The Angels future in left field

What does the Angels future in left field look like?

I imagine left field will probably look remarkably similar to what it looks like right now, at least until the stadium is renovated or the Angels move. The only feature of left field that I can picture changing rather significantly soon is which Angel will be roaming left field. That’s turned into a soap opera-style conundrum of sort for the Angels this year. The train wreck that was Josh Hamilton is gone, Matt Joyce has been a dumpster fire, Collin Cowgill’s bat never arrived in Anaheim, they must’ve left it in Arizona, Grant Green’s been a ghost and Efren Navarro’s been that guy that’s at the party that no one pays any attention to.

Clearly, things are bound to change, probably a lot. First, Joyce is only under contract this year, so even if he somehow miraculously begins having productive AB’s, he’s a free agent next year, and his defense in LF is too reminiscent of the time Juan Rivera used to be the everyday left field. He won’t be the left fielder in any ideal situation. Green is likely going to be let go next year and find an everyday job playing second base for the Phillies or someone like that. Cowgill’s best shot is to hope the Angels value his defensive contributions enough to remain a backup, because from here it appears Gary Brown has more to offer than Cowgill. Navarro’s likeliest career path is that he’ll clear waivers and spend the next few years racking up those frequent flyer miles between Salt Lake City, Utah and Anaheim, CA.

So where does that leave the Angels? Well, right here, actually.

You see, the Angels need a long term answer, and they need offense. The Angels as a whole are inept offensively. It’s an aging lineup and the only hitters that bring any danger to the table are Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun. The Angels need that. They also need to get considerably more left-handed. It’s a righty-dominant lineup and Scioscia’s a big believer in that whole balance thing.

Defensively, left field and the adjacent gap are pretty small as is, so whoever is out there doesn’t need to be special, they just need to not be awful and remember to stay the heck out of Mike Trout’s way, something Matt Joyce still hasn’t figured out. Also, the Angels may have a bit of financial freedom right now, but with Trout and Pujols becoming increasingly expensive and the fact they’ll be forced to pay Richards and Calhoun a lot of money soon, the Angels probably can’t go hog wild spending on a left field. They’re also going to need someone that can man the position for at least a few years as the system itself is devoid of impact bats right now.

So to sum it up, they need a young, inexpensive left fielder who is left-handed and is dangerous at the plate while being competent defensively.

So basically, they need something that either hardly exists or teams aren’t willing to trade, leaving the Angels between the aforementioned/indicated, rock and a hard place. So let’s run down those options shall we?

Farm System

Gary Brown (AAA Salt Lake)
Pros: He provides excellent defensively, and is extremely fast. He’s also young and inexpensive, which is ideal since he’ll be needed long-term.

Cons: He doesn’t reach base enough, isn’t left-handed and isn’t as dangerous at the plate as he is on the bases.

Verdict: Unlikely. Probably isn’t a starting caliber option.

Chad Hinshaw (AA Arkansas)
Pros: Very fast. He’s young and thus will be quite inexpensive. He provides excellent range and coverage in the gaps. He’s one of the better power-speed players in the minors. Great patience at the plate.

Cons: He doesn’t have the sort of power or batting average that’ll make him too dangerous at the plate. He isn’t left-handed. His arm leaves something to be desired. He’s shown minor contact issues.

Verdict: Maybe, but the Angels would have to show a ton of trust in this scenario.

Trade Targets

Michael Brantley (Cleveland Indians)
Pros: He’s everything the Angels need. Middle of the order hitter, left-handed, young enough to man the spot for another four-five years, is cheap enough that the Angels can afford him rather easily.

Cons: He’s an all-star at a bargain price on a team that intends to compete long-term. Translation, he isn’t available.

Verdict: Not gonna happen unless the Indians completely tank it this year and the Angels offer any prospect of actual worth, like Sean Newcomb, Alex Yarbrough, Chris Ellis and Jeremy Rhoades.

Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers)
Pros: History of success, should be the dangerous bat the Angels need. He’s signed long-term, isn’t bad defensively and is native to SoCal. He’s young enough to be the left fielder for at least a few years.

Cons: He hasn’t performed near the same level since he was busted for juicing. He is under contract for $20 million a year for then next six years. He isn’t left-handed.

Verdict: If the Angels could afford him, that’s the sort of deal they’d probably be able to swing, but definitely isn’t worth it. Too much money, too much risk.

