LA Angels Thursday News Crash:

The Angels signed former All-Star Tim Anderson to a minor league contract with a spring training invitation. Take that, Jack Flaherty! World Series here we come.

The Guardians signed reliever Paul Sewald for one year plus a mutual option for 2026. The Toronto Blue Jays signed Christian Bethancourt and Richard Lovelady to minor league contracts.

Free agent right-hander Lou Trivino worked out for a bunch of teams this week. There is no word on whether the Angels had anybody in attendance.

Dave Stewart got a gig as a Special Assistant for Player Development with the Sacramento As.

The Baltimore Orioles are dropping their prices on at least some of their concessions. In related news, Hell apparently has frozen over.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Mia
Legend
Mia
24 days ago

So audio was released today of Ippei impersonating Shohei on the phone with his bank.

I remember being dragged across the coals around here for even believing it was possible.

Cowboy26
Legend
24 days ago
Reply to  Mia

Who?

Mia
Legend
Mia
24 days ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Hopefully Shohei Won’t Get Fooled Again.

Pineapple12
Super Member
24 days ago
Reply to  Mia

I’ll try to be polite to those you are referring to … people love a good conspiracy lol.

Of course Sho didn’t do it đŸ˜‚đŸ˜‚đŸ˜‚

Last edited 24 days ago by Pineapple12
Mia
Legend
Mia
24 days ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

Not calling anyone out, just had to mention it. đŸ˜‚

halofansince1978
Super Member
24 days ago

3 for 1 Rengifo deal? Proposed by Newsweek’s Drew VonScio

New York Yankees acquire: INF Luis Rengifo

Los Angeles Angels acquire: LHP Brock Selvidge (Yankees No. 7 prospect), INF Jorbit Vivas (Yankees No. 17 prospect), RHP Yoendrys GĂ³mez (Yankees No. 20 prospect)

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yeah, those are dudes I looked at on le’sim. Not a bad deal. I dig Selvidge. Vivas isn’t a useless prospect either…. honestly may become Rengifo.

Twebur
Legend
24 days ago

I dig Selvidge

Yankee Spring Training invite last year….only 22.

From a few years ago…
https://x.com/GiraffeNeckMarc/status/1407845971225108488

Last edited 24 days ago by Twebur
Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
24 days ago

I’d probably do that. Selvidge is the big fish in the trade. Vivas joins Denzer Guzman as maybe useful MLB infielders, Gomez is more of a lotter ticket.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
25 days ago

Getting a kick perusing this Top 100 prospects list from 2017… arguably the nadir of our player development famine. Just look at some of those names in the Top 10… Benintendi!… Moncada!… the great Victor Robles!

Nice reminder to throw a little salt on prospect prognosticators… particularly when they leave Caden Dana off their Top 10 RHP lists in favor of two d*ckheads from Texas.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2017/top100/

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yup. I’m not too worried about farm rankings. Being in the bottom 5 sucks, but I’m not sure being top 10 means THAT much more than being 15.

BUT I want plenty of pretty talented 45-55 prospects or guys who will be that good if they just improve in an area. THIS allows us to have plenty of bites at the apple when trying to fill positions cheaply. Or trade prospects in the future.

But yeah, almost any time you look at an old list of top 100 prospects it’s weak sauce. It’s also why about 20 of the slots get taken by “latest draft picks”. Because a lot of the top 50 is fluff that blows away by AA.

