The Angels have been interested in a number of free agent pitchers this offseason, both starters and relievers, and now they're looking for an entire new battery. ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Halos have intensified their search for a catcher, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says they have their eye on Ryan Hanigan of the Reds (Twitter links).
Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, and Hank Conger are on the team's 40-man roster, but Mathis is a non-tender candidate and Wilson is a .206/.268/.344 career hitter in 116 big league games. Conger is one of the team's top prospects, but he might not be ready to catch everyday after hitting just .204/.284/.345 in limited time with the Angels over the last two seasons. Hanigan, 31, has hit .275/.371/.368 in 287 games with Cincinnati over the last five years. Rosenthal says the Reds could re-sign Ramon Hernandez if they move Hanigan.
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, backstops like Kelly Shoppach, Ivan Rodriguez, former Angel Jose Molina, and Hernandez are available on the open market. Hernandez will be treated as a Type-B free agent thanks to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, so it will not cost a draft pick to sign him.
Hmmm….OK, we’ll give you Hanigan for Haren. Even up.
Haren probably wants to avoid playing in another NL lauching pad.
HAHAHAHA …. umm, NO!
No!
Haren just laughed at your post.
Wasn’t Molina signed by TB?
Molina is still “on the verge” of signing, I don’t believe it’s official just yet.
Thats because St. Louis just made Molina an offer
Did a “reliable” source tell you?
Or did I just miss your sarcasm?
Hanigan + Alonso = Wells
Subtract Vernon & insert Trout and you have a deal
Yeah because you trade a consensus top 10 prospect for a guy who hasn’t hit .300 in over 3 seasons.
yes because I was serious
Mathis is not impressed
About this situation or himself?
both
That’s ok. Neither is anyone else (of Mathis being essentially useless). He can just ride the wave.
Since the Reds want starting pitching they should swap hanigan for a starter
The only reason the Angels are in this mess is because Reagins has the IQ of a rock and Scioscia let his stubbornness get the best of him. Trading Mike Napoli away was beyond dumb.
I only see this happening if Angels view trading Santana to Reds for Hanigan as a salary dump in place of signing CJ Wison. Otherwise I’m not sure what the Reds could want from the Angels.
Santana is much better than Hanigan. I’d rather go with Conger than give up Santana.
If the Halos gave up Santana they wouldn’t be trading for someone like Hanigan. I totally agree with you I’d rather have Conger play.
Santana is a very valuable property, never mind a salary dump!
hey just felt like informing you, Reagins no longer works for the Halos, so that trade idea ends there
I don’t think the Reds will be looking to trade Hanigan. He is a great backup that is super cheap.
I have to agree with this. I think he is signed for 2 more seasons at dirt cheap pricing. I don’t really think the Reds would move Hanigan. This trade won’t happen unless the reds plan on keeping Hernandez around.
The Rangers might trade you Yorvit Torrealba.
Hanigan would provide the power that Mathis lacks ohhhhhh so much.
There will be no dumping of Santana. He’s a valuable asset at a relatively low price.
The Angels are not alone…..at least 50% of teams start a AAA level catcher. That makes the abandonment of Napoli all the more baffling.
=) NO MATHIS IN 2012
I feel a stupid signing of CJ WIlson and a trade of Santana coming. Every analyst rates Santana as the most talented pitcher on the Angels. DO not trade him! He is still young and pitchers don’t hit their prime until 30ish! No DiRegins, noooooo!
Every analyst? Could you actually direct me to ONE person who thinks that Santana is genuinely better than Jered Weaver OR Dan Haren, let alone both?
Ryan Rudnansky, Gubi, Butcher, Joe Maddon (just few of many)- Google, heard of it?I’m not saying his stats are better than Weaver or Haren but raw talent. I consider former players to be the best analyst because they’ve been there. Next question.
So three out of four are current or former Angels staff, funny how it’s there job to about how good their pitchers are…. you really ice-burned me there with that solid evidence.
I’m not going to pull up every article or sound byte to prove my point. Go learn about pitching, watch as many Angels’ games as I do and come back with an apology. Maddon’s opinion alone should be enough for you.
I watch as many Angels games as you….Santana is a good pitcher but he is also streaky…whether it’s yr to yr(good in odd yrs) or month on month off…..Santana’s biggest issue to me is his head….not saying he has a $0.10 head but he does have issues…regardless….I dont’ want to see him moved even if CJ is signed….
Santana has one of the most devastating FB – Slider repertoire when he is on and may have the best pure stuff on the Angels’ staff, when his fastball is flat or his slider loses bite (a handful of starts each year) he becomes way to easy to take out of the park.
