The latest rumblings from Jon Heyman of MLB Network…
- The Angels are among a handful of teams in on free-agent third baseman Mike Moustakas, joining the previously reported Brewers-Padres-Phillies trio, Heyman tweets. This is the second straight offseason in which the Angels have shown interest in Moustakas, a Los Angeles native who, per Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star, turned down a three-year, $45MM offer from the Halos last winter. Agent Scott Boras denied that, but regardless, Moustakas ended up settling for a one-year, $6.5MM guarantee to re-sign with the Royals. The 30-year-old then went on to post a typically decent season (105 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR in 635 plate appearances) divided between KC and Milwaukee. Now, if Moustakas joins the Angels, he’d presumably be the favorite to start at third for the club. His presence would likely push Zack Cozart to second base, thus sending David Fletcher to the bench, but given that Moustakas is a lefty and Cozart a righty, the two could perhaps platoon at third.
- When Atlanta was pursuing catcher J.T. Realmuto, whom Miami has since traded to Philadelphia, Braves infielder Johan Camargo drew the Marlins’ interest, Heyman reports. The Braves continue to view Camargo as a key piece, however, despite the one-year, $23MM deal they struck with third baseman Josh Donaldson earlier this offseason. Camargo is coming off a terrific 2018, which he spent at third and posted 3.3 fWAR with a .272/.349/.457 line and 19 home runs in 524 plate appearances. Though Camargo doesn’t have a set position heading into the new season, the 25-year-old should see plenty of action nonetheless. Adding to his appeal, Camargo’s controllable for the next half-decade, including one more pre-arbitration season.
- Back to the Angels, who targeted catcher Wilson Ramos before he signed with the Mets in free agency on a two-year, $19MM contract. It turns out that the Angels offered Ramos a “similar” deal before he chose the Mets, Heyman relays. After losing out on Ramos, the Angels made a less exciting pickup, signing Jonathan Lucroy to a one-year, $3.35MM pact. They’re left to hope the combination of Lucroy, Kevan Smith and Jose Briceno – the only catchers on their 40-man roster – will hold their own in 2019.
Fix the bullpen !
There are a lot of great arms in pen. The Angels already improved the pen by getting rid of Scioscia. He couldn’t manage the pen to save his life.
Lol
Braves … not angels
How? (please something more than “give Kimbrel what he wants”).
Give Kimbrel what he’s earned!
Your username must have been misleading…
You’re right, kimbrel is the only answer left at the moment. But the bullpen market this offseason was absolutely loaded and elite. So maybe my anger is more we missed our chance. So much talent we didn’t get and a lot of it was pretty inexpensive
All fanbases think their team’s manager sucks at managing bullpens. It’s the most volatile aspect of baseball. Having Shields and K-Rod dominating the back end of the bullpen for years was something most teams can never find. It was catching lightning in a bottle before catching it again with Mike Trout. Sometimes I think the Angels’ ‘02-‘09 success was more about being too lucky. I don’t think we’ll ever see another combo like that year-in and year-out in the Angels’ bullpen again.
That may be true, but I know of one current GM who agrees with me. I have felt for over a decade that there has been no Angel manager who I have trusted less with the bullpen than Scioscia, and I’ve been around for all of them.
Well when you have a bullpen with Shields and K-Rod and a full rotation full of durable starters, bullpen management kind of gets thrown out the window because it’s automatic. Then on the flip-side, ever since those two left, no Angels GM has really made the effort to fortify an Angels bullpen. They also haven’t had any elite set-up men or closers come out of their system since then. So that left Scioscia to fend for himself with the bullpen. Overall, the biggest difference between now and ten years ago was the emphasis on the farm system. They were all about it then, and then neglected it until now. But they still have at least another year before their farm system will be ready. We’re seeing it with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Astros. And the way the Yankees have built their bullpen is giving Aaron Boone quite the luxury of options to work with. Baseball is being run more from the front offices, and they’re hiring younger, less experienced managers because they’re finally acknowledging just how minimal a major league manager’s impact on the field really is. Their job mostly involves dealing with the clubhouse. So if it seems like a manager can’t manage his bullpen, it probably means their front office hasn’t done enough, or just can’t.
can’t fix what’s not broken. the bullpen just needs a tune up. with O’Day a healthy Viz and arms like Sobotka, Fried, and Webb, there is no need to panic yet. if the pen falters it can be addressed during the season
The bullpen was our biggest weakness last year and this offseason. It may not be broken, but it’s as close to broken as you can get
The bullpen wasn’t as bad as many Braves fans put it out to be. They definitely sucked with BB/9, but otherwise they were in the middle of the pack in just about every other area (and in fact were second best at limiting home runs). It can definitely be improved upon, sure, but the amount of panic and criticism it’s gotten isn’t as warranted.
