The Angels have officially agreed to a one-year, $4MM contract with free-agent outfielder Ben Revere, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney first reported (Twitter links). There are also incentives in the deal based upon plate appearances that could boost its final value by up to $2.25MM, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag adds (Twitter links). Los Angeles has designated first baseman Ji-Man Choi for assignment to create roster space, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter.
With Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun entrenched as everyday options in center and right, it seems likely that Revere will mostly share time with Cameron Maybin in left field. The Maybin-Revere pairing figures to represent a higher-grade version of last year’s left-field platoon; while they’ll cost a combined $13MM, both are youthful players who won’t come with any future obligations.
[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]
Of course, there’s a reason that the fleet-footed Revere was available for such a limited commitment. Though he has been a heavily utilized player for the better part of the last six seasons, and offers quite a lot of versatility, Revere is coming off of a 2016 season which was the worst of his career at the plate.
Revere came to the Nationals last winter after playing in over 150 games in each of the two prior seasons — over which he carried a solid .306/.333/.369 batting line. He also swiped a combined eighty bags and rated as one of the game’s most valuable overall baserunners.
But things simply never took in D.C. After an oblique injury slowed him at the start of the season, Revere ultimately hit just .217/.260/.300 over 375 plate appearances. Though he continued to display excellent contact ability (34:18 K/BB ratio), his BABIP plummeted by about a hundred points (to .234) and drug his average down with it. And while Revere did steal 14 bases, he delivered only average value on the bases.
Given the struggles, Revere’s projected $6.3MM arbitration salary proved too rich for the Nats, who non-tendered him. Now, he’ll join fellow former Nationals Danny Espinosa and Yunel Escobar (each of whom was acquired via trade) as important role players in Los Angeles.
For the Halos, Revere appears to represent a solid value that solidifies an excellent outfield and adds flexibility for skipper Mike Scioscia. If he can return to being even a marginal offensive presence, Revere figures to represent at least a strong fourth outfielder who won’t cost quite as much as many similar players. While he carries neutral platoon splits, the left-handed-hitting Revere represents a natural platoon mate for Maybin and is plenty capable of spelling Trout at times up the middle.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Awesome buy-low option for us…as long as we didn’t throw him millions.
A career OPS+ of 83. Just another below average option for Arte.
You don’t have to rake in order to be a good player if you’re an elite base runner, never strike out, and can be a really good defensive corner outfielder + good enough in CF to be a passable back up.
Too bad the didn’t sign a player like you use described…
He is just horrible defensively and a career 320 OBA shows that, even while not striking out much, he doesn’t get on base much.
Does this mean they might finally trade Trout?
are you serious?
Yes, they need to trade Trout. Revere isn’t the best, but if they want to be successful they they need to do it.
While I don’t think they’ll ever trade Trout. He is very likely going to wast away for years on a non competitive Angles team. Way too many pitching injuries and questions marks along with the worst farm system in MLB and no extra budget to spend with them already being right at the luxury tax threshold.
Why does everyone keep saying that? This is a team taht was literally the best in the majors two years ago and if their rotation stays healthy and posts a league average WAR they are a playoff team. Its this popular narrative that is just emotioanlly reactive to the last year and the lack of names outside of trout.
Even Fangraphs has them being just behind the Astrons in the west and being the #1 wild card team.
fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings
Like on the flying Trouts at your own peril, but this team is also MUCH more balanced than last year.
They have about 20 million to spend right now and about $25 million after the 2017 season
Because of the “worst farm system” label and the fact that everyone wants Trout on their team and they want to delude themselves of that happening.
Farm systems are over rated, for every successful story like the Cubs there’s a Twins, A’s and Rays that have nothing to show. Then there’s the SF Giants whose farm system hasn’t been top ranked winning World Series left and right.
If the Angels were to trade Trout (which they won’t) they could do it when he’s one or two years removed from free agency he would be equally if not more valuable then.
And people forget the Cubs had something like the 4th highest payroll in MLB. They just happened to hit the jackpot with a young starting lineup panning out all at the same time, but it still took a starting rotation that had 4 arms that were over 30, and one that was 29, and a veteran bullpen.
Because “if there rotation stays healthy” is a long shot. And that’s why fangraphs projections are over rating them (read the chats, multiple fangraphs contributors have agreed that the projections are likely far too favorable on their rotation).
People are very “what have you done for me lately.”
The stars of the Giants came from their farm system, Posey, Madbum, Crawford, Panik. Same with Cubs, besides Rizzo and other veterans, but Bryant, Schwarber, Baez, Russell, Contreras. Dodgers: Kersh, Puig, Seager, Peterson, Urias, Ethier. I don’t think you understand what a farm system is, everyone (with the exception of a rare few) are a part of a farm system at one point.
