This was a first-ever effort front office job by a new Angels GM that didn’t go smoothly. I’m conflicted and often absorbed by my regular October work on the Baseball HQ Forecaster and preparing for our First Pitch Arizona conference in early November (shameless plugs), and probably should have paid more attention earlier to my new GM project. Wait ‘till next year.
The bottom line is that the Angels are struggling on several fronts. We need to improve/upgrade an offense that fell from being first in AL scoring in 2014 to #12 this past season. Opening Day upgrades are going to be needed first and foremost in the form of a left-handed LF AB to replace the shell that was Matt Joyce, and at 3B to replace David Freese. We could also help at 2B, where RHB Johnny Giavotella wrung all he possibly could out of his limited offensive skill set, but was an adventure defensively. And at catcher, where new first-stringer Carlos Perez will need a backup following the free agent departure of Chris Iannetta. All of our offensive needs must also take into consideration that this is a predominantly right-handed leaning lineup.
Our free agent signing of LHB Neil Walker for the below-arb price of $8m should help address some of these needs. Our plan is to see if he can handle 3B defensively in March, a position for which he may be better suited. Those results will determine how we handle 2B, which could become a platoon. We also picked up disappointing Everth Cabrera ($1m) and plan to work him as an off-the-bench infield utility in an effort to revive his career and jump-start our dormant running game. His role as a starting SS was never a plus—he profiles much better defensively at 2B and even 3B.
Given our lack of MLB-ready minor league depth, we’ll attempt to shore up our other positional needs with some of our pitching depth before the season starts or very early after Opening Day. Obviously we won’t keep 7 SPs indefinitely, particularly given the talented RP help that is waiting for opportunity in the minors. When other organizations begin to accumulate pitching injuries, we hope to be the first team calling them.
All of this being said, we’re not particularly optimistic about 2016.
C: Carlos Perez .525m
C: Jett Bandy .510m
1B: Albert Pujols 25m
2B Johnny Giavotella .520m
SS Erick Aybar 8.5m
3B Neil Walker 8m
CI Kaleb Cowart .510m
MI Everth Cabrera 1m
OF David Murphy 7m
OF Mike Trout 15.25m
OF Kole Calhoun 3.6m
OF Collin Cowgill 1m
DH C.J. Cron .525m
SP Garrett Richards 6.8m
SP Andrew Heaney .535m
SP Jered Weaver 20m
SP Tyler Skaggs .520m
SP CJ Wilson 20m
SP Hector Santiago 5.1m
SP Matt Shoemaker .525m
RP Huston Street 8m
RP Joe Smith 5.25m
RP Fernando Salas 2.2m
RP Cesar Ramos 1.7m
RP Jose Alvarez .520m
Unrostered salary
Josh Hamilton 24m
David DeJesus 1m buyout
Total Opening Day Payroll $144m (includes DeJesus buyout)
Add Hamilton obligation $168m
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Minors:
MI Taylor Featherston
CI/OF Efren Navarro
RP Mike Morin
RP Cam Bedrosian
RP Cory Rasmus
RP Trevor Gott