Which pitching options actually make sense and are doable for the Angels?
Let’s rule a few things out right off the bat: No Matt Garza. No Ricky Nolasco. Too expensive with too little upside. We’re here to discuss what actually may happen and the Angels may want to consider now that free agency is open.
Alden Gonzalez has already explored this realm on his MLB blog, but there’s a few things outside of this that the Angels could do. As Gonzalez explores, the Angels will probably not win a bidding war for Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka,
and probably couldn’t even afford him if they were to win said war. Since Jason Vargas is now a free agent and the Halos possibly interested in the lefty for a shorter and more economic deal, trades are probably the way to go.
I’ve explored David Price, but other trades could be looked at. Erick Aybar was the talk of trade rumors during the deadline last season, particularly with the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis is still in dire need of more offensive production from the shortstop position and Aybar may be something the Red Birds will have some interest in. The Cardinals have plenty of pitching power, and we’ve seen what their recent young guns like Michael Wacha can do. There’s a few names in the minors for St. Louis like Seth Blair or Eric Fornataro, but the Angels will definitely want Major League ready talent. A Wacha deal would be the unlikeliest.
If the Angels look towards free agency away from Vargas, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post predicted that the Halos could look at Ubaldo Jimenez for a possible four year deal while on MLB Network’s Hot Stove Thursday morning. But if the Angels aren’t willing to go after Vargas long term, Jimenez may not be the guy they would spend money on. Even with that being said, the Halos and Jerry Dipoto have done some pretty wild things over the last two years, and a Jimenez contract would be along the lines of their spend now/worry later mentality (if things haven’t changed).
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