Tim Anderson says he is ready to battle for a spot on the active roster coming out of spring training. He says he had a leg injury a couple of years ago that fouled up his swing. He has worked hard “in the lab” to eliminate his bad swing habit.
MLB upheld its decision to fire umpire Pat Hoberg for gambling. He denies he bet on games or manipulated them. He had a shared betting account with a friend who did bet on games though. Hoberg and the Umpires Union both issued statements.
If you are interested in the qualifying rounds for the World Baseball Classic, here is an article that tells you what is going on. Here is the FAQ for spring training which is right around the corner.
The Mariners acquired Casey Legumina from the Reds and DFAd Jhonathan Diaz in the corresponding move. They also designated Cade Marlowe for assignment to make room for Jorge Polanco.
The White Sox plucked Jacob Amaya off waivers from the Orioles and designated Zach DeLoach for assignment.
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Alex Faedo from the Tigers for catcher Enderson Delgado. They designated Osleivis Basabe for assignment. They also designated Brandon Eisert for assignment.
Carlos Carrasco got a minor league deal with the Yankees while Sam Haggerty got his minor league deal with the Texas Rangers and Tyler Jay got his with the Brewers.
Apparently some agents have been trying to poach Pete Alonso but he is sticking with Scott Boras.
Angels announce their spring training invitees, which includes top prospects Nelson Rada, Christian Moore and George Klassen; and recent draftees in Ryan Johnson and Chris Cortez
https://x.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1886923637305004429
And the surprisingly dominant pitcher of this years AFL Sammy Natera Jr.
My angels mt Rushmore would include the era I’ve been able to watch them from. Early/mid 90’s to current.
Trout/GA/salmon/Finley
No particular reason why.
Absolute bonkers stat regarding Rendon’s time with the Angels
https://x.com/notgaetti/status/1886759416310960566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1886759416310960566%7Ctwgr%5Efe7debc8f8c5ae21386f56f0eab1c923a8f83d99%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barstoolsports.com%2Fblog%2F3537820%2Fted-williams-played-more-baseball-during-world-war-ii-while-also-fighting-in-it-than-anthony-rendon-has-played-during-his-massive-angels-contract
While I do not need any more statistics regarding this jerk Rendon, I do think this is an interesting comparison. One is a member of the Greatest Generation who sacrificed for his Country and still loved baseball enough to play it passionately when he was blessed with the time to do it producing 21 WAR in approximately 2 seasons of games during the War years. The other is a total jerk off loser who continues to steal money from this Org. I wish they would cut him already so I dont need to see his stupid face anymore in an Angels uniform.
Playing the Rushmore game, I suppose my foursome would be Ryan, Vladdy, Trout and Shohei.
Hard to leave Fregosi, Finley, Salmon, and Downing out – all of whom spent a decade with the team, generally in their peak years, and a couple of whom had strong HoF cases. (GA’s case is less compelling – still think he is more a very good player than a great one.) Rickey H and Rod C are HoFers, but spent their decline years with the team after making their reps elsewhere.
The chosen four are either Hall of Famers or future no-doubt Hall of Famers, spent 6 years or more on the club, and each will end up with well over 50 WAR on their careers. They seem objectively monumental, and were really special to watch, while the others seem like very good players known more for their tenure and longevity on the Angels.
Grichuk to the D’backs one year $5 million.
Love the deal for AZ.
Arizona has had one of the most low-key excellent off-seasons of the pack.
Still wish the Angels could have swung a trade for Suarez, maybe McCarthy or Kelly – along with the Pirates, the D-Backs seemed like ideal trade partners all off-season.
But Arizona looks like a contender to me.
I like the low risk, as in no risk, flier on Tim Anderson. Dumpster dive to be sure but, a logical one as far as dumpster diving goes.
GA and Tim Salmon seem like ‘Rushmore’ candidates but, whatever.
Counting the days until Sean Strickland-DDP II this Saturday.
DDP is taking the dummy’s head off. That is unless, SS runs away like he does every other fight.
Impatiently waiting for Chimaev and Imavov to get their shots.
You must not watch MMA closely. You may not like Strickland’s personality but, he doesn’t run. In fact, he walks EVERYONE down and forces them to backpedal the entire fight. He lacks one punch power but he pushed the pace.
DDP is all action. Sean comes forward. This is a great fight.
