Had the Angels signed free agent 3B Adrian Beltre, I do not think it would have been a good signing. Beltre saves his best performances for the walk year of his contract. His other seasons, Beltre is a typical 6-hole hitter. So, to pay a 6-hole hitter $16 million per season is nutty.
That said, Beltre is a Hall of Fame-type defender at the hot corner. And most importantly, the Angels were really forced to consider overpaying for Beltre. Making no effort to sign Cliff Lee nor Jayson Werth, and treating the Carl Crawford negotiations as if his signing was imminent, the Angels are now left with the dubious responsibility of rebuilding a team with the free agent scraps that remain.
Rumor has it that the Angels are looking at Scott Podsednik to play left field and to bat leadoff. And that is a brilliant move for us ... if the Angels are endeavoring to finish in third place.
And the Angels have NO PLAN for third base. The Angels wasted prospect Brandon Wood at triple-A for three years, in effect creating a career minor leaguer. Then, when he struggled last year. they act surprised AND the uneducated soCal baseball fans give the poor kid a ration of grief.
Anyone could see we sucked last year. If you are going to suck, then let the kid develop. Better to suck with developing youngsters than to suck with overpriced old men.
We will suck again this year. So it is better that we did not sign Beltre, because Beltre would not keep us from sucking again this year.
We may as well play the youngsters this year. Put Trumbo in left field, platoon Conger and Mathis behind the dish. Use Napoli as the regular DH, and if (when) first baseman Kendry Morales needs rest for the leg he busted last year, let Kendry DH and use Napoli at first base.
As far as pitching ... one more chance for Kazmir. If he is not pitching well by the all-star break, move him to the pen. Then we would have three lefties in relief.
Still no resolve for third base. At this point, I would play Izturis there and bat him leadoff.
Either that ... or see if Seattle will trade Figgy back to us.
(The abovementined comments are the rants of a frustrated Angels fan)
-B. C. Helm
Good job Buddy! I will follow your blog ha. Ok but now comes my rants and raves! I wish we would have signed Beltre he gives us a solid right side of the infield plus a strong doubles hitter in our park. So he bats 6th on other teams he would bat 5th for us. I dont like that he signed for 96 million. Wood is not the answer at 3rd or 1st combined last year he had 5 errors at each position. His bat could save him to stay on the field until we were out of options in the end. I hope that the reason we did not pick up any of the players you mentioned is because Arte is going to show us that is going to keep Weaver and Kendry around for along time through arbitration. Well these are my thoughts maybe I should start a blog ha!
ReplyDeleteWell if you started a blog, I would subscribe. Would be cool to read your points of view. Both of us could lament the Angels third-place destiny in 2011.
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