LA Angels Wednesday News Crash: Hot Potato Blame Game

Legend

1 month ago

Angels hire 3 more coaches.

Max Stassi as their catching coach, Triple-A Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson as third-base coach and Double-A Rocket City skipper Andy Schatzley as infield coach. General manager Perry Minasian announced the three hirings on Wednesday at the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas.

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Turk's Teeth

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

Schatzley is very deserving – a well-respected manager – though the Pandas are going to miss him.

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Biggiswrth

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

l love the Stassi hire. Glad he is back home and that his family is in order. Really leaning into defense this year…

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GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Skaggs was an illegal drug user and Kay guilty as a supplier. Angels guilty by association by employing him. MLB and Manfraud guilty by association by taking money from their franchise member. Shame on the lawyer(s) who stopped at the Angels. The state of California is guilty by the fact the Angels play in this state, and this state runs everything. The Federal Government is guilty by not shutting Pharma down for making the drugs, along with not shutting down the border because of drugs coming over the border.

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Actually, that was the smart move. MLB has deeper pockets/war chect and would’ve probably backed up a truck full of motions to flood the Skagg’s family counsel. They picked the right level to fight.

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Jim Atkins

1 month ago

A very small ray of sunshine in all this existential gloom is some decent coaches coming aboard. Gotta be an improvement.

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

I can’t wait to get home and scour the internet for all the great moves Perry and Arte made at the owner’s meeting.

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Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

I miss Fletcher and his family. Really great folks.

I know I posted in the past that Tim Fletcher and I became pals after I wrote that piece on him.

What I’ve never posted is that Tim invited my family to his house for a BBQ and we spent the evening with David, Dominic, and the rest of the Fletcher crew eating and playing board games.

I never posted that Tim came over to my house for a BBQ and boxing fights. Or that he’d regularly text me before home games and that we’d often meet up for a few innings. Tim loved playing with my boy, who was very young at the time.

I also was with the family when David’s number got retired by Cerritos High School and hung out with them for a while that afternoon. I did post about that and publish a picture.

Those were great times and honestly we rarely chatted baseball.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Very cool, Jeff. I have a ball signed by Fletcher, had such high hopes for him back then.

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AngelsFanInHell

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Thanks for sharing. I always rooted for Fletcher to succeed. He just seemed like a really good guy. I’m glad the whole family is like that.

Last edited 1 month ago by AngelsFanInHell

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FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Fletcher was on a good trajectory for a couple of years but digressed quickly. Any insight from the family as to why David started chopping at pitches? I just don’t recall him doing that in his productive years.

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Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

No. After the pandemic year we kind of grew apart. I still met up with Tim a couple times but he ultimately moved to Arkansas.

Last edited 1 month ago by Jeff Joiner

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

injuries + he started throwing fits about having his own personal trainers like Ohtani and the Angels said no

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Why did his number get retired by Cerritos?

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toad2065

1 month ago

John Henry, I too miss Fletch. For a few years, he almost single-handedly made watching Angels baseball more fun. He showed that the little guy could still make a big contribution. I also enjoyed his interaction with Shohei. David, I wish you good luck in whatever your future holds.

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WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

O’Hoppe on the trade block?
https://x.com/MLBNetwork/status/1988358068900688170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1988358068900688170%7Ctwgr%5E93894a8691a51abbfb7ec248d06aaee1153f131b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhalohangout.com%2Fangels-young-catcher-rumored-to-potentially-be-moved-in-offseason-by-mlb-insider

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

We’re all on the trading block pal!!

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Senator_John_Blutarsky

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

“No GM ever went broke overestimating the ignorance of the Angels front office”

Perry would be far better off holding on to O’Hoppe until he rehabilitates his performance. The reality is that O’Hoppe would not be the centerpiece of any material trade based on last year’s performance. He alone would not be enough to even re-acquire Marsh.

Last edited 1 month ago by Senator_John_Blutarsky

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GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

😂

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Phil

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

Not just O’Hoppe.
Everyone should be on the trading block.
Neto, included.

