Angels Links
Arte Moreno has acknowledged that he was the one that killed the Pederson deal. Here is Anthony Rendon’s take on the Astros cheating scandal. The Angels have signed left handed relief pitcher Ryan Buchter to a minor league deal.
Around Baseball
Rob Manfred is going to all the managers and warning them that beanballs will not be tolerated in 2020. Meanwhile, Rob Manfred raises the hackles on more than a few players by referring to the World Series trophy as a piece of metal. Supposedly getting under the luxury tax threshold was not the motivation behind the Mookie Betts/David Price trade. Yet another Astros cheater (Francis Martes) gets caught. Our old friend Collin Cowgill has signed a deal with the Mariners. This woman is nuts. Now she’s got a restraining order against her. Jay Jaffe is not a fan of the new roster rules. Tony Fernandez, former All Star shortstop, dies at 57.
https://twitter.com/NathanV95170803/status/1229823230304636929
do i remember correctly that you’re on the Big Island?
Oahu, but work on all of the Islands
one of my girls is at UH Hilo this year (when she’s not running over to the beaches on the Kona side) – big change from the desert.
Nice place, great campus. She learning about Star Stuff?
its a general education
Fried chicken at Cosmic Cones. Good stuff
He’s our Alex Caruso.
i haven’t seen anyone comment on the new spring training caps – anyone notice? I didn’t even know they were coming. its kind of cool and tricky – an A within an A
they’re growing on me – nothing crazy, but it is different
This is apparently the motif this year for ST caps: the logo within a logo. It got the Padres in trouble, when the result looked like a swastika imposed over the linked SD.
This is the back ground in that logo
[Imgur]
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Ah. Well, I knew they overlaid/underlaid something.
Recent pics from first position player workout yesterday and some video – tried to get one good pic from each starter
Ohtani has such a sweet swing.
Wish we had Stripling and Pederson, but we don’t. It is time for Adell and for Marsh also. Marsh is older than Trout was by 3 years and the kid has 4 tools, so bring it on. Hope that Adell starts the season out in RF. Maybe it will be Marsh, but that is a little tough but stranger things have happened. Got tix to April 4th home opener, my first ever Home Opener ever at the Big A. Poor Asscheats are in for the Booing.
Seems like Fletcher is going to play quite a bit of RF and platoon with Goodwin until Adell or Marsh is ready. My guess is after a month in AAA if Adell is crushing it, he will be called up to man RF. This will also buy an extra year on his service time which is going to end up being very valuable given Boras is his agent.
Marsh is the wild card. I love Marsh but I’d be shocked if he doesn’t get traded for pitching during the deadline. In a perfect world we have an outfield of Marsh-Trout-Adell at some point next season with Upton at 1B, but Marsh seems to be the odd man out here.
I’m on a roll here, as l think the Angels finnish first or second in the AL West in 2020. Our pitching is going to surprise the whole world. Our hitting is going to surprise everyone when all the runs start to pile up. This is our year to be the “Surprise” team in the beginning of a decade. Go Angels!
As a fan all l can say about this cheating scandal is the league needed to act swiftly and with harsh penalties. If addressed in ’17 when rumours were abound the sport would not be here now. Before making a move against player’s, dealing with the players should not be something to worry about, just think about how to defend the league against them or bring in the MLBPA into the fold of the issues that affects the “Game” and it’s integrity, It is not the Union’s job to protect the game, that belongs to the Commissioner’s office.Manfred and all his stupid ideas do nothing but disrespect the real game of Baseball such as a relief pitcher having to pitch to 3 batter’s or finnish an inning..
stripping the Astros of the title would have been smart and would have avoided what’s going to happen. It would have penalized the club rather than the players…yet the players would have been penalized in a way that the union wouldn’t be able to find anything specific to sue about.
I have written this should of happened many times here. (pulling the title from them) Without making this move it allows cheaters to win. L just do not understand why players do not have this same reaction to steroids? As far as player’s suing the league if their would have been suspensions, if l was Manfred l would say bring it on. Giving some player’s amnesty to arrive at the same evidence would have been smarter without announcing who those players were.
