Hello Yankee? Good Riddance Timmy? So Long Shoemaker?

No Comments July 27, 2016 Angels By John Stellman

‘D’ Day!

August 1!

That’s when baseball’s major league trading deadline expires.

It’s disappearing right before our very eyes.

And executives are quickly running out of time.

Valuable time!

Once the clock strikes midnight, only waiver deals can be consumated.

And they are much more difficult to complete.

Restrictions will interfere with the process.

But between now and then, it’s free sailing.

Players can prevent movement only if their contract contains a “no-trade” clause. It can however, be waived.

Remember Him?

And there just happens to be a 36 year old broken down first basemen/designated hitter who reportedly has already agreed to do that.

Mark Teixeira.

Teixeira is experiencing a disastrous season.

He put up somewhat respectable numbers last year. Thirty one home runs, 79 runs batted in and a .255/.357/.548 slash line over 111 games.

A fractured shin cut that season short and slowed Teixeira’s 2016 start.

Limited to just 69 games this year, Teixeira credentials include just nine home runs, 23 RBI and a .184/.265/.320 slash line.

Not surprising then that there have been whispers of New York’s desire to dump his $22.5M salary.

So how considerate of Teixeira to give the team permission to do just that.

Trade him!

Teixeira graciously gave general manager Brian Cashman a list of teams, or rather team, that would be acceptable to him.

And it doesn’t take long to connect the dots on this one.

Who was Cashman’s assistant general manager last year?

And where is that executive presently employed?

I think Angel fans are getting a little nervous over this.

They know the answer to both questions is… Billy Eppler.

Eppler and Teixeira got to know each other in New York. The player would feel comfortable playing for the Angel general manager. And Teixeira contributed mightily to the team’s 2008 success.

Acquired from Atlanta at the trade deadline for Casey Kotchman and a minor leaguer, Teixeira was a monster down the stretch.

In just 54 games, he walloped 13 home runs, drove in 43 teammates and produced an impressive .358/.449/.632 slash line. The Angels (100-62) blew Texas away, winning the American League West by 21 games.

But after a disappointing 3-1 departure at the hands of Boston in the American League Divisional Series, Teixeira also decided to leave.

He spurned Arte Moreno’s attractive $160M free agent contract to accept the $180M George Steinbrenner offered.

Once again, Teixeira is a free agent.

Would manager Mike Scoiscia be willing to write the names of Teixeira and Albert Pujols into the lineup at first base and or designated hitter?

And would Moreno be willing to forget?

Forgettable Experience

One thing all Angels fans would love to forget is the thus far unsuccessful experiment that is Tim Lincecum!

His super hyped comeback from off season hip surgery and a triumphant return on June 18 at Oakland has quickly gone south.

Lincecum was practically anointed after his 98-pitch, six inning debut against the A’s. While receiving credit for the Angels 7-1 win, he surrendered that single run and only four hits.

But that’s as good as it’s been thus far.

In only one other outing did the 32-year old right hander pitch into the sixth inning.

In his last two outings, against Texas and at Houston, Lincecum survived just 6 1/3 innings. And it was a nightmare.

He surrendered 16 hits, including five home runs and 13 runs, 11 of which were earned.

His record is 3-4. His ERA 8.70.

Yet after his latest debacle, Scioscia was asked if Lincecum would make another start?

“He’s still in the rotation, ” the manager told Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register.

A day later Scioscia reiterated his confidence in Lincecum.

“His upside as a major league starter is very real,” the manager emphasized.

The rotation is thin, making Lincecum a possible winner in the numbers game.

C.J. Wilson has been out the entire year. Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney are both Tommy John surgery candidates, as is Nick Tropeano. An ineffective Jhoulys Chacin has been banished to the bullpen.

So even with the return and addition of Tyler Skaggs to the Angel staff, the only other starters are Lincecum, Hector Santiago, Jered Weaver and Matt Shoemaker.

Pack Your Bags

And Shoemaker may be on the move.

Clearly the team’s most effective starter this season, Shoemaker has caught the eye of contenders in need of rotation depth.

On May 16, the 29 year old right hander’s earned run average had ballooned to 8.49.

One start at Salt Lake City was all Shoemaker needed to dramatically turn his season around.

And turn it around he has!

In a dozen games since his return Shoemaker has allowed just 22 runs in 81 innings and has reduced his ERA to a respectable 3.99.

His offensive support however, has been horrendous.

Shoemaker’s record was 3-5 with four no-decisions. And in those nine win less games, the Angels have scored just 15 runs.

Needless to say, he’s pitched much better than his record indicates. And don’t think that has gone unnoticed.

A perfect fit for Shoemaker could be the Dodgers.

7 Players And 1 Broadcaster

The county neighbors haven’t gotten together much through the course of history, although the did manufacture one gargantuan trade in the winter of 1972.

The Angels acquired Frank Robinson, Billy Grabarkewitz, Bobby Valentine, Bill Singer and Mike Strahler in exchange for Andy Messersmith and Ken McMullen.

Hall Of Famer to be Don Drysdale also joined Dick Enberg, Dave Niehaus and Fred Hessler in the Angel broadcast booth.

Shoemaker is a work horse who could provide stability in the Dodger rotation. He’s averaged almost six inning per start and has pitched into at least the seventh inning on nine occasions.

The Dodgers have an extremely deep and talented farm system. One of the best, if not the best, in all of baseball. And that’s the Angel’s weakest link.

Perhaps Eppler and his counterpart up the freeway, Farhan Zaidi, along with President Of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, could broker a deal.

This could be one of those oft mentioned transactions that is beneficial to both sides.

Quick. A deal before time runs out.

After all, the clock is ticking!

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...