Pluto to Earth …………..?????? Earth …. ????? Heeeellllllloooooo!?
Boy. Rethink what you just said.
…
Oh sure! Then the team that acquires him can gut their farm system and be in the same boat as the Angels are!
Yes but Trout will be a throw in when they trade Revere for somebody like Jay Bruce….
Good signing, his speed should play well for the Angels.
The Yankees are ready to trade for him (but I hope they don’t get him), that’s why they have been trading for a bunch of prospects.
I think they’re trading for prospects so that they have good prospects, not to try and trade for Trout. They can sign Machado or Harper in two years and keep their young core together.
They have been trading for prospects because the past few seasons their lineup consisted of old/expensive players and that got them nowhere, they’re trying to get younger and more athletic
And Hal wants to pocket as much as he possibly can. George wanted championships, Hal wants money.
Lol, nice
Yea man totally. Angels are going to trade Trout for a bucket of balls to your favorite team.
Decent!
Dont even care what the money is. This will be a good deal for LAA. No way he repeats last year. Nats will regret releasing Revere in my opinion. (Which made acquring Eaton happen, thus being even more regretful)
Hard luck by Nats with Revere and Ramos. Offseason would be significantly different if Revere performs and Ramos doesnt get hurt.
I feel like the Nets gave up a lot for just eaton! But, this is a great signing for my Angels. Eppler made some great moves this offseason, making the team look a little more competitive than before. I hope the Angels check into Tyson Ross although I know it is rather unlikely
Ross for a rotation spot on a 2 year deal, Valbuena for 3B on a 1 year deal, thus trading Yunel, Greg Holland, Neftali Feliz and Joe Smith for the pen all on a 1 year deal.
we need yunel more than valbuena i think. I wouldn’t mind holland and feliz, but keep in mind joe smith wants to be by his sick mom who lives east.
Valbuena would add versatility, defense (better than Yunel) another lefty bat in the lineup with some more pop than Yunel.. Trading Yunel can land the Angels a prospect (nothing high but some mediocre pitching prospect for depth) Everything would improve with Valbuena in the team over Yunel. I forgot about Smiths mom. Jerry Blevins can be a nice addition too and would be a much needed lefty in the pen although he is looking for a long term deal which I wouldn’t mind if he comes something like 3/13
I recall joe smith also saying he wanted to be on the Angels for the rest of his career but a team near his mom would also be a plus for him
I’ve been touting Valbuena as a replacement for Escobar, and marketing Escobar’s bat and cheap contract for a decent prospect. Valbuena brings versatility all over the diamond, pretty good D (hard to be worse that Escobar at 3B), and a LH bat.
who leads off if we trade yunel though?
Either Revere or Maybin
i don’t think that’d be as good as what we have now
Joe Smith is aging and has made a lot of appearances over the years and I think we’ve already seen it start to take a toll. I wouldn’t be counting on him to be a top setup man anymore, but that’s just my opinion.
If Halos were to sign Smith he would not be a setup man. He would be a 7th inning man. Feliz and Street hold the 8th and then Bedrock shuts it down. Smith would be in a less pressure situation and it would cut his innings thus keeping his arm fresh.
Dont regret acquiring Eaton. Hes really good.
Good sign, he will be productive hitting in front of Trout and Albert !
he’s not gonna be hitting in front of them when he plays
Are you sure he’s not a juicer though?
great move. last year we had a left field combo of baba and gentry and johnny G at second. Now we have maybin, espinosa and revere. I really like eppler
nava* not baba.
Instead of cheap bad player, now he just has expensive bad players.
expensive? didn’t realize 4 million was that much for revere. Maybin and espinosa are worth their contracts
pretty expensive 4th outfielder. flip candidate? or does Calhoun get moved?
4 million is not that expensive
$4M is roughly 1/2 a replacement player, which is the opposite of expensive. If Revere is able to provide a sense of his former self, the FBI will be all over Eppler for theft.
lmao
exactly
Without a doubt
Nope. It’s just a 1 yr contract. Same with Maybin.
Seems like an odd platoon, Maybin and Revere, but should add a lot of speed to the lineup if they play together. But having 3 cf’s is way better than having 0
It is an odd platooning cause both Maybin and Revere hit righties best. Who’s batting against lefties?
there’s no platoon. Maybin is the everyday left fielder, and eppler told jeff fletcher that after he signed revere
Yeah, I don’t know why everyone keeps getting this wrong. Maybin is going to play virtually every day in LF if healthy, or until he plays his way out of the lineup with ineffectiveness. (I think the health thing is the far greater worry.) Revere is going to be the 4th OF. At least, that’s the plan.
