Good morning Angels fans, how are you today? Have some links!
Angels News
The Draft Lottery happened Tuesday evening. Yes, Baseball has a draft lottery now, and the Angels are in it this time. All non playoff teams have a shot. So, how did the Angels do? They got 11th. Bruh.
Not that Arte will be around by the 2023 Draft, hopefully, as the Angels will be sold by opening day. Maybe.
Ohtani is still here and will pitch every 6th day. Not like in 2022 which was sometimes every 7th day.
Phil Nevin admits that Adell was rushed. What gave that away, his K rate or his bad defensive plays?
Around Baseball
Arson Judge to the Giants! Wait, what? Yeah it was not only a misspell, but not actually true, which meant hours of Arson Judge memes.
Will he be worth it though? Evidence points to Yankee home game balls being juiced. Conspiracy theorists are onto something!
Cody Bellinger is going to the Cubs. Just one year, 17.5M. Also Jameson Taillon for 4/68.
Josh Bell going to Cleveland, 2/33M. Guess they are buyers after all?
Mitch Haniger to SF. So wait are they not getting Judge?
Phillies just don’t stop, add T. Walker for 4/71M and Matt Strahm for 2/15M.
Manfred is mad at how slow the A’s stadium is going. Baltimore is fine though.
Good news everyone! MLB is the 15th fastest growing brand of 2022.
The next Japanese Star to come to America has officially been posted. 30 days to sign this Outfielder.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes!
So now we’ll sign Correa next.
13 years $400MM. No problem, the next owner is good for it….
It’s not my money, and it’s not yours either, Arte. Doooo ittttt.
It’s (mostly) not Arte’s money either….
11 years for Bogaerts. Wow
Crazy wow! Maybe Tatis and his shenanigans has worn out his welcome?
Dad?
My father literally just texted me the same thing word for word lmao
🤣🤣🤣
Yowzers.
So does this setup a possible trade with us and the Padres?
I like Ha-Seong Kim. 2 more years at $7M AAV. Padres want to win now.
Sign me up for this. Or Jake Cronenworth. That would be even better. But I doubt the Dads want to deal Jake. Kim could be a possibility
The Trade simulator puts a high value on him though.
And it seems like Preller outbid himself. Saw a tweet that the Red Sox offered him $200 million. I can’t believe Preller thought giving Xander an 11 year contract is a good idea. I don’t see how that contract will age well.
More rumors:
https://fansided.com/2022/12/07/dansby-swanson-rumors-angels-braves-cubs/?a_aid=36534&fbclid=IwAR3Ls74Fbk4Fu0Ev6Mzz9Z9M7D-6XONC5FWjqDcvImSpUCtFItPG6CPBY1A
This I would love. I know it’s pure speculation from Alden, but I don’t think he’s too far off. Perry was a finalist for Wilson so there is clear evidence we still have money to spend. I’d offer Dansby 6 years $150 million and if he takes it great. If someone else offers him more then see ya. But signing Dansby would be a very welcome addition.
And there was 2 …https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1600721020935376897
Wow. Got the team right, and spelled the players name right.
That’s a big win for Heyman.
Wow, just saw a report that we were one of the final bidders on Contreras?
If true, what on earth was Perry up to there?
More than a Check in ? WOW
Can anyone tell me how Velazquez had a positive oWAR with a .236 OBP and .304SLG? It makes no sense to me. I’m sure 17/18 SB helps, but I really saw him as negative WAR everytime he was in the lineup.
He played an incredible shortstop.
WAR has an adjustment for position played. So a guy with the same line playing first base would be negative.
So between getting love for playing shortstop and playing it very well, Squid is positive. Think of it as defense + 5, offense -3, overall = 2.
No! Unpossible! Squid’s the worst player ever to wear shoes! Dad, I mean Arte, sucks!
The Fielding Bible really likes him. He was 4th in the MLB in Defensive Runs Saved in less than 1000 innings so thats pretty damn good out of 22 qualifying shortstops.
But ironically it appears that the same Bible hates Chuches , since over the last 2 years Jose is dead last in all of Baseball producing -26 Defensive Runs scored.
So No Gracias on Iglesias . We should be happy we exorcised him after 2022.
Is it just me or would it be nice to know the potential buyers? C’mon, someone has to leak it.
I think, when it narrows down, it probably will leak.
My money’s on Disney.
Bosox signed Yoshida, not Senga. Wrong Japanese player.
That’s what i said (Looks around room slyly).
Are Heymaning us? I see nothing about Senga out there.
Arte and Perry are playing JENGA, nothing in relation to Senga
OK. I say either sign Jose Iglesias or ask the Marlins what it will take to get Wendle. Wendle’s an FA in two seasons and can play SS or not…. perfect for bringing along you prospects. He has added value for us this way, so I say give those fish what they want.
Or go the AAA rout and ask…
The WhtSox what they want for Jose Rodriquez, the Padres what they want for Eguy Rosario, the Royals what they want for Maikel Garcia, the Tigers want for Ryan Kreidler, what the Brewers will take for Brice Turang, what the Os will take for Joey Ortiz etc. Try n get a solid AAA rookie at SS who has basically been passed by shiny prospects.
Then just sign Trevor Williams and Jesus Aguilar, be done with it, and let the bitching about limp needles begin.
Nice list. One of the SS, Wil Meyers, and I’m good.
That’d give us actual depth all over the diamond.
Don’t look past the MLB level for reinforcements, though.
