Welcome to the third annual installment of the “If I Were Perry Minasian” series. In order to rosterbate responsibly, we will use the following guidelines.
- Payroll is to be $210 Million so you have $38.4 Million to spend.
- No trading Ohtani
- No contracts longer than three years
- Use either MLBTR’s estimated free agent salaries or their counterparts at Fangraphs
- You can clear roster space by non-tendering players
- Run all trades through the trade simulator at Baseball Trade Values dot com
(Un)fortunately for all of us, Perry actually did something rather early as fast. Two things actually. So instead of ignoring that, I will give 2 versions of my piece, one where I took over NOW and one where I had the whole offseason.
What Perry Did
I will still assume we have the 38M budget. This means that after Perry did things I take over and finish what he started.
And traded for Gio Urshela 1/9.2 (assumption on ARB case)
There is 16M left give or take a few K. It is not much. There are a few things I could do. I could get another SP. I could focus on bullpen, or the OF. Getting more than a couple of guys would be tricky, especially with the little money left. So, I went for a trade.
I have liked Kelly for years now and both he and Walker will be sell highs for Arizona. Is this a trap? Possibly, but, I was working on the trade before all this happened so I just did it.
- Ward RF
- Ohtani DH
- Trout CF
- Walker 1B
- Rendon 3B
- Urshela SS
- Walsh LF
- Stassi C
- Fletcher 2B
- Ohtani
- Sandoval
- Anderson
- Kelly
- Suarez
- Detmers
- Herget
- Barria
- Wantz
- Quijada
- Loup
- Weiss
- Soriano
- Tepera
- Adell OF
- Rengifo SS/2B/3B
- Moniak OF
- O’Hoppe C
Walsh, Adell, Moniak, and others may be switching around in the OF depending on what is going on and such. Also, Walsh will be at 1B sometimes and a few players are more UTL than actual set positions.
This trade bolsters the offense, gets another solid arm in the rotation, and pushes the depth down. Overall, I liked what IRL Perry did so far, so this was just to cap it off really. But, I think I can do better.
If I had Free Reign
Arizona Trade but BIGGER
First of all I have an even bigger trade with Arizona. Trade for Walker, Kelly, and Rojas. This cost 18.2M for the budget. Arizona is, again going to be selling high on their guys, and this way they will be getting the Angels best hitting prospect. For the Angels, this solidifies the IF and adds a rotation arm, all of which will not be one year rentals.
Bye Ward, Loup, and Tepera
Next, I don’t trust Ward, at all. He had a great couple of months before hurting himself and is someone who does not put the team first in a very public way. His value has never been higher, so capitalizing on that now is crucial. But who would buy him? Someone desperate to win now.
By trading Ward, Loup, and Tepera to the Padres, the Angels salary dump about 17M or so and sell high on Ward, and the Padres get what they hope is another bat that can theoretically play multiple positions, as well as 2 bounce back relievers. Money is no object when the goal is to beat the Dodgers.
That money can now be used to buy a bullpen arm, just one though.
Hello Jansen
Signing Jansen to a 2/26M deal gets a closer and only 2 years means that if he falls off a cliff, well, it isn’t the worst thing.
But we also now have a hole in the OF, while Walsh can cover, having Trout being the only trustworthy OF is worrying. Plus, another SP won’t hurt. Now, who has an OF and is known for selling players?
Cleveland is still Cleveland
Actually, Rosario is a better SS than OF, so I guess Rojas should be in the OF instead. These utility players have uses and this team now has quite a few. Cal Q is also a nice arm to add to the rotation. All for 15M.
That leaves 10M left to add things. However, instead of using it now, saving the money for a mid season add would be better.
My 2023 Angels
- Ohtani DH
- Trout CF
- Rojas LF
- Walker 1B
- Walsh RF
- Rendon 3B
- Rosario SS
- Stassi C
- Fletcher 2B
- Ohtani
- Sandoval
- Quantrill
- Suarez
- Kelly
- Detmers
- Jansen CL
- Herget
- Barria
- Wantz
- Quijada
- Weiss
- Soriano
Bench
- Adell OF
- Soto SS/2B/3B
- Moniak OF
- O’Hoppe C
- Rengifo SS/3B/2B
This means this team would have 3 players who can play IF and OF on the team, although their OF ability is less reliable. Plus, a ton of options to play the infield when someone gets hurt. It was a lot of trading that happened, and assumptions were made, but I think this team would do well.
What do you think? What would you do if you were Perry? Submit your entry soon before the Platypus does something again.
