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LA Angels Tuesday News Crash: GG

November 4, 2025

I don’t see any Angels in this list of Gold Glove winners. Here is the 2025 ballot of eight Hall of Fame nominees by the contemporary era committee.

Lucas Giolito declined his end of a $19 Million mutual option. Will the Red Sox extend him a Qualifying Offer? Pete Alonso opted out of his $24 Million deal with the Mets. Ha-Seong Kim opted out of his deal with the Braves. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. triggered his player option. The Orioles declined their club option on infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo. Cody Bellinger opted out of his deal with the Yankees. Edwin Diaz opted out of his deal with the Mets while A.J. Minter opted in to the Mets. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff declined his part of a mutual option with the Brewers.

The Marlins just promoted Gabe Kapler to General Manager. The Braves hired Walt Weiss as their field manager.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Legend

FungoAle

2 days ago

Reading about Gabe Kapler becoming a GM makes me appreciate Angels being stuck with Perry.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to FungoAle

So far the brain trust is Perry + Suzuki + Maddox. Not horrible. All overseen by Carpino with Arte on Speed Dial. Plus an aggressive sensitivity to HaloHonk types that want to GO FER IT and are worried about who they’re gonna watch if we trade anyone.

So basically we will be watching for improved fundamentals from guys like Nolan and Logan, improved pitching, and maybe some prospect development on the mound…. and like three position prospects. And I may be stupid enough to hope PTP drafts some position players this June.

BUT we may bring Jansen’s sweaty ass back AND we still have Ward and his 100 RBIs. Who can resist that? Are there any veterans out there that are closing in on 2200 hits or 430 Doubles that they can bring on so we can watch with pounding hearts as they cross these incredible mile stones? Actually, can the Angels just change their name to the Mile Stones?

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

That Yu Darvish contract for the Friars…. woof.

Super Member

AnAngelsFan

2 days ago

Gioloto, coming off a mediocre year, over the age of 30, with an injury history and who ended the season with an elbow injury, thinks he is worth more than $19 million?

Or maybe he’s hoping to get a long-term contract at a lower AAV because his elbow is shot and he wants to be paid for more than one year of not playing.

I hope Boston does give him a QO.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

2 days ago

Reply to AnAngelsFan

He received a $1.5 mil buyout, so really just has to beat $17.5 mil guaranteed to make it worth opting out. If they give the QO he might accept it.

If they don’t, I think he could easily find a 2-4 year deal at $15-20 mil per.

He was fairly solid last year, especially in a tough division and not the greatest park (ERA on the road was 1/2 a run lower).

To clarify, I don’t want him, but declining the option isn’t crazy by any means.

Super Member

BannedInLA

2 days ago

Reply to cookmeister

Obviously Giolito and his agent are reasonably confident that they will be able to make more money by opting out.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

2 days ago

Reply to BannedInLA

Gio will regret that mistake, almost as much as whichever team signs him for 2026 will regret that mistake.

Legend

FungoAle

2 days ago

Reply to AnAngelsFan

Sox missed offering Nick Pivetta QO last year, would be doubling down on the mistake if they decide to offer a QO to Giolitto.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

2 days ago

Reply to FungoAle

they missed?

The Sox offered Pivetta the QO

Trusted Member

cookmeister

2 days ago

I’m going to be a Debby downer on Kim.

He’s a below average hitter with an extensive injury history.
His value is tied almost directly to his defense, more specifically his defense at SS, where he would not play with this team.
That’s a hard pass for me.

Newbie

Reelbigfishalos

2 days ago

Some nice buy low potential bounceback candidates in here in Kim and Woodruff. Woodruff after bringing in Maddux could make some sense in particular.

Newbie

Reelbigfishalos

2 days ago

Reply to Reelbigfishalos

Imanaga just became FA too and could fit that bill, coming off injury-filled season.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

2 days ago

Reply to Reelbigfishalos

How is Maddux going to help with injuries?

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

2 days ago

Reply to Reelbigfishalos

It gets depressing to know our pool is bounce back candidates, DFAs, and guys who were good once

Legend

FungoAle

2 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Perry decides to spend the shiny nickels like Aaron Loup, Stephenson, Tyler Anderson…guys off careers years with little track record. But he also dabbles with guys who were once good years ago. He goes both ways.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to Reelbigfishalos

The problem is, THESE are exactly the millions that I would NOT spend if I was a penny pinching owner. The return I’d get on spending the amount of cash I’d pay Woodruff to maybe being good, spent across developing pitching in the system, will net me a lot more. While Woodruff himself, even if he works out, makes my teammmm…. yep, we are still in 4th place.

At the very least, just don’t sign any of this filler and pay Neto early. Then I have my “marketable face” locked up.

