Minasian

[Wisconsin27]

I've never started a new topic here as I am a "luker" multiple times daily, but tend to not weigh-in much.  With that out of the way, I want to simply point out that Perry just "seems different" than what we've had in the role of a GM in past.

I admittedly was appreciative of the job Eppler did and have always felt he inherited an extremely difficult hand.  The state of the farm, the noose/limitations he was under, lack of depth, etc.

With that being said, I'd like to express how pleased I have been with Perry's job to-date.  Given the circumstance and current situation (i.e. win now), the foresight and judgement he has displayed is so clearly evident in most every area of the roster.  It's almost as if his plan from the day he began is now being played out in front of our eyes....and he has rarely missed on many of the players he identified early on.

No one truly knew what he had when with Bachman, Joyce, Neto, Moniak or others.  In many cases, we still don't.  But to have the foresight to "lower our floor" with inexpensive backfilling the way he has AND to have the cajones to promote and trust his instincts has been remarkable.  I remember when he signed Anderson to such a low-market deal wondering what the "catch" was.  Now, we are seeing a quality 3-4 starter evolve we will have for another year at a reasonable cost.  I was a big Marsh fan, but would make the trade for O'Hoppe over and over again.  Neto blows my mind for a rook and I have no idea how he possibly projected that and laid off the FA's when his job was on the line.  The Renfroe signing was SO solid.  

The BP was always a huge question mark and that wasn't lost on Perry.  I was critical of the offseason approach (i.e. low-cost spending, practically ignoring the white elephant), but his response has been to rely on his initial moves to address it (Silseth, Bachman, Davidson....and more to come).  

Undoubtedly, when our season comes to an end without a championship we will be able to "Monday Morning Quarterback" what he should have done differently.  But I have to say, I won't be in that crowd.  What he has done this year and the results through 30+% of our games have demonstrated to me this is a man with a plan.

Hell, he has me so excited to be an Angels fan again that I am actually at piece with Shohei leaving (Note: fan since Nolan signed my ball in '77).  In fact, I find myself at times wondering if it might be best for the organization to trust in him to identify the right combination of young talent in a deadline trade to truly put us over the top going into '24!!!  Nuts?  I know.  But man, this guy seems to know talent.  I am so jacked about having a young, core group of O'Hoppe, Neto, Moniak, Adelll, Sandy, Detmers, Bachman, Joyce, Paris, and whatever else he might acquire from a Ohtani trade that I am beginning to think the worse thing we can do is let him walk for nothing with this guy in charge.

I honestly think if the vets can perform like they can, this team is capable of making a very serious run.  I don't envy Perry's position in having to determine it's fate by early July (the trade deadline being so early is a point of contention with me, but that's a whole other topic).  But just imagine if Rendon returned and the power came with it, Walsh found his grove, and Mike returned to being "Mike."  With our starters coming around and the BP taking shape, we have a roster that can compete in ways we haven't seen in quite awhile.  I'm not suggesting we'd win it all, but it "could" make for a really fun ride.

My point is, props to Perry.  Well done, sir.  And thank you for offering this fan something to be excited about for the next handful of years.

[Second Base]

It's amazing what someone will do in order to keep their highly specific, highly lucrative job, of which only 30 in the world exist. 

Perry's ass is on the hot seat and he has to build a winner and convince Shohei to accept Arte's truck load of money and not someone else's truck load.

Necessity breeds ingenuity. Perry is being bold and isn't operating like every other stale, crusty GM.

[Stradling]

5 hours ago, Second Base said:

It's amazing what someone will do in order to keep their highly specific, highly lucrative job, of which only 30 in the world exist. 

Perry's ass is on the hot seat and he has to build a winner and convince Shohei to accept Arte's truck load of money and not someone else's truck load.

Necessity breeds ingenuity. Perry is being bold and isn't operating like every other stale, crusty GM.

But he’s done this since day one. This isn’t simply this year. Detmers, first in his class to make the majors in 2021. Silseth, first in his class to debut, Neto, again first in his class. Albert released, Upton released, Fletcher released. This isn’t desperation, this is how he runs things.  

[Angels 1961]

His trades for Renfroe, Urshela, Moniak and O'Hoppe have all worked out. Draft of Neto seems to fill a big hole at SS. Signings of Moore, Estevez and Drury have also been a huge help. Signing of Anderson I feel will also help. Draft of Silseth and his rapid rise has and will be help in BP. Now we await Bachman and hope he will help in BP. Minasian moves this off season and during season have turned to gold. Remember when players do well makes manager and GM also look smart. Signings of Loup and Tepera turned out bad. Let's hope going forward Minasian continues on his hot streak for 2023. 

