Buster Olney: Sweeney to the Angels?

[RedDread]

taken from ESPN insider article


If this {Vlad Guererro's Shoulder injury} is a long-term injury, the Angels are in a good position to make a deal to look for a possible replacement in the lineup. Owner Arte Moreno is aggressive and willing to spend money, and the team's farm system is considered among the best in baseball; they've got prospects to deal.

The list of possible trade targets could include Mike Sweeney of Kansas City and Aubrey Huff of Tampa Bay, and less likely, Ken Griffey Jr. Sweeney makes the most sense, because he could play first or DH, with Erstad switching to the outfield. The bet here is that Angels GM Bill Stoneman will have Royals GM Allard Baird on speed dial the rest of the weekend.

[Deberg_1990]

YES!!! Buh Bye Sweeney!

[tk13]

They've got plenty of prospects, not sure how willing they'll be to get rid of them though.

[Eleazar]

Wonder what they have in the way of prospects to offer us. Makes sense, since Sweeney is from that area and all.

[WilliamTheIrish]

They've got plenty of prospects, not sure how willing they'll be to get rid of them though.

Names baby. We need names. Who they got?

[beavis]

Pretty sure Anaheim, or LA, or Orange County, or whatever the hell they are called are one of the teams he's allowed to be traded to. Makes sense. If they want to give up a power hitting outfielder for him, I'd make the deal in a heartbeat.

[milkman]

It sounds good doesn't it'
It is only speculation, though.

How reliable is Olney?

[tk13]

Names baby. We need names. Who they got?
Their farm system is rated #1 by Baseball America. They are loaded. Here's bits from their offseason overview.

TOP TEN PROSPECTS
1. Casey Kotchman, 1b
2. Dallas McPherson, 3b
3. Erick Aybar, ss
4. Jeff Mathis, c
5. Kendry Morales, 1b/of
6. Brandon Wood, ss
7. Ervin Santana, rhp
8. Howie Kendrick, 2b
9. Alberto Callaspo, 2b/ss
10. Steven Shell, rhp

BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average: Casey Kotchman
Best Power Hitter: Dallas McPherson
Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Casey Kotchman
Fastest Baserunner: Quan Cosby
Best Athlete: D.T. McDowell
Best Fastball: Ervin Santana
Best Curveball: Bobby Jenks
Best Slider: Ervin Santana
Best Changeup: Abel Moreno
Best Control: Steven Shell
Best Defensive Catcher: Jeff Mathis
Best Defensive Infielder: Erick Aybar
Best Infield Arm: Erick Aybar
Best Defensive Outfielder: Reggie Willits
Best Outfield Arm: Warner Madrigal

Anaheim appears poised to contend for several years. The Angels are in position to make major offsesason moves again. They cleared $36 million from their 2004 payroll by electing not to bring back free agents Troy Glaus, Troy Percival and Ramon Ortiz and trading Jose Guillen. The contracts of Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele finally expire.

Their AL West competition also appears to be softening and the Angels’ deep farm system is one of the best in the game. Corner infielders Casey Kotchman and Dallas McPherson both played their way onto the postseason roster, and McPherson’s emergence made Glaus expendable. Though Jeff Mathis struggled in the second half at Double-A Arkansas, he still has the minors’ best all-around package of catching tools.

All three of those players were products of Anaheim’s vaunted 2001 draft, and new scouting director Eddie Bane may have assembled a similarly strong crop in 2004 with an aggressive approach.

Though righthander Jered Weaver’s eight-figure contract demands scared off many clubs, the Angels jumped on the draft’s top-rated prospect with the No. 12 overall pick and remain confident they’ll sign him. Anaheim took an 18th-round flier on Mark Trumbo, who had first-round potential as a righthanded pitcher, and gave him a $1.475 million bonus—and announced he’d become a full-time hitter. The Angels also rolled the dice on a pair of righthanders recovering from Tommy John surgery, 14th-rounder Nick Adenhart and 34th-rounder Bobby Cassevah.

Anaheim’s international department also has been aggressive and has signed plenty of talent, most notably Cuban defector Kendry Morales’ major league deal in December. Since the hiring of supervisor Clay Daniel in 2000, the Angels have signed high-ceiling righthander Ervin Santana (Dominican Republic) and premium middle infielders Erick Aybar (Dominican) and Alberto Callaspo (Venezuela). First baseman Baltazar Lopez (Mexico) emerged in 2004.

The faces may change in the near future, but the farm system and Moreno’s deep pockets should be able to add to the Angels’ talent base for years to come.

