Kuzul

A+

No, seriously. A+. Catcher has been upgraded, shortstop has been upgraded, second base has been upgraded, depth has been added, and essentially all it cost was Matt Kemp and a left-handed pitching prospect named Tom Windle.

I will break down each move individually below, but the main takeaway for Dodger fans should be relief. The joy of having a competent front office is not a feeling Dodger fans have had much recent experience with. But Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi proved their worth in a crazy 12-hour period.

A quick recap:

IN: SS Jimmy Rollins, 2B Howie Kendrick, C Yasmani Grandal, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Joe Wieland, RHP Chris Hatcher, assorted minor leaguers

OUT: 2B Dee Gordon, RF Matt Kemp, RHP Dan Haren, SS Miguel Rojas, LHP Tom Windle, C Tim Federowicz

Got all that? Great, because it gets more confusing. The Phillies trade and the Padres trade are interconnected; according to CSNPhilly.com, the players going to Philadelphia for Rollins are reportedly minor leaguers Tom Windle and Zach Eflin. While that seems simple, Eflin is coming from San Diego in the Kemp trade—which has not actually been finalized yet because physicals are still pending. And each of Kemp (shoulder and hamstring), Wieland (elbow) and Grandal (knee) has significant injury concerns, so the physicals are not a formality.

The Marlin and Angel deals are finalized, so at least there’s no mystery. Additionally, the Brandon McCarthy deal appears to be done as well, according to ESPN Los Angeles’ Mark Saxon.

Notes: The following recaps will assume all mentioned trades will be successfully completed. All advanced statistics courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Marlins

This trade is the simplest. Per ESPN, the Dodgers traded Dee Gordon, Dan Haren and Miguel Rojas and received LHP Andrew Heaney, RHP Chris Hatcher, IF Enrique Hernandez and C Austin Barnes.

Hatcher has thrown 89.2 career innings in the major leagues, and he has seen mixed success. His 4.82 ERA is uninspiring, but his 3.56 FIP and 3.51 xFIP tell us that he is better than that number. He could very well turn into a competent part of the bullpen.

Barnes and Hernandez are minor leaguers. They are quality organizational depth, and acquiring such players is a skill that former general manager Ned Colletti appeared to lack.

Heaney was subsequently flipped to the Angels.

In terms of the players the Dodgers gave up, Gordon is the only potential loss. Rojas was a competent defense-first backup, but he is replaceable. In fact, Erisbel Arruebarrena is still on the roster, and he can be what Rojas was. Haren was not good last year: He posted a 4.02 ERA despite getting help from a .276 BABIP.

Gordon is the question mark. A more detailed analysis can be found here, but essentially Gordon has half a season of good performance and about 250 games of below-average performance. It’s entirely within the realm of possibility that his first half of 2014 was his real performance and he simply suffered through a slump in August and September. I, however, would bet on his overall career numbers being more indicative of the future than a three-month hot streak.

Angels

The Dodgers traded Andrew Heaney to the Angels for Howie Kendrick, per Mark Saxon of ESPN. It is unclear whether or not this was a three-team trade or if the Dodgers had the option to keep Heaney, but regardless, they acquired a significant upgrade at second base.

Howie Kendrick is a legitimately good hitter. Since getting a full-time job in 2009, he has had just one below-average offensive year (a 98 wRC+ in 2010). Additionally, 2010 was also his only negative defensive year. That type of production from a middle-infield spot is extremely valuable.

Phillies

This tweet from Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly (h/t Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal) started the 12-hour saga, and it signaled the arrival of the Dodgers’ 2015 shortstop. Rollins is not the MVP candidate he was several years ago, but he is still a valuable shortstop. His 103 wRC+ from 2011, 101 from 2012, and and 102 from 2014 demonstrate that he can still hit, and he actually continues to post positive defensive numbers as well.

By far the most amazing part of this trade is that the Dodgers essentially gave up nothing. Zach Eflin was not a member of the Dodger organization before yesterday, and Tom Windle is a lefty from High-A who may end up in the bullpen.

Padres

Matt Kemp being traded, as reported by ESPN, is the most controversial deal the Dodgers made yesterday. He is a fan favorite and also the most talented of the potential trade options (Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford), but that talent meant that he was most likely to bring back a significant return. Of course, he is also not a guarantee to continue to perform.

The optimism surrounding him is related to his second half. After the All-Star break last season, Kemp posted a 170 wRC+, which would have been the best mark in the league if he had continued it for the whole year. The problem, however, is that there’s no guarantee that Kemp would be that good in the future. In fact, he’d probably be closer to his career mark of 128.

Additionally, though, none of this analysis factors in age, defense or contract. Kemp is already 30 years old and thus past his peak, so his performance is likely to decline as he gets older. His defense is bad: He has been a positive defender just once in his career (2009), and the last two years are two of his worst years. Plus, as he moves to right field, he will lose any value he gained simply from being in center field.

