The Angels hired several new coaches yesterday. Marcus Thames will be hitting coach and Phil Plantier will be assistant hitting coach. Bill Hezel replaces Dom Chiti as assistant pitching coach. If you can believe Perry Minasian, the Angels will not trade Shohei Ohtani this off season.
Options
The Phillies exercised their club option on Aaron Nola. Jurickson Profar and Robert Suarez opted out of their contracts while the Padres declined their club option on Wil Myers. Andrew Chafin declined his player option with the Tigers. Xander Bogaerts opted out of his contract with the Red Sox. The Yankees exercised their club option on Luis Severino. Carlos Correa opted out of his contract with the Twins. For their part, the Twins declined their options on Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, and Miguel Sano.
The Diamondbacks declined their end of a mutual option they had with Zach Davies. Both Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker opted out of their contracts with the Mets. Zach Eflin declined his mutual option with the Phillies. The Red Sox will decline their part of the mutual option with Tommy Pham. The White Sox exercised Tim Anderson’s team option but declined their team option on Josh Harrison.
Free Agents
Here is the Fangraphs list of the top 50 Free Agents.
The Orix Buffaloes may post left handed hitting outfielder Masataka Yoshida who is said to be seeking a move to the United States.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
For those interested:
Jared Hughes
@locatejared
·
17h
The Angels are seeking an Analyst with a focus on pitching to join our Baseball Ops Department.
This position will support the Baseball Ops group’s efforts to analyze and provide pitching data, statistics and other pitching-related information.
https://www.teamworkonline.com/baseball-jobs/los-angeles-angels-jobs/los-angeles-angels/angels-baseball-full-time-baseball-operations-pitching-analyst-2026892
i remember this pitch while watching the D-backs back in the day and so ever since, Marcus Thames has had my respect.
He hammers a homer on the very first pitch he saw in the MLB.
Off Randy Johnson.
What a great year to debut in the MLB
What I’ve learned about CtPG guy this off season so far…..
Apparently he thinks there’s a GM or POBOEIEIO out there that makes decisions independent of or even counter to the wishes of the teams owner when it comes to huge star players. Because these true mavericks exist, but PTP is obviously announcing ownership’s decision to not shop Shohei like a pussy, even if that’s actually what CtPG guy wants, PTP is an idiot.
Not CtPG guy.
Also, CtPG guy got what he wants and Arte is selling. But apparently CtPG guy has seen selling owners go “all in” to increase the teams value and win a championish. When? Don’t know. How adding payroll bloat in the off chance we win adds value? Also don’t know. Why CtPG guy is getting himself all set to complain until April because the FO doesn’t seem to be investing heavily in a team they will not own soon when this is the situation so many of us have been asking for #mustwinseason? Extra also don’t know. Why CtPG Guy is already loosening his throat so he can loudly declare that this winters moves are stop gap, not committed to winning, and don’t move the needle but also wants to sign Ohtani for well over 30M a year for the next ten years? No clue.
CtPG Guy. It’s like having a batshit crazy girlfriend who can also open her own jar of mayo. Can’t wait for more stupidity followed by lame as f*** excuses like “yer gno FAN is short for FANATIC durr durr dee durr….” like that makes stupid into smart or adds value to mentally lazy opinions.
Plus the Steelers suck ass.
It’s gonna be a long cold winter.
People often don’t see reality until it hits them in the face. They continue to believe statements like ‘this off season will not be any different’ and buy into the PR of this feeble Org which is trying to sell season tickets. Suckers are born every day and Arte and his merry marketing men are modern versions of the confidence men in the Wild West selling tonics that cure your rheumatism.
This Org wants nothing more than its fan’s money – invested on the unsubstantiated dream that this off-season will see big FAs coming to Anaheim and a big budget to make a run at the playoffs.
My opinion is that once the stadium deal went sideways, Arte disinvested himself mentally from the team and his only interest is selling the team for the highest price possible. This carries with it a need for a certain number of season ticket commitments. Anything the team announces at this point is focused on that strategy – ie commit your $$ so Arte can make a fortune on the sale.
It’s a confidence game – do you really want to play? My advice is to not invest time or money in this team until the new ownership picture comes clear.
Sooooo, we’re signing FAs this winter so Arte can sell tickets?
I thought I am angry because Arte won’t sign free agents this winter because he is selling and is too stupid to realize how much money he will make by going all in as he goes out the door.
Will someone please tell me why I am angry at Arte?
I don’t think I said that….
I think I said that the merry marketing department that is the Angels Org cannot be trusted anymore. They will say anything at this point to get fans to spend money (for example season tickets) and increase the sale value of the franchise.
My main point was nothing that is said or put forward by the Org is meaningful until the day the new ownership comes in. Until then everything is directed at selling the franchise at the highest possible number.
And no, that does not include FA signings because that’s on the liability side of the ledger which lowers the value of the franchise.
What it does mean is letting the fan base think Ohtani is staying to sell 2023 season tickets.
connivers should never be believed!!!
 💪  💪  💪 
So we should not believe anything you post. Got it.
So you’re hitting sucks, making it completely natural for Minasian to look to the fired hitting coach of the Miami Marlins for improvement. That’s a real Mensa move, Minasian.
