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Hope Springs eternal. But it is still Winter. However, we do have some news. The Angels Spring Training non 40 man roster invitee list is out. And hey, it is Moore.
What this above list also shows is that the Angels nabbed Yolmer Sanchez on a minors deal. That is it for news. We really don’t have much until Pitchers and Catchers report.
Around Baseball
Randal Grichuk is a Snek again. The former Angel signed for 1/5M.
Tim Hill is not retiring and is a MFY. A 1y/2.85M deal with an option for 2026.
Alex Bregman is still not signed by anyone and some Astros people think he won’t return. Boras really messed up with him and Alonso huh?
Speaking of, Astros will retire Billy Wagner’s 13. Christian Walker was wearing it before. Not well thought out, Houston.
MLB The Show 25 is almost here. And what is different this time? Road to the Show starts in HIGH SCHOOL. That’s right, you can relive your peak years but as kids who would be born to be too young to remember the Angels ever being good.
The Dodgers ran out of roster spots and traded one of their best RP to the Cubs for a PTBNL. Life is not fair.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes.
I can’t see 70 wins 🤮😠
LETS GOOOOOOOO
BREAKING: Slugger Pete Alonso and the New York Mets are in agreement on a free agent contract, sources tell ESPN
Fucking thank god 🙌🏻
Well we’re not quite out of the woods yet guys . That 2nd round draft pick is not completely safe until the last Still 2 QOers ( Pivetta & Bregman) are off the board or until June 1st arrives. Which ever occurs first.
But we are now one major step closer to the promised land.
I think we’re pretty set with starters and Bregman seems like a long shot.
Alonso was really the only one connected to us, but of course anything can happen.
By signing Alonso, The Mets have no room in their 40 man Inn right now so maybe we can help them open up a spot by taking 3B Brett Baty of their hands on a low cost deal right now.
Yes, please.
I have doubts about his bat but he’s actually play every day and it’s not like Rendon is lighting it up.
He does have one minor league option left so the Mets would be less likely to trade him if they can stash him in the minors one more year. but so far his biggest problem is power ( although this has not been a problem for him in AAA) . Last year Baty put up a .242/.321/.342 slash line against right handers and actually hit better on the road than at Citi Field ( OPS of .689 on the road vs .578 at home) . With 600 Major League Plate Appearances coming into this season I feel like he may be ready for a breakout season. Especially if he can Escape from New York.
Why Baty over Rengifo? Let ‘gifo stay at his best position for a while, and let the team explore an extension if he excels there.
Baty has never shown consistent power, his hit tool is questionable, and his glove is nothing special. Why expend prospect capital on that when Rengifo has been 12-16% better than the average hitter two seasons running, and would likely be an average or better glove at third with consistent reps?
But it usually doesn’t 😉
Well done, brother!
YES !!!!!!!
IF PEAR EH WUZ AH REEL GEE EM HEEDA SIGN TWO ALONSOS! I NA WAHNA WATCH PLAYERS MAH FREN DOE KNOW! COMMITMUNK TAR WEINER!
Looks like the Angels are staying put for a few more years with options to stay longer
https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1887261269683806292?mx=2
It’s 58 AD years old. The pyramids of Giza, almost the same age.
The Home of Disappointment and trAdition
Well, they can continue to fill all the cracks in the concrete with a Hilti epoxy. I’m sure it can be purchased in a lipstick red.
For the first time in forever, there are a lot of guys I’m interested in following at camp. This is definitely a “throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks” bullpen scenario but the stuff we’re throwing is a lot younger and potentially better than in most years.
So many college pitchers w/o a single inning of MiLB ball already invited to camp.
Also exposes the profound dearth of outfield talent in the system. Could really use a Jace or two.
There’s a lack of outfield and infield depth in the system. In my way too early look at college ball, if we could add Jace at 2 and Murf Gray or the Tennessee kid at 46 that could be huge.
I’ll defer to your expertise, but I’m liking those to third basemen.
I gotta dream/wonder. Will it be possible for PTP to maybe deal pitching prospects for position player prospects if a bunch of our arms start to shine? You almost never see prospect trades, but maybe he’ll find a willing partner?