It’s also why, even though it may mean we “get fooled again”, I would be OK with Perry doing a little more Eppler drafting once we get a few core players solidified on the roster via the farm. Sure, I want some floor too, but Eppler was technically right. Though you will fail 3 out of 4 times, you CAN teach contact/fielding/control/secondary pitches. You CAN’T teach raw power/foot speed/velo. I will be happy when we get to the point in our system where they can take a flyer on a Jabari Blash type who, if he ever learned to put the bat on the ball, would hit 55 hr.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago

I agree with you up to a point but Baseball is a different animal. You can’t teach athleticism but you also can’t teach someone to hit who can’t hit. Michael Jordan couldn’t do it and he was about as gifted as they come. None of Eppler’s guys have succeeded. Jo Adell is about the closest of that kind of player and he’s learned to catch but he still can’t hit. But, no reason to not to try that with lower draft picks much like buying a lottery ticket. Probably more like 1 out of 100 as opposed to 1 out of 4 though.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

Yeeeaaahhhh…. that “Michael Jordan couldn’t hit” gem is kinda weak even though I see it all the time. You know what Jordan hadn’t been since he was a kid? A baseball player. You know why he wasn’t a baseball player? Because he wasn’t good enough.

I’m not talking about just drafting an athlete. The Angels aren’t gonna draft some track star who hasn’t picked up a bat in eight years. They’ll draft a guy who is a very good baseball player but has a 40 hit tool and 60 grade power and they will try to get that up to a 45.

You CAN indeed teach hitting. It’s why I went from a .280 to a .430 BA over four years of school. It’s why guys don’t just show up in the MLB right after the draft. It’s why you always hear about learning curves. Sure, a very thick pile of prospects won’t learn enough to be good. As will guys who have a “hit tool”. But you can develop them. You can’t develop a guy with a 5.0/40 yard dash into a 4.4…. or a guy who hits the ball 280ft into 500ft.

But hardly anyone just drafts a guy based on strait line speed, etc. They have to play some baseball games fairly well.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
24 days ago

You just made my point again for me. Michael Jordon is a perfect example. He couldn’t learn to hit because he didn’t have the skill to start with. I agree with you, but that’s not what you said. And yes, individuals who are actually baseball players who have skills like yourself, can learn and improve. If you were hitting .280 at the beginning, you were already a good hitter. I stand by what I said. I agree you can’t teach athleticism but you also cannot teach someone to hit who doesn’t have the skill already no matter how athletic they are. If you’re talking about an individual who is already a good player and you’re going to make them better, that’s entirely different.

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
25 days ago

I love the Tim Anderson move. Low risk, high upside for a tooled guy that can play anywhere on the field. Can move to second when Neto returns and give Moore additional time. When Rendon goes down, Rengifo slots in at third. With the current Neto situation, I think this is a great move.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Sure. If he hits. And I don’t mean that in a pissy CtPG Guy way. THIS is the perfect wager for a rebuilding club. The guy obviously has talent and ability. He has done what we want before. If we get even 3/4 of “good” Tim Anderson we’d be super happy. Betting almost nothing on a guy who has been very good for an extended period in the past to be kinda good again is something the Angels should do a lot, even if it is boo hoo dumpster diving that doesn’t move limp needles. He’s 31, not 36. He’s about 800 ABs past his last good hitting season. So get to work coaches.

Tim Anderson type moves > Big FA or Chad Penington

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
25 days ago

I do know this -my buddy is supposed to be working with him in a few days on infield play – so he is still putting in the work and is hungry. (Most of them do nothing in the offseason on defense.) I watched the Team USA team in their AZ workouts and he really looked good. So good, I thought he was going to have a great year that season – and he flamed out since. He’s still got the tools. Hopefully he finds it again. Great upside move in my opinion and it makes a lot of sense with Neto being out and Rendon being as fragile as a soap bubble.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
25 days ago

I went to a Team USA game that Spring and thought he looked good as well. The wheels fell completely off, though.

I think Wash is good at bringing the game back to the fundamentals. These guys get so much coaching over the years they lose track of the simple things.

Hopefully Wash can get Tim back to just being Tim or something close to it. If not, we need bodies in Salt Lake or he’ll probably opt out.

Fansince1971
Legend
25 days ago

I was a huge Tim Anderson fan and advocated for obtaining him as a free agent several seasons ago. Since then he has complete sucked. If you can get even 50% of the Tim Anderson that we knew on a minors deal, it’s a good move. The problem is you really cannot count on that. Ultimately I view this as a low risk move with a low potential for any success.

