OC Register: Angels Notes: ‘Dialogue’ ongoing with Justin Upton

[AngelsWin.com]

Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Friday he recently had a “positive conversation” with Justin Upton and agent Larry Reynolds and “there is dialogue going on,” although he wouldn’t characterize the situation any further.

Upton has an opt-out in his contract, which must be exercised by three days after the end of the World Series. If he stays, he would be under contract to the Angels for four years and $88.5 million.

If he exercises the opt-out, he would be a free agent. The Angels could also renegotiate Upton’s deal before the opt-out date, perhaps adding an extra year or increasing the salary, to encourage him to stay.

Upton, 30, hit 35 homers with a .901 OPS this season, mostly with the Detroit Tigers. He had seven homers and an .887 OPS after the Angels acquired him on Aug. 31.

ALSO

The Angels are hoping to have a new hitting coach within a week, while the rest of their big league staff has all been asked to return, Eppler said. The Angels announced last week that Dave Hansen would not return to his role of hitting coach. There were no announcements either way about the rest of the staff, but Eppler said they’ve all been invited back, even though not all the contracts have been completed…

Matt Shoemaker, who missed the end of the season after having radial nerve surgery, will be reporting to Arizona in the next few days to begin throwing off a mound. The Angels want Shoemaker to throw in Arizona for a couple weeks, progressing to extended bullpen sessions, including a break to simulate pitching multiple innings…

Nick Tropeano, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, is up to 35 pitches facing hitters. He will continue building up for another week or two before being shut down for the winter…

Felix Peña, who the Angels acquired from the Chicago Cubs last week, is a reliever capable of pitching multiple innings, similar to the role Yusmeiro Petit filled this year, Eppler said. Eppler said Peña has “a power fastball and can miss bats. If he can live in the strike zone more consistently, we might have a guy who could impact the major league club.” Peña can be optioned next season.

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[Make Angels Great Again]

The only way I end up being pissed off at this situation is if Upton opts out and we don't get a suitable replacement in the outfield like JD Martinez or Ohtani. I don't see that all happening though.

[Ohtaniland]

I hope he doesn’t opt out and asks for another one of those over the top 5/$125M contracts with a no trade clause. 

If that happens let him walk. 

[mtangelsfan]

20 minutes ago, Calzone said:

I hope he doesn’t opt out and asks for another one of those over the top 5/$125M contracts with a no trade clause. 

If that happens let him walk. 

So you hope they don't sign him, regardless.  Got it.

[Troll Daddy]

He bluffing ... walk away Billy 

[fan_since79]

"Justin, you're one of the few players on our team who can actually hit a baseball. Tell us what you want and we'll take care of it. Please don't leave."

 

[Tank]

58 minutes ago, Calzone said:

I hope he doesn’t opt out and asks for another one of those over the top 5/$125M contracts with a no trade clause. 

If that happens let him walk. 

hoping for failure, eh?

[fan_since79]

1 hour ago, Make Angels Great Again said:

The only way I end up being pissed off at this situation is if Upton opts out and we don't get a suitable replacement in the outfield like JD Martinez or Ohtani. I don't see that all happening though.

I wonder if Matt Joyce is available. There's also the injury plagued Andre Ethier. He could fit in real well on this team.

[Jeff Fletcher]

I think you should take Eppler's "positive" comment to mean that there is a very realistic chance of keeping Upton (which I'd been saying all along).

Obviously, I wouldn't have expected Eppler to say, on the record, "it didn't go very well" or anything like that. But he also could have just said "we talked and I don't know what's going to happen" or something even more neutral. 

My reading is that if Upton wants to be an Angel, the two sides will make it happen financially. It's just not possible for them to be that far apart because the floor is 4/$88.5M.

And if they aren't that far apart, it comes down to what uniform Upton wants to wear. 

[Angelsfan1984]

8 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I think you should take Eppler's "positive" comment to mean that there is a very realistic chance of keeping Upton (which I'd been saying all along).

Obviously, I wouldn't have expected Eppler to say, on the record, "it didn't go very well" or anything like that. But he also could have just said "we talked and I don't know what's going to happen" or something even more neutral. 

My reading is that if Upton wants to be an Angel, the two sides will make it happen financially. It's just not possible for them to be that far apart because the floor is 4/$88.5M.