It’s been a few years that power at the corners – both infield and outfield – is probably the system’s greatest need. They’ll always need frontline pitching, which they can’t seem to buy on the open market, but they have little coming through the pipe that can be a middle of the order solution.
This is really the draft that Perry should be aiming to trade for a competitive balance pick. There’s a lot of positional talent with 55-60 grade power at OF or SS/3B that he could target in the #30-50 range, so it’d be great to flip Ward or Rengifo to grab an extra pick there.
With an extra pick, they could take a swing on a high ceiling prep kid like Quentin Young, who has light tower power, and is an absolute specimen. Boston Kellner is another guy in this mold.
At 3B, I’m more uncertain about Gray’s power ceiling. If the Angels don’t select Holliday, I think Andrew Fischer is the true college slugger – depending on his spring, he might move up boards and be out of reach. Trent Caraway as well.
The OF class is particularly deep, both prep and college. Guys like Gavin Turley, Brandon Compton or Max Belyeu could be a good targets in the 2nd round.
A prep kid I have my eye on at the moment is Gabe Graulau, who has a very compelling speed/power profile, and to a lesser extent, Dylan Dubovnik. Both kids have serious power projection, but need to show they can make contact and get to it enough to find their ceilings.
Would love a few names to keep an eye on.
Wrote a piece that will run next week for starters. Working on the bullpen one.
Detmers needs to show something, Silent C might be legit, Dana and Klassen might be the future.
On the flip side, Anderson and Hendricks are scary and not in a good way.
Definitely the year Detmers needs to take that next step.
Thanks Jeff.
If our NRI infield (Moore, Anderson, Davis, Fontanelle) played against our regular season line-up MLB infield on May 3rd, who do you think would win?
I’ll bet the farm that Fontanelle doesn’t make the regular season opening roster after his horrific Leg injury and equally horrific AFL performance last year. . J.D. Davis only hope of making the team is if Rendon is finally jettisoned form the roster but his career 3B defensive numbers are Baad. Moore would have to have an incredible spring to even be considered for the big league roster but if he does make the squad he aint sitting on the pine more than 1 to 2 days a week. Anderson’s best chance to make the Angels would be if Neto starts the season off on the IL which could happen but again TA would have to have a dominant spring as force the Angels hand because I’m sure hes got some Minor League Opt outs.
About Anderson, the Angels surprised me last year keeping Sano around as long as they did. Neto better get very well before they move on because ….. Newman!
https://tenor.com/view/seinfeld-newman-angry-annoyed-jerry-seinfeld-gif-8462570581203395603
Yankees sign Braden Shewmake…. yet another 1st Round Draft choice PTP could have had if he didn’t suck so hard. Why didn’t PTP jump on this guy instead of dumpster diving?
Harrison Bader to Twins. 1 year deal plus mutual option for 2026
https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1887205942858502591
My small dreams…. crushed….
It’s time to bitch about the non-roster invitees! So pathetic! Where is the star power?!?! This teen will be unswatchable!
I think it will actually be cool to see Fontenelle, Moore, Rada and Guzman for a few games. Large hopium pile there.
Even bigger pile of hopium with Klassen, Minacci, Cortez and Johnson plus a pile of kids on our 40 man. MDH is actually my dark horse pick for good bullpen kid this year. Slightly less than three walks per 9 with slightly more than 10 Ks sounds fine to me. He’s got good stuff. Jose Fermin and Angel Felipe are “stuff boys”. Fermin was NOT wild as a young arm. 91/30 k/BB and climbed to AA in first season. Angel is more what I expect from an MiLB veteran invite. High K/9… also 6 walks per 9. But hey, maybe year 8 will be the one where he learns control….
The big mystery appearance is Austin Gordon, who was a reliever at Clemson last year…. he must be a fun hang or something.
Gordon is intriguing. Unranked by MLB and felt like an overdraft. Maybe not!
