OC Register: Angels’ Anthony Rendon looks for rebound after two straight injury-marred seasons

[BTH]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Pay more for a player than he paid for his franchise. He’s now done it three times. 

I don't remember him saying that, but he probably said that at a point in time when I wasn't following what he said, so I'll take your word for it.

[BTH]

On 2/20/2023 at 10:43 AM, AngelsWin.com said:

“I know right now and it looks like we’re playing for the next four years of baseball, but I’m trying to hang out with my kids for the rest of their lives,” Rendon said.

Does anyone understand what he meant by this?

What does “I know right now and it looks like we’re playing for the next four years of baseball” mean? Was there a typo?

[jsnpritchett]

11 minutes ago, Trendon said:

Does anyone understand what he meant by this?

What does “I know right now and it looks like we’re playing for the next four years of baseball” mean? Was there a typo?

If a word isn't missing, my guess is it's just awkward phrasing from him (which wouldn't surprise me).  I think he's just saying that he knows what he's thinking right now and he's thinking he's going to play out his contract.  But then he goes on to talk about his family, etc.  You asked earlier in the thread if that meant maybe he'd think about retiring if the injuries keep piling up and diminishing his quality of life.  My guess is that yes, that's what he's hinting at.

[fan_since79]

So what's the deal? Is he returning this year sometime? Is he still on the 10-day IL?

 

[jsnpritchett]

10 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

So what's the deal? Is he returning this year sometime? Is he still on the 10-day IL?

 

Transferred to the 60-day IL earlier today.  Earliest he can come back is the 2nd week of September.  He's still not doing any "baseball activities".  I assume he'll miss the rest of the year at this point.  If they don't make some kind of miraculous run between now and mid-September, there's really no point in him coming back, anyway.

[Brian Ilten]

On 2/20/2023 at 12:14 PM, Trendon said:

I’m a little confused by this quote.

Obviously, he prioritizes his quality of life over baseball— but is he suggesting that he could hang ‘em up early if he continues to have injuries and need surgeries?

Translation - "If I don't feel 100%, I'm not going to play. You gave me my payday and I am going to spend it on my kids"

[Swordsman78]

The Angels should sue for breech of contract. 

[jsnpritchett]

4 minutes ago, Swordsman78 said:

The Angels should sue for breech of contract. 

[Stradling]

16 minutes ago, Swordsman78 said:

The Angels should sue for breech of contract. 

Yes, as teams often do when a player has internal bleeding of the bones.

[Ariamus]

[fan_since79]

4 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

Transferred to the 60-day IL earlier today.  Earliest he can come back is the 2nd week of September.  He's still not doing any "baseball activities".  I assume he'll miss the rest of the year at this point.  If they don't make some kind of miraculous run between now and mid-September, there's really no point in him coming back, anyway.

I hope he returns by mid-2024. They should be able to stop the internal bleeding before then, right?

[Slegnaac]

Seems like some feel that he intentionally fouled a pitch off of his leg so he could get a bone bruise and not have to play the rest of the season.

I guess players that get hit in the face by a pitch are also looking to get paid for not playing.

[khouse]

On 2/20/2023 at 12:43 PM, AngelsWin.com said:

TEMPE, Ariz. — As much as he’s tried to ignore the talk and focus on himself, Anthony Rendon has heard the cynics.

After having two surgeries, essentially knocking him out of two of the first three years of his seven-year, $245-million deal, the Angels third baseman knows how he’s perceived around the game.

“I don’t have social media, but a lot of my friends do, all my family does,” Rendon said on Monday morning. “They’ll text me. They’re saying this. They’re saying that. So it definitely gets to me. I understand and I hear it and at times yeah, it pisses you off. I try not to let it go further than that. You just try to use it to continue to go on for the greater purpose.”

Although Rendon had a .915 OPS and played 52 of 60 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Rendon has played just 105 of the Angels’ 324 games in the last two seasons, producing a .709 OPS and 11 homers.

Those seasons have caused many — even among Angels fans — to write off Rendon.

“He hears the noise,” manager Phil Nevin said. “He certainly does. And he’s made reference to that to me. I know that he’s not out to prove people wrong. He doesn’t need to prove anything. He just wants to win. He’s been in this position before. And I know he’s pumped to get this thing started. He looks great. Watching him in the cage, watching him move around, he looks free. Really excited to see where that goes.”

Rendon and Mike Trout have both been injured often in the last two seasons, so the Angels have played just 51 games with Rendon, Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the lineup together. They are 27-24 in those games. The trio played together 33 times during the Angels’ 27-17 start last season.

“It wasn’t the only reason our record was what it was before (Rendon) got hurt, but it certainly had a lot to do with it,” Nevin said. “We just haven’t seen those three play together. To have them healthy at this moment right now is pretty cool for me. I know that.”

General manager Perry Minasian has predicted multiple times that Rendon will win the Comeback Player of the Year award, an award he won in 2016.

Rendon had played just half a season in 2015, and then from 2016-19, he averaged 146 games a year, with a .912 OPS. He hit 103 homers in those four years.

Of course, Rendon is now 32. And now he’s coming off two straight injury-marred seasons. He had hip surgery in 2021 and wrist surgery in 2022.

Rendon was still not 100 percent from the hip surgery when he got to spring training in 2022. He did make it back from the wrist surgery for a brief cameo — and to serve a five-game suspension — at the end of the season.

