Fuentes to Angels

[AquaMan2342]

I guess I've always been of the school that believes you can never have too many solid arms in your bullpen. The Angels have won for years under this premise and I for one am not going to condemn them for this signing. They always seem to be one of the more intelligent organizations in baseball and while they still need a bat, there's no reason to believe they won't eventually get it. It's not as if 17.5 is really that high of a number.

[BronXBombers51]

But what bat are they going to get? Dunn? Burrell? I mean, you had $160 million on the table for Teixeira. Why not give Manny a 2 year, $50MM offer? I'm not saying that this signing is bad or anything. It just seems like they are making moves for the sake of making moves. If I'm the Angels I'd be all over Manny right now.

[AquaMan2342]

But what bat are they going to get? Dunn? Burrell? I mean, you had $160 million on the table for Teixeira. Why not give Manny a 2 year, $50MM offer? I'm not saying that this signing is bad or anything. It just seems like they are making moves for the sake of making moves. If I'm the Angels I'd be all over Manny right now.

I don't know who, but given they did throw all that money Tex's way, I can't imagine one of the three you mentioned won't eventually be wearing their uniform.

[AussieDodger]

Oh man.
Christmas present = Tex signs elsewhere.
New Years present = slegna buy another closer, wasting a draft pick.

Their yahoo depth chart has Robb Quinlan/Kendry Morales as their 1B/DH.

Pre - Allstar 2008 they scored 409 runs, good for 23rd in baseball.
Post - Allstar (with Tex) they scored 356 runs, 5th in MLB.

If they don't sign someone like a Dunn/Burrell/Giambi/Abreu because this $8.5 mil has made them unaffordable, it will be very amusing.

Sweet

[Another Blown Save]

I don't see how this is a bad deal for the Angels.
They're getting a great closer (who is arguably better than K-rod) for 2 years.
They do lose a draft pick, but since they'll be getting draft picks via losing Teix and K-rod, I don't see it as a big deal.

[Pogotheostrich]

Fuentes will earn $8.5 million for 2009 and $9 million for 2010. The contract includes a $9 million vesting option for 2011, based on games finished

That is slightly less than what the Cards were offering, 2 years at $9 million. Either he really wanted to play for the Angels or he needs a new agent.

[Joe LaCock]

I like the move for the Angels. Everyone seems concerned that Arredondo won't be closing, but in the big picture closers are overrated. What is important is having a solid bullpen especially the 7th, 8th and 9th inning guys. Did they have to make the move? No but more bullpen depth is never a bad thing.

I couldn't agree more. We often focus on blowing saves in the 9th but a game can be blown just as easily in the 7th or 8th inning. Maybe the Angels felt it was easier to get a closer than it was to get another set-up man if Arredondo was to close. Just a thought.

[AussieDodger]

I don't see how this is a bad deal for the Angels.
They're getting a great closer (who is arguably better than K-rod) for 2 years.
They do lose a draft pick, but since they'll be getting draft picks via losing Teix and K-rod, I don't see it as a big deal.

This is a decent deal if it had been a pressing need, and now slegna games are arguably 6 innings games.

The problem is they've got to sign a Dunn or similar to 1B/DH or they have taken a serious step backwards.
Maybe they are counting on Morales becoming more sexified then a lot of people are predicting.

[AquaMan2342]

I don't see how this is a bad deal for the Angels.
They're getting a great closer (who is arguably better than K-rod) for 2 years.
They do lose a draft pick, but since they'll be getting draft picks via losing Teix and K-rod, I don't see it as a big deal.

This is a decent deal if it had been a pressing need, and now slegna games are arguably 6 innings games.

The problem is they've got to sign a Dunn or similar to 1B/DH or they have taken a serious step backwards.
Maybe they are counting on Morales becoming more sexified then a lot of people are predicting.

Signing Dunn would be a horrible mistake. They should sign Milton Bradley for his 100 games and then take the fan sitting in section 18, row 12, seat 6 each game for the other 62. That combo will outproduce Dunn.

[AussieDodger]

Signing Dunn would be a horrible mistake. They should sign Milton Bradley for his 100 games and then take the fan sitting in section 18, row 12, seat 6 each game for the other 62. That combo will outproduce Dunn.

Not if Dunn is near-100% DH a'la David Ortiz.