Before the Abreu signing, there was no doubt in my mind that we were entering 2009 in worse shape than 2008.  I'm not talking about the September club with Teixeira either, I mean the club we started last season with.

Now I'm not so sure.

Abreu will doubtless be better than GA.  And even though I would much rather have Kotchman back, I think Morales will at least approach the numbers Kotch would have put up.  Our big drawback is still that #5 pitcher.  Say what you will about Garland, he's better than anybody we're going to throw out there every fifth day right now.

There are other factors too.  The kids are all one season better.  Vladdy and GMJ should both be healthier.  Napoli seems to be coming into his own as a hitter.  Fuentes is quality, but he's no K-Rod.  Rivera's leg is healed.  Lackey's in a contract year.  Escobar is coming back.  Some guys will step it up (Weaver?).  Some guys will take a step back.  (Saunders?)

All things considered, I think it's a wash.  Do you think we'll start 2009 with a better team than we started 2008 with?

Are we really done?

I'm as optimistic as the next guy, but I've had a feeling since the Fuentes signing that the front office really hadn't finished making acquisitions this winter.  Reagins has been very vocal about making no more offensive moves, but many have wondered if he was waiting to swoop in on Manny or Dunn.

I'm a little surprised to read though that we seem certain to begin the season with no more moves on the pitching front either.  Certainly we have a few guys who can challenge for the fifth spot in the rotation...and we have to keep in mind that Escobar is coming back.  But again, I've always had a hunch (hope?) that we would take a look at giving Sheets an incentive-laden contract.  The thought of watching Moseley flail for half a season is none too appetizing.

If we're done, we're done.  But I have to admit that I was hoping for more.

MLBTR.com is reporting that Adam Dunn's pricetag may have fallen as low as $5 million per year.  Is that worth the risk for a perennial 40 HR hitter?  I doubt anybody would want to give him 4 or more years, but if he could make the switch to 1B and split the DH duties with Vlad, Naps, and others, I think he's worth it.

What do all the rest of you think?

This is not meant to be a negative, pessimistic, doomsday post.  I am not one who believes that losing out on Teixeira is the end of the world.  I was just thinking about what the Angels have lost since last season and wanted to do a little analysis. 

Garret Anderson:  I'm a BIG fan of GA.  I've always thought that he was extremely underrated.  Even last year he hit .293 and knocked in 83 RBI.  OBP/SLG was only .325/.433 but he was still a valuable hitter.  Juan Rivera was obviously still recovering from the broken leg last year, but many people tout his 2006 season:  .310/.362/.525.  IF he is back to that form, the Angels lose nothing here.  Given the fact that those numbers were mostly compiled from mid-June through September of that year, I think repeating those numbers in 2009 is optimistic.  Throw in the fact that Matthews Jr. will play LF some of the time, and I believe we were better off with GA.

Jon Garland:  I was never a fan, and his 4.90 ERA was tough to swallow.  Especially since there always seemed to be a 4-run inning in there somewhere.  But his 14 wins still need to be replaced by somebody.  Mosely?  No.  Adenhart?  Wellllll...maybe.  But even in AAA, Adenhart posted a 5.76 ERA with a WHIP of 1.71.  I think this is the Angels biggest hole.  Yes, we need another big bat.  But a 4-man rotation just won't cut it.

Casey Kotchman/Mark Teixeira:  We all know what Tex did during his tenure.  And most fans are bemoaning the complete lost of Kotch at this point.  I'll admit my own personal mancrush.  But I think his .287/.327/.448 can be replaced.  Kendry Morales hasn't put up the numbers yet in the bigs, but his .341/.376/.543 in AAA are fairly gaudy.  I only have two problems here.  When he sits, Quinlan plays.  And we are going to miss the holy heck out of Kotch/Tex's glove.

Frankie Rodriguez:  Sure, those 62 saves get overblown.  Still...62 saves!  The peripherals weren't all that bad.  It's just that we had to hold our breath all the time in the 9th.  (Anybody else around here remember watching Percy pitch?)  Maybe Shields is ready, but even if he is we'll miss him as a set-up guy, rubber-arm and all.  Maybe it's Arredondo's time, but we'll need to see him close out a few games and, more importantly, deal with those inevitable blown saves.  I'm all for adding Fuentes to the pen, especially if it can be done for something like 3 years/20 million.

We have the luxury of only having to have a better record than the A's, M's, and Rangers.  That's not too hard.  But we've lost a lot since last year and I'm not rooting for the front office to just sit on their hands at this point.  One or two more pieces can still make the Angels a team that will go all the way.

I'm just curious...not trying to start an argument or anything...although that's fairly inevitable around here.  What do you think about signing Ben Sheets?

Nobody can deny that, when he's healthy, Sheets is a very good pitcher.  In 1428 IP, he has 1206 K's and 313 BB's.  His career ERA is 3.72.  Adenhart could use some more seasoning and, as we've seen, you can never have enough starting pitching.

Obviously, the downside is the injury-risk.  The price would have to be right. But barring a trade for Peavy, which seems unlikely, Sheets might fill that hole in the rotation nicely.  I like him better than the other FA alternatives out there, but I've seen nothing about an Angels connection.  Thoughts?

1.  Is that package enough?  (As Lyle Spencer seems to think)

2.  If not, what should we change to get him?

3.  Shouldn't we be pursuing this now, regardless of our Free Agent additions?

4.  Do you think Peavy would okay it?  (Note:  I didn't ask "Would you LIKE him to okay it?"  Just if you think he would.

I simply don't think that would be enough for the Pads.  I've always felt we'd have to give up Weaver to land Peavy.  Which, by the way, I'd be okay with.

I wish we'd get these talks going now, if we haven't.  I still don't think Peavy would okay the trade to the AL, but having him in our rotation would make us monsters.  Throw in Dunn and we have to be highly considered to go all the way.

If this report is true, if the Sox are really offering Teixeira $200 million for 8 years, is there any way they can maintain the vitriol against the Yankees?  They can't hate them for paying players way too much anymore.  They can't hate them for their obnoxious fans.  What do they have left?  The pinstripes?

At least the Angels are maintaining some integrity when it comes to payroll and some common sense.  This would be the last straw in the transformation...the Red Sox have officially become that which they hate the most.