Angels Offseason Grade by SI

[Biergott]

http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/01/28/winter-report-card-los-angeles-angels

 

Ouch.  Not really news to anyone here though

[Jobu]

Isn't Arte saying the Angels are $4M under the threshold? This guy is calculating it differently...

[tdawg87]

To begin with, the Angels weren’t, and still aren’t, perilously close to the $189 million competitive balance tax threshold. Most estimates have them somewhere between $164 and $167 million in actual club payroll (that is, payroll as it is calculated for the tax, using the average annual value of multi-year contracts). Even the higher number there would leave them $22 million to work with to upgrade the offense beyond the moves they already made. The average annual value of Upton’s contract with the Tigers is $22.125 million; Davis’s deal with the Orioles and Heyward’s deal with the Cubs both have annual values of $23 million; and Gordon returned to the Royals for $18 million a year (in what was admittedly a hometown discount).

 

I know it's difficult to understand the payroll as it pertains to the luxury tax, but this is just plain inaccurate.

[NrM]

I know it's difficult to understand the payroll as it pertains to the luxury tax, but this is just plain inaccurate.

 

Thought so. That part threw me off.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Poozy

[laagamer]

Disagree. 

 

 

F-

[Angelsjunky]

Hard to argue with that article. It is also hard to believe that we're going into 2016 with Nava/Gentry penciled in at LF.

[floplag]

i saw an article ranking pitching staff in mlb that had us at 27 overall, lol, last in the AL.  kinda lol'd at that one

[NrM]

i saw an article ranking pitching staff in mlb that had us at 27 overall, lol, last in the AL.  kinda lol'd at that one

damn but according to scotty we have like 5 future aces.

[halosfan1970]

On the luxury tax: I think Moreno and the Angels are probably closer in their public statements than is this SI reporter's estimate. People often forget that it's the salary and benefits of the full 40 man roster not the 25 man roster. Also, there are benefits that must be included. Those benefits tend to run from 10-11.5% of the 40 man salary figure.

[laagamer]

Can anybody explain the whole salary thing? I'm confused. I thought we only had like 3mil left before tax.

 

If we were sitting around with 23mil I'm actually really pissed now. 

[wopphil]

What kills me is that we are probably a high-end bullpen arm and legit left fielder away from being a really good team. Two positions that are so easy to fill, yet the team seemingly has little interest in doing so.

Edited January 28, 2016 by wopphil

[Guest]

Disagree. The Angels don't even deserve a letter grade, they deserve a ZERO. 

 

Did Eppler even try to get a LF? Any decent GM would have put together a trade package to land an OF regardless of the salary cap. 

[halosfan1970]

What kills me is that we are probably a high-end bullpen arm and legit left fielder away from being a really good team. Two positions that are so easy to fill, yet the team seemingly has little interest in doing so.

 

Sign Fowler for three-years at LF with Gentry as the 4th outfielder. Sign Freese for one-year at 3B and move Escobar to 2B. Sign Clippard for two-years in the bullpen to go with Smith and Street.

 

Suddenly this team looks much better.

[Inside Pitch]

Well, now that SI has gone on record it's official...   But just for funsies -- 2015 winter report cards

 

The winter darlings

 

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/01/14/winter-report-card-boston-red-sox   

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/02/03/winter-report-card-seattle-mariners

 

The WS teams

 

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/02/05/winter-report-card-kansas-city-royals

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/01/27/winter-report-card-new-york-mets

[Stradling]

Incomplete

[Inside Pitch]

Can anybody explain the whole salary thing? I'm confused. I thought we only had like 3mil left before tax.

 

If we were sitting around with 23mil I'm actually really pissed now. 

 

The contribution to the pension funds, the 40 man roster  -- those things count.   It's more than just the MLB payroll.

 

The definition for "payroll" under the newest collective bargaining agreement is as follows: "Payrolls are for 40-man rosters and include averages of multiyear contracts; health and pension benefits; clubs medical costs; insurance; workman's compensation, payroll, unemployment and Social Security taxes; spring training allowances; meal and tip money; All-Star game expenses; travel and moving expenses; postseason pay; and college scholarships."

Edited January 28, 2016 by Inside Pitch

[Chuck]

Hard to argue with that article. It is also hard to believe that we're going into 2016 with Nava/Gentry penciled in at LF.

 

 

This looks like it's the case and I have to say, it pisses me off. 

 

I doubt I end up going to spring training which for me will be the first time in 14 years. There's just no excitement or buzz that the GM and owner have created this offseason.

 

Isn't Arte a marketing genius? He obviously has failed heading into 2016. 

 

That said, I'm trying to stay optimistic a trade gets done for a real outfielder before the start of the season or somehow the garbage we currently have in LF have a career year.

[Stradling]

Can't they just simplify it and call the benefits part of operating costs? In our company we have labor costs and benefit costs.

[ScottT]

I give the Angels an F in merchandising.

 

Many teams make changes to uniforms and logos these days, but the Angels won't stray from bright but boring red on red on red.

Edited January 28, 2016 by ScottT

[Stradling]

This looks like it's the case and I have to say, it pisses me off.

I doubt I end up going to spring training which for me will be the first time in 14 years. There's just no excitement or buzz that the GM and owner have created this offseason.

Isn't Arte a marketing genius? He obviously has failed heading into 2016.

That said, I'm trying to stay optimistic a trade gets done for a real outfielder before the start of the season or somehow the garbage we currently have in LF have a career year.

I have it on good authority it's the players fault. B

[AngelStew43]

No team that has Mike Trout on it is going to be that bad.  Chill.

[tdawg87]

No team that has Mike Trout on it is going to be that bad.  Chill.

 

Just like 2013! Oh wait.

[Stradling]

No team with Mike Trout should be afraid of spending money to acquire an everyday left fielder. You don't need to spend $20 million, spend what you need to to get the Denard Span type of player.

[floplag]

What kills me is that we are probably a high-end bullpen arm and legit left fielder away from being a really good team. Two positions that are so easy to fill, yet the team seemingly has little interest in doing so.

 

perfectly said.  all iwanted going into this off season was a legit lf and bullpen arm with an outside look at a long term 3b.  i got none of that but at least a short term answer at be that should help. 

[Homebrewer]

wopphil, on 28 Jan 2016 - 12:14 PM, said:

 

What kills me is that we are probably a high-end bullpen arm and legit left fielder away from being a really good team. Two positions that are so easy to fill, yet the team seemingly has little interest in doing so.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

And the real kicker is... that is what we headed into the offseason knowing we needed!