The AL West-leading Angels have long been said to be searching for a bat, and MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez provides additional details on the club’s thinking. Though the deadline is less than two weeks away, the team is still “casting a wide net.”
Los Angeles does prefer a left-handed bat that can slot in left field, but is even more concerned with obtaining a player that can be controlled past this season. With numerous big league positions set to open up in 2016, it seems that the team is interested in utilizing the deadline as an opportunity to find some answers for the present and the near future.
While the Angels will consider a rental acquisition, says Gonzalez, Justin Upton of the Padres is not among the players being considered. He could be the biggest bat dealt, and the Angels feel that San Diego has placed too high a price tag on the soon-to-be free agent.
The club’s preferred angle, per the report, would be to move starter C.J. Wilson as part of a deal. Though Wilson has been a fairly steady presence in the rotation, the organization would like to move some of his big salary in order to free space under the luxury tax line for the coming offseason.
With the club playing quite well of late, assistant GM Matt Klentak said that it will not be pressed into a move it doesn’t believe in just to get something done. “We will continue to survey the trade market for possible upgrades that we feel make sense, but we don’t feel pressure to make a move just for the sake of making a move,” said Klentak. “We believe in the group we have.”
They should see what Boston would want for Hanley……Now that the Red Sox season is over………
Hanley is a mess in LF. No one wants him unless he can play 1B/DH, which the Angels don’t offer with Cron and Pujols.
Although, the Sox are only 8 games out, I wouldn’t call their season over just yet.
I thought I was on MLBTR a lot, but man you are the first to comment on nearly every thread these days.
Scann, I’m happy to let you know that you are now MLBTR’s leader in down votes. Congratulations! *Applause*
Something to be proud of indeed.
I’m still batting over .300 on total up votes…..
CJ Wilson for Chris Coghlan?
Angels hang up.
Why would the Angels hang up? Wilson might be a steady pitcher but he is by no means a valuable one.. His ERA+ last year was 79 and so far this year it is sitting at 99.. Although his 1.195 Whip is his lowest since 2011 he will be 35 next year making $20.5m.. If the Angels can get anyone to bite and take on most of his salary they should jump on it no matter who they get in return..
Micheal Saunders (left field) Bluejays, recovering (out until late aug/sept maybe) from recent knee surgery caused by a sprinkler head… reports are future performance will not be limited by his knee… Hes very good at D, and a power lefty bat.. 1.5mill this year, cheap, can maybe resign him for cheap as he knows the west coast well from his Seattle days.
Keep carerra/valencia/colabello in left for the Jays.
I’d rather wait it out and let Saunders play next year. Carrera cant really hit, Colabello cant field, and Valencia probably shouldn’t be an OF (although he’s doing a decent job so far this year
I can’t wait for the day a GM actually says “We made a move just to make a move.”
The Red Sox will give you Sandoval for free if you need a lefty bat 🙂
He can’t play left field though.
Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova for C.J. Wilson?
Not sure the Yankees would go for that.. Nova pretty much puts up the same numbers as Wilson.. Wilson is currently the superior pitcher but Nova is younger and cost controlled.. Beltran for Wilson is interesting though.. Contract for contract the Angels would be saving roughly $5m next season.. I am not sure Beltran would approve the trade though..
Beltran wouldn’t be a major upgrade. I’d honestly prefer that we put a platoon of Navarro and Robertson out there.
Agreed.. Beltran has the better bat but his defense has a lot to be desired.. The Angels would be better off picking up Garrett Jones and platooning him.. I am sure the Yankees would let him go cheap..
I know the Yankees would never trade him but I think Brett Gardner is exactly what the Angels need this season..
He’d be a major upgrade for most teams, so his cost would be very high.
Very high.. The Yankees signed him to that team friendly extension and he makes close to $8m less a season than Ellsbury and so far has outplayed him since Jacoby joined the Yankees.. He is the new leader in the clubhouse and with his contract the Yankees would be hard pressed to trade him.. A case can be made that they don’t need two players with the same exact skillset (leadoff hitters with a bit of power) but with Ellsbury’s contract he isn’t going anywhere.. I would hate to see him go but if he brought back a player similar to Kipnis or Dozier I wouldn’t complain..
Angels are gonna need to get creative with this one. They have a lack of near-MLB ready position prospects, and they don’t wanna give up any of their starting pitching prospects (Heaney, Newcomb, etc.)
Was looking for someone to say this. Dangling Wilson isn’t really enticing either considering the contract.
This may seem a bit of a stretch, but maybe a Cron for Carlos Gomez trade could be worked out. Obviously more players would be headed to Milwaukee’s way, but it’s an interesting starting point. Cron could then take over at 1st for the Brewers.
Eh, scratch that, Milwaukee would probably want a better centerpiece
Remove the word “probably”.
Gomez would take one of Newcomb/Heaney and Chris Ellis. By the way, we have a center fielder much better than Gomez. His name is Mike Trout.
Realistically a candidate from MIL would be Khris Davis. Has pop, decent defense, LF. Checklist complete.
I don’t think he was suggesting trading for Gomez to play over Trout. I think he was suggesting trading for Gomez and playing one in a corner and the other in center. Why not Gomez then shift Trout back to LF? Or Gomez.
I say The Angels roll the dice and go to the playoffs with this team, and in the offseason make our team better and grab a guy from free agency for long term and we will go from there. The Giants have done it so can we.
One thing to remember about the Angels currently is that Jerry Dipoto is no longer the GM. He was effective at making trades within the constraints placed on him working in the Angels organization. However with Bill Stoneman back as GM on an interim basis, you can be almost 100% certain the Angels will be unable to pull the trigger on a player that can help them.
Jay Bruce would seem like a logical fit here since Cincy is looking to move him. I believe he has a year and a half left and then an option year. I imagine he would be able to slide from right to left field. The problem is it appears the Reds would want a couple prospects in return and go towards a youth movement. CJ Wilson doesn’t fit this.
Wild thought. Trade with Yankees for Gardner. He’s still playing very well, his cost is reasonable, he’s controllable. From the Yankees perspective, they need young talent.
While this is true. His actual salary is reasonable. What it would take to get him is not. He will/should cost a ton in players/prospects. He is under control until 2018 with a 19 option. In the extremely long shot scenario the Yankees (In the midst of a playoff push themselves) would trade him. You probably have to give the Yankees back something that can help them win this year and also assets for the future. They aren’t going to trade one of their best players in the middle of a season where they look like they are going to make the playoffs. Lastly, salary is no concern for them so you can’t even play the “it will give them some salary relief” card.
ummmm… if the Tigers are making Cespedes available, I might try for him. Especially if he could be had for someone not named Heaney/Newcomb. Doubt the Tigers are interested in CJ Wilson… might have to give up someone like Skaggs (assuming that the Tigers would take a chance on an injured player… not sure if you’re even allowed to trade a player on the DL)
David Peralta is a name that comes to mind. He bats left handed, can play LF, and is controlled through 2020. He is also capable of decent power and RBI production. He could fit in nicely as a number 5 hitter after Trout/Pujols. Dbacks should be sellers, so It all sounds like a perfect match to me.
Dealing a LH SP would be nice with Heaney’s exceptional work thus far and with Skaggs returning some time next year. Soon there needs to be a spot for Weaver, too. Obviously, Angels fans would prefer to deal CJ in pursuit of a bat, but I can’t think of any teams looking for a guy like CJ who have OF bats to give up. Any ideas there?
how about melky cabrera, or cargo from rockies?