I was obviously disappointed when CC signed with the BoSox.
I was obviously frustrated when Beltre signed with the Rangers.
But I am completely out of my mind now that the Angels have acquired Vernon Wells.
(No disrespect to Wells. It's not his fault that the FO got swindled.)
I'd say that I'm pretty even-kneeled when it comes to criticizing the FO. There's no doubt that I was skeptical about their offseason moves, but I generally give them the benefit of the doubt. But then again, the FO isn't known to do such epically inexplicible things that even I, a common observant baseball fan, know is foolish.
Napoli and Rivera are useful pieces, to a degree. I'm not a particularly big fan of either. I know that Naps is getting expensive and that Rivera is moderately priced. I know that Vernon Wells is a useful piece. He had some good years before a string of bad years, but he rebounded nicely last year. Oh, the asterisk? He's massively overpaid to the tune of $86/4Yrs remaining - widely regarded as one of the most unmovable contracts in baseball.
I had a bad morning and well, just had a feeling that some Angels trade news was waiting for me at home. I was thinking that Tony traded for someone to upgrade the LF situation. So I was excited to hear that Naps was being traded. I was even optimistic when it was revealed that Wells was the one coming to Anaheim. I could have accepted a trade that brought cash along with Wells, to offset his ridiculous contract. But its unbelievable that the FO would bring in that contract without any compensation. The Angels FO is doing the Jays and AA a very big SOLID by not only bailing them out, but by paying them Naps and Rivera! I don't see the reason, Tony, I don't!
Showing posts with label trades. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trades. Show all posts
21 January 2011
25 July 2010
goodbye Saundo..
Okay Tony, I get this one.
Dan Haren was traded to the Angels today for Saunders, RafRodriguez, Pat Corbin and Tyler Skaggs.
Haren is an obvious upgrade with a large and excellent body of work. While he's having a down year, he's also proven to have ace-abilities and be quite durable.
I get that Tony, but it still hurts.
Most baseball talking heads and fans have been blasting the D'backs on this deal. I won't say that the Angels didn't do well here - it's an obvious win on the Halos' side - but they didn't give up nothing.
RafRod is completely replaceable (though the awful D'backs 'pen could certainly use him), but it's the inclusion of the two young lefties. In a farm system that's thin-but-on-the-rise, Corbin and Skaggs were two legit prospects having great years. Skaggs is the one that particularly hurts, given the hype/projectability. The other concern is that Tony's already raided two of the top 5 picks from last year's awesome draft that was supposed to be the next wave of homegrown talent. In addition to the fact that he just shipped out Smith, another up-and-coming LHP, I hope that Tony doesn't become too fast-and-easy with the prospects on the farm.
(Oh, and don't skewer me for complaining over prospects. I know the difference between unproven prospects and established MLB players. But I also know that a healthy farm system begets a healthy major league organization. I only worry that carelessness today will hurt ten times more in the future.)
But what hurts the most is probably losing Saundo.
Okay, I understand that Haren is an upgrade. But that doesn't change the fact that Saunders was genuinely a favorite. I loved his cool demenor on the mound, I loved the class on and off the field, I loved the boyish joy he showed (after the Greinke game), I loved his personality (his garish golf clothes at spring training!), I loved his toughness (pitching through kidney stones is crazy), and I loved his underdog roots. Statheads could say all they wanted about him being average, but I loved all the little things he did - including finding a way to win.
I hope Joe knows that he has a lot of friends here. I hope that being a D'back will give him more time at home with his daughter. I hope that the NL West will give him the stats to go with everything else. And I wish him the best. I'll be watching the box scores.
Dan Haren was traded to the Angels today for Saunders, RafRodriguez, Pat Corbin and Tyler Skaggs.
Haren is an obvious upgrade with a large and excellent body of work. While he's having a down year, he's also proven to have ace-abilities and be quite durable.
I get that Tony, but it still hurts.
Most baseball talking heads and fans have been blasting the D'backs on this deal. I won't say that the Angels didn't do well here - it's an obvious win on the Halos' side - but they didn't give up nothing.
