Mike Trout will move to right field for his health.
The New York teams are snakebit in the early part of spring training. Frankie Montas is shut down for 6 to 8 weeks due to a lat strain. Giancarlo Stanton has so much pain in his elbows he thinks is definitely not just soreness. Opening day is in doubt for him. Marcus Stroman insists he is a starting pitcher and will not work out of the bullpen.
The White Sox claimed Owen White off waivers from the Yankees and placed Ky bush on the 60 day IL in a corresponding move. The Toronto Blue Jays signed Jacob Barnes to a minor league deal. John Means got a one year deal with the Guardians for at least one million dollars even though he is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery and can’t pitch until the second half of 2025.
The Yankees signed Rob Zastryzny to a minor league deal. The Diamondbacks designated Seth Martinez for assignment as the corresponding move for the Kendall Graveman signing, which is now official.
We have a little drama in Beantown, as Alex Cora won’t be specific about where Alex Bregman will play. Meanwhile, Rafael Devers says third base is his position and he will not move.
Former All Star closer Bobby Jenks has stage 4 stomach cancer at the age of 43. He spoke from a hospital bed in Portugal and would not discuss his prognosis.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Good stuff from Fletch today..
TEMPE, Ariz. — Within the last year, Jo Adell transformed himself from a subpar outfielder to a Gold Glove finalist in right field.
Now, the Angels are going to ask even more of him.
Adell and Mickey Moniak are the two leading candidates to win the Angels’ center field job now that Mike Trout has been moved to right field.
Moniak has already played 184 major-league games in center, but Adell has only played 15.
Bo Porter, who coaches the Angels’ outfielders, believes that Adell will have no problem going to center because of the improvements he made last year in right.
“First and foremost, it’s just being able to slow the game down,” Porter said. “When you have the type of athleticism that he’s working with, sometimes it goes too far. I think in the past he was trying to make plays that probably weren’t there.
“Once we were able to get him to slow the game down, he was able to go through his progressions and make the plays routine.”
Porter also said they wanted Adell to go more aggressively back on balls. By helping him on balls over his head, he had more confidence coming in on balls.
“I think once I became a little bit more aggressive, out on balls over my head, and really were able to get to the track a little easier, that really helped my defense overall,” Adell told reporters. “And I think that’s a big thing in center, being able to get back and cover ground, and so that’s what we worked on. So I look forward to continue to do it.”
Porter said he thinks center field will be better for Adell’s newly refined skills.
“It frees him up even more,” Porter said. “When you start to think about the ability in center field, being able to play gap to gap, the way he can close on a baseball. We’ve seen it in right field, and it translates to center field as well, because he can really range and go get baseballs.”
Adell, 25, was a center fielder when the Angels took him with the 10th pick in the 2017 draft. He has moved around the outfield throughout his time in the minors and the majors, usually splitting his time in the corners.
“It’s not the first time that I switched positions,” Adell said. “I’m up for the challenge and ready to go. … Center field was the only position I played growing up. I’m kind of excited to get back.”
In some ways, center field is actually easier than the corners, Porter said.
The difficulty is that there is more ground to cover, but the trade off is that the center fielder gets to see the ball from straight ahead of the plate.
“You love the fact that everything is in front of you,” Porter said. “You have the ability to go left and right, and you have priority over the corner (outfielders), so I think that’s going to help him. You look at his aggression in terms of wanting the ball, I think that’s going to play well in center field.”
Angels manager Ron Washington said one of the major points of discussion this spring will be the outfielders working on their communication, so there are no problems with the outfielders colliding.
“I’m certain that we’re going to keep talking about communication,” Washington said, “because I don’t want (Moniak or Adell) running into Mike.”
Porter said even though the outfielders might not have played together in the precise alignment that they will this year, they have all been together enough to make the transition easy.
While left fielder Taylor Ward, Trout, Adell and Moniak have all played tighter, the Angels might also try some new faces in center field. Washington said Luis Rengifo and Tim Anderson will both get looks in center this spring.
