LA Angels Weekend News Crash: 49 Days

7 weeks from today there is a full slate of Cactus League games scheduled, including the Angels opener. 49 days. Tick, tock.

What is left to do? Sign free agents, make trades, and finalize the coaching staff. And then there’s a minor league squad that needs to be filled.

You’d think with 30 MLB teams needing to accomplish so much and with players in jeopardy of missing preparation time and money there would be round the clock negotiations to end the lockout.

Nah. Neither side is pushing for meetings and none are scheduled for a few weeks. As Jeff Passan tweeted, what the F are we doing?

Media outlets are reporting talks are about to get serious but there’s a lot to be done. We’re talking about the core economics of the game, not some changes around the fringe.

This is a failure of leadership by both parties. With good faith negotiations over the last couple of years, we’d have a CBA in place.

I’m not booking my Spring Training trip. But I think I’ll be making a trip out there in late March after the season starts two weeks late.

Plenty of places are wondering if the season will start on time. The Athletic pegs the odds of that at 85%.

In actual news, the Angels have hired Phil Nevin and Bill Haselman for the coaching staff. Benji Gil will return and Adam Eaton should be next after the lockout is lifted.

I might have a few extra bucks to spend each month now that the New York Times has purchased The Athletic. Overall I like the quality of work at the NYT but let’s see if it turns into another East Coast centric sports blog.

Enough of the doom and gloom, though. This is the time of year when I really look forward to the blue skies, freshly cut grass, and sunshine of some day baseball in Tempe.

Here’s a great find on YouTube, the Angels ’62; a documentary on the 1962 Angels. Notice the team playing in Chavez Ravine and all the day games. I also love the uniforms and the letterman’s sweater look of the broadcasters.

No long form reading. Watch that documentary with your morning coffee. Bonus points for any stories of this team or the players on it in the comments.

And here’s a great debate courtesy of FanGraphs: Did Bobby Abreu have a better MLB career than Ichiro Suzuki? The numbers say it is actually pretty close.

Enjoy your weekend and please link anything I missed below.

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Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Confirmed:

https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1480359976665182214?s=20

Angels have his contract for two more seasons

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

He’s on the restricted list . If He formally notifies the league of his desire to return to MLB after the lockout, the Angels would have to make room on their 40 man roster before the start of spring training .unless the Angels waive him . This will require another roster move

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

We’ll see what happens. Hope he’s able to make it back, even if we elect to move him or something.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

I’ll be rooting for him

matthiasstephan
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

He has an option, right? Does that mean we could stash him in AAA until he is back to form? Does he need to be on the 40-man right now?

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago

I would think once he signs the prerequisite paper work and shows up for spring training he has to be on the 40 man roster unless the Angels try to sneak him through waivers.

But his 2 remaining minor league options ( according to roster resource) should be in tact.

2002heaven
Super Member
3 years ago

On July 1, 2021 both the Angels and Braves had the exact same won loss record!
39-41 .488……..Baseball Reference
 😠  💩 

Last edited 3 years ago by 2002heaven
Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

So Perry built a team that was keeping pace with the Champs until we were devastated by injuries?

And without a big fancy name as PoBO?

Say it ain’t so, Joe.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

In Perry We Trust!

max
Trusted Member
max
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

acronyms are the new nameless photos

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  max

Can’t even say PoBO without wanting a Po’ Boy

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Actually Perry helped build the Champs too.

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Shit, that’s a very good point!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Cowboy26

WRONG! I have checked with several fat old men on the internet with very strong opinions and they all agree that their research shows that PTP had nothing to do with building the current Blue Jays or Braves. The only skill he had in either front office was loading toner into the copy machine. That’s why Arte hired him, so it would LOOK like there’s a GM who is LOOKING like he’s trying to build the farm and stabilize the MLB club while really Arte is controlling all the efforts and all those efforts are not efforts. The only effort allowed is to look like there is effort because he HAS TO fool the fans or he won’t be elected home coming king. But I’m on to him, that sneaky bastard!

Please subscribe to my news letter and I will tell you all about it every day.

httpeee//:tootytwoswallowsthetoothpastefoam/newsletter/allpicturesnowords

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Hey Toots, your comments (once again) are meaningless Had the Angels rebounded and finished with a similar record as the Braves , ( 88-64) they still would have been Eliminated from the playoffs. Obviously the Braves benefitted greatly from playing in a weak division .

So I guess it’s back to the bathroom stall for you

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

Find and read Bob Nightengale’s article from USA Today about his predictions concerning
MLB. A great read.

