Despite Mike Trout’s presence, the Angels are stuck in no-man’s land as a club that doesn’t look like a clear-cut contender, Buster Olney of ESPN observes (subscription required). As brilliant as Trout has been, the Angels haven’t made the playoffs or won more than 85 games in a season since 2014, leading Olney to note there’s a legitimate argument they should consider a Mariners-esque rebuild. However, the Angels have signed starters Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill in win-now moves this winter, and Olney concedes it’s unlikely they’ll blow things up in the final two years of Trout’s contract. The 27-year-old Trout “desperately” wants to win, and the Angels are uninterested in trading him, writes Olney. But moving Trout to jump-start a rebuild is something the Angels should at least consider if he’s unwilling to sign an extension, Olney argues.
Here’s more from around the game:
- Although Jed Lowrie was among the majors’ premier second basemen from 2017-18, during which he totaled 8.5 fWAR in 1,325 plate appearances as a member of the Athletics, the A’s won’t bring the free agent back. With Lowrie currently on the open market, Oakland acquired his replacement, Jurickson Profar, on Friday. The fact that Profar’s younger and cheaper than Lowrie led the A’s in that direction, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. While the 25-year-old Profar will earn a projected $3.4MM in 2019, Lowrie, 34, is seeking a three-year contract, according to Slusser. MLBTR estimates the switch-hitting Lowrie will find a three-year, $30MM pact, though Slusser writes that “many industry experts” are anticipating a two-year deal in the $18MM to $20MM range.
- The Profar acquisition will also have an effect on A’s middle infield prospect Franklin Barreto, long one of their top farmhands. Trading for Profar suggests the A’s aren’t convinced Barreto can be part of the solution at second, posits Slusser, who adds that the team could shift the 22-year-old to the outfield (where he has racked up some experience in the Venezuelan Winter League) or even deal him. If Barreto does stick around, it’s likely he’ll “take on more of a utility role,” general manager David Forst said. Forst remains bullish on Barreto, as he added, “He’s going to be a valuable guy for us, his bat is going to play.”
- Having acquired Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Miller, most of the Cardinals’ heavy lifting for the offseason is already done prior to the New Year. The club hasn’t ruled out picking up another reliever to join Miller & Co., though, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests. The Cards will also land a backup catcher – potentially by way of a minor league contract, per Goold – and perhaps another left-handed bench bat. St. Louis did acquire lefty-hitting reserve Drew Robinson from the Rangers earlier this month, but the 26-year-old utilityman hasn’t produced much in the majors and still has another minor league option remaining.
Trade Trout and go full rebuild! It’s the same thing that the Mariners should have done with Felix when he was actually good.
They could get a massive haul from the Braves, Padres, or Phillies farm systems for him.
Ageed, now is the time to move him if they want to get the best package. They aren’t going to win with him in the next 2 years.
Trout to the Phillies?!?!?
I think it moved a little 🙂
YANKEES!!
Padres wouldn’t trade for trout
And I doubt Trout would waive his NTC for the Padres.
If he thinks the Padres can win, he could waive his NTC. He would stay on the West coast. For the Angels, getting Tatis Jr, Urias, plus more back makes sense. For the Padres, being able to acquire Simmons, along with Trout and possibly a SP would go along way to helping them contend now.
There are reasons for and against it on both sides but a Padres infield defense featuring Hosmer, Kinsler, Simmons would be crazy. Add that to an OF defense of Trout and Margot, with Hedges behind the plate…wow!
Would the Padres trade Tatis Jr, Urias, Mejia, L. Allen for Trout and Simmons? Would the Angels accept?
Trout is an east coast guy so I do not thinking staying on the west coast (San Diego) is enticing at all.
Further I do not think Trout would see the Padres as a team that can win the next few years either.
Unless someone has roots in the west coast the west coast is not really a place prime time players would want to play.
They get much more love in the east coast or even midwest.
Most of the country does not even see many west coast stars due to the late starting times
Trout’s a die hard Philly fan. He wants off the West Coast.
Even if that very hypothetical trade went through, Padres would still need likely 2 top-of-the-rotation starters and a few bullpen guys. Trout and Simmons combined for about 16 WAR last year. Add that to 66 Padres wins from 2018, and you get a competent baseball team but not a playoff contender.
The Angels would want a lot more than lotto ticket prospects. Your proposed trade isn’t anywhere close enough for Trout and Simmons.
If you base a trade on analytics then no team could trade for Trout without gutting their MLB team plus their top prospects. How do you trade the best player for prospects?
The Angels won’t trade Trout until he makes it clear that he won’t resign. The Phillies don’t have the necessary pieces to acquire Trout. Whatever team trades for Trout would end up similar to the Angels.
The Angels could trade Simmons and receive a big return but again, it depends on Simmons.
Why would the Padres trade all that for a guy who they will just lose after two years? Their window opens in two years.
And as Cat Mando said, I don’t see Trout approving a trade to SD.
It starts with those four. They need at least four more great young players, which they do not have.
There is not one team with enough prospects or combination regulars to make up the 10+ WAR Trout will probably get again next season. Dream on fellas…
I agree the Angels would want the keys to the Pads farm system for Trout but is 2 years of control of a star like a Trout worth wiping out their excellent farm system? That would be a tough trade to accept unless Trout was willing to sign an extension. Tatis alone is supposed to potentially be a franchise stud by himself.
I never expect Trump to be traded even if they would empty their farm for him.. Prospects are exactly that prospects, an unproven commodity. Trout is a 7 year veteran with a proven tract record of consistent MVP type seasons every year from his first full season until now.
Trump has bone spurs, fake, but he says he has them, so I don’t think he can run the bases.
Makes no sense to keep a premier bat in his prime on a team destined to go no where and has nothing to offer in the near future. LAD has prospects & wants a RH power bat. Makes too much sense so it will never happen.
We’d all do this for our fantasy teams, but this is a business too, and with many casual fans who don’t know much about the baseball side. Him leaving is so much different than being traded. Same situation as Harper last year. A lot of money at stake. They have to try and roll the dice for the playoffs.
So making someone else look like the bad guy is more important than maximizing the utility from Trout?
that is assuming that trading him now will maximize him. unless he has a catastrophic injury teams will give an arm and a leg for trout now, at the deadline, next year- you have the time and honestly you need to time rebuilding with the jettisoning of pujols contract which isn’t for a couple of years. It kind of makes more sense to hold on to him for now for all those reasons and more
A baseball decision is oftentimes much different than the business decision. There’s so much more at play here.
Dodgers do not have the prospects to get Trout. Not even close.
Theoretically the dodgers would have the prospects. Their system is roughly top 5 and you’d pretty much have to take the padres out of the equation unless you made it a 3 team deal.
