Series Preview: 6/9-6/11 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ Tampa Bay Rays

by R.J. Anderson on Jun 9, 2009 12:27 AM EDT

6/9: Jered Weaver vs. James Shields (7:08 FSF)

6/10: John Lackey vs. Jeff Niemann (7:08 SS)

6/11: Ervin Santana vs. David Price (7:08 SS)

I'm exhausted and tomorrow is a big day, so quick hits:

Weaver has been good.

Lackey has been good.

Santana has been meh and his fastball velocity is down. Way down.

SS Erick Aybar

LF Juan Rivera

CF Torii Hunter

RF Bobby Abreu

DH Vlad Guerrero

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This is crunch time

Losing the series in the Bronx hurt big time. We can’t keep falling behind or it may be time to start selling.

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 8:41 AM EDT reply actions

If so, who do you sell?

by Raymondo on Jun 9, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Crawford

Biggest chip and we’d get a massive return if we sold early. I’d probably deal Sonnanstine also (to get starter type return).

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions

CC is an interesting figure

Signed through ‘10 if we deak him now, we’re saying we might be rebuilding in 2010

If we find a taker for Burrell, i’d be all over it

by Raymondo on Jun 9, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions

I disagree. Dealing him now doesn't mean rebuilding in 2010

We would get some very good returns that could help us in 2010.

Just think about what the Rangers would give for CC. Salty, Feliz, Smoak? Maybe not all three but probably 2 of the 3 plus another piece. Hell toss Sonny in the mix.

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions

CC has a ton of value right now

He is literally dominating plus he isn’t just a rental. A trade like that is something I’d probably do even if we were still sort of in the race.

Plus remembe we have Jennings in the pipeline….gotta make room for him at some point.

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Might have to do something

over $37 million in 2010 for Burrell, Kaz, Pena and Crawford

by Raymondo on Jun 9, 2009 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Burrell and Pena's contracts are both up after next season.

Hardly an albatross.

by Suttree on Jun 9, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I suppose we could be paying that money to Jeter and Posada

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 9, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Smoak please.

by walkoffwalk on Jun 9, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Zobrist is a more effective outfielder than infielder

CC will bring in a much bigger ransom than PtB. Its probably time, though it would be a sad day. Business is business.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jun 9, 2009 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Personally I think he sucks. Firstly I think he is just about average with the glove.I have reasonable confidence that he can field the ball if he can get to it. He certainly isn’t a star with it though. However I think his range is poor. Christ he looks like Miggy Cabrera. Okay maybe not that bad. However what I think is his worst aspect of his defensive game is his decision making. You won’t see this pop up on something like uzr, but Aybar just looks lost in the field. Perhaps this is a function of not getting that much time in a set position? One play really stands out in this regard. That play during Shields last start where they had 1st and 3rd and Aybar fielded a ground ball and instead of going for the relatively easy DP he tried to tag the guy at 3rd (and failed…remember he is as big as Miggy). Also that throw to him in the Boston series at Fenway was killer. Aybar just seems to screw up the routine plays far too often. Don’t forget his E knocked the DR out of the WBC.

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions

It was a brutal weekend to be sure

He is much better than that, but not a defensive star.

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by FreeZorilla on Jun 9, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions

It has been far longer than just the weekend....

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Aybar actually rates well (not positive though)

You may just be having selective memory, and it doesn’t help that many of his mistakes have happened at the end of games. If the same mistakes happen at the beginning then maybe you would just forget about them.

by nolesblogger on Jun 9, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

It definitely looks like he is getting bigger which can't help his range

Plus I think a lot of his mistakes are mental and/or don’t show up in the stat sheet.

by matthan on Jun 9, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

If he doesn't record an out in a situation where the average of the fielders would have then it would show up

by nolesblogger on Jun 9, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Although the criticisms of Aybar's mishaps recently could have been made of Aki early this year (who booted atleast three groundballs that could have won ballgames.)

For his career, he rates as a slightly above average defender at three different positions. This year, he’s been slightly below average. Bouncing between 2B and 3B probably isn’t helping much – last year he did well playing third for that month or so Longo was out. if anybody’s killing us, it’s not Aybar. It’s 6 Ks combined between our 3-4 hitters.

As for CC, trading him is probably for the best. Get a catcher and maybe another arm, let Aybar hold down second, Brignac at short until Barty returns and bounce Gross to left field with Zobrist holding down DH, or vice-versa. AND FOR GOD’S SAKE, START JOYCE EVERY GAME.

by Suttree on Jun 9, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions