Bo Porter would like to be the Angels manager. He indicated to Perry Minasian that he would like an interview. Albert Pujols is no longer under consideration for the job. He is interviewing with the Padres.
Here is what will happen if the Angels sign a player who rejected his qualifying offer. In the unlikely event that the Angels extend a qualifying offer to someone who rejects it, here is what the Angels get if that player signs with another team. What do you think? Is anybody leaving to whom you would offer $22 Million for a year? Here is a pretty comprehensive list of the 2025-2026 Free Agents. We will have to wait to see the status of any of these guys who get a qualifying offer.
Shelby Miller had surgery last week involving his UCL. He is likely to miss 2026.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Jeff just posted a special Suzuki thread where we can gnash our teeth some more
I wonder what happened to Torii. Was that about money also
“Don’t call us, we’ll call you”
That’s obviously what they told Bo Porter.
We dodged a bullet with both Porter and Pujols.
Honestly, both Suzuki and Hunter are better picks than those two.
Suzuki – woo hoo!
Whirled Serious or BUST!
I called it!
Here’s some gross but realistic Angels off season options that I’d maybe do….
Trade Taylor Ward for prospects (what ever we can get at this sad point) and pick up Jared Kelenic for nothing on an MiLB/ST invite contract. Kelenic is broken. But he’s also very talented. If we can fix him he’s a 26 year old OF who can be pretty damn good and hit LH. I’d also put Trout/Soler in LF, Rada/Teo in CF and Adell in RF. Make Jared a positivity project. Try to rebuild him and tell him we are trying to make him a long term piece and extend him him if he makes the bigs and is good.
Sign Kike Hernandez and Paul DeJong. Why? they will provide an OPS around .650 at least. If we try to get them focused on OBP it will probably be around .300. Both guys play all over the place with unhorrible defense, which is good for a team that should be trading guys and trying out kids at various spots. Veteran grit.
Hernandez will be very useful when we release Soler and Trout can’t play OF any more. Both will be useful when Neto is hurt and Moore/Guzman/Paris are floundering.
Spend semi-real money on pitching. Like bring back Chafin (Kenny Powers) and Garcia for the pen. Sign Adrian Houser to pill a back end spot. Sign Colin Rea for mid-rotation depth. Pick up a pen veteran like Tommy Kahle. Ad Joyce and Treasure Island to the mix. See if we can raise the floor on the pitching front while Detmers tries the rotation and some kids can still get some innings.
Sign Nabil Crismatt and make him a starter. Take a flyer on Dustin May or German Marquez.
It aint exciting. It will not thrill real Angels fans. But it may make the team better and allow for slightly more rebuild in the reload.
I’d take this over whatever Minasian will do.
I’ve yet to deep dive what players would be available but Kelenic is certainly worth a flyer and would like Dustin May as well.
Regarding Kike, has only prefers to play for the Dodgers. Angels made a run at him previously as a FA.
Kurt Suzuki eh? Didn’t see that one coming.
Am I impressed? Not really, but all love for former Titans. Good luck to him…he’s gonna need it.
Suzuki > Pujols. Let’s just exhale a bit and submit to a tall cold Ale.
Says who. Arte has made a bad decision every time. What would change that. Feels like this decision was based on money and if anyone else wanted him
Arte didn’t want to get in a bidding war because he didn’t want to spend the money
What’s the logic in getting into a bidding war over a manager for THIS current team? Other than so that he can tell fans like you he went out and got in a bidding war for a name you like better? The state this team is in, this is actually the situation where you bring up the AAA manager and give him his chance…. which we have sort of done….
I didn’t say get into a bidding war. I said that was what Arte in my opinion was thinking. Everyone has an opinion and that’s my opinion not your stupid opinion
So you don’t seem to understand this exchange…
Person 1 – ” I don’t think Jim wants to get into a bidding war.”
Person 2 – “Why would Jim want to get into a bidding war?”
But somehow I’m the mouth breather eh?
Not promoting Kurt but I prefer NOT to see No.5 in an Angel uniform ever again. His exit was brutal and sure to bump heads with Perry.
In the end, does not really matter but I really preferred a veteran manager.
Yeah. Suzuki is good for probably 68 wins since their is a learning curve for someone with no managerial experience
Who cares about Perry. He is probably gone after this year
Well, he still has an impact on the roster for this next season, so there’s that. Not that I am expecting anything earth-shattering.
If that’s the case, we should’ve let Washington finish his contract, so the new GM could bring in his own guy.
i agree with this completely. I am in the anyone but 5 camp too. At least Suzuki seem like an agreeable guy. It will be funny to see that perplexed “this is harder than it looks” dugout shots as the season progresses.
🤣
I just want Arte gone terrible decisions after terrible decisions in management
The way we know this is a horrible decision is that nothing has happened that we can base any opinions on other than our feelz being generally tender. Which would have been the case if he’d hired Baseball Napoleon. On the bright side, we already know the team will not be very good, which’ll work great for guys like you cause there will be plenty of things you can blame the new manager for.
Haha you’re a toot
With Kurt being an assistant to Perry last year, maybe it was Perry who made the choice, Arte just signed off as his pocket book would not be savaged. Certainly a guy who Perry can work with (vs. No.5).
Haha
LMAO, copy that
Damn. Here is the correct shared vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJddKwplJrM
I actually like Suzuki’s brain. I know a lot of stupid people will poo poo it, but I’m actually in favor of my teams manager being a guy that is in on the same plan as the GM/FO instead of being “the guy who is always fighting against the headwinds of POBOEIEIO interference”. Suzuki is also not a “big splash”. I hope this means Arte plans to use him to help develop a roster, not just high five expensive players. He’s young. I’m glad we got him in place early and he is likely already read in on what the team wants to try this winter. There really couldn’t be a more wait and see manager than this guy I guess.
