Good morning Angels fans, how was your November? Have some links anyway.
Angels News
The Angels signed someone again. Minor deal so not too important. Bullpen gambles are cheap and volatile.
However, the Angels may get something bigger. Rumors swirl that they will target a SS after all. But then again, it is just a rumor though.
As the team nears getting sold, Jeff Fletcher takes this opportunity to reveal why the Angels have struggled the last 8 years. Yes, Jeff Fletcher is criticizing Arte Moreno and the team as a whole. I am shocked too.
Around Baseball
Disney bought the rest of the BAMTech for 900M. This brings in more money for the teams.
Shelby Miller is off the table, going up the 5. So cheap too.
Don Mattingly stays in baseball, going across the norther border to bench coach the Blue Jays.
Some internal fighting with the Astros. Good, use your aggressive feelings, Houston.
As discussion about what players will move across the Pacific from Japan or Korea, one will stay put with a 6 year deal with the Baystars.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes!
The BAMtech deal is about $30 million per team.
Think Arte spends it or pockets it on the way out the door?
I suspect he adds it to his “legal defense fund”
Pockets it.
So the way the Brewers are thinking, maybe we could go package someone like Neto, Herget and another prospect like Guzman for Adames who has 2 years of control. He’s estimated at $9 million arb. A lot cheaper than going after a big 4.
Less results too.
I agree with Bagwell. Managing in baseball is a lot like playing blackjack. You know the odds with every move but even playing the odds is no guarantee of success. You play the odds often enough and you’ll see gains over time.
But sometimes you have to buck the odds. Sometimes a hitter is just hot so you need to leave him in. Sometimes a pitcher is dealing and deserves a little more rope. Just like sometimes you’ll see a ton of small cards already on the table and pass when you’d normally hit because you know a big card is due.
Yes, totally agree. This is why I have questioned various moves by the Angels and certain other teams for years. You can see guys producing and playing well, and they pull them for guys coming in cold off the bench who do nothing because of some spreadsheet that supposedly says over 1,000 occurrences the odds might be better. Of course even calculating the odds, who knows what game conditions they are using as data.
Those Angels…. wait, I thought we were complaining about a lack of analytics…. are we complaining about too much analytics now? What flavor of bitch am I supposed to be today? Someone help me know what I am thinking.
No affiliated in any way but The Athletic has a $1 a month subscription for a year. I’ve always liked their stuff but never wanted to add the cost. So far I’m liking it.
I did that a couple of years ago and ended up keeping the subscription. Exactly what they wanted, ha ha.
Hey stupid. How do you see the Angels being any good if they are paying Trout/Rendon/Ohtani/Big 4 SS around 150M a year in payroll? The rest of your payroll will have to average about 2.7M a year, so I hope you get over complaining about “bargain barrel pick ups” and the like cause we don’t have a farm that’s ready to go and the teams not running a 280M payroll for years and years because Anaheim. Oh, and you should also practice shrugging and smiling contentedly because both Big 4SS and Ohtani will likely be hurt sometimes over the length of their huge contracts and you wanted this even more top heavy payroll. You can have this, or depth, but you likely won’t get both. So is this what you really want?
Oh wait. I forgot. Unicorns. Twenty years of unicorn charity. Good plan.
I thought a posting starting with “Hey stupid” was going to be positive, who knew?
I agree. Just because Gitcho always addressing his mom that way doesn’t mean that kind of flattery will work on us.
My mom can actually do arithmetic.
No positivity allowed. Champions never smile.
I agree that if the rest of our payroll needs to be 2.7M per year, then it won’t work, like you said. However, I disagree with that original assumption. That 2.7 comes from an original assumed total payroll limit. Under Arte, I would agree that it was quite apparent what that limit was. However, we don’t know what that number will be under a new owner.
As far as my own opinion goes, I’m on the fence about keeping Ohtani. He is one of a kind, draws crowds, and one of the best players ever. But if it is $500MM/10yrs, and he might turn into a DH after 4 of those years… that is pretty risky. At this point, I hope we either keep him (and support him accordingly), or trade him pronto and get as much value as possible.
