Morning Angels fans, have links or whatever
Angels News
Kikuchi wants to pitch until he is 50. Also some WBC stuff, hard to figure out since I do not speak Japanese and there are no subs.
The only other thing vaguely Angels related is former players being somewhere else. Like Thaiss being a White Sox catcher now.
Or Trey Cabbage playing in Japan. For the Giants. Of Japan.
Maybe this counts. The Angels are the best worst team in their division since 2010.
Around Baseball
Yankees get Cody Bellinger and 5M US dollars for Cody Poteet. I wish we had a Cody Bellinger… nah, he would suck for us, we all know it.
The O’s get a Japanese pitcher, Tomoyuki Sugano. He is 35 but pitched great last year.
White Sox has a new stadium name. Rate Field. Which is no longer guaranteed.
Who wants to feel bad? Here are Streamer’s best players projection for 2025.
More pain? Sure, here are the biggest contracts in MLB history by team. Angels in 3rd place and haven’t mad the playoffs since it was signed.
Alright some not sad news. MLB finally had a study done on pitching and found out higher velocity does cause pitching injuries. Yes, DUH, but this is the reason we do science, so we can have evidence finally. Anyway, we have to change how we teach pitching for things to change, which will be hard since high velocity is the fastest way to become an MLB pitcher.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes!
Apparently Billy still has some pull in the Mets building.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/12/mets-to-sign-griffin-canning.html
Best of luck to Griff.
The ONLY way to bring in Arenado is to bring back another quality prospect or player.
Ran this through the sim and it worked:
Angels receive: Nolan and Brendan Donovan
Card receive: Nelson Rada
I’d take that deal, honestly. Deepens the lineup considerably, and with Donovan’s positional flexibility we could still be sellers at the deadline if/when we suck.
He’s just another Rengifo. I don’t understand why we would do that and give up a prospect as well, and take on a big unproductive contract.
Rengifo is better, less durable
Rengifo can become two or three prospects a day after this trade is done.
Hmmm. Lets see a 27 year old viable Left handed hitting utility player with 3 years of club control and a career OPS vs RHP of .800 who we can play no worse than league average defense no matter where you move him to around the diamond vs a 27 year old below average defender who has a career OPS of .679 against RHP and will be a free agent after the upcoming season?
Is this is even worth the debate ?
That list above settles it!
No matter the cost, we need to sign Burnes so the Halos can have a top 40 ranked player.
Three American catchers on the depth chart?
That took some doing nowadays.
Apparently Arenado values playing on the west coast more than playing for a competitive team in a Trashhole town?
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/12/nolan-arenado-has-reportedly-blocked-trade-to-astros.html
Hell Arte, make a token effort by calling St. Louie.
Then we could pay $60ish million for Rendon and Arenado to produce maybe 2-2.5 WAR at third base.
We’d have another banner for the front of the stadium, though.
At least that wont be -2.0 to -2.5 WAR at 3B
BUT Arte will have shown Internet Man that he is serious about getting a name his lazy ass has heard of to make him feel like shit got did. That’s worth at least six WARs of the Spirit.
2002heaven was the only objector to Mike’s monster contract back at the old place.
People didn’t like that….
Who?
Somebody who sed Patrick Sandoval wasn’t a good SP 😂
Sorry. not ringing a bell.
referring to your online moniker in 3rd person is bonkers 😂😂😂
Ricky says Ricky don’t like that 🙂
One of my favorite third person reference’s:
“Gary Carter is going to do what’s best for Gary Carter.”
Mine was based on the Rickey Henderson story that Tony Gwynn often told about losing his spikes.
Actual Ricky quote: “Rickey is ok with this as long as Rickey knows when Rickey is going to play”
No you didn’t.
Robinson, 30, appeared in 26 games with the White Sox last season, slashing .129/.197/.129 with nine hits, five walks, and 20 strikeouts.
Robinson threw out 21.4 percent of attempted base stealers in 2024, which ranked third among American League catchers who had a minimum of 20 stolen base attempts against them.
“slashing” is an ironic word here. I picture slashing as hitting line drives for base hits with maybe a few going for extra bases.
I picture slashing ticket and concession prices because no-one wants to watch this turd show.
I know this deal will not be all that important to fans, but Chuckie was so valuable for us with Cincinnati after we Rule 5’d him from Houston.
Chuckie helped guide our AA team’s pitchers and helped me be a great Director of Pitching. I wish only the best for the guy.
https://x.com/drivelinekyle/status/1869487121175830838?t=sKSSWDQgnZm76Z46IpEXgQ&s=19
Nice. I saw him last Spring and he moved incredibly well behind the plate. Made several nice plays.
