Mark Trumbo (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Ah, Twitter. What would we do without you?
The Angels want pitching,and sources say they've indicated a willingness to other teams to trade Peter Bourjos or/and Mark Trumbo to get it.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 29, 2013
So simple to say that Angels GM Jerry Dipoto will be looking to teams with depth at starting pitching and said teams need a power boost (Trumbo) and/or a speedy, defensive oriented center fielder (Bourjos). I would imagine Dipoto could be looking for something a little on the cheap side. According to Cot’s, the Angels already have $126.5MM committed to their 2014 payroll. To add to the “mystery”, both Trumbo and Bourjos will be entering arbitration for the first time.
Adding even more intrigue is Mike Trout hitting arbitration after the 2014 season, provided a long-term deal doesn’t occur between now and then.
What are you getting in Mark Trumbo and/or Peter Bourjos?
Trumbo is coming a season where his triple-slash was .234/.294/.453 with 34 HR and 100 RBI. On the positive side, Trumbo has improved his walk rate over the past two seasons (4.4% in ’11, 6.1% in ’12, 8.0% in ’13), but his strikeout rate has also increased during the same time (20.9%, 26.1%, 27.1%).
Peter Bourjos (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Bourjos played in only 55 games in 2013, but still managed to hit a career-high .274. His season ended almost as soon as it began due to a wrist injury which required surgery. He also suffered a hamstring strain in late April. Upon returning to the field, Bourjos struggled producing a .239 batting average and .300 on-base percentage in his final 33 games.
But is there another area that the Angels need improvement? According to Ryan Blanck of Halo Hangout, he believes the Halos need an infusion of leadership.
"But more important than finding a solid third baseman or a late-inning set-up man is filling a gaping void in the clubhouse. The Angels need a leader. A Captain. Another—dare I say it—Torii Hunter. The Halos have the big bats. They have the superstars to draw a home crowd. They have the foundation for a solid pitching staff. But they desperately need that player-voice in the dugout motivating his teammates, calling them out when they’re not performing, and leading his team to its former glory."
Blanck also notes the money issue.
If the Angels are a little strapped for cash (part of their 2014 commitment does include over $18MM going to the New York Yankees as part of the Vernon Wells deal), they may have to send a more established and “costly” player in order to achieve their goal.
(H/T: Hardball Talk)