Trout would not go to SD to rebuild for another 2 seasons nor should they go for him at this point. Any trade is goig to acquire Major league assets as well. The dodgers have Buehler, Bellinger and a top farm. I don’t think a Trout deal is going to happen anytime before the deadline next season but if he was on the table the dodgers have the talent. No doubt.
Yea i agree, Dodgers second best prospect is a catcher hitting barely .260 in AA.
The system is not top 5.
They have literally traded prospects every year for rentals and veterans, sorry its probably not even top 15.
We already have too many outfielders, talking about a trout trade is silly
Dodgers are gearing up to sign trout not Harper
It makes no more sense for the Dodgers to want Trout than any other team.
How does it make sense for the Angels by the way to trade him to LAD?
LAD do not have the multiple blue chip prospects that a team like the Braves has.
Dodgers do not have multiple blue chip prospects like the Braves? Verdugo, Smith, lux, May, and Ruiz would beg to differ. They also have Buehler and Bellinger at the ML level and could actually afford to build a team around his future salary. Plenty of other teams have the chips that aren’t in Atlanta.
No way the Angels would trade Trout to the Dodgers no matter what they offered. Arte will offer Trout whatever it takes to resign him. The only way the Angels trade him is if he absolutely says he won’t resign. This time next year is when he would be traded if necessary.
He’s not leaving unless he says he wants to leave. Art Moreno is going to throw 40 mil a year his way once the Pujols and other contracts die out. Plus he needs a face for the franchise to sell their 2.5-3 million a year attendance. Especially if they’re going to build a new stadium.
The fans like having him—that’s all that counts, right Stupid?
right, dumb pooch!
The Dodgers would be smart to go after Trout instead of wasting money on Harper. It would cost them the farm but they’ve been to 2 World Series in a row now. It’s now or never if they want to win one.
Agreed. But, i think more than pretty much any other team, they’d have to pay the biggest package in return for him. Moreno’s biggest motivation, through the years, has been to compete with the Dodgers for the almighty dollar. Trading Trout to the Dodgers would put a huge dent in that competition for them. I’m not even going to pretend to know what that package would consist of, but it’d have to be overwhelming.
Agreed. Was thinking the same thing. I wouldn’t even be able to begin to fathom what it would cost the Dodgers but it would probably have to be a three-team deal.
as if trout is available! he isn’t!
Trout is available like every player in MLB can be had for the right price. Do not kid yourself
As long as Dave Roberts is manager, they won’t win a WS.
A dodgers package for Trout would be headlined by either Bellinger or Buehler. You ready for that?
Lol. How about both?
How about headlines by Verdugo (MLB ready outfielder 6 years of control) Dustin May, Ruiz, Lux, (1,2,3,4 prospects in the system) and Jeter Downs who’s number 7 on the list.
All of that plus Bellinger and/or Buehler
A trout package isn’t going to consist of solely minor leaguers. A young established big leaguer will certainly be a part of any package. Trout is the ultimate game changer.
The farm, Sieger, Belinger plus more.
It’s not now or never for the LAD. They have a solid contender already and burning up their farm system for a franchise player like Trout is overkill. They now have the payroll overhead to allow them to go after a guy like Kluber who can all but guarantee them a WS ring unless his arm gives out. They don’t need to offer him any crazy 10 year contract like Pujols got either. He would be the perfect complement to Kershaw as well.
They should have done this two years ago. Could have cleared out the Yankees’ system.
Any team that would trade for Trout would end up putting him in the same position that he is already in. The team would have to give up so much to the point where they can’t even compete. Its gonna cost top prospects and heavy talent. There is nobody in the game that is capable of being a centerpiece. Trout is the best player and its not close.
The Angels are stuck. They will have to pay him which is going to be a lot making it hard to acquire talent around him; or trade him for less because they are not going to be able to get what he is worth.
Exactly, LA would certainly be demanding Young controllable MLB ready talent in a Trout trade along with top prospects. For the Yankees that would likely mean not only Andujar, but Torres as well headlining the return. For the Dodgers that would probably mean Buehler and/or Bellinger.
And you’re telling me the Yankees wouldn’t be better off with trout than andujar and Torres? The latter 2 are good young players but they are replaceable. There is one mike trout.
Angels “middle of the pack”
Worst place to be. No luxury of rebuild with the best player in the world on your roster set to become a FA after 2020.
However, disagree Harvey and Cahill to one-year contracts are “win-now” moves. Both are reasonable one-year deals.
I know agreeing with you is likely to turn me into an outcast, but I agree about the SP moves. I don’t see Cahill and Harvey as win-now moves. Trouts under contract for multiple years. If they were win now deals, you’d see long terms deals. Keuchel being the first to sign would scream “win now”, not two guys they can flip in July.
I too agree with xabial here.
Harvey and Cahill one year deals help the team a bit in 2019 but in no way are those win now deals.
Tough situation. Either up payroll significantly and buy a pitching staff, or do the unthinkable, but right now, not going to win with him, and the future without him doesn’t look real bright. A trade would change that.
Trout won’t be traded because you will never get equal value back. Moreno will give him his 500 million.
As a Rangers fan I hope Moreno keeps making more of the stupid decisions that have hobbled the team for the past 5-6 years.
Even if you can’t get equal, you can still get an awful lot. And is he really that valuable to the Angels anyway if they’re a .500 team with him?
I think there is a good value to keeping a top 10 player of all time around.
Yes, he really is that valuable. Baseball is a business, and there’s a lot more that goes into it than just wins and losses.
And if they can’t get equal value, they might as well keep him and try to make a run at the postseason. If they’re out of it and trade him at the deadline or next offseason, they’ll still get a crazy haul back.
I agree that they won’t get equal value but their bigger concern should be getting more value than a comp pick.
Cards fans said the same about Albert and well it worked out well for us. Need to make the trade happen to the Cardinals. We have alot to give and can take on a huge contract, especially after 2020, almost everyone is off the books and can take Trout and Goldy, two solid lynch pens to build around. Do it Mo!
Moreno can offer him $1B, but the desire to win will carry more weight than that mediocre franchise can deliver.
I agree, if he wants to win I don’t see how he resigns with the Angels. He can just leave in free agency and still get his huge contract and put himself in a better position to win at the same time. Surely the majority of the league would be interested in a player like Trout and you’d think most of the usual other big market suspects like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Phillies, etc, would be in on him as well. I don’t see much reason that the Angels will be in better position to win in 2 years then any of those 4. Unless the Angels were to blow all other competing offers out of the water, the choice for him should be obvious.
What exactly do the Phillies have to offer besides Nola and Hoskins? If the Phillies trade those two plus another 3 players for Trout how would they bebetter than the Angels?
Afk it certainly would be hard to get equal value back for Trout.
However at some point they have to consider the value they will get back compared to the compensation pick they will get
I’d like Trout to be traded just to see what the Angels would get in return
The Braves & Phillies can give them the best packages imo. I think the phillies will end up with him no matter what by trade or free agency. I won’t feel bad if trout doesn’t agree to the extension if the angels offer him one.
