Angels were in trouble for a decade but kept spending themselves out of it.

I believe they've finally hit a breaking point where they are truly screwed for another couple of years unless they can get jackpot for Trout.

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Angels signed in 2017:
Pujols: $26M
Trout: $20M
Street: $9M
Simmons: $8M
Hamilton: $26.4M
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Totals: $89.4M

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That's why it almost ALWAYS is smart to just stick with the prospects you have. Very rarely in today's MLB can you "buy" a championship team. The best teams get talent and develop it.

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Angels were in trouble for a decade but kept spending themselves out of it.

I believe they've finally hit a breaking point where they are truly screwed for another couple of years unless they can get jackpot for Trout.

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Agreed on the 1st statement.

On the 2nd statement, I think they are screwed for 5-7 years, unless they get jackpot for Trout, which would trim the down years to about 2-3.

They don't have any SP.

Let me reorganize what I just posted and trim it.

They have one spot on the rotation that still needs to be decided **moving forward in 2016.**

Currently on the Big Team, **controlled for 2017,** they have:
Santiago (28-LHP): 12 GS \ 5.07 ERA \ 1.31 WHIP - Arb3 in 2017
Shoemaker (29-RHP): 11 GS \ 5.40 ERA \ 1.38 WHIP - Arb1 in 2017

DL 60
Garrett Richards (SP-28-RHP): 6 GS \ 2.34 \ 1.33 WHIP - 2 yr Arb left. TJ candidate if platelet doesn't hold
Andrew Heaney (SP-25-LHP) - Serf. He was looked at with forearm tightness and could get TJ.

DL15
Nick Tropeano (SP-25-RHP): 10 GS \ 3.25 ERA \ 1.55 WHIP - Serf
Cory Rasmus (RP-28-RHP) - Arb1

Others on 40:
Victor Alcantara (23-R) - In AA with a 3.98 ERA \ 1.399 WHIP
Tyler Skaggs (24-L) - Recovering from TJ in 2014. Set back with fatique in April.

So they only have 2 real SP options under control for 2017 and both have a 5.00+ ERA. Their next 3 candidates have had UCL damage to their elbow preventing... 1 has had TJ, and had a setback from rehab, the two others are likely going to have TJ.

Outside of that, their only real path to fill the 3 remaining spots is FA for big $$$, taking on a contract like Yordano Ventura (KC), or taking flyers on guys like Lincecum trying to re-establish themselves.

They won't have 5 legit SPs in 2017, unless they sell Trout.

Edit was made with ** added words ** to make more clear.

Here you go

http://www.theunticket.com/audio/drops//firstplacerangers.mp3

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Angels were in trouble for a decade but kept spending themselves out of it.

I believe they've finally hit a breaking point where they are truly screwed for another couple of years unless they can get jackpot for Trout.

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This.

The 2014 Rangers were the most injured team in history in terms of man-days on the DL. Most importantly though, those injuries robbed us of more than a year of three young and somewhat established pitchers in their prime. We were set to have a rotation of Harrison, Holland, Perez, and Darvish for four years prior to that calamitous turn of events. I'm not sure why the baseball gods cursed our franchise the way that they did but I've never seen anything like it.

The Angels had a good run for about a decade. They got old. They got depleted. Teams that don't have much tend to exhaust what they have and the result is a lot of missed time.

So, has anyone with more baseball knowledge than I have noticed anything different about Fielder since his return? I know he's doing that leg difference, but it doesn't seem like the end result has been that much better, if at all. He got a few hits two nights ago, but I know at least one of them was a ground ball that just went to a good spot. I would venture to guess his line drive rate is way down. And then he was back to looking horrible yesterday. Chased pitches, etc.

Albeit that was against Keuchel, who is very good when he's on, which he pretty much was all the way up until the Desmond HR last night. I guess you have to still give Fielder reps, but I just don't know if he's going to get going on a tear. I still consider him almost an automatic out.

Can't draw any conclusions from 2 games of AB's.