They had their parade and got their rings, stripping them of their title would have been a hollow and symbolic administrative move. The punishment seemed appropriate to me, if they wanted to escalate it they should have gone harder at the draft picks (zero picks for 2020, no first round picks for 5 years, etc) and/or make them ineligible for the postseason this year. Players will always look for an advantage, it’s the organization’s job to create an atmosphere where cheating isn’t tolerated. That safety valve failed on the Astros, so a draconian punishment to the organization serves as a future deterrent for other teams. Stripping titles hardly does that.
l’m aware that l am being redundant, but after coaching Baseball for 44 years and respect the game. l have never taught someone to cheat or to hit a batter with a pitch. I did teach the brushback by throwing inside at the waist. l will not ever feel good about the health of MLB or MiLB while Rob Manfred is at the helm. This man is clueless about managing the sport. Please Rob Manfred resign, please. Owners please hire someone from outside the game to manage this sport as a leader not a reactionary. Most owners have very little knowledge of the game and wanted a yes man such as dingaling Selig was. Fans didn’t know how good Bowie Kuhn was, he was a principled and strong and smart man. This is what is needed at this time in the sports history. The big word for MLB is INTEGRITY, and MLB has lost that with Manfred working the control panel here. When you lose Mike Trout you have just plain flat out lost all respect from fans and writers except Rosenthal, and the players of the sport. Please Rob Manfred resign, it is what is best for the sport.
Lucroy to the Red Sox on a minor league deal.
We have to laugh at Eppler’s dumpster diving for pitchers (Deck McGuire, for example) but it’s clear he does the same for position players. Lucroy was going to be a solution, our starting catcher! And now he’s signed by another organization that rightly has him pegged as a possible candidate to be a backup.
Rays (a team known for successful reclamation projects) just picked up two familiar names (McGuire and Pounders) on minor league deals. One difference is that they are not looking for them to do anything much. I think dumpster diving is a great idea for rounding out rosters when you already have a strong core that can fill out the key roles. The trouble with what Eppler was doing, I think, was that he was relying on the dumpster pieces to fill out the roles rather than good-if-they-work-and-no-pain-if-they-don’t pieces. Or, in other words, I don’t think Eppler is especially good at dumpster diving either.
Correa doubling down on his comments and slamming his accusers is laughable. He’s my lock for ass-hat of the year.
Somebody’s liable to spike him.
Something is not right. Arte admits he pulled the deal, but will not say why. This usually means either “I didn’t have a good reason,” or “the reason only seemed good to me, i.e. to protect my ego.” Otherwise, why not just say I did not like the prospects the Dodgers were asking for, without naming them so the prospects would not be upset that they might have been traded? I truly doubt that they will be able to find a better pitcher than Stripling by trade at this point, even at the trading deadline. The trade was almost a perfect fit for the Angels and it is very frustrating that it did not go through.
Arte mentioned in his 30 minute “State of the Angels” yesterday that his goal is to acquire a top of the line starting pitcher this season.
So let’s say the Angels are within 3 games of the division around the trade deadline and hold a spot in the wild card. It’s safe to say Arte and Co. are gonna go all in on a top starter. Here are the trade targets I am thinking could be possible:
If the Mets suck again, Noah Syndergaard could be a real target. He is under control until the 2021 season so his time is ticking unless the Mets plan on resigning him.
Marcus Stroman is another target if the Mets suck again. He would cost a lot cheaper since he would only be a rental. Stroman turns 29 in May so Eppler could very well trade for him and hope to extend him.
Jon Gray is primed to get traded if Nolan gets dealt away which at this point looks more and more likely as each day passes. Gray, like Syndegaard is under control until 2021. He is someone I would love to be able to trade for now as I think getting him out of Coors Field will do him wonders.
Matt Boyd has the most control with being locked in until 2022. He’s also the oldest out of all three I have mentioned by a year but has the most control. If he starts off the year strong he could net a big return for the Tigers.
Any of these guys will cost significant prospect capital. Marsh is almost a guarantee to be gone unless Eppler is able to work his magic if he deals for Stroman. It’s going to be a very interesting trade deadline for us if we are in contention. If there’s any targets I am missing please fill in!
You’re hoping on a “what if” situation the Angels are within 3 games of the division that we go out and get a top line pitcher?
Man, Arte really is a pied piper. You know what can help mitigate that “what if” situation is acquiring a top line pitcher pitcher BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS! Then you don’t have to hope about being within range as you’ve increased your chances of acquiring wins ahead of time.
