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LA Angels “Would You Rather?”: Offseason Edition

By Vincent Page |
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 17, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 17: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 17, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
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(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Alright LA Angels fans! This is a fun article for you and I alike, as we’ll be playing Would You Rather ahead of the upcoming offseason.

We’ll go through three questions the LA Angels might have to face, and lay out the pros and cons of each side. We’ll also include polling from our Twitter account to see just what Angels fans think about each question!

WOULD YOU RATHER sign Gerrit Cole to a 7-year, $235 million dollar deal OR trade 4-5 non-Jo Adell Top 25 prospects for Noah Syndergaard?

Now this question is different from the other two due to the fact that, quite simply, the Angels could make both of these things happen. Thor has two years left of arbitration before he’ll start making big money, so the Halos could put together one of the league’s most dynamic 1-2 punches through at least 2021.

But, let’s just say general manager Billy Eppler had to choose between signing Cole or trading for Syndergaard. With Cole, the pros are obvious. He is the most dominant pitcher that will hit the market this winter, and he might just be the best in baseball right now. He’ll give the Angels the #1 starter/true ace they’ve been searching for since Jered Weaver’s prime. The cons are equally obvious. His contract will take him through his mid-30’s, and he’ll likely cost more than any other free agent starter has ever cost.

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With Thor, the upside of trading for him will be his potential, age, and contract. Thor would be 27 for the majority of next season, and 29 when he hits free agency. He won’t cost most than $10 million either year he’s with the Angels, and as we’ve seen in his time with the Mets, he has elite potential in the mound. If he ever stays healthy, Thor could be a legitimate Cy Young-level pitcher.

However, the risks are equally concerning. Selling the farm for Thor could mortgage the Angels’ future if they can’t build a contender in the following 2-4 years. His injury history is as lengthy as the Angels’, and the combination of the two could cause nightmares for some Angels fans. Lastly, there’s the fact that he’ll be due an extension after two seasons, so the Angels would wind up facing the same questions they are about Gerrit Cole, but with Noah Syndergaard instead.

The overwhelming consensus amongst Angels fans here is to fork over the money for Cole, and honestly, I can’t disagree with you guys on this one. Cole is the safer bet, and the Angels need to keep their farm system in tact unless they’re dealing for a legit, proven star.

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

WOULD YOU RATHER sign Anthony Rendon to an eight-year, $250 million contract OR sign Madison Bumgarner to a 4-year, $100 million contract?

This is my favorite question in this article. The Angels have a solid infield with David Fletcher and Tommy La Stella likely splitting time at third base next year. At the same time, however, Anthony Rendon could very well end up as the National League MVP.

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On the flip side, the Angels rotation was one of the worst in baseball this year. Madison Bumgarner isn’t the best starter available this winter, and he might not even be a top-five starter depending on who you ask.

So the real question here is, would you rather upgrade a position with a star in Anthony Rendon where the need isn’t pressing, or upgrade the worst position group on your roster with a very good, but not elite, Madison Bumgarner?

Rendon is the best position player on the free agent market, no matter who you ask. One could make the argument he’s better than anyone who hit the market last offseason, as well. However, his age and lack of star power will (probably) keep him from making the $300 million Bryce Harper and Manny Machado landed.

As stated earlier, the Angels don’t necessarily need a star third baseman, but it would give them a phenomenal, maybe even league-best 2-3-4 with Mike Trout, Rendon, and Shohei Ohtani.

Bumgarner on the other hand, would give the Angels a relatively safe pitcher to headline their rotation. He doesn’t come with much risk (as long as he stays away from quads), and shouldn’t be as expensive as other starters on the market.

Angels fans! You and me agree once again! While the temptation of adding Rendon to an already exceptional offense makes my mouth drool, getting in a bidding war for his services rather than opting for an elite #2 option in Bumgarner seems silly to me.

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

WOULD YOU RATHER extend Andrelton Simmons, trade Andrelton Simmons, or let Simba play out his final year of his contract and hit free agency?

This is genuinely one of, if not the most, interesting decision the Angels have this offseason. Andrelton Simmons is in a unique position right now, and his career going forward is up in the air. Let’s break this down.

Simmons is 30-years old as of this month, and is coming off a season defined by multiple lower body injuries. This is not the first time in his Angels career that Simmons has spent a long period of time unavailable. While he often rehabs quickly, paying big money for someone who plays the way Simmons does and gets injured somewhat regularly is risky.

However, Andrelton Simmons has a future that could very well land him in the Hall of Fame. He is the best defensive player in baseball, and before this season had the two best offensive seasons of his career. So, while this was a down year for Simmons, he was showing significant improvement at the plate the last time he was healthy.

Now you can see why this is such a weird situation, right?

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For the Angels, there’s three options. One, you could extend him late this offseason. Obviously Billy Eppler should focus all the funds he has towards free agency first. However, after the Angels have their squad set for 2020, they could turn their focus towards a Simmons extension. This might even be their best bet, as Simmons’ poor 2019 and age could lower his price tag for the Angels.

Second, the Angels could trade him this offseason and move on. This, in my opinion, makes no sense. Luis Rengifo and David Fletcher are both better suited to play second and third base, respectively, and the Angels have no prospects even close to being ready to play shortstop at The Big A.

Third, the Angels could just let this thing play out. I can see why this might make sense. Depending on how the offseason goes, the Angels may not have the money to extend Simmons (and thus raise his cap hit). Waiting another year for Zack Cozart‘s contract to come off the books might be the Angels only choice if they have a pricy free agency.

And would you look at that, we agree again! The majority of Angels fans want Simmons extended this offseason, and there isn’t anyone who believes in that path more than me. Simmons’ elite instincts at shortstop will keep him competent for the rest of his career, if not elite. His bat was better from 2016-2018, and I think there could be a huge rebound next year. The Angels would be wise to extend him while his value is down, and make sure Simmons spend the rest of his career in Anaheim.

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