MLB Manager 2015: LA Takeover

[phillyboy19]

Hello everybody. I, Phillyboy19 am doing a MLB manger 2015 Angles dynasty. I was waiting until I got my new computer and was going to do a Diamondbacks dynasty on ootp 16, but I've haven't been able to get it yet so I'm doing this for now. I like doing rebuilds but this could turn into one because we have a barren farm system and to many bad contracts. I already made a few trades and got some nice pieces but I'll explain them next post. Here's to a World Series!!!

[phillyboy19]

Blog Post #1
Hello I'm Allen Tom new GM of the Los Angeles Angles. My predecessor was fired because he had given out to many bad contracts and the last straw was when the worst of them all Josh Hamilton had a drug relapse. He was fired on the spot and I was hired. I didn't like how the team was shaped so I decided I needed to deal even though our first game is tomorrow.
Trade #1
Nationals- 1B Cj Cron, 3B David Freese
Angels- Stephan Strasburg
This may seem like a steal for us but it was a fair deal if you look at it with depth. Although Stras is an outstanding pitcher he hasn't lived up to his hype and looks like he's more of a 2 and a borderline ace. That is great and all but not the All time great he was made out to be. Then the Nats needed infield depth so they wanted Freese and obviously that wasn't enough so I didn't want to trade him I gave up 1B prospect Cj Cron who looks to be a tremendous player. The Nats need a 1B prospect because Zimmerman isn't getting younger and is injury prone.


Trade #2
Orioles- 1B Albert Pujols, CL Andrew Heany, SS Julio Garcia
Angels- SP Bud Norris, SP Dylan Bundy
Albert is still a top 10 1B maybe even top 5 but his contract was massive and he's getting old. I needed him gone when he had value. I shopped him around and they offered me Bud Norris. I liked him but obviously he isn't good enough for Pujols. I wanted Bundy because although the Strasburg trade improved our pitching we still don't have good depth in our rotation. We had to give up top closer prospect Heany but he is a closer so it wasn't as bad as giving up Cron. Garcia is just some 19 year old SS prospect who projects to be nothing. It made sense because I needed starting Pitching and they needed a bat to replace Nelson Cruz and Pujols is arguably better.
Trade #3
Astros- RP Sean Newcomb, RP Austin Robichaux, LF Matt Joyce
Angels- 1B Jon Singleton
We gave up some solid relievers and a good left fielder to get a top young first baseman who is ready to play in my opinion. He struggled mightily last year but he can rebound. We basically assured in this trade Hamilton will start and the owner was pissed at me for that but I believe it filled our 1B need although I should fill in my 3B hole still.
Trade #4
Padres-2B Grant Green
Angels-CF Cameron Maybin
Their outfield depth is flat out amazing, but their infield depth sucks. I used that to my advantage and got our starting center fielder and I'll look to shop Hamilton around. Green will be missed but utility men come and go Maybin once a top prospect didn't live up to his billing but is a good MLB player nothing to less.
Those were my trades and our lineups this year are
CF Cameron Maybin- Not Ideal Leadoff hitter but wanted a split order r/l
SS Erick Aybar- Would be better leadoff but again I wanted a split
LF Mike Trout- Best player in baseball
1B Jon Singleton- Will get on base with good eye. Possesses great Power.
C Chris Iannetta- All around solid hitter
3B Johnny Giavotella- Should be last but I wanted speed there. Looking for upgrade at third
RF Kole Calhoun- Nice hitter may switch with Maybin if I abandon the split order
2B Josh Rutledge- Should be 7 but speedier.
Starting Rotation and Bullpen
#1 Stephan Strasburg- Great pitcher as I said borderline ace great #2 hopefully change of scenery helps make him a bona fide ace.
#2 Jered Weaver- Doesn't have great velocity or stuff but throws 6 pitches well. Great control and good movement.
#3 Cj Wilson- Lefty. Good stuff and movement, lacks control.
#4 Bud Norris- Practically Wilson better results.
#5 Matt Shoemaker- Fastball speed is about average. Good movement great control. Basicslly a younger Weaver.
Bullpen
Mid Relief
Joe Smith- average fastball possesses great breaking pitches great movement and control
Vinnie Pestano.- Amazing stuff average elsewhere
Cam Bedrosain- Great stuff that's improving good movement minimal control
Cesar Ramos- Average across the board with poor control
Set Up men
Mike Morin- Slow fastball for reliever great at everything else though. Closer of future and if street struggles
Fernando Salas- Older version of Morin with slower fastball
Closer
Huston Street- Extremely slow fastball for reliever Great at everything though.

[phillyboy19]

Blog Post #2
April Update
14-8 1st place AL West
Hello Angel nation it's me Allen bringing you your monthly dose of Angel news. Most of our pitchers threw well except for Jered Weaver, Minnie Weaver (Matt Shoemaker), and Mike Morin. Although Morin who I tabbed as a future closer candidate struggled I still have great faith in him. One thing I noticed is that I only have 1 left handed bull pen piece and no left handed starters. I'll try to make a deal for at least one more bull pen guy and 2 starters.
Garrett Richards who came back from injury mid month was dominate in 3 starts with a .73 era .65 whip and a low 2.92 fip so that show regression but honestly unless you're a reliever you can't keep that up and even then it's nearly impossible.
Bud Norris was impressive going 3-0 with a 1.05 era and a 1.29 whip in four starts. His FIP was 3.90 compared with a pedestrian whip alarms me a bit but for my 4th (now 3rd) starter i'm fine with that effort.
On the hitting side of the diamond Mike Trout was a god as usual. He hit .387 had a .453 obp with a .656 slugging percentage. He also smacked 5 homers and accounted for 22 RBI's.
Our lineup as a whole was great aside from Cameron Maybin, and Jon Singleton. I will be changing the lineup a bit moving Chris Iannetta to the one spot Maybin down to seven and the Surprising Johnny Giavotella to the 5 hole.
That is it for this month. I made no trades and am not looking to for the time being. Next update will be our May update and then our draft reports.

