This is one of a series of posts in which we eviscerate each team’s lambastable offseason blunders and laud their miraculous hot-stove coups.

The Angels again made the playoffs in 2007, and again were escorted to an early exit. Last year, the Anaheim squad did a great job of making the most of what they had—speed. Taking advantage of every opportunity to go first-to-third on a single, their aggressive baserunning served them well during the regular season when their small-ball style of play masked their lack of power hitting. But the injured Anaheim ballclub did not last long in October, and scarcely had the season ended when the Angels front office got to work.

In November, they acquired pitcher Jon Garland from the White Sox for Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Cabrera and cash. A few days later, they signed free agent center fielder Torii Hunter, one of the gems in an otherwise weak market. However, Hunter’s only an average fielder and is already 32. Plus, this gave the Angels a glut of outfielders: Hunter, Gary Matthews Jr., Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Reggie Willits. (Could they have made a deal for Miguel Cabrera with the Marlins instead? The world will never know. On the one hand, the Angels’ farm system, though still good, isn’t what it once was—but on the other, the Marlins didn’t get nearly enough for Cabrera anyway. The two sides did some talking, but the deal fell apart.) Those of us expecting the Angels to continue their frenzy of activity with a move to exchange one of those outfielders for an infielder or a relief pitcher or, well, anything, were disappointed. If the Angels can’t find a way to get Reggie’s .391 OBP and speedy legs into the lineup somehow, they’ll be missing out on his productivity while also diminishing his trade value. I would rather see him start in left field over Gary Matthews, Jr. any day. (Well, any day except for when the Angels are playing the Red Sox, of course.)

So it is that the Angels will begin 2008 hoping that Erick Aybar can fill in for Orlando Cabrera. The 24-year old Aybar is the definition of a light-hitting infielder, though his offense should improve a bit once he’s getting regular at-bats. While he doesn’t have much experience at shortstop in the majors, it was his usual position through the minor leagues, so I don’t foresee a problem there. Plus, the Angels will be able to rotate their outfielders through the DH slot, keeping their bats in the lineup while giving their legs a rest. And Torii Hunter will provide the long-needed protection for Guerrero in the lineup. Finally, the addition of Jon Garland will give the Angels another solid arm behind staff ace John Lackey, which they’re no doubt doubly glad of now that 18-game winner Escobar has reported to camp with a sore shoulder.

Acquisitions: Torii Hunter, Jon Garland

Losses: Orlando Cabrera, Dallas McPherson, Bartolo Colon

Projected Lineup, Rotation, and Closer:

1. 3B, Chone Figgins, .393 OBP, 41 SB

2. LF, Reggie Willits, .391 OBP, 27 SB

3. RF, Vladimir Guerrero, 27 HR, .403 OBP

4. CF, Torii Hunter, 28 HR, .287 AVG

5. DH, Garret Anderson, 16 HR, .297 AVG

6. 1B, Casey Kotchman, .372 OBP

7. 2B, Howie Kendrick, .322 AVG

8. C, Mike Napoli, 10 HR, .351 OBP

9. SS, Erick Aybar, 1 HR, .237 AVG

SP1 John Lackey, 3.01 ERA, 224.0 IP

SP2 Kelvim Escobar, 3.40 ERA, 195.2 IP

SP3 Jered Weaver, 3.91 ERA, 161.0 IP

SP4 Jon Garland, 4.23 ERA, 208.1 IP

SP5 Joe Saunders, 4.44 ERA, 107.1 IP

CL Francisco Rodriguez, 2.81 ERA, 1.25 WHIP

Grade: A-

The Angels accomplished two major goals this offseason: acquiring a dependable starting pitcher and picking up a bat for the middle of their lineup. Their roster heading into 2008 is deep, with last year’s injuries having given some of their younger players and utility guys more experience. Their rotation looks solid—Weaver and Saunders are both young pitchers who should see a step-up in workload this year. Their lineup is stacked, too. My only reservation ist that Torii Hunter might not have been the best possible guy to get to protect Vladimir and, that by acquiring him, the team now has too many outfielders. But if the biggest problem a team has is too many good players, that’s an enviable problem to have. The Angels should make it to the playoffs again this year, and, if they stay healthy, have the roster to get a bit further this time.