FungoAle
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Yeah, same. The best thing, he is only a minor league deal but he was just abysmal last year. Almost a 30% whiff rate. I thought he really needed to redeem himself with the Marlins to re-establish value but sucked hard. Seems Jose Ramirez not only knocked his ass to the ground but shortly, out of baseball.

Last edited 25 days ago by FungoAle
Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I like the signing of Tim Anderson but It all depends on how you look at it. People here struggle with wanting to get better verses rebuilding. I do the same thing. Like a number of the other players we’ve signed, he’s a place holder until we have more young players who are ready to play at the major league level. But, no matter how he turns out, he has to be better than Kyren Paris or last year’s version of Brandon Drury, and he’s much cheaper than Drury was. We just don’t have enough true major league players to prevent having to use a player who isn’t ready. That’s what guys like Anderson are for.

We’re not a very good team right now and we’re not likely going to be very good in 2025 or 2026. The roster is pretty set, barring trades, for the next two years. Jeff has already shown that we lose about enough payroll next year to cover arbitration raises but after 2026 we lose a lot of payroll. We’re going to be the same team as last year for the next two years with a few exceptions. We’re not likely to have payroll space to sign anyone that’s really any good until 2027. So it really doesn’t matter whether players we acquire are any good because they’re all going to be gone after 2026 and we’ll have a clean slate to work with that hopefully includes young players we have drafted and traded for.

It’s going to be ugly for the next two years and hopefully we will acquire enough young talent to build on starting in 2027. The one thing that currently doesn’t match up with this plan is that Perry’s only under contract through 2026.

Cowboy26
Legend
24 days ago

I dont . I just dont see how this move really does anything to improve our ball club. Even if Wash & Co. can get TA back to his pre 2022 level, he’s pretty much been replacement level against Right Handed Pitchers his entire career . With the exception of his 2019 All Star year hes had a sub .300 OPS and a sub .400 slugging against righties which Angel batters face about 70% of the time. And as many of you know, The Big A even with the yellow line retards Lefthanded hitting batters numbers.

I’d rather wait for Christian Moore to graduate to the big leagues by signing Polanco or even Moncada to settle the open infield spots

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
25 days ago

Sort of fun-fact: Our backup/stopgap shortstop options this spring, Scott Kingery and Kevin Newman, both played college baseball at the University of Arizona. Perry has a type! (I guess Anderson breaks the mold a bit.)

Cowboy26
Legend
25 days ago

Must have been a signing ordered by AU alumni Evil Arte & Crapino.

Now it all makes sense.

Twebur
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Evil Arte should have been an ASU Sun Devil…..

IMG_3181
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Cowboy26

He’s always there, in the shadows, lurking, pondering, “how can I make CtPG Guy wiggle and hiss?”. Ol’CheapnEvil

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
25 days ago

Tim Anderson, put a fork in him. Plus, Newman equals Neto out for a while. New O/U 73 and sinking. Looks like Neto is going to be injury prone. Changes how I look at the draft though, at least warned early enough.

Pineapple12
Super Member
25 days ago

You could be right about Neto, but we don’t know anything definitive right now.

Would be wise to let ST play out before jumping to that conclusion.

Cowboy26
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

Aren’t Polanco & Moncada still free agents?

What are these players waiting on? A spring training injury and emergency signing?

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

He’s young and he’s been injured in each of his first two seasons. Shoulder surgery for a SS is definitely a concern. If he plays without injury for the next 2 seasons then perhaps it’s just an anomaly. Coming back from injury, I would not be expecting even a prorated 5 win season. We need for him to be ready in 2026.

Luis Rengifo has also been injured each of the last 2 years, and because of that, I would be looking to trade him this season before he get’s injured again and you get nothing for him.