As always, hope for the best.
I suspect this also means the end of Eli in an Angels/Bees uniform?
That’s some funny shit. We trade Thaiss to the Cubs for cash. Then the Cubs trade Thaiss to ChiSox for cash. Then the ChiSox trade a catcher to the Angels that was expendable due to acquiring Thaiss.
A couple of observations:
First, Perry is one funny guy.
Secondly, Thaiss is a revenue generating machine. He definitely has a future with Arte once his baseball career is over.
I guess having Minor League options are much more valuable than a left handed hitting catcher who likes to interfere with swinging bats
Halos are still obsessed with catchers for some reason. Not sure why.
i mean, you need 12-15 in your organization, so
Chuckie Robinson! we did it! A catcher we can demote when we need to!
Actually, that dude’s kinda weird. He rakes in the MiLB…..
It’s funny the White Sox apparently consider Thaiss an upgrade over Robinson and the Angels consider Robinson a big enough deal to dfa Davis Daniel.
White Sox moved him to open a 40 man spot for someone else. But Angels took him to not put on their 40 man roster? Or did they and, if so, why as he wasn’t good enough for the White Sox who aren’t good?
Million dollar pitcher Bryse Wilson is who the Sox made room for. Robinson is apparently destined for the Angels 40 man roster.
It looks like he has two options left so they can shuttle him around for a while if they need to.
Gitcho’s take is right on. This is more about having a 3rd catcher on the 40 man roster with remaining options than anything else.
I’m curious how Chuckie will do with that young AAA staff candidates including Kochanowicz, Aldegheri, Dana, Silseth & Bachman
That AAA rotation 🥵🥵🥵
Good thing Daniel Davis was awarded a 4th option this year.
So Davis Daniel Davis must really be a bad ball player….
Davis is 27 now so not really a prospect any longer. I really like him as he’s done a couple of interviews with me, but we’ve likely seen his ceiling and it is depth/AAA guy.
Looking at his numbers, he doesn’t walk many guys but consistently gives up hits. Although playing in Salt Lake certainly doesn’t help.
Hopefully he clears waivers and comes back to the Halos.
Because he gives good interview?
The ghost of Scioscia still walks the halls.
Jeff Mathis is available for the picking as he’s still playing in the NMSL (Nauru Mens Summer League). It’s a factual internet rumour that I just made up.
“Rewarding our passionate fans” I started to wonder if Arte could succeed in trying some of the ways Dodgers run a successful team. Obviously they have a ton of revenue so it has to start there. First D team is in dirty LA, yet have great attendance, driven by team that is good every year. Padres have proven this works. So to start, Arte would have to spend like the big boys and bring in premium players. Team starts winning (A Must w/playoffs), resulting attendance jumps. Now Arte pulls off other moves to supplement his costs. Raise ticket prices like 35%, parking up to $45, ban tailgating to force people to purchase beer inside, raise alcohol and food prices significantly. Continue to take advantage of having a successful team, negotiate an exclusive TV contract with a single provider, blackout games, force some pay per view. Team keeps winning, now top free agents will want to come to Anaheim, convince them to defer money to jump on the gravy train. Keep our best prospects, rip off-lower market teams in trades and buy players to fill gaps. Now, consecutive years of deep playoff runs and WS appearances. Arte happy spending big, but making big in return revenue to cover costs. This is working, ton of rich people in geographic location: Irvine, Huntington, Anaheim hills, Tustin. Disneyland! Everyone loves a winner and those folks will spend on outrageous price hikes. -Apologies for this long ramble of unrealistic what Arte Moreno would do. I seriously do believe people in Orange County would overpay to support a successful team. Who cares if Angels became the most expensive ticket in MLB as long as we are a contender every year?
The Padres are bleeding money out both ends and have said they can’t keep it up. They are currently wondering how to fill roster holes and cut payroll. So no. They are not pulling this off, even with tons of sold out games and fan excitement they are thinking about trading Cease to add players to the roster.
Also, as you said, “Just do Doyers” isn’t a realistic option for all but about three teams.
Payroll isn’t an issue. The team’s got pretty solid attendance even when they suck for ten years. Their TV deal is what it is and isn’t getting better, probably worse, but is still better than 70% of baseball. We’ll always be limitted to a payroll that is #8-11in baseball. That’s plenty of money. The team just needs to run a farm better. With more young players they can even afford mistakes like Rendon every now and again and, if in the hunt for the post season, run a 230M payroll and still turn a profit.