Since descalso is off the board, cardinals should target brad miller.
Yeah, what a loss not to get Hank Descalso. 🙂
Trout should be traded, but I doubt it ever occurs. He is worth whatever he wants really, and I would make that deal if I was Arte Moreno, as we know he is an owner who could/would do it… the Angels however need to get out of no-man’s land.
If they give Trout a mega-deal, they may not increase payroll enough to field a true championship contender. If they trade him, they reap huge benefits for their farm. Truly a rough spot for Angels fans.
A couple of trade proposals
Braves get Trout
Angels get
1. Kyle Wright
2. Touki Toussaint
3. Austin Riley
4.Ender Inciarte
5. Another player off the roster
Phillies get Trout
Angels get
1.Sixto Sanchez
2.JoJo Romero
3.Alec Bohem or Adam Haseley
4.Cole Irvin
5.Dylan Cozens
6.Odubal Herrera
As a Braves fan, I would take this in a heartbeat. I’d think that instead of the “another player off the roster”, another 1 (or even 2) minor league pitchers might make more sense to a franchise long plagued by a lack of quality arms. Maybe like Allard and Wentz, or Gohara?
I think the angels would also ask for Albies o Acuna though , Inciarte is a gold glover but not much of an impact like albies or acuna
There’s no deal without Acuna as the headliner
i doubt acuna would move, albies maybe
That’s ridiculous! The Braves would not trade Acuna straight up for 2 yrs of Trout. No team has ever given up a talent like Acuna in a rebuilding deal.
It’s fine if the Braves don’t want to pay that price, but I can’t imagine the Angels settling for any less
A little of the shine has come off Albies, since selling him as a headliner for the best player in baseball would be difficult
Acuna has around 6 years on his contract while Trout has two
We know what Acuna can do and he will only get better
No way I would give up acuna for trout, all that does is reduce the braves window for contention
No thanks on the Braves offer.
Any trade for Trout had to start with a controllable, young major leaguer going in return. Prospects won’t get the job done for arguably the best player in the post WWII era. Reed what I think is fair:
Braves:
1. Ozzie Albies
2. Kyle Wright/Ian Anderson
3. Austin Riley
4. Touki Toussaint
Phillies:
1. Rhys Hoskins
2. Sixto Sanchez
3. Alec Bohm
4. Scott Kingery
5. Adonis Medina
Dodgers:
1. Cody Bellinger/Walker Buehler
2. Alex Verdugo
3. Keibert Ruiz/Will Smith
4. Julio Urias
5. Caleb Ferguson
That’s more what I think a Trout trade looks like. A young, good, controllable player in addition to 3-4 top prospects from that team.
If I were Matt Klentak I would do that deal.
@Papa: LMAO…that’s all I can fathom right now
I think you pretty much nailed it, Papa. Phils, Braves, or Dodgers fans don’t want to see it but that’s what it realistically would take for 2 years of the top player in baseball. Though I think that package you put up for the Dodgers w buehler is significantly better than the Braves proposal. If I were the dodgers and could keep buehler and get Trout. I’d move anyone else. Bellinger is a nice player but he can go in a heartbeat.
Phillies fan here, full disclosure, the phans from this city have been eyeing Trout longer than Machado/Harper.
So we’ve all thought about this a lot. Trout is a great player, no doubt, but it is only 2 seasons. I think the trade falls between your high ask and the lower trade valuation. If Hoskins had to be included, I’m pulling back Bohm, probably more. For the Braves, Acuna is a really high price as well, plus the rest of that proposal.
Another side to this potential trade scenario is, teams have to consider losing Trout to FA, and a very high likelyhood to the Phillies, so their offers might be lowered as a result. The team trading for trout, would/should be in a win now mode, with a 2 window. I don’t see the Braves there, they are getting close. Say they trade for him, give all that up, then he leaves after they get near a WS? Then where are they? that trade would deplete them enough to wash out trouts bump imo.
The angels owner should trade trout, but i doubt he will, even after seeing the orioles and nats get pennies for their stars. If he waits, the angles will get little for him,’and I’m not sure they can really risk that. Once Trout denies their LTE attempt, will see the angels next move. They should go into full rebuild mode. 2 years of trout on this team are unlikely to make a run. Same scenario as the Braves I mentions above. The dodgers, redsox Not wise given recent history
Continued – redsoxs,yanks, dodgers,Astros shouldntrade for him, teams trying to maximize their window
something like the whole minor league system is the conversation stater. if those teams come with those offers they will be kicked out to pacific ocean.
Angels aren’t going to trade Trout anytime soon. If they do, it’s not going to be for a bunch of prospects They will be getting back the best young player currently on your 25 man roster and some prospects.
But for 2 years, and if that team ain’t Philadelphia, good luck not sweating bullets he’ll want to sign with his home town team
Braves package is better, I think Pivetta, and Hoskins have to be in a Phillies deal!
If the other player from the Braves is Albies that becomes interesting
The Angels are bot a small market team. If Trout is traded to the Phillies it will take Nola and Hoskins to start. The Angels’ system will be ready to stock the club by 2020.
Small market team that signed Hamilton and Pujols?
*not
Braves trade starts with Acuna and/or Albies. Phillies trade starts with Hoskins and/or Nola. Those headliners then include a slew of top/upper prospects
Not that Nola wouldn’t hold appeal but there only 3 years of control left w him. That’s a tight rope to walk when you deal Trout away. Phils could probably make the deal happen but if the Stros or Dodgers wanted to get in on this I don’t see how they can’t blow their offer away.
It’s been obvious with the on and off performance from Pujols that he wasn’t really worth a 10 year 250MM contract at age 32. How many other big build thumpers have produced well into their late 30’s let alone for another 4 years beyond that? It’s a lesson that the Angels should be fully aware of and Trout will be 30 in 2021 so another Pujols length contract would be nearly as bad. The Angels may shovel 35-38MM a year at him but it won’t be any 400MM 10 year offer let alone 500MM or a billion. Those numbers are insane. Maybe a 7 year 260 MM offer max.
Trout to the Yankees for their next 10 first round picks.
If trade picks, other than the compensation variety, could be traded, pretty much every team would line up with an offer of future draft picks. But it would likely be a team that is projected to be in an extended rebuild that would get him. Those teams could offer the best draft picks in a package. The O’s fit that mold. Problem is, that would curtail the rebuild and in 2 years Trout would walk anyway.
They’ll never trade Trout for the same reason Pujols is still on the team. Gotta put butts in the seats. Nobody is lining up to see a Justin Upton-led team.
Fans don’t show up to watch good players on bad teams, so ‘butts is the seats’ is a bit of a fallacy. Fans show up to see winners, so the fastest way to get to that point is the most profitable
angels fans show up no matter the record. and about 1/3 is filled by other fans.