Regardless, my opinion of the overall team is that there is no way we are going to really compete any time really soon without a massive payroll boost. I’m talking about ALCS compete (not yay we made a one game playoff and got blown away). I agree with people that say we need to invest heavily in proper scouting, player development, coaching, etc….. But I think that even if we overhauled that today, it would be like 3 years before we see serious results and have a contending team made up of a good balance of homegrown cheap players supported by a few key FA, which is what we seem to all hope for.
Which would you rather have? A massive payroll boost or much more scouting and development?
See, we probably won’t have both. “Cheap Arte” is mostly a myth. The guy’s over all spending is pretty much where it’s gonna be for the team to make the money it does. So unless newOwnerz the unicorn has some new and unheard of ways to make money, or is buying a team with a plan to just make less money, then payroll may go up a little, but it’s not gonna be 280M for any long period. Even the money made from all the extra winning doesn’t change the fact that the team has it’s TV deal already, is in Anaheim, and can only sell out so many games and sell so many beers. They probably also have to build or renovate a stadium. We hope in Southern California.
The 2.7M per player was if the team’s at or just over the luxury tax. OK, NewOwnerz goes wild. 250M payroll. 4.3M per player. So nope. If Sandoval or any other pitcher gets good, say thanks and good luck, etc. Same with most other players with more than 3 WAR per year for a couple years.
What’s likely is that we sign Ohtani if he’ll let us. Then we’ll bloat the payroll with Unicowners for three or four seasons and idiots will smile, some will convince themselves it’s bridge funding while we build the farm as though that will make a free agent pitcher cheaper, then the time will come to make money for NewNicorn and we will be sad.
Even if we have the Dodgers farm system we can’t really afford 150M on 4 players long term. All you have to do is look at a few teams on sportrac and see who is built like that and it will answer your question.
But the main reason I think these people are idiots is it’s the same guys who complain about big splashes, overspending on stars, putting to much funding into things other than player development (as though there is a separate magic pile of low calorie money that can just go that direction and add up different), injured players over 30 years old, marketing, etc. while demanding we just sign “the right free agent” to a massive contract cause one time Torii Hunter….. it’s stupid.
New Owner new Day. I vote for (c) All of the above.
If I’m thinking long term, I’d do both for about 3 or 4 years.
By then I could replace Rendon with a minimum wage guy who actually sees the field. Stock my bullpen with minimum wage guys. Have a few cost controlled guys around the diamond. Even with Trout and Ohtani making $80 million I could still field a great team at $150 million.
why would i choose between this one an that one when i know i can have both?
if a billionaire wants to win, he’ll match the Dodgers/Yankees in both payroll and development.
So you’re holding your breath and hoping that we get the magic billionaire unicorn that is cool making less money and sticks with that long term. To answer your question, market/fanbase wise, we aren’t the Yankees or Dodgers… or Mets… or even the Phillies and Cardinals.
“if a billionaire wants to win, he’ll match the Dodgers/Yankees in both payroll and development.” If that’s a plan you could be waiting a long time, and even if it happens, it will likely be more Wayne Huizinga style.
i see the Angels being the best team in baseball for two reasons.
Yeahhhh…. unicorn plans.
Bagwell. Look, I get it, most former players and old as f*** managers are gonna be fairly “gnar, ah know whata doo cause I done it with dirt and biceps and I are genius.” because they have indeed “done it”. They also completely block out the 75% of the time they failed to “do it” as well as the fact that most other baseball mans fail even more. The Anal Licktics are just there to knock down that massive failure rate a bit, so why not just shut the f*** up? For one thing, isn’t it mostly players that complain when a team is behind the curve supplying analytics? On top of that, if you’re so damn smart, wouldn’t the computers just confirm what you already think most of the time?
For example, sure, your grizzled baseball mind may be telling you “Man, Jimmy pitcher is hot right now, we could probably leave him in against lefties.” and, when you leave him in, I bet you’ll be able to point to data that shows that Jimmy Pitcher is extremely hot and it’s smart to maybe leave him in. But all this golden age baseball paranormalism is just bullshit. It’s how we get fat old dogs mumbling about how “Smithy looked real good in the cage the last few days and is about to turn the corner…” after he strikes out twice and has a GDP.