Arte identifies his team needs a top of the line starting pitcher, but won’t give the green light until after the season has started? He’s a businessman. If he needs something pertinent to make his business far more successful, then he goes out and gets it immediately. The way he’s treating the Angels is that he’s already made his cash cow with the Fox Sports West deal and will give out campaign speech promises just to keep you hooked enough.
“We have enough talent to win, but if not, then we’re going to get that pitcher I promised to get going into the off-season later into the season if we have the chance.” – Arte’s thoughts streamlined.
Believe me I know all of that. And I’ve been pissed about Arte nixing the trade because he got his feelings hurt. His comments yesterday to me confirmed that. But what is dwelling on it going to do? This is the reality and yes all of this is “what if” situations. It was the entire purpose of the comment to stir up conversation.
Arte is not going to change his ways. There was hope that maybe he has learned to not meddle into negotiations but he proved once again that’s who he is for better or worse. So yeah I am hoping the Angels are in contention by the trade deadline and they go out and get a top of the rotation arm via trade. Will it happen? Who freaking knows but it’s fun to come up with possible situations.
Which of his comments yesterday confirmed that Arte killed the trade because his feelings were hurt? I missed that.
Will probably do the same as what we did in 1995 and 1998
Since we still have a lousy farm system without much tradable assets ( we’ll never be above 18th again ). In 95 we settled on Jim Abbott while the Yankees got David Cone and in 1998 we sat on our hands at the trading deadline and did nothing and watched Texas win the division.
Mets are gonna be good, so I don’t think Thor is going anywhere. Plus, once Adell gets mentioned it is a deal killer. Do you think they’d move him for Marsh ?
I do think the Mets are going to be good too. This could be the year they end up winning the NL East or make the Wild Card at least.
In the event they do suck, I think you can nab Stroman by giving up Marsh for sure although I would try to package lesser prospects like Adams and Rodriguez. Getting Thor would be tough. Asking price would be Adell for sure and I do think that is a deal breaker for Eppler. Maybe they bite at a package involving Marsh if they get desperate to move him but it will be costly.
Shoulda just signed wheeler, ryu or keuchel and saved the farm
what a novel concept
100% agree. I was hoping for Wheeler then when fell off the board I was all in on Keuchel. Not singing him IMO was inexcusable. He got a pretty fair contract. Ryu I get not wanting to commit 4/$80 million on because of how injury prone he is but the Angels should have been all over Keuchel at 3/$55.5 million.
Should have signed Cole while we were at it. And Hammels…. oh wait, now no, not him, but when he’s not hurt yes him. And Lance Lynn. But not Jeff Juden.
I have never been a fan of bean balls. But when the Manfred doesn’t do a single thing to cheating players, then the other players need to police it themselves. Somehow.
You can make your point throwing well behind a guy so he poops his pants but didn’t get hit.
Threats only go so far, sometimes you have to follow through to get your point across.
It’s going to be an interesting first two weeks of the season.
True. Can’t tell you how many fights I’ve seen won by missing the person you are trying to hit and then he puts his hands up and says “I see your point. I feel so punished. I feel bad now. Please stop.” then he goes off and is a model citizen.
While I agree there’s no need to throw bean balls, firing one under the chin is acceptable.
See, that’s a caveat that doesn’t work. It’s not the same as a hitting a guy, to begin with, and if all you are going to do is try to throw near a hitter regularly plenty of hitters are still gonna get hit because of screw ups. They should just hit the batter and make their point or not hit the batter…. trying to get cute with this stuff usually gives you all the problems and none of the solutions of just DOING the thing.
Why would you but an opposing team’s baserunner on by hitting him with a pitch? In the 60’s Drysdale and Gibson used to do it (HBP) and it would put fear into the opposing batter, but since then it just has not made sense taking a chance on having a pitcher tossed. imho.Now chin music accomplishes the same desired results……..
And nowadays chin music is just as liable to get you tossed, especially in a situation like this.
The Commish and Bean Balls. Well, the Commish made a deal with the Players Union for Full Immunity and thus now has to make sure the MLB does not get sued by the Players Union for normal retaliation due to the retribution coming the cheating Ass Hats way. The lawyers are running the sport.
Manfred, and his David Letterman gap toothed grin, is really looking like a complete buffoon in this whole ordeal. Tone deaf, calling the World Series trophy a “hunk of metal”, tweaking the rules for a goal that can’t be met, this cheating scandal and it’s fall out. Every time he opens his mouth MLB should have Darren Kavinoky of 1 800 N0 Cuffs stop him and tell him to just Shut the F*#@k Up. No wonder Arte voted against him for commissioner, he is a tone deaf, New York lawyer who is a marketing nightmare.
