The Angels went an even 3-3 since last weekend’s links. A 2-1 win in the Disappointment Series against the Mets followed by a predictable series loss against a good team in Philly.
It took a furious rally to avoid the sweep in Philly. 2 runs in the 8th and 3 in the ninth, the latter coming against one of the all time great closers in Craig Kimbrel.
Drury and Renfroe powered the Halos to that dramatic win. Renfroe went 3 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBI in his final appearance as an Angel. Which is rather ironic because he’s been the polar opposite of clutch his entire tenure here. On the year, Renfroe is slashing an anemic .178/.242/.322 with RISP. In his career his numbers with runners on have always been worse than his overall slash line, but this year he’s been outright terrible when the team has needed him most.
But, that’s Cincy’s problem now. The Reds revamped their outfield by claiming both Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader.
And Renfroe is far from the only Angel to depart yesterday.
The Cleveland Guardians snagged a trio of Angels pitchers. Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Matt Moore are Ohio bound. Bear in mind, the Angels traded two of their top prospects for Giolito and Lopez.
We can add Lucas Giolito to the seemingly endless string of guys who sign here and immediately get worse. With the White Sox he was 17% better than league average. In red he was 33% worse.
Even division rival Seattle swooped in and took a little something from the carcass of the Angels 2023 squad, claiming Dominic Leone.
Nobody wanted Randall Grichuk, who cleared waivers.
In a way we could say the Angels are being cool by letting these guys pursue October baseball and give development time to young players. But this is a business and this purge was done with one goal.
And now the roster needs replenishing. I’m glad to see Davis Daniel back. He’s done multiple interviews with us and seems like a great guy.
As far as the youth movement, Nolan Schanuel is hitting the ground running. Or at least hitting.
And hopefully Ben Joyce will be a part of the Angels bullpens of the future. He got back on the mound Wednesday.
From around baseball:
The Atlanta Braves are the most complete team in the league and Spencer Strider is comically overpowering.
Former Angel Alex Cobb was sooooo close to a no hitter Tuesday night.
I absolutely love speed in baseball. Some guys have it but don’t steal bases, though. FanGraphs takes a look at the runners who make the least out of their legs. Fleet Pete, anyone?
It keeps looking worse and worse for Wander Franco, who is now facing a third accuser.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed.
Means don’t try to change something that you can’t.
A Life Philosophy lesson from Toots?
Right.
This article on yahoo says then Angels didn’t get under the tax. He eviscerates the Angels. But Taylor Blake Ward says they did get under… who to believe
The eviscerator.
TrAdition.
I don’t think ESPN thought this headline through…
https://twitter.com/brentschmidt/status/1697732307799380328?s=20
Guardians playing close game against Rays choose not to use Moore or Lopez for late inning relief.
Guardians won a close game not using Moore or Lopez. While Renfroe pinch hit in the second game and playing RF with Reds just tying the game in the bottom of 9th probably going extra. Renfroe will sleep soundly tonight.
Last year we made our draft position worse by winning 7 in a row near the end of the season. I bet we do it again
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, #3 FA rated by both MLB.com and MLBTR, is projected to start tonight (10 pm west coast time) against Nippon Ham Fighters and their ace, Hiromi Itoh. I anticipate at least 10 MLB scouts (probably no Angels) will be there to watch the game. Will let you know how Yamamoto did in tomorrow’s pregame section.
Angels have stained their appeal to the NPB.. Per-Per better stick to Cuba.
Source?
Bader and Renfroe combined for 0 for 7 in the 1st game today vs the Cubs. Both on the bench for game 2.
It had to be tough for Renfroe having to be on long flights for two days in a row. At least, he did not strike out.
It has become painfully obvious that Arte gave Perry full approval to go player shopping before the trade deadline to create a contender.
But, there was an asterisk.
If the newly comprised team failed to perform by the waiver wire deadline, the chopping block was to be activated and the payroll reduced to “Arte-approved” levels.
Logic – I can’t believe Arte would really care about $7m in the great scheme of things. Don’t you think that the reduction is to ensure a 2nd round compensation pick rather than a 4th round compensation pick if Ohtani leaves? It seems the most logical reason.
From the Bollinger article:
Why is important to be under the luxury tax threshold?
Per Bollinger: The luxury tax is subject to an increasing tax rate depending on how many consecutive years a club has been under the tax, so the Angels now reset back to year zero. But in the first year, it’s a 20 percent tax on all overages, in the second consecutive year, it’s 30 percent, and for a third straight year or more, it’s 50 percent.
Teams over the threshold that make a qualifying offer (as they will make to Ohtani) receive a compensation pick after the 2nd round if that player signs elsewhere.