RafRod is completely replaceable (though the awful D'backs 'pen could certainly use him), but it's the inclusion of the two young lefties. In a farm system that's thin-but-on-the-rise, Corbin and Skaggs were two legit prospects having great years. Skaggs is the one that particularly hurts, given the hype/projectability. The other concern is that Tony's already raided two of the top 5 picks from last year's awesome draft that was supposed to be the next wave of homegrown talent. In addition to the fact that he just shipped out Smith, another up-and-coming LHP, I hope that Tony doesn't become too fast-and-easy with the prospects on the farm.
(Oh, and don't skewer me for complaining over prospects. I know the difference between unproven prospects and established MLB players. But I also know that a healthy farm system begets a healthy major league organization. I only worry that carelessness today will hurt ten times more in the future.)
But what hurts the most is probably losing Saundo.
Okay, I understand that Haren is an upgrade. But that doesn't change the fact that Saunders was genuinely a favorite. I loved his cool demenor on the mound, I loved the class on and off the field, I loved the boyish joy he showed (after the Greinke game), I loved his personality (his garish golf clothes at spring training!), I loved his toughness (pitching through kidney stones is crazy), and I loved his underdog roots. Statheads could say all they wanted about him being average, but I loved all the little things he did - including finding a way to win.
I hope Joe knows that he has a lot of friends here. I hope that being a D'back will give him more time at home with his daughter. I hope that the NL West will give him the stats to go with everything else. And I wish him the best. I'll be watching the box scores.
24 July 2010
welcome back callaspo...what were you thinking tony?
My internship has been working me hard and there's been little time to keep up with angels news and angels&aimee. I didn't hear about the trade until Terry mentioned it on the radio broadcast. My first thought was "Uh-oh, who did they trade?!"
I briefly saw the report by Mark Saxon about the FO's attempt to trade for Callaspo but didn't think much of it. I didn't think (I still don't think) that it would be a great pickup for the Angels and I didn't really see the upside of picking up another infielder with Izzy close to being back. Well now that its been done and the price is known, I still hate the trade.
My opinion is no disrespect to Callaspo. He's a nice everyday/super utility infielder, but I just don't get it, Tony. Sure, the Angels need offense, but the infield is full. Do the Angels really need seven (Izzy, Callaspo, Franderson, BWood, Aybar, Howie, Naps) infielders? Furthermore, I think a platoon of Izzy/Franderson would be almost as good as Callaspo at third. This isn't much of an upgrade. Callaspo is a nice piece, but he isn't going to put the Angels in the playoffs. I get that, in hindsight, it's usually the little moves that matter the most. But there are so many more things that are wrong with the Halos that adding him figures to be a small, if any, boost.
I briefly saw the report by Mark Saxon about the FO's attempt to trade for Callaspo but didn't think much of it. I didn't think (I still don't think) that it would be a great pickup for the Angels and I didn't really see the upside of picking up another infielder with Izzy close to being back. Well now that its been done and the price is known, I still hate the trade.
My opinion is no disrespect to Callaspo. He's a nice everyday/super utility infielder, but I just don't get it, Tony. Sure, the Angels need offense, but the infield is full. Do the Angels really need seven (Izzy, Callaspo, Franderson, BWood, Aybar, Howie, Naps) infielders? Furthermore, I think a platoon of Izzy/Franderson would be almost as good as Callaspo at third. This isn't much of an upgrade. Callaspo is a nice piece, but he isn't going to put the Angels in the playoffs. I get that, in hindsight, it's usually the little moves that matter the most. But there are so many more things that are wrong with the Halos that adding him figures to be a small, if any, boost.
09 July 2010
thoughts: swept by sox, cliff lee, bench plugs
Geez, lately I've had to start most of my posts with apologies for being MIA. I started my internship this week, so I don't expect that practice to stop, unfortunately.
Anyways, I'll try my best to keep up with Angels news (I didn't find out about the Cliff Lee trade until 5pm!) and post during the weekends.
Also, the shocking trade today and recent (lack of) play by the Angels have thwarted my attemps to post about Kaz. I've got most of the post formed in my head, so it'll be up shortly.
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The last two series have been absolutely discouraging. After the high of winning the Texas series and really the way the team won those games, their play against the Royals and the ChiSox was disgusting, to say the least.