Major props to Arte for being the one owner with the guts to stand against the rest and vote against this guy. He is horrible for the game.
The players should start a fund to pay the fines of any pitcher who throws at the Asterisks.
https://kfan.iheart.com/content/2020-02-16-astros-managers-wants-mlb-to-protect-players-from-premeditated-retaliation/?mid=352996&rid=4307369&sc=email&pname=newsletter&cid=KFXN-FM&keyid=Local%20iHeart%20Daily%20(Sports)&campid=headline1_readmore
Dusty is getting things ready. He sure turned into the company man fast. You would think this talk could be more urgent to the GM. Lawyers are lining up, waiting for that first thump.
Shall We Start a Go Fund Me Page for Fans to contribute? I was thinking about this yesterday, fan funded fine offsets.
Nah, these guys have millions. They can take the hits. The fines will be like 25k at the most.
Tax write off, money goes to charity
What about this “beanballs will not be tolerated” crap. No duh! They weren’t tolerated last year. Obvious Commissioner is obvious.
Probably a lot of retaliation rumblings in the inner circles of baseball that extend beyond us knuckleheads spouting off our views from the outside. A lot of the implicated players are no longer with the Astros or Red Sox, so if people start head-hunting this could really flare up all over the league in the first couple months of the season.
Arte admitted it, but couldn’t / wouldn’t explain the reason why he blew it up. This smells like he didn’t like the unnamed prospects we were giving up. Does this mean Marsh was in play?
Regardless, he overrode his GM. This is not a good look for a franchise that has struggled over the past decade.
Nah, alls it means is Arte didn’t want to be a sideline event to the Dodgers, and Red Sox, deal. He didn’t spend all that moola to change the team name, and not be the headliner in everything.
Add in his quote of, “It wasn’t all impatience,” supports the idea that Arte really didn’t want to be the side dish. Impatience isn’t a factor in a baseball trade, but it is in the eyes of an owner. Did the Dodgers nix the deal to get Betts when the BoSux reneged on Graterol? Nope. They were patient because they wanted assets to help them win.
I’m sticking to the theory that the Dodgers came back with an increased demand for players in the Pederson trade plan from the framework both sides agreed to before the Red Sox blew everything up.
History has shown that Arte doesn’t go for renegotiations or changes in what he feels are agreements in principle. He’s not going to call out the Dodgers specifically because Friedman just got a new 5-year deal as President of Operations and you don’t burn a relationship in that way. But my read was that he thought the team had a deal, then the Red Sox threw a spanner in the works with the Betts/Price trade, and the Dodgers had to increase their demand from the Angels because of their increased demands from the Red Sox.
Arte really doesn’t have deep knowledge of the Angels farm system, and there were multiple reports that the Dodgers were not asking for any of the Angels’ top prospects. If they were, that would be a very simple thing for both Moreno and Eppler to say: “the prospect cost was too high”.
They didn’t say that. This seems like a combination of impatience and temperamental issues – like Moreno didn’t like the tenor of the conversation, or how communication was handled. Frankly, the amount coming back in trade would have justified a top five Angels prospect coming back in trade.
Thus my contention that I actually have no f***ing clue why the trade was nixed. And neither does anyone else. All I know now for sure is that it wasn’t just the waiting.
Arte was all butthurt that he was standing impatiently on the sidelines, waiting for the LAD and BOS to complete their trade, before his team could get involved. He had his pants on and he wanted to be a big boy.
Pulling out, he thought, would screw things up for all involved, but nopers.
source?
Oooof just a difficult few days to be a baseball fan. I want to be excited about Spring Training but between Manfred’s weak-ass reasons for not punishing players and ending the investigation and Arte’s meddling and admitting it was he who killed the deal, I’m feeling more uninspired about baseball than I have in a while.
Manfred needs to step down and quickly. The sooner the better. Hopefully this will happen and a commissioner with some guts will be appointed.
As for Arte – I was concerned that the team’s performance over the last few seasons had weakened Eppler inArte’s eyes. I guess we now have confirmation of that. Arte has no business playing at GM.
I am just not in the right mindset for baseball.