I mean a really promising power hitter. Somebody that can hit 40 homers per season.

Lots of tough choices, but they start with the observation: can we win by resigning the same set of guys or is it time to make some changes?

We couldn’t win with Figgy and Vladdy this year. Can we do it with them next year?

Is Lackey ready to roll at the back end of his career or would we be be signing a Carl Pavano who is ready to break down? Is Lackey’s injury issues for the last two seasons an aberration or a preview of coming attractions?

Can Abreu keep it up for two more years?

I think the team will be competitive no matter what they do, but Moreno & Reagins, etc. have some tough choices, especially when you add the spector of Dallas McPherson. All of a sudden, it’s not so easy to just let Figgy walk because your future at 3rd base is coming from the minors.

Vladdy is also a tough choice. Can he learn to control himself as his legendary hand-eye coordination lessens with age, i.e. learn to be a more diciplined hitter? Is he willing to live with his limitations as a DH?

The final issue is do the Angeles even have control, i.e. Do Lackey, Vladdy, & Figgins want to stay or are they ready to head to other pastures? I think Abreu clearly wants to stay, but is simply holding for a bit larger contract that he probeble deserves. I also think that he’s likely worth the risk for two years.

Okay, so what do I think will happen?

I think Figgy will be in solid demand, so the price of keeping him won’t jibe with the risks of going with the 3rd baseman of the future. My guess is that we’re going to throw the dice with Brandon Wood, which is somewhat of a double risk because it also likely puts Aybar at lead-off. Can he develop the plate dicipline to take walks and improve his OBP. He certainly has the potential.

I think we’ll resign Abreu.

I also think we’ll be competitive with John Lackey, but won’t know for awhile whether he’ll be here. We won’t just let him go unless there’s a real confidence that Kelvim Escobar will recover. But there’s clearly no guarantee we can resign him.

Finally, I think the idea to give Vlad a shot at revitalizing himself will win out, but that a deal will have to happen sooner rather than later, i.e. we’ll want to know if we’re going in that direction or whether we have to take a shot at a Jason Bay or Matt Holliday.

Those are my calls. We’ll see what happens. It’s gonna be an interesting winter. If I had to make a call, it think we’ll end up losing Figgins and Lackey, but keep Vladdy and Abreu. We won’t be willing to compete for Figgy. Lackey will get a ridiculous offer that we won’t be willing to match. We’ll reach agreement with Abreu, and Vladdy will come to his senses and resign for a relative bargain, possibly because there’s no other interest anyway.

Holliday is represented by Boras, and I think it will be one very cold day in Hell before Arte steps off the curb in front of a bus driven by Boras again.

Bay is represented by a different agent, but there will be three teams collectively fighting over these two men: The Red Sox, the Yankees and the Cardinals.

The latter needs a bat to protect Pujhols in the lineup, the Yankees will be looking for a bat/defensive presence to replace Damon/Matsui (and Nady will still be recovering from surgery), and the Red Sox will be looking to either sign Bay or replace him with Holliday.

The Angels won’t want to get into a dog fight for these players with these other three teams, and I simply don’t see them entering into negotiations with Boras for Holliday, especially since his style is the antithesis of Arte’s (Boras drags everything out for weeks, Arte likes a quick kill).

you need to keep the pitching intact, because we still struggle offensively.

Abreu is #2 prioritiy.

Vlad…..I’m not sure how much he has left. Everyone points to this supposedly great post season..I didn’t see it. He looks old to me.

Figgins….continues to be a bust in post season. It’s time for Brandon.

getting Bay or Holiday. Makes perfect sense.

This team needs offense folks.

Remember Salmon, GA, and Glaus? We don’t have anything resembling that.

Man, that 24 hour wait to post after signing up is maddening. This is my first post here. I usually post under this name on the Angels official page.

Anyway…here’s what I think:

1) Resign John Lackey. Devote all money and effort to this first and get it resolved as soon as possible. Pitching and D are crucial as the ALCS showed. Thank God he isn’t a Boras client.

2) Aggresively pursue Aroldis Chapman. If Lackey leaves we need a replacement for him. In fact this guy could even be better than Lackey at some point, so either way he is a bonus. Kendry Morales might be able to help in recruiting his fellow countryman and selling him on life in Anaheim. I’m surprised nobody else brought this up.

3) Resign Vladimir as a DH at a reduced price. He wants to say, can still hit, and has shown he can adjust by being more patient. Where else are we gonna get somebody who hits like he does?

4) Pursue Abreu as long as his demands remain reasonable. He was a benefit to our hitters but I think his lessons have been passed on. They won’t disappear if he goes elsewhere. Still, I’d like to see him back.

5) Resign Oliver. With Shields and Moesely back next year our bullpen will be much better with these 3 guys. I’d even look at Shields as a closer.

6) Replace Figgins with Aybar in the lineup and Wood at 3rd. We have to save money somewhere and Aybar can do all the things Figgins does and he’s faster. It’s also time to see what Wood can really do.

Aggresively pursue Aroldis Chapman. If Lackey leaves we need a replacement for him. In fact this guy could even be better than Lackey at some point, so either way he is a bonus. Kendry Morales might be able to help in recruiting his fellow countryman and selling him on life in Anaheim. I’m surprised nobody else brought this up.

Jose Contreras.

He was another can’t-miss Cuban defector who was supposed to have a miracle arm. The Yankees went nuts and signed him for fat money.

Seven years, three teams and $61M later, he has a record of 71-63, a WHIP of 1.37, twice led the AL in wild pitches and has a K:BB of just 2:1. Hardly a difference maker, nor one of the elite.

Don’t buy into the hype. Chapman has a lot to prove before he earns the sort of money you’re advocating laying at his feet.

BTW, the possible Morales/Chapman connection has already been discussed here, long ago—Morales doesn’t know him. Morales defected in 2004 when Chapman was just 16.

Meaning Aroldis knows of Kendry from when Morales was a star in Cuba. They probably have some mutual friends or acquaintances from the Cuban Leagues.

His experience here adjusting to life in America and with the Angels could be something that would attract Chapman. I wasn’t implying they were friends necessarily, since there’s a 5 or 6 year age difference.

Of course he still needs to be proven and refined, but the potential is there. We should at least take a look.