Trusted Member

CAoldskoll

2 days ago

Interesting names out there became available, should be the talk around MLB media but it’s all about how Dodgers are ruining baseball with their spending or (If article is from LA) how they are not. I hate LA but want to make something clear; they are NOT ruining baseball, what they are doing is destroying any type of competitive balance in the league. I’m not speaking for those bottom teams (Pirates, Rockies, Reds) that don’t want to spend at all, but for the majority that do want to win and spend, yet don’t make the revenue larger markets have. And there is also the Dodgers ‘exclusive’ signing advantage for Japanese players, every other team gets sloppy seconds. Dodger nation and news outlets are trying so hard for any excuse to avoid a lockout due to salary cap. Add more stars, win 3x, good luck with that. Salary cap and some type of internationalj draft for ‘pro’ players outside US will be topics.

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dontbatvlad4th

2 days ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

Yup. I do also hope they tackle the deferral fiasco that Shohei and the Dodgers absolutely defiled.

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steelgolf

2 days ago

Reply to dontbatvlad4th

Oh, that deferral loophole will definitely tighten, if not close altogether.

Super Member

AnAngelsFan

2 days ago

Reply to steelgolf

Will it? The players like it because they get paid and get a chance to be on a loaded team that win will the WS. The large market teams like it because it lets them load the team.

The cheap owners hate it, but they are fighting against both the other owners and the players, so I’m not sure they’ll win.

Trusted Member

milehigh

2 days ago

Reply to AnAngelsFan

I agree. Players and owners don’t see deferred contracts as loopholes. Not sure who is going to close this alleged loophole.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to milehigh

It will eventually close in a couple decades when the only baseball fans left watching are primarily 60 year old men who don’t mind watching four teams compete for the title while the majority of their kids root for soccer, football, basketball teams and UFC fighters.

I mean, I am old. I am already already more engaged with football and UFC fights than I am with baseball. It’s just plain a lot more fun. I love baseball, but even for me it’s slowly becoming something I feel I should watch, just like you should visit grandma and hear that same story for the 100th time. I am not really very excited about baseball day in and day out. It’s just noise that keeps me company while I work for months.

Every week there are a couple football games I look forward to. Twice a month a fight I have on my calendar.

I am still interested in baseball, very much so. But if I am already semi-tuned out why the hell is a 23 year old who isn’t a Yankee/Doyer fan supposed to put baseball higher than 4th on their list? And their kids?

Big owners and rich players are right up there with French pension programs as far as just ignoring how shits gonna play out down the line. Baseball won’t die. But it can become hockey or NASCAR. Twenty years from now. College football is basically minor league football. Maybe they push their season start back a couple weeks. NFL adds roster spots, payroll and more games to 20 a season. Soccer gets bigger. Imagine if UFC decides to have a “season” or “teams” during the summer…. like a lower division of competition that then determines who will get there shots at bigger fights the rest of the year?

There are lots of ways for baseball to become Cricket. Mostly because 18 year old men in 90% of the country have little reason to give much of a shit about the sport most weeks.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

2 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Baseball has survived and thrived through periods of dominance.
Pennant winners:
1947 – Skanks, Dodgers
1948 – Indians, Braves
1949 – Skanks, Dodgers
1950 – Skanks, Phils
1951 – Skanks, Giants
1952 – Skanks, Dodgers
1953 – Skanks, Dodgers
1954 – Indians, Giants
1955 – Skanks, Dodgers
1956 – Skanks, Dodgers
1957 – Skanks, Braves
1958 – Skanks, Braves

so two years in a row of Dodgers isn’t going to kill the game. Personally I wish they’d do away with deferred contracts. It just “ain’t right’ that the team with the most money has figured out a way to not spend as much as they should. For one thing it’s gonna cripple them in the 2030s and they don’t care. Other teams (except the ones you mention) can’t get players to agree to these deferred deals.

Maybe Manfraud can get something done about it.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Thing is, it’s not 1953 any more. The NFL was rinky dink back then. Horse racing was still huge. Baseball won’t die, like I said. It will greatly diminish though if it doesn’t change, and that diminishing will mean no more 700M contracts that get mostly deferred.

I’d feel less worried if you were telling me something like “Naw man, kids today are just wild for the baseball. Just like in 1962.” But you can’t. I just watched a whole documentary on the KC Athletics. What’s crazy is that, back then, folks in cities like Philly, Washington DC and Kansas City would actually “flock” to the stadium for teams that were just semi-good. They enjoyed baseball enough that as long as their team had a decent chance to win most games people came out. That’s not the case now, and it will be even less so when the current 18 year olds are 30 with kids of their own.

Trusted Member

Marcotor

2 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

How is it going to “cripple” the Dodgers in the 2030’s?

Mark Walter’s day job is literally making money.

The Basic Agreement requires any deferred spending be fully funded with the full dollar amount (of the devalued dollars) within a certain time of the player vesting – thus Ohtani’s 48 million Tax salary.

Oh, and any extra money earned on the annunities they are purchasing for deferrals, the Dodgers get to keep.

Hate the idea, hate the process but stop projecting wishful thinking on the whole thing.