OKAY!!! New Angels marketing strategy has launched!!!!…….. The Halo Ticket Bank !!!!!! For the low, low price of $2,525.00 you can get discounted tickets to sit where you want, when you want, you don’t have to select which games at the beginning of the season!! It’s just like a regular bank, they make money off of your money. What will they think of next.
Hahaha. Wtf? Do they return the money to you at the end of the year or when you request it?
Also this must mean that season ticket sales are horrid.
The thought process becomes once you have the money in the Angels bank you’ll spend on tickets. Wow talk about desperation. This really does provide insight into the lack of season tickets sales.
My guess is no, it carries over to the following season. The bid pitch is you don’t pay single game extra fees and either a 10% or 5% discount on MOST games, not all games.
I would think any money in the Org’s ticket “bank “is considered ticket sales even if tickets have not actually been purchased with bank funds. This would be useful to someone interested in valuing something like a baseball team for sale when season ticket sales are way down….
I just spent 10 minutes looking and cannot find any fine print or information on this anywhere. It’s wild to me that they don’t spell that out.
This is what they say:
“Once ready, redeem your credit online for discounted single game and premium ticket options as needed throughout the 2025 regular season.”
So – it appears the deposits are limited to use on 2025 tickets. No clue whether balances are returnable, carry over to 2026 or beyond. I can find nothing on that subject either.
In CA that money would most likely be treated the same as if you were buying a “gift card”, where the card, ie: the money, never expires, so they either have to refund it or carry it over to next season.
Unless there is fine print that they give you when purchasing
Six point light gray type on the back of your receipt.
Fine print can say whatever, if it’s cash/money, they either have to reimburse you or roll it over to the following season, unless of course they file for bankruptcy.
Unless you are purchasing “tickets” with the money (even though you dont know the date).
So can you guess the ONLY other team with a ticket bank?
If you guessed the Miami Marlins you’d be right!
Have you seen the coverage of games in Miami? They average around 13,500 attendance per game. The Miami Marlins ticket bank was created due to the lack of season ticket interest.
This is super interesting.
This is how it should be. I want the team to have resources so they can, you know, not become the A’s. BUT I think it’s good for them to take an ass kicking every now and again so they don’t become the Cubs. I am all for people stopping with the pointless bitching and just NOT GIVING ARTE THEIR MONEY.
He sees the facts. We don’t get pissed about wasted cash. He sells or changes things. But we all know the team can draw 3 Million if it’s good, so there’s an achievable goal that adds up to strong org. We aren’t in danger of just becoming a team in small market hell.
Yes. I agree completely. Voting with your wallet is the best idea. Way better than bitching and then shelling money over to the Org. Don’t give them your dollars if you do not like the way this Org is being run.
I picture two Mount Angelmore’s – one for pitchers and one for hitters. They face each other and 4 times a day salute each other by donning their caps.
Pitchers:
Ryan
Tanana
Percival
Witt or Finley
Honorable mention: Percival
Hitters
Trout
Baylor
Vladdy
Fergosi
Close was Grich and Downing but Vladdy is a HOFer
Genuinely asking, why not Shohei? Or is he on his own mountain?
Yeah – it’s a good point. Baylor to me is more of a memory of my youth and the games I attended then. I really view Shohei as having 3 great years as an Angel – ’21, ’22 and ’23. Dont get me wrong – ’18 and ’19 were decent but not transcendent. So, I did not include him. That said, Ohtani could easily replace (and probably should replace) Baylor and I could be talked into that rather easily given that Ohtani is definitely headed for the HOF and Baylor (while great in my youth and memory) does not hold a candle to him.
I’m genuinely curious about Baylor (I get the others). I don’t usually think of Baylor as a top 10 Angels hitter, so I’m wondering about my disconnect.
For me on the pitching side, it would be Ryan, Finley and then a discussion about the rest (with Weaver, Percival, Tanana, and probably others in the mix).
As mentioned above, Baylor was probably my favorite player of my youth and early teens. I attended a lot of games during his MVP season and had a genuine star-crush on him. So, I am biased. I agree that without that bias it should be Ohtani instead of Baylor.
Baylor led the team that one the first title. He was lead banger on a club full of them. He won MVP of the AL and was simply a badd ass. There is a reason he went to the WS three times in a row with three different clubs.at the end of his career.
He was the team leader. Then he got Buzzed by our GM.
My mount Angelsmore has….
