LA Angels Monday News Crash: ZIPS Time

The 2022 ZIPS projection for the Angels is out. Our takeaway message from ZIPS time: apparently the Angels are either going to be fairly good or really bad.

Here is one for 2002heaven. The Angels get an F for their 2013 draft class. Bonus grumbling points for the lack of a first round pick due to the signing of Josh Hamilton.

Now for the card tricks involving Mike Trout, Justin Upton, Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo.

Here is video of Honus Wagner (at 59) playing some ball. It looks like he had a pretty level swing. You can tell he loved to play the game.

First baseman Chris Gittens has signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Amir Garrett is back on Twitter, although he is still not a fan of the internet tough guys wishing death on his wife and child.

Caitlyn Callahan is the first in-uniform female coach in Pirates history.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Designerguy
Super Member
matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Ah, but he carries his weight in his hips, Trout is all neck.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Betcha he could eat Trout for breakfast.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

KBO and NPB signing of guys I never heard of is getting more love than guys like Luis Ledo and Osmy Gregorio signing Minor League contracts

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

We should hire “Solomon the magician” to run the entire organization.

……….maybe he could make Upton’s contract disappear.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

What not hire Mandrake? Preposterous!

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

I’d prefer Zatanna…

comment image

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

hire Shlomo the magician……stupid spellcheck.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

The 2013 draft was atrocious. I remember Hunter Greene having some promise but when the highlights of the draft are Key and Hermasillo, you had a bad draft.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Don’t know why the Nationals got a D and we got an F.

Middleton was a better bullpen piece than Austin Voth

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

Some of the grades look to be pretty subjective. The Nats deserve an F.

The Reds likely deserve the same grade as the Cubs. They got Mahle and Lorenzen plus turned Shed Long into Sonny Gray. I’d take that every day.

Meanwhile the Cubs get an A when really they just drafted Bryant. He was great, but he’s just one guy.

Clearly they put an emphasis on star power rather than overall contribution to the club.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

That is some phenomenal stuff on Wagner. He was clearly the greatest shortstop of his era but there’s so little footage of him playing. Great find.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago

looking for photos of Honus Wagner as a young man (he was once!) I came across an extremely irritating article with the premise that Jeter was no-doubt obviously vastly superior. It was one of those “why didn’t the Wright Brothers invent the jet plane if they were so smart?” articles.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Jeter was vastly superior to Wagner. Wagner played when fields were not maintained like they became after WW2. There were fewer teams at the turn of the 1900’s and the opposing teams knew player’s better. Infielders like Wagner had the advantage of smaller gloves and therefore less weight to carry around. Getting on base in the dead ball era was easier too because the ball traveled further. Very few pitchers from the dead ball era are in the HOF. Wagner had a huge advantage because the air in Pittsburgh was cleaner than New York.

Other than Yankee fans and/or idiots does anyone not chuckle when reading something like that piece. Jeter was a great player and I have a son that played SS and Jeter was his fav when growing up. But trying to compare players that played about 100 years apart is impossible, but even not seeing Wagner play, how many people outside of NY would say Jeter was better than Wagner. Besides whom between the two has the highest valued baseball card? Lots of laughs at stupid stuff.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

What’s next? You’re gonna tell us Mike Schmidt was better than Craig Nettles or Scott Brosius? Don’t be so square daddy’o Wagner only had almost twice the WAR of Jeter, but Jeter most likely has ten times the herpes.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

Gift Baskets for the Win!

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago

Perry hiring another buddy from the Blue Jays.

https://twitter.com/elliottbaseball/status/1475169097528786946

Maybe Perry or one of his other Buddies was also the guy who pushed for signing VG Jr?

DMAGZ13
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

This draft will be the most important of Perry’s tenure. He basically just looked only at pitching this year to fulls need, move the pitching philosophy into a new direction and also start some goodwill with the fans. If you draft 20, hopefully like 3-4 become something. But this draft he’s gotta fill every position in the org. They need BPA every round. Look g at fan graphs assessment of our farm, we may not have one position player make it to the mlb level .

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  DMAGZ13

Precisely why I disliked Perry’s last draft. Just looking across the diamond, the corner, OF and C spots have little to no depth. Why go a year without pegging a couple of promising players? Did he fail to even scout position players? Not sure. It just feels like this the whole 20-pitcher draft was a clown show to prove to the fanbase he really does care about pitching, as he bellowed at his introductory presser. Perhaps if he had acquired competent arms at the start of last year, he would have not have felt the urge to draft all pitchers, relief arms at that.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I can understand people not liking the last draft, but based on the rather unique situation the Angels are in, I am quite happy with it. We need a bullpen and some starters for what is left of the Trout/Ohtani/Rendon window.

