Zach Neto joined Jim Fregosi as the only shortstops in Angels history to reach 20 homers in a season. Logan O’Hoppe also reached 20 homers and is the fourth Angels catcher to do that.
The White Sox have reached 120 losses for the season, joining the 1962 Mets as the most futile MLB teams in the modern era.
Yordan Alvarez got a boo boo on his knee during yesterday’s Astros game. Kodai Senga has right triceps tightness and is shut down for the rest of the season. Raphael Devers went on the ten day IL with shoulder inflammation.
The Athletics just designated right-hander Brandon Bielak for assignment. CJ Abrams, of the Nationals, was demoted. This is reportedly because he was at a casino until 8 A.M. on the morning of a 1:20 P.M. afternoon game.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Estevez on the mound clinching the division for the Phillies.
Good for him.
Exactly right. They paid well for him!
Following Seattle at Houston…knock jerry’s kids out!!
Paging Cowboy26….
I believe I won our bet? Just confirming.
Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?
what was the bet?
I took the Angels under 70 wins. He took the Angels over 80 wins. There was quite a bit of back and forth leading up to the bets – some of it fairly snarky.
Loser has to write a genuinely positive fan post about the winner. Im waiting 😎
Here is some food for thought. Please don’t get excited, it’s not a recommendation. You could start next year with Rengifo and Ward and see how things go. You could trade them next year for prospects or decide to extend both of them, Rengifo for 3 years and Ward for 2 years giving you stability for the next 4 years with Trout, Neto, and O’Hoppe. Obviously before you did that you would have another 1/2 year at least to continue to evaluate Adell and Schanuel, and also look at Adams and Moore. Depending on how everything went, you could trade or extend the two players in question.
With Rengifo and Ward, you have (5) 2.5+ win players. You would still need a 1B, a 2B, and 2 OFs. Some or none of those could come from your current roster. The trade off is what can you get for the players you’re trading vs the fact that they are both 2.5+ win players currently and do you believe they would maintain that level for the next 4 years. Also what would the cost would be to extend them. If you were to trade them, it would be 3-5 years starting next year before you would be able to field a full team. Just something to think about. I know keeping them is unpopular with many. You also need to consider that there is currently no one in the system to replace either of them.
The market rate is approximately $9m per WAR. Would you keep both if the post-arb salary was $17m to $20m per season, each?
I’d consider it. If it looks like you’d likely pay that for whom ever you replace their production with. Unless you are offered prospect packages for them that make you fairly confident you can get MORE value via the farm.
Team’s got a lot of holes. So if you have a chance to fill maybe 4 holes by trading 2 current players…. might be a good idea.
I probably would not but as Gitch says below you have to trade everything off. I would like to pay them 10-12M a year if that worked out. I don’t believe either of them will get 17-20M a year for multiple years. I might go to 15M but as Grandpa says above, the only reason you keep them is if you think they can help you win soon. Otherwise, it makes no sense to keep or pay them.
They’re not likely going to win next year, but if they had a plan, maybe 2026 onward. If one were to believe that Schanuel and Moore were going to be able to fill out the infield, then worst case is you just need 2 OFs. Maybe Adell works out as well. I agree with Gitch. You shop them this winter and see if anyone wows you. If not, you see what happens next year and then depending on what happens, you either keep or trade them both. If you believe the team can be good in the near term, you keep them, and if not, you trade them.
I think Rengifo would be around your $10-$12 million while Ward might be a little higher, but not as high as S17-$20 million. Even if the team keeps both, I think they need another multi-position infielder and another outfielder so Moniak stays a fourth outfielder and Trout can be the full-time DH. Of course, adding more starting pitching is never a bad thing, though I hope we avoid more Matt Harvey signings.