[Second Base]

3 hours ago, Stradling said:

But he’s done this since day one. This isn’t simply this year. Detmers, first in his class to make the majors in 2021. Silseth, first in his class to debut, Neto, again first in his class. Albert released, Upton released, Fletcher released. This isn’t desperation, this is how he runs things.  

His goal has been the same since day one. With the exception of guys like Cashman, Anthopolous and Mozeliak, most GM's are in desperation mode. Some are tinkerers, like Dombrowski, some are traders like Dipoto/Hollander. Minasian is an aggressive "promote the prospect" GM, unlike any I've seen. 

And a lot of that is environment too. Eppler was a bargain hunter and negotiator. Hasn't had to do much of that in Queens.

[Taylor]

I'm excited for the next 3-game losing streak when everyone hates Minasian again.

Just kidding. Great thread. I think Minasian has done well with what he's able to do.

[T.G.]

1 minute ago, Taylor said:

I think Minasian has done well with what he's able to do.

Can he limbo?

[Taylor]

15 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Can he limbo?

Arte said he doesn't have a budget for a limbo pole. 

[Duren, Duren]

12 hours ago, Wisconsin27 said:

I've never started a new topic here as I am a "luker" multiple times daily, but tend to not weigh-in much.  With that out of the way, I want to simply point out that Perry just "seems different" than what we've had in the role of a GM in past.

I admittedly was appreciative of the job Eppler did and have always felt he inherited an extremely difficult hand.  The state of the farm, the noose/limitations he was under, lack of depth, etc.

With that being said, I'd like to express how pleased I have been with Perry's job to-date.  Given the circumstance and current situation (i.e. win now), the foresight and judgement he has displayed is so clearly evident in most every area of the roster.  It's almost as if his plan from the day he began is now being played out in front of our eyes....and he has rarely missed on many of the players he identified early on.

No one truly knew what he had when with Bachman, Joyce, Neto, Moniak or others.  In many cases, we still don't.  But to have the foresight to "lower our floor" with inexpensive backfilling the way he has AND to have the cajones to promote and trust his instincts has been remarkable.  I remember when he signed Anderson to such a low-market deal wondering what the "catch" was.  Now, we are seeing a quality 3-4 starter evolve we will have for another year at a reasonable cost.  I was a big Marsh fan, but would make the trade for O'Hoppe over and over again.  Neto blows my mind for a rook and I have no idea how he possibly projected that and laid off the FA's when his job was on the line.  The Renfroe signing was SO solid.  

The BP was always a huge question mark and that wasn't lost on Perry.  I was critical of the offseason approach (i.e. low-cost spending, practically ignoring the white elephant), but his response has been to rely on his initial moves to address it (Silseth, Bachman, Davidson....and more to come).  

Undoubtedly, when our season comes to an end without a championship we will be able to "Monday Morning Quarterback" what he should have done differently.  But I have to say, I won't be in that crowd.  What he has done this year and the results through 30+% of our games have demonstrated to me this is a man with a plan.

Hell, he has me so excited to be an Angels fan again that I am actually at piece with Shohei leaving (Note: fan since Nolan signed my ball in '77).  In fact, I find myself at times wondering if it might be best for the organization to trust in him to identify the right combination of young talent in a deadline trade to truly put us over the top going into '24!!!  Nuts?  I know.  But man, this guy seems to know talent.  I am so jacked about having a young, core group of O'Hoppe, Neto, Moniak, Adelll, Sandy, Detmers, Bachman, Joyce, Paris, and whatever else he might acquire from a Ohtani trade that I am beginning to think the worse thing we can do is let him walk for nothing with this guy in charge.

I honestly think if the vets can perform like they can, this team is capable of making a very serious run.  I don't envy Perry's position in having to determine it's fate by early July (the trade deadline being so early is a point of contention with me, but that's a whole other topic).  But just imagine if Rendon returned and the power came with it, Walsh found his grove, and Mike returned to being "Mike."  With our starters coming around and the BP taking shape, we have a roster that can compete in ways we haven't seen in quite awhile.  I'm not suggesting we'd win it all, but it "could" make for a really fun ride.