I don’t think he even pitched in pro ball in 2024 after the draft… so are they just bringing him to camp cause he’s got the acoustic guitar and weed? Making sure he actually has two arms on his body? It’s not like it’s a big deal, he’ll likely be there for a few days, go to MiLB camp, and be replaced by some AA guy. It’s just mysterious. What eveil is Arte up to here? Is Perry doing something stupid? Are they trying to fool CtPG Guy again? Are we on to them? I think so. We are so much smarter than these not baseball men.
Right… like Cortez and Johnson and most of the arms drafted last year, he didn’t see any game action at all after the draft. Interesting developmental approach that doesn’t track at all with how they push position players.
OK, tripped into a rabbit hole here…scouting report from Prospects Plus… from waaaay back in June 2023
RHP Austin Gordon, Clemson (2024)2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (All Starts), 84 IP, 4.61 ERA, 22:76 BB:K ratio
Summary: A primary reliever in 2022, Gordon has become a legitimate workhorse for Erik Bakich. It’s a fastball-heavy diet, with the pitch sitting in the low-90s with solid shape, though he doesn’t miss many bats with it. He’ll throw a low-80s slider and a knuckle curve in the high-70s, though he tends to spike them and will need some refinement. He’ll throw in a low-80s change-up to lefties and at times, he’ll dabble with an upper-80s cutter. There’s enough projection to suggest that he can get into the mid-90s, though he’ll need to add some deception to his delivery.
Clemson returned him to the bullpen to finish off 2024… so maybe the Halos will try to stretch him?
College coaches care about winning, not developing arms. Starting with Canning the Angels have been really cautious about having college pitchers throw after the draft.
I’m good with this philosophy.
Here’s the 2023 book on our 12th rounder, who took a giant shit in 2024 after starting the season as a Top 100 college prospect. Fix him, Perry!
RHP Fran Oschell III, Duke (2024)2023 Pitching Line: 22 Games (0 Starts), 39.1 IP, 0.69 ERA, 18:66 BB:K ratio
Summary: Nice.
Oschell broke out in a big way out of the Blue Devils’ bullpen in 2023. The violence in his delivery has toned down a bit and it’s a funky operation with deceptive motions. The fastball is a metric monster, sitting in the 92-97 MPH range with seriously good ride and extension, as well as a flatter approach angle. It profiles as one of the best fastballs in the 2024 class and boasts a whiff rate of around 40% this year. He throws a breaking ball in the low-80s with two-plane break, though he’ll need to refine it.
A third day guy or undrafted free agent for almost any other draft room.
A lot of top 100 talent was still on the board – Michael Massey, Sean Keys, Tristan Smith – when they drafted Gordon and Jordan, and the guys they passed over largely signed for slot, so it wasn’t a money thing.
Angels generally draft poorly – it’s just the facts. Two more organizational rankings dropped this week – The Athletic and Baseball America – both joining Fangraphs in ranking the Angels farm 30 out of 30. Even with the team’s acceleration strategy, it takes a lot of dartboard drafting to be that bad, and for such a long time, given their advantageous draft position in recent years.
that’s what happens when you cut scouting and rely on internet analysis or however the Angels do it
The Lakers just showed us how it can be done. Minasian meanwhile moves deck chairs around, hoping his “young talent” and league worst minor league system will fix what’s broken.
Lakers were gifted a generational player in a trade that has been universally panned on the side of the Mavs.
How is Perry supposed to convince the Braves to give us Acuna for Trout?
Minasian doesn’t even seem to try, just picks up the same garbage year after year. If I were him, I’d be on the phone every day.
Would it be a surprise if Perry has been secretly meeting with Alonso and Bregman yet they just have zero interest signing here? Or any of the impact FA’s.
If true, why hasn’t he moved on and signed someone else like Bader or Flaherty?
The most plausible scenario remains that Perry is out of money and can’t afford anything but a couple cheap, “hope for a rebound” relievers.
Also, Jon Heyman would have definitely posted a “Angels in heavy and moist with Alonso, Bregman!” chum for Boras tweet.
Or even more probable
Perry has a plan and the players available expected cost/term doesnt fit into it.
This must be your first day here. Perry is a platypus. He has no plan. He is just a stupid manchild who does what ever Arte his evil master tells him. Unlike most of GMs, who are now called POBOs or PBAZ or what ever, that are always speaking truth to power and telling their owners to fk off cause they have the data.
