The Angels remain open, but not committed, to dealing second baseman Howie Kendrick or third baseman David Freese if they can bring back an arm, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The former is unsurprisingly drawing more interest at the moment, with the Yankees and Blue Jays among the teams that have inquired into his availability.
According to Heyman, the Halos are more likely than not to keep Kendrick. The 31-year-old is coming off of perhaps his best season as a professional. He will earn $9.5MM this year before hitting the open market.
Nevertheless, the team is still listening to proposals that would help bolster its rotation depth, which remains an area of focus. The club is comfortable considering that possibility due to the presence of Gordon Beckham, says Heyman, though he also seems to be a plausible non-tender candidate. Presumably, Grant Green could be a factor as well if the Angels create an opening up the middle.
The Yankees do not match up well with the Angels. NYY doesn’t have any cost controlled pitching to spare.
Sure they do. Just probably not much the Angels would want. The Blue Jays would certainly have the edge on the Yankees there though if they are looking for a pitcher, but it doesn’t mean the Yankees can’t offer anything
Shane Greene would certainly be an upgrade over CJ Wilson and Hector Santiago.
IF we compare vs this Cj’s is an upgrade but I think Cj got a higher chance to be consistent and green is a guy with great talent that need to prove many things in the league
Ehhh, where do I start? How about Shane Greene had the best stretch of pitching in his entire career last year at the big league club. He’s never been very good otherwise. I’d be inclined to call that a fluke.
“How about Shane Greene had the best stretch of pitching in his entire career last year at the big league club. He’s never been very good otherwise”
Are there multiple Shane Greene’s or something? He was a rookie last year. Are you saying you can predict the future or something?
And he’s a cost controlled pitcher as RallyMonkey was saying.
I’m still on the “Shane Greene is Wang reincarnated but with a higher swing and miss rate and no catastrophic injuries” train. 🙂
I think he must be thinking of some other pitcher with the surname Greene. The Phillies once had a Tyler Greene, I think, but that was years ago.
Improvement over Wilson ehhh, maybe.. Not over Santiago though.
I would be okay with giving up Greene to get Kendrick but that would be the most I personally be willing to go.
I think even that’s a little too much. Kendrick is a good player, but it doesn’t make sense to trade a guy like Shane Greene for Kendrick when there are other options internally and via free agency.
Don’t think I wanna part ways with Greene
How about David Phelps or Adam Warren and a prospect or two?
Right handed bull pen arms are the one kind of pitching the Angels don’t need.
Phelps has been equally effective in the starting rotation and in the bullpen and he’s been pretty durable. He’s not spectacular but he’s reliable and durable.
I wouldn’t want halos to trade Howie for Greene. He isn’t worth it. His Minor league numbers weren’t impressive and his WHIP is high. Seems like another Wilson.
The best thing about the Yanks acquiring Kendrick would be that he won’t tear us apart when he plays against us.
And the Yankees would actually get offense up the middle again like they used to.
Although, it does seem kind of odd to spend $9.5 million on a second baseman and leave a big hole at shortstop when they already have a second baseman in Prado and possibly, Refsnyder……
In 2015 Howie Kendrick is on a mission, to kill the Yankees from the inside.
Sometimes last year, I used to yell something like that at Stephen Drew; and I might have yelled something about him still secretly being on the Red Sox. For the record, he heard me, and he never denied it: Not once.
Howie Impossible 2, coming Spring 2015.
If the Yankees get Kendrick and re-sign Headley, where does that leave Prado? I’ve been hoping all along they’d make him a SS (with Brendan Ryan coming in for defense and maybe Prado going in RF then), but I don’t see the Yankees doing that.
Prado can play almost anywhere, thankfully, so whatever the Yanks do, he will have a home.
Prado would probably play in RF and if Headley comes back ARod plays 1st/DHs with Beltran I guess, getting Kendrik seems to be a cluster
It wouldn’t be a cluster if they put Prado at SS.
I don’t know about all that..how many innings has Prado played SS?
108
They wouldn’t feel comfortable with Prado at SS long term.
Not many but if you see what I wrote originally again, they have Brendan Ryan too who can play SS
We survived 20 years with Derek. I think we can live with Prado at SS
I guess, anything but Stephen Drew and Brendan Ryan lol
These problems usually sort themselves out, usually via injuries. Prado in right, Kendrick at second, Headley at third, A-Rod/Teixeira/Beltran rotate through first, third and DH.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Robert Refsnyder given a chance with Prado at 3rd. The dark horse is A-Rod, who hopefully gets banned from baseball or something.