I submitted my IIWPM but I think I submitted a 25 man roster because I counted Ohtani twice. This is not because I’m stupid. Nor did I make a mistake. I just value Ohtani properly because no one has ever seen anyone do what he does. Think I’m wrong? You’re wrong!
Also, I like these ideas just fine. It shakes stuff up and adds pitching, which I am totally into. The Kelly/Rojas/Walker/Rosario/Quantril pick up is a group that I think could really upgrade the complete team. The only thing is I’m loath to sacrifice Quero…. but you gotta give to get.
My only issue is Jansen. He’s not bad by any stretch, but I have also noticed that every team that pays him closer money always winds up going out and getting a closer midseason the last few years. That’s lame. On top of that…. man, that’s a weak ass bullpen. I guess you think Loup’s done and our feels regarding Tepera outweigh his stats. But giving up Ward to get some OK prospects and be rid of these guys to get Jansen? Is that any better than just signing a guy like Chris Martin and trusting that Loup, Tepera and some rookie will be solid this year?
I hate bullpens.
might have to bring him back, but he’s coming off, at least from a BA stand point a good year, so he might cost more this time around, Maddy was the driving force behind getting rid of him in 2021, and his scathing pressers about him back in May 2021. So don’t know if he would wanna come back here even if we could afford him. Of course we don’t know if his wife Arlene hates or likes Newport Beach and Mutt Lynch’s either…….. 😆 😂 😜
Come on Toots. For once you need to get off your lazy ass and actually do some research. You would find that Iglesias’ defense was beyond attrocious in 2021. he was unequivocally the worst defensive shortstop in all of baseball according to the Fielding Bible. If Maddon was indeed the culprit well then he deserves praise for flushing this turd. Iggy’s defense was only marginally better in 2022. I know you’re all orgasmic because you saw his .292 batting average ( probably one of the few baseball stats you even comprehend) but his 2022 OPS was near his career average of .701 and the 2022 league average of .706.
We need to do better with someone who can actually catch the ball especially with the elimination of the shift next year .
Toots brings up a good conundrum we will likely continue to face unless an owner sugardaddies us a star shortstop to go with our other three 30M a year players and the other 30M a year pitcher we will need as well as our 18M closer.
Iggy. He’s meh, but it at least looks like he gets hits every now and again. When you look at our line up listed out with him (and Fletcher) in it it doesn’t make you feel ashamed and avoid eye contact with the voices in your head… even if, in reality, they are both pretty damn weak.
BUT, at least they aren’t an auto-out like Squid. Iggy has meh defense now. Why? He used to be really good. But he came to the Angels, got our “Arte did it, gotta be wrong, I hate my dad” fan JuJu all over him, now he’s meh. Squid is very very good defensively. So good that he can hit .190 and still have a higher WAR than Iggy did last year. If he looked like David Fletcher we’d be wild about that defense. But ung…. that bat. Even if he could just get to like a .290 OBP he could Tim Foli his way to some serious value… but, ung…. he just makes us look bad even if his value is pretty solid.
So what do we choose as an FO? Well, we are doing what a lot of pretty good teams have done. We are willing to risk selling out some defense for pretty reliable offensive output. Gio may not be all that bad at SS, but he’s surely not going to be fantastic or he’d already play there a lot. But he will hit, at least until our soul crushing JuJu gets to him. He will also, almost certainly, not be at SS all the time and better defensive players will be there who can’t hit.
But is this the right call? Which would we rather be stuck with? It’s a toughy.
Because he was a real life genius (Nash Equilibrium).
💪 💪 👈 👈
meet our new closer for 2023……..at least he should be!!!
💪 💪 💪 💪 💪 👈 👈 👈 👈
Why?
Still waiting to hear why you want to take one of the best young starters in all of baseball and turn him into a closer…
Because I’m not a flat earth belief weirdo..
80%ers are afraid of the Pacific Ocean and of falling into space still. I am certain there will be a mass wailing and mourning when the current owner and his legion of incompetent, but loyal jesters leaves to relocate to the Glendale AZ area. No more high draft picks that end up being 7th round level utility role players.……..BYE!!!!! web site for 80%ers when that sad day comes Go back to making candles like Cotton Mather wanted….. 😆
https://www.bucsdugout.com/
I thought bullpens WERE SUPER SUPER SUPER IMPORTANT…….see CTPG Faithful 6 months ago until 14 happened! Now the wreckage of 2022 and now all of suddenly we’ve turned a 180……
I keep running circles around 80%ers 😂
So who’s gonna be our closer anyway? Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera, Jose Quijada? 😆 😂
Pass
Is this idea gonna be part of YOUR IIWPM? Can’t wait to see it.
yep, because if 80%ers hate it then it will work like a charm.