Trout
And that’s about it. Until we get a few more guys who amass about 50 WAR as an Angel I just think it’s kind of sad grasping at guys like Fregosi. Maybe if we lower it to 40 we can get Salmon on there?
Kind of like the Royals. They’ve got Brett…. then I guess if you lower it to 40 you can get Willie Wilson, Amos Otis, Brett Saberhagen…. Salvy Perez will break 40. Eventually Bobby Witt Jr will get on there. But it looks a little sad to reach for Hal McRae and Zack Greinke type guys who were just good or great for mostly other teams. Love Bo Jackson. He had 7 WAR for the Royals. Crazy thing…. Kevin Appier is their pitching WAR leader (47 WAR)
If you’re fat, don’t wear skinny leather pants. If your all time team is a pile of guys who only got 20-30 WAR while playing for you, just don’t have a Rushmore.
And yes. I know. “WAR isn’t all the buffa old mah balzupah!”. Accept it pretty much is, and magic isn’t real, and math is. So Jim Fregosi is nice and that’s about it. So is my boy Brian Downing.
I get it and agree. But it is Mount Angelsmore so the bar has to be set lower if you are going to have anyone but Trout.
That said – I do like an Angels centric criteria involved like achieving 40WAR as an Angel for example. Performance elsewhere is irrelevant to Mount Angelmore.
Mount sad is lame.
It’s better to just have favorite Angels and try not to celebrate our pathetic list of “all timers”.
For example. I love Vladdy, Downing, Trout, Finley and Grich…. good times, but it’s just a fun list.
Well Ryan with a few of them no-nos and a whole bunch of strikeouts as an Angel should qualify.
I respect this take. I think you could reasonably add Ryan. He doesn’t have the career WAR with the Angels, but the strikeout records and no hitters and overall career success might put him there.
[BLAZING-SADDLES]
“You said Percival twice’
“I like Percival”
[/BLAZING- SADDLES]
I agree that each of us can have our own Angels’ Rushmore.
My pitchers would be: Ryan, Tanana, Finley, and Percy
My hitters would be Trout, Downing, Salmon, and GA.
Nothing objective about it, just my favorites (and of course, I had many to leave out: Grich, Vlad, Witt, others).
Okay, let’s just sign Harrison Bader on the cheap and have done with it already.
Yes, the national articles about who the Angels did not sign but might have had interest in don’t cut it much. An actual signing would be nice.
I suspect no player who has a significant choice (ie a top FA) would want to play for the current Angels Org unless the offer was substantially higher than any other team’s.
…or their old lady wants to go shopping or make a major purchase. FAs are not being paid right now.
Victor Gonzalez signed to a minor league deal:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/angels-victor-gonzalez-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html
Perry strikes again!
“González is looking to rebound after a tough year…” Ahh, as halos fans we know those lyrics quite well.
Fine. He’ll either be something or he’ll enjoy the splendid vistas of SLC and we’ll forget he is alive.
The glass is 3/4 empty or 1/4 full?
Hey look!!! It’s Suarez Part Deux!!!
Suarez is already quattro X.
😂 😂 😂 😂
“Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Felix Pena has reportedly signed with the Uni-Lions of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League.”
As if things already weren’t volatile enough in that region.
Angels Mount Rushmore is a tough assignment no matter how you look at it. What do you look for? Which players had the biggest seasons or is longevity more important? Single season record holder or career record holder more to your liking?
How do you choose four or five from this list of Chance, Fregosi, Ryan, Tanana, Baylor, Carew, Finley, Vladdy, Colon, Weaver, Anderson, Salmon, Trout, Ohtani. Cy Young Award winners, MVP’s, All-Stars, and at least 3 in Cooperstown, with two future Hall of Famers.
Taking the liberty of choosing the Mount Angelsmore, I still had a difficult time, but here we go- Ryan, Finley, Trout, Vladdy, Anderson. Where is Fregosi, Salmon, Weaver, and many others? No Ohtani! This is a no-win selection process.
Fregosi and Trout for sure. I don’t know about the others.
My Mount Angelsmore would be firmly rooted in the 70s with Ryan, Downing, Baylor and Grich.
Any four from the 1970s just HAS to have Tanana…
It was a tough choice to get down to 4, but I went with the team’s first MVP winner instead.
Yes I’d keep Baylor and RYAN too, and in a tough choice for #4, Grich.
like GA, it’s tough to leave Downing off the mountain.
I don’t know if this matters to folks (I assume it should), but three players have entered the HOF wearing Angels hats as their legacy. Ryan, Vladdy, and Carew. Trout will be the fourth. I guess that could be the Mount right there (which would be a chance to my earlier analysis below).
Uh, no. Only Vladdy is wearing a Halo. Ryan went in as a stRanger, Carew as a Twinkie.
That is correct good sir!
You’re allowed 4 on Angelsmore (not 5) and 1 on crazyhalo memorial:
Angelsmore: Ryan, Fergosi, Vladdy, Ohtani
crazyhalo: Trout
My four!
the two fishes and the two guys traded for each other
Typically for something like this, you start with the homegrown stars. Trout as a homegrown superstar easily becomes the first name. He’s a no doubter. Finley and Weaver become candidates, along with Salmon and Anderson.
You also have to figure out the big free agents who played in Anaheim — but mainly those whose career was as an Angel, not another team. Vladdy fits the best. Nolan fits somewhat but between the Mets, Rangers, Astros, he’s really a guy from multiple teams. He became a real pitcher here, but there are arguments. Carew is a Twin. Ohtani will be a Dodger (and yes, it sucks). I never saw Fregosi in his prime and know little there. Colon was a Cleveland guy.
You can make the call on many names. Trout, Vladdy, and two more. At least one pitcher.
First, let’s define what it means to be “on Mount Rushmore” of Angels baseball.
The general definition of “to be “on Mount Rushmore” is a metaphor that signifies being immortalized or recognized as one of the most important or influential figures in a particular field or society.
The phrase suggests that someone has reached an iconic or legendary status, much like those presidents, and is considered a central or enduring figure in their area of expertise or public life.
My thoughts on the “all time” Angels “Mount Rushmore” would be:
1) Gene Autry
2) Jim Fregosi
3) Nolan Ryan
4) Mike Trout
Perhaps a “Mount Rushmore” by decade (60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, 10’s) would be more representative?
I like this, and Autry is a great choice.
You have to have Ohtani in there. I’ve only been paying good attention to the Angels since 2000 so arguable that I’m misguided but… the seasons he put together and the number of times he made news for doing something that had never been done before ranks him as maybe the most incredible stretch of six years in the history of the sport. I’d put him second to Trout in my 25 years of Angel Fandom, even though he left.
Ohtani accomplishments are legendary for us, but the guy did not care about this team when he chose to sign with crosstown enemy. Add the recruiting for them, WS title(s), 50/50, he’s already cemented himself a Dodger. Good for him, but I don’t see Ohtani as a top 4 greatest Halo’s representing faces of the franchise.
He’s ranked about where I’d rank Baylor, right behind him.
remember he cleared out in mid September last time he wore red. And he didn’t win, so that makes him questionable.
HOF player, but not a top Halo.
He will end up on Dodger top greatest behind Jackie, Sandy, and Kershaw.
Maybe, he is getting closer to that age that Pujols and Trout started regression in hitting, and with two TJ surgeries, we have to see how the pitching goes. Regardless, he did things as an Angel that nobody in baseball ever did, 2 MVP’s (should be 3 because 10 wins is worth more than the difference in HR’s with Judge) and he was a great personality. He’s not going to do that with the Doyers. As far as winning goes, that’s Arte.
Former employee #17 will not be regressing (Offensively) any time soon.
I hope you’re right, but I’m afraid he going to do more with D in the end. He’s bringing his best 101% for them; they are a winning team and have unlimited money so he could recruit his elite japan squad. But be warned Dodger fans, if you falter he has an opt out after 8yrs? Change ownership and no more championships, he’ll empty that locker part 2 before closing day.
Show us on the doll where Shohei hurt you. Was it the backside.
Arte was offered the same deal. He passed. How is that Ohtani’s fault?
And being a “mercenary” would exclude Baylor, Grich, Vlad, etc. It’s amazing that in some eyes players who came here (for the money) are “great”, but those who leave are somehow traitorous. Think Montreal fans were happy they lost their franchise player?
Hey Marcotor, I tried to find the Expos team site to ask, but I couldn’t find it.
I don’t see how GA could be on any list, since he is the very definition of lazy here.
The moves that make the most sense:
Sign Grichuk
Move Trout to left
Trade Ward for a couple of good prospects.
