Angels GM Billy Eppler addressed the media after a busy, but perhaps still incomplete roster-building effort this winter. He says there’s “nothing active right now” when it comes to trade talks, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.
That’s further indication that the team won’t be revisiting the deal that would’ve brought in Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling from the Dodgers. It also suggests that there’s no alternative arrangement already in the works.
Still, the Halos are understandably still scanning the market. Eppler says the club is “open” to bringing in another experienced rotation option — “if it fits and it makes sense.”
With news emerging that Shohei Ohtani won’t be in the rotation to open the season, the need is even more clear. As things stand, the staff is fronted by veterans Andrew Heaney, Julio Teheran, and Dylan Bundy. Younger pitchers such as Griffin Canning, Jaime Barria, Patrick Sandoval, and Jose Suarez would battle for the other two spots.
It’s still reasonable to hope that Ohtani will provide top-end results once he is back. And most of these hurlers have some degree of upside. But there’s an awful lot of uncertainty for a club that has clear designs on a return to the postseason this year.
Rotation that looked ok suddenly looks a lot worse.
What do you expect from organization run by clowns?
Clown…not clowns
Maybe Arte should not have had a juvenile fit and withdrew the trade because it did not move fast enough. From the past, fans have seen if Arte wants something, he aggressively pursues and will even overpay. We needed pitching but Arte chased Rendon and did not
Pony up for pitching. Fans are baffled. One other thing. Angels knew they were going to let go of a catcher and need find another starting catching. Yet it appeared they never tried to sign Grandal. Longtime fan but frustrated with management
You have no idea what the Dodgers wanted for Stripland.
From MLB
This is a farm system that definitely needs an up arrow next to its name, and that’s not just because top prospect Jo Adell has company in the Top 100 (though the Adell-Marsh outfield tandem should excite Angels fans). There’s a ton of upside in this system,
I wish the Angels would have signed Alex Wood. But we have no idea what the Dodgers wanted for Stripland.
Jordyn Adam was 79 on fangraphs today and called the most athletic prospect since Buxton. The island bros (Devaux and Knowles) are both developing too. Angels MO over the last 4 years is get SUPER YOUNG/SUPER ATHLETES and develop them. It’s yet to be clear if this works, but they have about 6 prospects that are likely star or bust type dudes.
I didn’t know they listed them… Thanks.
So Adell is #4, Marsh is 36, and Adams is 79, all are outfielders. Adell will get here soon and they have an ETA of Marsh in 2020.
If Upton gets hurt, the Angels outfield will be Adell, Marsh and Trout.
Stripling is a huge loss, Pederson, not so much.
I think Adams was in the stripling deal….. perhaps him sneaking into the top 100 gave Arte pause
@bkbk I am surprised Adams is that high. He is one of the fastest in the minors, but he has yet to show he will be able to hit. He is still young, so hopefully he will with time.
Well, you know what they say. Nothing ventured….. nothing ventured.
The Angels continue to waste Mike Trout’s time.
Still say Joc to world Champion Nats. Do not include Stripiling. For 2 minor leaguers not kiebloom garcia rutledge or cato. Need 4th OF who can give some loss Rendon offence.
Teams don’t typically trade for an 8 million dollar 4th outfielder.
Pederson’s better than Eaton and Robles. He wouldn’t be the 4th OF for long.
Pederson has a career 118 OPS+, and its 126 over the last two years. I’d be glad to pay 8 million for that.
wakejeff, in a vacuum yes. Baseball isn’t played a vacuum.
Since the Angels two highly rated prospects are about to arrive and since the PCL is not a development league, which means leaving good prospects down in the PCL is detrimental to their growth, then it’s not such a good move for the Angels.
The parks in the the PCL make Coors Field look like a pitchers park.. You don’t want prospects to linger in the PCL.
Because the Angels can’t leave Adell in the PCL, he should be up in weeks. Since Adell isn’t going to sit on the bench, Pederson would be problematic.
The only way I-can see that work is if they trade a guy like Robles for bryant because there outfield is stacked. Soto/robles/Eaton
The Nationals aren’t going to trade the guy who was the best defensive OF in mlb his rookie season. A guy who just missed a 20/30 season as a rookie and has a cannon arm. Robles is the CF that every team in baseball other than the Angels wants. They aren’t going to trade him.
Was the reason the LA trade fell apart ever reported? I recall reading that they were frustrated by the wait but never a specific reason.
mlbtraderumors.com/2020/02/details-on-collapse-of-…
It was widely reported that after the Red Sox screwed up the 3 team deal, and had to rework things, they found the Angels trade to be unnecessary. With all the time that went by, they might have felt some backlash just as the Sox did and began asking for mire from the Angels. Either way, everyone’s time was wasted, and you can’t just sit by the phone with so much money going through the shredder by the minute.
*the Dodgers found the Angels trade to be unnecessary.
Except now they’re stuck with surplus and an extra $7.5 million on the books with Pederson.
Lol, everyone giving the angels offseason an “f” because of one failed trade.
The rotation isn’t screwed just because Ross stripling isn’t a part of it.
I don’t think everyone is giving it an “F”, but there is general disappointment. Reason being, there are 3 other teams in the AL West alone, who are capable of scoring in bunches, all of which have much better starting rotations than the Angels. The Angels didn’t do much to improve their starting rotation, unless they get career years from multiple guys.
Who are these teams besides the Astros? The Angels did as much as any team to improve their rotation that didn’t get an ace. All 5 AL West teams have rotations that can be easily broken down into major question marks. Verlander won’t live forever and the Rangers just stacked bodies where you never really know what you’re getting. PECOTA has the Angels in the first Wild Card spot.
Angels added Bundy & Teheran to their rotation. They are upgrades over Cahill & Harvey no doubt but still their rotation is pretty mediocre when compared to Oakland and Houston or even Texas. Plus they probably aren’t getting Ohtani back to pitch for at least 2 months to start the season.
I just don’t see a championship rotation there. No way. Too many things have to go right. Even Joe may not be able to win with this.
“Too many things have to go right.”
That’s true for any team to win the World Series.
Just like the Nationals who, even with their rotation, started 19-31, and had to score big runs in key moments late in order to win it. A lot had to go right for them like every other championship that’s ever been won.
Did you see a Championship rotation with the 2002 Angels?
Over the last ten years, three teams have won the World Series with mediocre rotations. You’d like to have a great rotation, but it’s baseball. It’s all about run differential.
All of a sudden, flippin’ Ross Stripling is Don Drysdale…..
Astros are vulnerable (using Glad bags, removed trash cans); A’s are overly dependent on young starters….Angels are still in it. They’ll have to play it game by game, maybe making the big splurge at the deadline….
The Angels have arguably a top 3 infield, the best player ever, Ohtani taking the mound in May and a stacked line up. They added a ton of pitching this winter, just not the shiny pitchers everyone wanted. It’s easy to complain about other people not spending their millions the way you want them to. I think they will be contenders for at least a playoff spot, as projected. The Astros are a worse team than last year and the Angels are a better team than last year. Plus the Astros’ unfair advantage is gone. We’ll see as the season progresses.
That rotation is trash.
Boyd oh Boyd
another year the offense looks great but no pitching
I thought Price to LAD was a precursor of Price reuniting with Angels-Maddon. There was a lot of wiggle room with the RSox paying the $48 M.
The RSox still have Eovaldi and I’m sure JBJ could cover one of the corners for the Angels. After eating 1/2 of Price the Sox might incentivize a fair amount.
I don’t think they’d want JBJ, but Eovaldi could be interesting, perhaps the deadline if he’s healthy.
Yeah, Eovaldi fits the always hurt profile that Eppler seems to like.
Joc would of been nice….where do you put a person that hit 36 hrs??? Let alone, a free agent year. Stripling would of been nice but we already have a bunch of #4 & #5 starters. Offense would of been stacked….just a lot of 9-8 games.
Joc would have been problematic. Adell will be up in weeks after the season starts and Marsh is not far behind.
Stripling would have been a great add.
If you trade for Joc, you then trade Adell to Indians in a package for Clevinger. Then, you truly have potential for a playoff berth.
Adell is not surplus. The Angels already turned down a Clevinger for Adell trade.
They shouldn’t have. I think Clevinger instantly makes them a favorite for the playoffs. With the Angels already having Upton and Trout in the OF, I think they can afford to lose Adell. Marsh fits better anyway being a LHH. They don’t need the additional power that Adell gives them over Marsh nearly as much as they need that true, 30-start ACE that Clevinger would have given them.
Tired of Arte.
What really hurts was it seemed the Angels were going to take advantage of the Dodgers and this made the trade even better.
No MOORE Arte
Has any “pitcher” ever gotten as much hype as Ohtani with around 50 career innings pitched? The guy has started like 10 games in the majors and none in almost 2 years and people just assume he is going to be an ace right from the start. It’s crazy.