It's unacceptable for the Halos to lose a series to the Royals. Not only are the Royals woefully bad, the Halos have a history of absolutely crushing them. I'd like to thank them for making the Angels' scorching hot June/July last year possible. Remember what I wrote about the Halos needing to take advantage of opportunities? Well, playing a bad team whilst the Rangers played the respectable WhiteSox, qualifies as an opportunity. But its not only that the Halos lost the series and the chance to gain ground, it was the way the team lost those games. Really, how do you manage to score only one run against a Royals starting pitcher not named Zack Greinke? How do you get no-hit by Bruce Chen for 6+ innings? At least the boys showed up for national tv (perhaps they didn't want to get embarrased in front of the whole nation), pounding out 11 runs.
But things didn't improve much in Chicago. I get that the White Sox have a really good pitching staff. But I also understand that the White Sox are not an elite team. They have a respectable lineup with Rios and Konerko, but they also have the likes of Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones. Not to mention the fact that AJ and Quentin are underperforming. Winning one of the four games was a modest expectation. The Angels couldn't muster anything, despite the fact that Peavy pitched less than 2 innings. When I checked the score on Thursday, all I needed to know was the fact that the Angels managed two (two!!) hits. John Danks is very good, but that's just pitiful.
Anyways, I'll try my best to keep up with Angels news (I didn't find out about the Cliff Lee trade until 5pm!) and post during the weekends.
Also, the shocking trade today and recent (lack of) play by the Angels have thwarted my attemps to post about Kaz. I've got most of the post formed in my head, so it'll be up shortly.
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The last two series have been absolutely discouraging. After the high of winning the Texas series and really the way the team won those games, their play against the Royals and the ChiSox was disgusting, to say the least.
It's unacceptable for the Halos to lose a series to the Royals. Not only are the Royals woefully bad, the Halos have a history of absolutely crushing them. I'd like to thank them for making the Angels' scorching hot June/July last year possible. Remember what I wrote about the Halos needing to take advantage of opportunities? Well, playing a bad team whilst the Rangers played the respectable WhiteSox, qualifies as an opportunity. But its not only that the Halos lost the series and the chance to gain ground, it was the way the team lost those games. Really, how do you manage to score only one run against a Royals starting pitcher not named Zack Greinke? How do you get no-hit by Bruce Chen for 6+ innings? At least the boys showed up for national tv (perhaps they didn't want to get embarrased in front of the whole nation), pounding out 11 runs.
But things didn't improve much in Chicago. I get that the White Sox have a really good pitching staff. But I also understand that the White Sox are not an elite team. They have a respectable lineup with Rios and Konerko, but they also have the likes of Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones. Not to mention the fact that AJ and Quentin are underperforming. Winning one of the four games was a modest expectation. The Angels couldn't muster anything, despite the fact that Peavy pitched less than 2 innings. When I checked the score on Thursday, all I needed to know was the fact that the Angels managed two (two!!) hits. John Danks is very good, but that's just pitiful.
22 January 2010
adding Pineiro, subracting GMJ
Wow, Tony Reagins had a busy week.
After the Rodney signing, things were veeeerry quiet for the Angels and suddenly Reagins drops two bombs. Well at least for me. Both of these transactions were quite shocking to me, even though they really shouldn't have been.
Despite the "reports" that the Angels were interested in Pineiro back in December, and the more recent rumors that the Angels were pursuing him and some funny speculation the Angels were negotiating with him, I never really believed that the Angels were interested. I mean, it seems that the talking heads seem to insert the Angels into any big-name FA (see Holliday, Bay), which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It shows that the Angels have reached big-time status, but also shows their ignorance of the Angels's FO. And I definitely thought the persistant Pineiro rumors were another stupid made-up "there's possibly a match" story from the national media. I thought Pineiro would be too expensive with too thin of a resume to warrant the cost-conscious Reagins to bite. I was thinking along the lines of MSTI that, like the Dodgers, whoever the Angels fill out the rotation with isn't going to matter much - it's gonna be the young guys that will dictate the fate of the rotation - and so why fill it with an expensive question mark? I actually expected Reagins to bring Garland back.
After the Rodney signing, things were veeeerry quiet for the Angels and suddenly Reagins drops two bombs. Well at least for me. Both of these transactions were quite shocking to me, even though they really shouldn't have been.