Could you imagine if A-Rod got banned? Every fan of every other team would be hating on the MLB for giving the Yankees special treatment and getting them out of his contract.
I think Kendrick would be an alternative to Headley if the bidding gets out of hand.
Perhaps, which would make Prado certainly go to 3rd then.
Happ plus ______ for Kendrick?
The Angels aren’t trading a top ten MLB second baseman for 1 year of a below average starter. If that’s the type of offers the Angels are receiving it no surprise they are keeping Kendrick.
It’s only one season of Kendrick though. It’s a huge gamble for a team to give up a top prospect for a player who could be gone after one season. Although, it does make more sense, for both the Angels and the acquiring team, to move Kendrick in the off-season because if he’s acquired in-season, the acquiring team doesn’t have the option of making him a qualifying offer and receiving draft pick compensation. It’s just, “Bye Howie, thanks for the couple of weeks”. And from the Angels’ perspective, a team would probably give up more for him, for that reason, the option to make him a QO and reap a draft pick as compensation if he leaves.
Teams make that gamble all the time.
Not for a player who just had a down year and has never been considered elite though.
Edit: 2014 was actually one of his better years – made that statement by taking a quick glance and saw his power was down. Point of him not really ever being elite still stands though.
you won’t have him anyway.
He’s not considered elite because he doesn’t get oversold by the networks like Dustin Pedroia. What down year are you speaking of? Kendrick’s last down year was 2010, and that’s even debatable. If Kendrick was a Yankee already, he’d be considered elite. And he likely would be after spending the year with the Yankees. Teams have given up top prospects for lesser players. The previous comment was correct. Teams make that gamble all the time. Remember what the Giants gave up for 2 months of Carlos Beltran? That gamble is just part of the game.
“What down year are you speaking of?”
My edit is clearly in my comment.
“If Kendrick was a Yankee already, he’d be considered elite”
Maybe by Yankee fans. ‘Elite’ is something indicative of his numbers. Kendrick is a very good player, but I personally wouldn’t consider him elite.
There is higher chance that he would have better numbers east coast because hitting park, but still his defense is just above the average.
Does power is really that important; What about war.
Hence my edit.
More often for a starting pitcher that they feel will put them over the top. Maybe a fair comparison for reference is Chase Headley–the Yankees gave up Yangervis Solarte and 2 low-A starting pitchers that had some up-side but weren’t top 20 in the Yankee system. The Yankees would have Kendrick for a full season so that raises the cost in prospect quality a little.
The reason why the Angels should get more is that the acquiring team will offer Kendrick a QO and will either extend him or get a compensation pick.
It would be worth more for the Angels to just keep him and offer a QO and get a pick or extend him than get Happ plus a middle level prospect.
Happ one-up would be close to value for both teams. Each could toss in a prospect to give fans something to troll over. Angels would get a reliable leftie at lower salary. Blue Jays have room and ownership to take on more salary and could make decision on Kendrick staying while prospects try to make show.
Happ’s fWAR in 2014 was 1.3. He’s never posted a FIP under 4 and has career BB/9 of 3.79 and career HR/9 of 1.13.
Kendrick’s fWAR in 2014 was 4.6. He could net the Angels a draft pick if he leaves via Free Agency after the 2015 season, if not extended. With his salary at $9.5 million this year, DiPoto would surely extend him a QO.
Happ and a prospect is not going to do it for Kendrick. Not even close.
Obviusly you are right but you are stating like we are in rebuild mode. Remember this team is in contention if they are not gonna receive something worthy; they might not trade him.
Absolutely, it would be crazy to give him away for free. He’s not Ryan Howard, in terms of negative trade value. That being said, we’re also talking about moving all of his $9.5 million for 2015 which would allow the Angels to jump in to the bidding for one of the big free agent prizes this off-season. There aren’t a lot of teams out there who could absorb all of that contract especially this off-season if MLBTR’s off-season analysis(es?) are correct. I was studying them in depth the other night. It’s amazing how many teams apparently have very little money to spend. Apparently, only the Mariners have some budget room and they just lost one of the guys they’d probably like to use it on when Victor Martinez resigned with the Tigers.
