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LA Angels Tuesday News Crash: Cricket Squash

October 17, 2023

Baseball, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Cricket, and Squash have all been added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Here are the Angels prospects to watch for next year. Here is a blurb about each of the Angels hitters and pitchers currently in the AFL. Re-signing Shohei Ohtani remains a priority for the Angels, while they “could use improvement just about everywhere.” I sense another stars and scrubs lineup is incoming for 2024. If they can’t get Ohtani, it would be a very Arte move for him to insist that Perry hire some expensive bozo the Angels don’t actually need.

The Angels recently outrighted six guys down to the minors.

Kim Ng and the Marlins have parted ways. They were going to hire a President of Baseball Operations who would have been above her in the hierarchy so she turned down her half of the mutual option for 2024.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Legend

Twebur

1 month ago

Dave Roberts returning to the Doyers.

Prediction for the Doyer 2024 season. 100 win season. Out of the playoffs. Rinse and repeat.

Not saying it’s his fault, but sometimes, change for the sake of change, is a good thing.

Free the Doyers!
Free the Laptop!
Free the week off before you play a playoff game!
Free Rengifo!

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Twebur

Shohei’s mom must like Doc Roberts’ Japanese heritage.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

Doc Roberts likes Shohei’s mom’s Japanese heritage.

Super Member

clover_black

1 month ago

Reply to Twebur

counter point: change for the sake of change is never good and its what the angels do every offseason.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

I went by the stadium today and didn’t see a help wanted, apply within sign.

Trusted Member

HalosFanForLife

1 month ago

So a friend put out an idea as a Managerial candidate and it’s super interesting. Tim Hyers. Arguably the best hitting coach in baseball. Has had that position with the Red Sox, Dodgers, and now with Texas. Everywhere he goes, teams rake. Players love him. Don’t be surprised if he ends up in one of the open managerial jobs. Highly respected.

Trusted Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

So if that’s true, and I’m not disputing it, why doesn’t anyone keep him. Good hitting coaches are somewhat rare, he’s worth whatever you pay him.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

So hes like the modern day Charlie Lau?

Legend

WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

I’d rather have the best Pitching Coach as Manager and the 2nd best pitching coach as Pitching Coach and the 3rd one as Bullpen Coach.

Legend

Twebur

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

And the 4th as a 3rd base coach…

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Sad to see Walsh go from All Star to toast over an odd health issue. Hope he recovers and crushes the ball again.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Yep, I support this message.

Super Member

MarineLayer

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

He thinks it was related to getting Covid three times, and it was and is a brutal disease. I feel terrible for him and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.

Trusted Member

Angelstan

1 month ago

The players sent to the minors are fine. The only ones that have performed are Walsh and Barria and both were off-form last year.

I don’t know why people keep harping on the Quero loss. Yes, he’s likely talented. Also, yes, the Angels got little back because Giolito disappointed and López was released later.

But where was Quero going to play? They have O’Hoppe, Stassi, and Thaiss under contract for the foreseeable future. Losing a backup catcher isn’t that big a deal. If Quero hits his upside, it will sting. But he likely wouldn’t have made a big dent for the Angels — so whatever. We will see if any of the pitchers lost in the deals turn into anything.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

1 month ago

Reply to Angelstan

Stassi is not going to be our catcher in 2027. He might never be our catcher again. I’m using 2027 arbitrarily but let’s say Quero makes an impact then, just for argument.

That’s 4 years away. Let’s see who our catchers were 4 years ago, 2019.

Jonathan Lucroy, Kevan Smith, Anthony Bemboom, Stassi was around, hitting .071.

And 4 years before that, 2015.

Chris Iannetta, Carlos Perez.

Going back to 2019, it’s fascinating how few players are still here.Rengifo, Fletch, Trout, Ohtani, Thaiss, Ward, Canning. Players come and go so quickly that yes, Quero would be needed.

Super Member

matthiasstephan

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Wasn’t there some feedback on Quero that he was better with the bat than as catcher? If that is true, it diminishes the overall value (we can find other bats, surely).

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to matthiasstephan

Bats are important. A guy who is good enough with the bat will find a place to play.

Secondly some sort of automated strike zone is coming in the near future, which will make pitch framing less important. A bat first catcher will be the norm at that time.

And the kid is young. Defense is often the last thing to develop in catchers, so he could still end up being decent.

All in all, it sucked to lose him for a pure rental.