-Hot Offseason Action Index-

The Chicago White Sox wanted Torii Hunter. And now that Hunter has signed with the Angels, the White Sox have moved on to what their GM has deemed “plan 1B”.

Chicago Tribune baseball writer Dave van Dyck says the White Sox are going through a “messy period”:

The one free agent they wanted most has spurned them, leaving them with no clear starting center fielder or left fielder. They have two highly paid starting shortstops, two starting third basemen and an untested second baseman. Oh, and a battered and bruised bullpen.

Of course, the White Sox have plenty of time to straighten things out. And probably the first thing they’ll try and do is find a center fielder. But who? Van Dyck says it will be a free agent, for sure:

Presumably that would be ex-Sox fan favorite Aaron Rowand, who won’t cost as much as Hunter but for good reason. He isn’t nearly as dominating as Hunter could be.

Now wait a second, Dave. I’m not about to argue that Aaron Rowand is the next Willie Mays, but I’m not totally convinced that he’s not more or less equal to Torii Hunter.

Here’s what the U.S.S. Mariner had to say about Hunter, a player the site deemed one of its three “land mine” free agents of 2008:

Torii Hunter just had a terrific year at the right time, and he’s going to be paid for what he was in 2007, not for what he’s likely to be in 2008 and beyond. From 2004 to 2006, Hunter’s offense was worth about 15 runs above an average hitter - combined. He had settled in as a pretty consistent +5 offensive player, which as a center fielder with some defensive value, made him a borderline star, but not anything like a franchise player.

Vegas Watch, which calls Hunter “an overrated fielder coming off a career year”, says:

Hunter’s career OBP is .324, and his career OPS+ is 104. He’ll be 33 in July. He looks good out there, but by any metric Hunter was an average fielder this year; THT has him at 0, BP at -1. Only the leaders and trailers have been published from Dewan’s system, but he’s in neither, which means he was between +3 and -9.

Then there’s Rowand. Nobody seems to have written much about him, but his career OBP is .343, and his career OPS+ is 106. He’ll be 31 in August. In 2007 alone, he was worth 47 runs more than the average hitter, his best offensive season ever and the first time he’d cracked 30 Runs Above Replacement Player since 2004. Rowand’s Runs Above Average is 5 (compared to Hunter’s -1).

In other words, Hunter is a better defensive player than Rowand (six runs better last year), but Rowand is younger and a better offensive player pretty much across the board. He’s got better OBP and OPS.

Both of these guys are players you’d want on your team. Both come with some risk of injury. And both will surely be overpaid (Hunter already has been). Frankly, I can see making an intelligent argument in favor of either of these two guys, depending on what you value more, offense or defense. But I can’t see making a statement like, “(Rowand) isn’t nearly as dominating as Hunter could be.” That’s just silly.

Neither of these guys is going to be “dominating”.

Hector Lavoe, the great Puerto Rican salsa crooner once sang “your love is like yesterday’s news,” (Tu amor es como un periódico de ayer) and in this day and age, yesterday’s news (actually, this past monday’s news) should seem like a teenage fling to the middle-aged White Sox GM, Kenny Williams.

You see, right after trading for Orlando Cabrera, Williams was on the verge of landing Torri Hunter. The Sun-Times “broke” a story last Monday that reported:

Sources both in the Sox organization and the camp of free-agent outfielder Torii Hunter have told the Sun-Times that the two sides could be signing a contract within the week.

In other words, while it appeared Williams was playing checkers in the Garland for Cabrera deal, he was actually playing chess, staying moves ahead of the game.

Before I try to offer my opinion on the “reporter” with some dry, witty, sarcastic remark, lets remember that the reporter in question is Joe Cowley, who once famously voted Derek Jeter 6th in his MVP ballot, contributing to Morneau getting the trophy, with Jeter not far back in the polls.

Let’s just say I will think twice next time I read something penned by Cowley.

