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ANAHEIM — On the surface, there is a trendy undertone to the Angels’ announcement of Ron Washington as their new manager. Look at the last three World Series champions.
Bruce Bochy, 68, just guided the Texas Rangers to a championship in his first season on the bench.
Dusty Baker was 73 when he won his first World Series with the Houston Astros last year.
Brian Snitker was 66 when he won his first World Series with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
In that context, age looks like a principal reason behind the hire of Washington, 71. And maybe a few gray hairs didn’t hurt his chances.
What helped more was something I overheard one Angels staffer tell another as they left Washington’s introductory press conference on Wednesday afternoon: “I’m ready to run through a wall right now.” Even the sound of Washington speaking in generalities for a few minutes about his vision for the Angels was someone’s perfect hit of energy on a rainy autumn morning, stronger than a dark cup of coffee.
A commanding presence isn’t the only merit for judging a manager, but it’s taken on a larger part of the job as the years have passed. In 2016, for instance, then-Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Manager Mike Scioscia had a seat in the “office of the general manager.”
Now?
Distilling volumes of qualitative and quantitative data to players will be left to the Angels’ coaches, Washington said. (“If there’s some confusion on how it’s being delivered, I’m going to get up there and break that tie,” he said.) Most pregame duties will fall to the coaches too, but Washington said he’ll hit ground balls to the Angels’ infielders, just as he did as a coach in Oakland and Atlanta.
But he acknowledged the job has changed since the last time he managed a game for the Texas Rangers, in 2014.
“What I’ve seen out there is a lot of managers that – them and their organization – have already scripted how the game is going to go,” he said. “And they don’t seem to get off that script. I’m just going to watch the game from the first pitch. Me, my bench coach and my pitching coach, we’re going to put our experience together and from watching the game from the first pitch we’re going to take the information that we have and apply it that way.
“I’m going to write the lineup. I can tell you that now. I’m writing the lineup. I’m writing the lineup.”
That’s the luxury of experience: if your way of doing things worked once, you get the chance to try them again – even if it cuts against the grain of contemporary thinking. The Rangers reached the World Series twice in eight seasons under Washington, who resigned with a .521 regular-season winning percentage.
There is still, of course, a generation gap between Washington and the players, most of whom are less than half his age. That was not an obstacle for Bochy or Baker or Snitker. Washington, who has stayed connected to the game as a coach, should be fine. The ability to connect to your fellow man washes over a variety of differences. Even Angels GM Perry Minasian, at 43, is young enough to be Washington’s son.
What can a manager do to change the direction of a franchise that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2014?
“It’s creating an atmosphere that, when you walk in the building, you feel it,” Minasian said. “There’s a sense of urgency that I think is really, really important to have day in and day out. There’s a sense of responsibility, an expectation. Everybody knows where they stand. Those are all things Wash will bring to the table and enhance our club in that area.”
Perhaps those things were lacking in an era when Phil Nevin managed under an interim tag in Year 1, and had his contract extended by a year as a result of owner Arte Moreno exploring a possible sale. Washington will have more job security: a two-year contract, with an option for a third.
Washington’s main challenge will be to demonstrate what worked in Texas from 2007-14 can work now. Bobby Valentine once managed the Rangers at 35 years old, younger than some of his players, and the Boston Red Sox at age 62. The change in eras was stark, he said.
“Obviously players receive information differently today and they, most of them, see things and teach themselves what they’re trying to learn from what they’re seeing because they can see it again and again and again,” Valentine said. “Now, because you can see it, the coaching aspect is so much more about what the player’s feeling, as opposed to what he is doing.”
Valentine, now an analyst on the Angels’ regional sports network, believes Washington’s disposition is one that can adapt to the times.
“He was always a giver,” Valentine said. “Some players, when you’re playing, you lock yourself in your little cocoon and it’s all about you. You really have trouble seeing other things because you’re so involved with yourself. He was willing to give stuff rather than receive it. He would be giving to the teammates, and when he coaches … this guy, he’s a coach at heart because coaches don’t get. They always give.”
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ANAHEIM — On the day when he was introduced as a major league manager for the second time, Ron Washington referred back to the situation he inherited the first time.
