Why The Angels Should Target Endy Chavez In Free Agency

In keeping with the Christmas spirit, I’m going to go shopping for the Angels. Just because most of the big names in free agency are signed, doesn’t mean you cant find value in certain players or fill a hole on your roster or two. For this post, I’m gonna pick Endy Chavez.

October 1, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA;Baltimore Orioles left fielder Endy Chavez (27) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In a similar vein to Grady Sizemore, Chavez is a fourth outfielder and someone who has a great glove and can play all three outfield positions. He also has speed and is a left-handed hitter. He only hit .203 last season for the Orioles. He only made two errors in the 57 games last season.Right now, Kole Calhoun is the projected backup outfielder. To me, that would be a mistake. Calhoun went from high A to AAA in one year. He had a .298/.369/.507 hitting line with 14 homers and 73 RBI. To me, it’s better for his development if you leave him in AAA next year. Unless the team only thinks of him as a fourth outfielder, then there’s no reason why his growth needs to be stunted by sitting on the bench.

That is where a guy like Chavez comes in. He’s not going to cost a lot of money, especially for a team that’s probably at the edge of their budget. He’s a veteran who’s been in playoff races before. Could Calhoun be a better hitter right now than Chavez? Yes, however, it’s probably better for Kalhoun to be in the minors to continue his development. If Peter Bourjos doesn’t hit, Kalhoun could be the next man up anyway. Let him develop and sign a guy like Chavez for the bench.