-----------

As far as I know, despite all this success, last year's 1st rounder Jared Weaver is still not signed (I do believe he is a Boras client) and only has a week or two left to sign or he goes back in this year's draft. If you want to read a much more in-depth chat about these individual players, here you go:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/chat/041209am.html

That's way too long to post here, but that's more than you'd ever want to know about their farm system.

[tk13]

And if you read that and ask yourself... why does such a great farm system have a new scouting director? Because the Royals hired the old one! :D Out of all the moves Baird made, this might have been the best one, he doesn't get nearly enough credit for this. That would be one advantage to trading with the Angels, our personnel director obviously knows their farm system inside and out because he helped build it.

Royals hire Rowland to oversee scouting, development
By Will Kimmey
August 26, 2004

The Royals hired former Angels scouting director Donny Rowland as their senior director of player personnel.

Rowland will oversee the scouting and player development departments for Kansas City, taking a hands-on role in integrating the same organizational philosophy in the draft, international scouting and farm system. Rowland will also handle special assignment scouting for the Royals.

Scouting director Deric Ladnier and farm director Shaun McGinn will continue in their roles, with direction from Rowland. His presence will free Baird to do more scouting on his own.

"I'm very pleased and happy with Deric Ladnier as well as Shaun McGinn," Baird said. "This is just an opportunity to add a talented evaluator to the organization We have very similar philosophies and beliefs."

Rowland, who had been the Yankees' national crosschecker for four years, became the Angels' scouting director in 1999 and helped revitalize a farm system that rated 30th in Baseball America's talent rankings heading into that season. His tenure produced elite prospects such as Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis and Dallas McPherson--all in the 2001 draft--as well as Latin American prospects such as righthander Ervin Santana and shortstops Erick Aybar and Alberto Callaspo to help the organization crack the top five in the talent rankings compiled before the 2004 season.

"His track record speaks for itself," Baird said.

Rowland, who spent 11 years with the Tigers, has spent the last year as a player agent with Jet Sports Management.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/040826rowland.html

[WilliamTheIrish]

[QUOTE=tk13]And if you read that and ask yourself... why does such a great farm system have a new scouting director? Because the Royals hired the old one! :D

That's the only tidbit I knew about the Angels farm. Thanks tk.

[Deberg_1990]

And if you read that and ask yourself... why does such a great farm system have a new scouting director? Because the Royals hired the old one! :D Out of all the moves Baird made, this might have been the best one, he doesn't get nearly enough credit for this. That would be one advantage to trading with the Angels, our personnel director obviously knows their farm system inside and out because he helped build it.





Sweet! Ill give Baird some props for that one! Hopefully it pays off in a big way!

[teedubya]

And if you read that and ask yourself... why does such a great farm system have a new scouting director? Because the Royals hired the old one! :D Out of all the moves Baird made, this might have been the best one, he doesn't get nearly enough credit for this. That would be one advantage to trading with the Angels, our personnel director obviously knows their farm system inside and out because he helped build it.



http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/040826rowland.html

man, now if the Chiefs could get Pioli... heh.

[Mecca]

Kendry Morales went to the Domican after defecting from Cuba and has no visa. Unfortunatly he has to wait for one before leaving so he's most likely going to be stuck there till next year. I know he's got talent and all but he won't be helping any teams this year.

The Angels are probably the best team to trade with hopefully they'll get desperate considering they were struggling to score runs even with Guerrero.

[Sure-Oz]

We can hope we get a good player or players back maybe package someone else in there.

[grandllama]

Do the deal Allard...

Mike, it's been nice, (real nice of you not to restructure a little of your 11 million unearned dollars per year to keep 'Los around)... but don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya...

[Miles]

Seems like Houston would be a nice fit but who knows what the hell there front office is up to.

[nomad]

Kendry Morales went to the Domican after defecting from Cuba and has no visa. Unfortunatly he has to wait for one before leaving so he's most likely going to be stuck there till next year. I know he's got talent and all but he won't be helping any teams this year.

The Angels are probably the best team to trade with hopefully they'll get desperate considering they were struggling to score runs even with Guerrero.

Angels fan here...!

I brought up this topic on this board last week before Vlad got injured. And I think there may be a match here between the two teams if teh Royals are willing to accept some of the financial responsibilities of Sweeneys contract.

The Angels have a good and deep farm system and could easily provide the Royals with some young talent although Bill Stonemann has been extremely hesitant to trade minor leaguers under any conditions.