Rendon said he rushed back so he could get some peace of mind heading into the winter.

“I think it was good to show myself going into the offseason that I could play, even if I wasn’t the greatest player in those last few games,” Rendon said. “Just to have that in the back of your mind, knowing that I had another three months to continue to get stronger and to try to get back to normal.”

Rendon is not limited in any way as workouts begin this spring. He was on the field taking ground balls and hitting a few days before Monday’s first official full squad workout of the spring.

“I haven’t really played a lot of baseball the last handful of years, so to be out there is awkward,” Rendon said. “It’s weird. But’s that what spring training is for. Get out there every day. Continue to put the work in and try to get ready for that season.”

Asked his goals for this season, Rendon said simply “not to have another surgery.”

 

Related Articles

• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Patrick Sandoval embraces higher expectations
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Jared Walsh hopeful after injury-shortened season
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Jo Adell looks to crack Angels’ roster after a winter of workouts
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels’ Shohei Ohtani trying to focus on 2023, not pending free agency
• Los Angeles Angels |
  Angels add veteran lefty reliever Matt Moore

Asked how many games he wants to play, he conceded that he’s “not trying to play 162 games.” He applauded the Angels’ acquisition of Gio Urshela, who can spell him occasionally at third.

 

“Load management is going to be a part of it,” Rendon said. “Just the way my body feels and aging. I’ve been playing this game for a long time.”

Rendon is also looking forward to what comes after he’s done. He has four seasons left on his Angels contract.

“I know right now and it looks like we’re playing for the next four years of baseball, but I’m trying to hang out with my kids for the rest of their lives,” Rendon said. “You guys aren’t going to see that. When I’m trying to get out of bed when I’m 50 and I can’t because I’m trying to impress you guys from having surgeries, now I’ve got to deal with it with my kids and then my kids get the short end of the stick. I want to hang out with them. Not hang out with y’all. No offense.”

View the full article

Well, suck it up Mary! As the commitment you made to the Angels came with the knowledge of the sacrifices that you/your body and your family agreed to make as well. Besides that...what about the fans who, also have experienced difficulty getting out of bed somedays? Unable to impress people with their knowledge or to spend time with family because of their commitment to the team. I mean...haven't they too, for years, gotten the short end of the stick in dealing with no "offense" from y'all? 

[CaliAngel]

I don't really give a shit about anything Rendon says.

He's been a little bitch the second he signed with the Angels. 

Don't like it Rendon?

Prove us wrong.

Show up and hit .300. Throw better than Moustakas from 3rd. Hit a couple homers, you pussy.

I'd UFC Rendon into the ground for free just to show him what a lousy pansy he is at this point.

[Jason]

Of course he doesn’t intentionally hurt himself but he’s an injury looking to happen so I’m perfectly fine never seeing him play for the Angels ever again. 

[budice0]

"I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub.  I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out."

[yamsi12]

Should have traded Ohtani at the deadline and Rendon with him.

[REDneck]

1 hour ago, budice0 said:

"I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub.  I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out."

Rendon should try wearing pantyhose and breathing thru his eyelids.

Edited August 19, 2023 by REDneck

[AngelsFaninGA]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

Of course he doesn’t intentionally hurt himself but he’s an injury looking to happen so I’m perfectly fine never seeing him play for the Angels ever again. 

He's obviously not going to play at even a replacement level ever again so I'd prefer if he just kinda stepped away from the team for the remainder of the contract and we forgot who he was altogether

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

I assume he never puts on the Angel uniform again. I don’t like Arte but he definitely splashed the cash.  He just bought the wrong guys.  I’m sure the AW GMs loved this move way back when, I probably did too.  It’s sucks all around to have such horrendous luck with free agents. 

[Stradling]

12 minutes ago, The Ghost of Bob Starr said:

I assume he never puts on the Angel uniform again. I don’t like Arte but he definitely splashed the cash.  He just bought the wrong guys.  I’m sure the AW GMs loved this move way back when, I probably did too.  It’s sucks all around to have such horrendous luck with free agents. 

I loved the deal, or at least the player. We needed a third baseman and got the best one in the league. Hell he was great in 2020.  Then injuries set in and haven’t stopped.  I thought he would outperform Cole and his contract because I thought giving 9 years to a power pitcher was insane.  I was wrong.  

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Just now, Stradling said:

I loved the deal, or at least the player. We needed a third baseman and got the best one in the league. Hell he was great in 2020.  Then injuries set in and haven’t stopped.  I thought he would outperform Cole and his contract because I thought giving 9 years to a power pitcher was insane.  I was wrong.  

We all were wrong. Again, as much as I hate it, I have to give Arte credit.  He tried.  Angels fans, certainly including me, are very ungrateful.  But losing can have that effect. 

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, The Ghost of Bob Starr said:

We all were wrong. Again, as much as I hate it, I have to give Arte credit.  He tried.  Angels fans, certainly including me, are very ungrateful.  But losing can have that effect. 

But you see you are a grown up and understand things.  We have revisionist history because people hate Arte and hate Rendon so they try to tell us we didn’t need a third baseman we needed pitching. Bullshit, we needed both and got the best 3rd baseman in the league in his prime. Then his body failed him. 

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Well we appeared to get the right guy but I don’t know anything about the medical vetting of a player.  We seem to not be good at that.  

[Jay]

The injury to the shin was kind of a freak thing, it's not like his body broke down all by itself.