Now that we have some projectible arms in the system to team with the boom or bust guys like Adams, Paris, and Jackson, it is time to build a real system.

Looking at the prospect list there’s a real lack of high floor guys and overall talent on the diamond at AA and AAA. This might be a good draft for some college guys early.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I’ve been compiling links for some weekend stuff, might as well keep unloading them.

I’m not the prospect guru but this looks to be a good year for college catching and bats. With the Angels picking 9th overall, there should be plenty of guys from the list I link here and the one above available. And, of course, players will rise and fall through the year.

If we can nab a Berry, Susac, Parada, or Lee in the first round next year I think we’d immediately add our #1 position player, probably #1 overall prospect and continue to go BPA the remainder of the draft.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Correction: we draft 13th next year.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

ok, I was shocked at that 9th. Now I remember that we got locked in near the end. This must include the Mets Rocker compensation pick.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

This is great opportunity. There are a lot of potential top catching prospects that we can pick up from this draft and convert into another position.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I’m sure we’ll draft some position players, but I still hope we draft pitching heavily. It’s easier to trade for position players or prospects from an abundance of pitching than anything else. Catchers, yes, very much. But with 1B, DH, CF, OF, 2B and 3B locked up for the future, Stassi extendable at C the main position needs I see are another OF (we still have a ton of those on the farm, we can draft more, but we may also see a Knowles/Adams break out.) and SS, where we are also not actually all that thin on prospects (Jackson, Vera, Soto, Paris).

I want prospects as much as the next guy, but our system, in various ways, has already filled 5 of 8 positions the last few years if Adell/Marsh start…. plus Trout I guess, technically. All this from the worsest farm system since Mao’s great leap forward killed a couple dozen million people.

So yeah, draft a couple really talented college players, a catcher or two, but if you get bored, look around and the various top prospects who are blocked at positions… then imagine we had Suarez and a couple other Detmers level pitching prospects we could live without…. getting a young LF wouldn’t be a problem. We could also stand to get some really strong bench depth out of our system too.

We also need to just fixate less on farm rankings. Sure, I’d love to be #1, but I’m also beginning to think they matter as much as ranking the hottest girls at Ol’Miss University. No one seems all that good at divining how they’ll be at age 35.

Let me kill your suspense. 10 out of 10 are hot now, 8 out of 10 of them will look like me with a wig on in 10 years.

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago

I agree re drafting pitching unless an absolute stud position player falls to the Angels. And I also agree that stud prospect probably only has a 10% chance of producing at the MLB level. It’s such a crapshoot that prospects really only are good for discussion on chatboards such as this one, and ranking farm systems does little other than to create anger and unnecessary emotional panty twisting in the fan base of those teams with systems ranked lower than 12th.

Finally, I agree that young pitchers carry a premium re trade value so why not draft as many as possible. They can always be traded for position players.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

I’ll never complain about drafting pitching and if the guy Perry and Co. think is best at #13 is a pitcher. Cool.

But looking at the overall picture, I think if Perry and Co. had their druthers, a stud college position player who can move up quickly would be it. It would be mine.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

The Angels have been focused heavily on drafting arms in past 5 years. Just not in the first three rounds or so. I’m sure he just went into the draft with only pitchers being ranked. That seems irresponsible to me. Now, Perry signs Thor on a 1-yr, pitch/innings limit, lost compensation pick and $.5M international money to get him. Signs Lorenzen to start, having not done so in 5-6 years and overpaid for Iglesias. I get the Rasiel move, don’t like the 4th year but I get it. Having failed to land a top tier starter, he needed to not lose his best option in the bullpen to save face.. The needle moved but not nearly enough to challenge the division leaders. Perry’s tenure is on the clock.

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Can you really say that Perry is done for this off-season when the off-season is not happening right now?

DMAGZ13
Trusted Member
2 years ago

So according to Correa’s Christmas photo, they’re Angels fans? I do t know how to link but it’s in Twitter …

Last edited 2 years ago by DMAGZ13
Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DMAGZ13

That was posted last night in the last thread. It likely means nothing…..errr I hope it means nothing.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

It better mean nothing. But the history of Wells, Hambone, Matsui, etc., has me nervous.I hope The Cubs sign Correa 15 minutes after the lockout ends.

LanaBanana
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Speaking of the lockout ending…..what’s the latest? I’ve heard nothing.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  LanaBanana

Latest I have heard is that they start discussing “financial aspects” of the new CBA agreement as early as sometime next week. This will be the drawn out slog part of the process. I look for some sort of minimum spending on players clause to force the hand of the couple owners who pocket money for revenue sharing, and maybe the salary cap goes to 230 to 240m range for this season with escalations the following season. But that is just basic framework that I’m thinking of. There is still a lot of other issues just pertaining to the financial side that need to be addressed. It would have been nice if they addressed these issue in 2020 when they had time because of the pandemic, but no, procrastinate and hope the other side blinks in their game of “chicken”.