WOOOOOO! Nice move AGAIN by Billy! Keep it going Billy!
Any chance this creates enough depth for them to shop Calhoun? He’d be a nice fit in Toronto IMO.
For Sean Reid Foley, Vladdy Jr, and Jon Harris. I’d be down if Angels traded Kole for that
I don’t think so as both maybin and revere are on 1 year deals
Good signing. Revere brings a Howie Kendrick-like-quality the Angels have missed.
Calhoun is not going anywhere. They need his left handed bat
If they trade Calhoun, it has to be for pitching IMO. Either a solid already-established starter with some years of team control left, or for pitching prospects with legit upside.
Revere must not care about winning. You’d think he’d at least get more money from a contending team with an obvious need for an outfielder. He will be platooning with the Angels, that’s not ideal for a guy trying to build his stock for next offseason.
Revere cares about rebuilding value. A contending team cares about winning where Revere could be platooning or worse yet on the bench.
I don’t think he will be platooning with the Angels. However I also don’t see the Angels as a contending team.
revere is on the bench on the angels, who you call a non contender
Unless Trout can start pitching … I just don’t see it.
Their entire season hinges on whether or not Richards’ arm can actually hold up and if he can pitch like the potential ace that he is. If he can, they have a chance. If not, the rotation looks really thin. The offense should be pretty good, and I think the bullpen will be better, so even an average rotation after an excellent Richards could get them in play for 90 wins, which could make the postseason. But if he’s not healthy, I don’t see how they can contend.
Halos have not had much quality on their roster. I like the low cost moves Eppler is making. Revere while not high end represents a much better LF upgrade along with Maybin. Halos are far from a legit playoff team, but they will be competitive. Would like to see them do something at catcher. Weiters?
Weiters would be nice for 3/40 contract or less, but Boras is looking for way more.
i want nothing to do with weiters as an angel fan
^^^This. And Arte doesn’t deal with Boras anyway (so no Machado or Harper as FA, either).
Ben Revere is a useful player, and better than he was last year with the Nationals. But he’s not that extraordinary. This is going to be his fifth team in five years. There’s a reason for that–no one has ever found him so incredibly valuable that they just had to have him.
Every player who makes the Bigs is extraordinary! Not all of them are extra-extraordinary! I signed with Salinas in the early ’70’s and thought I was good. It took all of about a day and a half to see that I was no where near extraordinary. Went back to college and played fast – pitch softball in the LA leagues for 10 years. Had fun, still love ball and admire every one who lasts more than a year anywhere in professional baseball.
this was a good signing for the angels, now they should take a flyer on greg holland for the bullpen
Greg Holland and Neftali Feliz would be nice additions to the pen
Great pickup by the Angels.
is this the same haloshane that rips the angels on every article lol
I am just very blunt and honest. I apologize for that. I know at times it can come off wrong.
Lol
Orioles would have payed thateasily
Ben revere is a good fit. Finally a good outfielder off the bench. His speed on the bases will help too even when he doesn’t start
Why would you pick up a guy to hit righties when the guy you already has hits righties better than lefties?
I think they brought him on to run.. The Angels have been trying to run with guys who cant run for years — Espinosa, Maybin, now Revere can all run the bases well. They needed a pinch runner type for a long time and my guess is that is where we will see a lot of Ben Revere.
Actually they stopped running because Jerry Dipoto believes in a one dimensional, station to station offense with a lot of walks and homeruns, which goes against what has worked for the Angels offensively throughout their history. That approach was a big reason for the tug of war between Dipoto and Scioscia. In their ballpark, the Angels have to have an offense that is aggressive and is constantly moving runners. Billy Eppler is receptive to that and has even publicly stated how he’s studied those Angels teams that were making the playoffs year after year in the previous decade and has been trying to bring inter kinds of players they had at that time. This move would be an example of that.
Looks like the Angels actually have a bench this year.
Maldonado- the back up catcher
Pennington- Utility Infielder
Revere- 4th Outfielder
Now if everybody can avoid injury….
And Jefry marte who has shown power who can play 1B, 3B, and LF although in LF not very good
Revere will start over maybin. You gotta go with the better defender and hitter. At this point Cameron maybin is journeyman. He will be the next Milton Bradley. 11 teams in 10 years.
You mean the Cameron Maybin who is a better hitter and fielder than Ben Revere? Go away
Revere is a bad defensive player and Maybin is a slightly above average defender and a well above-average hitter.
Hope he can get a bunt down under pressure……
Good pickup.
The Angels are by no means a great team but they are a greatly improved team over last year.