Despite the "reports" that the Angels were interested in Pineiro back in December, and the more recent rumors that the Angels were pursuing him and some funny speculation the Angels were negotiating with him, I never really believed that the Angels were interested. I mean, it seems that the talking heads seem to insert the Angels into any big-name FA (see Holliday, Bay), which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It shows that the Angels have reached big-time status, but also shows their ignorance of the Angels's FO. And I definitely thought the persistant Pineiro rumors were another stupid made-up "there's possibly a match" story from the national media. I thought Pineiro would be too expensive with too thin of a resume to warrant the cost-conscious Reagins to bite. I was thinking along the lines of MSTI that, like the Dodgers, whoever the Angels fill out the rotation with isn't going to matter much - it's gonna be the young guys that will dictate the fate of the rotation - and so why fill it with an expensive question mark? I actually expected Reagins to bring Garland back.
05 January 2010
thoughts: Rory, Kotch, Bay/Holliday, Chapman
Just some tidbits:
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I was utterly shocked when I learned of Rory Markus's death.
I only started listening to the radio broadcasts last season, so I wasn't yet able to discern Rory from Gubi and Terry, but the resonding majority of halo fans liked him the best. I especially liked the "Just another halo victory" call, which I discovered today was Rory's call. A lot of fans were looking forward to having him call every tv game next season. A horrible loss for his family, the Angels, and Halo fans everywhere.
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I was utterly shocked when I learned of Rory Markus's death.
I only started listening to the radio broadcasts last season, so I wasn't yet able to discern Rory from Gubi and Terry, but the resonding majority of halo fans liked him the best. I especially liked the "Just another halo victory" call, which I discovered today was Rory's call. A lot of fans were looking forward to having him call every tv game next season. A horrible loss for his family, the Angels, and Halo fans everywhere.
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23 December 2009
thoughts: Rodney, Yankees, and the M's (again!)
Just some tidbits:
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So the Angels signed Fernando Rodney today. I'm ambivalent about this signing. While yes, Rodney helps to bolster a very bad Angels bullpen (that's already lost 'Dondo and Oliver, but gains Shields back from injury), it's not even close to a slam dunk.
The side that hates this deal says:
First of all, Rodney isn't what you'd call a lights-out reliever. He closed for the Tigers last year to the tune of 37 saves (out of 38 tries) and 2-5 with a 4.40ERA. Not pretty numbers, especially if you notice the declining K/9 rates. Add in the reputation of being erratic, and well, the save percentage doesn't look as appealing. Most backers would argue that most of the damagae to his numbers came in non-save situations, but uh, isn't he coming to Anaheim to set-up??? I can't imagine that Sosh will rock the boat and displace Fuentes unless Fuentes is really bad. Add in the fact that they're spending another $5-6M for a reliever, and the Angels have one pricey bullpen (Fuentes = $9M, Shields = $5.35M, Spier = $5.25M). The Angels had a tradition of a lockdown bullpen earlier in the decade, but well, weren't those built on cheap young talent or reclaimation projects? Throwing so much money at a relief pitcher seems like such a waste of resources.
The optimistic side says:
Rodney is a power arm (which Sosh loves in the bullpen) and has closer experience. He'll push Fuentes for the closer gig, and if Fuentes really sucks, bumping him to the set-up role can prevent his 2011 option from vesting. He's an established closer with great stuff - a mid-90s fastball and a fantastic slider. And he was the best relief option on the FA market. Most other FA relievers have signed elsewhere (Soriano, Saito, Wagner, Capps), unless Valverde and his crazy contract demands sounded appealing. For a bullpen that was in shambles last season, Rodney gives it a good to great addition.
Rodney was the best option out there for the Angels and I guess doing something is better than doing nothing in this case. But I just can't like this signing. Its too many dollars for a relief pitcher that doesn't have a consistant track record. I just hope that I'm wrong.
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So the Angels signed Fernando Rodney today. I'm ambivalent about this signing. While yes, Rodney helps to bolster a very bad Angels bullpen (that's already lost 'Dondo and Oliver, but gains Shields back from injury), it's not even close to a slam dunk.
The side that hates this deal says:
First of all, Rodney isn't what you'd call a lights-out reliever. He closed for the Tigers last year to the tune of 37 saves (out of 38 tries) and 2-5 with a 4.40ERA. Not pretty numbers, especially if you notice the declining K/9 rates. Add in the reputation of being erratic, and well, the save percentage doesn't look as appealing. Most backers would argue that most of the damagae to his numbers came in non-save situations, but uh, isn't he coming to Anaheim to set-up??? I can't imagine that Sosh will rock the boat and displace Fuentes unless Fuentes is really bad. Add in the fact that they're spending another $5-6M for a reliever, and the Angels have one pricey bullpen (Fuentes = $9M, Shields = $5.35M, Spier = $5.25M). The Angels had a tradition of a lockdown bullpen earlier in the decade, but well, weren't those built on cheap young talent or reclaimation projects? Throwing so much money at a relief pitcher seems like such a waste of resources.
The optimistic side says:
Rodney is a power arm (which Sosh loves in the bullpen) and has closer experience. He'll push Fuentes for the closer gig, and if Fuentes really sucks, bumping him to the set-up role can prevent his 2011 option from vesting. He's an established closer with great stuff - a mid-90s fastball and a fantastic slider. And he was the best relief option on the FA market. Most other FA relievers have signed elsewhere (Soriano, Saito, Wagner, Capps), unless Valverde and his crazy contract demands sounded appealing. For a bullpen that was in shambles last season, Rodney gives it a good to great addition.
Rodney was the best option out there for the Angels and I guess doing something is better than doing nothing in this case. But I just can't like this signing. Its too many dollars for a relief pitcher that doesn't have a consistant track record. I just hope that I'm wrong.
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21 December 2009
thoughts: Lackey, M's, Oliver
Just some tidbits:
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I can understand Lackey testing the FA market. I can understand that him getting as much money as he can. I can even understand him following that money to Boston (though I don't like it). What I can't understand is comments that indicate he wanted to go to Boston (and that he and his agent worked hard to convince Theo). I get that the RedSox win a lot (at least in this decade), but don't you think its a big FU to Halo Fans when you say things like "I was always interested in coming here. Winning was definitely my first priority of a team to go to." He's in a tough position - trying to win over RedSox fans, who have definitely disliked him for a long time, (remember he said that the Angels were the better team after '08 ALDS loss) is probably quite hard. But while he's doing that he's alienating Halo fans. It's like he can't wait to burn that bridge between Angels fans.
I'm beginning to really dislike players creditting their wives for helping them make FA decisions. I thought that Teixeira's comment that his wife told him to be a yankee was absolutely stupid. Sure, the NY fans are gonna love her, but now you basically unleash the hatred of 3 fan bases on her. Instead of owning up to your decision like a man, you let her take the responsibility. It seems like Lackey has taken that route too, mentioning his wife's northeastern roots and her family's RedSox fandom. Sure, its gonna endear you to BoSox fans (and help convince Theo you're serious about coming to Boston), but man, it makes it easier for bitter Angels fans to spread the hatred.
You can read the transcript of Lackey's Boston press conference here.
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I can understand Lackey testing the FA market. I can understand that him getting as much money as he can. I can even understand him following that money to Boston (though I don't like it). What I can't understand is comments that indicate he wanted to go to Boston (and that he and his agent worked hard to convince Theo). I get that the RedSox win a lot (at least in this decade), but don't you think its a big FU to Halo Fans when you say things like "I was always interested in coming here. Winning was definitely my first priority of a team to go to." He's in a tough position - trying to win over RedSox fans, who have definitely disliked him for a long time, (remember he said that the Angels were the better team after '08 ALDS loss) is probably quite hard. But while he's doing that he's alienating Halo fans. It's like he can't wait to burn that bridge between Angels fans.
I'm beginning to really dislike players creditting their wives for helping them make FA decisions. I thought that Teixeira's comment that his wife told him to be a yankee was absolutely stupid. Sure, the NY fans are gonna love her, but now you basically unleash the hatred of 3 fan bases on her. Instead of owning up to your decision like a man, you let her take the responsibility. It seems like Lackey has taken that route too, mentioning his wife's northeastern roots and her family's RedSox fandom. Sure, its gonna endear you to BoSox fans (and help convince Theo you're serious about coming to Boston), but man, it makes it easier for bitter Angels fans to spread the hatred.