We now know, of course, that the Angels had their finger on the dial right after hanging up the trade-talk phone with the ChiSox. And were that much quicker. And those chess moves that Williams was so erroneously praised for, might actually have him in check.

Without Hunter, Williams’ center field options in the free agent market are reduced to Andruw Jones and former South-sider Aaron Rowand – and Sox fans are torn.

Personally, I can’t ignore Jones’ horrendous season this year and I cannot possibly imagine Rowand commanding less than $75 million over 4 years. However legendary his status among Sox fans is, I doubt Rowand is really worth that much.

Let’s think about this for a minute. It’s rumored that the Angels beat out Williams by $20 mill. Which means he had offered a 4-year/$70 deal. I doubt he offered a 5th year; Williams favorite flavor in contracts is of the 3-year-kind. And now that the Sox shelled $19 mil per 4 years for Scott Linebrink, I can only assume Williams decided to spend some his CF money on relief pitching.

In reality Williams has a few more options. There’s always Kosuke Fukudome, who, according to UmpBump’s very own Paul Moro, will command around $10 mill over 4 years. (Considering Hunter’s inflated price tag, Fuku’s price tag suddenly jumped to about $30mill/4years.

And then there are the prospects. For the past four years, the White Sox have had promising outfield prospects that fizzled once they made it to the majors.

Consider this: Last time the White Sox signed a Japanese player (Iguchi in ‘05), they won the World Series. Last time they failed to move their underachieving outfielders and/or upgrade via free-agency, well, this season happened.

Williams has already released World Series hero Scott Podsednik. Can I pull a Joe Cowley and say he’ll go after Fukudome instead of Jones/Rowand?

Only time can tell.

It’s Thanksgiving and that means that you’re going to be subjected to any number of sports columns about what people are thankful for.

Me, I’m thankful for the Torii Hunter signing, which gives us something to talk about on this fine national holiday other than the weather, the turkey and A-Rod.

From ESPN.com:

Outfielder Torii Hunter and the Los Angeles Angels reached a preliminary agreement Wednesday night on a five-year contract thought to be worth $90 million.

That’s $18 million a year for Mr. Hunter. Not too shabby.

I’m also thankful for Vegas Watch, who got up early this morning to break down the Torii Hunter signing, thus sparing me the trouble of looking up statistics. You, Vegas Watch. You!

Hunter’s career OBP is .324, and his career OPS+ is 104. He’ll be 33 in July. He looks good out there, but by any metric Hunter was an average fielder this year; THT has him at 0, BP at -1. Only the leaders and trailers have been published from Dewan’s system, but he’s in neither, which means he was between +3 and -9.

It looks as though Hunter is an overrated fielder coming off a career year at the age of 32. This seems like a pretty solid formula for someone to get more money than they’re worth, does it not?

As Vegas Watch points out, this leaves the Angels with a surplus of outfielders — six, if you’re counting at home: Hunter, Gary Matthews Jr., Garret Anderson, Vlad Guerrero, Juan Rivera and Reggie Willits.

Where will they all play? Here’s what the LA Times says:

Hunter, who has excellent speed, instincts and athletic ability, will play center field for the Angels, and Manager Mike Scioscia said Matthews would rotate through the corner outfield spots, and right fielder Vladimir Guerrero and left fielder Garret Anderson would rotate through the designated hitter spot.

It’s hard to imagine that the Angels are going to pay Matthews $10 million a year to be a bench player. But that’s what it looks like is going to happen.

You’ve got to think there will be more to come. You’ve got to think that some of that outfield glut will be traded — possibly for Miguel Cabrera.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Terrence Moore just doesn’t get it. Today, Moore writes that if the Braves are unable to keep CF Andruw Jones, they should sign Twins CF Torii Hunter.

From the AJC:

Ideally, Andruw Jones stays with the Braves. Not only after this season as a free agent, but forever. Still, if he decides to bolt to the highest bidder with his mighty bat and magic glove, his replacement makes too much sense.

Torii Hunter.

