Our RF Problem
by YouthofToday on Jul 24, 2011 2:59 PM PDT
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PrintDespite Torii's solid day at the plate on Sunday the Angels need to seriously consider looking for a RF upgrade at the trade deadline. While many have sought to upgrade C, 3B and DH the Halos have only received (prior to Sunday) a WAR of 1.0 from RF this year (7th worst in MLB) and a woba of .305 (5th worst in MLB).
This probably is highly unlikely to happen considering Scioscia's proclivity to favor veterans despite evidence they are either completely done (Steve Finley "playing" Cf everyday in 2005) or clearly fading (GA 2004-2008). With a fading Abreu and Hunter, and the strong probability Mike Trout will be a superior option than them as soon as September, it will be interesting to see how the FO handles this problem in 2011 and in the forthcoming offseason. $27.5 million for Torii and Abreu in 2012 is brutal.
In regards to 3B production the Angels have benefited from a woba of .323 -- good for 7th best in baseball.
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Swung on and missed, he struck him out! ~ Terry Smith
Angels' 2011 W-L record with the alternate red jersey: 14-8
Thx
Jeff Mathis = sure fire 1st ballot Hall of Fame inductee
by YouthofToday on Jul 24, 2011 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Keep it up though...
Your opinions and supporting data are solid contributions to this site.
And with reformatting, your post is now very legible.
Thanks for cleaning it up a bit
I’m surprised to find out that 3B hasn’t been the sinkhole of production between Callaspo, Izturis, et al.
With Torii (and Abreu to a lesser extent) seriously under-achieving at the plate, it has counter-balanced any surplus of production we’ve gotten so far.
As far as contracts go, I have to think the Angels are stuck with them unless we do like the Mets and eat the contract to get a prospect in return.
Swung on and missed, he struck him out! ~ Terry Smith
Angels' 2011 W-L record with the alternate red jersey: 14-8
Torii isn't going anywhere
We should ditch Abreu, start Trout, and move Torii down to the 6 (or better yet) 7 spot. If Kendrys makes it back, Torii should be a part-time player next season. Sure, we will be vastly overpaying him, but there is nothing we can do about that. We can and should take measures to get rid of Abreu’s contract for next season. By cutting Abreu now, we can bring Conger back up, then cut Mathis in the offseason.
25-man roster for 2012:
Erick Aybar (SS)
Peter Bourjos (CF)
Alberto Callaspo (3B)
Hank Conger (Ca)
Torii Hunter (DH/RF)
Maicer Izturis (3B/SS/2B)
Howie Kendrick (2B/LF/1B)
Kendrys Morales (DH/1B)
Mike Trout (RF/CF/LF)
Mark Trumbo (1B/RF/DH)
Bobby Wilson (Ca)
Vernon Wells (LF/DH)
2 free agents or call-ups on the bench
Jered Weaver
Dan Haren
Ervin Santana
Tyler Chatwood
Free agent or call-up to start
Jordan Walden
Scott Downs
Hisanori Takahashi
Rich Thompson
2 free agents or call-ups for the bullpen (perhaps Kevin Jepsen and/or Michael Kohn)
by Brody on Jul 24, 2011 4:20 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Abreu cannot be cut
The team is using him in the middle of the order, they have all year, and he has by far the highest on-base percentage of any Angel. To go from that to an unceremonious release, just days before his option is due to vest, would put his grievance case in the bag. He’s going to be on the payroll next year.
He's the highest, but not by far
Bobby’s at .381
Callaspo’s next at a surprising .371 after reaching base 4 times today.
Combined WAR to date of your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Fantastic Five (VW, Torii, Kazmir, GMJ, Premium) -.3. WAR leader: Hula Dula:0.2 Combined 2011 salary: $66,600,000.
Fair enough
But the point remains: even if Bobby Abreu isn’t with the team next year, his contract will be. It’s really not worth getting upset about, compared to the other situations worth getting upset about.
It's not as surprising as you'd think.
2010 was more the exception than the rule for Callaspo. This is a guy who had the highest contact rate of any player in the minors when he was there, and he walked more than he struck out in every season in the minors.
Save for the bad baserunning and lack of true power, Callaspo is a useful player with a unique skill set.
Now if Sosh would just bat him second in the line-up.
A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.
by angelslogic on Jul 24, 2011 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions
I'd say third
on base running alone. But he’s no 5.
"We are not on an austerity program," Arte Moreno
by thebigtizzle on Jul 25, 2011 8:12 AM PDT up reply actions
Yes, RF is a problem
Yes, RF could use with an upgrade. But no, it’s not possible in the near future. Arte is already spending almost $60 million on three center-fielders, known of whom can actually play the position any longer—and one who can’t even play baseball—plus another outfielder who doesn’t belong in the field. Neither can they take on any significant salary, nor do they have many interesting trade chips short of the Great Oncorhynchus.
This is the team the Angels wanted in 2011-2012. They knew what they were getting into, and now we have to watch while they try and make do. I’m just hoping the pitching can carry the slack—which it has so far, but it’s a long season.
We could add significant pieces
If we got rid of Abreu, Pineiro, Rodney, and Mathis, and also maintained a $140 million payroll. Even with the raises to Haren and all of the arbitration-eligible players, we would have sufficient room to fill out the roster. Not with a Pujols or Fielder-type player. But we could add one or two legitimate players and round out the rest of the roster from within.
by Brody on Jul 24, 2011 4:30 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
It would be nice
But we are stuck. We sacrificed our future for hope of getting production today. And as Brody suggest we need to ditch Abreu. If we can do the same for Torii somehow, that would be nice too.