He’s just a GM. Not a POBO. He literally can’t make plans. We can tell because it’s been months and we don’t feel like we’ll win a World Series soon. There are also very few photos of him talking on his phone. It may seem like things have been running very differently the last couple winters since Ohtani left, but it’s an illusion. Perry basically wakes up, waddles into his kitchen in his underoes. Eats a bowl of Trix. Then he looks at photos of MiLB free agents to find dudes who look like nice guys he wants to be friends with. Then a nap. Then cartoons. Then he does what ever chores around the Big A Arte tells him to do while Arte tortures MiLB players in his naked puzzle basement.
Stick around. Dig a little deeper son. The truth is there for you to see.
Platypuses lay eggs.
But would it be platypi?
Yeah, but “The Lakers showed us” how WHAT is done? Other than they did a thing, what are we supposed to be observing here? If you were him you’d pick up the phone and what? What smart thing are we doing on this constant phone call? Ordering My Pillows?
Are you just crying and telling Perry you need him to LOOK like he cares more about you? Cause I think he should pretty much just dumpster dive at this point.
The Lakers were essentially gifted Luka but at least they had a tradable asset in a sport where one player can have WAAAAY more influence on the performance of the team than a MLB player ever could.
Sorry but that comparison is like 🍎 🍊 & 🍌
Trout is our AD.
Actually The last few years Trout is our ADA
A house cat and a tiger are both cats the way that NBA trade and what ever you are crying about not getting are the same. The same goes for how quickly a roster can be turned over in both sports. And where those rosters are in terms of a “big move” making sense. Or were you just hoping for a move that feels all girthy so we could finish third and the guy we got in the trade could be 35 when the roster is actually strong?
I know I’m a sweet summer child just for asking, but did you have a trade you actually wanted PTP to make? Or are we just making noises about not being “something else”?
I didn’t “want” Pelinka to make any particular trade. I don’t want his job, I want Minasian to be better at his job. I guess you’re happy to wallow in failure year after year. Lucky you you’re getting just what you want.
Here. I. Will. Make. Simple.
What Lakers Do You Want PTP Do? And How Do? Or Are Not Sameness At All? How Lakers Show Platypus Win? How Any Dis Situations Sameish?
Just Bitch? Happy Wallow?
Yeah, you got it. I just post these thoughts to annoy you. Minasian just keep doing what he’s doing.
Angels signed INF Yolmer Sánchez to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Sánchez heads to spring training with Los Angeles attempting to latch on in a bench role. The 32-year-old infielder hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since the 2022 season when he got into 17 contests between the Red Sox and Mets. He spent all of last year at Triple-A Syracuse in New York’s system, batting .226/.346/.393 with nine homers and nine steals in 399 plate appearances over 111 games.
Before the AD/Doncic trade, neither team was going deep into the playoffs, imho. After this trade, neither team will go deep into the playoffs, imho. At any rate, no championship is in view for either team. That would be the definition of rearranging deck chairs.
To the best of my knowledge, the Angels have not signed any new contracts that reach beyond 2028. I believe that is when the current TV contract ends. I just don’t think the Angels will go beyond 2028 with regards to contracts which should make the next two years interesting for free agent signing. Just my opinions such as they are.
There’s a big difference between rearranging deck chairs and step by step rebuilds of a roster. What some folks seem to want is “BRING MEH A STAHR! AH AM BORED!” which would actually be moving deck chairs. Investing heavily in someone who won’t make the total roster competitive purely for the sake of spending big and looking “engaged” or what ever. But yes, we probably won’t even know if this is working till 2026 and won’t be good till 2028.
JUSS MAKE MOOS isn’t gonna change that and may slow it down.
And instead what we should have done is….?
The two roster moves are totally different. You should be bitching about who the Lakers add to their G League team compared to us bringing in Alverwhocares.
There’s just no comp in your complaint. Like a Mongolian bitching about how they never have a good boat in the yacht races. What you are trying to get people to hurumph at doesn’t fit what the team needs, what the team is doing, or what the team can do right now.