So, by holding on to Renny and Ward, will that mean we will someday return to being winning more than we lose? If so, then that is a good thing. If not, then maybe rolling the dice on some new young players might work out better as there would be at worst no change in the continuing of having losing records anyway. Rebuilding is tough to go through, just as bad as 9 straight losing seasons. As usual I am all for rebuilding, cutting Trout through trade to Philly and throwing in some cash and a player or 2. Noting to be gained holding on to players with high water marks of 2.5 bWAR or fWar, better to see what happens by trading them.
Exactly this. Rengifo and Ward, even paying them some money in their early 30s, are fine roster members. BUT they are already on this crap roster. So, if you keep them, you need another plan for how we actually get BETTER without trading these two guys.
Holding onto “not worse” does nothing for us.
I think THIS is kind of the FO’s thinking. It’s not like Rengifo/Ward have NO value to us as it stands now. I doubt either will sign a 2 year extension, but if you already believe point A then there’s no harm in finding out…. and you can trade them too if they don’t both have collapsed value issues this next July.
I’d shop them this winter. If some team is thirsty enough to give us a really good prospect package I’d take it. But if not, no harm done. Ask their agents about extensions at the same time if you want. If it looks like you could get a really good deal then go for it.
It’s not a bad spot to be in regarding these players….
That would be my approach, and as you said, even if you extended them, you could always trade them assuming they don’t collapse.
This dovetails a bit on Jeff’s point down below. There is no doubt that Arte would have to eat around 100 to 150 million to be able to trade Trout. And it is questionable what would be received in returned at this point, given his injury, history over the last four seasons So I agree, there is no big haul of talent to be had like there would have been had the Angels traded Ohtani in ‘22 or even ‘23
That said, if this team is going to truly rebuild, Trout is an anchor (not in the good way). It may be a reasonable strategy to get what you can for Trout, if the team is truly going to rebuild, freeing him to enjoy the latter part of his career on a potential playoff team. Keeping him tied down and never reaching the playoffs during his entire career.(the most likely result of his staying an Angel) seems bad for both sides.
if the Angels are truly going to rebuild, I can see the logic in trading Trout, even though the return will be minimal. It’s more about the signal of the rebuild as an Organizational strategy.
we think like fans, like if somehow Trout were gone we’d save at least some money that would be used to sign other players. But Arte thinks like a businessman. Any savings would go into his pocket, just like Ohtani’s salary did.
Christ I wish Arte’d actually pull a Poldad and just pocket all the money the team saves by not signing anyone. I’d love to watch Angels fanboy actually live through that.
What are we? Through not quite one whole season of not having THREE 30+ million a year players on the payroll?
The world weeps for our sorrow guys.
You mad?
People still come to see him play when he’s healthy and, when healthy, he’s still the best player on the team. He’s also not blocking anyone so there is really no downside at this point to keeping him and no real upside for trading him both as a fan and from a business perspective.
You mean the 2 months out of the season when he plays?
Has he played 2 months this season?
This whole situation’s pretty easy for us as fans.
If Trout wants to be traded he’ll say so OR we’ll hear he’s willing to wave his no trade clause.
If that happens, then there’s a point to a bunch of idiots on this site declaring we need to get Jackson Jobe and Riley Greene back for him.
THEN, maybe, there will be a trade.
Then idiots can complain about paying him to play for another team and only getting back a couple mid-tier prospects.
Till we hear anything about a NTC waiver this is all a nothing burger.
We CAN keep him and rebuild. Teams not that poor. Nor has it ever really been that cheap. They can have a 35M DH/OF that the fans love and still rebuild.
Yeah, stupid me for speculating on something like it would really happen, smh. It’s like thinking Detmers might have a winning season, wait for that to happen and the speculate, or Arte selling, wait for that to happen and then talk about it. I get it now. 😆
At least you aren’t working for a major news company speculating on when Trout will be traded
Ha-Ha, rebuild
Arturo Moreno will never eat that much money for Trout. Look how Whipped Creamer had to ruin his life to get away from the Angels with Moreno eating a big chunk of what he owed to that crackhead.
