Can We Have Mike Napoli Back? ... Please? ... Pretty Please?

by Downing Rules on Apr 27, 2011 5:10 PM PDT

Within this community, my last posting here (other than my daily nonsense/grammar-correcting comments) dealt with one Mike Napoli. My plea was "Napoli should be the Angels' 2011 Designated Hitter."

Looking back at the events that have transpired between August 30, 2010 and today, we are left scratching our heads.

While the antics of this front office may never be explained (like "who is really running the show?" and "how can Arte just throw away $80+ millions of dollars on the 'unmovable contract?'"), let's just focus on the first few weeks of the 2011 season.

Below is a table (that took a long darn time to construct by the way!) showing the basic offensive metrics for Mike Napoli, Vernon Wells, and Juan RIvera. They were the three players transacted in the off-season trade (salary dump for TOR)...

Player	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GIDP	HBP
Napoli	13	44	34	10	10	2	0	5	9	0	0	10	5	.294	.455	.794	1.249	238	27	2	0
Rivera	17	68	58	6	10	0	0	1	4	0	1	10	9	.172	.294	.224	0.518	50	13	2	0
Wells	23	103	97	10	17	3	1	1	5	0	1	5	19	.175	.223	.258	0.481	37	25	0	1

Napoli is, obviously, UNCONSCIOUS at this point in time, taking advantage of the little playing time he is given (1 HR per 9 PA's? Wow!). As long as "regression abounds," we can bank on him coming back to Earth sometime soon. But, you have to wonder how the heck he'd be doing in a Halo uniform this year in place of (as of today) dead weight Vernon Wells.

I threw Rivera's statistics up there as another frame of reference. Wells is only better at GIDPs which may be more of an indicator that he is not driving the ball (pop-ups anyone?). We have not seen a pop-up master of this magnitude since the great Shea Hillenbloop a few years back.

Wells is at a 20% K-rate, while Napoli is striking out at a 15% clip. I'd take Napoli at 20% K-rate with the kind of HR-rate he is producing.

At any rate, the point of this was just a quick update into where the trade stands as of today. I believe that Wells will progress and Napoli will regress, but not enough to warrant the cash our team is shelling out for Vernon's mediocrity.

We Angel fans certainly are "too blessed to be stressed," but we should be concerned that our front office has turned into a circus that will handcuff the franchise in the immediate and long-term future.

Source:

Mike Napoli's Baseball-reference.com Page

Vernon Wells' Baseball-reference.com Page

Juan Rivera's Baseball-reference.com Page

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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Comments

Napoli is a power ranger now

"Losing feels worse than winning feels good." -Vin Scully

by Tkuang on Apr 27, 2011 7:11 PM PDT reply actions

How dare you insult the Power Rangers

By associating them with those Texas clowns.

by linkbruin on Apr 27, 2011 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Preaching to the choir. HALLELUJAH!

"It's our money," owner Arte Moreno said.

by 44FAN on Apr 27, 2011 7:21 PM PDT reply actions

44FAN s NAPOLI

Me too :(

Bartolo Colon is so dreamy!

by Howie's Batting Title on Apr 27, 2011 10:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

heart fail

Bartolo Colon is so dreamy!

by Howie's Batting Title on Apr 27, 2011 10:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

You gotta be kidding me!

The other day I was playing a baseball video game (originally released in 1992) called “Baseball Stars 2”. I was not amused when the “Select Team” screen popped up.

SERIOUSLY. The name of one of the teams is “Napoli Angels”. It’s not some photoshop trick.
Great. As if this lousy trade wasn’t bad enough, now video games from the past are mocking me.

by Fan Since 1981 on Apr 27, 2011 7:45 PM PDT reply actions

Napoli is an old soccer team in italy

nickname is the little donkeys

I take it you don't have the DOV Secret Decoder Ring
You need to drink more ovaltine
-Quad Fin Rider

by DAD OF VLAD on Apr 27, 2011 8:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Ironic

Little Donkey is the nickname of my penis.

http://babiesboozeandboobs.wordpress.com/

by Sethy on Apr 28, 2011 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, you know you're obligated to tell that story now, right?

Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.

by Commander_Nate on Apr 28, 2011 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions

I totally would

Except that I just made it up as a humurous reply. My schlong has no name.

http://babiesboozeandboobs.wordpress.com/

by Sethy on Apr 28, 2011 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions

no name?

[shakes head in disgust]

"You realize that Ive been posting on AN since 07 on this name and I am one of the most rec'ed posters there right?" - Some douche named DFA from AN

by 2pintsofbooze on Apr 28, 2011 12:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Man, that is a sad story

Everyone’s should have a name. Maybe a nice lady could help you out with that. ;)

Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.

by Commander_Nate on Apr 28, 2011 1:58 PM PDT up reply actions

: (

Damnit, I had no idea I was in such a minority by not naming my penis. I need to remedy this – stat. I obviously need to create a poll.

http://babiesboozeandboobs.wordpress.com/

by Sethy on Apr 28, 2011 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Could be "The Shlong With No Name" ala Clint Eastwood....

