Here is a rundown of weird minor league mascots. Check out “The Aviator.”
Wander Franco is officially summoned by Dominican authorities to appear and be questioned today at 11:00 A.M. I read they are still kind of looking for him, but they apparently know who his attorney is. I wonder if he is going to sneak over into Haiti or something.
As of yesterday, the Angels are still reportedly in on Blake Snell. So are the Giants.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa appears to be headed to the Blue Jays for two years at $15 Million. Right-hander Josh Staumont just got a one year deal with the Minnesota Twins.
The Yankees traded Estevan Florial to the Guardians for right-hander Cody Morris. The Dodgers DFAd left-hander Bryan Hudson to make room for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Rangers just signed a whole slew of guys to minor league contracts.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Angels name-dropped by Heyman in regards to interest in J.D. Martinez, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery.
Are we being used as leverage like usual? Probably 😂.
In the event we aren’t and somehow sign Snell and Martinez…
SP: Snell, Detmers, Sandoval, Canning, Anderson, Silseth
O’Hoppe C
Schanuel 1B
Drury 2B
Neto SS
Rendone 3B
Ward LF
Trout CF
Moniak RF
Martinez DH
Bench: Rengifo, Thaiss, Adell
I’m staying consistent that I’d prefer to not add any longterm mega deals.
Also, adding them would be good moves for us. Both are impact players who address direct needs on the MLB roster and won’t block any high level prospect(s) anytime soon (Trouty and Rendone will need to play the field, sorry).
I highly highly doubt we sign both guys, let alone one. But if we do, man. I like the squad.
We should sign both. Losing Ohtani to hated Dodgers has got to rate as one of the most tragic events in Angels history and made us the laughing stock with the MLB community. We don’t have to be defeated and quit this year. Need to show some pride and keep trying to roll with improving the roster, at least for this offseason.
Let the league and Dodger fans have their jolly. I know I will be enjoying watching Ohtani and crew get beat in the postseason. Must see TV watching Roberts outside the Dodger club house answering questions why he took his starter out of the game so early. Just like old times.
Is there a contingency coping plan if the dodgers win the WS?
ya we’re laying down so much karma, I think we’ll need one
And we can watch Kershaw…….KERSHAW!
KERSHAW-SHANKed
With no redemption. He’ll probably have to go to the Rangers to win a ring
I actually don’t at all think of it as losing him to the Dodgers, so maybe that’s why it really doesn’t bother me that much compared to others. You can’t lose something that isn’t yours.
Ohtani’s contract with us ended. He was back to being a free agent. The Dodgers massively overpaid to hire the guy, while we decided not to tie up our funds like that. No problem.
Agreed.
We should sign an ace (or top starting pitcher – Snell, Montgomery, even Stroman), someone to serve as DH with versatility, and some relief pitchers (bring back Moore?, another lefty?).
I don’t really see a place for Martinez (not versatile enough) or Bellinger (wrong position, potentially too much money), but I certainly see the value in going after who we are rumored to go after.
IMHO, we are not that far away.
Good news-Several newer web articles have the Halos so d@mn “linked” to a few players.
At least we’re “checking in”
…or “looking at”
The phrase I recall the most in recent years was the “Angels were in on______”
Does everyone else here think that if evil Arte had agreed to a trade of the player formerly known as the Unicorn we probably would have sent him to Tampa Bay for a package including Wander Franco right before everybody found out he was a massive Pedo?
LOL, Franco now starring on DR’s most wanted?
Yep, he no-showed and fired his legal team. He is on the run, probably looking for a country without an extradition agreement with the DR.
i wander if they’ll find him.
No white Bronco’s in DR or is there?
There’s always France, that’s where the douches all go to run from justice.
Most of those nearby island countries are in a regional treaty. If he can’t hide out in Cuba he probably at least needs to make it to South America. Maybe he can get some advice from international fugitive Luis Rengifo.
Wow you seem to know a lot about Caribbean extradition Charles .
Just Sayin’
You can buy citizenship on the island of Dominica for $250,000 the last I knew. I was just curious where you can go easily on that passport. It is a Commonwealth nation, as well as being in the Caribbean regional bloc.
I just don’t happen to have the $250,000.
Edit: Hmmm! It looks like they’ve dropped their price.
The Dodgers designated left-hander Bryan Hudson for assignment, so IF the Halos can claim him, that could be a nice addition. Problem is, I am sure other teams are ahead of the Halos.
His limited MLB debut was pretty unspectacular . He needs to cut down on his walks . Not sure we can fix him but seems like a better upgrade than Marte . Who would you jettison off of the 40 man? Marte has already been removed .
Yeah, just like the Dodgers, albeit for Yamamoto, we also would have to bump someone of the 40. I was still thinking we had room. Good point CB26.
Angels Open For Business? Who Red Sox Could Target In Trade (nesn.com)
I believe the Angels need to strongly consider moving off of ALL those players named in this article. If these guys are considered assets by other organizations, strike while the iron is hot. Red Sox are an organization with a new GM and under a little pressure to make some moves. A few other organizations are in a similar boat.