NOTES
Rengifo, who is a free agent at the end of the season, said there have been no talks so far of a contract extension. He said he’s been happy with the Angels. “I played almost six years with the Angels,” he said. “I feel at home. But I can’t control that.” …
The Angels have set the rotation for their first five spring training games, beginning on Saturday at home against the Seattle Mariners. Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz will start against Seattle, followed by left-hander Reid Detmers, right-hander Kyle Hendricks, right-hander José Soriano and left-hander Tyler Anderson in the subsequent games. Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi is expected to pitch sometime shortly after that. Kikuchi has said he prefers to pitch less frequently than other starters in spring training. Kikuchi faced hitters for the equivalent of two innings during Tuesday’s workout. …
Another part of keeping Trout healthy will be managing him on the base paths. Washington said the Angels won’t stop Trout from running, but they will emphasize to the 33-year-old that he needs to be judicious. “Mike is not a spring chicken,” Washington said. “We’ll let Mike decide how he wants to run the bases. We certainly will tell him, please pick and choose. But I certainly don’t want Mike hitting the ground 60 times to get 50 stolen bases. If it works out that way, it works out that way, but I want him to pick and choose when he decides to be stealing bases.”
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/02/18/angels-jo-adell-looks-to-establish-himself-in-center-field-after-his-dramatic-improvement-in-right/
I reallllly hope Adell runs away with the job. Sky is the limit for him. Sounds like Washington and Porter believe in him.
Moniak is the perfect 4th OF.
Free the Jo!
The Jo is loose!
Wait, no…bad idea.
The concern is legitimate, and not that I want Trout running, but it’s kind of sad when you consider Ohtani, who is 6’4″, and will be 30 this year, stole 59 bases last year.
The other thing that was surprising to me is that it would be a complete waste to play someone in CF this year who won’t be here next year and retard Adell’s chance of developing. Adell needs to play every day or either he or Mickey needs to go.
And lastly moving Trout to RF might be more risky than leaving him in CF where he’s used to playing, and after reading this, I’m already envisioning the collision because of Trout and Adell playing each other’s positions.
Anyone in Tempe this week? Probably going to cave and go to Sat game since I’m here for wedding and didn’t realize I could see a game this trip (after I add Camelback to my stadium checklist). Might also check out the practices as well
Friday morning will be a good time to be at Diablo. They should work out at the main stadium and I think would be just as good experience as the game.
I’ll be there Sunday in Goodyear watching them against Cleveland
https://x.com/InsideHalos/status/1891926041377096165
So we are supposed to believe that Arte just woke up this weekend and realized he was going to lose $50 to $60 million this year and for that reason we can’t pickup another bullpen arm?
Man Crapino must be the most incompetent exec in all of baseball.
Let DoAe investigate it? Department of Angel Efficiency
Brought to you by, Departments of : The improvement of RISP Aid, The LOBster Fund, The + Run-Differential Foundation, Save the Trash Panda Sanctuary, the Tony Rendon Retirement Fund, and The Dodger Salary Deferment Program.
Gold Twebs.
Hey Arte, pleased define the word Lose.
“I don’t think that word means what you think it means.”
Gotta love Stroman and Devers. They should hang out together drinking White Claw and telling each other “You’re a good starting pitcher, definitely better than several of those other guys on your team. Well worth the money!” and “You are an excellent third baseman! So much more than a good DH with a very weak chin! You don’t look like a huge Paul Dano of Color at aaaaaaaaaalllll!”
Guys, this isn’t the NBA. If you aren’t gonna do what the team wants you to do they can get out of paying you. Then you can test the market and see if you really are starter and third base…. on the Mariners maybe? Marlins? A’ss? But at least these guys let me and the ladies in my sowing circle in on their feels so I can be opinionated. Rendon’s such an asshole.
Arte is scaring me by basically having my thoughts come out of his face. Even the things he said that may piss off some folks cause he’s their daddy proxy are actually true. All he can do is pay guys. All a GM can do is sign guys. All a manager can do is manage guys. The players have to actually go out there and not suck the way they have. Sure, there’s plenty of “bu bu butt…” you can throw at that, but in the end he’s right. His thoughts on signing FAs and giving the kids playing time…. who is this man and what did he do with the real Arte?
He’s right that players have to perform but simplifying it to a degree that absolves him of any responsibility for overseeing the team with the longest playoff drought just feels contrarian.
How did you feel about him taking Shohei off the trade market 2 years in a row?
Why is our farm system perpetually bad? If nobody is responsible but the players, why do the Angels have worse players than other organizations every year?
Paying guys is nice. Who is responsible for choosing which guys get paid? Why did we choose to pay Vernon Wells and Josh Hamilton when nobody else wanted to?
The Angels have a real health problem. Arte is not wrong about that. Arte pretending thats the extent of what goes into success and that a new owner would only spend more money than him is delusional and self serving. There are teams that spend less than him every single year that are better every single year like Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
It all fall on the ineptitude of arte and his cronies. I commend Perry a bit for getting the most out of his owner meddling position.
Until Artie ponies up for a proper baseball minded front office, solid medical team, scouts and player development, they will continue to be below average. Spending money can fix some things, but spending poorly and cutting key areas to beyond skeleton crew will result in a bad 10+ years as we’ve witnessed.
Yes owning a team is a business, but this isn’t billboards and advertising, it’s baseball and entertainment. At some point someone needs to know how to win and build winners from majors to the minors.
Who is responsible for choosing which guys get paid ?
^This !^
As i said…. “bu buuh butt”
Apparently, if you’re stupid and fustrated enough, you can read my comment as “Arte’s GREAT!”? I said he’s broadly right on a thing. Broadly people. Calm down, I’m not saying your dads were right about you.
Stupid and frustrated posts full of butthurt are what drives this site. It will take some time for Arte making sense in an interview to sink in.
It’s just weird, Arte pretty much said what a lot of us wish he’d say….. so fk him!
about Stroman and Devers….
when I was a lad I led my HS JV soccer team in knocking the ball into the opposing team’s net. And I played just about every minute of the season. The next year, during a varsity practice, my coach took me out…this was a practice! But I was “insulted” since I never came out! After about ten minutes he signaled me to go back in and, being insulted, I refused. So yeah, I spent another year on the JV team. That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. He was right to punish me for being stupid.
I agree to a point. You were an adolescent and he was supposedly an adult. He should have sat you down and helped you understand your immaturity and moved forward.
Waiting along the 3b side of Field 5 for base running drills .
What I see now two years in a row of much more thought and science out into it. Red corners where you are supposed to step. Cones for most direct path. No other manager staff in 20 years has emphasized it so much.
And I swear a few more mornings like this over the next two years, I will know about how to play IF than 90% of people. Just get here early and listen. Giffy, and Yoan has been a new disciple. Goins!
“Red corners where you are supposed to step. Cones for most direct path.”
That’s not science, that’s basic skills coaching. We did this with my daughter’s 13 year olds softball team twenty years ago!
Shows you how bad the Angels coaching has been.
Or how great the Wash 15 WAR is.
How to Lead Off 1b by Bo and EY
today’s pictures
I hope Schanuel was attending leading off class…..
Strikeouts are fascist. this team needs to be more democratic.
Silent C…. almost certainly a socialist
Here is the guy we need to kickstart the rebuild. Absolute monster at third base bat, hits from the left side, young.
If somehow the Angels could land him and maybe spend a year early for another bat, the offensive turnaround could be swift.
This is certainly good thinking. We could use a break like this to give us a kick start.
I HEART MURAKAMI very much. If we could land him I would be very very happy. His English is probably weak enough he may be immune to fan JuJu too….
Write off Rendon. Make a move for Vladdy Jr and this guy. The revenue dollars would pick back up with the Japan crowd and Vladdy Sr history with the club. Thanks for nothing on the GM that flubbed the international money for baldo the year before vlad Jr was set to be available. Should have been a halo from the beginning.
Have them be the big tickets for the tail end of Trouts career.
