Just like everyone else should and has thus far I am using baseballtradevalues.com for my trades, sporttrack for my contracts, fangraphs and mlbtr’s free agent contract estimates, etc. etc.
OK. So I start with 68 million dollars to work with in roster/money space. I am trading some cheap players for prospects, which should shave a bit off the payroll and add to this…. Not that it matters because I am not demanding a champion for this must win 2024 season.
Nope. I want to burn the forest and build the farm. I should have money to spare.
Trades
First off, I’d like to rebuild that farm via trades.
So, first moves….
I’m too lazy to add screen shots of these trades, just trust me, I used the sim. Or put em in yourself…. I don’t care.
I tried to cheat the Angels by a few points on each trade because I think some of the prospect values were lower than the teams may think, though I also think the trade market for pitching is pretty crazy. I put the values at the end of the trades.
Angels trade Taylor Ward, Luis Rengifo and Jimmy Herget to the IndiGuards for Daniel Espino (SP), Parker Messick (SP), Ralphy Velazquez (C/1B) and Jaison Chourio (OF) – Guardians 34.9/Angels 30.7
Angels trade Patrick Sandoval, Jose Quijada, Jose Suarez and Andrew Wantz to the Pirates for Termarr Johnson (2B), Thomas Harrigton (SP), Mitch Jebb (SS), Po-Yu Chen (SP) Pirates 43.2/ Angels 38.9
Angels trade Griffin Canning, Mickey Moniak, Matt Thaiss and Kenny Rosenburg to the Tigers for Jackson Jobe (SP), Kevin McGonnigle (Inf) and Troy Melton (SP) Angels 24.7/Tigers 30.5
Free Agent Signings
Sign Eric Lauer (LHSP) 1 year, 5 million dollars.
Sign Spencer Turnbull (RHSP) 1 year, 5 million.
Sign Domingo German (RHSP) 1 year, 7 million.
Sign Brandon Hughes (LHRP) 1 year, 1 million.
Sign Isaiah Kiner Falefa (RH SS/3B/2B/CF) 1 year, 5 million
Sign Adam Duvall (RH 1B/OF/CF) 1 year 12 million
Sign Joey Gallo (LH OF/1B/3B/DH 1 year, 8 million
Sign Garrett Cooper (RH 1B/RF/DH) 1 year, 5 million
That’s three starters, a pen lefty and four position players for 48 million dollars…. I think…. it’s late at night. Bad math.
So, what does this bruiser of a team look like?
At first glance I know what half the chumps on this site are gonna say. It will be some sort of “That won’t win 8o games! Mah gird the pitching! Can’t develop a case of the clap!” and it will come out all choked and sort of muffled by their pulling their jaws back real hard against their double chins while they say it.
And yes. That’s probably true. BUT we picked up 6 quality pitching prospects, a guy who will likely be a solid starter at 2B in our future, two more solid infield prospects, a really talented young outfield prospect and a solid C/1B prospect.
PLUS! if angry goiter boy is right and the team sucks, but ANY of Drury, Duvall, Cooper, Hughes, Estevez, Anderson, Stassi, Gallo, Falefa, German, Turnbull or Lauer are good we trade them for prospects too. Say we manage to get 4 more quality prospects in trades…. that’s 15 quality prospects to add to the farm from one lost season, maybe more.
And, of course, we will get to see Nolan, Neto, Adell, Logan and a huge pile of young arms. I fully expect to see a lot of pitchers shuttle through this roster. The goal is to find a couple that can start and relieve long term for us this year.
Of course, if all of those guys are good, as are Shamwow and Neto… or Rendon and Trout are healthy…. Then we have a fairly versatile team of veterans and kids. You’d be surprised how many positions some of those guys can play passably. The whole line up and most of the bench has at least 15 HR power with Rendon, Trout, Duvall, Gallo, Adell and O’Hoppe all capable of more. pitching will be the great mystery, but when isn’t it? And there’s just no way to fix that in even TWO off seasons without developing some arms….