Yet only the Angels and Yankees have put 3 million butts in seats every year for the last 16 seasons. So yes they do show up not a fallacy as you put it.
The Cardinals have eclipsed 3 million fans for more than the last 16 years..
Idiot Cards fans will show up just to come see Willie Jay in an opponent’s uniform. Why? Because he was the 17th best player on the 2011 team? And as long as 3M sheeple come to Busch, the longer DeWitt, Gepetto and Pinocchio don’t need to sign a top FA to win.
Daved… always with an off color comment, I can assure you, that you would be the sheepish one if you made that comment to me in person…lol
I don’t disagree but Angels fans are… unique lol.
I’m a Dodgers fan who would love to see Trout in blue so let’s have some fun. Urias, May, Kendall, Alvarez plus a lottery ticket or two enough to get a deal done?
Ok unique is a nice way of saying it lol. I love my team so obviously the thought of trading Trout is not something I want to see. Trout is a generational player and on top of that he keeps his head on his shoulders and is a nice guy. I wouldn’t trade him, I would try to extend him or let him play out his contract and let him walk in free agency so he can choose where he wants to go out of respect to him. Leave on good terms so to speak. However I would do everything possible to sign him for the rest of his career and be the face of the franchise for generations like Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Derek Jeter, etc. I would hate to be the GM that traded Mike Trout no matter what the return. Nolan Ryan still stings this fan when he “wasn’t worth a million dollars playing once every 5 days”.
Is the lottery ticket Walker Buehler?
Pujols doesn’t put butts in the seats anymore. He has been an albatross on the payroll for years. He has been one of the least productive hitters for the last five years. His salary is one of the biggest problems for the Angels re: acquiring talent.
Everyone keep dreaming. He’s not going to get traded at all. Just comment click bait for all. Low ball offers for what people say is a once in a generation player. Even the angel organization has to push him to do commercials and market himself. He’s a quiet guy and even though in CA and in a bigger market, the environment he’s in is good for him. Maybe Phillies because his ties to growing up being a fan but Phillies can’t give anything for them to trade him. It’s all a dream.
Angels are a few players away from contending. They still have some $ this year and a top 13 farm system. They are setting themselves up for the future.
All they need is pitching, Also another bat like Moustakus.
Moustakas is a terrible idea, unless he’s signing for MLB minimum.
Can’t take a Ball 4, slower to 1B than Pujols carrying Benjie Molina on his back, defense at 3B that is charitably described as “serviceable”.
The 2015 version of Moustakas hasn’t been seen for years. That’s why GMs aren’t offering him big contracts like the one Hosmer received last year. He turned down a $17M QO last winter and wound up signing with KC for $5.5M instead.
The Brewers, who got him in trade for their postseason push, paid him the $1M buyout instead of exercising their option for 2019.
He’s nobody’s answer to anything.
“Top 13” means #13.
Lol top 13 farm is a new one
I’m definitely not sold on Barreto. He has gone from potential future star to probable bat first utility player. He has a lot of power but that is coupled with a ton of swing and miss as well.
That Donaldson trade is looking worse for the A’s if he doesn’t produce
The A’s have Matt Chapman now. The Donaldson trade is no longer relevant.
At least Wendelken is looking promising from the Lawrie trade.
Yeah, it was dumb, but he was an MVP when the A’s were terribad and he cost lots of money. Took the best package available and none panned out.
True that. But if I remember wasn’t kinda like an “out of knowwhere”. I’m not an A’s fan but did you guys expect him to be moved. If I do remember that deal was done in early November
Nobody expected Donaldson to be traded at the time. Even Beane said he didn’t want to trade him unless he was over whelmed. Beane made the mistake on Lawrie part of the trade because he though he could come close in reproducing Donaldson’s numbers. lawrie ended up being ahead case. The 2 starters never amounted to anything. Barreto the top prospect is still a top prospect but his defense has not caught up to his bat.
His bat hasn’t caught up to the ball. He K’s way too much. That’s his biggest issue. Pop you can’t K like that. You’re never going to be successful with a 35-40% k rate.
What freaking deal can this never be said about?
I don’t think trading trout is a good idea but the angels need to either consider it or actually make the moves necessary to win and get into the playoffs, how many times has a wild card team go to the World Series lately. I doubt they will win the division but they should at least try to win the wild card and their team the way it is right now I don’t think can even do that, their bullpen is average at best, I don’t like their lineup the only threats are trout and upton if he is hot at the time, and their rotation is unproven I think Heaney and Skaggs could be something but they haven’t shown enough yet. If they were willing to trade trout they would have their choice of the best prospects in the game. They could get 4 top 100 level prospects from either the padres, braves or Phillies plus a major league piece and at least one throw in that is trouts value.
Or the white Sox as well
Harvey and Cahill are innings eaters, not “win now” type arms.
angels needed inning eaters more than anything. besides, there aren’t any top of the rotation pitchers this offseason.
Corbin was closer. Keuchel is closer. Kluber is available.
A Trout, Kluber trade would be interesting. Indians need offense and Angels need pitching.
Need inning eaters you say? Please take The Shart off our hands. If he can get healthy.
There aren’t any ‘top of the rotation’ pitchers available? What about Kluber? Word is out that Cleveland is moving him for the right prospects.
Harvey and Cahill are placeholders who may get traded during the season, anyone who thinks they are win now type moves is delirious. The Angels most definitely should take a massive haul for Trout. Personally I’d argue several guys at/ near the majors but not necessarily “fully broken out yet”.
For example say from the Dodgers:
Verdugo, Ruiz, May, Lux, Downs Kendall and Urias. That would be a significant amount of talent coming back to the Angels. Enough high end talent for them to be very good in another 3 seasons if not sooner.
An interesting note Mike Trout is at todays Eagles game, was given a game ball after a touchdown.
there was a phillies fan there with a trout phillies jersey
He is at most Eagles games as he goes home to South Jersey during the off-season
so, trout went to ducks game and was given a pair of jerseys.
So what? LeBron is a huge Yankees fan, doesn’t mean he’s going to the Knicks.
Lebron is probably the worst example. He went home. Philly would be close to home for Mike Trout. For whatever it’s worth.
This comentary about trout being “unhappy” are over stated. Eppler is doing the best he can with the whole dippoto put the angels in. If they offer trout the max he will likely stay. Angels are building a strong farm and pairing down there salary going forward while still being middle of the pack and a high end talent like ohtani. Just leave trout and the angels alone.
Seriously. Everyday we get these stupid articles about trading Trout. The Angel’s future is 2020-2023. Eppler is building the team for the future while staying competitive. Trout knows management is doing all they can and has a good plan put in place.
Maybe, but why would Trout have faith in 2020-2023 after nearly a decade of futility?
Exactly baseballpun
Especially when the biggest threat to take Trout away, is also building for 2020, or sooner?