Trusted Member

Angelstan

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Bats are important. I agree. However, the Angels decided to go for it and failed. Catchers in the minors that are blocked by young backstops in the majors don’t fetch as much as one might think. I recall Mejia being a supposed ‘star’ a few years back when he was traded. He didn’t turn out as advertised when he came up as a player. Yes, Stassi will be gone in a few years assuming he plays this upcoming season. But he’s under contract meantime. O’Hoppe is expected to be the starter and the long term answer. Quero isn’t going to play 2nd or SS. The first basemen job is going to be Schanuel unless a problem develops. Quero won’t be an OF — especially if the other young guys closer to the majors pan out. Unless he’s a 3B and Rendon never plays again, Quero would be 3 years away from likely playing anywhere. The Angels can draft a 3B in 2024 or 2025 and use that guy. I know it stinks to lose potentially something for nothing. But it’s time to look at the guys the team has and not bemoan a guy that likely was blocked in terms of playing time here anyway.

Author

Super Member

Charles Sutton

1 month ago

Reply to Angelstan

Ahem! Former multi-position but definitely catching prospect Isaiah Kiner-Falefa just played 29 games at center field in the Yankees 2023 season.

And IKF can’t even bat.

Last edited 1 month ago by Charles Sutton

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Charles Sutton

Forner über defensive catching/no stick Fresno State prospect Taylor Ward also says hi and looks forward to seeing y’all in the spring.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Where would Quero get his ABs through 2026? He’d almost be Rule 5 by 2026.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

Stassi is really only signed through 2024 ( he has a $500K buyout on a $7.5M option for 2025 that I suspect the Angel will decline) So in hypothetical world , the Angels would have just put him on the 40 man roster before the 2025 season and then not subject him to a rule 5 draft if he were eligible..

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Angelstan

I believe Quero’s trade value would have only increased as he progressed through AA/AAA. So Who gives a shit where he was going to play since he was already deemed to be trade bait anyways. (And these things have a tendency of working themselves out) Giolito was an awful trade and clearly the warning signs were staring us right in the face . Hell even the vaunted Cleveland Indians couldn’t fix him. there were better alternatives to acquire including Loki or possibly Jordan Montgomery that probably could have been had for even less in return.

Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 month ago

Anybody else underwhelmed by the prospects listed in the prospect article?

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Mikeal1st

Well when you neglect your player development for the last 10 out 12 years including the international scene and have to rush your recent prospects prematurely to the majors you end of with an extreme case of “less than wanting”

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Say what you want about the Angels recent roster moves. (Not sure anyone’s shocked) the Angels had no choice since after the season ended all of the 60 day IL and restricted list players needed to be placed back on the 40 man roster. And even with removing these players the 40 man roster is still full:

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/angels

While there may seem to be a fair share of candidates to jettison in case of re-signing our existing free agents ( possibly Gio, Grichuk, Moore and, of course Ohtani) or any new free agent, that current roster is not really striking fear in our opponent’s hearts unless the old men somehow get rejuvenated or all of the kids rushed to the majors the last couple of years have breakout seasons. Depending upon health, I still believe we have enough offense to compete ( with a few judicious additions) But rwe eally need to improve our pitching -something that Ohtani wont help us with regardless if he re-signs with the team.

So the Question for the day: if you had to jettison 5 players off of the current 40 man roster and subject them to waivers so we can improve next years ball club who would they be? the late season additions of undeveloped youngsters Adams & Paris and Mederos and the threat of losing them basically guarantee them a spot on the 40 man through next opening day so who else will get the axe?

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

There’s that ‘C’ word again. Compete. What does it actually mean? It’s a very vague word.

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

That means that we can be real playoff contenders when MLB expands the playoffs to your 16 team playoff format.

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

Hilarious. OK, with that definition, I agree that the Halos have a chance of being competitive.

Last edited 1 month ago by Fansince1971

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

By the way, I am not a fan of expanding playoffs, even to the point (12 teams) that they are now.

The question, though, was how to make the playoffs more fair to the higher seeded teams. In my opinion, sitting around, waiting for a team is a disadvantage to the higher seated teams. In baseball. The team that sits around is more likely to get ‘cold’ while the team that advances from the first round likely has momentum.

Unfortunately, the only way to have all the teams playing at once is either to have four teams make the playoffs from each league (which MLB believes is too few) or 8 teams from each league. Thus the 16 total teams suggestion since that is more in line with what MLB and owners want to do.

I actually am strongly against expanding the playoffs to that point. But MLB is going to do whatever it takes to increase revenue, and as long as fans believe that their team can make the playoffs, they will buy tickets with the only exception being Tampa Bay.

Trusted Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

In our division right now we are a lot of games away from just finishing 3rd.

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Reply to Cowboy26

Adams, Cabbage, Loup, Rodriguez, Marte

Legend

Cowboy26

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

Apparently Roster Resource gots some bad math going. Without the Escobar or Loup options being exercised, the Angels are currently at 39 players. Unless, dare I say, Perry exercised either Poup’s or Escobar options. He’s not that stupid is he?

BTW I don’t understand what the allure was of adding Victor Mederos to the 40. He was only drafted in 2022 so there was no threat of losing him in the Rule 5 but he got beat up in AA last year yielding 2.1 HR/9, a 1.48 WHIP and 4.2 BB/9. There is nothing special about that