Tuesday Halolinks

In Angels news

Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh are atop the list of 19 non-roster invitees this year. Hey! The Angels have re-signed Jose Briceño to a minor league deal with a spring training invite. And they signed Michael Kohn, but he did not get an invite. Anybody care to guess where Albert Pujols ranks among first basemen in Yahoo’s fantasy Baseball rankings? Connor Grossman thinks the Angels are going to sneak into the playoffs. Optimism helps as we head into spring training.

In non-Angels news

Jhoulys Chacin goes to the Twins on a minor league deal. The Marlins have signed the dreaded Matt Joyce to a major league deal. The Astros named James Click as their new GM.

Here’s a kind of retrospective on Curtis Granderson.

And finally: Tim Dierkes over at MLB Trade Rumors is looking for an Excel wizard (paid) to help him work up a spreadsheet about player salary comparables in arbitration.

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H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
4 years ago

My first article on CtPG is a blockbuster trade article! Here for discussion on the move:

https://crashingthepearlygates.com/angels-acquire-outfielder-joc-pederson-in-blockbuster-mookie-betts-david-price-trade-for-luis-rengifo/

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Great move! Got a 3 war player for a backup we didn’t need to bridge the gap to the Marsh/Adell OF of the future. I wasn’t comfortable with Goodwin as the starter and now there is no pressure to bring up Adell before we’re ready

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

They really should flip Joc for some pitching.

Mountainman76
Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

That works, either way, I like it. But is only a one year contract so probably can’t get that good of a pitcher. But could be a good trade piece if JA is ready later this season. But for now makes the line-up pretty impressive.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

If Albert gets benched or hurt often this year, Joc spending occasional time at 1B is definitely an upgrade over Thaiss

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
4 years ago

Joc and Albert get to be on the same team! Kinda cool, I always enjoyed that story

Brent
Super Member
4 years ago

Bye Luis Rengifo.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Brent

Made “redundant” because of Rendon.

So we need pitching thus we get Rendon and Joc. Ok. Still, it shows Eppler is still working it.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago

I view it as a deal he couldn’t pass up. The only thing that worries me is Rengifo going to the Dodgers and becoming a star.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  losangel

I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s just a trade chip for them down the line. They have Seager/Lux/Taylor/Turner

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago

Rengifo for Joc
huh

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

flip Joc for pitching? –

not sure where he fits but he’d be an OK 4th outfielder/1B back-up
definitely upgrades the bench – which is a big thing – team has had no depth for 5 years

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Seems curious but even if there was no other shoe to drop it upgrades the 2020 roster significantly. Probably means Fletcher’s job is secure long term

johnnyangel101
Newbie
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Buys time for Jo and Brandon, while giving us a power lefty bat.

Solid deal.

johnnyangel101
Newbie
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Just looked it up and saw that Joc played 20 games last year at 1B, so there’s that, too.

VictoriousVIC
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Joc Pederson to the Angels for Luis Rengifo. Jeff Passan just tweeted it. Way to go Eppler!! Absolute steal.

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago

what the hell is going on? Where will Joc play – 1B? Thaiss?

Brent
Super Member
4 years ago

What the actual fuck (Feb) is going on right now? Joc to the Angels?!?! Who are we giving up?

VictoriousVIC
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Brent

If this is true I would think Marsh has to be gone. I hope to god it’s not Adell. But Marsh has to be on the move.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  VictoriousVIC

I’d assume so but Joc is only a 1 year solution. It’s possible they just view him as an upgrade to the 2020 lineup and insurance in case Upton or Goodwin fail to produce

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Brent

Comment on Twitter says it’s a 30 team trade.

But seriously, as you say… What?? The???

Fumid346
Member
4 years ago

Made my spring training road trip plans
Going to Peoria because they have a dog day and will catch the Padres.
Best thing is it was my wife’s idea

Blackgoat
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Who else is mercilessly hitting that Z button with their pinky finger? Is there a trick to skipping around to new comments here on the web version or do I just have to reload the page and look for the yellow?

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Blackgoat

You have to look for yellow at the moment.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

What yellow? Does that not come across
On safari on an iphone?

DowningDude
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  losangel
losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Oh wow, I’ve never seen that. Maybe it’s time to switch browsers.