Never believe a 80%er about anything.
I can’t remember, did we do any 40-man roster changes to accommodate Gio? Were we not at 40?
We dumped Jhonathon Diaz so we’re still at 40.
https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/angels
Interesting as always.
Versatility is nice. That’s what I’m shooting for but you have more.
Outfield defense would be rough. Rotation is really, really nice. Bullpen probably gets some Trash Panda reinforcements as the year goes on.
not if Sandoval’s our closer see my comment above
also Eric Gagne, Dennis Eckersley, K-Rod, Don Aase…..all started out as starters in a alternative universe.
Given the fact no one else has said anything, apparently I’m the only one who cannot see any of the trades above. Oh well.
And what did Ward do wrong? I can’t remember.
He’s one of the few Angels who has any significant trade value.
Being traded FROM the Angels is no banishment… see one Marsh, Brandon.
Taylor Ward was unable to go to Toronto due to his vaccination status. As were Loup and Tepera.
Just facts, not looking to start the old debate here.
OK, I was just trying to understand the “someone who does not put the team first in a very public way” comment in the article.
Obviously he doesn’t care about the team then.
Angels get some guy/s, give up some guy/s. I’ll have to switch to the laptop to read who.
He made many fielding misplays off the wall.
He’ll never win a GG at any position you put him. Plus he’s a catcher by trade so he already lacks the range and athleticism to play in the outfield.
Interesting and Creative work JHW. I also like the fact that you give us multiple options. But theres Nothing like gutting the farm system to get a little longer in the tooth.
Is this the return of the 1982 Angels? What could go wrong?
Having talked with a friend in the organization – they are way higher on Neto than the Trade Value ranking and see him as potentially just a year away. They think he’s that good.
It seems that a more realistic option then would be to pursue a shortstop on only a 1 or 2 year commitment. Any ideas?
A few options:
Get a true second baseman and let Fletcher hold down the fort. Maybe Segura for a year or two or a trade for Kolten Wong
Trade for Ahmed Rosario who only has a year left on his deal.
Trade for Joey Wendle to create a Fletcher/Rengifo/Wendle hybrid up the middle.
Hope Soto can do over a full season what he did over a months.
Sign Jose Iglesias for a year.
None of these are truly great options, but they are options.
I wouldn’t mind Segura. I looked at it. But he’s not an FA yet and I think he may actually cost more than we can swing while getting other guys.
Welp he’s a free agent now. And with his buyout, he’s a million dollars richer. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10049038-jean-seguras-17m-contract-option-for-2023-season-declined-by-phillies
All great options with the exception of Iggy. I dont think I could stomach another year of that. I also wouldn’t mind signing Jean Segura to a one year deal if we can make the dollars work.
If we do want to take a chance on Soto we still have Squid either as a late inning replacement or as insurance at AAA. But with 12 position players (excluding Ohtani that gives us 4 bench spots. One will go to Gio, Another to Stassi, I would think another will go to a fourth outfielder who can spell Trout in Center so that leaves one spot for Squid or Soto (both have Minor league options) or the not yet acquired Mr X. But Don’t forget though, that Matt Thaiss is out of options so unless they run him through waivers Gio or Rengifo becomes the backup Shortstop and Fletch gets the starting nod. If the Angels elect to jettison Thaiss than Squid rides the pine for late innings or young Soto will probably get most Shortstop starts
Ya, Thaiss gone before the end of spring training, if not traded earlier
Don’t know how much weight I’d place on this. Insiders always talk their book. It’s how it is.
Interesting. I’ve had my eye on Josh Rojas for a couple of years now. He’s a good player.
i like these concepts – its ALL about 2023 so sell the farm now.
PerryPlus says we also get Trea Turner too
BTW, I like the Halos/Haniger buzz, but the Blew Crew are involved in the process, so we probably lose out.
The Doyers may be waiting to see what happens with Judge so maybe Perry can continue to strike early and use that to his advantage ?
Indeed.
Here would be my “If I was Perry” two cents: Regarding the 2023 Halos lineup and batting order, I’d act as if Rendon was not going to be available (Pavlov response) and count on someone else (Urshela?) playing there all, or most, of the year.
Yes, I know fiscally and organizationally this cannot be done, but we can all count on Rendon not playing more that 25% or less of a quality level of ML games.
Pavlov? A bell rings and Angel fans salivate?
No, Rendon plays and the trainer stretches to go jog out to get him.
for Rendon…… 😆