Seriously. Frustratingly. If Arte just looked at what Cleveland, Tampa etc does as far as scouting and development and then just spend 30% more on it because he can he’d be in good shape with all the other details left the way they are.
Every business would love more revenue, but in this case the changing landscape of viewing sports is a major impediment.
Arte has a short term deal with Diamond and MLB is hoping to create a bundled streaming option in 3 years when half the league’s TV deals (including Arte’s) expire. Considering the death of the regional sports network, that will likely be Arte’s next economic lifeline.
So, anyone wake Perry up sleeping at the golf club today?
Perry Smails
https://youtu.be/E-jlQS-Wuc0?si=K_dJsmBvAq2QIe62
Since Perry and his Assistant to the GM will be “dumpster diving” to fill out the roster, the baseball operations staff is on vacation until February.
Good.
might have already been linked……..
https://x.com/BaseballAmerica/status/1869112552208437424
Does anyone know what specific teams qualify to win the draft lottery two years in a row?
I looked it up on the MLB site and I am still confused. Can anyone provide some clarity on the issue of (1) what is required to qualify for a top-6 pick two years in a row and )2) what teams actually meet those qualifications.
Thank you.
it has to do with revenue sharing. I think the list can be fluid year to year (could be wrong on that).
Teams like the A’s, Rockies, Guardians, DBacks, etc
I saw that, but then wondered, doesn’t every team revenue share to some extent? I presume it has to do with small market clubs, but I’m just not certain what that means and who would qualify. I’ve read the rules on multiple sites and I’m still scratching my head.
So. As I understand it, we can NOT pick in the top 6 next year because of the size of our market and the fact that we are NOT receiving revenue sharing for being a small market team. So same position as the Nationals a while back… I think Chicago last year too. CAN NOT PICK EARLIER THAN TENTH two years in a row cause market too big.
THE OTHER way you can get aced out of the top 6 is to be a revenue sharing recipient, like Cleveland or the Pirates. They can’t qualify for a top 10 pick THREE years in a row.
So, this next draft in 2026, the Angels can’t qualify for a top pick even if we lose 10000 games.
So no matter what the Angels can’t pick higher than 10 next off-season?
Iiiii…. beeelieeeve soooo….?
Angels are in too big a market and must be forced to spend money….
TANK’ing season won’t be the same. Like Christmas Day in CA. When it’s 77 degrees and sunny.
I believe all teams contribute toward a revenue-sharing pool and then the funds are distributed back to the teams. So yes, technically all teams are revenue-sharing to some extent. However, a “revenue-sharing” team is one that receives more than it contributes. The Angels do not qualify under that standard.
From the 2023 draft, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the general draft order in the first round will be based on a lottery participated by 18 teams which did not make the postseason in the past season to determine the first six picks in the draft, with the three worst clubs having an equal chance of winning the top overall pick.
The postseason teams are determined by which round the team was eliminated, first teams eliminated in the Wild Card Series, then Division Series, League Championship Series losers, the World Series loser, and last the World Series winner).
Additionally, within each playoff group, teams will be sorted by revenue-sharing status and then reverse order of winning percentage. In each subsequent round, the first 18 selections are still determined by the preceding season’s standings and the remaining picks are also based on the postseason clubs’ results.
Revenue-sharing recipient teams are limited to receiving lottery picks in two consecutive drafts and non-recipients can get one of the top six selections in a single draft year only. Also, a lottery-ineligible, non-postseason club can only select 10th overall or lower. The 2022 CBA ratified the draft’s reduction to 20 rounds.
Teams that receive revenue-sharing payouts can’t receive a lottery pick for more than two years in a row and those that don’t can’t get a top-six choice in consecutive Drafts. Furthermore, a club that’s ineligible for the lottery can’t select higher than 10th overall.
Those last two sentences seem to contradict.
The Angels are ineligible for a top 6 spot next season. So it would seem we could draft 7th overall.
But the last line makes it sound like we can’t draft until 10th overall.
The text was pulled from mlb.com so it’s not supposed to make sense or flow logically 😀
MNT is #56…very sad!!
Where is Rendon on that list 🙄😂
Who?
Next to Baldoquin.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
watching your hero lose their superpowers.
It hurts
Watching him lose his skills at such a young age is shocking
Trouty should hit up LeBron and get hooked up with those undetectable terminator steroids
I’d make an exception for him.