Finally, his contract status cannot be ignored. He was owed over $100 million over the next five years, so even with the $32 million the Dodgers are sending to San Diego, the Dodgers make immense savings (about $70 million).

The players the Dodgers are receiving are not scrubs, either. Wieland does not have much of a major league track record, but he has a career 3.27 minor league ERA.

Grandal, though, is the centerpiece. The switch-hitting catcher will likely split time with AJ Ellis, but he is probably a better player. He has put up a wRC+ over 100 (league average) each season, and his career mark is 119. This compares favorably to AJ Ellis’ mark of 98. His defense is also an improvement, though. It surely has not escaped this front office’s attention that Ellis ranked 99th out of 100 eligible catchers in pitch framing last year, while Grandal ranked 13th.

Brandon McCarthy

A free agent, McCarthy signed a four-year, $48 million contract, per Mark Saxon of ESPN. He has actually been quite good over the course of his career—as long as he can stay healthy, that is. He has not posted a FIP over 4.00 since 2009, and he has posted the best strikeout-to-walk ratios of his career over those same last four years. The problem, though, is that 2014 was the only year of his career that he made more than 25 starts.

McCarthy represents a significant upgrade over Dan Haren, whom he is likely replacing. He is also a health risk, but when he’s on the mound, he’s a competent back-of-the-rotation starter.

Thus, overall, the Dodgers’ winter meetings cannot be deemed anything but a massive success. They upgraded at three different positions and added some minor league depth while shedding roughly $70 million of payroll obligations for the next five years.

Statistics courtesy of Fangraphs.

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The trade market is rich with talented arms and bats who could find themselves packing their bags and changing cities over the course of the next few months.

The MLB rumor mill has exploded since the 2014 World Series concluded at the end of October, and teams have already begun the long process of calling opposing general managers in hopes of retooling their rosters. Of course, not every player will be made available.

Baseball analysts churn out rumors with such regularity this time of year that it can be hard to decipher which ones have some truth. Below we examine three rumors to help you better gauge their respective situations.

Cole Hamels

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels has it all—except maybe the desired uniform on his back:

You can’t have Hollywood looks, marry a gorgeous actress, have two beautiful kids, sign a six-year, $144 million contract extension, and suddenly get sympathy cards because you’re employed by the Phillies.

Hamels knows he can’t say a word.

Yet, if his world could possibly be a little more perfect, he’d love to be traded this winter.

Hamels’ desire to play for a winner will ultimately dictate his next home. He has a no-trade clause which allows him to veto trades to 20 teams, so expect him to exercise that power if the Phillies agree to a deal with a less-than-stellar club.

Moving Hamels will be hard for the Phillies because of what he has done for the team, but NBC Sports’ Craig Calcaterra perfectly summed up the sentimental hardships that surround teams looking to rebuild: “If you’re going to rebuild, move your most valuable guys and get the most you can. Maybe that’s just one prospect and some role players, but clearing the salary and committing to the future requires you to part with things you love.”

Hamels is certainly loved in Philly.

The most talked-about pitcher on the trade market, Hamels represents an alternative option for teams who don’t want to negotiate with free agents Jon Lester, Max Scherzer and James Shields. Hamels has four years and $96 million remaining on his contract, but the Phillies would likely pick up a small portion of that contract in order to receive stronger prospects in return.

This newest wrinkle in Hamels’ availability is interesting. We already knew that the Phillies were looking to deal their top assets, but to hear that Hamels would also welcome a trade means that the likelihood of a move has increased.

With this knowledge of Hamels’ desire to play somewhere else, expect several more teams in search of a lefty ace to give Ruben Amaro a call.

It appears as if the chances of a move by the end of the offseason are increasing by the day.

Ubaldo Jimenez

Ubaldo Jimenez was one of the biggest busts of the previous offseason. The big right-hander earned a four-year, $50 million contract from the Baltimore Orioles with the expectation that he’d help anchor the pitching staff.

He did nothing but struggle. He was so bad that he was entirely left off the American League Championship Series roster. He was on the Division Series roster but didn’t throw a single pitch.

Zach Britton, the team’s closer, told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports how manager Buck Showalter manages his bullpen in the playoffs. It explains why Jimenez wasn’t utilized. “He’s going to throw the best guy for the situation. If that’s you, you’re going into the game,” Britton said.

Overall, he posted a 4.81 ERA on the year. His FIP of 4.67 suggested that mark was pretty accurate. He also walked 77 in 125.1 innings, which is unacceptable. It’s no wonder Showalter was afraid to put him in a game.