You can read the transcript of Lackey's Boston press conference here.
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15 December 2009
perspective
OK.
I went a little loony in my last post, but I think all Halo fans should be given some latitude after the events of today.
It was bad. Bad mostly that the Angels' #1 priority (Lackey) went to a rival, the #2 was taken off the board (at least he went to the Phillies rather than say, the Yankees), and who could have possibly been #3 went to a division rival. Basically, the best options for what the FO was trying to address (pitching) are gone.
But after taking some time to wallow in the sadness and thoughts of what-ifs, sanity returns.
On Lackey:
Losing Lackey will hurt the rotation, but its not the end of the world. The rotation still has a very good looking top 4, and any one of those four have the potential to step up and become an ace. Besides, now that the dollar numbers are known, there was no way the Angels would (or should) beat 5/$85M. So there's the silver lining, right? Yeah, its a good move for the BoSox now, but I'm sure, financial flexibility or not, they're going to be lamenting those 4th-5th years and that $16-17M/year. The Angels can better spend that money - especially if a top pitcher is available in FA next offseason. I'm just gonna hope that the BoSox defense/offense remains a mess (NO AGon) for the inevitable ALDS showdown.
Oh, and I gotta say, its gonna be interesting to see how Lackey integrates into the Boston clubhouse. He's known in Anaheim for his display of, um, displeasure of his fielders as much as he is known for his toughness. How's that gonna play in Boston, where the fans/media are rabid crazy and there's already a lead-dog pitcher (Beckett)? Like I said, it'll be interesting.
And I hope that Lackey is prepared to be boo-ed in Anaheim. While there will be some that won't fault him for taking the money (and remember 2002), I can understand the hatred that the Red Sox inspire in any Halo fan.
I went a little loony in my last post, but I think all Halo fans should be given some latitude after the events of today.
It was bad. Bad mostly that the Angels' #1 priority (Lackey) went to a rival, the #2 was taken off the board (at least he went to the Phillies rather than say, the Yankees), and who could have possibly been #3 went to a division rival. Basically, the best options for what the FO was trying to address (pitching) are gone.
But after taking some time to wallow in the sadness and thoughts of what-ifs, sanity returns.
On Lackey:
Losing Lackey will hurt the rotation, but its not the end of the world. The rotation still has a very good looking top 4, and any one of those four have the potential to step up and become an ace. Besides, now that the dollar numbers are known, there was no way the Angels would (or should) beat 5/$85M. So there's the silver lining, right? Yeah, its a good move for the BoSox now, but I'm sure, financial flexibility or not, they're going to be lamenting those 4th-5th years and that $16-17M/year. The Angels can better spend that money - especially if a top pitcher is available in FA next offseason. I'm just gonna hope that the BoSox defense/offense remains a mess (NO AGon) for the inevitable ALDS showdown.
Oh, and I gotta say, its gonna be interesting to see how Lackey integrates into the Boston clubhouse. He's known in Anaheim for his display of, um, displeasure of his fielders as much as he is known for his toughness. How's that gonna play in Boston, where the fans/media are rabid crazy and there's already a lead-dog pitcher (Beckett)? Like I said, it'll be interesting.
And I hope that Lackey is prepared to be boo-ed in Anaheim. While there will be some that won't fault him for taking the money (and remember 2002), I can understand the hatred that the Red Sox inspire in any Halo fan.
14 December 2009
the FO gets owned in one day...
So I've been gone for quite a while, tending to finals and other end-of-the-quarter things. So I was really looking forward to tomorrow, after I had submitted my fellowship application, to rehash all that I've missed, including the Winter Meetings and my opinion on the Granderson-Jackson blockbuster.
Well those plans just exploded in my face.
This morning I did my usual quick halosphere check for any major news and despite my distress over the Lackey news, I decided to finish up my work before I sat down and contemplated the effect on the Angels.
Well those plans just exploded in my face.
