We've already looked at the other Los Angeles team tonight, so let's turn our attention to Anaheim for some Angels news…
- Kendrys Morales is making progress after ankle surgery and is cautiously optimistic he'll be ready for Opening Day, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
- "We have to make moves, we can’t stand pat,” said Halos GM Tony Reagins during an appearance on The Max & Marcellus Show on ESPN LA 710 radio. “We have to improve in a number of areas and I think there are opportunities out there to improve. We’re going to be aggressive in pursuing those.” Reagins said the team would focus on acquiring bullpen help and a quality hitter, though the latter problem could be solved if Morales returns to form.
- While the Angels all agree they need a bat, Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles wonders if the team could instead add to their already-impressive rotation. "There is a glut of pitching entering the free-agent market this fall, while the premium offensive players tend to play a position — first base, shortstop or outfield — where the Angels are either set or logjammed," Saxon writes.
- Also from Saxon, he speculates that the Angels and Marlins could be trade partners for Bobby Abreu, provided the Halos pay most of Abreu's $9MM salary. Abreu could be reunited with his good friend Ozzie Guillen and serve as mentor to Florida's young players. I'm not sure Abreu would enjoy being a backup in Miami (unless the Fish trade Logan Morrison to free up space in left field) and if the Angels are going to pay Abreu's salary anyway, they might as well just keep him as bench depth themselves.
- Mike DiGiovanna projects the Angels to have an Opening Day payroll of roughly $121MM for next year, which leaves room for "one significant free agent" unless the team is willing to surpass last season's $142MM payroll.
Did Morales get a new foot or something? Jesus
Before Joe Wright gets in on this with his good intentioned yet faulty logic NO PRINCE FIELDER.
Tony Reagins: “We have to improve in a number of areas and I think there are
opportunities out there to improve. We’re going to be aggressive in
pursuing those.”
Angels fan translation: “We are going to be included in the MLBTR section on every major free agent. We will acquire none of them.”
Actually, more like “we will trade Mike Trout for John Lackey, Peter Bourjos for Alex Rios and Adam Dunn, and Hank Conger for Barry Zito.”
awesome….so, basically we they will be agressive in offering a 3 year deal, to the guy who will eventually get a 5 year deal??? And then they can still sat, they were agressive….ha ha…what a joke…every year we hear the same song and dance…
Trout for Dunn, get it done Reagins
It’s scary because it could happen.
“if the Angels are going to pay Abreu’s salary anyway, they might as well just keep him as bench depth themselves”
As long as it is on the bench that’s fine with me. That’s where he should have been this year, limiting his AB’s so his ridiculous option wouldn’t vest and Trout could just take over completely. If the Angels could save a couple mil maybe 2-3 then i say pull the trigger immediately.
urge to make reagins joke rising…
like tobacco, it’s a constant urge that is extremely difficult to overcome
Waiting for the Angels to astound the baseball world by trading Haren to the Astros for Carlos Lee and sending the ‘stros $35 mil.
Tony Reagins should start by trading himself for an ice chest.
and a six pack to be named later.
I’m both interested and slightly terrified by the Angels’ pending offseason. They do have some options, but at the same time, who knows what Reagins might do (or not do). If it were up to me, I’d go after a starting pitcher (maybe CJ Wilson). Truth is, even if the Angels did acquire Prince Fielder, all other things being equal, they still won’t have a more powerful offense than the Rangers. They might as well make their strengths stronger… and a rotation of Weaver/Haren/Santana/Wilson/Williams would give them a chance to win pretty much every day.
Also, I’m still wondering if they might actually be better off trading Morales this offseason. It is a gamble, but they might still get a substantial haul while he still has a perceived upside… I’m sure there’s going to be numerous teams who’d like to take a chance on his offense at first, if they can’t afford to enter the Fielder/Pujols derby.
IMO, Morales would net very little in return. The guy hasn’t played in about 1 1/2 years, and there’s no guarantee he comes back to what he was or even close to what he was. I think a team would be foolish to offer a decent haul with good prospects but at the same time i think the Angels would be foolish to trade him if he really does come back to what he was.
I guy who is regarded as having potato chips for bones won’t draw much interest.
Start him in a part time role at DH, and see what happens?
In the end it’s that video game ballpark that makes the Rangers offense more powerful than the Angels. On the road, both offenses are very different from common knowledge. However, on the road the Rangers still possess the ability to score runs at the right time. Angels need Bourjos and Trout to mature enough to hit at the top of that order and light the spark more than anything, imo.
