How many other teams would these guys be a starter on? I think Figgins could be a starter on alot of teams in the league which means he might be a bit better trade bait than we think. However, his versatility may be all the more reason to keep him.

Willits? I say trade him or send him back to Triple A and give some other prospect we got the chance he has had.

and pretty easily replaceable, IMO

Willits is expendable and is a 25th man decision for next year’s roster or a throw in on any trade we make.

Entertain offers for both if they are made otherwise we work around Figgy. He needs a position. He proved to be a superb defensive 3b this season! (Never thought I would say that after 04 playoffs) This team needs more offense and Wood needs a position. It is either 3b or SS. LF makes the most sense for Figgy for 09.

The White Sox and Cubs are both pretty high on Figgins, from everything I’ve heard and seen. I’m sure we could package him up with someone else and get a pitcher… or whatever else we need.

but after that last postseason I feel like the only batters we should keep are Vlad and Tex. Chone and Reggie have provided game turning performances and excitement for many games that I’ve seen at the Big A, but they can’t hit in October which means they’re expendable.

Let’s not forget, Figgins learned how to take a pitch this year. He had a lot of gritty AB’s. And 72 runs scored in 453 AB’s WITHOUT Orlando Cabrera hitting behind you is pretty good. And since ‘05 he’s been 1 year on → 1 year off. ’05 .290, ’06 .267, ’07 .330, ’08 .276. So, maybe ’09 will be an on year. The only proven guy in house who might possibly be able to hit lead-off anywhere close to as good as Figgins is the injured Izturis. Matthews would be my hold-your-nose next pick after Izturis.

Please get over Reggie Willits, folks. The guy simply isn’t a Major League player (and he’ll prove that again by struggling mightily in the Dominican League this winter).

We all like the guy we can most relate to, I understand that but, sheesh, Willits?

The guy can’t hit a lick, can’t field any of the outfield positions well, and isn’t anwhere as speedy as people generally assume him to be (is even the third fastest guy on the Angels? No).

If we could get anything for him, of course we should trade him. The thing is, though, is that nobody wants him because, again, he’s not a Major League caliber player…he’s a stopgap.

I’d be reluctant to trade Figgy, though, unless it will defintively make the team better. If the Angels trade Figgins for an “innings eater,” I’ll be tremendously disappointed.

Then again, if Reggie Willits is on the 25 man roster coming out of spring training, I’ll be even more disappointed.

I say trade Willits, put figgy back as a role or bench player..

Bring in Glaus or Jorge Cantu to play third.. We can get Cantu for a great price, he’s flying way under radar…

Trade him for a Low A power arm that projects as a reliever if you can get it.

The problem with Figgins has always been that he blocks or is blocked by somebody else at every position. He can’t play SS, 2B, or CF because we ahve better players there. Now we have a couple in-house options at 3B, but we can’t play them because Scioscia needs Figgins to play to have a consistent baserunning threat. He was a good 3B for us this year, but starting him there only makes sense if we can make up for his lack of power at another position. I wouldn’t want to give him up for nothing, but I think if it were the right deal, Figgins should be traded.

Let’s also remember that, as dumb as the contract is, Gary Matthews Jr. was brought in to be a leadoff hitter after Figgins had a bad season. If I recall correctly, GMJ didn’t start his epic fail with the Angels until Scioscia moved him down in the lineup. In one article I remember him saying he changed his approach to be more aggressive and powerful than just trying to get on base at that point. He was a decent leadoff hitter when he first started here and it might be worth considering him for that role again if we can find the right deal to move Figgins.

As for Willits, there were rumors of the Padres having interest in him because of Bud Black’s familiarity with him. I think if we can promote how he did alright with regular playing time his rookie year, he might be able to bring the cost of say, Jake Peavy, down from requiring a thousand A+ prospects to 999 A+ prospects, an A/A- prospects, and Willits. If not, trade him for some minor leaguer to serve as a place holder on some farm team in a deal that wouldn’t really hurt either team involved.

it depends.

i’d say just about everyone on our team is trade bait, given the ideal situation, other than lackey, saunders, santana, dondo, shields, naps, torii, and vlad.

figgy or reggie for AA prospects? not trade bait.

figgy or reggie included in a deal for peavy? trade bait.

Not named Teixeira. His arm is poor, but he has better range than anyone but Hunter. He’s a great 4th or 5th OF, pinch runner, and a guy who can get on base. He had a down year last year, but that was mostly because his BABIP was WAY down. That should come back up with better luck and he’ll be a league average hitter off the bench, albeit one with no pop.

I would play him any day over GMJ. The $10 million is a sunk cost. We’re not getting it back, so we might as well play the guy who’s better. Willits gets on base more, runs the bases better, and plays a comparable outfield. Keep him around since you’re not going to get anything from trading him anyway.

Managers love him, but his speed will begint o decline fairlys oon, so if the Angels can get a good reliever or OF prospect I’d say pull the trigger.

I say unless we get a good offer or can package one or both for Peavey, keep ‘em for ’09 Figgy will probably be better and Willits most definitely would be better with more than 108 AB’s “Here and there” over a full season. If we trade Figgy, let Willits, GMJ, the Admiral (Aybar), and Izzy compete for the Lead-off position.

Willits is NOT trade bait because in order to be bait you have to have something that other teams value and Willits is of no value to either us or anyone else.

  Give me a Figg- ing Break!
 #9 is far superior a player than GMJ.
   He is a much better leadoff hitter
  Trade him and spell our doom. ( at least until there is a real option at leadoff)