They're probably gonna give Fielder until the ASB to figure it out. If he hasn't by then, it wouldn't surprise me if he went to the DL for an "injury". At that point, if all things are going as is, I'll see it as this

1B - Gallo/Profar/Moreland
2B - Odor/Profar
3B - Beltre/Gallo
SS - Andrus/Profar
LF - Mazara/Rua
CF - Desmond
RF - Choo/Mazara
DH - Profar/whoever Profar is spelling in the field.

Choo/Rua become the L/R platoon now. It sucks because of Choo's price tag, but I'm not taking Profar nor Mazara out of the line up. In order to keep Profar's bat in the line up, rotate him between 1st, 2nd, SS, and DH. It's like having a ungodly talent with Zobrist like maneuverability.

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They're probably gonna give Fielder until the ASB to figure it out. If he hasn't by then, it wouldn't surprise me if he went to the DL for an "injury". At that point, if all things are going as is, I'll see it as this

1B - Gallo/Profar/Moreland
2B - Odor/Profar
3B - Beltre/Gallo
SS - Andrus/Profar
LF - Mazara/Rua
CF - Desmond
RF - Choo/Mazara
DH - Profar

Choo/Rua become the L/R platoon now. It sucks because of Choo's price tag, but I'm not taking Profar nor Mazara out of the line up. In order to keep Profar's bat in the line up, rotate him between 1st, 2nd, SS, and DH. It's like having a ungodly talent with Zobrist like maneuverability.

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I agree w/ the above, except I don't see Choo and Rua becoming a platoon situation if Choo is healthy. I think the OF will be pretty much set in stone w/ Mazara/Desmond/Choo, with Rua providing the occasional day off.

But man, that is one versatile lineup. Saw Buster Olney said it's the most talented roster in the AL.

If Dyson is gonna be the closer, we need a gif of him sprinting in from the dugout and spearing whoever that was on the Jays he hit.

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Angels were in trouble for a decade but kept spending themselves out of it.

I believe they've finally hit a breaking point where they are truly screwed for another couple of years unless they can get jackpot for Trout.

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This.

The 2014 Rangers were the most injured team in history in terms of man-days on the DL. Most importantly though, those injuries robbed us of more than a year of three young and somewhat established pitchers in their prime. We were set to have a rotation of Harrison, Holland, Perez, and Darvish for four years prior to that calamitous turn of events. I'm not sure why the baseball gods cursed our franchise the way that they did but I've never seen anything like it.

The Angels had a good run for about a decade. They got old. They got depleted. Teams that don't have much tend to exhaust what they have and the result is a lot of missed time.

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It's all a sacrifice we had to make for the Mavericks championship. I'm convinced

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If Dyson is gonna be the closer, we need a gif of him sprinting in from the dugout and spearing whoever that was on the Jays he hit.

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Believe he took out Russel Martin.

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Took the Mavericks 5 years to erase the 2006 Finals. If the Rangers follow that same trajectory, this fall should be a lot of fun.

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Damn i like your thinking....

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If Dyson is gonna be the closer, we need a gif of him sprinting in from the dugout and spearing whoever that was on the Jays he hit.

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Heard that on the fan yesterday IIRC.

If that's the thinking, the Cubs or the Giants play the Heat doppleganger real well (StL doesn't strike me as a playoff team this year)

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They're probably gonna give Fielder until the ASB to figure it out. If he hasn't by then, it wouldn't surprise me if he went to the DL for an "injury". At that point, if all things are going as is, I'll see it as this

1B - Gallo/Profar/Moreland
2B - Odor/Profar
3B - Beltre/Gallo
SS - Andrus/Profar
LF - Mazara/Rua
CF - Desmond
RF - Choo/Mazara
DH - Profar/whoever Profar is spelling in the field.

Choo/Rua become the L/R platoon now. It sucks because of Choo's price tag, but I'm not taking Profar nor Mazara out of the line up. In order to keep Profar's bat in the line up, rotate him between 1st, 2nd, SS, and DH. It's like having a ungodly talent with Zobrist like maneuverability.

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I don't agree.

Here is the deal with Choo. His OBP is the reason we got him and it is crazy.

In 5 Minor games this year, his OBP is .400
In 6 Games in MLB this year, his OBP is .458, even though is BA is .188

Rua is at .374 OBP, but his BA is .300.