Naturally, the Orioles could look to move him. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the Miami Marlins have shown interest:

The Marlins are believed to be interested in a couple of pitchers who could be on the trading block — the Orioles’ Ubaldo Jimenez and Reds’ Johnny Cueto…

Jimenez would represent an expensive option for the Marlins, who are looking for a veteran pitcher to add to their rotation. The 30-year-old right-hander is still owed $39 million over the next three years.

It’s unclear as to what the Orioles could ask for Jimenez. His value is certainly at its lowest, so the team could simply ask the Marlins to take on the contract and throw a mid-level prospect their way.

Of course, Jimenez is the ultimate question mark. His career has been mired by inconsistency, so the Orioles could attempt to sell him as a bounce-back candidate.

Jimenez seems like a risky option for a Marlins team without much of a payroll but could really boost that rotation if he can pitch like he did in 2013 for the Cleveland Indians.

Howie Kendrick

The free-agent market for second basemen is thin. Emilio Bonifacio and Asdrubal Cabrera represent the top options, and it’s safe to say that teams might not feel comfortable devoting the money that the market will inevitably dictate to them.

Even if they aren’t top-tier second baseman, they’ll command decent money as the top players available at the position.

Naturally, teams will look to trade for a second baseman instead. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that two teams have already checked in on Howie Kendrick, who is possibly the best at the position available via trade: “The Yankees and Blue Jays are among teams that have called about Kendrick,” he wrote.

Kendrick is coming off one of his best seasons in the bigs. If the Los Angeles Angels choose to move him (they don’t have to, of course), it’s not going to be without a large return. 

Still, Kendrick represents one of the more affordable options on the market. He’s due to make just $9.5 million in 2015, a bargain compared to other players with similar production.

It will certainly take some young players who are ready to contribute at the next level to make this work. Kendrick is the type of talent who is hard to replace, so the Angels will need immediate help at the big league level.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

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A Los Angeles Angel today, not a Los Angeles Angel tomorrow. That’s the reality several of the key players on the Angels roster face as the organization moves into a busy offseason.

With several large contracts already tugging at the tax threshold ($189 million) and arbitration cases looming, general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Mike Scioscia will not have the benefit of playing heartstrings, choosing which players to trade like kids swapping baseball cards on the playground.

Whatever gets the team the best crop of pitching depth, while shedding salary, will be the more likely scenario—which usually includes the best available players.

But don’t expect a fire sale—a la Miami via Florida Marlins—leaving a platoon-like feel during the next 162 games.

Things are not that dire in Anaheim, not even close.

With MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reporting the current list of possible names on the trade block has grown to include Hank Conger, Chris Iannetta and Peter Bourjos to go along with Mark Trumbo, Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, I can realistically see only four of the six not coming back in 2014—with one less-speculated member of the team making a cameo.

Sure, there are the no-brainers—Tommy Hanson will be non-tendered this offseason. Joe Blanton, unless there is some camaraderie with Arte Moreno we don’t know about, will be released. Third baseman Chris Nelson seems like a long shot to throw $1 million to, even though the team doesn’t have a lot of depth at the position, and J.C. Gutierrez doesn’t have the numbers to match his arbitration value ($1.1 million).

Their collective exits from Anaheim are almost inevitable, and I imagine none of them will cause any what-if scenarios or loss of sleep for the decision-makers.

The same can’t be said, however, for another group of players that I think have played their final game in Anaheim. Yep, it’s me predicting things, again—I know.

But don’t let that deter the violin playing in your head as you look at these five swan songs of Anaheim.

Goodbye…

Mark Trumbo

The Angels have reportedly told several teams they would be willing to trade Trumbo this offseason according to ESPN’s Buster Olney on Twitter, and seeing how the crop of power-hitting first base-types isn’t really strong, the notification should be well received by other teams.

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

There are drawbacks.

Trumbo has been one of the more productive Angels hitters the past three seasons, totaling 95 home runs with 282 RBI—which impacts a substantial portion of the Angels offensive attack. However, that impact is only evident if you go off his home run and RBI numbers alone. His poor on-base percentage and second-half declines have had a downward trend.

At 28, there is still time for Trumbo to develop his pitch recognition and selection, cutting down his strikeout numbers and increasing his walks. The possibility for improvement also holds true for his defense, and he can always provide a solid option at DH.

Luckily, the power is what makes Trumbo a target, not his glove.

Not meeting the arbitration number for Trumbo ($4.7 million) is a savvy play by the organization, and getting arms in return for him is also a smart move by the team. 

No question, it won’t be the easiest departure. However, with C.J. Cron performing so well in the minors last season—along with his impressive Arizona Fall League run—and a healthy Albert Pujols, the Angels have first base covered.

Howie Kendrick

Kendrick is a tough case, holding rank as a one of the few veterans in the Angels’ clubhouse, but like Trumbo, he is a an enticing chip for the Angels to use when negotiating for pitching depth.