And if they aren't that far apart, it comes down to what uniform Upton wants to wear. 

Do you think he takes an extra year but lowers his AAV?

5 year 100?

[Ohtaniland]

1 hour ago, mtangelsfan said:

So you hope they don't sign him, regardless.  Got it.

 

46 minutes ago, Tank said:

hoping for failure, eh?

I said that I hope he doesn’t opt out. He’s already compensated enough according to his career slash line and is most likely going begin declining towards the tail end of his current deal. 

[mtangelsfan]

1 hour ago, Calzone said:

I hope he doesn’t opt out and asks for another one of those over the top 5/$125M contracts with a no trade clause. 

If that happens let him walk. 

Nope Claude, that isn't what you said.  See?  ^^^^^^^

[Ohtaniland]

4 minutes ago, mtangelsfan said:

Nope Claude, that isn't what you said.  See?  ^^^^^^^

I’ve said it more than once. I hope he doesn’t opt out because I believe his current contract is sufficient compensation. The no-trade clause is already huge. 

[Ohtaniland]

47 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I think you should take Eppler's "positive" comment to mean that there is a very realistic chance of keeping Upton (which I'd been saying all along).

Obviously, I wouldn't have expected Eppler to say, on the record, "it didn't go very well" or anything like that. But he also could have just said "we talked and I don't know what's going to happen" or something even more neutral. 

My reading is that if Upton wants to be an Angel, the two sides will make it happen financially. It's just not possible for them to be that far apart because the floor is 4/$88.5M.

And if they aren't that far apart, it comes down to what uniform Upton wants to wear. 

Dialogue is one thing but if he opts out his agent will make sure everything is on the table including other teams. 

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Tank said:

hoping for failure, eh?

Surprised?

[ettin]

Realistically Upton can make upwards of $25M per season in the current market. If the Angels were to simply offer him about $23M-$25M per season with an extra year tacked on (Five total) I think this is a done deal.

[tdawg87]

45 minutes ago, Calzone said:

Dialogue is one thing but if he opts out his agent will make sure everything is on the table including other teams. 

[Ohtaniland]

11 minutes ago, ettin said:

Realistically Upton can make upwards of $25M per season in the current market. If the Angels were to simply offer him about $23M-$25M per season with an extra year tacked on (Five total) I think this is a done deal.

Done deal with who? I don’t think the Angels get anywhere near that. He doesn’t have good enough career numbers to warrant that kinda deal.

[tdawg87]

8 minutes ago, Calzone said:

Done deal with who? I don’t think the Angels get anywhere near that. He doesn’t have good enough career numbers to warrant that kinda deal.

They're already near that, Claude. 22 million a year is the floor. You think Arte and Eppler are going to scoff at an extra 2-3 million? 

[Slegnaac]

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

They're already near that, Claude. 22 million a year is the floor. You think Arte and Eppler are going to scoff at an extra 2-3 million? 

Yes, yes he does

[ettin]

22 minutes ago, Calzone said:

Done deal with who? I don’t think the Angels get anywhere near that. He doesn’t have good enough career numbers to warrant that kinda deal.

As tdawg said Claude the Angels are already paying him an Average Annual Value of $22.125M. Moving up a couple of million isn't going to change anything for our payroll and we need the hitter. It has to get done either with Upton or someone like Martinez or Stanton. It has too or we look weaker on offense. Time to bust out your wallet Claude.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I'd like to see them keep the same deal but add some significant performance clauses.

They could add a vesting 5th year with enough games played. Maybe a few million for making the All Star team, or for playing in the post season.

Stuff like that.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

...And get him a Velcro glove...

[Tank]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Surprised?

Nope.

[Ohtaniland]

So smart guys....

Obviously Upton would have to opt out to negotiate a new deal. If he opts out he automatically becomes a free agent and he will test the market. Don’t think for a minute that the Angels will have an inside advantage if he’s a free agent. Is there another team out there that’s willing to give him 5/$125M or more? If not, why should Arte?

Is there another team out there willing to give him more than what he is already making at 4/$90M with no trade protection? 

Would Upton force Arte into a bidding war with a mystery team? You know Arte won’t play that game. 

I hope he doesn’t opt out because we will either lose him or overpay to keep him.