Earth to Terrence: the Braves aren’t going to sign Hunter.

This is not a complicated formula. The Braves won’t resign Jones because he’s too expensive. He’s likely to command upwards of $17 million per year on the open market.

So why in the world does Howard think the Braves will pay big bucks (maybe as much as $15 million per) to sign Hunter?

Even Hunter sounded surprised that somebody would suggest he might end up in Atlanta:

“Me, playing in Atlanta?” said Hunter, with wide eyes, during a chat last week before a game involving his Minnesota Twins in Anaheim. He laughed, saying, “Kind of getting ahead of things with that thought….”

If and when the Braves lose Jones, they’ll replace him with a prospect or with an affordable player from another team. The same way they replaced Rafael Furcal with Edgar Renteria. The same way they replaced Adam LaRoche with Scott Thorman. The same way they replaced Marcus Giles with Kelly Johnson. That’s how the Braves do business.

You should know that, Terrence.

Well, it happened. Phils manager Charlie Manuel finally lost it. During a press conference following yet another Phillies loss, local radio personality Howard Eskin asked Manuel why he never seemed to get very upset. Then Manuel showed Eskin just how upset he can get.

From the Philadelphia Daily News:

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was provoked by a local radio personality in the postgame news conference who asked why Manuel didn’t show more anger in news conferences, a la Cubs manager Lou Piniella, or why he hadn’t upbraided his underachieving team 12 games into the season.

Manuel - nicknamed “Red Devil” when he played in Japan because of his explosive temper - challenged his questioner to meet him in Manuel’s office, where, Manuel promised, he would display temper.

And, there, Manuel did, for several minutes, loudly enough to be heard from 20 yards away through closed doors. Manuel’s point: He does get mad, and he resented what he considers the radio host’s continual unfair criticism of Manuel.

After that confrontation, Manuel, on his way through the clubhouse, resumed hollering at the radio personality when they locked eyes. A Phillies coach and a media relations representative ushered Manuel, spewing profanity, out the back of the clubhouse.

Now, before you take sides here, there’s a few things you need to know about Eskin. He is the personification of everything that’s wrong with Philadelphia sports. His mission is to sabotage the careers of players, coaches and executives who he doesn’t like. He’s a no talent nerd who talks just to hear the sound of his own voice. He’s neither an accomplished athlete or journalist. He’s been suspended twice for fabricating stories. He belittles his callers. He’s racist, sexist, and generally awful in every way.And he’s creepy. From Wikipedia:

Off the air in 1997, Howard’s name surfaced involving a murder case of Marlene Stumpf. Stumpf was a 46 year-old married woman from Pottstown, Pennsylvania posing in chat rooms as a 25 year-old cheerleader named “Brandice”, and engaged in some provocative chat room discussions with Howard. Howard had sensed the woman was depressed and typed, “Why don’t you give me your address, and I’ll send you a little something.” Howard kept his word and sent Stumpf some flowers. A few days later, Stumpf was found murdered. Her husband confessed to the crime and was arrested.

It’s probably not fair to suggest that Eskin caused this woman’s death. Then again, Eskin has never bothered much with fairness.

The least shocking thing about the Manuel-Eskin blow up? After Manuel gave Eskin exactly  what he was looking for — a show of passion — Eskin mocked him and told him to “grow up.”

Typical Howard Eskin. The Philadelphia airwaves would be a much better place without him.

This weekend, Twins CF Torri Hunter wrote a guest op-ed for the Pioneer Press about what it means to him to wear Jackie Robinson’s 42 and what it’s like being a black baseball player.

Here it is:

When I think of Jackie Robinson, I think of a strong black person. I think about everything he went through when he got to the major leagues.

There were the racial slurs. He heard them while he was playing the game and after the game.

And he couldn’t eat with his teammates - he had to go to the back of the restaurant to get his food, to get his plate, like a dog.

He had to be the last one to take a shower. He couldn’t shower with his teammates.

Everything was separate.

He could have quit. But he didn’t. He stuck with it.

Had he quit, I think that would have changed everything.

Everything. Read the rest of this entry »