I am certain he was the least expensive option that Minasian could still justify. The writing is on the wall with this franchise. Minasian is just following orders. Honestly it’s a bummer. I’ve never been less excited for an off-season other than to learn who is buying the team.
His career stats: average .246, OBP .309, SLG .485. He hit 115 HRs.
I’d take that OPS from our left fielder in a heartbeat.
He did have multiple seasons above 100 OPS+
Yeah… I was like, that doesn’t tell me anything accept he was a pretty good hitter? So….. huh?
Can he teach hitting or recognize flaws in swings and fix them? I guess we will see unless the new ow we comes in and fires everyone.
we’ll find out. But based upon our recent history, I’m skeptical.
NewOwnerz may do that but is far more likely to clean house after the season is over than in June or when ever the sale actually happens.
Man. I am really hoping this “No Sell Ohtani!” grunt is linked to Arte already gelling with a likely buyer who is adding input.
Perry needs to keep his CV up to date.
Thing is, I think PTP is actually pretty smart/good as well as proactive and creative. He just has to work with some limitations and pretty bad injury luck. But I fully expect him to get fired, hire on someplace else, come back, and kick us in the dick. I was actually thinking “Please baby Jesus, not the Rangers…” just last night.
Is PTP smart?
We’re entering year 3 and the percentage of his successes in trades, free agent signings and dumpster diving has left alot to be desired.
We’ll see. He’s pretty much been told “build us depth…. but also pay Trout, Rendon, Pujols, Upton, etc etc. Oh, and half the guys you do have will be hurt, sorry.” I think his farm’s gonna produce some cabbages soon and things will look a lot different when he gets a roster with normal injury problems. Most of his “bad moves” are bad in retrospect and 20/20 hindsight is lame. If he made most of the same moves he’s made year in and year out under normal conditions the team he fronts will likely be pretty good.
I still like Perry. By his own admission he neglected the infield depth, but I liked how he built the bullpen even if Tepera and Loup turned out to be busts – at the time of the signings, everyone rejoiced, because the two were some of the best arms available (together with Bradley), plus re-signing Iglesias without breaking bank.
I thought he could have done better than Syndegaard and Lorenzen, but it was ok. They weren’t world-beaters, but they weren’t outright horrible either. Sandy, Detmers and Suarez emerging really helped out the starting pitching. Tucker and Touki may still develop into something serviceable.
The injuries weren’t his fault, but the lack of depth can be pointed to him.
And I think Marsh for O’Hoppe was one of the best underrated moves at the deadline.
That’s OK 80%er nation thought Hansel Robles was pure gold that we found in a dumpster……..until George Springer said hello back in the 2020 covid season. SHHHHHHH never invest all your eggs on a set up guy who are like NFL place kickers and can miss the broadside of a aircraft carrier the following season.
Ha ha. I thought the same thing when I saw this move.
I just hope that Thames is on board with emphasizing making contact and excelling in situational hitting.
This feels like another one of those unexcited, uninspired, lowball moves that show me that he is Arturo’s yes man, without any ability to lead. I look forward to anew front office when the new owner tales over.
You’re gonna be so upset when it turns out that the new owners also actually own the team and has a hand in most of the major decisions.
And yet, he’s still so much smarter, baseball savvy and successful than you. It’s just wild.
No snow just yet at the La Casa. It’s coming I’m told though.
Just checking in from Big Bear Lake 🎅 
Good morning, appears Albert Hammond missed with “It never rains in Southern California”. I think the Angels have just proved how to be caught in the rain without an umbrella and are all wet. Why tell everyone that no matter what they offer you that you won’t trade the most entertaining player ever. Ohhhhh, I get it now, that is just a ploy, so season tix still sell. 🙃 
Do you like Pina Coladas?
That’s a different song.
Duh . Its not like I don’t have half a brain
Then why did you use that reference in response to “It Never Rains in Southern California” ?
I mean, it is not like those songs are even remotely similar. They’re not.
Billy, don’t be a hero
But I’m Hooked on a Feeling
But those are…. nothing more than feelings….
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
Delta Dawn, what’s that flower you have on
Could it be a faded rose from days gone by?
And did I hear you say he was a-signing Trea today
To take us to the mansion in the sky?
😂 😂
I didnt mix song lyrics GPA did. .
Angels have just proved how to be “caught in the rain”
Capache Snow Man?
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don’t think that I can take it
‘Cause it took so long to bake it
And I’ll never have that recipe again
Oh, no
Uh excuse me but Donna Summer was not a one hit wonder.
NO! Only the Richard Harris version is acceptable in my world.
Uga Chaka!
It’s OK to unclench. The world won’t end. It’s gonna be OK. You can just let this go.
Concentrate on an image in your mind that makes you feel calm and happy…. you are standing at a podium in front of a huge crowd…. you can say what ever comes into your head and not a single person is capable of disagreeing with you…. they all just nod their heads and mumble “so true, he’s so right” over and over while the huge banners flutter from the pillars behind you…. ahhhhhh.
What One hit wonder song is that lyric from ?
Jimmy Webb was the writer of the tune (along with By The Time I Get To Phoenix. Galveston and many others), the one hit wonder for this song would be actor Richard Harris.
Jimmy Webb? I thought that was a Kurt Vonnegut drawn sphincter.
Jimmy Webb also wrote “Wichita Lineman.”
For those not in the know, it is not about a burly Offensive Lineman.