LanaBanana
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Thanks!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  steelgolf

Hammer out the thick topics, ignore all the players with less than 5 years service time cause Dues, then get down to the really important stuff like bunk beds on the team planes, more avocado toast in the post game spread, satin slippers and large screen TVs at every locker, and every player with a 10M per year contract and above gets a beautiful gay boy in a toga following him around whispering “Thou art loved… thou art loved….”.

The players must demand safe working conditions.

LanaBanana
Super Member
2 years ago

Ha! Sounds reasonable.

DMAGZ13
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Oh thanks I missed that. Well, it is very odd…

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DMAGZ13

Considering that everybody’s a Shohei & Trout fan, I don’ think this is odd at all. Now we just need to figure out how do we get this to translate into getting more quality free agents to join the Angels.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DMAGZ13

If it means going over the cap and still locating pitching, bring him on as it means that we will win more high scoring games with Correa’s bat and have very good “D” at the same time then go for it. Time to win it all is now.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Grandpa are you dumb? What $ is used for Shohei? Correa can’t pitch. Funny stuff. So Correa and Rendone over Shohei and pitching, best to re-think this stuff Grandpa, Arte can’t afford players like the Dodgers can. Maybe you’ve had too much Eggnog and Canadian Rye. I crack myself up, lol.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

^^^^^^^^So much This!!!

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago

Is Grandpa really arguing with Grandpa? My money’s now on Grandpa.

Last edited 2 years ago by Cowboy26
red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

No, I think Grandpa will kick Grandpa’s ass.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Zips projection cannot be taken seriously, but it does have Fletcher leading the team in hits again. Go Fletch!

Hmm, can we talk? Not until the New Year you say…..OK, we’ll get back to you then and you have a great week….. Each side waiting thinking that they alone have the hammer. Even if they don’t become aware of this fact until later rather than sooner it is the fans who have the hammer.

Snow shoveling is overrated, yup, I know that wet heavy snow that freezes over night, is really hard to deal with. As a result, every nerve, tendon, bone and muscle are going to scream at you all night long reminding you how cheap you are in not hiring someone considerably younger to do the hard part and thinking that you can still as Larry says “Get ‘er dun.”

I think Upton gets released after Spring Training just like Albert did.

GPB out.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago

Well, I think we will have to see how Upton’s back feels. When healthy at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 he was raking. We don’t have to reach back three years to see good J-up, we just need his lumbar strain to have healed.

If so, we have 4 OF in the mix with Ward as the 5th on the bench. But I agree, he is on a short leash, and Perry has shown willingness to pull the trigger even with a big contract (though maybe Upton is willing to take the bench/PH role that Pujols was not satisfied with).

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

With a good back and paying 15 million maybe we can send him packing, you think?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Turf Toe… Lumbar strain…. the guy specializes in injuries that just plain take FOREVER to heal all the way. Next up, torn bicep.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

Plantar Fasciitis!

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Fletch will continue to be an enigma. His 2021 stats reflecting swinging at a lot more first pitches, and hitting more flyballs than grounders. He has little power to speak off, so if he’s not hitting the ball on the ground he’s destined to have prolonged slumps.

On the field, Fletch was a better defensive 2B than at SS.

Since he has grit in his blood, he’ll be in the starting lineup. He’s a nice guy to have on the team as a utility player and fan favorite.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago

Was he pressing towards the end of the season, as one of the few players still standing?

milehigh5366
Newbie
2 years ago

Hmm, if I were Joe Maddon during Spring Training. Maybe a series like “If I were Perry…”

If I were Joe during ST (with a nudge from Perry), I’d have as many split squad ST games as I could and play Upton in LF and bat leadoff in all of them. Put strain on him and see what happens. If he stays healthy and hits leadoff like he did during the stretch he did during 2021 season, good. If he is injured and can’t make opening day, then it’s the same as 2021, a loss you already dealt with.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Good Morning Ya’ll, playing or using you Christmas gift? I will be too although is a bit cloudy to say just when as the container at the port was taken to a satellite lot to wait distribution. That someway is linked to logistics in shipping lingo, to me it is called a cluster fuck and we will find your production soon as we open that container, no worries, mate. Now this is funny stuff and funnier still was it was ordered before Halloween. But the product has no expiration date, nor will it melt, lots of laughs. Now back to the Angels and Baseball….