That middle of the pack isn’t good enough if the team wants to go to the next level. The BB were brutal. This offseason bullpen market was so loaded, we could have dramatically improved our team without spending a ton
One year a closer is dominant the next he’s throwing grapefruits. There’s little point to spending big on the bullpin when relievers are so volatile. Kimbrel is one of the few exceptions to this but his demands are pretty high two. If he comes down to a reasonable price and years I would love to have him but otherwise I say we let our young pitchers develop and emerge.
I think those young pitchers are too talented to be bullpen guys and/or some don’t exactly fit a bullpen type pitcher. Soroka should not be a bullpen guy, allard doesn’t fit a bullpen type, etc etc .. those young guys are more valuable to us as starters either for us or trading pieces. Really TT looks like he could be a great bullpen pitcher, but again he looks so good as a starter hard to see him in the pen. Gohara might be bullpen worthy? But beyond that, not many guys who fit that role better than as a starter or trade bait
Almost all of the bullpin pitchers we’re recently brought up as it is; Minter specifically. Not all of these starters are going to be great starters. Let’s let the pitching coaches figure out who are bullpin types because they used plenty of them out of the bullpin. Fried is another one that comes to mind.
Heyman has no clue about anything.
Does Heyman no longer write fanrag?
No fanrag was bought out by fancred.
But he was still writing for fancred, at least for a little bit. He used to do a weekly roundup of every team. Looks like he left for MLB Network.
He was doing both. Not sure who he’s writing for now.
My bad forgot about that but he hasn’t written an article for fancred in quite a while
The Angels should do this for Moose we need a solid lefty in the middle of the order plus I think Cozart plays better up the middle him & Simmons would be solid together
Cozart showed no ability to play 3rd. Fletcher showed no ability to hit the ball hard.
If you are a shortstop, second base is an easier transition and Moustakas was a +2 DRS last year. He makes the lineup better and it’s a safer move.
You take away two gambles that you don’t have to take. Providing the price is right, it’s a no brainer.
Agreed
i don’t know how much he’ll sign for but i’d rather use it to bolster the rotation.
No problem with that, but who? Who do they sign for a similar amount and only for one year.
Trade for Teheran!
Not sure there are many guys left who don’t have much of an injury injury other than Keuchel and Gio
Cozart was dealing with a serious injury while trying to play 3B for the first time, Cozart literally had 27 starts at 3B and that’s all you need to see, not even including his injury? And David Fletcher had 2.0 WAR in 80 games, 4 WAR players are all-stars. You literally think Moustakas is better defensively than Zack Cozart??? You might need to walk those back, chief.
Google when the injury took place. I believe It was June. I disbelieve his shoulder had any thing to do with his poor defense.
Agreed. Let Fletcher slide into a super utility role.
Agreed. One of those three are bound to be injured at some point this season.
I thought only the Angel’s pitchers were guaranteed to be injured.
He could also shift over to 1B if Bour is terrible. I wasn’t on board with a Moose signing early in the offseason but I’ve totally come around on the idea (credit to macstruts). Any way you slice it Moose creates depth either by pushing a quality player (Fletcher/Cozart/Bour) to the bench or coming off the bench himself. He also helps takes pressure off of guys like Rengifo, Ward, and Walsh to produce at the big league level immediately. And to top if off he should be relatively inexpensive. Another $6.5m deal? Maybe a team option pushing the guarantee up another $1m? I’m thoroughly on board
Well said!
Royals fan here. If the halo’s sign Moose, the fans will love the guy. He plays the game the right way and he’s a very solid, reliable presence in the lineup, clubhouse and on the field. I can’t believe someone hasn’t grabbed him already…
Yeah, I think Moose would be a great pickup for a team with a hole at 3rd.
Moose made bad error for work with Boras. He prices him too high. And sells him as elite instead of great teammate solid consistent 3B help for contend.
Moose on 3/20 or 4/30 sounds right in this market. Go to Halo? The they have for potential awesome infield.
hope it is just heyman’s imagination regarding the angels interest! again!
He gets his info straight from Boras.
very likely true.
hope the A’s dont drop Fletcher from a starting spot. i think he will be a pretty good player for them.
