Angels sign Brandon Drury for 2/17M

Brandon Drury, who spent last season with the Reds and Padres, has signed with the Angels for 2 years and 17 million dollars.

Yet another INF

The utility man had a great 2022 and will be playing all over the diamond this next year with the Halos. It is a bit of a risk, as the former Red and Padre has been bouncing around the majors since 2015 due to being a below average player.

However, if he does repeat his 2022 performance, where he went .263/.320/.492 with 28 bombs, he could be worth it. After all, he has over 100 games in the OF as well as 3B and 3B with another 48 at 1B and 11 at SS.

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Omahalo22
Member
1 year ago

Cool, I guess. Utility players are awesome. Thanks Perry.

cookmeister
Trusted Member
1 year ago

I’m fine with the signing, just wish Drury was a lefty lol

We have a lot of position flexibility for sure, but not a whole lot of handed-ness flexibility. If Walsh isn’t back to start the season, Ohtani and Rengifo are the only lefties (and Rengifo is a poor lefty hitter)

HalosFanForLife
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Drury awesome. But I propose a trade. Arte for Cohen.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago

Ha! So true.

The Angels seemingly need a SS. But they have signed and traded for players who don’t play SS. That’s obviously because FA shortstops cost too much for the team’s liking.

It’s like you really need a car but can only afford a bicycle. You can convince yourself the bicycle will get you where you need to go. But wait til you try to drive it on the freeway.

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

Wow, Correa to the Mets.

I have to admit, I wish we’d have Cohen as our owner.

You can’t really complain about being stuck with bad contracts if the owner will just go nuts and sign anyone he wants anyway.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

Correa to play 3B for the Mets, because, well, Lindor.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
1 year ago

Maybe Baty is available when they come for Ohtani

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2GA2Join

Better hope the insane burning of cash to win off seasons never ends…. that team’s gonna be over the tax for close to a decade and Cohen can decide he needs to “change tack” or some other bullshitist term for not spending on something anymore at any point. All he has to do is suddenly give a shit about pissing away hundreds of millions of dollars and the Mets are fked for years.

And there are plenty of ways that can happen…. for example, his clown plan for buying the team but not buying the RSN the team makes it’s TV money from.

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

I am kind of finding it amusing that we entered the off-season with SS being the biggest hole, and we’ve signed or pursued players that play pretty much every position besides SS.

steelgolf
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

TrAdition. I remember when they really needed starting pitchers, so they went out and signed …….. Josh Hamilton, for a position that they already had coverage for. And they actually made the team worse by making that move.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

Correct – 4 second basemen/third basemen does not equal 1 shortstop.

tommyshalo
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Pure championshipness from Perry.
comment image

Now maybe turn one of the INF into a 5thSP type?

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  tommyshalo

Oh good. I’m glad we’re not listening to this Perry .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKQ9–_ZgB4

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Better than a trade for the other Brandon in SF. Maybe last year was a fluke, but his #s are trending in the right direction. He’s 5 years younger. And he’s half the cost.

steelgolf
Super Member
1 year ago

Eh, let’s see how he does in spring training and the first 2 months. Maybe he has figured out something at the plate. My first reaction to the news of this signing was “ At least it’s not Andrus”.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  steelgolf

*Not yet anyways

steelgolf
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Don’t jinx it!

steelgolf
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

And no Profar either.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 year ago

As it stands, the positional flexibility on this roster is the best I’ve seen.

We could see a ton of different lineups.

FungoAle
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

That’s never good, right?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Thing is I still don’t understand who plays SS or is depth in CF cause it’s not Drury. Drury is low impact Gio Urshela. He’ll still likely be better than Mayfield type stuff but….

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago

ASL?

WallyChuckChili
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Angelz4ever

Any Single Ladies?

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago

Maybe now Rengifo can be trade fodder (One of a couple) for a SS. 28 HRs is nothing to relegate to part-time. Of course, now we know who will play the majority of 3B in 2023 for the Halos, that would be Drury of course.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Angelz4ever

Ummmmm…. that’s 28 HR playing for the Reds…. so 20 in real life.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

I guess thats about right. lifetime he has 1 HR per every 20.5 PAs at the Great American while averaging 1 HR per every 27.8 PAs everywhere else.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago

20 > Rengifo

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

The Muffin Man lives on his lane

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

I can find no prior reference to Drury as the Muffin Man yet that shall now be the name by which he is known

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

comment image

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

Great. another RHB who crushes left handers but is very pedestrian against Righties.

