OC Register: Alexander: Arte Moreno is definitely not the people’s choice

[AngelsWin.com]

Arte Moreno should feel fortunate he runs a baseball team in Anaheim, rather than a German soccer team.

In the Bundesliga, it’s mandated that supporters retain majority control of a club via the 50+1 rule, with rare exceptions. Thus, the fans can vote out an owner or executive who isn’t getting the job done. The closest thing to that quaint custom that we have here, I suppose, would be the way Dodger fans eventually voted with their wallets and finally forced Frank McCourt out in 2012, though Chapter 11 bankruptcy helped.

Moreno’s sins aren’t as blatant as those of McCourt, who with wife Jamie (before they split up) treated the ballclub as a personal ATM. But if the reactions in the inbox or on the Twitter feed are any measure, Angels fans would vote thumbs down on the owner given the opportunity.

These aren’t latecomers, either. I’m hearing from fans who have followed the team, some as season ticket holders, for 40, 50 or 60 years. They’ve seen generations of blunders and bad luck under the ownerships of Gene Autry and the Walt Disney Co., but they’ve had enough of a team with two transcendent players and not enough else. We may be seeing “Arte Out!” signs and T-shirts any day now, or at least Angel Stadium ushers attempting to confiscate the same.

Among the reactions since the Sunday column, on the dilemma of whether to pursue a Shohei Ohtani trade, was published:

“I can’t think of another owner that has completely diffused the career of the current best player in baseball the way he did with Mike Trout, surrounding him instead with mediocrity,” wrote David Skonezny, whose discontent goes back to when Moreno changed the team’s identity from Anaheim Angels to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before the 2005 season.

Skonezny organized a protest in front of Angel Stadium in late May of 2005, with Register columnist Randy Youngman reporting that 60 demonstrators waved “Save the Anaheim Angels” signs outside the ballpark and chanted, among other things, “We are not L.A.,” before continuing their protest inside the park.

“That was the second nail in the coffin, the first was him buying the team in the first place,” Skonezny wrote.

Tony Cordero wrote that “we’ve been season ticket holders for more than 40 years” but noted that the only “foreseeable light at the end of this tunnel” might be that they call it quits before they reach 45.

“What’s fascinating is how Disney knew more about baseball than Moreno does,” he wrote. “He only knows ad sales. Hence the Big A looks like the Sunday ad insert in what was once known as a newspaper. Arte. Perry (Minasian, current general manager). Dennis (Kuhl, the club’s chairman, and club president John) Carpino. Collectively, these inepts are worse than Dan Snyder, Donald Sterling and Dean Spanos.

“It’s an embarrassment to be an Angels fan and admit you’ve been so for so long.”

Hal Brand wrote that after more than 20 years of buying season tickets in the Diamond Club section, he “finally gave up my seats several years ago because of Arte Moreno. He is easily the worst owner in sports!

“Moreno doesn’t seem to care about putting a winning team on the field as long as the value of the franchise goes up. His ownership decisions and free agent signings have been an absolute joke.”

Josh Hamilton is the free agent albatross with which Moreno will forever be associated, a five-year, $125 million signing in 2013 that turned out to be two mediocre seasons followed by Moreno cutting ties after Hamilton acknowledged a drug relapse.

More recently, Angel fans grumble about Anthony Rendon (seven years, $245 million in 2020), who has played in 103 games the last two seasons and is done for this year with a wrist injury, and Justin Upton, who signed a five-year, $106 million deal in 2018, gave the Angels one good season, was released at the end of spring training this year and is still soaking up $19.5 million of the Angels’ payroll.

In fairness, the willingness to pursue free agents suggests that Moreno does want to win. He just doesn’t make good decisions, and he’s prone to overrule those who do know what they’re doing.

William Stremel, a frequent responder to This Space, is inclined to also include Mike Trout’s mega-deal in the mistake category “because he, like Rendon, is proving to be made out of glass, prone to many injuries. They both get bizarre and lengthy injuries, and it won’t get any better as time moves on.

“The Angels have only Ohtani as a bright spot,” he added, “and, unlike Trout, my guess is he will likely get sick of losing and want to leave. Trout is obviously O.K. with staying with a losing team.”

Which brings us, again, to the question of the moment: Trade Ohtani for a huge package of prospects, or hold on to him and try to sign him long-term?

“Memo to Arte Moreno: Gene Autry never recovered from Nolan Ryan’s ugly Angels departure (in 1979),” John Stellman wrote. “Don’t let history repeat itself. Sign Shohei Ohtani.”

Oh, what would the late Buzzie Bavasi have said about this situation? He was the one who, when asked how to replace Ryan after he’d signed with Houston, quipped, “You mean, can we find two 8-7 pitchers?” I suspect the answer here would have been a lot more complex.

And if karma is to be considered, as Twitter respondent @NLDIT714 noted, losing Ohtani “could have repercussions of Ruthian proportions.”

Ohtani is the one player who is untradeable you make moves to keep him everyone is expendable. It could have repercussions of Ruthian proportions.

— Gong83 (@NLDIT714) July 31, 2022

Trading Babe Ruth cursed the Boston Red Sox for 85 years. Then again, the Angels have had their own hexed existence, not only bad luck on the field but a string of tragedies and misfortune. The theory for years was that the team was cursed because the ballpark was built atop an ancient Indian burial ground, but as I noted in a story 20 years ago, “City of Anaheim historians have said there is no evidence to indicate that’s true but nothing to prove it isn’t, either.”

But I’m a believer in the Curse of Eddie Bane.

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  Alexander: Should the Angels trade away a superstar?

The former left-handed pitcher was the Angels’ director of scouting from 2004-2010. He was in charge when the Angels drafted Trout in 2009, his first first-rounder as scouting director was Jered Weaver, and his department was responsible for a surplus of prospects that helped the team reach the postseason in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

And then, suddenly, he was let go. No discernible reason was ever established, but here’s my theory: Bane would refer to “Anaheim Angels” in interviews, and I suspect the guy who decided they should be the “Los Angeles Angels” didn’t care much for it.

So maybe the current curse is destined to last until Arte sells the team. Should that ever happen, the Angel fans who remain might hold a parade.

jalexander@scng.com 

 

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[cals]

Is David Skoznezky friends with @saangels?

[Angel Oracle]

Didn’t J. Pierrepont Reagins allegedly direct Bane to draft nothing but high ceiling guys with those 5 picks out of the first 40 overall in the 2010 draft?

They ended up with:

Cowart - not very much MLB time

Bedrosian - one good MLB season

Clarke - never even made it to AAA.

Bolden - see Clarke.

Lindsey - see Cowart 

Reagins directive set back the franchise.

Dumbpoto of course finished up that destruction by 2015, from which no recovery as of yet.

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Whereas I feel the same frustration, some of those quotes / takes are pretty lame.

One that sticks out huge is the guy saying locking Trout up was a mistake.

It very well may have been. But I take it this guy is absolutely in the "sign ohtani" camp. And it's the same thing.... except Trout was by far and away the more established player.

I'd love to keep Ohtani, but he's had 1.5 years worth the hype. The others bordered between "that's pretty cool!" and "yeah, he's an Angel".

It will take 400 million easily to lock him up, maybe 5. If Trout was a mistake (and anyone feels that), you need to be firm in the "hell yeah, flip this guy for 3!" camp.

[T.G.]

I think the success and failure of the Angels ultimately is on Arte, but I don’t think he has to sell the team. He just needs to make better decisions, learn from his mistakes and spend more money. 

[cals]

I personally don’t think Ohtani will be an effective two way player for more than a handful of years.  3-4 more, perhaps.  And if trading him can rebuild the franchise then you do it.  If he is re-signed it will be another decade of Ohtani and Trout and a whole lotta drought.  Or something along those lines.

[AngelsLakersFan]

[AngelsLakersFan]

It’s a big deal when the morons are no longer persuaded by the lowering of beer prices.

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 minutes ago, cals said:

I personally don’t think Ohtani will be an effective two way player for more than a handful of years.  3-4 more, perhaps.  And if trading him can rebuild the franchise then you do it.  If he is re-signed it will be another decade of Ohtani and Trout and a whole lotta drought.  Or something along those lines.

Yeah, I think we're all dancing around it. Nobody wants to be Bavasi redux here. But I think literally you can spent the same 500 it would take to retain Ohtani and sign a front end pitcher and a DH that puts up his numbers.

His value is that he does both, and that it's so amazing that he does. 

That said, the fact he does both is really, really cool and unique... but it's not winning any more games than two players would (unless I'm just an idiot for seeing it that way.)

If you can move him for a bona-fide player we need, the saved money can make up for the part we're missing.

I say that as someone who would be ecstatic if we lock him up. He's fun as hell to watch. And I'll be a fan of his no matter what happens and where he goes.

But as a fan of the team, trading him by far and away makes the most sense.

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

It’s a big deal when the morons are no longer persuaded by the lowering of beer prices.

Inflation brought them back to where they were.

[AngelsLakersFan]

4 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Inflation brought them back to where they were.

Inflation has not provided the fans with more wins though

[Amazing Larry]

I’m of the opinion that Arte gutted the FO and the scouting staff to save cash. Then he brought in his billboard guys to run the show and the franchise has gone back to shit. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Inflation has not provided the fans with more wins though

I think arte is banking on that.

"We scored 3 runs. That's like 6 in today's market, isn't it?"

[AngelsLakersFan]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Yeah, I think we're all dancing around it. Nobody wants to be Bavasi redux here. But I think literally you can spent the same 500 it would take to retain Ohtani and sign a front end pitcher and a DH that puts up his numbers.

His value is that he does both, and that it's so amazing that he does. 