Click probably just made Crane feel the bads one time too many. Bagwell is the most dangerous animal on the planet, a has been around his home team’s owner. Dusty, the actual manager who is old and stuffed with Bagger Vance style grit, didn’t seem to mind all the data, nor did any players. No one can name me any team that has won lately based on manager magic, in fact the only recent example of managerial instinct I can think of in the recent past is Joe “Sour Pussy” Maddon almost managing to blow the Cubs WS win. Just shut up and do your homework old man, because the other team sure as shit is.
And most importantly, didn’t the AssTros just win a WS?
But what I really think generally happens is that old lazy “I want to have a drink with the players” type press hate having to try to figure out all this data bullshit so they find bitter old mile markers like Bagwell and Maddon etc to say the stuff they are feeling with a little muscle behind it.
The last article of the 3-part series from Jeff Fletcher is out, and he gives more insight as to how Perry is now approaching the barren farm system of the Angels. The entire series is really a great read.
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/11/30/farm-failures-part-iii-angels-system-trends-up-with-infusion-of-talent-emphasis-on-winning/
Some highlights:
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That’s refreshing. I’ve always had this thought as well, as I usually check in on the minor league team results after the Halo games.
Really promising to see the AA and IE team have a really good season.
Idiot. Obviously an idiot. Knows nothing about being a real POBOEIEIO. Has an ugly wife. Means he’s not confident. Won’t hit or be able to sign major free agents.
Not sure I’m liking the creepy Children of the Corn artwork adorning each article though.
Obvious plant. I read CTPG and over and over am told Perry is an idiot and failure because the Angels haven’t won the last two World Series, and if we only did (this) and (that) we would have.
I agree Bowden is a doofus but I can still hope we sign one of the Big 4 or trade for Adames on a shorter contract while we wait for Neto to develop.
So in the picture, is that Doofenarte, or Morenoschmirtz?
In white scrub jacket, that’s Dr. Doofenarte to you.
♪♫ Doofenarte Evil Incorporated! ♫♪
Fletcher, Arte’s lap dog to the press, has come out of the ether. It’s a brave new world, or is Jeff seeing the end of the road barriers and feel’s safe. or,
Is it that Arte is seeing the light as he is in the selling mode and just doesn’t give a S*i$ anymore? I think he wants to go out a winner, see Ohtani sign long term, watch Mikey win another MVP, Ohtani the CY and win the kittincombootal and maybe get a ton for the team on his way out the door. Let’s go Angels! 
Go for the Ring, just win Baby 
.
Got excited for a moment there, forgive me. I was thinking that Trouty and Anthony would stay healthy for a whole season and Shohei would stay and Sandy and Det’s will win 20 games each and Fletch would get 200 hits and Stassi would be traded and Walsh makes a comeback and Swanson is the next Simba and all three outfielders hit 30 plus HR’s and, and, it’s either too much caffeine or my med’s wore off.
Have a great day out there. GPB.
A*TE just wants more money for his investment, if he really cared he would’ve signed Dave Dombrowski even if would’ve meant wheeling and dealing the Angels into a talent drought stricken farm system. Which happened anyway since we had MLB’s worst during the 2010’s decade. ASK KEITH LAW!!!……GOOD RIDDANCE AND NOW GO COUNT YOUR MONEY IN THE DESERT!!!! CB26 hates DD and GPD even though they both win.
Who hates me?????
I think I’m supposed to. Sorry about that DD. I Guess I hate the Gardena Police Department as well?
At least it’s not the Dutch.
I’m going to be hating them on Saturday though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcUs5X9glCc
Ung. I don’t know much about soccer. I do know that the Dutch are supposed to kick the crap out of us.
My heart will overflow with tears of joy if we vanquish the Dutch. Soccer. Who gives a shit. Crushing the hopes and dreams of the Dutch? Priceless. With all their niceness and chocolate and pretty cups and saucers…. yuk.
You forgot the tulips.
You are definitely a Hungry man for Swanson GPB
Great pick up by Toronto with Donny Baseball as bench coach. Would love to see Blue Jays finish in 1st place in ’23.
Whatever keeps the MFYs from winning it is fine with me.
i used to think ‘no’ for Donny for HOF, but now i’d say ‘yes’.
His career was a bit shorter but still for many years he was one of the best in the game.
Good morning my friends, does no use to complain, no one listens anyway. Or do they? Sometimes rumors come to fruition. Signing one of the “Big Four” shortstops makes a lot of sense to a lot of us. I have been hoping for Swanson myself. Maybe Turner stays west coast after all. Can we forgive Correa? Can we deal with having a former Red Sox player?
