By Jason Sinner, AngelsWin.com Contributor -
I keep seeing tons of internet chatter from Angels fans about selling off the teams spare parts to make them better......eventually.
Yet a bad loss tonight and many are still pissed even with little doubt about the outcome of this season.
On top of that, we traded a 38yo middle relief lefty specialist about to become a FA with half less than half a season left on his somewhat expensive contract (for his ability) and got market value which wasn't much yet we somehow should have parlayed him into a #3 starter for 2016.
It's hard to imagine how many will react when we are left with Trout, Weaver, Wilson, Pujols, Hamilton and a bunch of prospects we traded for when we should have gotten more.
If people think it's bad now, just imagine losing 90 games a season for who knows how long. And I phrase it as such to the point that a group of prospects, regardless of fans agreement or disagreement on value are still just prospects and guarantee nothing.
In addition, if Dipoto is so bad and has lost the trust of the fans, why would we trust him and his crew to set this team up to win in 2017 and beyond.
Losing sucks no matter what, but being guaranteed to lose sucks even worse.
I am not saying that there isn't a point where you step back and look to cut your losses.
Yet from where this team currently sits in terms of payroll and long term contracts, there isn't a 'start fresh' scenario.
However, Can a team with a 100+mil payroll and a bunch of long term commitments still put a winning product on the field AND slowly rebuild the farm system? I know it's been done, but does this group have what it takes to be somewhat unusual that way?
I am not sure.
The biggest question you have to ask yourself as a fan of this team is whether you think that Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton can rebound from their poor seasons and provide enough production to help this team win as opposed to being as much of the problem as they are currently. I am not asking whether we think they will be worth the money they are being paid, but can they provide enough production where it's worth it for the team to continue to try and surround them with players that will aid in the team being a playoff contender.
I, for one, am not ready to write those two off just yet and with that, I don't think the team should sell off all of their spare parts.
I think that certain moves can be made to improve the club for 2014 and some of those move likely involve those currently on the major league roster.
I also think that the minor league system is headed in the right direction and when the crop of high A players reach AAA, we will have a much different outlook.
Trading away the right players at the right time will be enough to turn things around.
Am I confident that the team will turn it around in 2014? Nope, but the alternative of setting the team up to automatically lose 90+ games by selling everyone off seems much less palatable to me than at least attempting to field a competitive squad for the next two years while the two big contract guys actually have a chance at being productive.
