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LA Angels Thursday News Crash:

January 26, 2023

The Rays signed southpaw Jeffrey Springs to a four year extension. Reliever Ken Giles will have a showcase on February 8. He’s been largely out of commission for a while but he wants to get back in the game. The Royals traded Adalberto Mondesi to the Red Sox for Josh Taylor.

Minor League Deals

The Mariners signed Jason Vosler to a minor league deal. The Diamondbacks signed Jeurys Familia to a minor league deal. The Tigers signed Cesar Hernandez to a minor league deal. The Cubs signed Luis Torrens to a minor league deal. Reyes Moronta got his minor league deal with the Rangers.

In a related matter, Billy Wagner’s son Will Wagner got a non-roster invite to spring training with the Astros.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are hiring a Player Valuation Analyst.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

45 Comments

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Trusted Member

2002heaven

1 month ago

The masthead image above………
Why is Gary Gaetti smiling?

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to 2002heaven

Why would you ask such an inane question?

Super Member

RexFregosi

1 month ago

Reply to 2002heaven

perhaps its because he has a life doesn’t waste it being a babbling fool on his mom’s keyboard.

Super Member

WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

MLB drops Top 10 SS.

Besides the other 19,
Guess what team didn’t make the list.

Super Member

RexFregosi

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

The Baldoqueens?

Trusted Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

What up homies!?

Trusted Member

2GA2Join

1 month ago

Well, the A’s just traded away one of their only remaining trade chips. Talk about yard sale. Perry never shopped there at all (but within same division is usually harder anyway).

I wonder if the A’s pattern will repeat.
They trade away everybody, and have a roster filled with young players no one ever heard of. They stink for a season or two. Then all of the sudden they’ll be beating the crap out of us and winning 94 games.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

Interesting trade for Baltimore. Irvin is the type of guy I like to watch pitch when he’s on. Not a lot of K’s or walks so lots of balls in play. On a good night that is a lot of quick innings. On a bad night it can get out of control.

Moving that profile to the AL East probably isn’t the best idea. Granted there are far fewer division games next year than usual, so that might offset it.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

However, with this trade, one of our all time great grounds keeper crewman will now be on the east coast.

I’m not worried about an Oakland A’s resurgence anytime soon. Billy Beane is just a consultant now and things have not been the same since Peter Brand disappeared from the team.

Trusted Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

…then the next season they gut their team with more rounds of trading when arbitration and/or FA looms.

The beating the crap out of us pretty much happens anyways……

Last edited 1 month ago by Angelz4ever

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

I’m just angry because neither the A’ss nor the O’s were transparent with their fans or the press ahead of this trade.

Trusted Member

2002heaven

1 month ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

Yes…..

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

As it stands now…..

1B – Walsh/Urshela/Drury
2B – Rengifo/Urshela/Drury/Squid/Soto
SS – Fletcher/Rengifo/Urshela/Squid/Soto
3B – Rendon/Drury/Urshela/Fletcher/Squid/Soto
RF – Renfroe/Phillips/Adell/Moniak/Urshela/Drury/Walsh/Rengifo
CF – Trout/Phillips/Adell/Moniak
LF – Ward/Phillips/Adell/Moniak/Urshela/Drury/Walsh/Rengifo
C – Stassi/Thaiss/O’Hoppe
DH – Ohtani/Guy Resting

Rotation: Ohtani/Sandoval/Anderson/Detmers/Suarez/Canning/Davidson/Silseth/Daniel/Prospect

Blowpen: Estevez/Herget/Loup/Tepera/Barria/Quijada/Wantz/Weiss/Marte/Rodriguez/Soriano/Garza/Ingram/Torres/Murphy/Joyce.

If we get bored some day it might be cool to do a position by position ranking of what each team in our division has at these spots…. see how bad we really are. An example of this is catcher. First, why is Stassi a lock to not be an 85-90 OPS+ catcher ever again?
Second, who is it that we think is a lock to be much better than 80-90 OPS+? Jonah Heim? Cal Raleigh? Martin Maldonado? Actually it will probably be one of the A’ss young catchers… but between various players having good/bad years my guess is our catching corps will be middle of the division.

Though, really, I think it’ll just come down to the Astros being really good and then which ever team has health on its side.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

if we look at your starters the only differences between 2022 and 2023 are Renfroe instead of Marsh, Anderson instead of Thor, Estevez instead of Iglesias. The “increase” in spending is pretty much Ohtani’s new salary. This looks like an improvement from 73 wins to 77.

But, as you point out, “as it stands now”. No point in worrying.

Member

Bob_K

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Renfroe over Marsh/Adell is a significant offense boost, possibly worth a few wins. And also, 2023 projects as much improved offense at 3B, SS & 1B over what we actually got in ’22…even with an injury in the infield this is worth a few more wins.

But no surprise, we still need Trout, Ohtani, and two of Rendon / Ward / Renfroe to remain healthy for this team to make the playoffs.