Several years ago, we used to have two generational players, who wouldn’t ever be in trade talks.

Today, management should be listening to all offers for anyone on the team.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Phil

Several years ago we had two generational talents that should have been in trade talks.

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CAoldskoll

1 month ago

We know our minor system and development sucks while our neighbor shines. Interesting interview w/Dave Roberts who was explaining how Dodgers success is not only players who are brought in, but also the player development. Low draft picks every year but turn out MLB ready prospects. Said an example is how they invested 100 million into their single A team. How many organizations have that $$ for single A ball? Everyone looks at the top payrolls but nobody tracks how many millions some teams spend on player development. That is an advantage having the kids get the best facilities, coaching, nutrition/supplements. Angels cant even afford AC; so the training facilities must be full of broken equipment, pantry with breadcrumbs/bottled tap water. If Arte wants to play in this big-boy LA market it’s time to blow off the cobwebs inside the wallet and spend some.

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

1. How many of those dodgers prospects ever really come up and pan out? There is a pretty large push by prospect media for teams like the dodgers, Yankees etc. They have 19 year old players in those systems hitting .230 in A ball ranked in the top 50 prospects in all of baseball, while Nelson Rada plays an entire season at AA and AAA at age 19 hitting near .300 and isn’t mentioned. Sure they have some guys that come contribute, but they you get highly rated can’t miss guys that absolutely stink (Downs, Liranzo, etc).

The “can’t afford AC” thing has been debunked so many times, it’s not even worth arguing about anymore.

Minor league facilities have standards. If they don’t meet those standards, teams are required to renovate or full on built new facilities so they are within the guidelines (this happened with the Reds AA team among others). None of the Angels facilities had those red flags, so your characterization of it all is misleading. But I’m sure you know that.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to cookmeister

I must have missed it, how was the AC issue debunked?

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

I gotta a cousin….

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

maybe “debunked” wasn’t the correct term, but “can’t even afford AC” is such an over exaggeration.

AC issue has been mentioned one time, by Kikuchi, on the last day of the year. I don’t know about you, but I surely don’t know Japanese, so I don’t know exactly what was asked or what was answered, or if the translation and interpretation is seamless to English.

Jeff Fletcher said himself that he’s he’s never noticed any AC issue in the weight room, in fact he’s noticed the opposite (that it’s freezing) since it is right next to the locker room. Seeing as Jeff is near the team a whole heck of lot more than Sam Blum, I’ll take his word for it (he even said he thinks there was a translation issue with Kikuchi).

Lastly, let’s use some logic. in an entire season, you’re telling me not 1 single player ever complained about AC being broken? There is absolutely 0 chance that’s true.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to cookmeister

I’m pretty sure the Angels weight room had no AC all year because I want to be sure of that. I hate my dad. I mean Arte.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Orrrrrrrrr, we are reacting to what a player said about the facilities. We didn’t just make it up. Its not some deep issue within our own psyches to react to the franchise being a shitshow, no matter how much you wish that were the case.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

Orrrrr. I know that. Orrrr did I even say anyone was making it up? Nope. Kooch said that there was no AC in the weight room. I don’t know if that was for a week or a decade. I’m choosing decade because of my daddy issues.

It’s gonna be OK. Have a White Claw and Klonopin. No one is saying Arte is actually great and it’s all in your head. Breeeaathhh…. you’re safe.

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BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Oh goody. An “AC Gate” debate.

We are officially in the doldrums of the offseason, eh?

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FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to BannedInLA

The good news story here is that the Angels are no longer accepting applications for the HVAC Tech. Currently on the down select process.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to BannedInLA

That’s the problem. No one’s debating anything. It’s pretty much a gross display of shitty reading comprehension and vaginal sand.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Can anyone really be safe here with CtPGGuy lurking behind every comment? Once he’s defeated the franchise will finally be seen as the beacon of happy success that it truly is. Keep up the good fight, Arte loves you.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to cookmeister

Like I said the last time you and I discussed this topic, you are giving the team a benefit of the doubt that they simply have no longer earned. I respect your viewpoint on it, but question why you have consistently felt the need to argue against the premise when you really don’t have any evidence Kikuchi was wrong aside from blaming his language.