About Kendry Morales... He has made it to the U.S. and actually played his first game in their minor leagues at Rancho Cucamonga high A team Saturday.

The second pitch he saw, he deposited over the right-field fence and went on to go 3-5 with 3 RBI's on the night.

Regarding the former head scout Donny Rowland, he was not resigned (fired) when rumors surfaced that his head was getting to big for his britches and butted heads with Stonemann. Regardless, if you look at the 2001 draft and the top rated talent in our minor leagues, you will find Kotchman, MacPherson, Mathis, Woods, Shell etc. He had a great draft that year.

He should do well for KC as long as he has his head on straight.

And finally, Bobby Jenks and Quan Cosby are no longer in the Angels organization and D.T. McDowell has decided to play college football.

[Demonpenz]

thanks for the memory's mike. You made your injury's oh so memorable

[Oxford]

Best Defensive Outfielder: Reggie Willits
Best Outfield Arm: Warner Madrigal

I don't believe it. First of all, in the top ten propects there is no power hitting outfielder. The Royals are okay at SS, 3B and catcher. First base will be okay next year because Justin Huber is tearing it up at AA.

If you trade Sweeney, you must replace his bat and make this team better. It doesn't look like the Angels are there.

[beavis]

If you trade Sweeney, you must replace his bat and make this team better. It doesn't look like the Angels are there.
You can never have too many good arms. I like the idea of trading him just to make room at first for Huber.

[siberian khatru]

Allard is the master of the three-way trade. He could trade Sweeney to the Angels and maybe some of their arms or non-OF bats could be packaged to another team to get us the OF(s) we need.

[Eleazar]

I don't think we should overlook defense, while we are in pursuit of potential pieces of the puzzle. Without Beltran in center and some of the better fielders we've had to let go lately, our defense is very suspect IMO.

[shakesthecat]

I don't think we should overlook defense, while we are in pursuit of potential pieces of the puzzle. Without Beltran in center and some of the better fielders we've had to let go lately, our defense is very suspect IMO.


After watching Diaz and Brown in the OF this weekend, "suspect" is putting it mildly.

[SCTrojan]

After watching Diaz and Brown in the OF this weekend, "suspect" is putting it mildly.

The Walker carom he played into an inside-the-park homer wasn't the only play Brown botched this weekend, just the worst.

There was a Sweeney thread a couple of weeks ago, and I'll stick with what I said then. If we could get some young outfielders who play good defense, run well, and hit with decent power, then we'll go a long way towards making the team better for the future.

I think it will hurt a lot in the short term not to have Sweeney's bat in the lineup. As many have said before, he's the only legitimate bat on the team.

[Oxford]

After watching Diaz and Brown in the OF this weekend, "suspect" is putting it mildly.

I'm not impressed with Diaz at the plate at all. Brown appears to have some potential with the bat. Aaron Guiels contract states he must be in the majors by June 1, or he becomes a free agent. I would look for Diaz to be sent down then. Marrero would be a potential prospect flip, as well as Long if they were hitting better. I'd really hate to lose Guiel, plays better defense than any of our corner outfielders

[Calcountry]

Pretty sure Anaheim, or LA, or Orange County, or whatever the hell they are called are one of the teams he's allowed to be traded to. Makes sense. If they want to give up a power hitting outfielder for him, I'd make the deal in a heartbeat.The Westwood of the OC, Compton & Brentwood, Santa Monica/Los Angeles which is the City of The Angels.

[huskerdooz]

It was rumored that Texas was interested as well. If so I'd like to see them try and pry Laynce Nix and Kevin Mench from Texas. These are 2 Major League ready corner OFers with power potential. Mench can play LF, Nix can play RF and even relieve DeJesus in CF. You get those 2 young OFers and you are set in your OF for some time.

If that doesn't work, try and get SD involved and pry Nady and Barfield out of them.

[beavis]

The Westwood of the OC, Compton & Brentwood, Santa Monica/Los Angeles which is the City of The Angels.
ROFL

The Compton Angels, I love it.

[Sure-Oz]

It was rumored that Texas was interested as well. If so I'd like to see them try and pry Laynce Nix and Kevin Mench from Texas. These are 2 Major League ready corner OFers with power potential. Mench can play LF, Nix can play RF and even relieve DeJesus in CF. You get those 2 young OFers and you are set in your OF for some time.

If that doesn't work, try and get SD involved and pry Nady and Barfield out of them.
I wonder if we'd somehow be able to get mench/nix and nady somehow, cause we are in desp. need of OF's maybe trading affeldt also is a possibility.