Ya. Happy is not an upgrade. My guess was Kendrick + Jepsen for Stroman.
1 year of Kendrick and a reliever =/= Stroman.
not!
You’re joking right? You realize that Stroman is probably one of the most valuable young pitchers right now (because of production, talent, and league minimum salary).
I agree with you, But you think one year of happ is an atractive chip
He has positive value. Not a ton, but some. If you notice, I did say Happ plus something else.
the short guy? too risky considering he has to create his velocity from his arm motion. might eventually be a relief pitcher.
Pedro says hi!
One of the most valuable? He is a top prospect.
He started 20 games. Put up 2.0 WAR and showed that he has F.O.R. and swing and miss stuff. He’s one of the most exciting young starters in the AL.
Now thats the type of player it would take to get a trade done. Doubt the Jays would be down for it though. But if they are Halos better jump all over it.
they have nothing to offer us in terms of cheap, controllable starting pitching.
might as well hold onto kendrick.
Does the Travis/Gose swap take the Blue Jays out of the Kendrick race?
I dont think so, Maybe plan b or for deph, I think he is a AA prospect
I think if Kendrick were to be trade to the blue jays, What will he ask more years or avoid qualiffying offer
Why would he ask to be Avoided a qualifying offer? If you don’t want a qualifying offer, you just decline it, like every single player who was ever offered one has done (someone correct me if I”m wrong)
If you reject qualify offer, you get a draft pick compensation and this will decreases his value in the market. Sorry if I wasn’t clear with my idea.
You’re wrong. He can sign with anyone but if the signing team loses a draft pick that will lower the teams that will be interested in him, those lowering his value.
I meant correct me if I’m wrong that Every player who has been offered one has Rejected it.
Sure it may lower some teams who are interested but I think he’s still going to get a very fair contract.
Not necesarry didn’t you see what happend Cruz and Ervin Santana last year
Santana is an inconsistent pitcher and Cruz is a defensive liability and was coming off of a PED suspension.
Dont know if a 2B not named Cano or Pedroia is worth 16m, cant see it being offered.
For you how much value have someone who average 4.0 war in his last 4 season. Angel just pay him for about 26M. I think he can get a contract at least 3 yrs. for 40M or even more
I know in-division trades are rare in todays game but the A’s need to jump on this. Pomeranz-Kendrick?
That would not be nearly enough for the Angels to trade Kendrick to the A’s. The A’s would have to massively overpay; say Shark for Kendrick.
what??? Kendrick has 1 year of team control left, for a young pitcher with 3+ years? I would rather have Pomeranz for 3+ than Shark for 1.
Pomeranz peripherals are utterly uninspiring and so is his career best 3.77 FIP in 2014. Add to that he has never even pitched 100 inning in a single season.
Maybe in the majors
Yeah, I highly doubt Kendrick gets you anywhere near Shark.
Hence why I mentioned “Shark” and “massively overpay” in the same sentence
I wouldn’t waste this opportunity on Shark. The Angels would be giving up a good player for a league average pitcher. Don’t be fooled by Shark’s one good year as a SP. If they went they route they might as well acquire Pomeranz. At least they’d have more control over Pomeranz to see if his 2014 season wasn’t a fluke, which I’m sure it wasn’t since his numbers reflect the stark contrast in pitching environment between Coors and whatever the A’s stadium is named. Pomeranz basically can serve the same role as Santiago and Rasmus, and allow flexibility between the back end of the rotation and the bullpen. I think they should continue going in that direction. And they’d be paying roughly league minimum for Pomeranz in the process.
You don’t want people to be fooled by “Shark’s one good year as a SP” but you are sure Pomeranz “2014 season wasn’t a fluke” based on only 69 IP?
The Mets have young, cost controlled pitching. I wonder if a 3 team deal is possible. I don’t know if they’d want Kendrick since they have Daniel Murphy but they could receive something from the 3rd team in the deal.
Whomever the Yankees might trade for Kendrick…. throw in J.R. Murphy, and you’ve got a deal !
Gee, Tejada, & Montero for Aybar
We trade our SS to have another hole and IF Dipoto were to trade Aybar he would get a better packet
Angels just need to Keep Howie. If they can resign him Great if not then fine. Howie is a very important piece to this team. No team is willing to give a fair trade for him either way. Seems like everyone undervalues him.