LA Angels Thursday News Crash: Catch It

Remember “Baseball Fever: Catch It?” Well, the Angels sport two of the top ten catching prospects for 2023. This article is yet another in the ongoing drool festival that is Shohei Ohtani’s impending free agency. And another one says the Padres are all in on him.

Tommy Pham now has a one year deal with the Mets for $6 Million. The Brewers signed third baseman/corner outfielder Brian Anderson for one year at $3.5 Million plus incentives. Adam Duvall is off the board. He’s going to the Red Sox on a one year deal for $7 Million plus possible performance bonuses. Trey Mancini is going to the Cubs. Andrew McCutchen is back with the Pirates.

Oliver Ortega went unclaimed on waivers. The Twins outrighted him to triple-A St. Paul. I guess that’s that. Trevor Bauer also cleared waivers, to the surprise of no one.

Brandon Marsh high fives school kids while wearing a weird wig. Pablo Guerrero, son of Vlad, just signed a contract with the Texas Rangers.

Here is the primer on how to use the Fangraphs 2023 Opening Day Roster Tracker.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

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We are just one move away from going tip to tip in the cycle of POBO brilliance! The excitement jelly must be jiggling like crazy in someone’s mom’s basement out there. Spring training…. it could happen for us…. finally some real front officing.

smithy610
Super Member
1 year ago

Didn’t see this one yet. Apologies if already here.

Baseball America 2023 Top 100 Prospects:

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2023-top-100-prospects/

42. Logan O’Hoppe
53. Zach Neto

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  smithy610

thanks – i was wondering but don’t subscribe…

MarineLayer
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  smithy610

Credit to Minasian for putting these two prospects in place.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Yes but what an indictment of our system considering that our only 2 MLB Top 100 prospects weren’t even in the system before July of last year.

Also Considering that there are 30 major league franchises so each team should have an average of 3 prospects on the list each year. we have failed in even being league average for a very long time.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
Reply to  Cowboy26

Totally agree. It’s good that we’re represented on the list, but given nearly a decade of missing the payoffs – and accounting for the prospects that graduated to the majors and trades, the farm system performance is nothing short of a disaster. The 2021 draft (“all pitchers, all the time”) is likely to be the draft that will defines PTPs tenure.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

A shot at redemption? If there are SO MANY teams lining up to try and pay Ohtani way too much money next year it tells me two things….

Ohtani will likely not sign an extension. Why would he? Not because bitch bitch Arte but damn dude, there are a half dozen teams looking to pay him a boat load of cash. Even if Arte or NewOwnerz the Unicorn offered him 500M it makes sense to at least see what other teams might drop in his lap.

If THAT many teams are so hot to trot on signing Ohtani then their may be some extra trade value to that even though Ohtani isn’t cheap anymore. If one of these teams is willing to give us a return that’s a little closer to what we would have had last trade deadline in an effort to win now with Ohtani on the team and get him settled in their city so they can pay him out the nose…. yah, I’d do it. Even before ST I’d do it.

If this team’s as hopeless and bad, especially compared to the might of the Mariners and Rangers as so many of us seem to think it is, then the only logical move is to cash in a massively expensive talent that makes no real difference for us for building blocks.

That is to say, at 50M a year does Ohtani really move the needle? Really? Not in a “big splash, shiny object, buh buh but I loaf heem” kind of way cause he’s obviously good. But if he’s a Ferrari parked in the garage of a total dump what good is he doing? If we can get a high return for him based simply on other teams arms races are their reasons not to? Other than stupid sentiments about Babe Ruth and pissed of children? Cause that line of thinking is the same one Arte always uses come “splash time”. And we hate that right?

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago

the price now vs. August won’t change any if at all. a contender will pay highly for what he’d mean in October.

and my focus is 2023. not punting him a way for “building blocks for future”. What good could come of trading him now? perhaps one other “prospect” but that ain’t worth throwing away 2023.

he’s a huge revenue stream for Arte in 2023 too, tens of millions. Arte doesn’t care about building blocks either. he may not care about October 2023 but he cares about $$$ in April and May and till he’s out.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

In 1968 Judy Collins sang “Both sides now”, applies here now. Both of you are right and neither are wrong.

Boat load now, hmm, seems about right.

Try and win in in twenty-three, hmm, seems about right.

GPB (That’s me  😎 ) says “Hold on to what you got”.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

Both of you are right and neither are wrong.

rec for this.

Still holding out some hope he re-signs. Positive new ownership and us “possibly maybe” winning some games and making the playoffs. Ownership being key.
I’d rather overpay him with what eventually might be a bad contract, than roll the bones with a trade that likely can’t get equal value. This is all assuming the new owner looks more like Doyers ownership and not like Arte….also assuming they will be spending “Funny Money” for shits and giggles so it won’t matter.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Twebur

“I’d rather sign Pujols and Wilson than try to go toe to toe with the Rangers without them or worse have them sign there long term. So what if they’re overpays? Arte has the money and we’ll win a couple titles before that contract goes to shit. And besides, he’s the best hitter in a generation and Arte loves his stars to help put us on the map. It’ll be fine.”

  • 2011
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

Who said that? NostrADumbAss?

Last edited 1 year ago by Cowboy26
Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

I was told the new owner is going to be “super rich” and will have unlimited cash.

Shohei’s mom – 2023

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

That didn’t age well…..

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2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

I think I disagree that we would get the same for him now vs August.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2GA2Join

Good, cause that’s not really what I said at all.

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

And I agree you didn’t say it.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2GA2Join

Now all we have to do is find someone we both agree to disagree with. I, of course, nominate the Dutch.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Don’t you dare leave the French out of it.