Simba
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  losangel

Yeah, I’m not seeing it – Safari on Mac.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Simba

I’m using Chrome on a PC and see the yellow.

red floyd
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Missing it on Chrome under Ubuntu.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Simba

I see it now, got to hit the new comments button at the top of the comments, then it will highlight the new ones in yellow. This is from safari on mac. Haven’t re-tested on mobile.

red floyd
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  losangel

OK, I’m an idiot. Can you show a screencap with that button?

rspencer
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

I don’t see that button either (in Chrome on a PC), but I see the yellow comments.

red floyd
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Still not getting the yellow. Not meaning to bitch, Jessica, you’re doing an awesome job, and I probably have a bit of an oddball platform.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

It seems it only shows yellow if you click new comments while on the page. If you leave for a few hours and come back the new comments won’t be yellow.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Attached screen shot. From what I can tell, the button only shows up if new comments happen while you’re on the page. You hit the button and the new comments appear and are in yellow and then the yellow goes away when you mouse points over the comment. I’ve seen this now on safari and chrome on mac, but haven’t gotten it to work mobile yet.

In other news, this new site rocks, you can actually upload photos!

new comments.jpg
Blackgoat
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

Ok thank you, really appreciate all the work put into this.

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Blackgoat

my attitude is you don’t have to make the majors during the first week of spring training.

there’s a whole bunch of new stuff here to figure out – that’s what February is for.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago

There’s a way for the Angels to get in on the Betts trade and perhaps buy some actual talent. Here’s my thoughts: Boston trades Betts to LA for 2 good prospects and a live body. Boston trades one of the two good prospects to the Angels who absorb half of Price’s salary in exchange for a 10-20 level prospect from our system.

We end up with Price and a good prospect, LA ends up with Betts but loses some prospects, Boston gets some prospects and saves a ton of cash, resetting their luxury tax threshold.

Blackgoat
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I can support this and I like the thinking, but I’m having a hard time imagining that we’d be able to get Price + good prospect for the cost of eating half of his salary + meh prospect. That seems a little too good of a deal for us to be realistic. I would not be ok with us giving up anything meaningful in a trade only to receive Price and some hefty portion of his salary in return.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Blackgoat

well then how about we get Price and Boston pays all of his salary? Know what I miss? Italics for emphasis and sig lines.

GeoKaplan8
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Commissioner wouldn’t allow that. We’d have to include a player, like Brandon Wood.

rspencer
Trusted Member
4 years ago

This site allows HTML tags for italics and bold, and probably for underline and strikeout as well.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  rspencer

Guess I’ll have to learn how to do that. Google, here I come!

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago

Use HH as your WYSIWYG text editor. Copy, and it’s a pasta. That GHOST TOWN is still good for something.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  rspencer

testing 123
testing 456

Well that’s easy!

zlp
zlp
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

That would be tight. But I don’t see Boston giving up a decent prospect AND Price for a lotto ticket and some salary relief. But who knows

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  zlp

We’d be talking about $48 million in salary relief.

jco
Trusted Member
jco
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

This is a good idea in principle. The devil would be in the details. If we could get Price for an effective salary of something like 3/$30 million, the Angels should have some interest depending on the prospects changing hands.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  jco

Well, we know a mid 1st round pick is worth about $13m.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  jco

I said taking on half Price’s salary, so 3/48. Definitely an over pay but if it netted one of the Dodgers catching prospects it would be worth it.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
4 years ago

7 Days until Pitcher’s and Catcher’s report. Mookie Betts for one season would look good in “Get your Red on!”, at least better than Doyer Blue as the Doyer’s look like the front runner’s with the new old look Padres staying in the hunt.

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago

Hahahahahahahahahaha. Yeah maybe. Boston would want Jo Adell though PLUS more. They are crazy.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

I would fly to Anaheim and fire Billy myself. It’s possible Arte saw him hitting DINGERZ in the postseason, so it could happen. If any trade is made it needs to be for pitching. Let the Dodgers weaken their farm for a 1 year rental.

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

I wouldn’t mind a 3 way trade. Get Price in that deal.

Blackgoat
Trusted Member
4 years ago

I’d rather we trade for Price. Also, I would be furious if we trade for Price.

GeoKaplan8
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Of course he would. He would on any team. The question—as always—is “at what cost?”

If it is Betts for players, then Marsh + someone else is probably the minimum ante Bloom will accept. He would need to bring in a key talent to justify trading Betts.

If it is Betts and Price, then the ask may be lower, but there is the risk of carrying the dead weight of Price’s contract through 2021-22 , when Betts a memory by then. The more the Red Sox contribute to offset some of Price’s contract, the bigger the expected return in talent. There is no way to make this be a zero-pain transaction.

As I noted elsewhere: If the current estimated payroll of the Red Sox is the ending payroll, then their overage is approximately $22M, and the 50% CBT tax they pay as three-time offenders means a $11M tax penalty. Trading Betts alone with his $27M salary would reset the Sox CBT At 0%, and that $11M saved should be part of any GM’s calculation in a deal.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
4 years ago

Click, Click, Click, no mot a camera clicking but a New GM for Cheatstros, and he say’s “No cameras please”.

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago

Matt Joyce to the NL. Good, now he can leave us alone for a season. Unless …

Designerguy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

When Joyce was playing for the A’ss, I went to a game at the sewage treatment plant (aka the Coliseum). I’m sitting close first base in a section full of Angels fans. Joyce pops up to second and the guy behind me yells, “Just like old times, eh Joyce?” Everyone in the section is cracking up.

As Joyce is heading back to the dugout, he throws a dirty look towards us, which makes us laugh harder.

Good times.

zlp
zlp
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

naturally the year the Angels play the NL East. So don’t worry, we’ll get to see him at least a little!

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  zlp

Damn

Designerguy
Super Member
4 years ago

OT: At first glance I thought this was an unauthorized biography…

IMG_0943.jpg
eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

I see they didn’t pay for Getty Image. That thoing has too much coverage, and is way too new looking.

Designerguy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

It ain’t the age it’s the mileage.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

😐

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Only a year?

Designerguy
Super Member
4 years ago

This is the key that lets the world know it’s fake. If one is only going to do it for a year, why bother?

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago

Did Taijuan Walker find a home yet? Maybe we can get him on a minor league deal? Depth and competition in ST is good, right?

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

Nope. He’s still out there. Knowing we have Callaway makes it an even more intriguing idea.

GeoKaplan8
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Honestly, nobody knows what goes on with negotiations for players like Walker. It’s possible that Eppler (and others) have offered MiLB contracts with an invitation, but the agent for Walker is holding out for a guaranteed MLB deal. Perspectives and principles change as the calendar marches on, so I am sure he will find a home in the next month.

I would think a 6-man rotation like the Angels would be ideal for a pitcher like Walker who clearly needs to manage his workload for at least 2020, but I am not his agent and frankly I don’t know how aggressive the Angels might have been with him, too.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  GeoKaplan8

Pure speculation but he likely has a litany of minor league offers and is holding out in hopes one turns into a big league offer. If that doesn’t happen soon, he’ll need to pick a team he thinks he can make.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Well, we should have a good chance then. Presuming the rumors I saw floating around that he failed physicals with both Arizona and Seattle aren’t true (and that his shoulder is shot).

The more potentially above average arms we have, the better our chances. Raising the floor.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago

Agreed. He’d be battling a lot of guys with options remaining: Sandoval, Suarez, Barria, Peters. That would make his path a little easier here than in a place where he’d have to unseat a starter.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

You mean to tell me a 40+ year old first baseman isn’t at the top of fantasy lists?

This is an outrage, sir. We can’t let this stand. No, really, we can’t let him stand at first. He’s terrible.

Any chance Briceno beats Stassi out for backup catcher? If memory serves, he wasn’t terrible. Though Stassi’s defense is probably valued more.

Cannot wait to see Adell and Marsh with the team.

NoBolognaPolonia
Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

He might be low on the fantasy baseball rankings, but who does everyone turn to for Matlock trivia? And who always has the best selection of hard candies in their fanny pack? These are called intangibles, friend. Things Bill James could never understand.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

He may not get on base often, but when he does he has a Werthers Original for you.

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago

Training for Spring Training – morning quiz – time to activate your brain cells and see if you’re ready!
Quick – which Angels are wearing these #s this month? (hint – all on the 40-man roster)
25
4
6
15
22
23
25
33
35
43
48
49

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

My brain cells can’t even spell check today. Wait. So the new guy is sticking with 15? WTF.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

Yeah, an average catcher on a 1 year deal should not be allowed to wear Salmon’s #.

rspencer
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

I completely agree, especially considering that up until now no one since Salmon has worn it.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Fletcher gave Rendon 6 and moved to 25, I think.

RexFregosi
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

22. Walsh is 25

Brent
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

I was told there would be no math involved here.

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Brent

Cheat sheets. Five Dollahs. Git yah Cheat Sheets.