Plus, he only is a DH. He is no more a two way player than every single NL starting pitcher. Just because he is a very good hitter is really irrelevant.
Ok, not exactly the same. How many of those starting pitchers will have at bats on the days that they are not pitching?
Well if that’s the case I guess Babe was a fantastic outfielder then.
@Hiflew yeah you might wanna go watch some of those 50IP.
Ohtani showed the league he has “ace stuff”. It remains to be seen if he regains his form but he probably didn’t forget how to pitch so I’ll say he figures it out. ST will show us if he has the upper 90s velocity, command of pitches, etc.
Will he be a 30 start, 200IP Ace? No.
Will he be a 18 start, 125-140IP Ace? I’d bet yes.
5toolMVP. Players typically don’t hit the floor running after missing most of a season with arm injuries.
I don’t see Ohtani making a huge impact this year. For the same reason, I don’t see Puk, Luzardo or Manea making a huge impact this year.
But everyone thinks the A’s are not going to be affected by this and every one thinks Ohtani is.
@mac. I never said he’d hit the floor running.
I do think he will ease into ST and ramp up as mid-May approaches. Ohtani should be fine. I’m confident he will pitch like Ohtani 2018, he’ll have good and bad games I’m sure – maybe a few 4-5IP 4ER stinkers and maybe a few 6-7IP 10K gems.
Of course we’ll all *should* have a better idea once we see him through ST into early April…remember his ST in 2018, he wasn’t exactly lighting up the Cactus League either so maybe that’s not a great tell as to how 2020 will go for him.
I’ll only be concerned IF his arm hurts, his velocity is down or command is way off.
The Angels are a screwed up organization. They waste money on hitters when they don’t build up their farm team, so lack pitching talent. They play in Anaheim which per the map is not in LA. They throw money at unnecessary players while ignoring needs. They deserve the crappy club that is dysfunctional.
How is the back end of the Dodgers BP looking? The Dodgers will be looking for a bounce back year from their 6th 8th and 9th inning pitchers. Teams in every sport, looks to attach itself to the bigger market that they are surrounded by. The Jets and Giants don’t even play in the state of NY. The Red Skins play in Maryland. The Giants play 25 minutes from San Francisco. The Reys play 45 minutes from Tampa Bay. Get over the name.
Dodgers fan?
No wonder
Why does Mike Trout get booed at dodger Stadium?
Dodger fans jealous 3-time MVP
Dodgers had too many irons in the fire and Arte got butt hurt that he wasnt priority number one. I hope Rendon enjoyed his world series in Washington because he wont be going back any time soon.
I don’t think Rendon I’ll be in the World Series in Boston either
cant believe the outrage here. why are we so sure it was Eppler or Arte that blew up the trade? and why are we so sure it should have been made without knowing who else was in the deal? (which was surely a decent piece)
Wouldn’t be a bad idea to deal with Cubs for Quintana. It would give them a solid number 3 or 4 starter, and help the Cubs get below the tax.
Get ready for the “Eppler looking for arms” headlines in May, again. The bullpen will be toast in June because they have to get 12-13 outs every single game. Temper-tantrum Moreno screwed the pooch on this one. Bad form Arte
Not that Stripling was the answer (to obtain an ace) but he would have been an upgrade over what they have. He had cause to get irritated with the dragging Red Sox, but he needed to suck it up and look at the big picture.
How is Ross Stripling all of a sudden Max Scherzer? You people need to stfu, most people dont even like this team why are they soo concerned. Why in such need for a trade if you hate the angels and they suck soo bad. Shouldnt you be rooting against them not to make trades?
The Trout/HGH thing was a farce. Totally debunked and retracted by the accuser
Love to know what the Dodgers wanted for Joc and Stripling.
Why have a deep lineup, starting caliber right fielder, depth to give Upton days off his slow feet, and a pitcher we desperately need when you can have a temper tantrum?
The widely reported trade was Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward, and a prospect lower in stature than the one we’d get back.
But, nah, arbitrary deadlines have worked so well in the past, let’s keep at it.
Joc is dropping 50 bombs this year. Arte blew it!
Captkrunch,
It’s really hard for a part time player to drop 50 bombs.
Adell is coming up. If someone tells you he wasn’t very good at AAA, then they don’t understand the PCL. He wasn’t, but it’s also irrelevant.