By comparison, teams over the threshold that make a QO to a player receive a compensation pick after the 4th round of that player signs elsewhere.
So that approximately $6 million will make a big difference if Ohtani signs elsewhere. A 2nd round compensation pick is way more valuable than a 4th round compensation pick.
It seems to imply that Arte knows Shohei is gone
I think it could be read to imply that. Or that Ohtani may very well be gone and, if so, at least they get a 2nd round pick as compensation rather than a 4th rounder.
By the way – they tried to find takers for Anderson which would have accomplished the same reduction under the threshold. But there were no takers. So they moved to plan B.
I think you’re misinterpreting this fiasco the wrong way.
IMO he threw a tantrum BTS and did all of this out of anger and spite. I don’t believe for a second that money had anything to do with this.
PS……..Mikey might be back……yeah that Mikey!!
With Stanford and Cal joining ACC, Oregon State and Washington State are feeling like Grichuk today.
We will be fine. Just win baby. Go Beavs
My two sons and I are getting giddy for #18 Beavs first game on Sunday.
Same here! DJ’s debut. And excited to see how the Defense looks. Should be a good one
That PAC 2 conference is going to be a barn burner.
Isn’t the Atlantic Coast on the other side of the country? 😂 😂
All these Pac-12 schools are so full of themselves in how they still look down on the Mountain West Conference even though San Diego St beat many of them in football and made it to the NCAA championship game this year.
On the day of September 1st call ups, I’m dumping MF Spectrum and I’m losing the Angel broadcasts. I guess I really don’t have a need to watch the Arte/Perry clown show. Just need to keep losing and secure a top 6 pick.
Big US Open Tennis fan and Spectrum and Disney could not agree to terms for the rights to broadcast ESPN. So, no open unless I move on which I did. Spectrum asked the subscribers send complaints to Disney vs cutting into Spectrum corporate profits. Well…bite me Spectrum. There is always the radio feed….Go Halo’s.
My wife and father in law are at the US open. They arrived in New York yesterday afternoon. My father in law has been multiple times and has been to Wimbledon multiple times.
So excellent! On the proverbial bucket list. US that is and someday maybe the grass. Daughter lives in Manhattan, she’s already beat me to it last year.
My wife just “face timed” me from the venue. Her cousins are there too.
I don’t know if you would be interested, but Hulu+ TV, YouTube TV, and Fubo TV include ESPN, and I think the first two options still have free trial of 7 days. I tried Hulu+ TV free trial and was pretty satisfied about a week, and I was able to cancel quite easily.
There is also Reddit, which I cannot recommend because of computer virus. I would only try Reddit if you know what to do if you are infected. Those genital crabs are tough to get rid of. 😁
I just re-signed with YouTube TV. Tennis 🎾 back on! Dropped YouTube TV last year after they raised the prices by 10+% AND…lost the rights to MLB Network. Communists! Still have not reached agreement. Frontier is running a promotion to sign up for FIOS and get $15/mo off of YouTube. I’m a cheap bastard. DirectTV too expensive just to watch sports.
Good for you, sir! Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz are two entertaining and up and coming American players. They used to compete well for a number of years with my tennis idol Kei Nishikori, who unfortunately had to pull out from this year’s US Open.
I have a Hulu/Disney+/ESPN streaming bundle. If you don’t want/need everything that comes with YouTube TV, should be a cheaper option
Lineup
Schanuel. 1B
Regnifo. RF
Ohtani. DH
Drury. 2B
Moose. 3B
O’Hoppe. C
Grichuk. RF
Moniak. CF
Paris. SS
Moniak is in dilemma. When he uses Atlanta Slump Buster, his back complains. But when he takes a break from lustful nights, he accumulates golden sombrero. It is all part of growing pain (pun definitely intended). 😅
Schanuel 1B
Regnifo. CF
Ohtani. DH
Drury 2B
Moose. 3B
O’Hoppe. C
Cabbage. RF
Paris. SS
Grichuk. LF
My thoughts
I might be crazy in trying to predict today’s lineup, but with no fear of jinxing, here I go.
Schanuel 1B
Rengifo CF
Ohtani DH
Drury 2B
Moose 3B
O’Hoppe C
Grichuk LF
Cabbage RF
Paris SS
If Moniak is available, he will play CF and Rengifo moves to RF.
Or:
Schanuel 1B
Rengifo CF
Ohtani DH
Drury 2B
Moose 3B
O’Hoppe C
Cabbage RF
Grichuk LF
Paris SS
All great choices
Good Job you get bonus points for Moniak
Fire Perry for this
“#Angels transactions:
•Recalled RHP Jimmy Herget, LHP Kolton Ingram, RHP Gerardo Reyes, INF Michael Stefanic and RHP Andrew Wantz from Triple-A Salt Lake”
https://twitter.com/LAAngelsPR/status/1697696232494469407?t=cVKKUr17wGJQsXaWwbBz5g&s=19
el oh el
they have officially given up on the season.
Just now?
Brent, you must have missed the memo – the French flag of surrender was hoisted weeks ago.
We fly flags …. white flags of surrender
🏳🏳🏳🏳
Angels PR usually does not make announcement until 3 pm before late west coast game, so that was surprising. And Cowboy26 rarely agrees with me, but he did earlier when I estimated that 4 of Herget/Ingram/Reyes/Mederos/Wants and Plummer being called up. Your mentioning Orlando Martinez made sense and I later substituted Martinez over Plummer.
I still maintain that we need at least 10 run lead before these relievers enter the game, and unfortunately even 2 digit run lead will not lessen my need for Depends/sniffing glue.
The Angels have traffic jam at 2B and SS with only two OF (Moniak with bumpy back).
One Las Vegas betting site is recommending Under for O/U of 8 runs today. That site is section 8 crazy.
Fletcher should ask for his release.
that can be arranged for the low low buyout price of only $14,000,000
Fletch signed his new contract in April 2021. Since he signed it, he’s had 891 major league at bats. His OPS during that timeframe by year was:
2021: .622
2022: .621
2023: .543
The Angels know what they have with Fletcher. With the season lost, the team needs to give at bats to others like Paris.
He passed through waivers this year with no takers. If Fletch wants to be set free and start anew, he may have to make concessions on his contract.
Please no facts.
Fletch has GRIT! and Eckstein-like over-achiever secret monkey powers! Plus, he can suck with his pale skin and get a pass for downhill numbers since the contract ink dried because… GRIT!
Why? Doubtful he would catch on at what the Angels are currently paying him. He can relax and collect the money like every other Angel is accused of doing.
I can’t believe the nerve of some people giving Shanuel a hard time for making his first error and costing the team another loss. Sheesh. The noive of these people!!!!
🪞
I have no idea of what you speak of…
Me neither.
It has to suck when your team doesn’t want you and no other team does either
So basically 1/3 of our roster?
I’m not going to shed a tear for Randal. He’s still getting paid and has a job. What sucks is people not being wanted and getting laid off, and not having the “safety net” that Grichuk has.
Grichuk has made over $53M in his career to date. As he’s getting paid over $10M this season, I think he’ll survive the shattering of his ego that 29 teams passed him over.
The seven new players are already in the clubhouse…what is the big secret?
seven? oh yeah, 5 claimed and 2 expanded
the Angels also post the lineup later than other teams.
Perhaps Arte Moreno is smarter in keeping his mouth than Jerry Reinsdorf.
White Sox owner breaks MLB rules to waive white flag in Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes
Reinsdorf publicly announcing the White Sox would not be signing a specific player violates the CBA, as pointed out by NorthSideBound’s Greg Zumach. Considering what a cut-and-dried example this is, it is likely Reinsdorf will be fined by Major League Baseball for his comments.
In case you have a lot of time to read what another poorly operated MLB organization is like, this is a good article.
https://www.soxon35th.com/jerry-reinsdorfs-plan-will-fail-before-it-begins/
Watching the first game of double header between Reds and Cubs, I noted Renfroe hitting at 4 hole. He had two at bats so far with weakly hit grounder and line drive, zero strike outs so far. He must be tired from two long flights coming from east coast on Wednesday and going back out there yesterday.
Bader 0 for 3, Renfroe 0 for 4.
Probably take RenFroBlow a few games to get the TrAdition out of his system.
A good Taco Bell cleansing should do the trick.
Does Cincy play Toronto? He can get the runs at the border.
I Googled to find old Halos Heaven roll calls. I wonder how many of us are now on CTPG?
And who is missing?
See this roll call from 2014.
https://www.halosheaven.com/2014/4/30/5670590/halos-heaven-april-roll-call
Yup, on that list.
I see I was active but well down on that list.
I’ve had a downfall of Pujolsian proportions. I was #1 on the list.
I thought I was there, but couldn’t find myself. Maybe just lurking 100%? (Sort of back to that of late….)
Same for me.
Speaking of that place, when are we getting the ability to hit x to jump to new comments?
I was there….under an assumed name. The paparazzi were too much back then.
😂
I’m way down the list, as I don’t really have the time to be in the game threads all the time.
Wow, blast from the past!
I’m on that list, but I’m Halo Hurricane over there 😎