WeekEnd HaloLinks: Welcome Simmons, the Super SS

Hahahaha!!!! No sooner did I write (Thor's Links) how quiet everything was...AND comment that the Halos seem to be hanging on to that Baldo in 2016 to take over from Aybar theory, but they then slam my face in my own words and (A) blow up the hot stove AND (B) dump Aybar AND (C) dump Aybar by bringing in our Super OCab 2.0 at shortstop for the next 5 - 10 years. I should whine about stupid things even more than I already do.

So I will.

Billy Eppler is sure taking over the bridge. Make no doubt. Un-subtle. I hope he has a plan. But WTF is it with bringing back a catcher with Simmons? In addition to all the catchers we have drafted over the past few years (most are not panning out), and in addition to the Taylor Ward top pick over reach last year, and in addition to the Hank Conger-Carlos Perez swap (along with getting Nick Tropeano, but we're talking about catchers here), now we have Jose Briceno (this Jose Briceno)?? Is catching now a new position of depth, from which we can trade for more infield depth?

Ok. So I have a day job. It's a major time suck, and also dominates my mental juices. It's why I can start convos around here but not follow up on them. Like the following, which I am sure I could work out mathematically but don't have the time for right now. It concerns the loss of Sean Newcomb, over which many of you absolutely blew a wad last night (probably still are). Here is my thought: there is a finite window of time about to open in our future wherein Sean Newcomb would have made the rotation and when another major pitching prospect to be brought in behind him and be developed might be available to make that rotation.

That thought doesn't explain well. Pretend Newcomb would make the rotation starting in 2017 and we would have him until at least 2021 (5 years) If we could get another major talent into the system and into that rotation starting in 2019, and they would also be there through 2021, all we lost was 2017 and 2018. And we can easily cover the loss of Newcomb WAR in those earlier 2 years with what we already have and might get on the FA market. The difference is Newcomb's max upside, which is still conjecture. It can be argued we traded 1 year of Aybar, AND that window, AND the same window of Ellis, for 10 years of major brilliance from Andrelton Simmons (And whatever we might get back from some catcher trade). (Still complicated. Easier to explain in charts and tables.)

We have Richards and Heaney and Skaggs for a long time at the top of our rotation, with a shot at a David Price or somebody as we transition away from Wilson and Weaver. And we do still have Shoemaker and Santiago to work with at the back of the rotation. Newcomb would be an upgrade, but by how many net WAR? And we could have Newcomb for 5 to 10 years, but we might get another prospect (Zimmerman, or to be drafted) that could end up joining for years 4 through 10 of that same window.

I'm sure I could work out a table that shows that this loss of Newcomb is not as fatal as all that. It's not good, but it not fatal. It's even manageable. (Not everybody is convinced that Newcomb and Ellis are The Second Coming.) So I am totally on board with Andrelton Simmons. This is a brilliant ballplayer. An enduring highlight reel. This ain't Taylor Lindsey or Jose Rondon we're talking about. It's Andrelton-Freaking-Simmons. It's this guy. And it's this guy. And this guy. Not to mention this guy. And let's not forget this guy. And here and here and here and here and here and here. Those aren't just highlights. They are highlight REELS. And the kid has only about 3 1/3 years in the Bigs. Andrelton Simmons is on track to make the Hall of Fame and if we keep him, it will be under the Halo. Seriously. He is THAT good.

If Eppler is going to plug 3B, LF and 2B with Arte's checkbook (and maybe still Baldoquin?), the snagging of a human vacuum cleaner with a cannon arm is a major bonus We are just building the off-season hot stove cake from the top down, starting with the sweetest of frostings.

Enjoy yourself some Brave New World Links:

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Angels Baseball

Eppler may be Sheriff, but the Marshal remains Arte: Arte Moreno has agreed to act as Grand Marshal for the 2015 Newport Beach Boat Parade. My favorite part of the Newport Beach boat parade is how they once got pissy at the landlocked city of Villa Park, telling VP to stop calling their annual Christmas event a "boat parade" because VP's boats were being pulled around town on trailers. Arte knows the answer to all this, of course. The Newport Beach boat parade of Villa Park. You're Grand Mashall, Arte. Do something with your power and make it happen..........

Erick Aybar: I always thought Aybar was a knucklehead. In an endearing fashion. He had moments of brilliance and moments of idiocy, but was always good for a moment of excitement at any time. That's not something you can say about just any ballplayer. And he was ours. We signed him way back in 2002 and he had 10 solid seasons at shortstop for us. he makes my list. Unforgettable. Thanks, Admiral...........

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Elsewhere in Baseball

Egonomics: Yeah, how is this possible? The Florida Marlins live in a new stadium. And they have the largest contract in all of baseball in their Giancarlo Stanton deal. And yet, they claim to be the team with the very lowest revenue in all of MLB? How can that be? It really pisses off the other owners. After all, it means that Jeffrey Loria is the biggest pig at the trough of revenue sharing. So how does that even work? Oh yeah, Owners keep their books private. Ha!..............

Moola: we touched on it yesterday, and this door is creaking open ever wider. The next CBA is going to be contentious, starting with revenue splits. And agents such as Scott Boras are not going to make it easy on either side..........

Boras: Speaking of Boras, grab your popcorn, because it takes the scummy Florida Marlins to show enough cajones in order to bark back at Boras in public. Boras uses the media to fuel his negotiating tactics all the time. Life is more fun when franchises are willing to take their battles directly to Boras' home court..........

Yeonis Cespedes: If you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of Yeonis Cespedes, wonder no more...........

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: The Twins won the bidding rights to Byung Ho Park. I guess now would be a good time for the Twins to start thinking about what the hell do do next............

FanDuel: yesterday we linked to the State of New York kicking Draftkings and Fanduel out of their territory. That would seriously hurt those two companies already, and potentially lead to many more states following suit. Well, it's an old Sun-Tzu adage that you always leave your enemy a route to escape, else they have no other choice but to fight to the death and take a lot of your army with them. Fanduel, without an escape route, is gonna fight to the death. So let's start by being absurd: If politicians are going to tell you that you can't play fantasy sports, what will they tell you nest?..........

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Award Season

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This Date In Baseball History: 1899 - In a bold move (and the very first baby step towards the eventuality of robots), the National League announces that starting next season, each game will use TWO umpires!............1951 - By a final score of 3-1, the Japanese Pacific League All-Stars defeat an MLB All-Star team assembled by Lefty O'Doul. Ex-MLB'er and PCL skipper O'Doul was a San Francisco legend who had a penchant for Japan and wanted to put on an exhibition series there. The MLB team included the likes of Joe and Dom Dimaggio, Eddie Lopat, Billy Martin and Yogi Berra. Why is this all noteworthy? Because it marks the first time ever that an American professional baseball team lost to any international team..........1958 - In response to the loss of the Giants and Dodgers to California, New York Mayor Robert Wagner announces the formation of the Continental League, to be a 3rd pro league. The original plan was only to bring NL baseball back to NY, but then this happened. It was all William Shea's idea. Yeah, that Shea. The Continental League would fold without playing a single game..........1965 - 83-year old Branch Rickey is standing at the podium accepting his induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame when he speaks into the mic "I don't believe I'm going to be able to speak any longer." and immediately collapses. Rickey had suffered a massive heart attack right then and there, would be hospitalized, and would die three weeks later..........1998 - The ball that was the first home run hit in the original Yankee Stadium, back in 1923 by Babe Ruth no less, is sold at auction for $126,500. It had been found in a family attic a few years prior. By the way, that same ball totally flopped at a later auction, in 2014........2003 - MLB announces that 5-7% of players failed screenings for PEDs in the past year, a result which will kick off eventual mandatory drug testing..........2006 - The Mets break ground on Citi Field, to be built to replace the original Shea Stadium. Yeah, the same Shea as above..........2010 - Babe Ruth's 702'nd home run ball is auctioned off for $264,500. It's worth more than the first one hit in Yankee Stadium because, well, inflation..........

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