A platoon of Moniak and Grichuk provides great defense and decent offense. Hopefully this helps Trout stay healthy. And prospects!
Trout is no longer a CF’er imho, but being injury prone I would give him a First Baseman’s glove also to learn. Ward may bring in more in trade in July.
On the current roster Trout is certainly the CFer. I hope we’ve seen the last of Moniak’s arm banger muffs in the OF.
I have a magic cauldron made from metal that came from a fallen star. Would you like to throw a baby inside it and ask it to make the Angels give up on Schanuel after one season in pro ball? Cause that seems to be something you really want.
LOL @ Grichuk, he didn’t know whether or not to show up to the park during all that waiver drama. He won’t come back, but you never know.
Grichuk is definitely a platoon player . But , unfortunately hes never hit well at the Big A. In 159 career plate appearances hes slashed, .219/.252/.444. And his 2023 post trade numbers in Anaheim yielded an ugly .198/.225/.415 in 111 of those career plate appearances.
Grichuk always had the power but I just dont see him getting on base enough to warrant any real playing time. Last year Moniak was just as bad but with less power. They would make a stellar platoon.
It looks like we are sticking with Moniak. I am sick and tired of the Trout was hurt last year/Trouts ready for Spring/Trout wants to play CF and says it will all be fine/Trout is hurt again cycle. Yes I know he doesn’t really get hurt in CF, but I’m just sick of the same damn thing and he is older.
I say sign Harrison Bader and platoon him with Moniak in CF. Bader Vs lefties .776 OPS. He’s pretty fast and will steal about ten bases in this role. He can fill in defensively if we get to needing that too. An OF of Adell/Bader/Moniak will cover a lot of ground. Moniak has a .710 OPS against right handers.
So between the two, as a guess, we could get a .720 OPS hitter with about 20/20 steals/HR a year and good defense in CF for about 7-9M a year for two years if we buy this lovely platoon.
Not a bad idea. In fact, I signed Bader in my If I Was Perry piece this year. Of course this was after I traded Taylor Ward to Toronto for Addison Barger.
I thought Baer as well after/coinciding with a Ward trade, but I didn’t have a player(s) in exchange for him.
I’m pretty content with what we have. Let’s run with Ward, Trout, Adell, then add Moniak. All first round picks and should be the strength of the team. Its finally time those last two figured it out.
This is correct
Our group here as Angels fans really puts the fun in dysfunctional family. We really need some actual Halo baseball, so we have very specific stuff to whine about, chide and depress over.
Go Halos!!
Santander would have made 0 sense. Looks like we still need to hold our breath until Alonso/Bregman sign.
“The Los Angeles Angels also made a run at Santander, proposing three- and four-year concepts, according to sources briefed on the discussions.
Santander instead opted for a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Blue Jays, two-thirds of which was deferred. The deferrals lowered his present-day value to about $71.5 million for luxury-tax purposes and $68.6 million according to the union, which uses a different discount rate. Santander would have at least approached those numbers with the Royals or Angels. But his total payout would have been lower.
The Angels’ pursuit of Santander is the latest indication of the team continuing to explore upgrades. The addition of a free-agent closer such as Kenley Jansen or Kyle Finnegan is one possibility. But the Angels might prefer to simply go with Ben Joyce, 24, and sign a veteran setup man such as Andrew Chafin or Phil Maton instead”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6111409/2025/02/04/bobby-witt-mlb-the-show-phillies-padres-blue-jays/
Not feeling this Rushmore. Vladdy? Nolan Ryan? Or is it org-developed players only?
Missing the 2x MVP too ..
Are we too GA to include GA?
Aw jeez no kidding. Will give them the benefit and assume this pre-dates Sho.
I dug it out of the archives by searching for “Finley.” I can’t remember who made that one.
WBC qualifying rounds start February 21st.
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/news/world-baseball-classic-2025-chinese-taipei-qualifiers-preview
8 Days!!
HOLD FAST Perry. No splashes. Just get some veteran filler, flyer arms, and maybe one more pen guy all of whom we can also trade if they turn out good. Play the kids. Pitch the kids. Go with Tigers Pitching Chaos and develop for it. Upgrade the Rally Girls. Change the uniforms. Finish with ten more wins. That’d be a nice season given the circumstances.
PTP at work. Maybe Arte can buy him one of those leather jackets that the Lakers GM was wearing today.
https://x.com/Rainmaker1973/status/1886029300358668402