Can’t go wrong with Clint.

God #@%^ Mother F@#$in' Reagins! You make Omar Minaya look good.

by Monkeyspanked on Apr 28, 2011 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions

What if I just named it Clint?

Too confusing with clit? Will that give it a complex?

http://babiesboozeandboobs.wordpress.com/

by Sethy on Apr 29, 2011 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Vernon seems like the appropriate choice here

"You realize that Ive been posting on AN since 07 on this name and I am one of the most rec'ed posters there right?" - Some douche named DFA from AN

by 2pintsofbooze on Apr 29, 2011 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Funny, since mines a chod I call him Bartolo

Bartolo Colon is so dreamy!

by Howie's Batting Title on Apr 28, 2011 8:57 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

DR, I don't have all the categories such as TB, GIDP, and OPS+,

but all of us who were toiling together during the offseason will see many of our subjects in this list. If you click the various headers, I’m sure you will soon see to what I am referring.

I was planning to wait for the ~30 game marker before presenting this, with the comment that keeping Napoli and finding a way to acquire Alex Gordon would temporarily appear to have been the most beneficial and financially efficient moves we could have made.

by wumbug on Apr 27, 2011 8:12 PM PDT reply actions

To be fair (and I am not going to try and explain why anybody needs to be fair to Wells at this point),

…you cannot compare Wells alone against Naps + Rivers. If you assume that Naps plays 1B instead of Trumbo, when he is not playing C instead of Conger, then you have to judge Wells + Trumbo or Wells +Conger against Rivers + Naps.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 27, 2011 8:15 PM PDT reply actions

I think the point of the chart was compare individual player stats.

Your method would be appropriate if we were trying to determine their cummulative WARs or if we were trying to assess how their respective teams would be faring.

A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.

by angelslogic on Apr 27, 2011 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Of course Napoli could've been split across 1B/DH/C.

Same way Texas is using him. Trumbo and Conger get ABs in that scenario.

And Rivera could’ve been traded for a AAA pitcher, or a fringey 3B.

Lot of rational ways it could’ve gone down, but didn’t.

by Turks Teeth on Apr 27, 2011 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh, I get that.

I just misread the post as if it were trying to present Wells versus Rivera and Naps, as though we could somehow put both Naps and Rivera on the field instead of Wells, and nothing else changed.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 27, 2011 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow... where did I say that?

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Apr 28, 2011 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions

You didn't. Hence "misread".

I got confused with your lumping all threee into one table.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 28, 2011 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Shit

We should have played Napoli at DH and Abreu in left.

by homercles on Apr 27, 2011 8:56 PM PDT reply actions

no no no, no abroo in the field.

it is too painful to watch.

by Balls and Strikes on Apr 28, 2011 3:09 AM PDT up reply actions

are you not in pain right now?

I will take anything over Wells right now. I can’t stand him right now.

by homercles on Apr 28, 2011 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Abreu in left field= more runs for our opponents.

It would be worse than having Wells.

by firebird81 on Apr 29, 2011 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Not by much at all really

And Bobby more than makes up the difference with his bat.

"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry

by LAASurfin on Apr 30, 2011 11:26 PM PDT up reply actions

2010 2011
Name oWAR dWAR oWAR dWAR
Abreu 3 -2 0.6 -0.2
Wells 4.4 -0.4 -0.8 -0.3

Vernon’s 2010 offensive production is definitely not attainable this year, even if he improves some. Vernon’s defense has not been perfect either. Vernon is dead weight, I would definitely take Abreu playing more defense if it meant Vernon not playing.

All I can do now is hope Vernon proves me wrong.

by homercles on May 1, 2011 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, it IS kinda hard to advocate for Bobby in LF full-time.

He is defensively challenged. Point is though, so is Vernon – and apparently offensively challenged as well.

We have significant data for Bobby in LF for last season. In 2010 Total Zone projected him to be “worth” -18 runs defensively over 1200 innings. Vernon, based on his “production” in LF so far in 2011 is projected at -13 runs over 1200 innings. Bobby more than makes up that difference at the plate. Easily.

Maybe Bobby would be way worse this year. Maybe Vernon is gonna be way better defensively than he’s shown so far (doubt it).

Regardless, LF is a position you expect hitting from. LF is where Barry Bonds and Ted Williams stood and daydreamed about their next missile launches, right? Getting no production from there – on offense or defense – is devastating.

"If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base." ~Dave Barry

by LAASurfin on May 1, 2011 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions

TR to bringing Napoli back would be tantamount to admitting failure.

Ain’t gonna happen.

