Sunday, August 28, 2005 |
Wait 'Til Next Year
The Angels need solid bullpen help. Donnelly is done as a bullpen ace. Peralta is young and inconsistent at best, possibly useless at worst; in any event, Sciocia clearly doesn't trust him. That leaves Frankie and Shields, both of whom are overworked, Frankie in a consecutive games sense (even two straight at times seems to overtax him), and Shields in an innings pitched sense.
And then there's the offense. This team needs the bat that Finley was supposed to provide but hasn't; Stoneman needs to cut him ASAP. Knowing his misplaced sense of loyalty, he probably won't.
Garret Anderson's decline is in full public display, and he's not getting better.
Bengie Molina will be gone. Will Jeff Mathis step up to replace him? Or will Stoneman sign Bengie to another suicidal, obscene multiyear contract?
Casey Kotchman might have a usable bat by next year. Maybe not. Likewise for Dallas McPherson. Will he ever control his strikeouts enough to be a good hitter at the major league level?
The rotation will be minus Paul Byrd and probably Jarrod Washburn. Will Stoneman sign a lefty?
Too many questions. No idea if Stoneman's capable of addressing them.
Right there with you on Cabrera-for-Eckstein. It was a mistake from the minute Stoneman thought it.
Glaus was an obvious goodbye candidate. He'd been injured two straight years, was sure to get a big dollars contract, and the Angels had a reasonable shot at a hot-hitting rookie in Dallas McPherson, who had simply torn up the minors at every level below. I don't know where you're going, though, with Salmon; he was already signed to a multiyear deal, one the Angels will be rid of in 2006.
To add to the list of bad contracts, I would place Anderson's contract, and Erstad's as well. On the other hand, where are we this year if Anderson walks in the 2004/2005 offseason because Stoneman didn't offer him a contract?
All that said, predicting player performance isn't as easy as it looks. I think Stoneman should be cut a few breaks here. Not even Beane is perfect (Jermaine Dye? Erubiel Durazo?).
Shields could be used in a mirror of K-Rod. One day you bring in K-Rod for two innings, the next day Shields.
But that would upset their ROLES, and you can't do that, or so says THE BOOK.
On Molina, I have to assume Stoneman will give him a big contract as a reward for this year, and, yes, that would be stupid.
: 8/29/2005 02:53:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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