Get it done Perry
We learned nothing from our last mega deal with a tubby defensively limited super hitter huh? Clearly Arte is the stupid one around here.
At least Vladdy wants to play baseball. Let’s see the fun side of baseball again.
I don’t think Artie has learned anything since he somehow got Colon, Vladdy Sr, and the other 2 all at once. And then Hunter. Letting him go and choosing Hambone over Grienke was not smart choices.
Mega deals haven’t gone well regardless.
Ohtani is a unicorn because he pulls in so much $$$ even if he isn’t playing. As stupid as the deal is/was, the doyers have that paid for already. Similar to Pujols here with the TV deal.
Moncada and Soler, you two are up next!
If the team is going to splurge on a bat next off season I would greatly prefer Tucker.
That would likely be preceded by trading Ward and moving Trout to left.
But, a lineup of Murakami, Tucker, Trout, Neto, O’Hoppe, Soler, Moore, Schanuel, Adell looks pretty legit and could get even better depending on this year’s trade acquisitions.
Have the young pitchers and the 2nd overall pick behind them and we have the makings of a competitive window opening.
100% agree Tucker > Vladdy Jr.
Vladdy’s bat is exciting, but his body and poor athleticism scare me.
A patient, powerful LHH with some speed and defense fits this club so well. I imagine Tucker’s contract won’t be quite as crazy either (still semi crazy though).
My hope is that the Cubs are out of contention and trade Tucker at the deadline, making him QO ineligible.
Yeah. I want Tucker. Maybe he could change his last name to Guerrero and we can all start playing like he always wanted to play here but Arte forced Jedi to pay Baldoquin 30% less than Vlad was getting offered by the Jays…. which was also all the money we were allowed to spend… because our fkn dad always went Calico Vision instead of Atari when we were kids. All of this could be fixed with a simple name change…. Miguel Guerrero… nice.
Write off who?
Prince Fielder 2.0 notwithstanding warm feelings here that he doesn’t have in return, and never did.
He has LA written all over him, The Dodgers. I’m fine with that. Outside of Hidecki Matsui and Ichiro (both great bat to ball skilled hitters), Japanese power hitters have a challenge adjusting to the best arms in the world. Appears to be average with the glove.
I’ve been on record for Murakami. Would be a dope addition 🇯🇵
Word up!
I Agree with assumptions Murakami will choose Dodgers, hasn’t there already been pics of him wearing the LA cap as a fan? They will conveniently have an open spot for him as Muncy leaves, and maybe already looking ahead by not trading for Arenado. Sho will recruit again; would have been nice if he tried to do that with Senga or Suzuki for us. Do any other teams in MLB have a chance to get premium Japan players anymore? Maybe just the guys Dodgers pass on?
He most likely goes to LA, which will suck. I’m just saying if we somehow did manage to land him it would require a promise to add to him. And he would justify a major addition.
Hope Jenks pulls through. That is rough and way too young.
I thought Jenks was going to be the angels closer of the future before they traded him. That’s some horrible news about him.
He wasn’t traded he was put on waivers and claimed by the White Sox. Between his multiple elbow problems, lack of conditioning and insubordination, GM and fellow idahoan Bill Stoneman thought they could sneak him through to open up a 40 man roster spot for a whole slew of free agent signings including Paul Byrd and Esteban Yan.
Not sure it would have made a difference in the ultimate outcomes of ensuing seasons if we had kept him but that turned out to be one of Stoneman’s worst moves (signing GMJr & Steve Finley weren’t much better)
It’s been awhile, I thought he was traded to the Yankees. It was rough tracking the angels as much as I’d like from 03 – 06 due to deployment and military. I did find halos heaven back in 05 so that was nice.