You got that right, pathetic how this guy James hijacked the Lakers
I’m a Clippers fan, so i have a different set of frustrations with basketball haha. Shoutout to Ballmer tho because the Intuit Dome is incredible
It is indeed. But now too far for me – I’m Pasadena area, downtown was perfect.
Velocity is great until the arm falls off. It brings to mind Nolan Ryan though. What a total freak of nature he was. That train just kept rolling at full speed for 5,386 innings including 332.2 in 1974.
Ryan was throwing upper 90’s heat…with control…into his 40’s. Amazing.
Last in the AL West but would’ve been 2nd in the AL Central.
The Yankees should be pleased with getting Bellinger. The only downside (other than injury or a marked downturn in performance) would be the salary, but this isn’t a salary cap league. And they lost an OF that was going to cost them $50 million a year. They brought in one at half the cost plus added a high quality SP and make a trade for other talent with the Blue Jays. Arguably this could wind up being a better way to spend the dollars.
Anyway, it shows yet again that teams with huge money can pivot and get things done. The truly budget conscious teams cannot.
As to the contracts, the Nationals had two huge contracts signed after their WS title. One by them and one here. Both players were critical in their WS win. Both contracts were disasters — with theirs actually worse than the Halos. Several others listed were disasters also. Not many middle of the road ones— either payment for high quality players or disasters (see Davis, Chris).
Yes – the Yanks replaced and actually exceeded the production that Soto represented with those moves.
“Higher velocity does cause pitching injuries”. It’s amazing that Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson were able to pitch for more than 9,000 innings combined.
They’ve had their share of injuries but Verlander and Scherzer have had long careers too.
At some point I think the MLB FOs will go the Rangers/DeGrom rout. I don’t think they will be able to break a 16 year old’s addiction to velo and spin rate as he tries to get scouts to lather up for him. So, instead, I think teams will pivot to paying really good pitchers tax bracket breaking salaries for shorter terms, competition windows.
So pay a guy like Skubal 70M a year for 3 or 4 years when he’s 29. Do so understanding that he’s the ace on a team that is ready to push for a WS that year. You’re gonna keep spending on other players too, look like the Mets for 4 years….. then let it all go off the books. But literally pay an ace what he would have made in 8 years for 4 years, then get him off the books.
You’ll also see a lot of what the Braves and Rays do. If you don’t feel like an ace level contract will help your team enough you trade a guy, or just let him walk.
I think we’re gonna see a slide towards teams that have stacked bullpens and bulk relievers like the Rays, Indians and Tigers have done. Starting staffs that are “#2-3” type pitchers all the way through the rotation and only go twice through the order.
It makes sense. A guy that can go twice through the order and two relievers who can go once through an order are easier to find and cheaper combined than a broken down ace on a huge contract. And for teams like Cleveland it also may be the only players willing to come there….
I’ve been on the multi inning reliever wagon for a while now. Remember my love of C-Rod?
If you can have two guys in your bullpen that can give you 2-3 innings per appearance twice per week, you set yourself up nicely.
Mr. #4 starter goes twice through the lineup, multi inning guy goes once more, now you know how to use your single inning relievers.
My whole IIWPM was based on the statistical fact that there are a ton of pitchers that are good for one time through the order. Like sub 1.35 WHI and 3.40 ERA. There’s also a fairly big pile of pitchers that can handle twice through the order…. or at least twice through everyone but the 1-3 hitters. There are tons of advantages to not really having a starting rotation past say your top 2 pitchers.
It’s how the Tigers got so hot last year. It’s how the Guardians stayed good enough to hold em off. It’s sort of what the Rays have done for years.
It’s also a great way to make a guy who only has 2 pitches, but good pitches, come up to the majors quickly and be very effective. I guy like Bachman would be a perfect “nine-twelve batter” opener. Followed by a guy like Anderson, then a couple shut down arms like Joyce…. repeat that a couple times a week. Our system is loaded with guys with two 50+ pitches who could be put in this mix…. as is the “scrap heap” we hate so much.
But it allows for a lot of strategy in games. It allows for more spending on position players. It allows systems to develop pitchers faster and change them out easily. If we threw a bunch of kids this year instead of signing FA starters we could get it rolling…..
But alas. I am not really PTP.
Exactly. Those guys like Ryan, Johnson, Verlander and Scherzer are OUTLIERS! If baseball operated on one-year contracts, they would make even more money in their careers. They are not the problem here. It’s the mediocre guys who get signed to long-term contracts that cause the problem. Owners still keep self-inflicting grievous wounds! Idiots