Even though Mike Trout and Cole Calhoun are the only all-star quality players on the Angels, the team has enough options so that a decent team will be on the field if some players fail to perform better than last year.
Young players such as C.J. Cron, Jefry Marte, Deolis Guerra and Cam Bedrosia will continue to improve.
In addition to Albert Pujols, there is hope is that either one or both Huston Street or Andrew Bailey; Cameron Maybin or Ben Revere; Matt Shoemaker or Garrett Richards and Danny Espinosa or Yunel Escobar will improve their performance over last year.
“Greatly” is a stretch.
not really. Considering what the Angels had playing LF last year and 2nd base along with catching. The defense which was already a top 5 defense in baseball last year has improved this off season and offense improved as well with the additions of Maybin, Revere and even Espinosa.
Obviously this frees up Maybin to play center with Benny boy taking over LF. Thus letting Mike Trout assume a rotation spot and take on mascot duties because since he already carriers so much of the team on his back, what’s a few more pounds….
Jk though, no such things as a bad one year deal, makes a speedy OF even faster for Mr. Socia
Anaheim will trade him to a contender in July. By July/Jon Jay will be dfa. The cubs would be a great place for him to platoon him with Almora Jr.
Yeah as the offseason has gone along, I thought the Cubs would be a good fit for Revere.
Past seasons I thought so too. The Cubs have had interest in the past.
The thing about the Cubs lineup, and the signing of Jon Jay, they didn’t replace what Fowler brought to the Cubs, a true lead-off hitter. Revere, if healthy and regains form, he’s the perfect speedy lead off hitter for the current Chicago lineup.
Not to mention, 4mill is chump change in this market and for the deep pocket Cubs.
The only guy more worthless than Revere is Jon Jay. Jay getting $8M and Revere $4M. MLB now stands for the Medicore League of Baseball. All this platoon/specialty/sabre crap has turned this into a 4 hour snoozefest night in and night out.
Platoons have been utilized for over 100 years and were made famous by the Yankees during their dynasty in the 1940’s and 1950’s, long before sabermetrics were even invented. It’s a useful approach as long as you you’ve got the right mix.
That is a great signing for 4 million. I’m surprised he couldn’t get a bit more.
One of the worst players in MLB last season gets rewarded with 4 million dollars…. oh to be a baseball player.
You can’t be serious..
After several good seasons…. oh to be a fan sitting in an armchair.
I was kind of hoping that my Mets were the “mystery team” in talks with Revere. Especially for that price. I feel like a Lagares/Revere CF platoon would’ve been a nice (and cheap) solution to the CF situation. I guess they feel confident in Reyes’ abilities in CF.
Sure, Maybin/Revere isn’t Yoenis Cespedes. But it sure beats what we had last year. It was just dismal. Hopefully this year the duo can turn it around.
Astute signing. Low costwith the possibility of flipping him if the Angels are struggling in July. This is how teams in the Angels position get things turned around–fippables.
Phillies should try for Choi and drop Luis Garcia.let Choi compete with Nava as a lh bat off the bench that can sub for Joseph and Kendrick.especially with Gomez,Neris,Benoit,Neshek,Ramos & Gonzalez giving us plenty of rh relief options.
A cheaper and better option would have been to bring back Peter Bourjos.
The lefty bat was an important part of this
That would not be a better option. Sorry.
Bourjos is better as far as I’m concerned.
Based on what evaluation? Revere can at least hit and doesn’t waste his speed by parking it at 1B like Bourjos always has…
Both played parts of 7 seasons. Revere has a career OPS of .662. Career OPS+ of 83. WAR of 6.1. Defensive Runs Saved -24 in CF and -18 Overall in the Outfield.
Bourjos has a career OPS of .682. OPS+ of 89. WAR of 9.2. Defensive Runs Saved +37 in CF and +37 Overall.
Those evaluations.
Is Revere being signed as a bench option/spell the OF starters? Or will Revere and Maybin platoon?
I haven’t heard the Angels front office say for certain. But all the depth charts have Maybin as the everyday LF at this point.
I’d rather have a true platoon between Maybin and Revere.
Revere got signed so Trout could be traded for a bag of balls. C’mon man keep up.
eppler said that maybin is the everyday left fielder
All these moves made by the kakabrainiacs from the Angels front office suggests that a flip-flop may be on the works … I hope these idiots don’t end up trading Trout for “a bucket full of balls” …
There we go halos! Billy Epller adding some more depth to one of the best outfields in baseball.! We just need a couple of starting pitchers and we’re in the playoffs. I just love what Eppler has done. He added maybin and espinosa for practically nothing. we’ll see how chavez, maldanado and revere turn out, but so far things are looking good for the HALOS!!