The need for second base help is out there, making the move by the Angels more likely. There was reported interest from the Blue Jays at the trade deadline from Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, but those rumors remain as simple speculation. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe thinks the Kansas City Royals are another possibility.

Kendrick is owed $18.85 million over the next two seasons, and dumping that salary would greatly help towards the tax threshold.

(At this point I would imagine that you have said Grant Green at least once. Maybe twice.)

There is good reason to have concerns about Kendrick’s replacement, especially if the third base position becomes a major question. But Green showed a solid progression after coming over from the Oakland Athletics (via the Alberto Callaspo trade). Third base will have to play out in spring training. It’s a risk, putting a lot of pressure on players like Andrew Romine and Luis Jimenez.

That risk, however, doesn’t seem to concern the Angels all that much. Otherwise, they wouldn’t mention Kendrick or Aybar this winter.

Peter Bourjos

The Angels can stand to lose portions of the outfield group. It’s loaded. And if cutting ties with a fan-favorite like Bourjos will help solidify a deal, then so be it.

He showed improvement at the plate in 2013, hitting .333 in his first 40 games, before suffering a wrist injury that limited his play to only 15 more after that.

Bourjos‘ defense is still his strongest asset, providing the kind of solid center-field coverage teams love and have trouble finding, and with Olney tweeting that the Angels are willing to move him or Trumbo, there should be some interest in Bourjos.

Though a deal for the speedy center fielder would probably need to include other pieces for teams to bite, it’s still a smart move by the organization.

Any scenario that gives Trout complete control of center field in Anaheim is a good thing. Maybe it will help with a future extension?

Jerome Williams

Williams hasn’t been linked to any trade deals, and I doubt he will. But his inclusion in the list is important.

He will be the one arbitration-eligible player I can see the Angels having second-thoughts about non-tendering.

I considered a few scenarios in which the Angels keep the right-handed, sinker-baller as a spot starter and reliever, but $3.9 million (his arbitration value) is a lot of money to give a pitcher as inconsistent as Williams. I can’t see that scenario working.

Non-tendering him seems to be the plausible route. The move will free up money that can be used elsewhere—maybe towards the Jason Vargas negotiations—and give the Angels more wiggle room with their bullpen.

However, that doesn‘t mean he wasn’t a key element—bad or good—the past few seasons. 

Hank Conger

The Toronto Sun’s Bob Elliott reports both Conger and Chris Iannetta have gained the interest of the Toronto Blue Jays, as possibilities to fill their catching needs in 2014.

Iannetta, the older, more experienced and pricier of the two, would presumably be the expected offer from the Angels. But I don’t think this is going to be a one-for-one-type of deal that only sends Iannetta north.

Because the Jays are seemingly intrigued by several areas the Angels can offer players (catcher and second base), I still believe this will be a deal that involves Kendrick and a catcher.

Because Iannetta and Kendrick together would be pricier, the younger, switch-hitting option is Conger. The 92 games he played in 2013, hitting a decent .249 while improving behind the plate, should add intrigue to the entire deal, which should still get a nice return to the Angels. And that’s the goal.

As Jerry Dipoto told MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, they know it’s not going to be easy:

Obviously, we’re on the lookout for it. But there aren’t many ways to access that type of talent. You draft it, develop it, wait. That’s the most tried and true and sure method to acquire that type of pitcher or potential impact. Obviously, the other way is via trade, because those aren’t guys that pop up on waiver wires, they’re not guys who pop up on six-year free-agency lists, etc.

Hopefully, it works.

Otherwise, it’s the Los Angeles Angels GM today, not the Los Angeles Angels GM tomorrow.

Note: All stats provided were courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted. Salary info was courtesy of MLBtraderumors.com.

Follow Rick Suter on Twitter@rick-suter

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If the owner of your favorite baseball team has a “win at all cost” attitude, that’s usually a good thing, right? Yes! Being aggressive and spending money has paid off for many eventual World Series champions. But it’s also resulted in some very dire situations, notably in the case of Arte Moreno and the Los Angeles Angels. 

Saddled with two of the worst contracts in baseball—Albert Pujols, whose numbers have declined in three consecutive seasons, is still owed $212 million through his age-41 season in 2021; Josh Hamilton, also in the midst of his worst big league season, is due $106 million through his age-36 season—the Angels are headed for an extremely important offseason that is likely to be challenging in terms of a limited payroll and limited trade pieces in the minors. 

General manager Jerry Dipoto, assuming he still has a job after a very disappointing season, will have to be creative if he wants to improve this ballclub.

It’s hard to do any worse than he did last offseason, when he took on the risk of signing Hamilton, signed Joe Blanton to a two-year, $16.5 million deal—Blanton was recently banished to the bullpen after pitching poorly out of the rotation—and acquired Tommy Hanson from the Braves for reliever Jordan Walden—Hanson was recently optioned to the minors while Walden has been a key component on a very good Braves team. 