Something the team should consider is when they send Trout down, moving him to RF for the rest of the season so he can get use to it.
...in 2013!
My response to your letter of February 19, 1976, is - kiss my ass.
Sincerely,
Bill Baxley, Attorney General
by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Jul 24, 2011 6:06 PM PDT up reply actions
F' That
Hes ready today
Minor League Ball's 2010 Rookie of the Year Poster
If you didn't know by now, my screen name is sarcastic
by mathisrocks5 on Jul 25, 2011 12:19 AM PDT up reply actions
i think the only way we trade abreu is if we take on a bad contract from...
another team. half crazy idea, trade him to the cubbies for zambrano. sounds nuts but the cubs are trying to trade fukudome, will eat salary if they can trade soriano and this isn’t as crazy as getting vernon wells. zambrano’s 2012 salary is the same as abreu and what presumably pinero would want. p.s. he’s a better hitter than mathis.
Zambrano Makes $19 million in 2012
The Cubs already have Marlon Byrd and Soriano on their 2012 books. Soriano can’t play RF, neither can Abreu. The Cubs also want to leave a spot open for top prospect Brett Jackson, in addition to hoping Tyler Colvin can regain his ability to hit a baseball.
by YouthofToday on Jul 24, 2011 7:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Put Trout in LF, Vernon in RF, Torri at DH, trade Bobby
problem solved
Minor League Ball's 2010 Rookie of the Year Poster
If you didn't know by now, my screen name is sarcastic
Definitely trade Abreu
I’d go Trout in RF (and endure the Salmon/Trout comparisons) and leave Wells in LF.
Wells is the LF guy for a couple more seasons unless his defense improves significantly by playing RF.
Swung on and missed, he struck him out! ~ Terry Smith
Angels' 2011 W-L record with the alternate red jersey: 14-8
by blast21dave on Jul 25, 2011 12:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Where do you put Trumbo & KMo next year?
KMo will be back and he’s a much better defender than Trumbo at first. Trumbo needs to DH
by Bozo's1000son on Jul 25, 2011 7:31 AM PDT up reply actions
It's Trumbo at 1B
Until Morales can prove he can actually run and field. We can’t be suckers again and assume Morales will be healthy.
http://babiesboozeandboobs.wordpress.com/
KMo will not be back
"Its like when i’m right…i’m right… and when i’m wrong…i could have been right..so i’m still right cause i could have been wrong"-Chevy Clarke's Twitter
just RF?
I take it you don't have the DOV Secret Decoder Ring
You need to drink more ovaltine
-Quad Fin Rider
I actually want Abreu on the team in 2012..
…Just not starting. I think he would be a better Lefty bat off the bench than a Russell Branyan. And maybe Abreu can start 3-4 games a week. We haven’t had a good pinch hitter in recent memory and I think Abreu could be that guy.
That would leave more options for Scioscia to have two of either Trumbo, Trout, or Morales in the line-up at the same time.
This is not a bad idea
$9 million is a lot for a pinch hitter and occasional starter … but it would be nice to have some depth for once. Our current bench of Bobby Wilson, Russell Branyan, Maicer Izturis, and Mike Trout is not scaring anyone late in the game.
Say for arguments sake
that KMo comes back completely healthy… why don’t we try Trumbo out at 3rd base? Leave Abreu/Torii at DH next year, KMo at 1st, and Trumbo at 3rd? Have an outfield of Wells, Bourjous, and Trout?
I’m still hoping for a miracle signing of Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.
Trumbo at 3rd
You really think our player personal department is THAT bad? If Trumbo could play 3B the club would have brought him up at 3B. Clubs start a player at position that are at a higher premium (C, SS, 2B, CF, 3B in that order), if they can’t demonstrate the ability to play a position higher up the scale then they are moved. Notable exceptions are for player’s with historic talent (Bryce Harper).
Trumbo would be an unacceptable atrocious defensive 3B.
by YouthofToday on Jul 25, 2011 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Why can't this idea die?
Here is what happened the last time Mark Trumbo played third base in a professional baseball game.
(From Sam at OCR.)
I blame video games
It’s the only thing I can think of that has brought on this belief that any player can just plug in a player at any position you want. Because that’s how it works in the video games most of us grew up playing or still play. I used to put Mo Vaughn in center field in MVP 2003 just cause I thought it was funny.
Hell, there was a guy last week suggesting Trout play 3rd. Cause, why not? He’s a baseball man. Baseball men play baseball. The place on the field where the baseball men stand is irrelevant.
"I too played shortstop for many years until I was struck down by Acne and Baby Fat" HST
by No Bologna Polonia on Jul 26, 2011 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
I blame stupidity.
Pollyanna is dead. But don't get mad at me, I didn't kill her. Tony Reagins did.
I blame Reagins
But then, that’s a given.
If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?
They're not farfetched ideas though...
…Trout pitched and played SS in High School. Kendrys played SS and Pitched for the Cuban National team. Guys like Brandon Inge, Figgins, and Cuddyer play multiple positions.
Just because Trumbo had one bad winter at 3rd base doesn’t mean it should be thrown out of the window entirely. He is an athlete after all.
Wouldn’t it be worth it if we could get Trout, Trumbo and Morales all in the same line-up?
What is wrong with having a guy who can bash a baseball and isnt great in the field?
Trumbo knocks the laces off of the ball and is just okay with the glove. So stick him at first. If kendry comes back then he can dh. If that means abreu or wells or torii dont get to play, then oh well. Scioscia should worry more about putting the best players in the lineup than who is getting paid what anyway.
by Balls and Strikes on Jul 26, 2011 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
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