That said, the fact he does both is really, really cool and unique... but it's not winning any more games than two players would (unless I'm just an idiot for seeing it that way.)

If you can move him for a bona-fide player we need, the saved money can make up for the part we're missing.

I say that as someone who would be ecstatic if we lock him up. He's fun as hell to watch. And I'll be a fan of his no matter what happens and where he goes.

But as a fan of the team, trading him by far and away makes the most sense.

A DH that you can’t play in the field isn’t all that valuable… Sure when his OPS+ is over 140 it’s pretty valuable but he’s been inconsistent as a hitter. The roster spot he saves he gives back by not playing defense and requiring a 6 man rotation.

 The ace pitching is really valuable though. He should be paid as an elite pitcher. Any more than that and it’s probably an over pay.

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 minutes ago, Lhalo said:

I’m of the opinion that Arte gutted the FO and the scouting staff to save cash. Then he brought in his billboard guys to run the show and the franchise has gone back to shit. 

I have no idea if that's true or not, but it's something like that that makes the most sense.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just now, AngelsLakersFan said:

A DH that you can’t play in the field isn’t all that valuable… Sure when his OPS+ is over 140 it’s pretty valuable but he’s been inconsistent as a hitter. The roster spot he saves he gives back by not playing defense and retiring a 6 man rotation.

 The ace pitching is really valuable though. He should be paid as an elite pitcher. Any more than that and it’s probably an over pay.

I agree, especially on the pitching part. 

But, are you going to give up a really good pitcher to get that? 

Sure, you might.

Are you going to give up a really good pitcher, and a good position player, and a few sprinkles the Angels will also want?

 

I'm not sure anybody is.

I think the Angels can get a really good player back, and potentially a few bona-fide prospects. But if they, like Fletcher is saying, want back a fix-all for their unicorn, I don't think he's worth it to other teams.

Especially with his pending FA

[ten ocho recon scout]

We probably really shit the bed not locking him up last year. Especially after signing syndegaard... and everyone was optimistic. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

I have no idea if that's true or not, but it's something like that that makes the most sense.

If he hasn’t then he should, cuz these guys aren’t exactly finding clean peanuts here.

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

I agree, especially on the pitching part. 

But, are you going to give up a really good pitcher to get that? 

Sure, you might.

Are you going to give up a really good pitcher, and a good position player, and a few sprinkles the Angels will also want?

 

I'm not sure anybody is.

I think the Angels can get a really good player back, and potentially a few bona-fide prospects. But if they, like Fletcher is saying, want back a fix-all for their unicorn, I don't think he's worth it to other teams.

Especially with his pending FA

I mean who knows… what would a team give up for an ace pitcher for a playoff push plus another season? Not to mention the marketing potential… that $10mil a year should be worth at least an additional first round draft pick.

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Whereas I feel the same frustration, some of those quotes / takes are pretty lame.

One that sticks out huge is the guy saying locking Trout up was a mistake.

It very well may have been. But I take it this guy is absolutely in the "sign ohtani" camp. And it's the same thing.... except Trout was by far and away the more established player.

I'd love to keep Ohtani, but he's had 1.5 years worth the hype. The others bordered between "that's pretty cool!" and "yeah, he's an Angel".

It will take 400 million easily to lock him up, maybe 5. If Trout was a mistake (and anyone feels that), you need to be firm in the "hell yeah, flip this guy for 3!" camp.

It would have been funny if you started every paragraph with "Whereas."

[Angel Oracle]

54 minutes ago, T.G. said:

I think the success and failure of the Angels ultimately is on Arte, but I don’t think he has to sell the team. He just needs to make better decisions, learn from his mistakes and spend more money. 

This is true.

This off-season could well determine if he has finally learned from those mistakes.   The franchise is truly at a crossroads.

[BTH]

Good to see the newspaper outlets begin to call out Arte Moreno’s ineptitude.

The LA Times’ Helene Elliott wrote something similar: 

But we still need the beat reporters that cover the team to call Arte out in articles (ie Fletcher and Blum)

 

[tdawg87]

I'm guessing Jeff would lose his job if he did that.

[Stradling]

2 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Good to see the newspaper outlets begin to call out Arte Moreno’s ineptitude.

The LA Times’ Helene Elliott wrote something similar: 

But we still need the beat reporters that cover the team to call Arte out in articles (ie Fletcher and Blum)

 

Why?  They are sports reporters.  These guys aren’t investigative reporters.  They aren’t the voice of the fan. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

8 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Good to see the newspaper outlets begin to call out Arte Moreno’s ineptitude.

The LA Times’ Helene Elliott wrote something similar: 

But we still need the beat reporters that cover the team to call Arte out in articles (ie Fletcher and Blum)

 

Stuff like this isn’t really productive. It only reinforces the terrible decision making process that has led to the current situation.

At some point the debt has to be paid. It wasn’t Trout so now it’s Ohtani. If it’s not Ohtani it will be whatever comes next.