Angels: going back to where they were last season

While the Angels have yet to make a splash in the trade deadline, they did make a splash in left field. Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava have been designated for assignment. This marks the end of the platooning plan that was a failure for the Angels.

Angel’s Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry spent a fair amount of time on the DL this season. Combine that, with six other left fielders and a .583 OPS, you get a disastrous outcome. In spring training, most of the Halo Hangout crew agreed that platooning left field wasn’t the best of plans for the regular season. Now, the Angels have abandoned that plan for the regular season

What this means ultimately is the Angels are avoiding a luxury tax penalization, It’s likely they’ll pursue bargain options for Nava and Gentry. Both of whom under performed in their short time in a Angel uniform. Nava batted .235/.309/.303 in 136 plate appearances this season, while Gentry batted .147/.237/.176 in just 39 trips to the plate.

This season the Angels have had a total of eight players who have played left field this season. That’s far too many for a platooning system not to mention a standard rotation. The move to sign Nava and Gentry came during the winter meetings, the Angels were looking for a less-costly option at the left field position despite the fact that they have been the 10th worst team, by the numbers in that position in nearly a century.

Nava and Gentry’s contract isn’t substantial this season, Nava is splitting roughly half of a $2.4 million deal with Gentry. The Angels tried to bring in Michael Saunders from Toronto before spring training in a three-team deal. However, there was a medical issue with another player involved, which disrupted that possibility.

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It’s likely the Angels will alternate between Jefry Marte, Gregorio Petit and Cliff Pennington in the left field position with Shane Robinson getting most of the reps.

Personally this is just another idea that Angels concocted that didn’t work. It wasn’t for lack of trying, it just didn’t work. While Nava had a great spring training for the Angels, there was a reason Boston designated him for assignment last season. He and Gentry couldn’t get the job done. Whether it was injuries, or not enough time of the field with the constant rotations Mike Scioscia was using at the beginning of the season. They just didn’t work out.

This mean’s the Angels are back where they were at the end of last season. A gaping hole in left field; assuming Marte or Robinson doesn’t show enough promise to claim that position. That in addition to the rumors surrounding Yunel Escobar. If traded, that would almost put the Angels in the exact same boat as last season, aside from the play of Andrelton Simmons.

Simmons has been a beast on the defensive side of the ball, while Escobar has been a beast as a lead-off hitter. It’s unlikely that the Angels will move Simmons but there’s been rumors about Escobar’s departure. If the Angels move Escobar, it’s a sign that represents admitting defeat. In fact if the Angels move any hidden gem this season it’s admitting defeat.

The philosophy behind this is the Angels are in a “going back to the drawing board” mentality. If they move Hector Santiago, Escobar, or Matt Shoemaker they’re basically going to coast for the remainder of the season and reload in the off-season.

The trade deadline ends today, and i wouldn’t be surprised if the Angels did nothing.

Why? Because then you admit to your fans that this season is over. Now before the comments are start coming in about how i hate the Angels, Scioscia, Billy Eppler, and Arte Moreno, (and the comments have) the fact of the matter is the Angels believe they have a chance to compete with their current roster. Eppler has stated many times he wants to see this team healthy and play together. That means he probably isn’t going to trade anyone. He would rather make quiet moves during the winter meetings as he did last year.

The Angels went from a team who would make a huge splash, blockbuster deal; to a team that is likely to slide a envelope of money across a table to get a player to play for them. While it doesn’t make sense now, maybe in the future it might. Billy Eppler and Arte Moreno have remained silent during the month of July as far as their intentions with this franchise. However, we the fans have questions, questions that likely wont be answered until next season.

Next: Angels say goodbye to Big Papi at the Big A

Today will mark a turning point in the Angels path to a World Series appearance. If a deal of any kind is done, it’s progress. If no deal is done, they will continue to look like the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006. My guess is we wont see a deal or move made until winter meetings this off-season.

While the Angels have yet to make a splash in the trade deadline, they did make a splash in left field. Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava have been designated for assignment. This marks the end of the platooning plan that was a failure for the Angels.

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