Weaver is a more complete pitcher with a solid FB, plus changeup and solid curve, goes deep into games and controls hitters’ balance and timing very well. Haren does the same with his slider/splitter combo.
Jameson VanDyke is still wrong, Santana has great stuff but not the best pitcher on Angels’ staff. Still behind Weaver and Haren until he breaks out
Geeze, I said the most talented. Of course Weaver is the best pitcher on the Angels and Haren is second but when Santana finally finds his groove, he is going to put up Sabithia type years. So keep him and sign him to an extension. Remember guys, Cliff Lee didn’t find his groove until 29ish and look at him now.
I think Mathis will find his groove too. Let’s keep him around just in case. Maddon probably said he is good too at some point in some interview somewhere in an article on the net that I won’t find.
Santana is already locked up for 2 more years. He will not be a Sabathia type pitcher, CC has 3 go to pitches in his fastball, slider, and changeup. Santana has not shown to ability to develop a 3rd pitch, he has toyed with a changeup and splitter the last few years with no luck. I agree his numbers can get better if he has a breakout year but we aren’t looking at a #1 starter.. as I said his FB does not hold up all the time and his slider flattens out at times (take a look at some of his past years). Cliff Lee put it together by cutting down on his walks and adding a cutter, he learned how to get more outs on balls put in play. Don’t count on Santana being a #1, he is a very solid 3 starter with the potential to be a good 2, his stuff pans out very similar to AJ Burnett.
And there is no way the Angels trade Ervin Santana, DiPoto already has said he would like to build on the strength of the team, pitching. Even if they do acquire CJ Wilson, none of our starters will be moved unless it is Chatwood or Richards for a bat.
I don’t like Chat or Richards for Hanigan either though..I don’t like Hanigan for any of our Pitchers at all..Id rather have Angels sign Ramon
Yes, obviously “the most talented” and “the best” are not the same thing, we should all inherently be aware of your amazing semantics and handle of the English language. I think the word you’re looking for is “potential” by the way, not talent. If he had the most talent at this point obviously his stats would surpass both Weaver and Haren, but that isn’t the case.
And Santana is 29 and entering his 8th season in the league. You compare him to Cliff Lee, who is a lefty and nowhere near the same type of pitcher. Not to mention Lee being a huge outlier in general (most pitchers don’t miraculously “find their groove” at age 29+).
He’s a great pitcher, but is inconsistent from year to year and a constant headcase. He will likely never be on the same elite caliber as Weaver and Haren.
Completely agree with you Jameson. Ervin Santana has without a doubt better pitches than anyone on the current rotation or in the pen. If you are even an avid Angels fan you are aware of this. Ervin’s problem is that he has yet to put this all together to prove it. Is he the best pitcher on the team? No way!!!!!! Jered and Dan are far more polished and have the consistency that Ervin does not currently possess. (Side note: Sabathia is a horse by the way. I don’t like the Yankees by any means, but Ervin will not have the career CC will.)
Glenn, it’s funny how you claim to be an avid Angels fan. Yet you try to sell that Santana has a better repertoire than anyone on our staff. First of all, Santana is strictly a fastball/slider pitcher, that being said his fastball at times flattens out and his slider loses its bite (go look at some of his career numbers). Santana also only has 2 pitches, he has tried to work with a change-up and splitter the last two seasons, only to show the pitch maybe 3-5 times each start. Weaver clearly has a better arsenal with his fastball, curve, slider, and changeup while Haren works with a cutter, 2-seam fb, slider and splitter. I highly question your baseball background and intelligence for the game.
Why wouldn’t the Angels go for Ramon Hernandez instead of Hanigan? He’s least likely to block Conger but is still hitting pretty well and is a veteran with successful career. 26.6 career WAR, he’s no slouch as a player.
There hasn’t been a cheap 1yr deal given out to a free agent yet this year and I think they’d rather trade a B/C prospect to the Reds for Hanigan instead of giving 2 yrs to a mid-30’s catcher.
You dont think the Twins giving 1 year and 3 million to Doumit counts?
As a Reds fan, I can tell you that you’re not getting Hanny for a B/C prospect. The Hanny for Trout posts I’m sure were just joking, but we are high on him and he’s extremely cheap (which unfortunately is a massive factor for us.) Hanny hasn’t been a “back-up” catcher, he’s been a split time catcher.
As a Reds fan, I can tell you that you’re not getting Hanny for a B/C prospect. The Hanny for Trout posts I’m sure were just joking, but we are high on him and he’s extremely cheap (which unfortunately is a massive factor for us.) Hanny hasn’t been a “back-up” catcher, he’s been a split time catcher.