A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.

by angelslogic on Apr 27, 2011 9:24 PM PDT reply actions

And even Rivera is on an upward trajectory.

After tonight, he busted through the Mendoza:

.210/.329/.306 2HRs, 6 RBIs 11 BBs vs 9 Ks

It ain’t premium, but it’s Torii-esque at this point.

by Turks Teeth on Apr 27, 2011 11:21 PM PDT reply actions

Remember, Rivera always starts slow. By the end of the year, this could become embarrasing.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 27, 2011 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions

It already has become emberrasing.

No need to wait. After tonight’s debacle I’m ready to jump onto the DenLiner (the time traveling train from Kamen Rider Den-O, if you are curious) and go back a few months and keep Reagins from making the trade for Wells by any means necessary, if it came to that.

Maybe Wells turns it around and if he’s going to do that, he better do it damn soon.

"To Halowood - Avoid the Clap." - Jimmy Dugan

by Angelsfan015 on Apr 28, 2011 12:47 AM PDT up reply actions

Sometimes it sucks to be right

The Angels essentially non-tendered the most powerful bat in their lineup while signing Juan Rivera to a four-year, $86 million extension. Genius!

by Suboptimal on Apr 27, 2011 11:59 PM PDT reply actions

But its juan rivera with a good smile and community outreach.

How can you put a price on that. :-)

by Balls and Strikes on Apr 28, 2011 3:10 AM PDT up reply actions

I think that the community he reaches out to, by contract, is Toronto.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 28, 2011 7:41 AM PDT up reply actions

The amount is only 6 figures, I believe

There’s a lot left over that he could spend here. Torii could probably guide him throught the procedures.

Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.

by Commander_Nate on Apr 28, 2011 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions

and he runs out ground-balls

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Apr 28, 2011 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Our GM is jealous that Mathis gets called Premium and is competing for that title.

Pollyanna is dead. But don't get mad at me, I didn't kill her. Tony Reagins did.

by snowhor on Apr 28, 2011 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Maybe he will OPT OUT?

http://www.halosheaven.com/2011/4/28/2138902/how-can-it-get-worse-who-can-be-any-better-halolinks#65628379

My post in another thread requesting Vernon to prove his “too blessed” statement by opting out at the end of 2011.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Apr 28, 2011 11:38 AM PDT reply actions

I didn't realize he had an opt-out clause

If he doesn’t think he’s worth his own contract, he’ll soon have 62 million opportunities to put his money where his mouth is. Too made to get paid!

by Suboptimal on Apr 28, 2011 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Cot’s LINK
snippet:

Wells may opt out of contract after 2011

and

Baseball reference.com LINK
snippet:

Player may opt out after 2011 season

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Apr 28, 2011 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Now that IS interesting

Assuming he eventually figures it out and turns in a 20+/80+ season, I wouldn’t mind having him around for say, half of what he’s getting now. What about his no-trade clause – is that gone permanently since he waived it to come here, or would he still be able to veto any future moves we might try to make (not that any will actually happen)?

Scioscialist Party of America - Redistributing your defense since 2000.

by Commander_Nate on Apr 28, 2011 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions

I think it can only be waived once

Not that that has any bearing on events likely to take place in this universe.

by Suboptimal on Apr 28, 2011 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions

At 20 hits and 80 errors for the season, I wouldn't want him at any price.

Pollyanna is dead. But don't get mad at me, I didn't kill her. Tony Reagins did.

by snowhor on Apr 28, 2011 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I was going to make a comment here, but it's really hard to rhyme with opt out

by ~MMP~ on Apr 28, 2011 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Too stout to opt out?

by Suboptimal on Apr 28, 2011 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Nah, too proud to pout.

"To Halowood - Avoid the Clap." - Jimmy Dugan

by Angelsfan015 on Apr 28, 2011 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Too smart to rip contract apart.

Pollyanna is dead. But don't get mad at me, I didn't kill her. Tony Reagins did.

by snowhor on Apr 28, 2011 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Nice.

How about this one:

Too well payed to not be played.

"To Halowood - Avoid the Clap." - Jimmy Dugan

by Angelsfan015 on Apr 29, 2011 1:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm sure that's what the front office would say.

Pollyanna is dead. But don't get mad at me, I didn't kill her. Tony Reagins did.

by snowhor on May 1, 2011 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions

I have no doubt that he would NOT opt out.

I love this team.

by Downing Rules on Apr 28, 2011 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions

The Sun Not rising from the East...

has better odds of happening than Sarge 2.0 opting out.

by YouthofToday on May 1, 2011 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Now that reply is a copout.

"Jeff doesn't have his head buried in the sand. He knows it's a defensive position and he brings a lot on the defensive side." - Mike Scioscia, head buried deep in the sand.

by Stirrups on Apr 28, 2011 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions