Great! The League is seeking a shorter lead time for the process of unilaterally implementing rule changes. The cancellation of spring training games now extends through March 7. I reckon we could have figured that much out ourselves. Jon Heyman thought a deal was close, but by mid-day Sunday a lot of people on the players side said that was false. So what is it? Deal or no deal? There was quite a bit of hostility in the Saturday meetings.
Angels Links
Only Reid Detmers made the Fangraphs list of Top 100 Prospects in 2022. Unless we have one hell of an amateur draft this year, after Detmers becomes full time MLB the pundits will regard the Angels as having diddly squat.
Here is the list of Angels 2022 Player Development Staff if you want to know who to complain about. There is still no word about finalization of the major league coaching staff. We mainly seem to be missing the third base and first base coaches.
The poll about who goes on the Angels Mount Rushmore of Stupidity will continue until Friday.
Other Links
Multiple teams are closing their spring training facilities to opposing team scouts. This is apparently about the Rule 5 draft which might not happen anyway.
The Dodgers and Dave Roberts are discussing an extension.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is a little bit behind the times in terms of recognition of the achievements of all black teams from the past.
Outfielder Oswaldo Arcia signed with the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association while infielder Darnell Sweeney signed with the Kansas City Monarchs, also of the American Association. Arcia, at least, is hoping to work his way back to affiliated baseball.
Felix Pena got a minor league deal with the Mets. Billy Eppler must love that guy. Meanwhile the Mets also hired Elizabeth Benn to be their Director of Major League Operations.
KinaTrax is hiring for several positions. Hey! In the Stringer/Operator position you can get paid to watch baseball and work remotely.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
This is big https://mobile.twitter.com/bnightengale/status/1498519584684617728
Yep. They are starting to pull it together. That’s good.
Hoping to wake up to a deal!
Or will you take what’s behind curtain No. 1?
https://youtu.be/iBdjqtR2iK4
Why do you build me up….?
Looks like it’s time to follow my local minor league team, the Frisco Roughriders!
Rough Riders General Manager and President is Victor Rojas !!!! I wish him success, and hopefully he is able to turn this job into a future MLB GM job.
I didn’t know that. Even more reason to support them
Yes. And I’ll be back there visiting family and Vic sometime this Spring. I’ve heard great things about the Frisco ballpark.
I’ve been there a few times. It’s a blast. I still need to go in the lazy river.
It is sickening what has happened to MLB. I am sick of hearing about the Skaggs issue as well. I long for the days of Gene Autry.
I like the idea that PTP had in last year’s draft, pitching is tougher to find now more than ever because of the lack of playing time at the prep and college levels.
Until September we were without Trouty and Rendon and had a no show LFer and Perry found decent replacements. I am looking forward to what he does next. His toughest challenge will be at SS and one more very good starter.
Baseball Digest places us ahead of the A’s and behind Texas. That will change when Seager or Siemens fall apart.
While I’d love a higher farm ranking, for the most part Perry has what the MLB squad really needs in the near future:
Luke Murphy is a stud who should be a key part of our bullpen as soon as August.
Bachman and Bush have the potential to move quickly with one or both possible for bullpen roles in 22 or 23. I’d prefer them as starters, but Tampa often breaks guys in this way.
Closers from Miss. and Florida were drafted last year too.
Odd not to have any position players. But this draft should truly be about best players not positions.
We are also graduating Adell and Marsh and I think Vera, Jackson and Paris could crack the 100 this year along with Bush/Bachman. And yes, we could have most of a bullpen built this/next year of guys who never sniffed the top 200.
Crazy how quickly we flipped from all outfielders and no arms to the other way around. Don’t forget our 12th round pick Mason Albright carried a third round grade and could sneak onto lists next year.
As far as the bullpen hopefuls go:
Luke Murphy – best closer in the SEC
Andrew Peters – great multi inning reliever in the SEC
Jake Smith both started and relieved in Miami
And then there are long relief/swingman types like Davis Daniel, Janson Junk, etc.
I realize none of these guys are truly sexy names on the farm (although I have a prospect crush on Murphy) but for a team that has been handing out millions of dollars for back end arms and rebound relievers, they could be a godsend.