It has been suggested that a trade for Adames might work out too. So which SS would you like to see wearing the Red?
Swanson works for me because I think that his worth is 25 million per season for 6 years. He can field, he can hit, and he bats up top of the order like the others with some pop in his bat. Correa is a good signing but for 7 years, but his participation in the cheating is over the top for me, as is having another 37 mil per season contract. Not high on Bogaerts career defensive skills, Turner would be a Dodger if he wanted to stay west coast. Adames has peaked and is on the way down imho.
I like Soto, but is Soto what we saw in September? Walsh had a big September in ’20 and came through in ’21, then, well we will see with him. There is Neto also, he may work out down the road. But we need to win in April thru June to stay the Angels as we may lose you know who. The fans will love Swanson, you know, eat him up like a TV Dinner.
I do have one last request and that is we sign Vasquez as a catcher to platoon with either of our guys.
I got to get me a yard sign saying, Vote for Swanson.
Remember the source. Blowden makes shit up all the time in a failed attempt at relevance. In Todays The Athletic article he wrote this: https://theathletic.com/3949761/2022/11/30/mlb-hot-stove-free-agent-fits/ Where he claims our next biggest FA signing is Elvis Andrus at 1 year at $12.5 Million. . How would that warm your cockles? Not much of a big splash SS there. In fact the only big splash that should cause is the Platypus ‘ weighted body being thrown overboard for such a waste of money. I’d rather put up with another year of communal shortstops with Squid coming off the bench for late inning defense.
Elvis just left the building no need to let him back in, especially at that ticket price.
I still think Gio will play SS if Rendon is healthy. Otherwise one will have to sit on the bench which makes no sense whatsoever.
If the Angels sign a SS (or Livan Soto earns a spot in the Spring), I think Gio enters a platoon with Walsh + primary backup for 3B, and Rengifo becomes the backup for MI/OF.
OF: Trout/Renfroe/Ward/Rengifo (Adell/Moniak as backup in AAA)
SS: New/Fletcher
2B: Fletcher/Rengifo/Urshela
3B: Rendon/Urshela/Rengifo
1B: Walsh (RHP) / Urshela (LHP) / Thaiss
C: Stassi/O’Hoppe/Thaiss
i usually ignore him, but i circled back to read it-
Twins get J. Iglesias for $7.5M/one year and we pay Elvis $5M more.
no
I always “Meh” his articles regardless of content (Although a “Meh” response is usually more than deserving since they don’t have a lower designation) I figure if enough people reply that way The Athletic might finally fire his ass.
Elvis Andrés at 12.5 m?
. Better off going with a league minimum youngster and see if Neto is ready for the jump to the big club.
Like Soto?
I’m intrigued by Soto too. If he can really be a good starter, then lets save our money. Some prospect analysis I’ve read, however, is that his brief good showing this season is not really indicative of what to expect from him, and that he should be counted on as a Util long term.
And as someone somewhere pointed out, the market for FA SS really dries up after this year. So if a team decides to forgo signing a quality FA SS this year, thinking let’s try our own solution for a year, then they won’t have the same choices to fill the position next year if things don’t work out.
Yeah. Field, yes. Hit, probably not so good.
Of corse yoo wood
Beekause yoou alredy luv loozing that is so damm absurd it’s like a bad NFL teem with having 2 awful QB’s. Go back to Wikeeweirdo, Baseless Reference and The Non Athletikk. BTW Brian Snitker and now Dusty Baker two old guys who probably aren’t huge fans of Sabermetrics and data informational overload orgasm!!! You also have no damm real answer on a SS, either everybody to you is either too old or too expensive, so how about we get a fire hydrant for our SS? What if Zack Nieto is a bust which wouldn’t be the first time this has happened to us…..BYE!!!! GOOD GAWD!
I for one would love to see how a fire hydrant does.
I also can’t wait to see your IIWPM. Waiting. So. Hard. What will The Jokerrrrr do? So savvy. So wild.
I always looked at big signing as helping all positions below that. For example, signing a true ace would push back each player in the rotation thus making each spot better. A good hitting shortstop would do something similar to the lineup, however, with position players I suppose it’s more of an individual was replaced rather than shuffling an entire lineup.