I’m not saying the Phillies can get him 100%, but if he doesn’t sign an extension this offseason after Harper&Machado rest the market, I’d be very very concerned about what the Phillies will do to get him. It’s not a pipe dream for the Phillies, other teams have chances too, but I’m sure even Vegas sees it. Trout is Phillies bound, just a matter of time.
@ thecalhounkid
Best post on this subject.
Mr. Trout will make the determination – not an ESPN gossip columnist – on a trade.
When/If he wants to be traded, he’ll notify the Angels. He’ll tell them who he wants to play for. He deserves that consideration as the best player in MLB. A straight shooter – respectful of his employer (the anti-Lebron). 100% Class.
He’ll explain his position on his upcoming free agency. That way both owners and front offices can agree on realistic compensation so there will be no lingering hard feelings, and the team he leaves will not be in the dumper (again – not ah-la Lebron). It will be handled above board, civilly, respectfully, professionally.
The Angel’s future is 2020-2023.
All the more reason to deal him now, when he has two years of control remaining. Last year would have been even better, but with a generational, proven talent coming over w/ two years, the Angels can ask a lot. Trout would be enough for the Dodgers, Phillies, Cardinals, or Cubs to stake a claim in the 2019 pennant race.
Angels just have to accept that the currently projected 2019 is not going to compete. Harvey will not get you there.
That’s not the point of the Harvey signing.
All the Angels need is for Harvey to show up every 5th day in 2019 and keep the team in the game. MLB is increasingly less about Scherzer/de Grom/Sale dominance, and more about SP carrying the game to the bullpen.
If Harvey succeeds as the team hopes he will, he will set himself up for another shot at FA next winter. Same with Cahill.
Next year, the team anticipates Ohtani to be back in the rotation, along with Canning graduating to the team, along with FA options more appealing than Keuchel.
This is a plan which incorporates Harvey, but isn’t about Harvey. If the SP can maintain their poise in the season, that allows the offense to work.
I still believe Eppler will push hard for Grandal, which would be big upgrade offensively to a position of zero-to-negative WAR for the prior season. Trout/Ohtani/Upton gives a R/L/R in the heart of the lineup. The defense is solid at all positions. This isn’t a glamorous team, but it is one with the power to surprise and succeed.
Finally, the Astros have played a hot hand with their SP for the past two seasons, but Morton is gone, Keuchel is gone unless they re-sign him, and Verlander, Cole and McHugh are FA after 2019. The Astros are becoming vulnerable, which is part of the calculus Eppler and Dipoto are taking into account.
The Angels need more pitching. They haven’t been a contender in almost a decade despite have 2 super studs like Pujols and Trout and add Ohtani to that. They need more pitching but every big name arm that has come up as a potential trade target has been ignored by their FO. They have good offense but that isn’t enough. Contenders like Houston and Boston have a good rotation and a good pen.
Olney has been wanting Trout to go to the Yanks for like 5 years.
Without Dipoto you don’t have Trout, and most likely Ohtani.
Ok, that’s just weird.
Trout was drafted during the time Tony Reagins was GM (2009), before Reagins was fired (2011) and replaced by Dipoto.
When Ohtani was selecting a team (2018), it is widely known Dipoto sought to land him in Seattle, where he he had been GM since 2015.
So how is Dipoto responsible for either player signing with the Angels?
if the angels hitters are as good as buster they would all be hitting .180. besides, he works for ugly coast teams.
Trout to the Phillies for their AAA team. Who says no first?
Mo and Girsch are looking at a left handed barista at the Frontenac Starbucks. Said to have tremendous power with the latte foamer, and he can throw a blueberry roll 40 feet.
Nice
I’ll tell u this. If trout is very on the market, braves better make it happen. We allard, waters, ghara, Wright…. 3 pretty much mlb ready players, one who needs some seasoning. Throw in Tehran for good measures lol. Shoot, this is just a starting conversation offer
I only count 2 players ready for the majors in that horrible trade proposal. unless youre counting Allard which…lol
The Angels would want Acuna for Trout.
I wouldn’t do that. Acuña is another generational talent and has six years. Braves can build around him. (and this is from a Nats fan would would love to see him go to the junior circuit)
Braves give them Soroka, Anderson, Riley, and Beck, or Philly gives them Hoskins, Pivetta, Sanchez, and Dominquiez This could be a little light, but your talking the best player in the game.
Phillies package is far superior to the Braves package.
Verdugo, Smith, Buehler, Urias, and lots of cash for Trout. This is a legitimately fair offer. Possibly throw in a Justin Upton and the entirety of his contract to the dodgers to save a bunch of cash, then sit quiet in the market next year and resign Trout in 2020 with a rotation led by Ohtani and Buehler.
lol! do you have wet dreams like that every night?
I think the Angels should trade Trout. If he truly likes playing in Anaheim so much they should have no problem doing what the Yankees did with Aroldis Chapman.
Little bit of a difference between 2 months and 2 years.
Doesn’t matter. People on here keep saying that Trout loves playing in LA so they should have no problem signing him in two years regardless of where he plays between now and then.
2 years certainly does matter. There’s a large difference. We don’t live in a theoretical world. Far too many variables increase w time.
You’re missing the point. If Trout actually does like playing in Anaheim there is no reason why they wouldn’t be able to sign him after the 2020 season, regardless of when or if he is traded. If they offer him the most money he’s not going to punish them for trading him by taking a paycut to play elsewhere.
Not at all. 2 years allows you to become comfortable. 2 months is a whole different story. You ship Mike Trout somewhere else for 2 years and he can easily decide this is home regardless of his current feelings for Anaheim. His agent isn’t Scott Boras so it’s not entirely impossible he could sign an extension with whatever team they decide to ship him to. You’re not going to see that this way. I’ve seen your unwavering stance on this time after time so there’s no point in debating it.
If Trout signs an extension (which I doubt) it will be with Anaheim. In the end, I seriously doubt trading Trout is going to be the difference between him signing with LAA and signing elsewhere. People have said time after this that he loves playing in Anaheim, so why would letting him finish out the last two years of his contract playing for a team with a better chance of winning during those years (as well as setting themselves up to have a better chance of winning beyond that point) change any of that?
Trade Trout to Phillies for their top 5 prospects plus Nick Williams
This is a trash take.
Angels have a top farm system, money coming off the books and a young controlled pitching staff plus simmonds.
They are poised to compete for his whole 10yr deal.
10/420 from the Angels sometime during the late offseason or during next year.
To be clear. He’llmlook To who can compete over the next contract, not the previous. Buster is straight wrong.
A year ago, the future of dustin fowler and barreto were crucial to the A’s success long term. Now A’s have a good amount of outfield options especially laureano in cf and added potential options to 40 man roster in skye bolt and luis barerra recently. Barreto they seem confused and not sold on. So to fill pitching needs trading fowler andor baretto would be my trade ammo. Or keep them and just sign a gio gonzalez, shelby millwr etc
If Trout wants to play for a winner, then he is all but gone. Why would a player of his caliber, play for an organization that has zero direction year after year after year.
