LA Angels Wednesday News Crash: Upset Trout

Good morning Angels fans. Have some links.

Bad News

The undrafted free agents have been available since Sunday. The Angels have signed no one. They are not the only ones, but most teams have picked up at least one. These players can sign for a max of $20K.

Owners claim to lose 787 million dollars if there is an 82 game season. If only there was a way to prove that somehow…

Mike Trout has joined a bunch of players to call for Manfred to start the season already. You know you goofed up if Trout speaks up. Seriously: 1200 players.

And of those players, many rip into Manfred for doing a terrible job. Vote of no confidence in commissioner Manfred’s leadership. Too bad he answers to the owners.

The owners aren’t agreeing with each other. 6 (or maybe 8) owners do not want a season. Who wants to bet Arte is one of them?

Some players tested positive for COVID19. The MLB has used this to push for a shorter season.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that the MLB season window is shrinking due to the pandemic. October baseball is dangerous. That doesn’t bode well.

Good News

The KBO now has a drove in fan section. MLB should copy that immediately.

Pedro Martinez got elected into the Canadian Baseball HOF. For a team that isn’t there anymore but hey, that’s something!

$$The Athletic did a survey about the MLB broadcasters. Victor and Gubi finished 11th. $$ Not bad!

Anything else? Preferably good news? Post below for upvotes.

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GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

For many years l have said that the Commissioner of MLB, Rob Manfred was a liability to the sport. Manfred should be replaced this off season with someone from outside of MLB who respects the sport. Manfred from day one has tried his best to reinvent the sport and allowed the cost to the fans to become to high. As the last 15 plus years has shown the attendance and TV along with radio rating have suffered. The game has lasted 150 plus years because it has stayed consistent without making changes and and staying financially stable. Manfred will have to be replaced in order for MLB to move forward and grow new fans. IMHO

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
3 years ago

And that apparent agreement is now being dragged by players. So much for “just tell us when and where” …would be remarkable if they ended up blowing the PR win they got from Manfred shitting the bed just to go back on their own word as well. Good job everyone. Glad to be reminded everyone involved sucks.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Get ready to root for ties and flops….
comment image

matthiasstephan
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Seems like MLBPA was just denying reports that the deal was done (and that they had already agreed to waive the greivance). It is on the table, but not done yet (still talking about how many games?).

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1273333001959636999

https://twitter.com/MLByahoosports/status/1273340566286200833/photo/1

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

It will be really interesting to see if changes from 2020 become long term developments in the MLB. If we will have the DH in both leagues in 20/21 I will be surprised if they go back to pitchers becoming an auto-out in 2022. If a 60 game season is super exciting because games matter more, maybe baseball will do something wild like switch to a 140 game season with an even more expanded play off schedule?

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago

IF….if they play a 60 game season then Trout will probably only add 3 or 4 WAR in 2020.

That would push him past Jim Thome, Frank Thomas, Reggie Jackson, Johnny Bench, and Paul Molitor.

DiMaggio, Ryan, Rose, Carew will all have to wait until 2021….if there’s a league in 2021.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago

but then there’s that tweet over there on the side. See it? From the players: “Reports of an agreement are false”. Not “premature”. “False”.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

What happened to the when and where deal players?

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago

if there’s so little money to be made by owning a baseball team then why do people keep wanting to buy one? Why do the current owners not sell, since there are buyers out there?

You’d think the owners would realize this is a disaster for them, in a PR sense, and that the best way to get people’s minds off it would be to get the players out on the field again, ASAP.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago

1200 players is the equivalent of the entire 40 man roster of every team. Yes they want to play! Do those owners who don’t want a season realize the may lose money this year but the loss in fans may haunt them for years to come? Very short sighted.

Mas_Angeles
Member
3 years ago

Can someone school me on the undrafted free agents thing? What are the pros and cons of signing vs. passing? Is Arte just betting that no meaningful baseball will be played this year, and managing his cash flow — or is there something else going on?

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Mas_Angeles

Pros: Extra minors, guys who would have been drafted in potentially later rounds. The caveat is that they have to agree to sign with your team. With no monetary difference, they basically get to choose their team.

Cons: I guess…saving $20K per player? If you’re hurting for $20K per player, you should not be owning a Major League Baseball team.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

I would love to see us sign 30 UDFA pitchers, and there are college kids out there still that we can sign. But it’s true, they get to choose their team. I doubt the Angels are just “passing” on the whole idea, it doesn’t jive with the whole “build the farm” thing. Their draft picks weren’t “budget conscious” so I don’t get the feeling they are cheaping out at all. I have been surprised at how few total UDFA signings there have been in total thus far and that fewer than half the teams in the MLB have signed any. MAybe there are more signed that haven’t announced yet? Maybe there are a bunch of college kids wondering if it would be better to just graduate college than take 20K (and possibly get railroaded into a crap MiLB contract for 2021) now?

There are a lot of So Cal kids who play ball. The Angels can clearly make the case that there is a lot of opportunity for advancement in their system for pitchers. I can envision that at least a few college arms wouldn’t mind a fairly unobstructed shot at playing in So Cal with Trout in 2023. I seriously doubt Arte would avoid signing 5 college pitchers for 100K if he can. I’m not sure why so few players have signed UDFA agreements other than just thinking “Hey, I am a sixth or eighth round talent and I want more than 20K.” which makes sense, but I don’t see what their options are other than taking a year and then seeing if they can sign larger UDFA contracts next Spring?

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago

I agree. I don’t think Arte is being cheap. That’s why I think it’s more worrying that no kids have chosen the Angels so far.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Mas_Angeles

Cons: a little money now, but if you got talent

Pros: Go to a Junior College, you can go into the draft at anytime, and make what you deserve.

The draft this season was just to have something for the workers to do. To make it look to the owners that they were earning their pay. “Stadiums still closed” “Got it boss. We are working on it now, and we got some prepping to do. For the draft.” “Oh may minions all …”