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

I never said Kikuchi was wrong.
I actually think the AC probably did malfunction that day.
But I think there is probably a mis-translation that turned that day into the entire season.
Again, it makes 0 sense that the AC was broken all season. idc about benefit of the doubt. It’s been refuted, and players would have an uprising if that were the case

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FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

It’s symbolic of the fact the Angels are B-grade operation. Not only personnel but also facilities. Need a lot of good fortune to overcome this drag.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

B-grade is being nice. I’d say they are a solid D.

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WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

Reply to 2pints

There’s a good, that’s what she said joke right there.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

Annnnndddd…. the winner

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CAoldskoll

1 month ago

Reply to cookmeister

More of the point here Dodgers spend millions on player development and year after year have a top ranked farm. They never get high draft picks, unless we’re to assume the scouts are that much better. They have gotten to a point where some of their prospects are overrated, so best practice is don’t trade your stars for them, sadly teams like Red Sox, Orioles, Rangers had to learn the hard way. And my company would gladly donate a portable AC for Kikuchi.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

They still live by the basic principle. It likely takes about 4 good prospects at a position to wind up with one solid MLB roster spot filled.

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FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to cookmeister

Bobby Miller, Ferris Buehler, Michael Busch, Dustin May, Pages , Will Smith were a few of the high ranked prospects that made the Show, that’s a pretty good turnout.

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CAoldskoll

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

Also Bellinger, Seager (1st round) and oldies Eovaldi, Kemp and Eithier.

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cookmeister

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

Miller stinks and was supposed to be the next big thing. May stinks. Pages wasn’t ever really highly rated so good for him.

There are a ton of highly ranked “can’t miss” guys that flopped.

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Maybe MLB will threaten the Angels, just like they did Bryce Harper (Eyes rolling).

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RexFregosi

1 month ago

from 40 years in the corporate world, the smoothest and best liars were HR, and if you head up the department, that means you’re the smoothest and bestest liar there is.

No way did MLB know about Kay – and MLB is calling her out – she lies

And as Patton was born and destined to be there for WW2; likewise Sammy – he was made for this moment and this moment was made for him.

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milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to RexFregosi

I don’t have an Athletic subscription. Did MLB testify in court that they never knew about Kay? Or did MLB testify that the Angels never told them about Kay?

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RexFregosi

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

MLB put out a statement denying knowledge – they aren’t at the trial

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milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to RexFregosi

So not under oath. The denial doesn’t surprise me. Though not sure why it matters. The trial is about the Angels and not MLB.

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Angels2020Champs

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

What happened in the angels clubhouse happens in other clubhouses. Sad fact is it’s better for a career to assimilate or ignore/play dumb rather than make positive and effective changes. Between steroids and opioids, MLB should absolutely be apart of this trial, even if it’s only the court of public opinion. Writing a memo or coming out with a general order does nothing to change culture. How are you preventing MLB??

These two cents are brought to by DraftKings, use my handle to have all your bets be lost to bots/people that write the algorithms.

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milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to Angels2020Champs

Has MLB been named along with the Angels? If not then neither here nor there with regards to the trial.

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Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

I think the point that the Plaintiffs are making is that if Kay’s drug usage was known to MLB, it was surely known to the Angels brass. The Angels may be trying to say that they relied on MLB to deal with Kay (a silly assertion in my opinion as Kay was an Angels employee). But the net effect is that it arguably counters claims by the Angels upper management that they had no idea about Kay’s drug problems/issues.