I could give 2 shits ( and 2 shots) to jettison somebody if we aren’t going to get back value in return . Do the Red Sox even have any prospects or is this another chapter of “screw the halos out of their only real assets for our junk. “
This mindset of “we need to trade somebody just because the other teams want them” is asinine if we don’t ultimately improve the overall talent we get in return
Gnashing of teeth? Arghhhh!
I keep seeing reasoning like this on this site and it seems like people jump to some illogical assumptions.
Saying that you really think it is a good time to trade away valuable assets (because we need to rebuild and aren’t going to win) does NOT imply that we should mindlessly just make any trade and get a poor return.
Nor does it make sense to argue that the Angels (or other teams) have failed at many previous trades, so therefore trades always suck, so therefore it is stupid for the Angels to make any trades.
Sorry, but I’ve noticed this avenue of rebuttal happen many times and it doesn’t make sense to me.
I agree. Why would the Angels trade relatively inexpensive assets that are under team control. And for what? Just to make a trade? It makes no sense.
If it’s a rebuild, the only player that should be traded is Trout. The Angels would have to eat a fair amount of salary but that would at least be consistent with a rebuild.
I would obviously like to trade Rendone as well but he has no value to anyone and is untradeable.
With our off-season stuck in the mud, let’s take a look at Mike Trout!
Trout is currently 52nd in MLB history with 85.2 WAR (according to BBRef).
Looking up the leaderboard, there are 8 players from the 2000s era ahead of him — Chipper Jones (85.3), Adrian Beltre (93.5), Randy Johnson (101.1), Albert Pujols (101.5), Greg Maddux (106.6), Alex Rodriguez (117.5), Roger Clemens (139.2), Barry Bonds (162.8).
Trouty has 7 years left on his contract that will capture years 32-39.
He would need to average 4.7 WAR over the next 7 seasons to reach 118 WAR for his career and overtake A-Rod for 16th all time.
Trout is far and away the greatest player to make his MLB debut after 2000, with the closest names being Verlander (80.9), Kershaw (79.9), Grienke (77.5), and Scherzer (75). There’s no competition for Trout when compared with his contemporaries who debuted in 2010 or later.
Trout’s 2020, 2021, and 2023 shortened seasons have temporarily and unceremoniously halted his meteoric rise up the WAR leaderboard. Hopefully, Trout can take a dip into the fountain of youth and recapture good health, which will be imperative for him to keep working his way up.
As mentioned above, averaging 4.7 WAR for the remainder of his contract would place him 16th in baseball history and only behind Bonds and Clemens for modern day players. Averaging a more realistic 3.2 WAR over the next 7 seasons would put Trout 23rd all time behind Bonds, Clemens and A-Rod.
Trout is unquestionably a GOAT of this sport and when considering the steroid-era, Mike will go down as the greatest non-juiced player of the 2000s. Pretty awesome.
Trout is currently at 368 HRs. Let’s say he averages 35 HRs over the next 7 seasons — that’d be good for 613 HRs and 8th in MLB history.
Trout’s performance can be split into two categories. Pre-dad and post-dad. Adding in his weight gain, quiet demeanor and nagging injuries, I’m no longer bullish on Trout as a cornerstone.
Yea Trout’s performance on the field when healthy can’t be questioned. But just about everything else can be. How much did he lead when he had to know a ton of his teammates were addicted to drugs? How much did he just keep his mouth shut and not rock the boat when Eppler went at it vs Pujols/Scioscia and Arte chose the path that kept us away from actually using technology to help the team. How do so many Angels treat their time with the Angels as if it’s the f’ing side job. Let’s open businesses and make our own wine, let’s buy car dealerships and start a racing team, let’s collab with Tiger Woods and design a golf course. Like can’t all of those things wait until you’re no longer being paid millions of dollars to be a FULL TIME baseball player?
How many young players on the Angels have the mindset about it’s being about their own personal stats and highlights? Like do other teams really have young players posting to their IG a homerun they hit in a brutal loss where their MVP Candidate was injured?
How many teams have their star players see another “star” player have their hands on a fan in the crowd and just walk on past like it’s f’ing normal.
How many teams have their stars let that same “star” player shit on their fans with their bs about being on the dead list and not speaking English. A real leader would have gone right up to Rendon privately and said go apologize for that shit or else when the media asks me about it, I’ll tell them how I really feel. Unless of course Trout doesn’t give a shit himself about Rendon treating his fanbase like crap.
I have no idea how to respond this haha.
It feels like a lot of conjecture and projection on your part.
seriously, if you knew the players personally you wouldn’t root for any of them.
I’m sure this is true.
I don’t think any of us working folk go about pointing out the alcoholics and probable drug addicts in the workplace. I worked in an office with several functioning hypes that wore sweaters in 106 degree weather. Their habits, or alleged habits, didn’t affect my safety, so I didn’t “rock the boat.”
I told you guys before that one of my roomies in the minors used steroids, I didn’t see the need to “Narc”. Additionally, several underage teammates would get drinks in favorable bars/restaurants.
#NOTAKEVIN
#MINDMYBUSINESS
Fine give him a pass on the drug use…. I don’t think it’s a hot take that Trout is a piss poor leader and has entirely failed to help establish a healthy baseball culture here. He can’t even lead a fantasy baseball team.