My point is, props to Perry.  Well done, sir.  And thank you for offering this fan something to be excited about for the next handful of years.

Good overview. Every GM has a mix of good, bad and neutral moves. But Perry seems to have avoided big blunders. And has incrementally improved the weak spots while adding depth overall. 

The drafted players will be a big part of his tenure. Time will tell on those.

Tough position dealing with Ohtani. He's more a mediator than negotiator. Arte really sets the parameters. And hopefully Perry has a deep discussion with him about their options. 

Interesting too is that Ohtani has been in the lineup almost daily. We haven't seen the current team without him for any length of time. That might send a clue to what life without him would be like. Especially if they let him walk. I also think Arte would have authoritative  input if a trade discussion takes place during this season.

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

16 hours ago, Second Base said:

 

Perry's ass is on the hot seat and he has to build a winner and convince Shohei to accept Arte's truck load of money and not someone else's truck load.

 

It's funny that that's actually what it is. Just about every player, whether they admit it or not, is about the money.

Moreno I'm sure has zero problem paying Ohtani more than anyone else. But of course Ohtani is different.. one of the minority who's more interested in legacy than money.

(Especially since whatever team he chooses with legacy in mind will also pay the hell out of him, of course)

[Swordsman78]

56 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

It's funny that that's actually what it is. Just about every player, whether they admit it or not, is about the money.

Moreno I'm sure has zero problem paying Ohtani more than anyone else. But of course Ohtani is different.. one of the minority who's more interested in legacy than money.

(Especially since whatever team he chooses with legacy in mind will also pay the hell out of him, of course)

Why do you say Ohtani is more interested in Legacy?  Did he say that at some point?  Just curious 

[BTH]

I agree that Minasian has done a great job so far, but I’m still cautious because it’s early in the season.

Players could regress and then everything doesn’t look as pretty.

I’m optimistic about a potential core of young players forming, but they have to show it over a longer period of time.

But, yeah, it’s exciting watching many young players up and contributing right now in the majors

[AngelsLakersFan]

5 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

one of the minority 

Is that like, the Asian version of “la raza?”

[Angel Oracle]

Really, only signing Loup and Tepera were bad moves since Minasian was hired.

Trading Iglesias and paying entire contract was likely all on Arte Moreno.

[ten ocho recon scout]

12 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Is that like, the Asian version of “la raza?”

Ra Laza

[Jay]

Funny how some people fall in love with the GM. We've seen this time and time again.

I don't disagree with the OP but it's hard to get overly excited about a 3rd-place team.

 

[aznhockeyguy]

Hey OP, great write up.  I was going to write a post like this but you beat me to the punch.  Perry has done a great job fixing the massive flaws of the team with great signings, trades, and promotions.  Yes this roster still has flaws, namely the defense, the bottom of the rotation, and the bullpen before the 8th inning is still very shaky.  But the team is deeper and can hang around and make a playoff run. 

[Second Base]

22 hours ago, Swordsman78 said:

Why do you say Ohtani is more interested in Legacy?  Did he say that at some point?  Just curious 

He left Japan two years earlier, foregoing hundreds of millions of dollars to sign when he did, and he accepted the Angels bid, even though it wasn't the most money. Earlier reports from when he initially left Japan was that he preferred not to sign with the Mariners or Yankees because he wanted to carve his own path and not play in the shadow of Ichiro or Matsui. He wanted to make his own legacy. 

Shohei may the be greatest overall player who ever lived, and he wants to win a World Series, more MVP's, Cy Young and Silver Sluggers. It's not about personal glory so much as he's competitive, cares deeply about this game and wants to be known as the best that ever played it. 

I can tell you right now, it's doesn't matter how much Arte offers him, if he doesn't believe the Angels can win, he will take someone else's money. And that's part of the reason why I love what Perry is doing. He's built a deep offensive lineup and is aggressively promoting and surrounding Shohei with young, exciting talent. 

[Second Base]

22 hours ago, Swordsman78 said:

Why do you say Ohtani is more interested in Legacy?  Did he say that at some point?  Just curious 

He left Japan two years earlier, foregoing hundreds of millions of dollars to sign when he did, and he accepted the Angels bid, even though it wasn't the most money. Earlier reports from when he initially left Japan was that he preferred not to sign with the Mariners or Yankees because he wanted to carve his own path and not play in the shadow of Ichiro or Matsui. He wanted to make his own legacy. 