Last edited 1 month ago by Bob_K

Super Member

ihearhowie3.0

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Weird way to look at it as you are intentionally leaving out Drury and Urshela who, while not starters, are major upgrades to our depth over guys like Mayfield, Stefanic etc.

Since depth is what famously sinks our ship so quickly, I think looking at the roster is more important than the starters.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

The spending boost was to ensure we had guys like Urshela and Drury taking at bats that went to guys like Wade and Mayfield last year.

To hopefully mean we don’t have to take waiver claims like Magnerius Sierra and Jonathan Villar and pray they turn it around.

the list of guys who got playing time here last year is long and undistinguished.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

wow, some of those are brutal. For sure, Urshela and Drury will help.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

I dunno. A lot had to go incredibly wrong for us to lose as many games as we did last year. I think that the same roster, with a different fanbase not scooting it’s ass all over it and leaving it’s snail trail of bitch JuJu pheromones on a daily basis, they probably would have been at least a .500 team.

We’ll have to see how much hope CtPG guy can crush into brown diamonds this year. Can’t have the team win while Arte owns it.

But on a serious note, I don’t care about the observation you just made. I am curious what the average stats for say the last three or four years tell us about the comparative strength of the teams in our division. Are we as bad as we think? Are they as good as Tootie thinks?

Last edited 1 month ago by gitchogritchoffmypettis

Super Member

FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Angels lack a strong arm after Ohtani. Anyone else feel a Ohtani, Sandoval, Detmers is short in a 3-game playoff series? Does not quite instill fear free Shohei. Sandy and Detmers are good but built for postseason?

Member

SchofieldsWalkoff

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

Yes. Until they prove differently.
Who cares if they’re feared as long as they’re effective.

Last edited 1 month ago by SchofieldsWalkoff

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

Why do dudes on this site keep talking about our ability in the play offs? Or if they can see blah blah in the play offs?

Then run their mascara about how hopeless the team is and has been for (enter) years.

I have an idea. Let’s shoot for breaking .500 and go from there. We really don’t need to worry about the play offs till we actually make the play offs, and if we do that this year then hurray, bonus.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Et tu Gitcho?

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Yep. Exactly right. This team is in a division with the Astros and Seattle. It needs to prove that it can finish over .500 before any next step is even considered.

Super Member

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

…or in the prophetic words of TAME:

“We will win some games”

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

This is true, and I’ll actually have plenty of fun watching the team if they are good, but don’t make the playoffs or if they magically make the playoffs only to get their chins pushed in by the Yankees, etc etc.

Just get better than last year and we can go from there.

Trusted Member

max

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

I don’t know. If the Halos were in the playoffs, would you be confident to beat Ohtani, Sandoval, Detmers if they were the opposing pitchers? On January 26, 2923…lol

Super Member

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

That’s a 78 win team. Thanks Arte.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Since its obvious PTP and Arte McScrooge constantly read this site’s postings; Hey Perry Are you still in catatonic shock over Arte’s announced Retromingenting ?

Time to wakeup because You still have work to do before P’s & C’s report. We STILL need:

Backup Catcher
Shortstop
6th Starter
Closer

(Not necessarily in any order)

So Lets Gooooooooo!

Trusted Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

We already have three back-up catchers, we just don’t have a starting catcher.

Last edited 1 month ago by Angelz4ever

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

From the Desk of the Platypus:

Dear CTPGs idiots:

You will take what I give you and like it.

Love,

PTP

Ps – Arte says suck it!

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Actually, I think the transcript reads….

Spam email not read.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

What’s Retromingenting?

Super Member

Twebur

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

It’s what old people get when their brain becomes mushy. They become indecisive and frustrated with simple day to day tasks. They become very nostalgic, they can also quickly become evil, cheap and confused.

Treatment includes Botulinum Toxins injections into the brain to firm things up and then given 2mg of Xylometazoline twice a day taken with food. Prognosis isn’t good.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Twebur

Hmmm. Sounds like a condition that’s exacerbated by being into punk music.

Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 month ago

Reply to Twebur

Do they sign huge contracts with washed up players?

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

It’s what’s a retromingent does.

https://www.medicinenet.com/retromingent/definition.htm

It’s what you call it when you agree to do something and then change your mind without warning thereby upsetting the entire western world.

Last edited 1 month ago by Cowboy26

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

A little more than 2 weeks of NFL and then the attention shifts to Spring Training. 🙂 I am opened minded about the new scheduling but bothered by the seemingly disregard for the two leagues becoming one league. Seems to be copying football. Another way in which Manfred is trying to remake the game.

Trusted Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

At least now we’ll open in our own division.

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Good morning my friends, Thursday is upon us and we are creeping up to AFC and NFC Championships. Seems odd Buffalo not being there, but the Bengals did not bungle their chance. Cincinnati will give the Chiefs a run for their money and with Mahome having a high ankle stain, don’t look for much scrambling for him. Can the 49’ers hold down the Eagles offence? Heck, can Philadelphia hold off San Francisco’s QB?

GPB picks, go with the hot teams and look for a 1989 repeat game in the Super Bowl.