear the word "red sox"...POW!!! RIGHT IN THE KISSER!!!

by Halofanatic on Nov 23, 2007 8:47 PM PST up reply actions

I'm pretty sure payroll was top-5 in the '80s

The franchise's rep from 1977-86 was that of a drunken sailor, throwing out moneybombs to Rudi, Grich, Carew, Reggie, and a thousand lousy pitchers.

by mattwelch on Nov 23, 2007 9:40 PM PST up reply actions

A lot of Manny's $ is deferred.

I'm very happy with the team as it currently stands. Essentially we traded OCab (IMO, a mediocre #2 hitter)/ for Garland, Hunter, and Izturis (who is a better offensive fit for us IMO). Also, we take a ton of wear and tear off of Vlade by DHing him primarily.
We still have ridiculously cheap back-up injury insurance at every position.
I personally don't think we're really gonna miss OCab. But that will play out over the season.
Also, guys like Kotch, Howie, Morales, Willits, Weaver, Napoli, Mathis, Aybar and Wood all have a full year of seasoning/development behind them.

by thehasegawaexpress on Nov 24, 2007 1:09 PM PST up reply actions