In addition, Dipoto‘s two big bullpen acquisitions haven’t worked out due to injuries—Ryan Madson never made it back from Tommy John surgery before being released; Sean Burnett has pitched just 9.2 innings and is out for the season with an elbow injury. And to cap it off, Ervin Santana, who was traded to Kansas City for a 27-year-old minor league relief pitcher, has been Cy Young-caliber in 2013. 

Pointing out the few minor roster moves that have worked out won’t make things look much better. In order to make the Angels a playoff contender once again in 2014, they’ll need to utilize the few resources they have and get as much value out of them as possible. 

Despite the overall struggles of the pitching staff, three-fifths of the starting five—Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Garrett Richards—are pretty solid. Fixing the back of the rotation on a limited budget isn’t impossible.  

Making up for Pujols’ decline and the production he’s given them versus what they’re paying him is the bigger challenge. Here’s my suggestion on how they can make up the difference on a shoestring budget and with no farm system talent to deal.

Trade Howie Kendrick to Free Up Salary and Clear Spot For Grant Green

Could it be that Dipoto fleeced the division rival A’s by trading a light-hitting third baseman for a guy with the potential to be a very good one? Grant Green (pictured), who was drafted as a shortstop and has played all over the diamond before settling into second base this season, has been on fire (14-for-51, 2 2B, 5 BB) since being acquired for Alberto Callaspo at the trade deadline. 

Callaspo is doing a fine job in a part-time role with Oakland (.785 OPS in 17 games), but he was miscast as an everyday third baseman in Anaheim, and the Angels needed to shed his $4.875 million salary for 2014.

Not only will they save close to $19 million over the next two seasons by trading away Kendrick, but they could also add a starting pitcher or a couple of prospects in the deal—it’s tough to find a match for a team in need of a second baseman and that is willing to give up a quality third baseman in return. 

Trading Kendrick to the Dodgers, who were reportedly in talks with the Angels last month regarding the second baseman, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, could be revisited. While top pitching prospect Zach Lee was part of the trade package being discussed, there’s a chance that the insistence of his inclusion might be the reason why the deal didn’t happen. 

If the Angels took back Stephen Fife (2.47 ERA in nine MLB starts) instead to fill the fifth spot in their rotation and asked for the team’s top outfield prospect, Joc Pederson, who likely won’t make it to the majors on a Dodgers team deep in outfield talent, we could have a deal.  

Trade Peter Bourjos for Chase Headley

With Pederson on board, the Angels would be free to shop Peter Bourjos with Mike Trout moving over to center field. While he’s been injured for much of the season, the 26-year-old Bourjos has been productive when on the field. 

In 45 games, Bourjos has a .780 OPS with three homers and four stolen bases. If he can stay healthy, a team could get a terrific defensive center fielder with an ability to hit 10-15 homers and steal 25-30 bases. With third base the target, the Angels need to find out if the Padres are interested in three seasons of Bourjos—he won’t be a free agent until after the 2016 season—in exchange for one season of Chase Headley (pictured).

While the Padres already have an injury-prone Cameron Maybin signed long-term to play center field in San Diego, adding another speedy outfielder like Bourjos could still be a possibility.

Here’s why. The Padres have likely figured out that oft-injured Carlos Quentin isn’t capable of holding up for an entire season in the National League. Moving him to an American League team that will be able to place him in the designated hitter role for a majority of the time makes a lot of sense. They’ll need an outfielder to replace him, and that’s where Bourjos fits in. 

With an alignment of Maybin, Bourjos and Will Venable, the Padres’ outfield defense could be one of the best in baseball. Losing Headley and Quentin will leave a huge hole in the offense, but neither player factors into the future plans of the team. How they replace the loss of offense in 2014 is another story. 

As for the Angels, they might have to include a mid-level prospect to get the deal done, but the 29-year-old Headley‘s value has plummeted with his subpar season. It might not take much to get him. His projected $9-10 million salary for 2014 is likely affordable with Kendrick and Callaspo off the books.

Sign Eric Chavez in Case Pujols Misses Time

A native San Diegan, Eric Chavez (pictured) could get closer to home by signing with the Angels this winter after two consecutive productive seasons (.855 OPS, 25 HR in 2012-13) as a part-time player for the Yankees and Diamondbacks.

Because the 35-year-old still can’t shake the injury-prone tag—he’s been on the disabled list multiple times over the past few seasons—coming back to the American League is likely so he can log at-bats from the designated hitter spot. It’s also the reason his salary demands will stay low enough for the Angels to afford him and the reason he won’t be offered a full-time starting gig elsewhere. 