I really dislike the idea of advertising being placed on uniforms, scraping the bottom of the barrel for more revenue imho.

Correa probably going to be a MFY and the lockout. Attendance in 2021 down by 40% from 2019. I will predict it will drop by over 50% in 2022. Beginning of the end of MLB? Nope. If Covid is drastically cut down by vaccine it will slowly reverse course and start to climb back slowly.

Advertising on uniforms….Geez that is so poor of an idea that only no class companies will go with it and I hope the fans strike against the businesses that use it. Let’s see how does Fruit of the Loom look sewed on the crouch, or Depends on the butt cheeks, or a deodorant on the under arm. Tide on the Giants or Tigers uni because it would be a color match. Hair for Men on the back of the cap? What will they think of next, to screw up Baseball? While it all rings of being despite for money, and it is, it is just dumb.

Would like to hear what you think of what’s going to happen in the next 5 weeks in the fight between the Owners and Players.

Last weekend of the reg. season in the NFL today and then the playoffs.

GPB out.

2002heaven
Super Member
3 years ago

comment image
teams with POBO’s win and succeed in the MLB draft……..2020 WSC LAD Andrew Friedman, 2019 WSC WAS Nat’s Mike Rizzo, 2018 WSC BOS Dave Dombrowski, 2017 Never mind——
2016 WSC CHIC Theo Epstein……See a pattern yet? But hey the 2017 Houston Cheaters cheated so that’s our excuse not to have a POBO Que No?  😡  😠 

Last edited 3 years ago by 2002heaven
Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Have you considered becoming a fan of one of those teams so that you can learn to enjoy life again?

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago

If anyone wants to see how terrible baseball uniforms look plastered in ads. Turn on Winter League on Fox Sports 2

max
Trusted Member
max
3 years ago

Who is the picture of, at the top of the article?

WallyChuckChili
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  max

Just an old ad from a Colgate commercial

Guest
Newbie
3 years ago
Reply to  max

That’s Bill Rigney. He was the manager of the Giants when they moved to California. He was fired by SFG halfway through the 1960 season, even though they were in second place at the time. He then became the Angels’ first manager, a job he held from 1961 through May of 1969. He won the Sporting News’ Manager of the Year award in 1962, forty years before the next Angel skipper (Scioscia in 2002) would win the award. In 1970, he was the manager of the Twins and led them to first place in the AL West.

tommyshalo
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to 

You’re really the historian, wow.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I talked to a union arbitrator yesterday at work about baseball. He’s a Dodgers fan, but I let it slide to get his opinion.

His take was that both sides are going to be VERY aware of the dangers of a prolonged work stoppage. They will act like they aren’t scared but both sides will be, 2020 was a disaster, 2021 was not great either, baseball is boring, etc.Both sides know they can’t really screw around.

I asked specifically about how they don’t seem in a hurry to meet. He said that could be stupidity but it’s more likely that both sides have a pretty good idea of what they will agree to and what the other side will agree to. They have had years to watch this conflict develop and, while it seems like they just ignored it, there were almost certainly brains on both sides figuring out the “Good, Better, Best” for this thing and the two sides will likely whittle this stuff down pretty fast when they finally do meet. In short, both sides have a pretty good idea of how the final deal will look so they aren’t desperate to meet just yet.

He said they will probably do some backroom stuff. Then meet for a “Big Showdown”. If one side or the other needs to look extra tough that showdown may fail. After both sides feel they have postured enough they will settle for a deal that’s 80% decided right now. This deal will mysteriously be signed with just enough time for all the GMs to make a bunch of the moves they have not been working on since December before ST starts. This is because both the FA players and GMs have already figured out their moves and trades, all that’s left is a big pile of phone calls.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
3 years ago

Fingers crossed (and sounds perfectly reasonable)

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago

Just a big game of chicken. Neither side will believe the other is putting forward it’s best offer until major time pressure is imposed.

Jim Atkins
Super Member
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jim Atkins

Stupid Billy….. Beane.

2002heaven
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Jim Atkins

Billy Beane/Brad Pitt was right……..MLB field managers don’t matter.
Front Offices, GM’s, POBO’s, Farm System directors DO!!!
 💪  💪  💪  👈 

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

So under that logic the A’ss should shitcan Billy Beane/Brad Pitt because he’s never won dick in 23 years?

2002heaven
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Peter O’Toole and Brad Pitt never won a Academy Award either………
Got go to the toilet!!!