I think the Cardinals should trade the farm to land Trout for 10 years at 400 million. If there was ever a franchise player, this guy is it and he would fill the seat in St. Louis every single game. As if the Cards need any help with that! He strikes me as a person who has that undefinable St. Louis attitude.
Ahh a dreamer’s dream. Lol. Love the optimism and love the idea of trout playing for cards, just…no. might be out in 2 years to FA.
No chance Trout signs for that little. Especially not with STL.
Toasty, you provided your own answer as to why DeWitt won’t shell out 400MM for a 10 year contract with Trout. He’s already packing in 3 million fans a year and charging them all the market can bear for tickets, concessions and parking. These fans are die hards even after 3 mediocre seasons of sloppy play, bad base running, leading the league in errors. So if this fan base fills the seats anyway, why risk giving Trout 400 MM? If the Cards want to field a real contender they could do so for a lot less by going after Kluber, Britton and maybe Arenado. I think Arenado by himself would make us a WS contender next year if Colorado decides to cash in on him before he walks after the 2019 season.
Omg the haul for trout right now would be a king’s ransomn, plus some lol. It would take somebody with top 5 farm, to gut their system, from near mlb-ready to lottery tickets, in order to obtain, with a possibility of leaving in 2. He might be the only “too-expensive” player in the league as far as a trade. Mookie right there too, but being in Boston with good teams and money make it far more unrealistic.
Why would anyone make a trade now?
Wait until the patchwork rotation fails again….February? March? April? May?
Then it’s Machado trade level with a little more…if Trout hasn’t slid into 2nd funny…
It would be pretty sad if all the Angels got out of Trout is a comp pick lol…but par for their ownership
Pretty sure Cahill and Harvey arent ‘win now’ moves lol. Those guys are gassed.
Have to agree. I see these moves as a way to avoid losing 100 games in 2019.
As a Brave fan I would almost bet that Acuna would be the first name confirmed to even get the deal moving forward. Yes, Acuna could put up numbers equal or even better one day but Trout is the best position player in the game and should be another 5 seasons.
I remember in HS arguing with my pals about Aaron for Mays, or Mantle, Clemente, Frank Robinson etc. Those type trades seldom happen, not sure what the Angels do? Get a bunch of prospects, a few known players and a couple prospects? Angel fans will feel betrayed and heartbroken, some guys are very hard to trade away.
Goldy to the Cardinals has Dback fans here in Arizona figuring the surrender has happened and the team was close to Dodgers but now a also ran.
Trout will be very hard to trade and then a
team would have to pay him above everyone in MLB. The Angels have a tough choice between now and 2021. Have to trade a guy like Trout while he is still young { 27 } and before he shows any signs of decline…… if you dare move him.
Equal or even better? Da fuq?? Yeah goodluck with that. No disrespect to Acuna. He is an elite talent.
You quickly get over losing star players once they move on. Hanging on to a star just to be the face of the franchise is stupid if your team is mediocre or worse and you can deal them away for significant talent. Even hall of famers get old and decline. Eventually they are shells of their former self. Cherish the good times but don’t hang on so long that you ruin the future too.
What should the Angels get for Trouty?
that’s something that should not even be discussed. but in case he is, it will be for the whole prospects.
Baseball players?
Heard Angels want more pitching. Who would Rockies have to surrender for Jo Adell? Job Gray and Chad Bettis get it done?
No. A team like the Rockies in win now mode is not going to give up the major league talent it takes to acquire a top prospect like Adell. Would make no sense to do so.
If I’m the Angels, and I’m talking to Klentak, I’m asking for nothing less than Sixto Sanchez, Vince Velasquez, Adonis Medina, Adam Haseley, and Mickey Moniak
It might be possible to acquire Trout by only sending prospects. The Tigers got Cabrera for nothing but prospects, none of whom panned out for the Marlins. Same with the Red Sox getting Pedro back in the day from Montreal. These Riley/Wright/Touki trades sound absurd but they’re at least worth a shot because they have some precedent.
I love Mike Trout. Followed him since draft night. He is the greatest (non-enhanced) player that I have seen in my 45 years. I would be devastated to lose him. That said, if I’m thinking with my head instead of my heart here is what I would do.
Current commitments:
Trout – 2yrs/$66M
Pujols – 3yrs/$87M
Even at $33M/year Trout has surplus value of $20-30M/season (actually his VALUE is more than that – he will simply never be paid what he is worth). Let’s call it a surplus of $60M over 2 years. Pujols is a write-off. His entire $87M is worth nothing in terms of production. Just packaging these two together has the Angels upside down by $25-$30M. HOWEVER, there is tremendous value in that the team acquiring Trout has 2 years to hammer out an extension. That alone could cover the gap and then some.
If you could find someone like Philidelphia that would take on both players and throw in some high risk/reward lower minor talent I would seriously consider that. You are essentially giving up 2 years of amazing production to save $150M and clear a dead roster spot. I would think that this would be appealing to a lot of teams since it “only” costs them money.
The other alternative – just keep him. Sign him to a new 10 year deal with opt-outs and enjoy having the best player in baseball on your club. Hope that Pujols honors his word about retiring once he is no longer useful. Take the Pujols money and spend it to shore up another area or 3.
Trout has had the neck of an Ancient Redwood tree since he was 19. How can you say for a fact he is not “enhanced”? I think Trout is one of the best players of his generation. I think hes legit. But I cannot say its fact.
i cannot say you are a cheater in everything you do. but i cannot say you aren’t, either.
Exactly. Smart guy.
at least you know that much, girl!
I know you put a lot of effort into your post, so just a quick question in response: Do you have any idea what a “No-trade clause” is?
Both Trout and Pujols have them, so you’d have to persuade BOTH players to be a part of the trade. Neither man can be traded without his consent, and as players like Ellsbury have shown, if they don’t want to be traded, then the trade is dead.
It is unlikely any GM could fashion and execute a trade such as that. I suppose the fault lies with Fantasy Baseball, because fans just propose trades, reality be damned.
Angels can get a boat load for Trout. Trout wants to win and the Angels are not in a position to win. They have to do a complete rebuild. Like to see the Dodgers get him. I think he would go to his home town Philadelphia to be with his family. The Angels need to get as much value for him right now. Trout will not go to another team in the rebuild mode. Think he has a no trade clause.
Any fan who isn’t willing to part with their team’s top prospect plus more top prospects is crazy. You are talking about the best player in baseball who is still in his prime for a unproven player or one with a small sample size in the majors. Ask the Marlins how they feel about giving up Yelich for Brinson plus others last off-season. Yelich put the Brewers on his back and vaulted them into a true contender. Imagine what Trout could do for a team stacked with young controllable talent.
