Comments on: Angels’ logjam means Mike Trout is likely bound for minors

By: Ari Collins

Ari Collins — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:47:03 +0000

I was wondering when they’d have to hold him back until. Thanks!

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:26:13 +0000

Oh I agree, Berardi. I was just throwing a Great White Snark into the ring.

By: drunkenhooliganism

drunkenhooliganism — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:16:44 +0000

I doublechecked. He was the second highest paid pitcher. He made $8M while Brett Myers made $8.5M. My point still stands, even though my facts were a bit off.

Hamels made $500k. Good thing they didn’t let salary decide their starting rotation.

By: foreverchipper10

foreverchipper10 — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:19:17 +0000

I was not aware Adam Eaton was their highest paid pitcher. I didn’t even realize he was on the team. Well done Phils by not playing him.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:12:05 +0000

The Angels do have a prospect hype-machine of sorts– a minor league affiliate in the hitter’s/meth addict’s paradise known as the Cal league.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:06:26 +0000

The thing is, while Pujols may be overpaid, Vernon Wells is hurting your team even if he plays for the league minimum. There's a big difference between a player who's productive but overpaid, and a player who loses games for your team before you even consider the money question.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:03:46 +0000

I mean, any player that’s drafted out of HS at all was probably their team’s best defensive shortstop… and their team’s best starting pitcher… and their team’s best hitter. I don’t know his history, but I’d bet anything that a mega-athlete like Trout was all of those things. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything in the pro ranks, though.

By: stex52

stex52 — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:50:21 +0000

It’s too early to tell what will happen after ST with all of the players in the mix. The only thing I would add is that if Trout can’t play every day at the MLB, then send him down until you open a slot. He is still developing.

But if the only reason to send him down is Vernon Well’s contract, that is dumb. That is a sunk cost. If Wells plays poorly, cut the cord. The cost of a 20-year old under team control will disappear in the LAA budget. The only other relevant question for me is Ben’s about the arbitration clock. I don’t know how that works.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:40:10 +0000

Methinks the Angels should just use some of the new TV revenue, eat Wells’ contract and decide never to have a 9-figure player whose best years are behind him on their roster again.

Oh, wait…

By: seanthegreatest

seanthegreatest — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:13:34 +0000

Almost every scout in baseball picked these guys to be stars. It didn’t work out, but lets not start calling it a “hype-machine”. You act like the Angels PR department just started making $hit up.

By: maco88

maco88 — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:43:14 +0000

Ridiculous keeping Mathis over Napoli. And don’t forget the Angels hype-machine a few years ago that told everyone that Brandon Wood, Dallas McPherson, and Trevor Bell were going to be Angel stars for years to come.

By: seanthegreatest

seanthegreatest — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:31:01 +0000

Although I agree Trout belongs in the OF, let’s keep in mind he did play SS in high school. It is possible he could play 3B, just unlikely.

By: mordecofe

mordecofe — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:27:43 +0000

And the Rays really need a CF, they don’t have two already.

By: pauleee

pauleee — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:14:45 +0000

Yes, by all means, let’s do that. Cuz the biggest worry this team has is its starting rotation.
O_o

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:10:21 +0000

Trout has 83 days of service time, so the Angels would have to keep him in Salt Lake City until about the Fourth of July to get that time back.

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:38 +0000

This is the organization that played Mathis over Napoli, then ran Napoli out of town altogether. Why is anyone surprised that they are sending Trout to the minors?

By: shackdelrio

shackdelrio — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:39:17 +0000

Trade Trout to the Rays for one of their 8 starting pitchers.

By: ezthinking

ezthinking — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:19:24 +0000

Good chance someone goes down in spring, then a spot opens. Bourjos is not the picture of health. He might wind up being odd-man out. If Trout spends 2 months in AAA and dominates, all the better.

His .220/.281/.390 .672 ops line isn’t much more than Wells. So why rush? You want him to play every day, not platoon.

If Morales is healthy Abreu is gone. He’s already crying around so good riddance. Maybe Trumbo heads to AAA to learn 3B or is traded for a real 3B.

Pretty simple, let the game actually play out.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:09:40 +0000

Did the Angels start Trout’s service clock last year with his call-up?
The only advantage I see coming out of all of this is I can see Trout play in SLC this summer on my Great American Roadtrip.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:04:35 +0000

Trout has no future as a 3B; he's one of the fastest players in organized baseball and belongs in the outfield. You're thinking of Trumbo, who also has not future at 3B, but he's at least an infielder.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:02:41 +0000

Vernon Wells: terribile enough to justify shit-caning the GM who traded for him, but still worth burying Mike Trout for. Does this not make sense to anyone else?

By: dodger88

dodger88 — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:00:09 +0000

If they really think Trout could have a future at 3B, better to give him some at the position in the minors and then call him up when of Wells, Abreu, Morales, etc. is either hurt or playing badly.

By: drunkenhooliganism

drunkenhooliganism — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:57:31 +0000

Edit function

“requiring you to PLAY him”

By: drunkenhooliganism

drunkenhooliganism — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:56:15 +0000

I think Vernon Wells had a 660 OPS last year. Mike Trout will hit for a better average, have a better OBP, have a better slugging percentage, while being a far, far, far, far better baserunner and outfielder. It’s one thing to have to pay Wells’ ridiculous contract, it’s a second, far more insane thing, to let paying him too much money cost you the AL West by somehow requiring you to pay him.

Adam Eaton was the highest paid pitcher on the 2008 Phillies. The Phillies won the NL East, and eventually the world series because they didn’t let him take the mound.

By: Ari Collins

Ari Collins — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:55:19 +0000

They could also game his service time to get another year out of him. Though the main thing here is that they’re paying Wells and so they’re playing Wells.