Don’t confuse me with being excited for this team, but if the stars align we may surprise a lot of people, including ourselves here. First and foremost, we need Trout to stay healthy. That seems hard to do, but he has slimmed down and seems determined. Let’s pray he does. I’m comfortable with Ward, Neto, Shanuel and Soler being steady. Our catching is a strength. That leaves us with needing a few other guys needing to shine or return to form. Rengifo, Moncada, Moniak, Adell, Anderson, Kingery all have that potential. We’ve got Moore on the doorstep too. Of course, we have to see what happens on the pitching front too, so a lot of ifs. But, I’m more optimistic about potentially having a good year than I was last year. I realize I may need to take my crazy meds, but that’s why the play the game on the field and not on paper.
I’m going to be the realist this year. I was much more optimistic last year. I am more optimistic about the future now, I just believe this year they won’t be very good. But, it’s always possible for a lot of things to go right. I believe there will be a number of pleasant surprises along with some big disappointments.
The bullpen has the potential to be very good. The starting pitching is very suspect for this year and the offense is the same as last year with the addition of Soler and the potential for a healthy Trout. Last year, the Angels were near the bottom in both preventing runs and scoring runs. I’m not sure a lot has changes in that regard.
Lastly, if the club does what most people here want them to do, they will be trading a number of their better players at the end of July meaning the last two months could be very much like last year. The alternative would be that the club convinces themselves they have a chance and doesn’t trade anyone which would significantly set back the rebuild.
If nothing else, I can guarantee this year will be more entertaining than last year, which is a good thing as there will be a lot to talk about.
Bottom line for me is that I hope the veterans do well so they can be traded for future assets and the youngsters do well making us more optimistic about the rebuild.
More competitive this year for a longer time, less games given away. Lows shouldn’t be as low or last as long. 70+ wins would be nice, wouldn’t be completely shocked if they stay healthy, flirt with 75+ wins.
Onward and upward with some new trAditions
Very possible
I plan to enjoy watching kids develop even though the team loses a lot. That’s cool, better than watching us patch work a contender by signing Lance Lynn and Santander.
If they somehow run face first into a few hot streaks and actually compete a little, that’s a big bonus and I’ll just be more happy.
Plus we get to watch the draft.
I think the offense will be significantly better this season, though mostly addition by subtraction. d’Arnaud and Soler have solid bats, and Newman, while he had a career year, will likely produce more than the majority of last year’s infielders. All he has to do is produce like Pillar did and he’d be better than any infielder not named O’Hoppe, Schanuel, Neto, Rengifo or Leblanc. I do agree with you on the starting pitching however.
I’m also excited but in a different way than usual. I’m excited to see the young arms in camp. I’m excited to see how our top 10 or so prospects do this year. I’m excited to see who we get at 2 and 47.
At the MLB level I think we could be decent in stretches and bad in stretches. The key is how the kids look in the second half.
I agree.
Hopium is one hell of a drug.
I have listened to several ex-mlb players pretty much slag the Angels chances the last few days… which I agree with. They were pretty focused on “will this team compete?” and the clear answer is no.
BUT, they are all players, and they all were very high on the teams exploration of Neto, O’Hoppe, Moore, Schanuel, Adell and Moniak as a first wave of our core. Same with Soriano, Detmers, Silent C, Joyce, Crouse/Zeferjahn and Dana on the pitching side.
I was actually really surprised how much higher players were than scouting site/CtPG Guy on Schanuel, Moore, Adell and Detmers. Basically saying all these guys flash serious abilities that most average MLB guys just don’t have normally. The “schanuel could be Todd Helton if he just generates a little more hard contact” came up from outside our bubble, which surprised me.
They basically said what we say. The line up, if healthy, will totally go toe to toe with teams like the Mariners and A’s, maybe even the Astros. Much stronger than the Tigers, Guardians or Royals. It’s just the same 15 year question, will we ever have strong pitching?
As I said the focus was “is this team good?” and the answer is no. But they seemed aware of, but not focused on, our strange rebuild where our core actually shows promise while we have a 30 rank farm.
I’ll be happy if the team ticks off another five or six roster questions this season. Then we may not “need too many things to spend 200M on one player” in Arte’s mind…. and mine.
