Angels 2013 Trade Deadline Report

Brand new Angel (well, Bee for the time being) Grant Green.

Welcome back to Angels Nation everyone.  As I may have said before (likely two-three years ago), there are two types of teams that are fun to follow and write about.  The very good (2009 Angels) and the very bad (2013 Angels).  An average team with mild expectations is just about the most dull thing on the planet.  Well, good news!  The Angels are atrocious and with the recent assigning of one Albert Pujols to the disabled list, management seems to have officially thrown in the towel.  Not long after putting Pujols on the DL and getting swept by the first place Oakland A's, they announced that Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar and others would be available at today's Trade Deadline.  Now that the Deadline as come and passed, lets take a look at the moves the Angels did make.
(Note: occasionally, a deadline deal gets made that the real media doesn't hear about until much later, and seeing as I'm fake media, I hear about it even later, so if this isn't 100% up to date, blame Jerry Dipoto, Ken Rosenthal and Buster Olney, in that order)

LHP Scott Downs to Atlanta Braves for RHP Cory Rasmus
So, this was probably the easiest move to make.  Scott Downs has been up-and-Downs (ha!) all season in terms of production and effectiveness, plus he only has 2 months left on his original 3 year/$15 Million deal that he signed back in December 2010.  It's not a ton of money that the Angels are saving, but it helps a contender strengthen their bullpen for pretty cheap, and in return, we get a bullpen guy for the near future (Rasmus has seen some major league action already with Atlanta), who isn't eligible for Arbitration until 2016.  Great move on both sides, especially if Downs helps Atlanta in the postseason.
Winner: Everyone

Infielder Alberto Callaspo to Oakland Athletics for Infielder Grant Green
This move is a stroke of pure genius on someones part, but I can't decide if its Jerry Dipoto or A's General Manager Billy Beane.  Alberto Callaspo's numbers have been dipping every year since he arrived from Kansas City back in 2010 for Sean O'Sullivan (I miss that guy).  I can't quite understand why Billy Beane, a big sabermetrics guy, is all over Callaspo.  His On-Base Percentage has dipped from a career high .366 in 2011 to .324 in 2013.  For comparison, the A's current second-baseman (where Callaspo will play in Oakland) Erik Sogard has a .337 OBP in 2013... it's not a huge difference, but its enough of one to question the move.  Sogard is also a more steady defender, especially when you take into account that Callaspo hasn't played second base since 2010.  BUT, very few moves that Billy Beane ever makes come back to bite him in the ass.  He didn't give up a whole lot in Grant Green, a former Canyon High (Anaheim) and USC star, but I can't imagine the Angels could have gotten anything close to Green from anyone else, considering the down year that Alberto is having.  I'm excited for Grant Green to get called up from Salt Lake, mostly because he will have one of the best "baseball names" on the team.  Alliteration is the best.
Winner: Probably the Angels, but Billy Beane is a witch-doctor, so who knows.

So there you have it.  Our first trade deadline as sellers since, gosh, 2003?  We didn't do a whole lot, but we did clear out some of the cobwebs, and between losing Pujols to surgery and some of our not-so-wiley Vets in trades, we have cleared up some room to bring in our youth and see exactly what we have to build around for 2014 and beyond.  Good chance that Kendrick and Aybar's names will come up again in the offseason when we once again look to add quality starting pitching.

Winter Meetings Recap Part 3: Everything Else.

Before Arte broke the bank on deals to Albert and CJ, before Jerry Dipoto locked his name into SoCal sports folklore a month into the job, there were a few moves that would have made Anaheim a better team in 2012, even without King Albert and Mighty CJ.

Move 1: Jeff Mathis traded to Toronto for Brad Mills

It could have been Jeff Mathis to Toronto for more of Vernon Wells' contract (I'm sure he has more hiding somewhere). Hell, it could have been Jeff Mathis to Toronto for a bag of baseballs and a hoagie, this was a great deal for the Angels. Even if Brad Mills never steps on the mound at the Big A, neither will Jeff Mathis (at least in Angel red). I liked Jeff Mathis, I really did, and he was a nice guy, but his bat was a cancer to the team. Its unfortunate Hank Conger didn't have a stellar 2011, because he probably could have muscled a few starts away from him. Simply taking away Mike Scioscia's ability to start Jeff Mathis for 100+ games in 2012, I knew I already loved Jerry Dipoto as a GM.

Move 2: Tyler Chatwood traded to Colorado for Chris Iannetta

Is Iannetta the worlds best defensive catcher? No. But lets face it, neither was Mathis. I like this deal for a couple reasons. I don't think Chatwood is quite up to par to be a solid big league starter in the American League, at least not right now. I love the step up from Mathis to Iannetta in terms of On Base Percentage (.220something to .357 over their careers). Plus Iannetta has some pop in his bat, not as much as Napoli did, but he is a 20 HR guy. With Iannetta in the lineup, the only weakness offensively is really Vernon Wells, and considering he hit 25 homers in 2011, that isn't a bad thing.

Move 3: Angels sign Right Handed Reliever LaTroy Hawkins for 1 year, $3 Million

Adding a great right-handed compliment to Scott Downs in an improving Bullpen was a great move on its own, then you throw in the fact that he is a long-time friend of Torii Hunter and a fantastic clubhouse guy? This was a steal at $3 Million. The signing was overshadowed by the signings of Pujols and Wilson (which happened only hours later), but it could just as important in bringing the Angels a World Series title in 2012.

If the Angels don't do anything else this off-season but re-sign all the arbitration guys (Kendrick, Aybar, etc), they are already primed to be among the top contenders in the American League. With the Yankees and Red Sox getting older, and the Rangers pitching in question, it could be a perfect storm for the Angels this October. But lets hold off on any World Series talk until this team wins a few games. Still no reason not to be excited for baseball to return. Only 67 days until pitchers and catchers report!