Resulting Lineup Projection

1. Mike Trout, CF
2. Chase Headley, 3B
3. Albert Pujols, DH
4. Josh Hamilton, RF
5. Mark Trumbo, 1B
6. Joc Pederson, LF
7. Grant Green, 2B
8. Erick Aybar, SS
9. Chris Iannetta, C

Bench
Hank Conger, C
Eric Chavez, 3B/1B
Andrew Romine, IF
J.B. Shuck, OF

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It feels like Howie Kendrick has been considered a potential sleeper for the past 10 years.  While it hasn’t quite been that long, as we enter 2011, his age 27 season, the time has finally come for Kendrick to either put up or shut up.

Known as a high-level average guy in the minor leagues, he has perpetually disappointed since making his debut.  Unfortunately for owners, 2010 was no exception:

658 at Bats
.279 Batting Average (172 Hits)
10 Home Runs
75 RBI
67 Runs
14 Stolen Bases
.313 On Base Percentage
.407 Slugging Percentage
.313 Batting Average on Balls in Play

His average was supposed to carry him into stardom, having hit .369 in 290 AB at Triple-A in 2006.  However, you have to realize that the number was based on an incredibly unrealistic .409 BABIP.

In other words, he never stood a chance of matching that type of mark in the Major Leagues.  It was simply impossible.  When you take that aspect of his game out of play, there really is little to get excited about.

While we may want to think Kendrick will add strength, his 6.9 percent HR/FB rate in 2010 is basically a mirror image of his career mark through parts of five seasons (7.0 percent).  Yes, he showed more in 2009, when he posted a 12.2 percent mark, but that is looking more and more like the outlier.

As it is, he barely hits the ball in the air enough to think that even if he posts a better HR/FB, that it’s going to make a major impact.  Last season he posted a 28.1 percent fly ball rate, right along with his 28.5 percent career mark.

With 52 HR in 1,618 minor league career at bats and 32 HR in 1,935 major league career at bats, the truth is in the numbers.  He just is not a big-time power threat.  If he added strength, he could maybe top out at 20, but 15 seems like a much more realistic maximum.

He also is not a big-time threat to steal bases.  His career high is 25, coming all the way back in 2005 when he split time between High-A and Double-A.  In the major leagues, his best mark was last season’s 14 (in 18 attempts).

Unless there’s a dramatic change, you’re looking at a guy who is right around a 15 SB second baseman.

So, you have a player who could go 15/15, which certainly has value. Of course, given his history, it’s just as likely that he falls short there.

He spent a lot of time hitting second, which you would think would bring a lot of opportunities to score runs.  Of course, you need to get on base often for that to happen.  With a meager 4.3 percent walk rate (and a career 3.8 percent mark), his skill set just doesn’t justify him hitting second.

Chances are the Angels address that in the offseason, meaning his potential value is likely going to fall.  He’s not an RBI machine and if there is less opportunity to score runs, its just not a good mix.

The bottom line with Kendrick is that he’s more of a last resort option as a 2B and much better suited to be a middle infielder.  He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well at this point.  A modest average, a little power, a little speed and some run production.  Sounds like a player to target, huh?

What are your thoughts of Kendrick?  Could this be the year he breaks out?  Or, do you side with me and consider him over-hyped in the past?

Make sure to check out our review of other players who struggled in 2010 and their prospects for a rebound:

• Beckett, Josh
• Greinke, Zack
• Hill, Aaron
• Lind, Adam

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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The Baltimore Orioles don’t have much to play for during the remainder of the 2010 regular season, except for the role of spoiler. They may have just crushed the playoff dreams for the Los Angeles Angels.

Brad Bergesen threw eight stellar innings and Luke Scott provided the lead run with a run scoring single in the sixth, giving the Orioles their fourth straight win over the Angels, 3-1.

Bergesen got off to what looked like a rocky start in the first, allowing back-to-back singles to Howie Kendrick and Alberto Callaspo, putting men on first and third. Bergesen then committed a rare balk, allowing Kendrick to score. Seemingly unrattled, Bergesen promptly struck out Hideki Matsui to end the threat, and the Angels never got another real chance.

Bergesen (6-9) was spectacular, allowing just four hits and one run, striking out four and walking none in eight innings. He gave way to Koji Uehera, who picked up his third save in as many chances.

The Angels were swept by the O’s in early August at Camden Yards, and their dominance over the Angels continued in Anaheim.

Rookie right-hander Trevor Bell (1-4) pitched seven innings, his longest stint of the season, giving up two runs and six hits while striking out three. Bell, making just his ninth start of the season, certainly pitched well enough to win, but Bergesen was just a bit better on this night.

The Angels’ loss, combined with the Texas Rangers’ victory over the Oakland Athletics earlier tonight, puts them 10 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the American League West. With just 33 games left to the regular season, the Halos’ hopes of playoff glory are slimmer than Tiger Woods’ wallet after his divorce.