Also I think I draw the line at, a member of your own organization is the one getting drugs for the people. He owed nothing to Kay. Now if he didn’t know that’s one thing, but I bet he probably did.
I mean, Trout was arguably the 3rd best player in 2022 after Ohtani and Judge lol.
Writing his obituary as a cornerstone feels premature.
Behind steroid users and cheats-Bonds, ARod and Clemens, how dare Trout allow that to happen.
“Market for Cubs’ Free Agent Bellinger Is Drying Up” tagline from Inside the Cubs
I gotta a funny feeling Bellinger is going to land on his feet somewhere, not for 10 years, but somewhere….
Bellinger may not sign until February or even March. Boras will wait for some team to panic or have an injury.
’tis true….
Smart GMs are wary of Bellinger and that’s what has me worried that Angels will be the one who pulls the trigger
Looks as if we a going to get drenched this weekend and some will be seeing the arrive of the snow finally. We get a deal at the Big A for parking at 20 bucks, skier’s have to pay that weekdays and $40 bucks on weekends! Who said that Golf was an expensive sure-bet they didn’t own a board or snow skies or a mountain cabin. 🏂 ⛷ 😃
Keep that one in your hat GPa . We don’t want evil Arte to go all Frank McCourt on us and realize he can charge more for his parking lot.
That is why he is still trying to get a deal done to buy the stadium property. If he gets a deal done, he will develop it, own all the land including the stadium, then sell the team but keep the land.
Mini-McCourt?
Good morning, Halo faithful, well I was fortune it enough to be taken in to start the day-“Angels 3b drawing lots of interest”. Are we going to get lucky, and some other team wants Rendone and 39 million a year just maybe!
The Angels suck-you already know that and so do I, but a big named Baseball Writer doesn’t know that our LF’er does not play 3b. If you are going to post a story about any team at least learn that a player such as Ward is a LF’er.
Tired of College Football yet? So am I, but the good news is the games get better from here on out, at least I hope so anyway. I can’t watch a game from Idaho on a blue field though.
With some luck and good playing the Rams have heated up at the right time, just might make it in the Playoffs as a Wild Card choice-who knew a month ago that they would turn it on and turn it up 2 notches? Kool.
The Angels sure have picked through the bone pile this off season, but can Arte resist signing some 30 year old + player to a horrible contract? We just have to wait and see.
Tongue in cheek-Richardo Sandoval authored said piece, at least his mother knows who he is. 😁
It will be interesting to see who the Angels acquire. They are positioned to finish second for Snell — with Boras getting the Giants to overpay. The same may be true for Teoscar absent Boras but with the Red Sox involved. I would guess the Angels are more likely to get Teoscar than Snell. Neither is an option.
Plenty of depth exists with one year guys or slightly below the radar signings. They need bodies. Wishing everyone a great new year.
I’d prefer decent players on two year deals (e.g., Brandon Drury) that give us solid continuity if the team is better than expected OR can be flipped for a decent asset return at the deadline if we’re not.
I agree. I would give him a 2 year extension and I think he will be worth it especially since they currently have no in-house solution for 2B. As you said, it also makes him more valuable in a trade.
I’m all for extending Drury! He had such an underrated 2023.
My point is that our FA dollars should be allocated to solid, if not spectacular, vets on two year deals and cited Drury as a prime example.
Good example and when these acquisitions actually prove out to be a bargain buy, time to flip. Like the housing market.
Depends on the player I don’t mind JD Martinez but I don’t want to give him two years. I’d never give Turner 2 years. Merrifeld? Sure. It all depends
Yes, you were picking up what I was putting down.
Merrifield is a perfect candidate.
I’m all for plugging in a couple of these key FAs on short term to surround the kids. Turner, JD, Whit, Bader, … don’t really care who just avoid 5-years and above. Team needs speed so there is that.
I don’t know if this was reported earlier, but the Angels claimed first baseman Alphonso Rivas off waivers from the Guardians December 22. Why do you suppose they would do that? He’s on the active roster. Schanuel trade in the works?
He’s a low average no power infielder. He’s the proverbial AAAA “depth piece” that is the hallmark of Perry’s tenure as GM. Rivas will have his opportunity to traverse the waiver wire again in the not too distant future.
If Schanuel is in fact trade bait, it will only create another hole on the major league roster. But then again, what else is Perry to do with the mess he is leading?
I’m puzzled by it. I don’t like the feeling that Perry is just thrashing about aimlessly. Marisnick made sense in a Ryan LaMarr kind of way. It is time to fish or cut bait when it comes to the pitchers and Perry is piddling about with Rivas.
It’s simply a depth piece. We aren’t moving off of Schanuel for this rando haha
Injury replacement and just general depth
It was and this is good move. Rivas is a left handed version of Evan White who can actually hit league average. his defense is off the charts . He can even play legitimate outfield . If Schanuel shits the bed and they can get these guys to hit alittle ( I’m sure their numbers will look good at the great Salt Lake) thenwe got ourselves a pretty good back up platoon waiting in the wings at AAA.