Let’s hope he’s just talking. He’s already raped our franchise for 3 years with his “aggression” on Vernon Wells.
Not really. If the payroll is at least $142 million again, after GMJ and Kazmir’s contracts are gone Wells’ contract eats up less than 15%. Every high market team has at least one bad contract, even the Yankees. Lat I heard, the Dodgers are still paying Marquis Grissom. That kind of thing is inevitable. There’s another $120 million that needs to be attended to, so when free agency hits Wells will be way down on the list of the team’s financial worries.
man, this has been fun!
MLBTR has always been this ongoing yin-yang of uptight, self-righteous sabre-geeks vs. smart-asses — with enough tempered content in between to keep it going, keep it sensible.
but picking on the increasingly deluded Angels (team management and fan-base) has become so much good times
I think the Bullpen should be a priority. The angels had something like 25 blown saves. Just lowering that by 5 would probably put them in the wildcard. Than i’d go after offense. Unfortunatley I dont see any free agents that could help in that department. Jose Reyes is Alfonso Soriano 2.0, and Aramis Ramirez will demand a 5 year deal when he should only get 2 years. That means trades, and you know Tony Reagins will probably make the second dumbest trade ever. Can You guess what number one is?
Even with big offense, you have to be able to put teams away. I always tell those who argue big offense to give the bullpen a cushion to go talk to Jose Valverde.
A Guide for Reagins:
1) Non-tender Mathis yesterday.
2) Trade Abreu for BP help or keep him for bench depth.
3) Attempt to sign CJ Wilson or at least drive his price up.
3a) Seriously bid for Yu Darvish if he is posted.
4) Inject stem cells into Kendrys Morales’ ankle. Ask Bartolo Colon for instructions.
5) See if Howie Kendrick wants an extension.
6) Pay no attention to the Aramis Ramirez behind the curtain.
7) You do not know an Anthopolous. There is no Anthopolous. Toronto is a fictional city.
8) Actually get to the Winter Meetings. On time, even. Also, do something while there.
9) Learn what OBP, FIP and other valid stats are. Learn that CERA, RISP, etc are BS.
10) Whenever you are about to do something, ask yourself “Would an ID10T do this?” If they would, then DO NOT do that thing.
Love this! My only concern with this list is that I don’t think Abreu would fetch anything decent in terms of bullpen help, and I’m a little bit wary of Yu Darvish, considering how much he’d actually cost… Just a thought, what about signing Rod Barajas to a one year deal? He’s a pretty good offensive catcher, and taking that black hole out of the batting order in of itself would present a major upgrade. Then, if the Angels can’t get CJ Wilson (and I hope they don’t if his price tag turns out to be anywhere near $100 mil), maybe they could get a Mark Buehrle for 2 years, or 2 w/option? He’s not spectacular, but the Angels don’ t need another ace…they just need consistency from the back of the rotation.
If they pick up most or all of Abreu’s contract, they might be able to get a useful arm for him. As far as Darvish, I think he and CJ Wilson will wind up within the same ballpark in terms of price. Darvish may actually be cheaper depending how many teams are in on Wilson. The posting system is a calm, controlled environment compared to what the bidding war for the only top-tier lefty on the free agent market might be.
If that’s true about Darvish’s price, I’d agree that it’s a good move. Plus, the Angels wouldn’t have to surrender a draft pick to get him, which they would for CJ…
I think the Angels could trade Booby Abreu for Steve Cishek or an RP. If the Angels do trade Abreu their lineup would look like:
1. Peter Bourjos CF
2. Mike Trout LF
3. Torii Hunter RF
4. Kendrys Morales 1B
5. Mark Trumbo 3B
6. Vernon Wells DH
7. Howie Kendrick 2B
8. Erik Aybar SS
9. Hank Conger C
The Angels also need SP help because they have no one in the 4th or 5th spot, Jerome Williams will be the 4th or 5th guy depends on who they get. Maybe target Edwin Jackson because St. Louis won’t be able to keep him and that would move Williams to the 5th spot.
Conger is not ready to be the everyday catcher in the majors. Who ever the new GM turns out to be,better not trade Trout.
Whom ever is the New GM,better NOT trade Trout.
Conger is not ready to be the starting catcher. He cant throw anyone out.
I’d say that A-Ram signing elsewhere, with the Angels subsequently saying that they “went an extra mile to get him”. You know, sort of like that guy in Texas who just posted the second highest WAR among all 3B..
david wright? no? okay
If we sign A-Ram to an expensive deal, we can pretty much forget about the playoffs for another couple seasons