So here’s that roster:
1B Nolan Schanuel/Drury/Gallo/Cooper
2B Brandon Drury/Falefa/Fletcher
3B Anthony Rendon/Cooper/Falefa/Drury/Gallo
SS Zach Neto/Falefa/Fletcher
RF Joey Gallo/Duvall/Cooper
CF Mike Trout/Duvall/Gallo/Adell
LF Adam Duvall/Adell/Trout/Gallo
C Logan O’ Hoppe/Stassi
DH – Garrett Cooper – everyone
OF4 – Jo Adell
UTL – David Fletcher
C2 – Max Stassi
Pitching
SP – Reid Detmers
SP – Tyler Anderson
SP – Domingo German
SP – Eric Lauer
SP – Spencer Turnbull
WAITING – Chase Silseth, Sam Bachman, Davis Daniel, Jack Kachonovicz, Coleman Crow + new prospects
Clsr – Carlos Estevez
RRP – Jose Soriano
RRP – Ben Joyce
RRP – Kelvin Caceres
RRP – Victor Maderos
LRP – Adam Kolarek
LRP – Kolton Ingram
LRP – Brandon Hughes
Waiting: Jhonny Diaz, Robinson Pina, Kenyon Yovan, Zac Kristofak, Nick Jones, Jake Lee, Luke Murphy + new Prospects
We all wondered WTH or Why the Hell Arte was doing when he cleaned house of salary, now we know. We will get a better (Best) QO compensation pick if we lose Shohei.
We all knew that was why the salary dump was occurring. It was discussed over and over again on this site. There was no mystery in this. But how about asking the better question WTH give up 2 of your best prospects (both Top 100) for a one month rental?!
We may never know……
But the bigger question is why is the JeDi shedding so much payroll the last few days?
Because he has some contracts getting to their max value and his young core is hitting their Arb years. He also has holes to still fill on the roster.
this is a terrible team and congratulations- it would be the first 100-game loser – so with everyone writing these chasing last place does that mean you win?
just no interest in a rebuild here. Help my buddy MNT out.
The rebuild idea is as good as anything that’s been attempted in the last decade.
Agreed. If Arte was rationale, he would have commissioned a rebuild years ago but considering how he allowed the farm system to get decimated, would we have trusted this organization to successfully complete that rebuild?
I think you have to assume that Arte will compete whether he re—–signs Ohtani or not, with the team going over the CBT ( probably up to the second CBT tier level) if he re—–ups and right up to the limit if he doesn’t
With todays news that the Angels waiver “shenanigans” got them below the threshhold only reinforces the believe since there would be ni repeater penalties in 2024 form going over the initial $237 million level.
My thoughts are the Angels will sign a FA pitcher this week regardless if Ohtani finally makes his decision. I also think they are more inclined to sign a free agent with a QO pick penalty attached to it. With other decisions ( like signing Cody Bellinger) waiting on Ohtani. I know thats not enough to ensure us to be competitive but that is probably the cards we are dealt. I am still hopeful that the Ron Washington factor will allow us to acquire player that can help this team ( like Tim Anderson) not just their bank account
Get him…….NOW!!!
Retool into the DBacks and Reds………..SPEED KILLS NOT WAITING FOR A WATERMELLON PITCH OVER THE PLATE
💪 💪 💪 💪
Why are we signing my neighbor Jeff….. and why is he in a Cards uni?
Still waiting…………………………
This is a part of it
The HR era in MLB is coming to end, the BP ace which started in the 70’s with the A’s and Roland Fingers already has. Send Samuel Bachman and Mateo Thaiss to San Luis for Tomas Edman.
ADIOS!!!
Jeebs…. I fell I should just take a moment to assure everyone. I am not “Guest”.
With the Cowboy hat retired. The Kabuto likely retired. If they bring in Gallo, they could use a sombrero. A golden sombrero. He’s got more than enough to go around.
Oh yeah, nobody would get woke triggered over wearing a sombrero in the dugout…..
LOL. Yeah, they should put on a fake mustache too and hand them some maracas. LOL
https://youtu.be/_61hzuGGJX0?feature=shared
You Win. That’s the celebration song.
“Ohtani Free Agency Update: Mets, Rangers, Dodgers Exit $600M Race for Two-Way Star” Sports World News.
Well, how many are left, inquiring minds……
Huh?
Please provide a link
Sports World News
I went to site, but I believe you have to sign up to be able to scroll site stories.
Respectfully, I’m not buying that the Dodgers removed themselves from the Ohtani sweepstakes.
I easily found the post but no reveals of source. No way are the Dodgers out of it. But the problem for them is that they average 52-53 thousand a game, that leaves only 4-6 thousand tickets a night, Shohei draws that on a bad night. 😆
Dude – come on – that’s a ChatGPD bot article. I think this is the same source that said Ohtani had been spotted in Japan after clearing out his locker using old video footage. He was in fact in California. This is click-bait. Completely unreliable.
LOL, I didn’t say I believed it.
Arte is bidding against himself….
Well, if the article was true, I guess it would just be the Cubs.
