I read right after the WS that there was some thought about giving Abreu a shot to start again Is this something they are really considering?
Deep into Luxury Tax???? 2B Altuve SS Pena LF Alvarez 3B Bregman RF Tucker 1B Abreu DH {Ohtani} CF {Trout} C {Contreras} C2 Malonado OF McCormick IF Hensley UTI {A Diaz} SP1 {Verlander} SP2 {Ohtani} SP3 Valdez SP4 Javier SP5 McCullers SP6 Brown CL Pressly R1 Neris R2 Abreu R3 Montero R4 Stanek R5 Maton R6 Martinez Note Urquidy and Garcia part of the Trade package for Ohtani (1 year) and Trout (8 years.) Would this qualify for JUGGERNAUT? Trout's salary takes away a substantial portion of his trade value, but even one year of Ohtani would require a significant return. The other acquisitions are Free Agents.
I got a low low loooooooow price of $304M on that roster (salaries only the 26 you gave me). With the fringe they make you add and the 40 man guys for LT purposes that would be about 340M It'd go down to about 300M next year after Ohtani and Maldy walks. It would go down to about 250 after Bregman Altuve, Stanek and Maton walk in 2 years. If you wanted to seriously be realistic about bringing in Trout, Ohtani and Contreras A Diaz doesn't make sense- that's a waste of $5M. 'd also probably deal Neris for another 8.3M in relief. And Maton for 2.55M in relief. Those are depth pieces that you don't really need that would free up 16M or so and yyyyyyyyoud still have a playoff rotation of JV, Ohtani, Framber and Javier with a bullpen of Presley, Abreu, Montero, Stanek and Brown in any kind of path to victory games with LMJ just kind of pulling his PUD. If you wanted to include LMJ with your package to the Angels along with those other pitchers then you get it down to about 300M for LT purposes, and it would naturally go under the tax line 2 or 3 years from now. I think this would make my head explode, even just thinking about it as a thought exercize. The funny thing is- even the team you laid out, which would be absurd, would be less than a coin flip to win the 2023 WS b/c baseball.
Contreras, Maldy, Gurriel, and JV would complete a great offseason IMO Let Brantley walk. He's a very hitter but he gets injured too much and we knew it before signing him. He's only played 60% of the games we played since joining Willson can play catcher and LF and will be a major upgrade offensively at the C spot. Platoon him and Maldy at C and let Willson play MMP's easy LF 40x and perhaps decently on the road. Yordan has proven himself to least be average on the road. Try Gurriel in LF too. He can be utility player next season playing LF and infield (1B and 2B). Great contact guy and a solid postseason player JV would be a great bonus if he accepts a team-friendly deal. There's a good chance he gets stronger 2nd year after TJS. But I think Kate loves LA
Just a Trade Value program with all it's flaws. Astros Get: Ohtani 61.1 Trout 14 Total Value 75.1 Angels Get: Garcia 45.6 Urquidy 3.6 Leon 6.5 Meyers 5.3 Y Diaz 14.4 Total Value 75.4 Slight edge to Angels Why would the Angels do this? They have too many holes to fill to be a realistic playoff threat in 2023 and Ohtani is a FA next season leaving two more HUGE holes. The return jump-starts a rebuild with MLB experience and MLB ready prospects.
Current dream roster: 2B Altuve SS Pena DH Alvarez 3B Bregman RF Tucker 1B Abreu LF Benintendi* C Contreras* CF McCormick Bench: C Maldonado, 1B/3B Gurriel*, OF Meyers, SS/2B Dubon Rotation: Verlander*, Valdez, Javier, McCullers, Garcia, Urquidy Bullpen: Pressly, Rogers*, Abreu, Montero, Neris, Stanek, Maton Optioned: Bielak, Blanco, Brown, Dubin, France, Martinez, Mushinski, Taylor, Whitley, Diaz, Lee, Matijevic, Perez, Hensley Traded: Paredes (for prospects)
Silly is giving up a good young player for a guy you have to pay top dollar for as if they are a free agent. Better management would be to have planned ahead and signed a free agent and keep your talent. It would be different if it was like Soto where you're not giving out a massive extension right away.
Perhaps my problem is that I think of Traffic Jams and not the beach. I'm not really a beach guy either.
I don't think modern management thinks sequentially anymore. Parallel tracks are needed to get anything accomplished.
I'm aware. But if they want Verlander it may mean signing Kiermaier instead of benitendi. The risk is getting neither top targets at a couple of other spots because Verlander prices them out... Fine to do if they are going elsewhere anyways, but they don't know yet.