You can follow Doug on Twitter, @desertdesperado.

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Intense. Driven. Competitor. Tough. Gritty. Clutch. Leader. Intelligent. World Champion.

These are all words that immediately come to mind when Angels fans think of Darin Erstad, but seem far removed from the vocabulary one would use to describe the current Angels club.

This young Angels team seems long on talent and short on competitive will.

Are the 2010 Angels less talented than the 2002 roster that won it all, or did Erstad and company simply want it more?

Angels fans have been hearing about the “upside” of their young talent for years. As many of these prospects have now made it to the majors and are rapidly approaching the age of 28, many have stopped thinking about upside and are now simply asking the question, “What is up?”

When is Howie Kendrick, 27, going to turn from a very average second baseman into the batting champion he was touted as being?

Will Kevin Jepsen, 26, ever mature into a dominant reliever, or is he the West Coast washout equivalent of Joba Chamberlain?

When is Erick Aybar, 26, going to develop into the leadoff hitter that everyone thought he would be?

Will Jeff Mathis, 27, ever be able to play well for longer than two weeks at a time?

When will this team start doing the little things championship teams need to do to win?

I don’t think there is anyone in the Angels lineup this season that would allow themselves to be hit by pitches 27 times like the 5-foot, 7-inch David Eckstein did in 2002. In fact, their entire team has been hit a grand total of 35 times.

The 2010-version of the Halos clearly lack focus and the hunger to win. So why not bring back the most focused, competitive and intense Angel of all time to help motivate them?

Erstad brought the football mentality he acquired while playing as a kicker for the University of Nebraska to the diamond every day. Even when he wasn’t hitting well, his very presence was invaluable to the Angels.

Erstad wasn’t interested in chatting it up with his opponent when they were standing on first base. He was too busy thinking up ways to destroy them.

How many times do the current Angels coaches have to watch Bobby Abreu stand on second base giggling with the shortstop—only to get picked off?

There is a fine line between being loose and just not caring, and the Angels have crossed it. Their coaching staff should be calling them out on it—veterans or not.

Today, Erstad is filling in as an assistant baseball coach for his alma mater, but it’s hard to believe he would turn down a chance to return to the majors—especially with the team where he had his finest years.

Although he never officially retired as a player from baseball, Erstad decided this winter he would rather spend time with his family than be relegated to a bench player role in the National League. He told the Orange Country Register he would have a tough time justifying being away from his family for eight days in a row for the sake of three at-bats per week.

Angels fans would not expect any less of a statement from a man of Erstad’s character. However, a man as competitive as Erstad can only stay static for so long before he needs another competitive challenge.

Challenging would be a great word to describe the job Erstad would have in front of him if he were offered a chance to help his old team as a coach.

Tweakers who have blown up their apartments cooking meth under their sink think the Angels have bad chemistry.

The Angels can have all the closed-door meetings they want for the rest of the summer, but clearly whatever is being said is falling on deaf ears. Manager Mike Scioscia’s riff might be wearing thin and new motivational voices may need to be heard.

In particular, Erstad would be an excellent candidate to replace Dino Ebel as the third base coach. Maybe Erstad, a former Gold Glove first baseman and great base runner in his own right, might be able to clue the young guys in on why it’s not a good idea to try to steal third with two outs or bunt with two strikes—looking at you, Erick Aybar.

One thing is certain. Erstad would be welcomed home with open arms by appreciative fans who remember how he sacrificed his body diving for balls and legging out singles on seemingly every play.

That mentality is contagious, and hopefully these Angels can catch it before they are permanently immune.

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Alexei Ramirez launched a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Angels’ Scott Kazmir, letting the Angels know that the 11-run shutout game against the Royals the night before was over.  A phenomenal warning track diving catch by White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin moments earlier brought a standing ovation to Chicago that would pull the White Sox for the early portion of Monday evening’s game.

New call-ups Cory Aldridge and Paul McAnulty both found themselves in Mike Scioscia’s starting lineup Monday.  Jeff Mathis, Mike Napoli, and Juan Rivera were out of the lineup, as Hideki Matsui took left field for the second consecutive night.

Floyd’s second strikeout assisted a one, two, three top of the second inning, as Chicago looked to add on early.  Scott Kazmir came into the game with 55 strikeouts in 81 innings. Kazmir allowed a five-pitch walk and put leadoff hitter Andruw Jones on base for A.J. Pierzynski, who flew out to Matsui in left. Viciedo popped a foul ball out, followed by Lillibridge, who hit an RBI double after Jones stole second base to make it 2-0 Chicago.

