LA Angels Thursday News Crash – Crashing the Pearly Gates

Editor

Legend

2 hours ago

Jake Munroe connected on a low sweeper for his first HR in the Arizona Fall League today.

Only three games, but he’s hitting .364/.500/.636 this week, with only two Ks in 14 tries. They had him hitting cleanup today.

https://x.com/MLBazFallLeague/status/2108314018289205758

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Super Member

TrojanBoiler

50 minutes ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

His plate discipline is sexy

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Super Member

PedroCerrano

6 hours ago

It’s going to be a mind numbing exercise to read through these comments if there’s a lockout and I truly feel for you guys that are going to be writing content. Labor negotiations in the real world are super tendious already and sports notches that up. Both the owner and player camps tend to suck with head scratcher quotes being the norm.

It’s a bit similar to being an Angels fan for the last decade plus where you just wish you didn’t care.

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Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

5 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

Due to separate labor agreements, there’ll at least still be a minor league baseball season to play (minus maybe a dozen guys on the 40-man), and college and prep baseball as well.

Join the club(s)!

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Trusted Member

Texan44

7 hours ago

I hope the Angels improve the team for next season. Also, I think it would be foolish with the current team to even look at any player getting a QO. That makes him too expensive. But I do believe the new owners will try to move up in the standings.

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cookmeister

6 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

no offense but…. duh

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grichmanpoorman

6 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

Skubal not worth a second round pick? Beg to differ.

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Aww_Yeah

5 hours ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

Why is Skubal coming up?

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grichmanpoorman

53 minutes ago

Reply to Aww_Yeah

Because he’s a free agent at season’s end?

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Texan44

5 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

I think my best answer lies in “How does one eat an elephant?” “Just take one bite at a time.” Either the FO spends the money on adding to the farm system, etc, the FO tries to improve multiple positions, or they “make a splash” on some expernsive FA. That hasn’t help other “needy” teams in the past. But who knows for sure?

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GonFishin

8 hours ago

Rooting for a Rays vs Brewers World Series just so MLB’s dumb “competitive balance” argument can collapse and look laughable in regards to their petitions for a Salary Cap.

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grichmanpoorman

8 hours ago

Reply to GonFishin

Uh-huh. So just because the LADs don’t win it one year out of three there’s no problem? Do they let you pick through the leftovers in the MLBPA lunch room? I just don’t get the argument against a salary cap. The NBA has had, like, seven champs in seven years. It’s great. MLB players are the most mollycoddled MFers around.

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YOUknowulovetheIE

8 hours ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

Nah, that’s the nba players. Those guys get coddled, paid, and don’t even play back to back days.

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grichmanpoorman

6 hours ago

Reply to YOUknowulovetheIE

Dude. Playing basketball is muuuuch harder on the body than baseball. Not football hard, but hard. No comparison.

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Super Member

TrojanBoiler

7 hours ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

I am with you. Still very much in favor of a salary cap. It will make the sport better.

Tired of every season starting with “hopefully someone can beat the Dodgers this year”. Yawn.

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Super Member

Roy Hobbs

7 hours ago

Reply to TrojanBoiler

I definitely want a floor as well. and the revenue sharing needs to be spent on players.

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Super Member

TrojanBoiler

7 hours ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

100% – Need both for the system to really work for the league and the players.

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Legend

FungoAle

6 hours ago

Reply to GonFishin

I think it would show what we already know. Large payroll abusers are not guaranteed to get to the World Series and small market teams having superior organizational footprint can mitigate the advantages that a large market can exercise. Beat the abusers with intelligence.

I’m sure the quest for a cap will continue but the game is played on the field not on the Sportrac website. Let freedom ring.

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Member

Aww_Yeah

5 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

I think this is not an accurate picture of what we “already know.”

Teams like the Dodgers can use money to fill every gap they have in every season, ensuring they perpetually make the playoffs.
Small market teams will follow the very familiar pattern of a few years of awesomeness as all their good players are together, followed by years of rebuild after they are forced to trade away their stars for prospects (before losing them in their walk year).

In any season, any one can get hot and win.

But which team will win more on average… one in the playoffs for 20 straight years or one in the playoffs 10 out of 20 years.

