Angels GM Jerry Dipoto has been on the job for approximately two weeks and he's starting to get an intimate sense of his organization's strengths and weaknesses. He likes what he sees so far, but there's still a gap between the Angels' roster and where Dipoto wants it to be.
"Right now, we're a highly competitive Major League Baseball team," he told MLBTR in Milwaukee. "Where we want to be is we want to win the World Series and that’ll be the goal every year."
The Angels will look to improve their offense — particularly their ability to get on base — this winter. Jeff Mathis, a non-tender candidate with a projected salary of $1.8MM and a career OBP of .257 faces an uncertain future in Anaheim. But Dipoto, a former big league pitcher, knows the value of an above-average receiver.
"I do think there’s a lot to be said for what a catcher does behind the plate, how he calls the game," Dipoto said, speaking in general terms. "I'd be hypocritical if I told you otherwise. I always liked the guys who could catch. But there’s the balance that you have to bring to the game and that’s a fact."
Dipoto doesn't expect a major reversal in offensive production behind the plate to occur instantaneously. It's possible Mathis will return as an arbitration eligible player in 2012. However, I've heard the Angels are asking around about catchers.
Dipoto likes Alberto Callaspo’s ability to get on base, make contact and control the strike zone. At this point, it's not clear whether the versatile 28-year-old will return to third in 2012 or play another position. The Angels intend for Mike Trout to play every day whether or not he's in the Major Leagues and questions about service time will be secondary to the young outfielder's ability to excel in the Majors.
"You need to put players in a position where they can be effective, where they can change your future," Dipoto said.
dipoto keeps talking about OBP. im jealous
Mathis hasn’t had a .257 OBP in years…
The Angels could always use Napoli…oh wait.
Yup Stupid Regains..Catcher shouldn’t even be a concern…but it is
Stupid Reagins? Scioscia deserves the blame for that one. At least they didn’t have to take on a bad player at a horrible salary when they jettisoned Napoli…oh wait.
Mike deserves the credit for wanting to get rid of Nap..Regains Deserves it for getting such a horrible return! If Angels at least got a huge prospect or something besides what they got..It would be a better situation
He still wouldn’t be catching everyday, and he still doesn’t.
So what..Where now looking for a catcher with offense that was Nap
Napoli would not have caught everyday and he’s still not an everyday catcher in Texas, because he’s not a natural catcher. The Angels keep Napoli and he’s fighting for playing time at other positions (1B: Trumbo, DH: Abreu) as well. He couldn’t hit in the clutch with the Angels, and he couldn’t hit in the clutch for the Rangers until July; he had a great second half, not a great season. His home road splits for 2011 speak for themselves, but he also had a ton of protection. I doubt he does the same if he stayed in Anaheim.
I agree with everything you say.
Still doesn’t come close to excusing the horrid trade. Napoli was an asset that was treated like a liability.
Cant believe Mathis is getting 1.8M for doing
Jeff Mathis’s resume:
-can crouch behind home plate and catch the ball after it is thrown by the pitcher
-literally nothing else
Mathis is a bullpen catcher who somehow attained photos of Mike Scioscia in a compromising position, and in return for not leaking them he has been allowed to appear in 426 big league games, with a career WAR of -1.8. That’s right, any AAA scrub is better. Its utterly baffling how a guy who’s OBP the last 2 years has been .219 and .225 is allowed semi-regular at bats in the American League to boot. If the Angels had any kind of reasonable player there they’d have won more games. Send him to AAA where he belongs.
yet over 4 yrs when Napoli was on the team also…they split time equally and Mathis has a +12 w/l record compared to Napoli when he was catching who has a +WAR….they also caught the same staff equally too….
you’re actually attempting to argue in favor of Mathis by using wins and losses?
I just have issues w/ WAR at times…Napoli is w/o a doubt more superior of an offensive C compared to Mathis….BUT Mathis’s pitchers era is well below what they have when pitching to Napoli….w/ Mathis being in the game w/ his sub par offense still gives his team a better chance at a win b/c his pitchers benefit by him being behind the plate….which shows by them giving up less runs…
My feelings on this have nothing to do w/ my feelings about Mathis….I agree that he should have been cut loose long ago b/c he can’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag….BUT I do understand why Mike keeps running him out there…the fact that his team has +12 more wins w/ Mathis IN then w/ Napoli in over a 4 yr time….
I also think that too many people look at certain sabr stats and make their opinions on those stats solely…WAR varies from site to site depending on the formula used…that loses validity IMO….wOBA gives more credit for getting on base via error then getting on via hit….
It’s a good thing Mathis wasn’t Weaver’s backstop or anything…
When Weaver pitched over his time w/ the Halos ’06-’10
Mathis 3.54 era in 437ip
Napoli 3.89 era in 377ip
When Lackey pitched over his time w/ the Halos 06-’10
Mathis 3.25 era 279ip
Napoli 3.63 era 399ip
from ’06-’10 the Angels won +12 games when Mathis was catching….amazing how a -WAR player who has a better pitchers era from the same pitchers over the same time frame had more team wins compared to a +WAR player….
WAR is a good tool BUT not completely accurate as sooo many claim….especially since it is formulated different depending on which “Theory” is used…..
Do I want mathis on the Halos NO F N WAY but do I think that his -WAR doesn’t totally reflect what he brought to the team? YES
Sabr stats are good I see some very valid points BUT too many people read way tooo much into 1 formula and hold that as the ALL BE 100% way to think or look at a player…..that is WRONG
So he gave you 3 extra wins per year behind the plate but his offense is so anemic that he didn’t help in any wins hitting. Napoli single handedly won many games with his bat at a minus 3 wins behind the plate hardly counts for much.
So he gave you 3 extra wins per year behind the plate but his offense is so anemic that he didn’t help in any wins hitting. Napoli single handedly won many games with his bat at a minus 3 wins behind the plate hardly counts for much.
“Don’t worry Jeff, if the Angels don’t want you then you can always work for me (in the event I have a job).” -Tony Reagins
Ryan Hanigan and Juan Francisco for Howie Kendrick?
what do you guys think of potentially trading mike trout? I think we have to trade either peter or trout this winter for a cheap starting lefty and buy a big bat. …? thoughts
my thoughts….you’re nutz
who would you want in return? Kershaw? Price? cause that’s who you want in a trade for Trout.
aaand this conversation needs to stop now
I wouldn’t make that trade, Trout’s value is through the roof because of his service time. It’s more to the point of how good Trout is
mike trout for matt moore?
ahh didn’t see this comment
Trout is essentially untradable right now. He could be a one the best players in the league in a couple of years.
peter bourjos for gio gonzalez?
Just how much have you had to drink tonight?
Callaspo, while not the typical power hitting 3rd baseman, gets the job done, but just in a different spot in the batting order. Mathis, however, is a different question all together. He had his chance, he needs to go. Where? I don’t give a flyer. Just “GO”. Give me any catcher named Molina and our chances at post season play have gone up 500%.
Jesus Flores: 29 games 110AB, .415/.573/.988 in Venezuela LVPB. 9 2b’s 4 hrs.