Last year’s monster season seems to be a product of the Great American Riverboat Park as Drury was Superman in the Nati but really kind of Meh every where else.

Awungsauce
Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Drury’s “pedestrian” numbers vs righties is still much better than the Mayfields, MacKinnons, Fords, Wades, and Duffys that we used last year.

max
Trusted Member
max
1 year ago
Reply to  Awungsauce

this is what 2/17 gets you, tho? hope he does well

FungoAle
Super Member
1 year ago

Still without a SS. Drury is fine but Urshela is kind of the same player. Drury and Urshela is an improved version of the 2022 dynamic duo of Mayfield and Duffy.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Urshela plays much better defense, doesn’t strike out as much and generally has much less of a severe platoon split.

Drury is more like a slow footed but more powerful version of Rengifo.

FungoAle
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Same positions, slow footed one has a bit higher batting average and one has a little more pop when he hits. As I said, fine with it but need good starter at SS.

Last edited 1 year ago by FungoAle
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

There’s no room at the inn for just adding a shortstop without subtracting someone unless one of Fletch, Gio, Rengifo or Drury can be our main backup centerfielder. I doubt MNT will play more than 130 games after the WBC this year.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  FungoAle

Dang it, missed your comment. Exactly right, I said the same thing, and I actually like Drury. I just don’t see how he answers any of our questions.

tanana40
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

much improved.

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
1 year ago

The Angels bench was a miserable thing last year, with a deficit of power in particular. That seems to be one thing Minasian has really sought to improve this season. If you have a bench with Urshela, Drury and Rengifo on it, you know you always have a chance to hit one out of the park late in games.

It makes me wonder if they have a trade in the works for a glove-first SS with some power/speed potential. Jorge Mateo seems like an obvious choice. Atrocious plate discipline, but Velazquez level defense, with much more upside. Given the SS depth chart is long, but distinctly underwhelming, I could see that being a move.

One thing’s for sure: they’re very unconfident in Rendon’s and Walsh’s health at present, and don’t have much faith in Rengifo or Fletcher either.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

I was thinking the same thing . Is Drury here to make Rengifo expendable? (Albeit at more than 3 times the cost)

MarineLayer
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

I think this is the best explanation for this puzzling move.

Biggiswrth
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

They already have one of those named Squid…

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 year ago

So now we have MLB caliber players on the depth chart.

We can now handle an injury or two without playing waiver claims.

Nice.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Drury is a league average or worse player who had a heck of a season last year and has cashed in. I agree he does add MLB depth. I’m just not sure he is appreciably better than the depth the Halos had without him. Rengifo is arguably better. But I guess $8.5 million per season is now cheap. It makes Fletchers contract look pretty good!

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

8.5M AAV is a 1 WAR player. The Angels basically paid him to deliver the value across two seasons that he did in one last year. Seems a not unreasonable bet.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

You sure you adjusted for inflation in that number? 2023 is upon us and baseball salaries are skyrocketing

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Here’s a good analysis of WAR values between 2018-2022:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/what-are-teams-paying-per-war-in-free-agency/

$8.5M per win was exactly what 2+ WAR players were paid on average in 2022.

And Drury was actually a 3 fWAR player in 2022, so it’s not like the Angels are paying him with the expectation that 2022 was the norm. They’re basically paying him like he’s not quite a regular, but a decent bench guy – which is what he’ll probably be.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

This is usually the case. Still, I can complain as though we’re paying him for a 3 WAR season though right? Bring up his career year every week ,etc? That IS why he’s here correct?

Awungsauce
Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

League average is still better than the opening day cleanup hitter, Matt Duffy.

JackFrost
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Yeah, hopefully they keep Rengifo. The depth looks great in that case …

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Indeed

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Except at the positions of SS and CF.

Angelstan
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Drury’s history is odd. But his versatility combined with his play last year gives room for hope. The money is a bit larger than hoped. However it is only two years and he can play so many positions that he fits in well.