Definitely.
Disappointing
Who are the coaches that’s important. Please not the same people
Truthfully we’ve seen all kinds of coaches. Is it important? Feels like in today’s game it comes down to advance scouting and information being given to players and whether you have the mechanisms to have the players implement it effectively.
This is artes 5th manager and every choice has been the wrong choice. So there is that. History repeats itself
This is a very salient point.
Got Suzuki on the cheap
you know the contract details?
Don’t need to, this is not the Dodgers where money doesn’t really matter. The positions on this team are not where the heavy hitters reside. Arturo does not not pay top drawer funding to first timers. This is where managers come to end their careers. The last 6 are not MLB types any longer.
Fucking Kurt Suzuki? Really?
I’m out.
https://x.com/samblum3/status/1980681673370136912?s=46
See ya when Arte’s gone.
Im curious why after the last decade you think the manager matters?
Maybe the one who doesnt seem obvious is the one that works out. It doesnt seem to make a difference from where I see it. And lots of teams are succeeding with ex-catchers or role player types.
Exactly. We had Soth. Hated him. We had the guy who was recognized around baseball as the “next great manager for the stats era” in Ausmus. Hated him. We had everyone’s favorite clown philosopher who we should have had all along in Maddon. He sucked. We got the hot pink pile of grit and yelling at Donaldson that these candy assed players needed to stiffen them up in Nevin. Hated him. We got a well regarded old man manager with many backers throughout the MLB in Washington. He’s too old and stupid.
Arte has literally bought CtPG Guy every flavor of manager he has demanded in this cycle of crap teams. Other than just hiring a bunch of guys from team 2002 to work under Ersty.
Maybe Kurt works. Probably not because the team sucks and if they show even a couple sprouts of goodness their dumbfk fans will demand we harvest the plant early and “go for it” again. But really guys. Are we all that much smarter than Arte/Perry other than just being able to name off other guys who might maybe be better for reasons unknown?
Might as well gamble.
At the end of the day, what makes a manager look smart is good players. We haven’t had that in a while.
Exactly. Look at the Jays. We’d talk so much shit about their bumpkin manager if he had our roster. But he is a loveable folksy genius with Toronto.
Lolz
see you next week
Hats off to the Blue Jays for making it to the Series. I hope they finish the job and get the trophy.
But also a big thanks to Seattle for providing a ton of entertainment. That series against Detroit was incredible, topped by the 15 inning gem of a deciding Game 5.
Then they went the full 7 against Toronto with the game in the balance until the final pitch.
That was a heartbreaking loss, but one day Mariners fans will look back and appreciate the thrill ride.
Bazardo = Donnie Moore
Just a horrible move pulling Bryan Woo in that spot. He’s their best arm, IMO. A walk and a ground ball base hit does not constitute the pitcher is losing his stuff.
That was a tragic choice in retrospect. Loved that J Rod struck out on a pitch way out of the strike zone with catcher Babe Ruth on deck.
J-Rod was chasing pitches, could have walked setting up Dumpty
Dodgers/Blue Jays, both high payroll clubs with some Superstars. I haven’t decided just yet who I will root for, maybe neither and just watch for the fun of it. I prefer the American League and like to root for SoCal teams too, so I need to think about this. 🤔
Remaining Payrolls are #1 and #5.
During most of the playoffs (F the MFY’s) I’ve found myself just suddenly caring who wins.
My team finds me.
I’m in the just watch for fun camp. I actually got tickets for Game 3 to see Shohei in the WS. I didn’t go to a single game in Anaheim this year, as I don’t want Arturo to get a penny of my $$$. As someone else aptly stated, my team may find me as the series progresses. Dodger fans near me at the Latrine, take note.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll finally just become a Doyers fan? Then you can go over to We Blew LA or what ever their site is and rail against Teoscar Hernandez and demand they sign Tucker and it could actually happen for you.
Haven’t decided yet. LMAO
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hunter out and now Suzuki as front runner? Lord, this organization…
I must have missed the article about Suzuki being a bad choice, clue me in. The team likes first time MLB GM’s, Mgr’s, and Presidents and VP’s, experience need not apply. I do not see anything changing soon as that might start something referred to as winning, ha 😀
Correction: That’s “dis-organization”
How is Suzuki more qualified than Hunter?
by the positions they each played over their professional careers
Brad Ausmus agrees.
So Ausmus’ managing career negates every other catcher-turned-manager that found success? He singlehandedly unearthed the ruse that a former catcher can be a good manager? It all dies at his feet?
How about this: why is Torii better suited to be manager?
Vibes. Not going to be a yes man. He seemed to help the team when he was in the dugout. As others say, Suzuki won’t matter. Clearly Arturo doesn’t want to spend any money to get a good experienced staff around him. Suzuki plus staff will be the cheapest option. Enjoy Suzuki.
“vibes” 😂
this is literally the most perfect answer you could’ve given
wouldn’t that make Suzuki more qualified then?
thats what I said
Bo Porter was a horrible and incompetent 3B coach, perhaps that bodes well for his managerial skills. He actually might be a good fit as his only experience was managing the Astros when they were bad so he’s accustomed to bad teams whether they are being bad intentionally or not. I honestly think that with Kurt Suzuki they might luck into a good choice although, as previously stated here many times, regardless of who manages, there is not much to work with.
It feels like Arturo is in a rush to the bottom so Porter makes sense. He is in house, cheap, and incompetent, as well as a yes man.
Sorry Jer-Jer and Mariners, you were one Bazardo meatball away from going to the World Series. How bizarre, how bizarre.
As the series went on, I realized I was against Seattle bigly, and like the way the Jays play the game. They had a bit of the 2002 Angels in their DNA, if not an exact personnel match.