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Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

You’re presuming Ohtani doesn’t regress. Don’t laugh – it could happen.

I am always a fan of selling high. His value was higher last July/August but is still nearly there. If he comes out and plays incredibly well – then yeah his trade value will remain essentially the same in July/Aug 2023 as now. But if he struggles as all either hitting or on the mound, his trade value will be significantly lower at the deadline.

Nothing is guaranteed except what you could get for Ohtani now. I would trade him now for a boatload because he is almost certainly gone next season.

MarineLayer
Super Member
1 year ago

Whether we get a high return for him or not, I don’t think we should pay him half a billion to watch his 30’s regression and prevent us from building a viable roster for the future. St. Louis must have felt very good having watched us own Pujols as he faded to black, while they contended.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Agree! That is why I say the team has to get something decent for him before he leaves on his own.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

If we don’t re-sign him, he goes into the Hall with a different hat.

I’d like to see Vlad, Trout and Ohtani in wearing an Angels hat.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yes. We should risk crippling our payroll for 12 years so that a bust has a particular hat on it because every time a player is incredibly good for two years they are a lock to go into the HOF.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
Reply to  MarineLayer

In the 2030 season, CTPG historians will look back on Ohtani’s tenure with the Angels and proclaim that after he left in 2023, the Angels truly had the very best seasons of his career.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

And they will bitch about wasting them like there aren’t a couple other dozen teams out there with good players who don’t win the champiham sandwich cause 10 WAR Bitches.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  MarineLayer

I know. It sucks, cause I like him a lot. But man, the idea of paying him in a few years…. no bueno.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

He gone.

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Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
1 year ago

2 top ten catching prospects. I hate to say this but is it possible the organization is improving… buttercup!

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

PTP is getting better players. but im still highly worried about how we develop them.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

We’ve apparently increased our minor league coaching salaries to industry norms and brought in some new coaches.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
Reply to  Mikeal1st

They’re still young, there’s plenty of time remaining for them to become “Premium”.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

How many appearances have the Angels make in the playoffs since 1969?

Who holds the single season record for Doubles hit in a season?

The Angels have had a player in the team’s playoff history hit 3 HRs in a single game? T/F

At one time the Angels fielded 4 former American League MVP’s on the same line-up card, who were they. Hint: 2 are in the Hof.

Nolan Ryan pitched 4 No-Hitters with the team, in which month did he not throw a No-Hitter:
May
June
July
August
September.

Have some fun and rack to memories. Try answering without looking them up. 😃 

Last edited 1 year ago by GrandpaBaseball
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
  1. 10
  2. Too GA to look up
  3. True
  4. 1982 Carew, Lynn, Jackson, Baylor
  5. Sept?
RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

i saw live a Sep no-no vs Twins – 74. its Aug i think

and i saw live an Angel hit 3hr in a playoff game, and it was more fun than G7 2002

Last edited 1 year ago by RexFregosi
Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

I was at that no-hitter as well!

And the AK 3 HR game was unreal!

Last edited 1 year ago by Fansince1971
PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I know as I was at one of his home game no-no’s in 73 or 74 because my brothers still talk about it and I think it was that one. I would have been 10 or 11 at the time so it didn’t register as deeply.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

AK, wasn’t it?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  red floyd

Yes.

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

im still stuck in the 20th century (or the last decade)-

i didn’t think we had near that many playoff appearances

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

1979, ‘82, ‘86, ‘02, ‘04, ‘05, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘14

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

3 out of 5.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

I know I missed the Nolan No No but what was the other one?

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Doubles record. You were 2GA to look up.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  red floyd

Which was 67 by the Chowd’s Earl Webb in 1931.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  red floyd

I Guess I was too GA to realize he wasn’t talking about GA and our Angels Doubles Record.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

He probably was, but he didn’t phrase it as ANGELS single season doubles record.

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

I remember listening I think to Ervin’s no hitter when I was driving up from Southern California back north. I think I was in north LA when it finished or something like that. My wife was not happy with my forcing us listen to baseball, but I explained that something incredible was happening.

Simba
Trusted Member
1 year ago

The atmosphere in the AK e HR game was just incredible. Unfortunately for my diminutive girlfriend (now wife), the guys in front of us stood the entire game.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

Answers

  1. 10
  2. Garrett Anderson with 53
  3. True Adam Kennedy 2002
  4. Baylor, Carew, Jackson, Lynn, 1982
  5. August

Hope you had some fun.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago

You didn’t specify that #2 was ANGELS single season record.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

Good morning my friends, hope you day goes well. Like every season the excitement starts to grow when someone post how many days until camp opens. It seems like a long time ago that our season came to its sad conclusion, but now I seemingly can’t wait to see our boys back in action. even watching the youits out trying hard to make the team.

Lots of questions to be answered in Spring Training this year as the log jam at 2b is settled with the hottest bat, who platoons with Walsh, the health of all the cast but especially that of Trout after the Classic, Rendon’s gradual playing time or decline, how is Canning going to pitch, who earns the closers spot, who ends up as the 4th OF, some many other questions too. 😀 

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago

You mentioned MM BB a few days ago and its looking ok for me – i’m an alum of three teams in three leagues and two of them are in 1st place!

K-State (great game against the chickenhawks Tuesday) and UCR.

The third is ASU and they are in 2nd place but could also be in 1st place at the end of the day. UCLA is coming to Tempe tonight. I won’t be at THAT game but i will be next door at The Mullet – Alex Ovechkin is in town and looking forward to seeing the Great 8!

802 goals and counting….only Gretsky has more at 894 – will he catch him?

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

By the way, I don’t know if Nevin called you yet, but you are playing SS. I hope you are stretching and doing some range of motion exercises.