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milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Guess I am a bit surprised that testimony was allowed. I wonder if Skagg’s side will try to get MLB to testify

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FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

Exactly, MLB is not being sued

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Angels2020Champs

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

Breaking News: The Angels are a team in Major League Baseball, otherwise known as MLB. A case against one team (like the Guardians/Indians pitchers involved in a gambling operation) is a case against all teams. While MLB isn’t formally being sued by skaggs et al, MLB still felt compelled to come out and say we knew nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing! Let me tell you, MLB and MLBPA know about the shenanigans and fast paced lifestyle their athletes live.

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to Angels2020Champs

IMHO it is more like purposeful obliviousness or plausible deniability.

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milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to Angels2020Champs

MLB and MLBPA know every itsy bitsy legal and illegal shenanigan that every player is involved in and there is no whistleblower in either org that has said anything? I don’t think that is likely.

Not surprised at all that MLB put out a public statement. They have to be really pissed.I wonder if Arte has received any phone calls from MLB today. I can imagine other owners being pretty pissed, too.

And no, a case against Clase and Ortiz is not a case against all teams. That is not a logic that follows.

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Angels2020Champs

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

Tough conversations are rarely fun. I certainly appreciate your willingness to engage in one.

Yes MLB and MLBPA know about alcohol, drug (illicit and prescribed), gambling, womanizing, and other vices of their employees. What they say and how they act publicly are often driven by public relations. How they get people to report (preferably self reporting) or get help is another thing.

Whistleblowing sounds great, in theory. These guys have filtered their way to the top of their craft… little league, travel ball, HS, college, semi-pro on and on. I don’t think being a tattle tale is a trait spoken highly of amongst boys or men. In each one of those levels there are what we would say are rites of passage… you know, I had it hard so you have to have it harder. Some of them are fun, like when you get PAID and have to foot the large dinner bill for the group. Some, if not most, should go by the waist-side.

If you think Clase and Ortiz are the only two caught up in gambling, I’m not sure what to tell you. These guys are used to adrenaline, dopamine, & cortisol dumps (you know those things that used to get their juices going when they were first experiencing things) so when they recalibrate and get used to it, they’re ready for the next level!

So, to me, cases like Skaggs, clase, Ortiz, rose, Hamilton, etc are not one offs but part of a larger sports culture problem.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to milehigh

I believe the point about MLB knowing or not knowing is important in a procedural manner.

The Angels helped Kay with outpatient drug counseling. Therefore they were aware of Kay’s prescription drug issues.

MLB has protocols on how teams notify MLB and assist in providing care. If the Angels did not follow the normal protocols, that fits the Skaggs side assertions that the Angels covered up Kay’s drug use or at least didn’t take it seriously.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to RexFregosi

Sam the Hat deserves his flowers on this one. He’s a sports writer, not a legal writer for one.

He’s doing a good job of basic journalism. Who said what and why it may matter. He’s keeping his personal bias out of it and repeating the basic facts time and again in case somebody is jumping in to the story.

I was a journalism major in college and he’s doing the textbook stuff. If only the cable “news” networks would get back to this type of reporting we’d have a much better society.

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2pints

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I agree. I read the most recent article on the trial and found no bias in it, so once again rolled my eyes at folks on this site having a grudge against him for his reporting. This franchise doesn’t have much positive storylines to report on, so don’t be mad when its reporter constantly reports on the negative aspects.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Yeah. Far as I can tell there hasn’t been much self insertion at all in his coverage of this thing. Just a bunch of facts. Shitty facts, but it’s just a blow by blow.

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WallyChuckChili

1 month ago

I hear after losing out on the Managers job, Albert Pujols will be auditioning to be the new Freeze.

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Legend

steelgolf

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili

😆😆😆😆😆😆😆 Everyone wins! Just like the “Kid’s steal 3 rd base” at Angels Stadium. I can’t envision anyone not outrunning Plantar Pujols, even my old ass would.

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to steelgolf

On another note we’ve seen a supposed Angels third baseman steal for like…..five years.

Last edited 1 month ago by Angelz4ever

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Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to WallyChuckChili