Cowboy26
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

But But But Geefo’s putting in the work this offseason.

https://x.com/jayrkitty/status/1882273553040691625

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

He’s one of my favorite players on the team. He shows up everyday and he gives a great effort but the injuries are a concern, particularly because to the expiring contract and the hope of trading him for prospects. He’s one of the few good players we have. I probably would have extended him (assuming for a reasonable amount) considering the unknowns regarding the infield.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

Does he want an extension?

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago

I have no idea. I was just looking at it from a roster perspective but the time to have potentially done it for less money would have been last year.

MarineLayer
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

I’m not too worried about his injuries. They are freak random ones, not the Christian Yelich chronic back injury type. For now, I’m not that concerned.

FungoAle
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Trouts calf was a freak random injury

MarineLayer
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  FungoAle

It’s true, but I think many of his injuries stem largely from his body type, but is large. Obviously, not all of them.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I disagree somewhat. Getting hit in the hand by a pitch is freak and random, all his other injuries happened as a result of moving around while he as playing, and sometimes not even playing. He gets hurt just moving. I watched Kevin Pillar dive for balls in CF last year multiple times and pop right back up. If Trout ever dove for a ball like that now, I believe he would get injured and Pillar is 5 years older. Some players are just more durable.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

I wonder if the lack of professional development is part of that problem. Each level of the minor league system has a slightly longer season that the last.

Neto went from a 53 game season in college almost immediately to MLB. Kid played 155 games last year. That’s not a lot of adjustment time for his body.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

That is a good point and a very interesting question.

FungoAle
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

Neto should move to 2nd, let’s sign Kim for SS.

FungoAle
Legend
25 days ago

Anderson is this year’s version of Aaron Hicks. Perry-Power. đŸ’ª 

Angels2020Champs
Legend
25 days ago

That Birdland Menu is definitely something to talk about. Nonalcoholic beer, hot dog and popcorn for $12.50. That nonalcoholic beer at the Big A is at least that! Angels sounds seriously consider making things more affordable as a way to compete with that team up north. I wonder what ever happen to the concession workers strike last year with Legends withholding their tips/not being transparent about what they receive on their POS systems.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Let me see….less expensive food and drink to watch a team lose 90+ games, or more expensive food and drink to watch a team win 100 games.

Easy choice: I’m not spending my limited entertainment dollars on watching the White Sox beat my team.

Angels2020Champs
Legend
25 days ago

That’s fair! I’m definitely ok with market adjusted pricing. I know the team isn’t going to forecast the year by having down prices in down years and up prices in seemingly up years. Just my $.02… at least give the optics of being fan/family friendly with an Orioles-esque pricing menu. These don’t need to Costco sized hot dogs or unlimited refill popcorns here. Appreciate your input as it’s certainly valid. For the first time ever I’m getting Disneyland season passes in lieu of spending that same $$$ on baseball/football/hockey tickets this year.

steelgolf
Legend
25 days ago

The tips at the concession stands have never gone to the workers once they installed the electronic system. Even before when they took both cash and credit, if you tip on your card, the workers will never see it.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Is that even legal?

steelgolf
Legend
25 days ago

Yes, unfortunately.

halofansince1978
Super Member
25 days ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Always tip with cash!!

Marcotor
Trusted Member
25 days ago

The ONLY reason I carry any cash at all, is for tips. I never tip on a CC bill, many places now dink the server for the 3-5% CC charge, and the most egregious establishments “pool” the tips and distribute evenly – including to those who perform poorly.

Cowboy26
Legend
25 days ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Even if it’s now a cashless stadium you can slip them a greenback or two

Pineapple12
Super Member
25 days ago

Solid prices forsure.

However, I always bring my own food and drinks inside Angels Stadium. It’s hard for me to justify paying ballpark prices when they allow you to bring in with whatever you want (sans alcohol, but I’ve snuck that in too a few times as well lol).

Last edited 25 days ago by Pineapple12
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