He’s a fine defender but he didn’t show the ability to hit. He doesn’t get on base, doesn’t slug, doesn’t square the ball up and doesn’t hit the ball hard.
It’s a gamble this team doesn’t have to make.
he did hit .275 in about half a season of play. dont think he “cant get on base.” he’s also faster then a lot of their roster.
He doesnt play for Oakland.
Fletcher is a utility player. If they sign Moose, they’ll have a wide array of 2B options.
With all the false hope of the Braves spending money on free agents the least they could do is start giving some of these young guys some contract extensions buying out a year or 2 of free agency. Lock them all up!!!!
Did I just hear “LOCK HER UP?” Am I on the wrong site?????
MAGA
Moose fades into obscurity compared to “super star FAs.” Moose is underrated. Hope he plays on a good team in 2019.
Angels would be an awesome fit. — At this point, any “multi-year” contract, seems like a win for him.
Underrated by teams combine for overrated by Boras? Leads to not sign! He has fit with so many, especially if contract has for 3/20 or 4/30. At those fair numbers, he makes for great Angel, ChiSock, Phillie, Padre, and even rebuilder has interest. Because contract good, player good, and moveable for pieces at deadline.
If camargo would have been traded to the marlins he would have out-perfomed Josh Donaldson in war and Teheran would have been a top 5 Cy young candidate, and then one of the young studs would have been the next Adam wainwright and either pache or Riley would have been a stalwart for a decade.. So goes the life of being a Braves’ fan!
That’s what I thought. All that drivel about how the Marlins weren’t asking for a major league asset from the Braves the last time the subject of what the Marlins wanted from them was complete garbage. So they wanted Ian Anderson and Camargo. Intensley glad the Braves didn’t pay such a rediculous price for JTR.
No matter what David Fletcher does at 2b is better than anything any 2b has done since Howie was traded. Moose is a huge upgrade at third over Cozart, plus he is a lefthanded bat which is much needed. Cozart would be asuper sub.
Machado should be signed to play 3b as he is only 26! Has the body type t last until 34 or 35 yrs old. He has the ability to have 37% OBP and bat 2nd behind Fletcher with Trouty at 3rd slot. Upton 4th, with Bour 5th and AP at 6th. With Big Red 7th, I chuckled at the comments about Sosh using the pen, he was down right terrible knowing what to do. But a team is only as good as the pieces the GM provides and Stoneman came through not once but twice providing talent.
Moose would be great addition and upgrade but he wants 3 or 4 years and Angels are unwilling to sign anyone AT …… (After Trout..leaves). If they don’t win now, they’ll be left with just Pujois in 2021. Love Moose’s bat in middle of lineup. Would be great to add Keuckl and a catcher….bring back Maldanado????
I’d like to see Maldonado back at this point. And does anyone else think Gio Gonzalez would be a good fit for the Halos? I haven’t heard too much about what he’s asking for.
Whether or not they win now, their farm system will be ready by 2021. And if they fall out of it again this season, then guys like Cahill, Harvey, Allen, and Lucroy could be prime trade bait for additional prospects. That’s part of the whole point of these one year deals. It’s a win-win. If it somehow translates to winning now, great. If not, it can help add to the future. The Angels are probably gunning for 2021, when they’ll have all kinds of youth to work with at minimum salary, which would then give them the ability to supplement with a ton of money to spend. That’s Eppler’s goal.
put Carmago at Short and Swanson on the bench. Carmago is way better
Wont surprise me a bit if you see this happen by summer BUT dansby started hot out of the gates last spring hitting bullets to all fields before the wrist injury happened..
2019: here we are hoping we can see what a full year of a healthy and CONFIDENT Dansby Swanson can do in the lineup. (Innings 1-9 and not just 7-9….)
If Camargo was the main player the Marlins wanted in a deal fot JTR my guess is the Braves would have done a deal. My guess is Camargo and 2 or 3 prospects was the demanded return.
Being a super sub could well hurt Camargo hitting wise he will be better than a few starters either way.
Having interest in Camargo and wanting him as the main piece are two totally different things. And if the Braves offer centered around Camargo, as the main piece, then the fish got the better deal with the Phillies.
More realistically Camargo would’ve been the 3rd piece of the deal.
I agree that Gonzalez could help Angels but have not seen any indication of interest. . he gives innings..
As for …RyAn comment …gunning for 2021……….concerned that if they wait that long 2021 will be without Trout!