Just my cracked viewpoint, but Pillar (Back-up role) for a couple of million for one more year would not be a waste of money, .250ish is quite good for our OFers.
I like Pillar, but if you were to do that he would be replacing Adams or Moniak.
Speaking of the Chicago White Sox…anybody heard from 5th Starter?
Sooooo….. what’s our likely current draft position now?
Who is ready to celebrate like a twat when Drury is gone and then complain like a twat when we sign Jordan Lyles, Mike Soroka, Austin Slater and Gio Urshela? I know I am! Got my White Sox hat on to remind me I’m blessed.
To quote the famous philosophers from Liverpool, “It’s gettin’ better all the time.”
3rd best odds
MMMMM…. UCSB has a really good starter coming out in this draft. I’d love it if we got us a Cho In Duh Show……
too high for my liking. Our farm has a lot of young arms. I’d take whichever bat is available (I like Holliday or Jace, Cannarella is a nice fit too)
If Holiday fell to three….. ohhhhh man I’d be stoked. I Cannarella a lot too. Well rounded and looks like a fast riser too.
Holliday will go 1 or 2 unless something drastic happens. I think he and Jace are going 1-2 for sure unless there’s some crazy rise by someone. After that it’s a bit of a crapshoot
It’s really early…. the top 5 could change some by June. Top 10 will.
I can remember a time when Arte was a total piece of shit because he wouldn’t, AT THE VERY LEAST, go out there and sign Kodai Senga…. unless of course this would have failed to pleasure the Unicorn. If having a second Japanese player on the team would have stroked the Unicorn wrong then Arte would have been a real piece of shit for signing him. Lots of shit pieces.
All CtPG stupidity aside, it would be kind of cool to see a break down of how much of the seeming billion dollars the Mets Unicorn Owner has spent on players has actually made them play off contenders. I know all the money the Rangers have thrown at “staff ace” arms has turned to ash….
In 1970, Jim Fregosi hit 22 HRs. I was assuming he hit them all playing SS. Either way, with his 2 HRs yesterday, Neto is the single season HR leader for the Angels as a SS with 23 so far.
Per Baseball Reference, 20 HRs hit during 150 games at SS, 2 HRs hit during 6 games at 1B.
Thanks, that’s why they said he tied the record when he hit is 20th and broke it broke it when he hit his 21st.
Let the fantastical off-season hand wringing and teeth gnashing commence…..
“Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout might be a surefire Hall of Famer and one of the greatest living baseball players, but teams would put his reputation aside if they were to acquire the three-time American League MVP, according to The Athletic’s Sam Blum and Andy McCullough.
“Given the age, injury history and financial commitment, one executive said the Angels would have to eat more than half the money just to bring a potential partner to the table,” Blum and McCullough reported. “Asked how difficult it would be to move Trout, another rival executive said, ‘Incredibly.'”
Trout is signed though 2030 and has more than $222.7 million left on his contract.”
I’m not sure why Sam even brought this up. Mike Trout is one of the greatest players of all time, a lifetime Angel, and should absolutely stick with the team through this rebuild. Who knows—maybe he’ll still have another great three-quarters of a season in him before 2030!
Because it is reality and needs to be stated.\
I can’t count the number of times people have told me or said on the radio “the Angels should trade Mike Trout for a bunch of prospects.”
Can’t be done. At best Arte can eat about $150 million and get a couple of decent prospects.
This is the first time I can remember disagreeing with you, Jeff, which probably means I’m wrong here! Maybe it’s because it’s my first day back at work after a week off, and I’ve realized I’m still too sick—I never stay sick this long! But here’s my best shot…
In my opinion, Trout shouldn’t be traded because he’s the greatest Angel to ever play the game. He needs to stay with the team, if for no other reason than having the GOAT (even if that’s debatable, but not as an Angel) is something you don’t let go of, even if it possibly makes the team better. You don’t trade baseball legends, unless, you’re trying to open a play for your girlfriend.
