OC Register: Angels decline Kole Calhoun’s option, making him a free agent

[AngelsWin.com]

Kole Calhoun’s tenure with the Angels is one significant step closer to being over.

The Angels declined Calhoun’s $14 million option for 2020 on Monday, instead paying him a $1 million buyout.

Calhoun is now a free agent, so he could still re-sign with the Angels at a lesser salary. At this point it’s unclear if either side would be interested in such a reunion.

Calhoun, 32, had been preparing himself for the end of his Angels’ tenure since before the season ended. After the final game of the regular season, he said he’d thought that it might be over.

“If that was it, this has been a helluva ride,” Calhoun said. “It really has. I’ve been with this organization for 10 years and they made a dream come true and gave me a chance to go out and play everyday. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

It was no surprise that the Angels declined his option. Although Calhoun is coming off a season in which he hit a career-high 33 homers and was again a finalist for the Gold Glove, his $14 million price tag didn’t seem to fit the Angels’ plans.

The Angels are desperate for pitching, so just about all of their financial resources are likely to go into upgrading the rotation. Gerrit Cole, their likely top target, is likely to command more than $30 million a year.

Also, the Angels have Brian Goodwin under control at an arbitration salary of around $3 million in 2020. Goodwin had a breakthrough season in 2019, hitting .262 with 17 homers and a .796 OPS.

Goodwin could hold down right field until the Angels are ready to give the position to Jo Adell, one of the top prospects in all of baseball.

Adell, 20, finished this season at Triple-A, and then he was named one of the top prospects in the Arizona Fall League.

If Calhoun doesn’t return, it would mark the end of a six-year run as the Angels right fielder. He hit .249 with a .747 OPS, averaging 22 homers over his full seasons. He won a Gold Glove in 2015.

Although Calhoun was inconsistent on the field, he was one of the most popular players in the clubhouse and among fans.

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Calhoun was the Angels’ eighth-round pick out of Arizona State in 2010. Although he never got much attention as a prospect, he persevered to reach the majors in 2012.

He was promoted in late July 2013 for good, becoming a fixture in right field ever since.

In July, Andrelton Simmons described Calhoun as a key piece of the Angels’ clubhouse culture.

“He’s like coffee,” Simmons said. “Having him in the clubhouse wakes people up and pumps everybody up. … He sets the tone. I can’t explain why, but he has that character. He doesn’t try to lead, but he’s a guy you follow. I can’t explain why.”

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[T.G.]

“He’s like coffee,” Simmons said. “Having him in the clubhouse wakes people up and pumps everybody up. … He sets the tone. I can’t explain why, but he has that character. He doesn’t try to lead, but he’s a guy you follow. I can’t explain why.”

That's hard to replace.  Not saying they should have kept him - but if we're going to talk about "culture" as an important component of a team - then the Angels' culture just took a hit.