Angels Spring Training - 5 Things To Watch For

“Abreu hasn’t played leftfield in over 12 years”

I suddenly feel very old, time is flying by so fast…

unless the white sox pay 90% of his contract. We just got Abreu for 5 mil. 12 mil for 2 years for a guy whos declining at a really scary rate is not a good idea.

I was thinking that if the Angels start Adenhart every fifth day and he struggles than aren’t they essentially killing his trade value. He has a lot of potential but all young pitchers experience growing pains so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that he’s going to face some difficulty. Therefore, do you think the Angels should wait until he’s absolutely ready or start him no matter what because of his upside?

1) K-Mo makes us mostly forget Kotchmann, and…Teix who? (with credit to whoever posted that Teix comment in today’s game thread).
2) Izzy becomes the regular shortstop, and replaces Figgy as lead-off hitter. He ends the season with 2 errors, hits over .300, steals 30 bases, leads the Angels in runs scored and OBP, and never has another hamstring injury.
3) Who plays left? I don’t care…as long as they catch the ball.
4) Figgy traded to ??? for high draft picks/high level prospects.
5) 5th starter. Hmmm… alternate opportunities to Moseley, Loux, and Jepsen yields 50/50 win/loss record (with lots of bullpen help). After Adenhart’s problems last year, I prefer he have a solid season with the Bees, then come back strong in 2010.

1. I am also suspicious of K-Mo’s low walk rate. He really needs to hit .300 to post a decent OBP, but that level of performance is difficult to maintain against big league pitching and defense. The Angels already have too many hitters like that on the roster. Kotchman didn’t walk much last year either, but his glove will be missed.

2. My vote is for Aybar. His range is truly stellar and his error rate will only go down with experience. He also has a chance to be a decent hitter for a shortstop (no one has noticed that Aybar posted nearly the same OPS as Orlando Cabrera in 2008). Wood looks more like third base material to me; he’s not as small, quick, and maneuverable as Aybar.

3. Oh God.

4. Figgins is obviously the prime candidate, although I’m starting to feel that Sean Rodriguez will be the odd man out. He has too much promise to be a utility infielder. This is really too bad—I love his plate discipline, but other than experimenting with him at first, I don’t see a regular job for him. I don’t think the spring is the time for a trade though; that will come at midseason.

5. I’m pretty sure #5 is Moseley’s job to lose. I’m more worried about #6. Someone is bound to get hurt, and no one in the minors looks ready for a big league job. Here’s hoping that Shane Loux does well tomorrow.

1) Morales will kill the ball in Spring, and make everyone eat crow. Then he will hit around .310 in the regular season and most of you are going to be saying, “oh I knew he was going to be good,” but in reality will be eating crow AGAIN. Viva La Revolucion!

2) Aybar is our openning day Shortstop and he will have a great season making the highlight real and web jems at least once a week. Wood will get a shot at 3B and I hope he kicks ass so we can trade figgins and hand the leadoff spot to Aybar or HK.

3) As long as they are both in the lineup over GMJ / Willits I dont care who is in the LF/DH spot. They are going to end up splitting LF about 40/60 anyways.

4) Figgins/Willits I hope.

5) Ortega or Adenhart will win the 5th starter role and will have an Ervin Santana type season. Walden is Raw, but you never know….

Dont tell me you and that Pecota chick are friends now, and your letting her brain wash you.

I think people should stop using Teixeira and Morales in the same sentence. Morales is not a Mark Teixeira and never will be nor ever command a 180 million dollar contract. Teixeira was just a blip on the screen at the end of last season and means nothing else to me. Let’s let Kendry be Kendry and develop into a great hitter and fist baseman in his own right. He will be our first baseman on opening day because Scioscia, Reagins, and Moreno have confidence in him and we should all probably embrace that.

I think our opening day shortstop will be Aybar. Izturis and Aybar are injury prone so they will both play like they did last season. Soth is all about depth, so it does’nt really matter who starts opening day, they will all get plenty of playing time. Remember when Aybar and Izturis were both injured at the same time last year and I believe we saw Sean Rodriquez step up and do a pretty good job.

Abreu will be the opening day left fielder. Rivera will share the position by alternating through the DH for regular at bats. We will still see Willits out in left in late innings. Once again it is about depth, nobody is going anywhere, everybody will get played.

I would be surprised if we made anymore trades before the start of the season. I think all the GMs in baseball are sick and tired of the stressful off-season of trying to work trades with an uncertain economy and the ridiculous salaries agents have been asking for. I do think some action could happen at the All Star break.

The fifth starter role is the most interesting because it is the least decided (at least not publicly). My guess is Moseley, but I could see Walden or Loux emerging as well. Adenhart is a question mark in my mind. How about having a couple guys sharing the fifth starter and dip in to the bullpen earlier than we’re used to if things get rough for one or another? Pitching a few innings in spring training is a lot different than pitching a quality start in a real game. It will be very interesting to see who comes out on top on this one.

I know it has only been two spring training games so far but I am encouraged by what has gone on in these first games.

Didnt he play some first base at some point?!

Wouldnt that free up the log-jam in the OF?

Someone help me out here.

Moseley to Escobar would be my guess.

IF KENDRY GETS HURT OR TANKS BIG TIME:
Howie Kendrick at 1B, Sean Rodriguez at 2B

1. Let’s hope Kendry hits like he did in the minors, otherwise our lineup doesn’t look so good. I’m skeptical…
2. I hope it’s Wood. Let him have the position for a month and see what he does with it. This kid still has potential, so let’s see what happens. Aybar and Izzy are known commodities (good-fielding, light hitting, mediocre plate discipline).
3. I hope Abreu develops an allergy to leather by the beginning of the season because I do not want to see him going into the fetal position every time a ball is hit over his head.
4. DO NOT TRADE FIGGINS! I cannot stress this enough. He’s our best guy at drawing walks and making things happen on the bases. Trade Aybar or Sean Rodriguez and pick up a 5th starter.
5. See number 4, but barring that, I don’t know. It’s a crap shoot. How many people here thought they would miss Garland’s 6 – 7 innings, 3 – 4 run outings? We might at the end of April.

1. If Kendry doesn’t make it, Howie can move to first and Iz can move from short to 2nd.
2. Iz. When someone gets injured, or if Morales dives, Iz can move over and Aybar can play SS
3. The battle of the great ;) defensive left fielders begins
4. Immediately put Wood in a package deal for Peavy. Like, yesterday.
5. Moseley would do a good job at #5. Decent second half last year and he is more seasoned now.