Friday Halolinks: Angel Batting Order Strikes Fear...In Angel Fans

Things that make you go "Meh" Halolinks:

• It's hard for me to get excited about this: 2012 Roster Projection: Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim - MLB Daily Dish - Batting Order 1. CF Bourjos 2. DH Abreu 3. 2B Kendrick 4. RF Hunter 5. 1B Trumbo 6. 3B Callaspo 7. LF Wells 8. C Iannetta 9. Aybar. I'll admit it, I wouldn't mind if the Angels signed Aramis Ramirez as long as the contract is reasonable...something along the lines of 2/28 with an option. Here's what JDP had to say about the free agent third baseman: Dipoto won't confirm Angels' interest in Ramirez - The Orange County Register. "Angels GM Jerry Dipoto declined to confirm any contact with Ramirez. "I won't say anything other than obviously through the course of the past 30 days or so we've been exploring a number of ways to make ourselves a better and more complete team," he said Thursday."
• Here's an interesting look at C.J. Wilson: A look into C.J. Wilson's future - ESPN. "In his two years in the Rangers rotation, he won 31 games with a 3.14 ERA, pitching 427 innings without missing a start. He's done that despite pitching in a tough home park -- his road ERA over those two seasons was 2.56. Over the past two seasons, the only starters with a better park-adjusted ERA are Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee, Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver. Wilson rates better than CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez or Cole Hamels." When Wilson is bunched in with these noted pitchers, his asking price ($100M) doesn't seem so unreasonable. However, I suppose we also have to consider he's only been a starter for two seasons with inconsistent results as a reliever in his previous five seasons (4.30 ERA in 280.2 IP). Plus, good news for any team looking to sign the lefty free agent, it looks like the Wilson market demand got a little smaller, Yankees turned down meeting with free agent C.J. Wilson - HardballTalk. "Marchand reports that Wilson’s agent requested a meeting to discuss the free agent left-hander and "the Yankees said no.""
• This is easier said than done, but if I were DiPoto I would sign Wilson and then trade Ervin Santana to Cincinnati for Votto: Offseason decisions: The Reds need a starter - The Hardball Times. "There has been a lot of talk about the fact that Joey Votto is going to start getting very expensive for the Reds in 2013 and the fact that Votto has made every indication that he wants to test free agency after that season. This has led many to believe the Reds might be interested in dealing Votto this offseason, a belief that has been fed by reports from national media outlets that while the Reds are not actively shopping Votto, they are listening to offers." Santana would become the a front of the rotation starter for the Reds while Votto would lead the Halos to the World Series.

• Decent Lyle Spencer filler-post, Angels GM Jerry Dipoto is looking to make a move or two while laying groundwork for future improvements. - angels.com, except he makes this one little over-reach, "Center fielder Bourjos is in high demand, but it's doubtful the club would consider dealing a future star and leadoff catalyst. The same applies to Trumbo." There's no way the Angels, or any other team for that matter, value Trumbo on the same level as Bourjos. If that were the case, in this post: Wright/Bourjos trade: Who says no? - ESPN, we could substitute Trumbo for P-Bo and make the Wright deal, "The trade: Mets send David Wright to Angels for Peter Bourjos and Garrett Richards" That's a deal (Trumbo-Wright) I think the Angels would make in a heartbeat, but I don't think the Mets are that dumb (or in need of a first baseman).
• Here's something I thought was pretty interesting; Competitive Balance Lottery to shake up First-Year Player Draft - MLB.com. The new CBA has a new draft that occurs following the supplemental picks in the first round (click the link for the details). One thing I thought was cool was allowing these picks to be traded (I bet the next CBA will allow ALL picks to be trade-able), and the list of teams eligible for the first draft, "The teams that will be eligible for the first lottery are the D-backs, Orioles, Indians, Royals, A's, Pirates, Padres, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers and Cardinals." Did you notice something odd? If this draft is designed to improve the competitive balance, why is this season's World Series champions included? And three other play-off teams? Aren't they already competitive?
• Could you imagine what the internet chatter would be if there were 15 trades made during this year's winter meetings? That's what happened in 1971: Cooperstown Confidential: The winter meetings of 1971 - The Hardball Times. "By the time the winter meetings ended on Dec. 3, major league teams had combined to make 15 trades, while swapping an unprecedented 53 players." Fifty-three players!
• Who had Heath Bell on their free agent signings bingo cards? Report: Marlins sign Heath Bell - CBSSports.com. "The newly-named Miami Marlins have signed All-Star closer Heath Bell to a three-year, $27 million contract, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports. Stark notes the deal is pending a physical, which will happen Friday. There is a vesting option for a fourth year." I think it's somewhat of an over-pay, but maybe the Marlins are trying to make a statement to the other free agents they made offers to.
• Rangers "optimistic" about locking up Mike Napoli this winter - HardballTalk. "According to FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi, the Rangers are going to attempt to sign Napoli to a multi-year extension later this winter and are "optimistic" that something will get done." Screw you. Yeah, I'm having a hard time moving on. Here's a good (and last) analysis of the Iannetta deal: Forgetting Napoli: Angels acquire Iannetta from Rockies - Yahoo! Sports
• Mark Cuban still interested in buying Dodgers - latimes.com. "Cuban told The Times last month that he had inquired about buying the Dodgers but "wasn't interested" at an asking price of at least $1 billion."
• FanGraphs takes a look at infield defense: Pablo Sandoval: Jack-Be-Nimble, Jack-Be-Quick - FanGraphs Baseball. "At second base, Howie Kendrick nearly had the defensive metrics trifecta, but was edged out in rPM and DRS by Ben Zobrist."
• Brad Pitt helps console suicidal man at ‘Moneyball’ screening, says ‘every failure can lead to success’ - NY Daily News. "The admittedly suicidal man said he was heartened by Pitt’s film about Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, saying it gave him "a renewed sense of hope," the mag said." Funny, I felt just the opposite after seeing "Moneyball". I suppose everything looks good to the man who could dump Jennifer Aniston for Angelia Jolie.
• Soon-To-Be-Fired Newspaper Editor Puts A Big Old "F^*k" On Page 3C. "You may want to avert your delicate sensibilities from today's Greenville (S.C.) News, because they accidentally printed a naughty not-for-old-people-who-still-subscribe-to-newspapers word in today's story about the SEC Title Game. It's easy to miss, subtly placed in the flow of the text, but look very closely at the third paragraph. "Fuck" is the third graf." How is that hard to miss? It's its own paragraph!