He was good in the Arizona Fall league, which is more important than the PCL. There is a reason why Bellinger, Lux and Trout all got less than 200 ABs in the PCL, it’s not a development league. Star prospects don’t stay there.
Ready or not Adell is coming up and he’s going to play. When someone says AAA and not PCL, then they don’t get it. When someone talks about PCL stats but excludes the Arizona Fall League stats, they don’t get it.
And if anyone gets hurt, Marsh will be here.
Pederson is a good major league player, but not so good that a team will sit on their two best prospects so he can get playing time.
Well, we have known that we need pitching for the last 10 years so there is nothing new.. I guess..
I see a lot of comments regarding the pitching staff. On paper, it doesn’t look the greatest. But rather than pre- maturely trashing the staff, I wanna see what a new pitching coach can do with them. We get into June and the BP is tossing 5-6 innings a day, then the proof of a trash rotation is there. Let’s see what Callaway can do.
Ohtani=Bust
pburns.
Congratulations, the dumbest post of the day.
Even just hitting, The last two years Ohtani is 19th in wRC+ That’s between Austin Meadows and George Springer.
Thanks for the laugh.
I think what doesn’t sit well with me is that the other 3 teams involved, “found a way” to make a deal that benefited their team.
…
On the surface, this seemed to be a February Christmas gift as the Dodgers needed to shed payroll and those specific players fit almost perfectly (esp Stripling).
…
So who or what mechanism is in place for the Angel’s NOT to “find a way” and get something done?
…and by the way, the 3 teams that found a way have all been recently successful: Twins, Dodgers, and Red Sox. Winners find a way…
Hahaha, you do realize that the trade between the Angels and Dodgers had nothing to do, with the three team trade right? It was a completely different trade. The Dodgers informed, Peterson, Stripling and the minor league player, that they were being traded to the Angels. The Angels informed their players that, they were being traded to the Dodgers. The Angels even had a representative at Peterson’s arbitration trial. The Dodgers kept putting off finalizing the deal. So I don’t blame the Angels for saying enough is enough.
The Pederson Stripling trade was contingent on the Betts blockbuster. Pederson Stripling were being traded as player and salary dumps. The reports were very clear on this. Bottom line, the Angel’s missed out on key pieces to their roster for what seems to be a lack of patience. Thats ridiculous.
@dirkg then why did the Dodgers inform the players involved, that they were being traded to the Angels? If it wasn’t finalized? Why do Dodgers fans all of a sudden think Peterson is good? When they have been screaming for the past three years, for the Dodgers to trade him? Even without Betts, the Dodgers were going into Spring trading with 7 outfielders, with only one having minor league options. Now the Dodgers have 7 outfielders and none of them have minor league options. So they will wind up losing two of them for nothing. But let’s blame the Angels. Even Dodgers fans that actually know baseball, think the Dodgers were dumb for not just going through with the trade.
@Angelsfan I think a lot of people on both sides agree that the trade should have been made. It essentially was a win-win. Where you and I differ is you don’t blame the Angel’s for being impatient. I do. Stripling was that much-needed rotation piece that could provide at least league-average performance (which is basically what this potent offense needs). With Ohtanis unknowns and Heaneys health history, the Halos need one more arm.
Here’s the deal: Arte will NEVER pay out for pitching. This is not on Eppler. I’ think in Arte’s view he’d be paying hundreds of
Millions of dollars for 15 starts a year versus 80 games at a position like 3B – and he wants butts in seats, beer sales, merch sales, etc. It’s all about ROI. And in addition to the lesser number of games you add a higher risk of of injury and greater insecurity over long term success. Business first.
By # of games I mean home games.
Arte has paid for pitching. Colon and Wilson. He went big after Corbin and Cole and fell short.
And before you say Wilson. For the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Wilson was 9th in WAR for pitchers. Weaver was 6th and Haren, another Angel was 8th.
And Moreno spent big bucks on all three.
I think people’s frustration has affected their ability to research.
Who is CJ Wilson for $40!!
Who is CJ Wilson for $40.
The ace pitcher on back to back World Series teams and was the #1 free agent pitcher on the 2011-2012 market.
And a counter-example to the claim that Arturo won’t pay for pitching is the point.
Angels should trade for Jeff Samardzjia. He has one year left on his contract and had a healthy bounce back last year (32 starts/181 innings/1.11 WHIP/3.52 ERA).
Don’t know who the Angels might have that SF would want. (besides Adell, who clearly isn’t being traded, and probably Brandon Marsh). Jose Soriano?