Arte Moreno Speaks

[John Smith]

“Baseball fans know that our pitching is down. The fans do. The kids, they just love to come to the ballpark. To us, it’s about having a great experience, safe and clean and affordable.”

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/moreno-726432-angels-team.html

[nando714]

It is

$2 tix on seat geek. No fees

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Something something yacht, something something Pujols, something Hamilton, thank you. Keep buying tickets.

[Ohtaniland]

Something, something, suckers..

[Jobu]

8 minutes ago, nando714 said:

It is

$2 tix on seat geek. No fees

Discount buyer

[Ohtaniland]

“There’s really not a lot of free agent pitching,” Moreno said. “Free agent pitching costs a lot … There’s not a lot of left fielders. And obviously the left fielders that @Stradling thought we should buy … have had rough years.”

Moreno was referring to Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon, who have all underperformed this year.

[Docwaukee]

“My belief is with a few moves, we can be highly competitive,” Moreno said.

Jeebus f'n christmas.  

it was nice knowing you Jahmai Jones and Matt Thaiss.  

 

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Worst front office in baseball? Definitely rivaling SD. 

[Ohtaniland]

10 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

“My belief is with a few moves, we can be highly competitive,” Moreno said.

Jeebus f'n christmas.  

it was nice knowing you Jahmai Jones and Matt Thaiss.  

 

Arte season ticket holder propaganda. Please, please 3 million fans don't leave me!

[fan_since79]

"Did I mention the cheap beer prices? You know, that's the first thing I did when I bought this team, lowered those prices. Fansince79 likes it, so who am I to deny people like him that pleasure? Yeah, there's the play on the field of course, but is that really so important in the whole scheme of things?"

 

[Ohtaniland]

Jose Altuve 2b
4 years/$12.5M (2014-17), plus 2018-19 club options

 

Now that's what a smart contract looks like.

[Erstad Grit]

something something Angels have one of the highest payrolls something something Angel fans wanted Heyward who now has the worst contract in baseball

[Second Base]

I dunno, a lot of people thought we should be in on Cespedes or Fowler and they're pretty freakin' awesome this year. Same with Saunders (the trade that fell through). Also conveniently ignored is that despite Upton, Heyward and Gordon having down or injury plagued seasons, they're a hell of a lot better than Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry.

And yeah, we've got some money coming off the books, but we've also got some upcoming expenses that need to be covered (Calhoun, Richards, Shoemaker, the extremely expensive first round pick we'll get from sucking this bad). Moreno could step up and increase his payroll just as all other top market teams are (it's the nature of this game), but my guess is he'll scale back.

I mean sure, Cespedes in LF and Walker at 2B would make this offense very tough, but why spend money when we can roll out Johnny Giavotella at 2B and Shane Robinson in LF?

I just think Arte has shown his true colors the last couple years. Hamilton was his choice, and when it went south Moreno handled it poorly. Then he fails to support his GM when he tries to get the coaches to do their job. Then he refuses to spend any money to correct his own damn mistake with Hamilton and instead handcuffs his new GM into dumpster diving just one season removed from the playoffs. 

[mulwin444]

"The Great Misery Bukkake" thread is in full effect.  Figured an interview with Arte would be the catalyst 

[Ohtaniland]

5 minutes ago, ScottyA_MWAH said:

I dunno, a lot of people thought we should be in on Cesoedes or Fowler and they're pretty freakin' awesome this year. Same with Saunders (the trade that fell through). Also conveniently ignored is that despite Upton, Heyward and Gordon having down or injury plagued seasons, they're a hell of a lot better than Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry.

And yeah, we've got some money coming off the books, but we've also got some upcoming expenses that need to be covered (Calhoun, Richards, Shoemaker, the extremely expensive first round pick we'll get from sucking this bad). Moreno could step up and increase his payroll just as all other top market teams are (it's the nature of this game), but my guess is he'll scale back.

I mean sure, Cespedes in LF and Walker at 2B would make this offebse very tough, but why spend money when we can roll out Johnny Giavotella at 2B and Shane Robinson in LF?

I just think Arte has shown his true colors the last couple years. Hamilton was his choice, and when it went south Moreno handled it like poorly. Then he fails to support his GM when he tries to get the coaches to do their job. Then he refuses to spend any money to correct his own damn mistake with Hamilton and instead handcuffs his new GM into dumpster diving just one season removed from the playoffs and coming off a season where we fell one game short.

Scotty,

Arte went "All in" with Pujols and Hamilton and he got burned. He's certainly going to be more cautious moving forward or at least until the sting of Hamilton's contract goes away.