Last edited 2 days ago by Marcotor

Member

dontbatvlad4th

2 days ago

Reply to AnAngelsFan

It’s possibly a battle between Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and all the mid market teams? The minimal salary teams don’t have a horse in this race.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to dontbatvlad4th

THIS is what the MLBPA needs to worry about. If the Diamondbacks, Rangers, Astros, Mariners, White Sox, Braves, Nationals etc start wondering if there is really a point to carrying a 190M payroll when they get the same basic results long term from a 120M payroll a lot of players will be on pillow deals a lot more often. 30 will be the new 40. etc.

Legend

red floyd

2 days ago

Reply to AnAngelsFan

Yeah, I said exactly that when Ohtani signed that contract.

Trusted Member

Biggiswrth

2 days ago

I might be a homer on this one but I would say yes to all of the contemporary era nominees! Still missing Bobby Grich though!

Trusted Member

Marcotor

2 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Everybody is a WINNER in the new and improved Hall of Mostly Very Good.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 day ago

Reply to Marcotor

Apparently you aren’t fond of 6th place trophies, either.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

2 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Jeff Kent. 55 WAR 123 OPS+ no gold gloves 5 x All Star
Bobby Grich 71 WAR 125 OPS+ 4 gold gloves 6 x All Star

Legend

steelgolf

2 days ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Jeff Kent is not a hall of fame player.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to steelgolf

It just bugs me that they decide they need to look at Kent when two other guys who were much better get no love.

Super Member

PedroCerrano

2 days ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

I always find this stat line interesting:

Ichiro Suzuki 60 WAR 107 OPS+ 10 gold gloves 10 x All Star

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 day ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

I know. I started to say that Loften, who Gitch suggested, was a slightly lesser version of Ichiro, but then when I looked closer, they were virtually identical except that Ichiro played in 650 more games so he had 600 more hits. Except for hits, Loften accumulated the same counting numbers for everything else in 2000 fewer ABs. They were both just 7% better than average as hitters via OPS+. They were 2 of the best lead off hitters ever, and it gives new appreciation to Rickey Henderson who amassed 111 WAR and had 127 OPS+.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

See, I flop the opposite way. It’s not the Hall of Good Feelz or I Liked That Guy. It’s supposed to be the best or most important players from an era. I like all the guys on this list. But the clear HOFers are Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield (maybe).

Fernando is an also ran mid-rotation guy who gets zero attention if he’s white, black, or played for the Indians. You can’t even “Koufax” him in cause he really only had two really good seasons. Chuck Finley had a better career. Murphy, Delgado and Mattingly are Hall of Very Good. Dwight Evans career was generally a full 20WAR better than these guys.

But the CONSTANT pain in the ass is that Bobby Grich and Lou Whitaker are still not getting ANY traction with these guys. Both have about 20 more WAR than Kent and aren’t suspected of steroid use. Both are ahead of Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar, JAckie Robinson and Craig Biggio and just behind Rod Carew. You just look at that pool of names they are swimming in… they are HOF 2nd basemen.

But no. Jeff Kent. Reeeeehh mehhhhmm burrrrr? Home runs? Mustache?

I also want to stop with the whinny bitch shit with some of the roid guys. Clearly steroids are still in use. Clearly they were rampantly used in the late 90s and early 2000s. Clearly everyone knows that. It’s stupid for Bonds and Clemens to not be in. At this point it’s more about a bunch of old men pearl clutching/punishing someone and less about preserving something or consequences if those guys and guys like Palmiero and McGwire get in. I mean shit. Palmeiro has 3000 hits. Rengifo looks like he’s on roids. Is he gonna get 3000 hits?

I can see some cases being made to keep some guys out. I’m not sure McGwire has the stats without the juice. Sammy Sosa? Probably not. Sheffield? He’s border line. So is Manny Ramirez. The point about the steroids era can still be made via omissions. On the other hand, Ivan Rodriguez and Big Poopy are already in the Hall…. sooooo?

Oh. And here’s my final dark horse guy who should be considered. He’s got 2400 career hits. 622 stolen bases. Four gold gloves in CF. Was a six time all-star. Made the play offs in I think 11 out of 15 seasons he played. And his 68.4 WAR is better than any of the guys on this list. Plus no roids. But he’s never gonna make the Hall of Feelz.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

2 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Lofton? Should’ve been in a long time ago. Ditto Whitaker. Ditto Dwight Evans. Ditto Dale Murphy.

Cheating is still cheating, but I agree that the Hall cheapens themselves voting in weak candidates while at the same time allowing several ‘roid users in. But adding more ‘roid users in only muddies the water.

I enjoyed the years that Grich put in with the Angels, but he is not a HoF’er imho, and Grich does show that WAR in not the definitive answer.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 day ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Bobby Grich is likely the 8th greatest 2B all time and the next 5 guys behind him are all in. Why does he not belong in the hall.

Super Member

Jim Atkins

2 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Oh hell yes. Bobby was the second best second baseman of his era, only behind Joe Morgan. That’s not too shabby a place to be, and definitely HOF worthy.