Plus, as every article points out, he’s basically untradeable. The most we could hope for is a few “maybe gonna be good” prospects and saving a couple million in salary. You don’t trade Mike Trout for that. So realistically, he’s not going anywhere, and there’s no point in speculating about it.
I did read the article after my earlier comment, and I get why it makes sense in that context, but it still doesn’t make sense to speculate on something so unlikely to happen—and honestly, it probably shouldn’t happen. Tell your speculators it doesn’t make sense for the Angels to sell at the current price, or for other teams to buy at that price. So yeah, it’s a hard no on trading Trout.
I’m definitely for keeping Trout. You don’t trade a franchise icon to save some money and get a mediocre return.
If I’m paying the face of the franchise huge coin either way, I want him playing in front of my fans.
All I’m saying is once Ohtani left this mantra of a Herschel Walker type trade for Trout has somehow crept into the minds of casual fans and sports radio dipshits that don’t actually think about what they say.
Trout as a forever Angel…YES!!!
I actually think there is value, for the franchise, in keeping Trout through the whole contract or retirement. I follow the Padres. I follow the Royals. I follow the Rays.
Ever try and find a Rays throwback jersey? It probably has Wade Boggs on it. That’s sad. George Brett/Tony Gwynn are much better. I think it will be good for the Angels to NOT end up like the Rays, where the “throwback” jersey’s we get are from a few years of Nolan Ryan or a broken Reggie Jackson.
It’s not just the jersey’s. It’s having a focal point of your teams roster history. Trout/Ohtani/Guerrero/Ryan/Jackson/Carew…. goes down a lot smoother. Teams like the Rays and Marlins just feel kinda sad. Tim Salmon as an “ALL TIME GREAT”…. sad.
Trout fixes that if he plays a long long time here.
Well said.
Ohtani should’ve been traded. As far as I know, he gave no real indication he was willing to stay, and at the time, it was understandable why he’d leave. Much like the Piazza situation, for the Dodgers, the Angels should’ve recognized they had no choice. Management should have seen the writing on the wall—that they didn’t have the pieces to build a playoff team around Ohtani in time. You do trade the unicorn in that case. You just don’t use the money saved to finance a play and you should be all right.
He wasn’t traded because Arturo Moreno wanted to squeeze ever scent of profit out of him.
I still think Arte was the snitch behind the sports betting scandal, and why it got buried so fast. When he took his team off the market, is when he chirped.
I think it’s because there have been so many “expert break down” articles out lately that question if the Angels should keep Trout. Even if the answer is that this is a stupid question.
Things have changed.
Not sure how accurate this is, but it’s the reason I logged in today.
https://bvmsports.com/2024/09/23/mike-trout-calls-out-angels-owner-arte-moreno-for-teams-failures/
Calling all Cowboys….
I think I won our bet….correct?
Abrams will be 24 next month and already played in nearly 1400 major league games. He’s still just a kid and needs to grow up quickly.
Another 10 cent head player. They are going to attempt to teach him a lesson. Hopefully he gets it, and changes his ways.
He’s played in 1,400 MLB games? That would take nine seasons minimum.
Sorry – it should read “nearly 1400 at bats”
damn, he’s been in the league since he was 15? That’s impressive
Agreed. To be fair this wasn’t all that egregious considering the crap I pulled when I was 24, but I wasn’t getting paid big bucks.
It’s hard to imagine getting $5.2 million at 18 years old and then making it to the bigs at 21 years old. Everyone has been telling him he’s great since he was 12 and his perception of reality is skewed to the extreme. It’s a cliche on how many times actors, musicians and even sports stars implode. Money plus fame only amplify the issues that you already had.
We won’t lose today!!
This team could find a way to lose, even when they’re not playing!
For example, they could take Rendon off the IL.