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago

The thing that is going unmentioned is that the owners and players literally hate each other and there is extreme distrust and resentment. It’s the functional equivalent of a divorce. Both sides believe that the future of the game as they want it is at stake.

This is not an ordinary negotiation between the players Union and the owners. For almost a decade the players have been fed a narrative from agents like Boras and the Union-heads that owners are hiding income and colluding against them. This has generated a lot of resentment in a group of 20 and 30 year olds most of whom were not born or were very young in 1994. Their solidarity is strong and they are extremely anti-owner.

The Owners are now mostly mega-billionaires with giant egos who believe they can do whatever they want in their own businesses. They resent the agents and the Union. For now, their solidarity is at its highest point in decades.

Under such circumstances, negotiation are not friendly. They are angry with both sides convinced the other are liars, cheats and greedy individuals. I expect them to start up and then one side or the other will walk out asserting the parties are just too far apart.

The real losers in this are the young players who will have to find another source of income to support themselves and their families and the fans. The young players have bought into the narrative that this is necessary for their future and the future generations of players.

As I have said, until both sides really feel pain and are willing to negotiate in good faith with their perceived enemy, this is going nowhere. The real question is when will they get to that pain threshold?

In my mind, the pain threshold will not be reached until regular season games are missed. It may take a month or more of missed games and revenue, and angry fans, for these folks to come to their senses.

There is a chance that the anger these spoiled people have towards each other will cause a lost season. I certainly hope their long game realizes the harm that would cause. But 1994 was a long time ago….in a galaxy far, far away.

Last edited 3 years ago by Fansince1971
Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Agreed. It’s like the Civil War. Both sides are locked into their belief that their viewpoints are righteous and are ready to ‘die’ for their cause. They are being riled up. Both are not looking at the harm that war does.

I think we should have t-shirts made saying:

WAR not War

Last edited 3 years ago by Fansince1971
Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I just hope we don’t need a Thanos level threat to bring them back together.

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Decapitation of the owners. Problem solved.

2002heaven
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Nice sarcasm there……good gawd.
Polonium-210 in your pepper shaker?

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago

COVID/lockout drama has killed the new season vibes for three consecutive seasons now.

All we want is a normal season! Ahhhhhhh.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

You’d think that wouldn’t be too much to ask.

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Jessica DeLine

Just looking at another partial season of Trout’s prime.

I’m totally fine. TOTALLY FINE WITH IT.

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Mia – that is the real downside. I’m considering writing a Fanpost about what the all time greats did during their age 28-30 seasons in terms of games played and numbers and compare them to Trout’ Covid and injury shortened seasons. My preliminary research is that it’s not a pretty comparison and will get much worse with a restricted number of games in 2022.

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I’ll read that post the same way I watch scary movies.

Peeking out from behind a pillow.

Jessica DeLine
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Do it!

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Jeff – this is what happens when the narrative turns to anger and resentment. I have seen it in my clients throughout my career. They want the other side to feel pain. We all know that is not how things get settled- but when you’ve been riled up and prepared for war (believing your side is righteous) anger flows and discussions are pointless.

These days, anger and resentment flow faster than in the past. It is fueled by social media. Since people are generally angrier, an anger narrative and paranoia are easier to sell. I see it daily in my law practice.

All of this is to say, this sucks but it’s predictable. We are likely in for a long, drawn out, painful and UNNECESSARY war.

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I guess our mistake was letting the whims of billionaires and millionaires have so much influence over our happiness. Haha.

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Exactly! That’s on us.

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Yes – they definitely take fan loyalty and commitment for granted

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

benoit.wav – Benoit Benjamin: “I don’t give a sh*t about the fans.”

Simba
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

He didn’t give a shit about playing basketball either. Laziest player I’ve ever seen.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Simba

I don’t know about that. Joe Barely Cares was right up there too.

Simba
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Hah, both made this list.

https://www.complex.com/sports/2014/02/laziest-players-in-nba-history/joe-barry-carroll

I had season tickets to the Clips during the Benoit Benjamin era, so I saw a fair amount of BB.

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

If the season doesn’t start on time I guess we just gotta eat the rich. Or feed a few to some lions until the rest get the message.

Born_in_59
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Can we make nominations on who to feed to the lions first?

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Born_in_59

Is there any other possible nomination besides ManBearFred?

Mia
Legend
Mia
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Best way to keep the new commissioner in line!

You don’t want to end up like your predecessor!

steelgolf
Legend
3 years ago

As I remember, old Bobby Abreu led The Angels in stolen bases a couple of years that he was on the team.