The problem is that if you subtract significantly from your major league roster to acquire Trout then you are not surrounding him with young controllable talent. Very few teams could deal high end talent of their major league roster and still compete with Trout. For it to make logical sense for the acquiring team it would almost have to be a huge prospect haul instead of focusing on a couple of already established young stars. Because of that I don’t expect Trout to get traded until his last half season with the Angels. By that time they will have squandered his value and only have memories and illusions of what might have been to chew on.
phils should trade aaron nola when they can. angels will give felix pena for him. it’s a fair deal! lol!
There is 2 scenarios….
A) The patchwork pitching miracously is better than anyone imagined. The Angels are leading the division at the trade deadline, and the Angels shove all in and go for it.
B) Anything else, and I mean anything (a bad start, one of the miracle pitchers fall apart in spring training, Houston gets off to a stupid hot start….), you sell. Rebuild. The Angels get a ransom from the Dodgers, Houston, Red Sox, Braves, or Phillies (long shot…he’s going there in FA anyway).
Also Jed Lowrie is signing for 1 year, 8 million in March. Book it
I can’t believe Barreto is only 22 considering how long I’ve been hearing about him
Without Trout, what’s the reason to go to Angels games when the Dodgers are a better team?
Angel’s have a WS this millennium. I still hate that rally monkey, but they won on the biggest stage. Some people might get tired of watching a team choke in October and go pull for the underdog. That’s why.
The only thing worse than the Rally Monkey was the Rally Squirrel.
Cracks me up Padres actually think they are in on everyone. “ Change my plan daily” Preller. They aren’t signing any stud players. Hosmer was a pure overpay is the only reason and San Diego was the only one other than the Royals pursuing him. No way someone like Trout is going there. When Wil Myers is under consideration for 3rd base you officially aren’t winning any major player.
Anyone who wants to “win now” and then signs Cahill and Harvey to short term deals should be out of a job.
I’d trade two Bryce Harpers for one Mike Trout. As a Giants fan, I’d love to have Harper on our team, but, Mike Trout is really something special.
In my opinion, the Angels should trade Trout. I don’t see him wanting to spend anymore of his prime years not being on a playoff caliber team. A total and complete class act Trout is. He also doesn’t seem to be the type of player that has to be the highest paid.
If they’re going to trade Trout, they need to do it before his walk year. The price will be steep and most teams won’t trade the house for 1 season. A perfect fit for Trout would be the Cardinals. His mannerism would fit right in at Busch Stadium. And the Cardinals would much rather make trades than go after free agents.
Cardinals aren’t getting anyone that’s going to cost more than a steak dinner. Why do Cards fans think all players are a good fit in STL? The “perfect fit” for Trout, if there is such a thing, would be Philly. He’s from that area. WTF does his “mannerisms would fit well at Busch” mean?
Mannerism, meaning I think Trout is a well mannered professional. Nothing like Machado or Puig. He doesn’t showboat. That’s the type of player that would fit with most midwestern cities.
Mannerism is a person’s behavior. Trout’s behavior is extremely well received by most people, including myself. By saying he would fit well with midwestern cities, I’m saying, most, people from the midwest do not care for showboaters.
Daved. TROLL.
angels are not trading trout. there is nothing more to discuss!
Ok so Angels aren’t trading him unless he comes out and says he’s not
Signing. You don’t just go trade away a once in a generation talent who could go down as the best player of all time. You don’t. He’s not comparable to a Goldy, he’s twice as good. What you do is build your farm like they have been to show him you are built to win in the future and go sign an Arenado who is from So Cal and sign a top line arm such as gerrit Cole. Albert hopefully retires after this season which would help financially. Everyone acts like the angels are so terrible when they have trout/Ohtani/Simmons/upton to build around.
When Jo Adell is ready next year and Calhoun is gone, you have a great lineup to work with. So no, they don’t even think about trading him, especially not now.
Trout at every Eagles game, he’ll be a Phillie
trout is at every angels game. he’s a life time angel!
There is an unbearable amount of stupid in this thread, surely in excess of Federal standards.
To be clear: Olney writes crap like this (A) because most bloggers have East Coast Bias and want the games of the key players to be in the Eastern time zone, so the writer doesn’t have to stay up to 1 am to see an entire West Coast game, and (B) because inflammatory headlines bring clicks, and the words “Trout” and “trade” in the same headline is intoxicating clickbait.
Nobody, certainly not Olney, knows what discussions the Angels have had with Trout’s agent, but it makes all the sense in the world not to even start in earnest before Machado and Harper have signed their own deals. Those salaries will set the framework for a compensation package for Trout.
More importantly, Eppler can lay out his plan for the next 3-5 years to show the expectations he has for the team. The salaries for 2019 and 2020 can be renegotiated into an extension of 7-10 years.
Only a few of the wannabe GMs here correctly mentioned that Trout has a full NTC, so all these proposals to Team X are worthless unless he has interest playing on that team. Odds are strong that he doesn’t. Likewise, a few identified the conundrum of trading for Trout, which involves gutting the young talent of the acquiring team; if Braves fans don’t think Acuna is the first piece in a package from the Braves, then they need to stop reading and immediately have their homes checked for radon gas leaks—OF COURSE Acuna is part of the return package for a generational talent like a Trout. So it would be with any of the other 28 teams.
There is no urgency to trade Trout, and winning cures a multitude of sins. Doubtful that Eppler is done for the offseason, and a signing like Grandal can make a big impact. This story will happen in its own, natural time, while a billion other articles like Olney’s will be a staple of sports blogging from here on.
With due respect to Onley a team that is backed by any sort of solid organization, does not trade Mike Trout, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays or Babe Ruth. You build around him. I think Mike will either go to Philadelphia or stay with the Angels, if any real effort is made to sign him. To me they are not off to decent start, unless they add to the moves so far. What to do about hurt pitchers, get more.
I would like to see Grandal, although doubtful. They could trade Upton etc. Either spend or rebuild that is what has to happen to make Mike happy. You don’t trade Mike Trout. Just ask Boston.
People are out here still arguing about packages for. M. Trout, Jesús. Trading for Trout right now would be like the Knicks trading for Melo, in which they should have kept all thier assets and wait until he became a free agent. In MLB is even worse,because Trout can hit when ever he wants and in defense the ball needs to be hot towards him. So trading for him wouldn’t make sence.
Angels were decimated by injuries in 2018 including to Ohtani. Instead of tearing down it makes more sense to go after Kikuchi to round out their rotation, sign a slightly better RF, and pray for even a little luck on health. With the A’s not reloading, the Angels could be the team that gets that 2nd WC. Once you are in the playoffs, anything can happen.