It does make sense how they perceive us. We’ve earned nothing and have no Expectations” placed on this team, which is great for the youth movement to just be an athlete and compete and get better. You can make some mistakes and it isn’t a make or break year for any of them really (minus Adell and Moniak). It isn’t a full rebuilt, but it’s been a pretty good youth re-tool, and we continue to improve depth and flexibility of payroll. We are set up for a new window to open in the next few year and like you said, if we cross of 6-7 pieces with the roster we have, I think we can fill wirh FA and see where that can take us
I will go on record early with 68 wins with the proviso that this is if Trout stays healthy through the first 50 games. If not, I reserve the right to edit downward.
I’m not bothering with guessing win totals yet till I see who survives spring training….
I watched the Stroman interview where he took a lot of flack for not giving a political correct answer, “Wherever the team needs me.” But I took it as “I WILL BE a starter. I’m a starter.” as simply him showing his confidence in himself. That’s how I read it, but it did look bad.
Vlad Jr. will be hitting the FA market after the season!
After Arte’s comments yesterday, there’s no guarantee that he will open checkbook with Rendone still under contract for 2026.
Unless Schanuel breaks his leg after hitting a grand slam at the end of a breakout season we won’t need to splurge on him.
I’m expecting improvement from Nolan so please don’t jinx him. And for goodness sakes somebody tell him not to jump on home plate as he scores.
That was a painful mention.
Well according to Chairman Kuhl, the Morales freak injury was the result of poor health care and kids not drinking enough milk in Cuba.
I’m sure Florida doesn’t have the same issues so no need to worry.
Gator meat sandwiches in his Miami Vice lunch box growing up in FL will make him strong, like gator.
But it would be so much more poetic (and trAditionary) to sign the next Prince Fielder to a record breaking 16 year contract
LOL – don’t say it – he comes from royalty.
Amen
Too soon for Kendry jokes.
15 years later?
Yes. Still too soon
Best news of the day, no deal for Vlad. See you in a year Junior. Time to come home. Only prospect ever to come out with an 80 hit grade. Sure, we will get stuck with some Miguel Cabrera numbers at the end, but he’s got triple crown potential.
This is the player Arte could plunk down mega cash for again. Whether that is good or bad.
I don’t think its that bad to do a deal for him. Prob a little less money in year 1 until Rendon contract is up. He can platoon at 1B against lefties and take over the DH duty full time. It would be a nice homecoming!
We want a mega dollar DH when Trout can’t stay healthy?
I think realitically going forward the club needs to see Trout as a potential bonus and not count on him in their planning.
We already know we can keep two without hindering the club, and with the amount of young controlable arms that we have, we could pay for that middle of the order bat that we desperatly need, so yes. Vlad and Trout and split the DH duties
Exactly. Trout’s our future mega dollar DH. We can’t just shrug our shoulders and sign a guy who will also need to DH at age 31.
Vlad at age 31 will be 6 years from now. The time when Trout isn’t here any longer….
Wouldn’t it be fun to NOT have a total shit contract on our books for once?
Hell no TrAdition!!!
YARRRR!
Wait. No. I want no more poop contracts…
I’m with you. It’s hard to argue against the detractors seeing how every longterm deal this century has failed us.
Homecoming? The guy visited the OC some, lived in Canada as a kid and loves the place, and lived in the DR primarily as a teenager. He’s never been “our guy” at all. Trust me, he’s not pining for them Angels days the way we seem to think he is.
I disagree. I played catch with him while waiting for his dad almost every home game when I worked there. The entire family was always downtairs running around and being kids. Vlad was big on that. Always wanting to spend time in the stadium
Cool. Someone can give him Juan Sotos contract to be a chubby version of Juan Soto every other year till he’s 29 and then become Billy Butler for a few years. We NEED Nolan to develop more this year to save us from the idiot idea of paying Vlad Memberberry. I wouldn’t give him the contract he already scoffed at from the Blue Jays and I don’t care if he manages a 170 OPS this season cause he took little chocolate donuts off his training table for a while.
Your points are all valid. They still won’t stop me from hoping we bring Jr. home lol