I’ve been a big proponent of building through the farm rather than free agency. When we need, say, 5 guys it’s easier to figure out who the 5 best minor leaguers are (assuming we have talented pitchers there) than to sign 1 or 2 free agents who may or may not pan out, leaving 3 holes in the staff. Because 1 or 2 free agents of any value are all we can afford.
Agreed. Nothing bad happens from having a stocked farm system.
The problem during the Trout Era has been the MLB club needing to plug multiple holes each year in free agency, particularly on the pitching side.
Given limited resources, the club has had to skimp on the quality of free agents due to the quantity needed.
I think we might be turning a corner in that regard, where we have guys like Sandoval and Suarez replacing guys like Quintana and Teheran. Fewer holes (and more upside) means Perry can spend money on higher quality free agents.
Our only World Series Championship was built with only one major free agent.(Aaron Sele) Unfortunately the “building through your farm system” approach takes patience and competency. Neither trait that this organization has exhibited for many years now.
I don’t know who most of those player development people are, thus they are all stupid and were the cheapest people to hire available. Our entire development department should just be Troy Percival and Darrin Erstad. Oh, and like six guys from CtPG who will solve the whole shifting problem by explaining that bunting is a thing. They will also probably solve the whole problem we have with pitcher’s arms getting injured by having them drink Ovaltine too. Grit will be pumped. Championishness will shine.
Jesh, don’t you think the real truth is that Nestle Quick makes you faster too?
The whole team will wear PF Flyers.
And Mike needs to share
Yeah, Doc!
https://www.yahoo.com/news/derek-jeter-steps-down-miami-160650852.html
Holy Saint Jeter given a gift basket!
Didn’t see this one coming. Thought his vision with the team was doing fine, but the
Owner calls the shots and Derek probably objected to being interfered with by some pencil neck geek. Owners know more about the game than players do, SMFH.
Allowing MLB a shorter time to unilaterally implement rule changes is a really bad idea. That walking clown show, known as Manfred, would be given free reign to try out his imbecilic ideas, like the man on 2nd to start extra innings, anytime during the season. You just can’t give a moron that kind of power.
I’m a very disgruntled fan. I’m not sure I’ll recover from this. Baseball takes a large commitment of time. Maybe I won’t be willing to commit that much time. Lockouts/strikes are never good for fans but after two years of Covid, this was the worst possible time.
Lana – I hear you. Even if they are able to get it resolved, the actions of these folks makes it clear they don’t care one lick about the fans. It’s all lip service. To do this to good folks whose nerves and lives have been frazzled for 2 years during the pandemic is untoward. As I have mentioned, I am not renewing my 4 season seats which I have had since the 90’s.
IKR? I mean, I get what the owners are thinking, but the sport itself was reeling anyways from COVID…
Likely we have the worst ranked system next year but Bachman and Bush having good years and Paris taking a step forward would probably keep some Angels on these lists. And yeah, our 2022 1st round pick probably as well
Good morning, wonderful day coming up.
Hope Felix Pena has some success in NYC.
John Heyman never can get it right. This Lockout/Strike (Yes Strike, Players would have had a strike if there was no Lockout). Can MLB survive 3 screwed up seasons in a row? Seems like the 2 sides are still far apart on many issues, but the Owners hold the trump card, and they are dumber than a box of rocks, imho.
The Angels Mount Rushmore of Stupidly is some funny stuff.
We should have a contest to see who can guess the date for an Opening Day.
Mike Trout will have some low career numbers at this rate of pace, kind of sad in a big way, but at least he is not reporting any injuries currently.
BTW I am thinking June 1st and 120 game season. Neither side will win and again the fans will pay the freight.
Players seem to want to give in some but the Owners are at the point of “Our way or the Highway” so do the players give in even more and still be told no way Jose?
The more the Players cave in the harder it will get anything more from the Owners. The Owners are just in this for some quick turn of dollars, not the long haul of making Baseball great again.
I’ll take the under.
Yah. Originally I thought the players were trying a little too hard to flex while at least the owners were throwing ideas out there. Now the players have come down to fairly realistic demands in a few areas but the owners are picking low hills to die on. Lame.