Angels Have Interest In Dioner Navarro

This can’t be good news for Hank Conger. I hope Salt Lake City is a lovely place to spend time because, if this newest rumor is true, Conger is headed back to Triple-A for another season. The new front office might be continuing to revamp Mike Scioscia’s pet position. The Angels are interested in free agent catcher Dioner Navarro according to Jon Heyman…

In an earlier episode of the Hot Stove, the Angels traded for Chris Iannetta to handle the every day catcher role. After sending punching bag Jeff Mathis to Toronto, the Angels have an opening for a backup.

And if Navarro doesn’t seem like a backup, I don’t who does. Navarro, 27-years-old, hit .193/.276/.324 in 2011 for the Dodgers and .194/.270/.258 in 2010 for the Rays. So at least his stats at the plate will make Scioscia swoon with Mathis memories.

It’s hard for me to get up in arms over rumors of a backup catcher but this doesn’t bode well for Conger’s future with the Halos. Conger, still just 23-years-old, doesn’t have anything left to do in the minors after hitting .298/.361/.466 over six seasons. That offense has yet to show up during his stints in the majors though. I just hope the Angels aren’t going down another Brandon Wood path to failure with Conger. It might be better to move him now while he still has value.