With the trade deadline fast approaching, the writers at MWAH thought we’d all get together and do a roundtable of the trades we would like to see happen and call it our Angels Trade Wishlist. This was going to be one piece, but apparently we are all so amped for the deadline that each and every one of us wrote way too much, so instead, we’re unveiling one fantasy trade proposal each day. Keep in mind, these are just the trades our individual writer wants to see, so it doesn’t necessarily mean it is an existing rumor out there.
Everyone wants the Angels to get a big bat at the deadline. I want them to get a big bat. You want them to get a big bat. Jerry Dipoto wants them to get big bat and he doesn’t even work for them anymore.
Small problem. That big bat doesn’t exist. To put it mildly, they’ve got a better chance of trading for the Loch Ness Monster than they do an elite slugger to hit behind Albert Pujols. Even if they did manage to find such mythical creature, the Angels don’t have the prospects to pull off such a deal.
For that reason, I prefer a quantity over quality approach. Instead of nabbing just one big bat to solve their offensive problems, I prefer a trade that addresses multiple problems at once. I also prefer to do one-stop shopping, as I am inherently quite lazy. As such, the deal I’d wish for the Angels to make is acquiring Charlie Blackmon and John Axford for Nick Tropeano, Cam Bedrosian, Chad Hinshaw and Kyle McGowin.
Charlie Blackmon is the key piece here, obviously. He gives the Angels a solid left-handed bat to help the offense. With decent on-base skills and a bit of pop, he could slot in atop the lineup or behind Albert Pujols. To be sure, he has some platoon split concerns and there is always the worry that a former Rockie will fall to pieces once leaving Coors Field, but Blackmon has other tools that hedge against that risk. Besides, how much worse could he be on offense than what Matt Joyce and the flotsam and jetsam that have manned left thus far have provided?
With 21 stolen bases so far this season, he would the Halos a major base stealing threat. This roster is sorely lacking in team speed, something Scioscia has always preferred to have, so bringing in Blackmon would help address that and give the Angels offensive attack a little more offensive versatility in the process.
Defense isn’t exactly a problem for the Angels, but they could always stand to be better, which Blackmon would certainly do. He is a natural center fielder, so he should be a pretty big upgrade defensively in left field over Matt Joyce. Because Blackmon can provide coverage in center, it would free the Angels up to carry a more offensive-minded back-up outfielder instead of a hump like Dan Roberston.
To top it all off, Blackmon is heading into his three arbitration years next season, so he is inexpensive and under team control. That frees the Angels up to spend money in free agency after the season to add a legit big bat. Unfortunately, it is also the aspect of Blackmon that would force the Angels to overpay to pry him loose from the notoriously tight-fisted Rockies.
The gravy on this deal is John Axford. You can never have too much bullpen depth and the Angels actually kind of need more, even with the emergence of Trevor Gott. Axford has been terrific this year thanks to him developing into an extreme groundball pitcher, which the Angels could use. Another power arm wouldn’t hurt either. Axford is also under team control for through the 2016 season, so he won’t come cheap either.
As tough as it would be to give up guys like Tropeano and Bedrosian, the Angels are trying to win now and in the near future. Prospects are great and all, but getting guys who are known quantities for that stretch and relatively inexpensive is better than counting on those prospects. Besides, with no permanent GM around, nobody’s really worried about mortgaging the future.
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