Is there a trade stimulator?
https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trade-simulator
stimulator
That would be awesome. Could we plug Rendon into it and stimulate the Rays to give us Azorena straight up?
There’s a lot here but somehow not as much as I expected. This team definitely mashes. Defense?
I can’t see Domingo German here. I know he’s getting help but the domestic abuse, which was blatant and open, is just too much. Plenty of people get sober and I hope he does.
I know he was looked at for domestic abuse and nothing came of it…. back in 2021? And he’s a drunk. But that’s why you gamble. It’s a one year contract. He’s very good. If he cleans up, huzzah. If not, cut him loose and Silseth’s up.
Like it or not, the Angels are EXACTLY the type of team that needs to take some of these risks…. up to a point.
If you’re tanking, do it classy not trashy.
Ah, I thought you had Trout packing his bags! Looks good, I like it a lot. Nice to build up the farm and the Angels might even better than the last few years with this makeover.
My only gripe, not a fan of Gallo, too much swing and miss in his game on a team full of those. Maybe he gets his mojo and can flip him.
I didn’t figure out how to trade Trout till after I sent this in. I could have changed it, but it felt like cheating….
I know Gallo and Duvall strike out a fair amount. I also know they will add about 50 HR and they are defensively versatile and can even run the bases a little. Cheap players are flawed players. But the things the two guys actually pull off fit our needs, and fking David Fletcher Ks just as much with O power.
I presume there was no realistic way to jettison washed a$$ Fletcher?
The Crow no longer flies here . He’s now a Met
Then he can’t take a turn in our 15 man rotation next year.
Love the idea, but can’t do Gallo. That would be even more painful. I’m taking away “ForLife” if they bring in Gallo.
No need to call for Jihad over a one year vet “prove it” deal.
Gallo has proven power & decent career OBP numbers and if he “finds it”, he can be flipped for a prospect at the deadline or cut with little loss if he blows. Shrug.
Nope. If they don’t see him as a failed experiment everywhere he’s been – I have to move on. LOL
YES! That’s the ticket, Dy-no-mite. It is time to but this team back together.
What’s to like, the idea of putting out a winning product in three or so years down the road and being in the hunt legitimately.
What’s not to like, maybe the Duvall and Gallo signings.
Time to change direction and work for a sustainable product.
Anyone gets hot by the end of July-see ya and thanx for the memories and oh, your minor leaguers or controllable young major leaguers.
Gitcho, you made my day. Someone finally getz it. 😃
🔥 I like it a lot. I am all for burning it down to rebuild. Being in the middle (like the Angels have been) is the worst place to be in MLB. You gotta suck a little sometimes and be patient to move up. I’d rather see the team you created overachieve and win 75-80 games than watch a team like the Angels have had over the last 10 seasons win 75-80 and underachieve. And the prospect riches are a huge bonus.
The one year deals are interesting and essentially risk free. I like that concept if it can be achieved.
There are a few guys out there that work as one year deals…. though we may need to over pay a little. Even Tyler Mahle on a two year deal…..
The goal is more to be a team that makes a couple good trades for prospects each year for the next two.
This proposal is hugely interesting and entertaining. It has many trades, but it isn’t a total blowup because you get some vets back who could turn into something. The Gallo and Duvall duo sadly would account for more swing and misses than anyone could watch. So maybe not both of them. German I think had steroid, injury, and/or other off the field issues. I’d think twice about adding him too. Also, doesn’t Bachman make the club? Or is he still hurt? I would think Silseth makes the club too.
Again, I find this version more interesting than many others. I would change out a few names and bring in a Merrifeld or Kiermeier instead. But thanks for the reading material.
I don’t think we can get Wit or Kevin cheap for on a one year deal, but if we can, hell yeah, they fit the plan well.
The real goal here is for Arte (or magic Unicorn) to have a solid farm, a team with a bunch of pre-arb talent on it already, and a sub-140M payroll in a couple years. If need be he can eat Rendon’s last season by then and still have a very large chunk of payroll space available to bring in multiple expensive pieces and make a long term run.
Plus, honestly, guys like Gallo, Duval, Turnbull, German and Cooper…. if they just have their normal seasons the team’s not gonna be completely bereft of hope for a good year.
The reality is that Drury, Cooper, Gallo, Duvall, O’Hoppe will likely average out to an OPS above .750. Add Trout and maybe Rendon to that? Maybe Schanuel and Neto too?
Big fan of Whit to bring some speed, decent bat & IF/OF depth.
Blowing up the roster has to be done. I’m in.
Thanks for the work on this!