So, yet again, I have to ask, wouldn’t you just be better at being a Dodgers fan?
lol
comparing the NBA and MLB in terms of trading, FA, anything really is laughable
Apropos of little.
Not really AD is still in his prime. MNT is not
Both injury prone.
Yes but one of them has alot of contact based injuries the other one has had alot of weight based injuries.
MNT is close to washed. AD is not. BWJR is a friggin beast who shows no signs of slowing down and has pretty much no weaknesses in his game. Luka is a guy who will eat himself into early retirement and doesn’t play defense.
This comparison is scientifically wack.
Was Ohtani washed too? If there was ever a chance to do something, Minasian had that chance and failed.
Focus buddy. We’re talking about grichman’s post.
Yo, yo, yo, everyone have a stupid fresh day!!
Will 2025 be Reid Detmer’s breakout year?
The Magic 8 Ball says….
“Help, Hasbro has me prisoner”
Eh. Why not? Reid Detmers, 2025 AL CY YOUNG BABY!!!
Maybe Rendon?
You mean Anthony Rendon, object of feminine desire, poet warrior and 2025 Comeback Player of the Year? 140 games, 5 WAR. I am 17% certain this is what will definitely happen.
I forgot the sarcasm emoji… did I need one?
I found this article that documents the Angels assertion of territorial rights against the Dodgers blocking the Dodgers attempt to build a single A ballpark in the San Fernando valley.
https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/angels-block-dodgers-attempt-at-doing-something-cool
This article sparked a thought that part of the Dodgers long term plan is sole ownership of the Los Angeles name and territory. They certainly have recently seemed particularly focused on complete dominance of this market over the Angels. I definitely feel Ohtani was part of that plan. I am sure they would love it if the Angels packed their bags and moved elsewhere and the best chance they have of that is becoming by far the best game in town.
Hmm. OK.
So let me get this straight . Some dying mall property in the Valley is part of the Angels territory but Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario are not?
Got it.
Halos didn’t want to be 3rd best team in LA
Unfortunately, they by far the Dodgers are already the best game in town.
Yeah, Ohtani was just a marketing scheme. 😉
The Doyers drove the Angels out of town when they were an abusive landlord when we shared The Latrine with them. I bet most of you youngsters don’t remember.
I do!
Yep and when the franchise territory was potentially going to Bill Veeck, Walter O’Malley went crazy not wanting anyone in LA area other than the Dodgers but particularly not Veeck. He begrudgingly gave approval for the singing cowboy when MLB insisted on expansion. The Dodgers have always wanted LA to themselves and I think they would love to further marginalize the Halos.
Abusive how? Because mean old Walter O’Malley punched Champin, then held a six shooter to the beloved Cowboy’s head and forced him to play there? The Angels could have bought Wrigley (did you know the City offered it?) and renovated it at relatively low cost and kept a wonderfully storied and quirky facility in LA.
No.
The beloved Cowboy wanted a stadium in Long Beach, but the city refused to give him the welfare he demanded. Hindsight says that tideland money would probably have been better invested in a ballpark, and not an aging ocean liner.
The Angels played in LA until Anaheim came along with “big league dreams” and built the beloved Cowboy’s Angels a $24 million palace – at zero cost to the team or the beloved Cowboy’s saddlebags. He responded in thanks by giving us years of shitty teams.
Taylor Ward…All Underrated 2025.
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-all-underrated-team-2025-season
Does that mean he’ll be overrated in 2025?
MLB also has him listed as the #4 LF
https://www.mlb.com/stories/mlb-now-s-top-10-left-fielders-right-now
We develop no one. So this is a total lie. We all can’t wait to not have to watch TayTay suck anymore. He was drafted when Arte owned the team so he is awful.
We could have had Ryan Mountcastle! Mike Nicorak! Kyle Funkhouser! Jon Harris, Kyle Holder! This org is a joke!
Oops. My bad. That’s from 2023.
Current version has him still in the top 10 at #9.
https://www.mlb.com/stories/mlb-network-s-top-10-right-now-left-fielders-2025
7 Days!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC_q9KPczAg