Domonic Brown (Philadelphia Phillies)
Pros: He’s still relatively young, and is under contract. He’s left-handed, is fine defensively and has the sort of upside that could make him a force in the Angels lineup for years to come.

Cons: Hasn’t shown he can consistently hit in the majors. Hasn’t shown he can stay healthy. On base ability is lacking.

Verdict: Maybe. They likely can’t afford a proven superstar, but Brown is just young enough and just good enough that he may end up being a pretty good acquisition.

Carl Crawford (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Pros: He’s left-handed, has had considerable major league success and is just competent enough in left field that he won’t hurt the Angels out there.

Cons: He’s making $20 million a year this year and the next two year after that. He’s already 33 meaning his skill set is likely to diminish. He’s a fine bat but not good enough to be a dangerous bat to face.

Verdict: Unlikely. There’s simply too much risk involved.

Andre Ethier (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Pros: He’s had major league success in the middle of an order, is left-handed and is hitting the ball pretty well this year. He’d certainly benefit from a change of scenery. Pretty decent fielder, would fit well in left.

Cons: He’s making $18 million a year and is under essentially the same contract Crawford is. He’s shown pretty dramatic platoon splits.

Verdict: Maybe. There’s only slightly less risk and more reward than Crawford.

Alex Guerrero (Los Angeles Dodgers Dodgers)
Pros: Dating all the way back to his days in Cuba, this guy can absolutely hit the ball. He can also play enough defense to help the Angels. He isn’t making too much that the Angels couldn’t afford him.

Cons: He isn’t left-handed and if he’s traded, he has a clause in his contract that makes him a free agent the next season. Not a natural outfielder.

Verdict: Unlikely. They need something more long-term.

Corey Dickerson (Colorado Rockies)
Pros: He’s young, has some pop in his bat, isn’t expensive and is left-handed.

Cons: His splits indicate he’s generally useless away from Coors Field.

Verdict:

Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies)
Pros: Former MVP candidate, left-handed, good defender, definitely the bat the Angels could use.

Cons: Horrifying platoon splits away from Coors Field. Making around $17 million a year. Coming off serious injury.

Verdict: Maybe, mostly because he’s a former Rockie and we know how Dipoto feels about those.

Free Agents

Justin Upton (San Diego Padres)
Pros: He’s the middle of the order bat the Angels need. He’s also a pretty good defensive outfielder. He’s young enough that the job could be his for 5+ years.

Cons: He’s a free agent after this year, and will cost a boatload of money.  He also isn’t left-handed.

Verdict: Maybe. Lots of money, is Arte willing to exceed the luxury tax limits? He is a former D-Back though, which passes Dipoto’s mandatory requirements for player acquisition.

Jason Heyward
Pros: He’s the middle of the order hitter the Angels need. He’s left-handed, plays Gold Glove level defense and is young enough to man left field for close to a decade.

Cons: Inconsistent production in the majors. Is going to cost a boatload of cash.

Verdict: Maybe. Only if Arte stops worrying about money altogether.

Outside the Box 

Kyle Kubitza (3B in AAA Salt Lake)
Pros: He’s left-handed, has enough power in his bat to be a middle of the order hitter.  Gets on base at a fantastic clip.  He’s young and would be under team control for the next 6 seasons for cheap.

Cons: He’s a third baseman, and not an entirely great one at that.  He swings and misses too much. The Angels would need to re-sign Freese in order to move Kubitza to the outfield.

Verdict: Unlikely.  While Kubitza fits what the Angels are looking for, the offense is in dire need of a proven bat and I just don’t see them bringing Freese back after this season.

So after this whole exercise, who have I concluded the Angels will put in left field in the future?  The likeliest candidate in-house is Hinshaw.  The likeliest trade candidates are Ethier, Brown and CarGo. The likeliest free agents are Upton and Heyward.

The Angels know their window to compete likely falls in the next five year, which I feel rules out Hinshaw.  They’ll need a proven commodity, which rules out Brown.  They likely won’t meet the years required for Heyward.

That leaves Andre Ethier, Carlos Gonzalez in-season and Justin Upton after the season.  All of these players have spent time in either the Rockies or D-Backs organization, which helps their cause with Dipoto.

I think it comes down to the timing of the need.  If the Angels are desperate at the trade deadline and still feel they’re in the race or leading the race, I’d say they’re going to acquire Carlos Gonzalez from the Rockies.  If they wait until after the season, I think they’ll sign Justin Upton.