With the way the Angles like to platoon the C position Hanigan isn’t blocking Conger….Conger SUX from the right side of the plate too…
he has 11 plate appearances from the right side this year and he sucks? Let the kid have a full share of AB’s from both sides. In his limited Ab’s that i remember seeing him from the right side, i like his approach a lot better than from the left. That being said, his left side is seen as his stronger side, but if he isn’t getting the opportunities i don’t think we can discredit him
I understand 11 ab’s is a bad sample size…..I am making my judgement from watching his PA’s…..from the right side he is more patient but that happens b/c he knows (imo) that his skills are weaker from that side…he trys to get on base via walk where as from the left side he is more aggressive and trys to get on base via hits….the swings he put on balls from the right side to me didn’t look nearly as good as the swing he put on balls from the left side….I’m also backed up w/ the fact that the Scioscia and crew felt the same way since they sat him typically when facing LH SP….
i don’t think i’ve ever seen Conger swing at the first pitch. And when takes pitches, he doesn’t ven track the ball, it pisses me off… as for having him sitting against lefties, i would attribute than the Scioscia’s love affair with Mathis and Wilson and not Conger’s “inability” to hit against them.
Wait so what exactly are Angels going to give up? Santi for Hanigan then sign CJ?? WUHH? this is insane Santi is way better Hanigan..I DON’T LIKE THIS! I was waiting for news but not what i had in mind..NOOOOOO
Hanigan for Trevor Bell shoot that’s as close as Reds get to one of our Starters..Unless its Abreu they want to trade???? By any chance are Reds searching for a PH for 3M 1 yr?..
Ironic how the Angels are looking for a catcher the year after they gave away Napoli and watched him lead the Rangers to another World Series berth.
Ahhh, the Vernon Wells trade… the gift that keeps on giving. 🙂
Napoli was good with the Angels, but it’s not like anyone could’ve expected him to suddenly turn into 2000 Mike Piazza.
I’m a Rangers fan, but there’s no need to keep rubbing it in lol. Let’s be the better fans. And just like MetsMagic stated…nobody ever expected that out of Napoli. All we can hope for is that he does it again next season.
We don’t HAVE to hope for that to happen again next season… 😉
and NOBODY expected Toronto to flip him to Texas…
it’s actually been reported recently that Reagins knew about it and still went along with it. Can’t post the link but if i remember correctly it was an LA times article.
Since this thread will disappear….if you find that link post it on the forums under the Halos…..I would like to read it….
Toronto didn’t need Napoli. It wasn’t surprising that the Rangers tried to get him from the Jays because they always wanted him.
Ryan Hanigan, really? I hope this is false. Would rather just sign Hernandez. Unless a really good prospect or other player is coming with him, i say pass.
Or if its Abreu for Hanigan??
Yes, the Reds are looking for a reverse salary dump for a player who can hardly play the field anymore and continually gets worse and worse.
they will only need to pay 3M for 1 yr..Just saying i just don’t see Angels trading Any of there pitchers like Chat ..and that’s why in my previous post i stated as a PH..and Abreu has experience future hall of Famer should count for something?
you really think Abreu is a future HOFer…..no.
Ya he has a shot at it
The Angels could be a decent team in 2012 with a decent catcher. They have the pitching, and if guys like Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter, Kendrys Morales can have a good year, they could be a contender in AL West.
So the prospect (Conger) that the Angels haven’t really given a chance to play may not be ready? Shocking.
OK, so here goes….the only reason Hanigan would be available is because the Reds are pretty deep behind the dish. They don’t want Mathis or Conger. Since the Halos have zero interest in a 1B, the Reds’ best trade chip (Alonso) is worthless. Without Alonso being part of a package deal, the Reds have no shot at getting what they really want, which is a top of the rotation-type starter, who, could only be Ervin Sanana since Haren and Weaver are out of the question. This would force the Reds to re-sign Hernandez anyway, which they’d rather not do at $3MM+. Hanigan is saying put. End of story. This one made zero sense from the start, which is why I chose to begin the conversation with a healthy dose of sarcasm. The Reds and Angels don’t match up too good at all.
Bengie or Jose Molina because Yadier Molina is going no where.
The Rays do need a Catcher.
Hanigan’s numbers look massive next to Mathis’. Yes get him!!
Were did you get that from? Hanigan stats are at least double of what Mathis has.. Another way is money wise..Hanigan is a lot more cheaper than Mathis and Hanigan will actually do something besides play catch with the pitcher..
baseballplayersalaries dot com when compared to Hanigan says that “Mathis is a BUM” and “Hanigan is a total stud”..From BUM to STUD ill take it
Dream on Angels fans, dream on.
Dream for what? for this trade not to happen coz thats what im dreaming on..