Yah, Myer’d be even better, Jesus would give us the money to sign Williams as swing man, that’s the only reason I picked him. I’m actually not as hung up on OF as everyone. Rengifo, Walsh, Fletcher and Urshela can all do time in LF if we NEED it. Trades can happen, but most of the MLB FAs are either too much or too crap.
if the Angels don’t sign a SS4$, just go with the Conquistadores there
(Velasquez, Soto)
Squid should be a pinch runner and occasional late defensive replacement. No more.
I don’t think Perry can afford to roll with those guys as starters to begin season. 2022 all over again. He is going to bring someone in. I just hope it is a natural SS.
I think he plans to roll with Fletch if he doesn’t get someone.
The Padres being so aggressive with Turner and Judge makes me think they either a.) had some confidence they could move Tatis or b.) have some confidence Machado is leaning toward opting out next year.
Either way it’s surprising to see historic offers made when they already have 2 historic contracts on the payroll.
There is a universe though where Machado leaves, Soto leaves and they are a very mediocre big league team with no prospects left.
Manny will likely opt out to reset his AAV but he likes it in San Diego
The Dodgers stating that they have no interest whatsoever in Correa is not good news to his agent.
Dodgers offseason certainly feels like they intend to sign Ohtani and/or Soto in the 23-24 offseasons.
Yes. They are likely going to reset and then go big.
I’m seeing the Dodgers fans expect Shohei vibe on some private boards.
So long as MLB owns Rawlings, we will never know what MLB will come up with and what teams are using what type of wound ball. No wonder Manfraud didn’t punish cheating teams in the sign stealing debacle, he loves taking gambles. While Selig had no backbone, Manfraud is just as delusional as Pete Rose.
No one asked me, but: Baseball players will soon be given 500-million-dollar contracts for 8 years, good grief…..Is anyone surprised at the allegation that the Yankees fixed it so Judge would have a chance at what we all thought was real. The real loser in this fiasco are the fans. Since the used car dealer ran things who really knows what is true in MLB anymore…..I truly find it hard to believe that Shohei will leave California in the future…..I bet Arte is going to be paying off lawyers and lawsuits for years to come…..PTP called and asked for the biggest shovel that Home Depot sells…..Arte cleared out his desk using a U-Haul van. Copies of old contract he signed not only weigh a lot but take up a lot of space and in California you can’t burn them…..Did anyone expect a better slot in the draft than 11th?…..The 3 contracts that pay over 40 million a year reside in NYC, they deserve them….. 😂 
Oh mah girth! Perry passed in the rule 5 draft because he’s so stupid and Arte is so cheap and evil!
Didn’t pass on the minor league faze
So cheap.
Lugo? Lorenzen part 2?
Luigi.
The Jeremy Giambi of the Mario Bros. Plumbing duo
Is he at least a lefty?
I see no reason why Ohtani would sign an extension with the Angels and not test free agency. He could be looking at upwards of seven years and 500 million. If I were advising him, I would tell him to test free agency. His only risk is injury, and/or, a poor 2023. If he feels both are unlikely, why not test free agency particularly with the contracts we have seen recently.
Perry is sure teasing us with the “Santa hasn’t come yet” and the “I think there’s a possibility of <exceeding the luxury tax>” and “Shohei’s not going anywhere” bits….
Maybe they’ll announce his extension soon. Imagine.
Is it OK if I imagine a three year extension.
3yr/300 million take it or leave it
Yarrr!
Get ready. Elvis Andrus. Tootie Tube will be stoked.
We need an Elvis since our last one was traded. Without an Elvi, we are doomed.
But dont we need to hire a Colonel to properly manage him so he doesn’t eat too many banana fired peanut butter sandwiches and then die while taking a crap on the John?
Is Hokie Joe available?
Go BIG or go HOME
I think Judge ‘s contract gives us a baseline of what Shohei will cost.
10y/400 million is the starting point I would imagine.
Sounds worth it, and I usually hate mega contracts.
10 year $450 million to $475 million Dont forget all the parasitic leaches that are lying in wait to sign him.
$45M AAV to start
Combining what we know and don’t know:
The Angels sale is close enough that Arte is likely only covering a month or so of payroll. And he got an extra influx in cash from the MLBAM sale.
Payroll for luxury tax purposes currently sits at a record $212 million, which leaves $21 million until the luxury tax threshold.
I think Cowboy26 is right in saying Arte won’t want to saddle the future owners with going over the tax threshold this year because it will impact their bottom line next year.
So, I think Perry might have another $10 million or so to spend. This would hit a nice sweet spot of Arte giving himself a shot of going out a winner, Arte not having to pay the increased payroll, but the increase not really affecting the bottom line of the sale or having any long lasting repercussions.
So Correa then.
This is, after all, a must win season. We need to get Ohtani’s milk to come in so that we can pay him for past production the way we never complain about here.
But then today there was this comment : https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1600582645431250944
Wow… no mandate…. things are possible… amazballs. Correa it is then.
Xander is the Angel sleeper
Does Xander know this ?
Somebody Bogaerted the letter PTP was going to send him. Probably Evil Arte.
Pretty sure we’ve heard this from 3 GM’s and Arte in some form or another.
Then again, it looks like at this point Arte is figuring he’s spending other people’s money.
Yeah I feel the most simple explanation is that Arte is about to make billions and he won’t even be the one responsible for paying the majority of this year’s payroll. There has never been more incentive for him to go a little over the usual internal budget.