Howie Kendrick, snubbed for the 2010 All-Star Game by the Baltimore Orioles representative, Ty Wigginton, drove his second hit into the outfield in the top of the fourth, leading off the inning for the Angels. Abreu hit into the second double play of the game to that point. Four hits and no runs through five frames made the two-run Chicago lead more significant as the game pressed on.

The defense helped reduce further damage with the Angels’ second double play in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Kazmir settled down from his shaky start. Erick Aybar’s leadoff double was a promising start to the sixth inning, and Kendrick grounded out to advance Aybar to third base.  Aybar then scored on a sacrifice by Bobby Abreu to make the game 2-1 Chicago.

Kazmir looked a little rattled again, walking Juan Pierre with four straight throws in the bottom of the sixth.  Pitching coach Mike Butcher came out to settle Kazmir down, but White Sox captain Paul Konerko was able to drive in the third run on a slider that scored Pierre on the 90th pitch from Kazmir. Quentin smacked a two-run home run on a full count to make it a 5-1 lead.

With the Angels unable to answer in the top of the seventh, Dayan Viciedo added another solo home run, the first of his career, down the line to make the game 6-1 White Sox.  Lillibridge was walked on four pitches and stole second base for his first steal.  A walk to Pierre ensued and Rich Thompson was called in to relieve Kazmir. 

The game that was already busted open got worse with a base hit, scoring Lillibridge.  This made seven runs, a season high for Scott Kazmir.

Kendrick added his third hit to bring the deficit to five runs and score Bobby Wilson, who walked to first base against Bobby Jenks.  Jenks was pulled after walking Torii hunter and his 24th pitch of his first outing in a few weeks.

Erick Threets, of Hayward, California, replaced Jenks in his 13th career big league appearance.  Threets walked Matsui and the bases were loaded for pinch-hitter Mike Napoli, as Threets was pulled for Sergio Santos.  Napoli was a career .222 with the bases loaded and failed to drive in any, striking out on a Santos slider to end the inning.

Quentin added his second home run in the ninth to continue his stellar performance as the White Sox went up 8-2.  Viciedo picked up another RBI on a base hit, scoring Jones from second base and giving the White Sox a 9-2 advantage.

The Angels were unable to score in the top of the ninth to end the ballgame.

Game two of this series between the White Sox and Angels will take place on Tuesday evening, pre-game starting at 4:00 p.m. on AM 830 KLAA, first pitch at 5:05 PT. Jered Weaver will take the mound against Jake Peavy.

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They may have beaten Toronto to win their latest three-game series, but many of the same problems that have plagued the L.A. Angels through their first two months of the season were still evident Wednesday.

Horrible defense. Horrible bullpen. Horrible intensity.

* Juan Rivera forgets how many outs there are, and almost gets picked off in a key part of the game.

* The underachieving Howie Kendrick almost hits into a double play, when all he had to do was hit the ball in the air to win the game. The man that has been touted as the “future batting champion” for the past five years is now hitting .257.

* Bobby Abreu commits his fifth error of the year by slowing up on a fly ball to shallow right and dropping it—putting the tying run on second base in the ninth.

Let me just repeat that: Five errors in two months of playing right field. That gives him a .938 fielding percentage through 45 games—the worst among outfielders in the majors.

* Brian Fuentes ultimately blows another save—only to thieve another win away from Joel Piñeiro. 

Abreu atoned for his defensive sins with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth, which really cloaked another sloppy game for the Halos.

Here is the good news.

The Angels get to play virtually nothing but horrible teams for the next month.

The bad news is, their opponents are probably thinking they are lucky to get to play the Angels, who have now managed to pull within three games of .500.

The Angels had an unusually tough schedule to start the season. They have already played Boston, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, St. Louis, Texas and the New York Yankees a total of 29 times in their first 49 games.

In those 29 games against contending teams, the Angels had a record of 8-21. Against all other opponents, they are an amazing 15-5.

Considering that lopsided statistic, June might be just what the doctor ordered for the Angels—a steady prescription of anemic teams to find their stroke against. In fact, their next 14 games are all against Seattle, Kansas City, and Oakland.

The only teams they will play in the next 29 games with winning records are the Dodgers, and Colorado. The Angels always play their cross-town rivals tough, and Colorado is playing at two games over .500.

The June finale will be against first place Texas before the Angels begin July with another light stretch against Kansas City, Chicago, and Oakland.

Given that schedule, don’t be shocked if you see the Angels emerge from June with a record that is at least 10 games over .500.

That being said, the Angels are going to have to beat a good team sometime. They miraculously won a three-game series against the Yankees, but wins against teams with winning records have been few, and far between this season.

Hopefully June can help them get their groove back, since they have proven they are at least still good enough to dominate second-rate ballclubs. They are going to need to find their swagger soon if they have any interest in seeing their seventh playoff appearance in nine years materialize.

Too bad they won’t get to play Kansas City if and when they get there.

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