[AngelsLongBall]

11 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

"The Great Misery Bukkake" thread is in full effect.  Figured an interview with Arte would be the catalyst 

I do believe you've gifted me my fantasy football team name. Gracias

[mulwin444]

4 minutes ago, AngelsLongBall said:

I do believe you've gifted me my fantasy football team name. Gracias

Use it with all the grace it entails  (tips hat)

[Ohtaniland]

20 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

"The Great Misery Bukkake" thread is in full effect.  Figured an interview with Arte would be the catalyst 

Golden

[tdawg87]

This organization needs a social worker. Arte make boom boom in performance slacks.

[Puget Sound Angel]

 "The kids, they just love to come to the ballpark. To us, it’s about having a great experience, safe and clean and affordable.”

This has been the Mariners owners main selling point. They have not made the playoffs for the last 14 years.

[TooCool]

Like others have already mentioned...

Translation: Keep coming to the ballpark. $$$$$$ for me!

Seriously. I remember reading an article back in 2010 or 2011 and how Arte only cared about the Halos making the playoffs. As long as we made it to the ALDS and lose, he doesn't care. That's enough profit for him. He never cares about wanting to go all the way. Frustrating.

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, CALZONE said:

Jose Altuve 2b
4 years/$12.5M (2014-17), plus 2018-19 club options

 

Now that's what a smart contract looks like.

you don't get those contracts without drafting and developing players.  or trading your expiring contracts for prospects instead of a soon to be 27yo lottery ticket so you can prop up the notion that we are always in it to win it.  

 

Ian Desmond 1/8mil.  There were others as well.  Spending money on free agents isn't the devil.   

Arte made another very pointed comment:

“You surround yourself with good people and let the people make decisions,” he said. “At the end of the day, I write the checks. Sometimes I say yes to something I don’t agree with. Very rarely do I say no.”

Maybe he's learned his lesson.  maybe not.  If he spends money on players picked by his GM, it doesn't mean he's the same old Arte.  If they trade away prospects this offseason for short term gain in 2017/18 then it's the same old Arte.  

So much went wrong this season including the 3 million fans that are going to show up.  All this tells him is that as long as he has Mike Trout, and he gives the fans the perception that they are trying to win then he's good.  

 

 

[tdawg87]

I hope Arte doesn't open up his checkbook this offseason. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them make a play at Fister and Melancon. But those guys may end up getting priced out of Arte's range. Reddick almost certainly will.

2017 really should be a transition year. But something tells me that "isn't in our DNA" so we'll end up losing our only halfway decent prospects in a half-assed attempt to compete.

[Docwaukee]

9 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

I hope Arte doesn't open up his checkbook this offseason. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them make a play at Fister and Melancon. But those guys may end up getting priced out of Arte's range. Reddick almost certainly will.

2017 really should be a transition year. But something tells me that "isn't in our DNA" so we'll end up losing our only halfway decent prospects in a half-assed attempt to compete.

that's my biggest concern by far.  If they want to spend a few bucks on contracts of 3 years or less, I'm fine with that.   They're lux tax number will almost exactly match their payroll in 2017 except for the benefits addition.  With Escobar's option exercised, they around around $140mil.  I feel like Arte's comfort zone is $150-160.  So even though we'll have a about 50mil in 'cap' space, I don't think we'll get anywhere close.  

I think it's interesting that Arte has made it clear the $189 lux tax level isn't a hard and fast limit.  I don't think his intentions are what we think they are on this.  He makes this clear not because he's willing to go over, but because he doesn't want to set the expectation that we are going up to it every year.  

If we were going to try to compete, I would probably do the following:

Offense:

we've got C, 1b, DH, SS, 3b, RF, and CF covered for 2017.  Probably 2b as well.  So we need a LFer.  again.  Beltran might be an option for 1yr.  Reddick doesn't cost a pick but will likely get close to 100mil.  I really hope we don't go there.  Otherwise, there isn't much.  Bringing in Prado on a 2yr deal for 2b would extend the lineup.  I think Turner is gonna get overpaid and cost a pick.  

Pen: 

A closer and one more guy would be very helpful.  

SP:

If Richards is able to pitch it changes the whole game.  Frankly, if he's not then I really wouldn't bother spending anything or making any significant moves.  But if you have Richards, Shoe and Skaggs as a base then Bringing in a couple additional guys may help.  Probably not, but maybe.  Nolasco isn't going to make it through the year.  I could see Nova being one of those 1yr deal guys.  Maybe Fister as well.  

 

The more I try to map this out, the worse it looks.  Damn I hope they don't trade away prospects.  

 

[Sciosciapath]

Come spend your money on crappy food, expensive beer and the opportunity to see Ronald Torreyes and Didi Gregorious kick your ass