Checking for any updates on Lackey, I instead learned of the blockbuster Halladay-Lee trade. Talk about a one-two punch... The Halos emerge a clear loser in today's offseason dealings. After the FO made it clear that it was going to focus on pitching rather than Bay (which I thought was a good move), they lose out on all the best pitching options. Lackey was always my first choice, since I believed that Halladay would be too costly. But when Philly emerged a viable Halladay landing spot and Rosenthal suggested that Lee may be dealt, you can bet that Lee would be a fabulous (and less expensive) addition to the Halos rotation.
But today, all three are gone. Worse still, Lackey went to the BoSox and Lee to the M's.
The halosphere is up in arms, and understandably so. The FO just got its ass handed to it. And you can be sure that a Matsui signing won't placate them.
Deep breath everybody. Now is not the time to panic. But I'm sure the FO (and the fans) are wondering whether what's left out there is even worth pursuing.
Well those plans just exploded in my face.
This morning I did my usual quick halosphere check for any major news and despite my distress over the Lackey news, I decided to finish up my work before I sat down and contemplated the effect on the Angels.
Well those plans just exploded in my face.
Checking for any updates on Lackey, I instead learned of the blockbuster Halladay-Lee trade. Talk about a one-two punch... The Halos emerge a clear loser in today's offseason dealings. After the FO made it clear that it was going to focus on pitching rather than Bay (which I thought was a good move), they lose out on all the best pitching options. Lackey was always my first choice, since I believed that Halladay would be too costly. But when Philly emerged a viable Halladay landing spot and Rosenthal suggested that Lee may be dealt, you can bet that Lee would be a fabulous (and less expensive) addition to the Halos rotation.
But today, all three are gone. Worse still, Lackey went to the BoSox and Lee to the M's.
The halosphere is up in arms, and understandably so. The FO just got its ass handed to it. And you can be sure that a Matsui signing won't placate them.
Deep breath everybody. Now is not the time to panic. But I'm sure the FO (and the fans) are wondering whether what's left out there is even worth pursuing.
20 November 2009
offseason hysteria
Like many other halo fans, I'm suffering from angels withdrawl.
Unlike many other halo fans, I'm still keeping my sanity.
The hoopla of the offseason is in full swing as I read many outlandish proposals in the halosphere on what the FO should do. The team won 97 games last year, swept the Red Sox and played with plenty of heart to fight NY to six games. This team does not need a major overhaul. REPEAT: This team does not need a major overhaul.
First of all, let me qualify this by saying that I err on the side of caution when it comes to trades and signings. I didn't believe in trading for Halladay in June (still don't) and I shruged at the Abreu signing last offseason. I believe that the key to success is the farm. And the Angels have done a very good job in that respect. They have a very good, young core with a lot of promise, mostly homegrown. Weaver (27), Santana (27), Saunders (28) and Kaz (25!) in the rotation. Aybar (25!), Howie (26), KMo (26), Naps (28) and Mathis (26) in the infield. These guys are going to have more affect on the future success of the team than the signing of Holliday or trading for Granderson. Yes, these guys haven't established themselves like say, Ryan Howard, but if they've all shown flashes of promise. The Angels need to rely on their young talent not trade it away. They need more seasoning, but with this core the Angels' future is very bright.
Unlike many other halo fans, I'm still keeping my sanity.
The hoopla of the offseason is in full swing as I read many outlandish proposals in the halosphere on what the FO should do. The team won 97 games last year, swept the Red Sox and played with plenty of heart to fight NY to six games. This team does not need a major overhaul. REPEAT: This team does not need a major overhaul.
First of all, let me qualify this by saying that I err on the side of caution when it comes to trades and signings. I didn't believe in trading for Halladay in June (still don't) and I shruged at the Abreu signing last offseason. I believe that the key to success is the farm. And the Angels have done a very good job in that respect. They have a very good, young core with a lot of promise, mostly homegrown. Weaver (27), Santana (27), Saunders (28) and Kaz (25!) in the rotation. Aybar (25!), Howie (26), KMo (26), Naps (28) and Mathis (26) in the infield. These guys are going to have more affect on the future success of the team than the signing of Holliday or trading for Granderson. Yes, these guys haven't established themselves like say, Ryan Howard, but if they've all shown flashes of promise. The Angels need to rely on their young talent not trade it away. They need more seasoning, but with this core the Angels' future is very bright.