Shohei may the be greatest overall player who ever lived, and he wants to win a World Series, more MVP's, Cy Young and Silver Sluggers. It's not about personal glory so much as he's competitive, cares deeply about this game and wants to be known as the best that ever played it. 

I can tell you right now, it's doesn't matter how much Arte offers him, if he doesn't believe the Angels can win, he will take someone else's money. And that's part of the reason why I love what Perry is doing. He's built a deep offensive lineup and is aggressively promoting and surrounding Shohei with young, exciting talent. 

I don't know what the future holds, but just my guess, I think he'll go to San Diego. 

[AngelsLakersFan]

7 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Ra Laza

Well prayed.

[Wisconsin27]

7 hours ago, Jay said:

Funny how some people fall in love with the GM. We've seen this time and time again.

I don't disagree with the OP but it's hard to get overly excited about a 3rd-place team.

 

I respectfully disagree.  I'd argue we haven't seen a gm work within Arte's constraints and manage to fill holes to improve our team.  We also haven't witnessed a gm who has "hit" on such a high number of high-end picks as Perry.  We also haven't seen those very picks demonstrate the ability to be fast-tracked with success.  We also haven't seen the wherewithal of a gm to lay off high-priced stop-gap measures (i.e. this year's SS FA market or bullpen options) in favor of a long-term vision.  We also haven't seen a gm raise our floor via shrewd FA signings that fit within the budget and prove useful (see Renfroe, Urshela, Moore, Drury, etc.).

You will have to share with me where we've seen those things time and time again.  I just can't recall.

 This team was never going to be a 1st-placed team regardless of who on this earth was anointed gm.  Even with the positive moves/additions, it's still got a ways to go.  But that gap has diminished and the young players have gotten me excited.  And I see the cavalry coming (I.e. young players not too far away who are going to impact the club in a positive way).  

At long last, I see a true organizational approach with an eye for talent.  That's the long and short of my original post.  I think Perry has a clue and it's refreshing.  No one needs to agree, just my opinion.

 

 

[AngelsFaninGA]

32 minutes ago, Wisconsin27 said:

I respectfully disagree.  I'd argue we haven't seen a gm work within Arte's constraints and manage to fill holes to improve our team.  We also haven't witnessed a gm who has "hit" on such a high number of high-end picks as Perry.  We also haven't seen those very picks demonstrate the ability to be fast-tracked with success.  We also haven't seen the wherewithal of a gm to lay off high-priced stop-gap measures (i.e. this year's SS FA market or bullpen options) in favor of a long-term vision.  We also haven't seen a gm raise our floor via shrewd FA signings that fit within the budget and prove useful (see Renfroe, Urshela, Moore, Drury, etc.).

 

 

And yet, they're still a .500 team. Other teams do fewer things well and win more games. 

[REDneck]

39 minutes ago, Wisconsin27 said:

I respectfully disagree.  I'd argue we haven't seen a gm work within Arte's constraints and manage to fill holes to improve our team.  We also haven't witnessed a gm who has "hit" on such a high number of high-end picks as Perry.  We also haven't seen those very picks demonstrate the ability to be fast-tracked with success.  We also haven't seen the wherewithal of a gm to lay off high-priced stop-gap measures (i.e. this year's SS FA market or bullpen options) in favor of a long-term vision.  We also haven't seen a gm raise our floor via shrewd FA signings that fit within the budget and prove useful (see Renfroe, Urshela, Moore, Drury, etc.).

You will have to share with me where we've seen those things time and time again.  I just can't recall.

 This team was never going to be a 1st-placed team regardless of who on this earth was anointed gm.  Even with the positive moves/additions, it's still got a ways to go.  But that gap has diminished and the young players have gotten me excited.  And I see the cavalry coming (I.e. young players not too far away who are going to impact the club in a positive way).  

At long last, I see a true organizational approach with an eye for talent.  That's the long and short of my original post.  I think Perry has a clue and it's refreshing.  No one needs to agree, just my opinion.

 

 

When do you think all of this will produce quality baseball and wins?

[Wisconsin27]

I'm not sure I understand the question.  Looking at our roster, when do you?

[AngelFanInTheATL]

13 hours ago, Jay said:

Funny how some people fall in love with the GM. We've seen this time and time again.

I don't disagree with the OP but it's hard to get overly excited about a 3rd-place team.

 

Yep.  I remember Eppler's first year.  People here calling him "Eppy" like they were his best friend and developing man crushes on him.

So weird.