This stupid trade trout stuff comes up every off season and there is no way in hell arte and eppler go down as the people who trade hall of famer mike trout. There is like 10% chance he leaves for philly but he will never get that chance because the angels will offer him an insane deal he can’t turn down.
I see these trade scenarios for Trout and have to laugh. Here is what it would really take for nearly any team in baseball.
Your teams best player on the MLB roster. Maybe even best two for some teams.
(Braves that means Acuna would have to go.)
Your teams top 2 or 3 MLB ready prospects.
A couple of other really good prospects.
It is going to be painful to trade for Trout and that is why it won’t happen.
For two years of team control, that’s a lot to ask. Yes, I know Trout is generational, but his value takes a big hit when you only get him for two campaigns. No team is going to gut itself with trading away that package.
And that’s why the trade conversations are wasted time. The Angels wouldn’t trade Trout unless a player like Acuna headed the return.
It would take that kind of overwhelming offer to get any traction, and the return on the trade would hurt the franchise receiving him. That’s the Catch 22, and why all these floated proposals here are needlessly slaughtered pixels.
With years of control and salary considered, I think Acuña probably has more trade value than Trout at this point. Acuña is no longer a prospect who might contribute a few years down the road. He’s in the Majors and living up to the hype.
Angels probably ask for him in a Trout trade anyway.
Dear Media, you understand that “blowing up the team and retooling the farm system” is not good for the game, correct? Having half the league do this will turn the league into the tanking team NBA. You have teams like the Yankees and Dodgers now trying to stay UNDER the salary tax, which spreads the wealth and talent across the league. That’s the purpose. Going back to 2007, the Red Sox and Giants have each won the WS 3 times. Just because the Cubs and Astros won recently, doesn’t mean every time you tank, you’re going to win. The Padres have seemingly been in rebuild mode for a decade. It’s not possible for half the league to retool and expect to win. Stop the clickbait nonsense.
Padres have been in rebuild mode for 3 years. They certainly weren’t trying to rebuild in 2015.
2015 was the first year of AJ Preller and he was trying to make some headlines in his first year. Many look at those moves as simple attention getters rather than actual baseball moves to make your team better (Kemp, Myers, Shields?). Remember Shields was later flipped for Tatis Jr. This team has been in true rebuild move for a long time and their #1 ranked farm system speaks to that philosophy. While they’ve been stockpiling talent in the minors, the Dodgers have been dominating the NL West. I’m not convinced the “retool” strategy is an automatic recipe for winning.
The Mets offseason is a running parallel to the Padres 2015 I think. Both have/had a new GM that wanted to make headline news and show the fans the team is committed to winning. Since the news cycle is slow, the Mets are the talk of the town because they’ve seemingly made some of the most noise. But that’s all it is really, just noise. Much like the 2015 Padres this 2019 season for the Mets has far more potential to be a dumpster fire than a success. What the Mets have and what they’ve brought in is simply not good enough to compete with a better Braves team or even the Nationals sans Harper. I don’t buy into the Philly hype train so I won’t call them contenders…yet.
And one last word to Farte Moron-o and the state of the Angels:
I hope you enjoyed winning the 2012 offseason and having everybody talk about you and stroking your megolamaniac persona. It’s cost your team relevance in the postseason for almost a decade and it’s ultimately gonna cost you Mike Trout. Change your stupid team name back to the city you play in and stop trying to keep up with the Jones’(the Dodgers) because you can’t. You’ll ALWAYS be second banana in Southern California. Always.
I get called a fake Angels fan, when I suggest the Angels need to let certain players go. Because they need to find out, what they have with the young players. But those same people are always screaming, for the Angels to trade Trout. If the Angels would trade Trout, they would be looking for top of the rotation pitchers. Which would cancel out the Phillies, Yankees and Braves. Sorry none of those teams have the pitching prospects to keep the Angels on the phone. There is only two teams that could Angels on the phone. The Dodgers and Cardinals. No matter what, if a team trades for someone like Trout, that team will also hurt there current major league roster. The Phillies had the same record as the Angels. And have added nothing to help their pitching this offseason. So how would that do anything to help Trout win?
According to Olney.
The Angels are” no-man’s land as a club that doesn’t look like a clear-cut contender”
What’s a contender? Competing with the Astros? Well, no, they are not there, but as far as competing with 3 or 4 other teams for that 5th Wild Card, they are a clear cut contender.
Nothing is going to get them to the Astros this year. As far as 2020? Things change fast in this game. We’ll see what happens.
Fifty years from now, no one will remember who won what, everyone will remember Mike Trout. To say he’s a generational player is an understatement.
Eppler needs to sit Mike down and remind him of the following names: Ted Williams, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Barry Bonds. Ernie Banks. None of these players have WS rings. Griffey, for example, was never even close.
Baseball is often about the journey. The quirky plays, the majestic bombs, the interactions with the kids. World Series are great, but unlike basketball and football, “winning it all” is often not what defines a career in baseball.
That being said, winning is fun. It can galvanize a city. But it’s very difficult for a player to chase a ring. Unlike the NBA where LeBron is one of 5 on the court and can take over a team, baseball is a collection of balanced talent that Trout is only a piece of…so whether he stays an Angel, gets moved to a bigger city, or elects free agency with Philly, he is going to face the same challenge: you’re only a pie of the puzzle.
Just enjoy the journey, Mike.
Sooo, because those don’t have one, he should just not try to get one? At least those players were part of team in the playoffs.
Just counting down the days till Mike Trout leaves us 🙁 He deserves much better so I can’t even blame him, smh at the Angels organization for all those terrible Reagins and Dipoto years wasting a chance to win a World Series with the greatest player in MLB history and dampening his legacy in the meantime. Imagine if Michael Jordan won 0 championships, he wouldn’t get close to the same amount of respect he gets.
Yup… they’d call him Charles Barkley 🙂
You apparently didn’t read the post above yours. NBA players are a poor comparative for other sports, due to the smaller roster sizes.
Many MLB HoF players never received a WS ring.
Angels fans, I know this is a touchy subject, I’d hate this as wel, but reality is that Trout wants to win, “if” your rebuild lags next year, and 2020 looks pushed out or players disappoint, & Trout does not sign an extension, therefore destined to test FA
Would:
Hoskins, Herrera, Medina (probably better than sixto due to health) and one of Ortiz,Garcia (sleeper pick), Moniak, or Hasley?
For
Trout & Pujulos(sp?)
Make sense for your rebuild?
I wonder how many teams have actually proposed a descent pack of players to The Angles for Trout. I mean not any salary dump players. I mean talented players for trade. I bet not too many. I mean if the Cardinals offered Alex Reyes, Carlos Martinez, Matt Carpenter, Tyler O’Neal and Kolten Wong, plus 2 minor league pitchers. Would that get a trade made for Mike Trout??? That’s two ace type quality pitchers the right side of an infield a Right fielder with power and to back up pitchers. Got to get some interest going somewhere!!!