Let’s hope the Angels get the “good” Drury and not the other version. His confidence should be up and presumably he is healthy which he may not have been in prior years.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Angelstan

Odd is one way to put it. League average or worse until 2022 is another way.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago

Wow! The cost of depth has gone up! Overall, in this market, it’s not a terrible deal. He can play 3B, 2B and outfield. So he is a decent guy to have in a lengthy season. But to put things in perspective- he was a 2.6 WAR player last year and has 2.0 WAR TOTAL for his 6 year career (rest of his career was a -.6 WAR). So he truly had his BEST season last year and he has taken advantage. He earned $700k last year and will earn 10x that in 2023.

This is a long shot but one that doesn’t cost too much.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Fansince1971

We don’t watch practices. If no trade soon I have to wonder if the Angels have seen something in someone that makes them think they can get at least a handful of starts in CF out of him. Ward? Fletcher? Rengifo?

You know, someone they’ve let screw around in drills out there last year and think they can make into a serviceable deep depth CF option.

Biggiswrth
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Walsh? Long shot but I still remember him in LF at the All-Star game

clover_black
Super Member
1 year ago

at least they’re preparing for the rendon breakdown

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  clover_black

i guess we all thinking same thing….

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago

Perry has built a decent infield without going crazy on one of the big boys.

Nicely done.

.263 and 28 homers will work nicely. Maybe banning the shift will help that average.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

Mia – he had more homers last year than the previous 4 seasons combined. He had his absolutely best season last year by FAR. And the Angels will pay him for it. He projects to return to league average where he has been the rest of his career. I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

It’s risks you gotta take. No FA is guaranteed to keep their production

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

It’s just that he has NEVER produced until last year.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Well breakout years do happen. We expect Ward to keep it up too

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

So do slumps. TrAdition.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

It’s almost like no one knows what’s gonna happen and we’re all just hoping for the best.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

I’ve seen too much reality to hope for magic thinking.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

But we’re due

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Magic thinking? Guys have career years and land contracts all the time. Some work out, some don’t. You hope the ones your team signs works out.

That’s not “magic thinking”, it’s just called being a fan.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

Yes – magic thinking is believing a guy who had 5 crappy seasons and one good one will be more likely to be the 1 in 6 rather than the 5 in 6.

My point is that taking that bet is a bad one. It’s typical of this team. Bet on the one good season. Or the hope that a player who has been mediocre will suddenly find his stoke or his arm in Anaheim. That is magic or at least wishful thinking.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

No one is taking a bet. He’s Angel. So now we hope he succeeds, since that helps us. It’s really that simple.

Maybe he continues to hit, maybe he doesn’t, but all i’m saying is I hope he has a good season. That’s it. Just hope.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

Sure. We all hope. We have all hoped that this team would win. We all hoped this Organization would reward our loyalty. All I’m saying is I’m personally out of hope for this team. I can’t go there. I’m just not buying into hope for the Angels. And I’m a guy who is usually full of optimism during the winter for the next season.

I’m just old and crotchety and I don’t believe that paying $17 million for two years of a guy who has one good year of 6 makes any sense. And who doesn’t play a position of need. Unless you’re into diving into a dumpster and looking for players to throw money at because they are relatively cheap in a crazy market. I’d be happier without Drury or players like him. Play the young kids. Trade Ohtani. Stop this friggin madness. It’s like Groundhog Day.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

You might be right. You don’t need to buy in. That’s fine. I’m not even even saying i’m buying in. Just that last years production would be greatly welcomed.

But what is winter without a little hope of spring.

The reality will reveal itself soon enough.

And now, since it’s almost 1am, I bid you goodnight. 😊

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

Hope you have a wonderful Holiday Mia.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

You too, 71!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Mia

Once your eyes are opened to how many grown ass people can’t just see that the situation is the situation and crying over spilt milk, or even Schrodinger’s milk of undetermined spillage, is for bitches you can’t un-see it can you?

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago

You’re not wrong.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Fansince1971

WTF? Next you’re going to tell me NewOwnerz won’t get me a 500M payroll and two Ohtanis for life.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Mia

But if we all wish hard enough for it we can probably get Drury to hit .120 for a month and then completely destroy his shoulder diving for a ball.

Then we can rage and cry about how our dad never gets us stuff that’s good.

I mean Arte.

Mia
Legend
Mia
1 year ago

comment image

WallyChuckChili
Legend
1 year ago

Maybe we can trade him with Bachman to get ride of him next year.

Biggiswrth
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Mia

This is what I think he is, insurance if Ward regresses.

h27kim
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Biggiswrth

Can’t drop Ward. He’s our backup CF.