[phillyboy19]

Blog Post #3
May Update + Draft
34-18 1st place AL West
Hello all it's me Allen and it's time for our update on may.
We had another great month with both our offense and defense carrying us.
Garrett Richards has been straight out dominate this year going 6-1 with a 1.8 era and a .77 whip. I believe he can keep it up. The numbers will rise a bit but i could see a sub 1 whip and a sub 2.50 era from him.
Other pitchers doing well are Bud Norris who is 7-1 with a 2.93 era and a 1.44 whip. I believe his era will get much higher eventually but it will stay sub 4 and that is what I want from my 4 starter. Huston Street has been solid with a 3.16 era on the season and 16 saves.his fip is only 2.77 so he is pitching better than his era suggests. Fernando Salas has been lights out from the pen with a 1.31 era and 16 strikeouts in 20.2 innings he has been great.
Now onto poor pitchers Jered Weaver has been horrific with a 6.03 era and a 1.49 whip. He will be shopped. Strasburg hasn't been horrible but he hasn't been good either. he is 6-3 with a 3.86 era and a 1.15 whip. His FIP is 3.09 so he hasn't had good D so he hasn't been as bad as we thought. He still is pitching like a 2 or 3 when we need an ace, although Richards will be moved up to ace for now.
Now onto our hitters.Our whole line up except for Jon Singleton Johnny Giavolta has been great. We upgraded thirdbase in a trade and aquired a new 5 starter to replace Weaver 2.0.
Trade
Boston- LF Josh Hamilton, SP Matt Shoemaker
Los Angeles- 3B Pablo Sandoval, SP Rick Porcello
Hamilton had been hitting great for us but Cameron Maybin has been great also so we figured to dump his salary. Shoemaker was doing extremely poor and he was to much like Weaver, we can;t have two soft tossers in the rotation anyways. What we got was a pitcher who was struggling in Porcello who had been moved to the pen. He was better than Shoemaker sadly and we believe he will be solid here. Both needed a change of scenery. The key part of the trade was Panda. He is an extremely athletic third baseman in Santa's body. He can hit and is a flat out good player. No we didn't buy another treadmill.
Draft:
1st round-SS Michael Brock
Scout Analysis
Speedster with a knack for stolen bases 35- 50 stolen bases per year. Glove Wizard will win some gold gloves already gold glove caliber shortstop at the age of 20. Average hitter. Should hit .250-.275. Minimal power 6-10 maybe 12 home runs per year. Not much gap potential either but should rack up 20-30 doubles with a few triples based off that speed. Will get on base should be a .320-.340 obp guy. shouldn't strikout often.
My Opinion.
Should be a productive major leauger with solid upside safe pick.
2nd Round-3b Jeffry Jennings
Scout Analysis
Runs like a deer. 30-40 stolen bases per year. If called up today he would be the best defensive 3rd baseman in baseball 20/20 skill at spot. Average hitter who projects to hit .240-.260, have about 6-10 homeruns and average gap power. Similer to Brock.
My Opinion
Should be solid. Although the two are almost the same player. Speedy defensive guys have value especially at SS where brock is and 3B the defense is valuable speed isn't coveted there but it is happily welcomed.
That wraps it up for the update the other picks were just minor league fillers. We had a productive month and look to continue this fantastic season.

[phillyboy19]

Blog Post #4
June Update
46-32 1st place AL West
We struggled this month going 12-14 on the month. Part of the problem was Strasburg. His era stayed practically the same but his fip went up a lot so he wasn't pitching that well. Weaver improved a bit but not that much. He was dealt. Another problem was Pablo Sandoval. Our newly acquired first baseman was underwhelming. Hitting for relatively no power. Street sputtered a bit, but wasn't to bad. Although our scout says his ratings are starting to deteriorate which is surprising so we may look to deal him for a left handed reliever. Garrett Richards wasn't bad this month but his era rose by over half a run to 2.38 and his whip went up by .12 points so he is leveling out but is still one of the best pitchers in the game. Norris regressed a bit once again but is still pitching phenominal.
Although i'm focusing on the bads our lineup was still great. Our pitching is what killed us. Kole Calhoun was hurt and will be out for another one to two weeks although he may not have a job then. We have been collecting outfield depth and I feel like the Padres, who were the team we dealt with.
Trade
Padres-SP Jered Weaver
Angels-LF Justin Upton
It makes sense because thier pitching was under performing and well we like Upton. Although we need a new 4 starter we liked his skillset.
For the time being Nick Tropeno will be stepping into the 5 spot and the red hot Rick Porcello moving up to the 4.
That is it for this month and onto the deadline and August.