Last edited 5 hours ago by Aww_Yeah

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Legend

FungoAle

3 hours ago

Reply to Aww_Yeah

I read in the post read that it was hopeful that the Brewers and Rays will compete for the WS Championship. Nothing about the Dodgers and nothing stated was inaccurate.

Rays are not a one-hit wonder. Rays have had a total of 3 seasons of sub .500 over the past 15-years, Angels gazillions. Rays are a bottom feeder in payroll. Clearly, something is going on there that makes them compete at a high level, year after year. Teams do a poor job of emulating this and most don’t try. Brewers and Indians are excluded.

I’m not the type to whine about the Dodgers, their success and their greed, Just need to out punk-em. No fear.

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Texan44

3 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

My favorite example was the Orioles gave up on Bryan Baker. Rays picked him up and he had 41 saves this year.

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CAoldskoll

9 hours ago

I like this talk of a Rays/Brewers WS, two teams who have never won it. But not likely to happen. Dodger$ have outclassed both their pitching and hitting way above every playoff team. MLB post season narrative has turned into ‘Who can possibly beat LA’, rather than which team can win it. Compared to other sports where it’s a crap shoot which good team is going to win the NBA, NFL, or NHL championship this year. Only team that can beat the Dodgers is the Dodgers, tripping on their own feet with silly errors and mistakes. Hope it happens

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Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

5 hours ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

Well, while the Dodgers swept the Rays in a three game series this season, the Brewers took 4 of 7 against the Dodgers this year. So not sure Milwaukee has been outclassed by the Dodgers in ’26.

In terms of team batting average, MIL is .258 (#1 in MLB) and LAD and TBR are tied for #2 (.257). In terms of team wRC+, LAD is 111 (#2 in MLB) and MIL is 107 (#3 in MLB).

These are very close offenses!

In terms of team ERA, MIL is 3.51 (#2 in MLB) and LAD is 3.55 (#4 in MLB). In terms of a defense-neutral stat like xFIP, LAD is 3.74 (#2 in the MLB), and MIL is 3.76 (#3 in the MLB).

These are very close pitching staffs!

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Trusted Member

cookmeister

10 hours ago

Angels don’t have to “worry” about giving out the QO, yes.

But they do have to “worry” about the free agents that will receive it. Suzuki, Arozarena, Jeffers, Lowe, Bauers (maybe), Morejon, Bednar. All fits for the Angels in some fashion, all would cost $, draft pick capital, etc. Not saying the Angels should shy away from any of them, but I’m not sure we are in a position to do so

More interesting to me, with the CBA, is that system going to even stay the same?

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Legend

steelgolf

9 hours ago

Reply to cookmeister

I won’t worry about the QO or impending free agents. Some open arms and maybe 1 high OBP outfielder is all I would even think about looking at this offseason. I don’t think we will have baseball next season, at least not until June or July at the earliest, which gives the minor leaguers another year of experience. So quite possibly the players they need are already in the system.

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Super Member

2pints

8 hours ago

Reply to steelgolf

agree. I hope they do as little as possible to add to the ML team for next season. add to farm as much as humanly possible.

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Member

Aww_Yeah

5 hours ago

Reply to 2pints

I think my measure of success for the Angels’ off-season will be the returns they get for Neto and Detmers.

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milehigh

10 hours ago

https://www.si.com/mlb/angels/onsi/why-moving-mike-trout-to-left-field-is-a-game-changer-for-the-angels-01m4c9q38rq5

Nice article by Jeff. I’m hoping Mike DH’s more than fields though. Mike’s sprint speed is rated 83 percentile in Baseball Savant while Siri’s is rated 99. Jeff notes that Siri’s DRS in left was -1. I wonder if Mike can match that.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

10 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

Thank you.

I would imagine Mike can turn left field from a huge negative to at least neutral. That would be a big plus.

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Legend

FungoAle

10 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

Absolutely, Mike should be full-time DH with an occasional day in the OF. Anything short of that puts pressure on an already maligned defense. If Meckler heads to RF and Mike gets his wish for LF, we’ll have two weak throwing arms on the edges. Teams will take the extra base. Not sure who will be in CF but better be special. I hope the new GM and Manager can think through this more.

I miss Calhoun’s and Guillen’s cannons.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

10 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

Meckler’s arm is a legitimate concern. I think Trout’s arm will be fine in left for the most part.

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Trusted Member

Texan44

3 hours ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

You can consider the source…….. But early in the season, the Astros were playing the Angels. The Astros broadcast had a graphic of Meckler in left, Trout in Center, and Adell in Right. Meckler was Yellow for Caution due to not having a lot of data. Both Trout and Adell were Green. And their opinion was you can always take the extra base on the outfielders. Realistically, I think that was what we all saw all last year, even when Adell left and Lowe came in.

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Super Member

Roy Hobbs

47 minutes ago

Reply to Texan44

That’s why they really need to DH Trout and Play Meckler in LF.

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Texan44

11 hours ago

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/10/mlb-sends-memo-to-teams-outlining-lockout-procedures.html

When I read this, it is like the weather service saying “The hurricane may not hit your area but go ahead and plywood your windows, and leave town IMMEDIATELY.”

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Legend

RexFregosi

10 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

Hurricane Stanley is currently decimating Anaheim- the current FO will all be gone February before ST.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

10 hours ago

Reply to RexFregosi

This, by far, the biggest story of the off season. It will dictate everything both now and for years to come.

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milehigh

10 hours ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Which is why I hope KSE asks Molly and Moz, what do you need, and not here is what you need.

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Legend

Fansince1971

13 hours ago

Brewers v Rays World Series would help the argument against a salary cap. Two of the lowest payroll teams.

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Editor

Legend

Turk's Teeth

12 hours ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Still the championship I very much want to see.

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Legend

Fansince1971

11 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Me too

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milehigh

10 hours ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Not sure how I see the argument against salary cap is helped just because of Series matchup like this. Yanks had injuries at the wrong time and Dodgers pitched two guys who were stashed away on IL almost the entire season. Did the same last season. And the $700m man isn’t pitching. Only thing left for them to buy outright is a bullpen.

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Legend

FungoAle

10 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

Yeah, salary cap is irrelevant in this context, pro or con. If anything, just highlights that it is possible to get the to championship series while not being a top 10 payroll.

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Legend

Fansince1971

8 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

The main reason for a salary cap and floor is to create fairness and equity among the lower salary and smaller market clubs. If two smaller market clubs make it to the World Series, an argument exists that the perceived problem doesn’t exist.

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milehigh

8 hours ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Sorry, I have to disagree with that point. A short term experience doesn’t invalidate a logical argument. Nor does a short term experience validate an argument that a problem does not exist.

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Legend

Fansince1971

7 hours ago

Reply to milehigh

So funny. You think that I am making a point/argument where I’m actually just saying that it is an argument that will be made. I fully agree re the disparity and that there needs to be a salary cap and a floor. I’m just saying it is an argument that somebody is going to make in the negotiations if it ends up being Milwaukee and Tampa Bay in the World Series.

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milehigh

7 hours ago

Reply to Fansince1971

My apologies. I could have said, “A person making that argument would, in my opinion, be making an invalid argument.”

I fully expect MLBPA to make that argument, if they haven’t already, and then fans ears will glaze over and no one will care about what MLBPA is saying. Directly confronting MLB pronouncements is a poor public strategy. But MLBPA lawyers and negotiating teams have never struck me as particularly brilliant.

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Texan44

14 hours ago

Just want to say that any day the Yankees are eliminated is a GREAT DAY.

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Super Member

HalosFanForLife

14 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

My wife left me yesterday. The dog bit me. I was in a wreck. The Yankees were eliminated. It was pretty good day.

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toad2065

9 hours ago

Reply to Texan44

And Aaron Judge is demanding that the Yankees go “all in”! I would assume that means he wants Skubal. What planet is this guy living on? I can hear the gnashing of teeth from Yanks fans all the way out here in Oregon. Their sense of entitlement is so sickening! Thank you Rays!

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Legend

steelgolf

7 hours ago

Reply to toad2065

Aaron Judge never even took the field in the playoffs. How about the team first demand that you are healthy and can play in the post season! But I gotta say, that Mike Stanton contract is the gift that keeps on giving !

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Super Member

HalosFanForLife

14 hours ago

Not so fast on no qualifying offers. If we sign Rendon to a qualifying offer for a discounted $22 million, just look at the $16 million a year we’re saving—and if he’ll take it in deferred compensation, he could be our Shohei Ohtani. I know without Perry here – it’s a long shot. But…

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cookmeister

10 hours ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

he’s not even eligible to receive the QO so…

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