Choo has a career .281 BA and a career .382 OBP in MLB
RRua has a career .276 BA and a career .359 OBP in the Minors

Rua is making the most of his time, but I think Choo gets regular playing time and Rua remains the 4th OF.

I don't see Gallo getting called up until Moreland, Fielder, Andurs or Profar are traded.

Unless Beltre gets hurt, he is playing every day. In his career he has played 2548 games in his 17 full seasons. That is 146.5 Games per season. From 2010 through 2015, that is 886 GP in 6 seasons, that's 147.7 GP. So... about 14-15 games off, per season. I think many of those come on the turf in Toronto and Tampa.

Ugh back to the two scrubs in the lineup.

Lineup tonight:

Odor 2B
Desmond CF
Mazara RF
Beltre 3B
Fielder DH
Andrus SS
Moreland 1B
Hoying LF
Wilson C

This isn't our best lineup, but I guess Profar needed and deserved a day off. I don't mind moreland being back if he's hitting down there, but Fielder at 5 makes me a bit nervous. Hopefully Odor can be more patient at the plate tonight.

Who wrote this lineup? Harambe?!

Well, the SP for Houston is a righty, so maybe they can get to Fister.

We were at a game last year and my darling wife leaned over and whispered to me: "you know - his last name could mean something dirty..."

Yes dear - I had noticed.

So having gotten excited about the lineup possibilities.

If you are JD... how do you go about managing the extra resources.

Players to consider, IMO... add if you think I've missed someone:

OF: Rua, Choo, DeShields
MIF: Andrus, Profar, Odor, Hanser
1B\DH: Moreland, Fielder, Gallo
SP: Holland, Griffin

I think we can move one from each of those groups.

Our Needs:
Top of the rotation SP
2 Relief Pitchers
Can't miss minor league prospects.

I think we could afford to move - Choo, Profar, Moreland, Fielder, Holland & Griffin.

I don't see any options to dump Fielder even if he were hitting .300, right now and we bit half his salary.

I gotta ask - why do we need top of the rotation pitchers? Are Hamels, Darvish and Perez insufficient?

Sure you can't have too much starting pitching. But for what we have to give, I want a lights out, shut down closer. That's this team's biggest weakness IMHO.

Mets need offense. Would they talk Syndergaard?

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Lineup tonight:

Odor 2B
Desmond CF
Mazara RF
Beltre 3B
Fielder DH - .190
Andrus SS
Moreland 1B - .206
Hoying LF - .235
Wilson C

This isn't our best lineup, but I guess Profar needed and deserved a day off. I don't mind moreland being back if he's hitting down there, but Fielder at 5 makes me a bit nervous. Hopefully Odor can be more patient at the plate tonight.

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I'm hoping Profar didn't hurt himself stretching at 1B.

Having said that... I LOVE this lineup. I think this lineup is just the kick in the nutz needed against Houston.

You are basically telling Houston - who just said they have more talent - we can take Hoying, Fielder and Morelan put them in the lineup and STILL beat them.

The only thing missing is Alberto and his .162 playing SS.

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I gotta ask - why do we need top of the rotation pitchers? Are Hamels, Darvish and Perez insufficient?

Sure you can't have too much starting pitching. But for what we have to give, I want a lights out, shut down closer. That's this team's biggest weakness IMHO.

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I don't think we need SP, but JD has said so. So we do.

And Colby has 8 GS \ 9 G \ 2.38 ERA \ 1.132 WHIP in the post season.

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Mets need offense. Would they talk Syndergaard?

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LOL. Not if they move Matt Harvey. OH... and Matt Harvey appears to be fixed.

They've lost their 3B and 1B.

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Mets need offense. Would they talk Syndergaard?

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Not unless we gave 'em the family jewels.

True story - my son (who doesn't follow baseball at all) just graduated from college and is living at home this summer. He walks through breakfast room and glances at the newspaper with a headline reading "SYNDERGAARD BEATS NATS". He says "Hey I went to Legacy with a guy named Syndergaard." "Yeah Kevin" I say - "it's the same guy."