Figgy and Reggie are two of the most popular players among Angels fans. Figgins at least has contributed to franchise glory as the all-time Angels stolen base leader. Willits has done little more than look like the average Angel fan's neighbor with a monster truck. But cheer approvingly and purchase authentic jerseys with #s 9 and 77 is all Angel fans seem to do.
You might love their grit and intensity, but ask yourself... Is it time for the Angels to ditch these easily-replaceable spare parts?
Chone Figgins will be a free agent after the 2009 season. He turns 31 in January. In 8 postseason series he has a .207 batting average with 26 strikeouts, 10 runs scored and 5 RBI.
Reggie Willits will be eligible for salary arbitration after the 2009 season. He turns 28 at the end of May. Despite getting the loudest ovations in Angel Stadium next to Vlad and Teix, the guy is not a great baseball player. he can run, that is all he is better at than the average baseball player. The league adjusted tohis hitting style and in 2008 he did not adjust back. Of his 159 major league HITS, 133 have been singles.
With Gary Matthews, Jr. under a no-trade clause for 2009 and as competent an outfielder as either Figgins or Willits, could Scioscia's style of speed at the top ball mean dumping the thin speedy depth of Figgins and Willits in favor of one last try of GMJ as the everyday leadoff hitter? The $10 Million they pay Gary hurts to be on the bench - and that is a reality a LOT of offseason discussions just plain avoid. It is pretty easy to imagine Matthews rebounding just enough in '09 to outperform the singles-slapping Reggie-Chone machine.
We are not going to get anythign resembling major league talent for Chone or Reggie unless either is the co-star along with Kendrick or Santana in a blockbuster. I do not see any team out there in need of semi-fast singles hitters. Perhaps a AA pitching prospect is the best one of these guys could bring.
Am I missing something or are Figgins and Wilits our smallest scraps of TRADE BAIT?