When the Texas Rangers hired Washington before the 2007 season, the Angels were, in Washington’s words, “the big dog” in the American League West, coming off a World Series title in 2002 and division titles in 2004 and 2005.
“And what happened?” Washington said with a grin. “We ran them down.”
Washington’s Rangers won the division in 2010 and 2011, each time going to the World Series. Now, his mission is to take the Angels on a similar path, overcoming the teams that won the last two World Series, the Rangers and the Houston Astros.
“Once we get things together and we get these guys together in spring training and start to work, our whole focus is going to be to run the West down,” said Washington, who replaces Phil Nevin, who wasn’t re-signed after the Angels completed their eighth consecutive losing year and their ninth straight non-playoff season. “And you can take that to the bank and deposit it.”
That drew rousing applause from the Angels employees in the room and certainly from many fans watching the televised introduction.
It had been a week since the Angels announced that they hired the 71-year-old Washington to be their next manager, but Wednesday was the first day for Washington to talk publicly about the job or for General Manager Perry Minasian to explain why he made the choice he did.
One of the reasons, Minasian said, was just the sort of energy and enthusiasm that Washington demonstrated with his “take that to the bank” proclamation.
Minasian has known Washington since the Rangers hired him in 2007, when Minasian was working as an advance scout and manager assistant. They were together again from 2018-20 with the Atlanta Braves, with Minasian working as an assistant GM and Washington as the third base coach.
Minasian said he was comfortable with the due diligence the Angels performed on Washington’s background. Washington admitted in 2010 that he failed a 2009 drug test for cocaine, and he resigned from the Rangers to address an “off-the-field personal matter” in September 2014.
Those issues aside, Washington is widely respected throughout the game.
“I’ve gotten numerous calls already from people that have played for him or people that know him, not only excited for him and his opportunity but wouldn’t mind joining the party over here,” Minasian said.
Minasian, who inked Washington to a two-year contract with an option, has compared the manager/GM relationship to a marriage, requiring constant communication and collaboration. He said Washington was the right man to deal with those above him and the players below him.
“Nobody has more respect from players than Ron Washington, and I think you’ve just experienced it,” Minasian said after Washington got the crowd worked up during his introductory remarks. “When he talks, people listen. He’s got a way of connecting and giving people confidence. And I think he’s gonna get the most out of our group. I’m really excited to work with him and somebody I’m going to learn from.”
Washington is inheriting an Angels team that has had a losing record for each of the last eight years, including a 73-89 record in 2023.
“I see potential, but I also see guys that have to make certain that baseball is their priority,” Washington said.
Asked to elaborate on that point, he said he wasn’t suggesting “that guys are not doing what they’re supposed to do,” but that he simply wanted to make sure everyone’s “commitment, attitude and effort” are positive.
“We’re not going to talk about it,” Washington said. “It’s nothing we’re going to be preaching for the outside world to hear. We’re gonna be preaching it for the guys inside the clubhouse to hear. Then we’re going to go out there in a belief that we’re going to create, and we’re going to turn it into action. There’s no doubt about that. I’ve always been a part of winning. I don’t know anything else but winning. And we just got to get the attitude and the commitment and the effort going in the right direction.”
Washington also said he plans to talk to center fielder Mike Trout and third baseman Anthony Rendon immediately. The two star players have each endured disappointing seasons lately, mostly because of injuries.
“Those are the two huge leaders here,” Washington said. “And I do want them to lead. They won’t be able to lead by themselves but I want them to take the lead because all the younger players we’ve got around here look up to those guys. I want them to lead.”
As for those young players, Washington said in his initial assessment of the team he’s mostly focused on the pitchers.
“I’m watching the pitching right now,” Washington said, “trying to get a pitching coach in here that I think can escalate these guys’ growth.”
The pitchers figure to benefit from improved defense, and Washington called himself “the best in the business” when it comes to defense.
“That’s not patting myself on the back,” he said. “That’s a fact.”
Washington said he would continue to get involved with instructing players, which is necessary because players reach the big leagues so quickly these days. He said he would not interfere with new infield coach Ryan Goins, who will be in his first coaching job after spending parts of eight seasons as a big league player.
The only other coaching position that’s settled is third base coach Eric Young Jr. Washington confirmed that he’s selected Bo Porter as his first base coach, but the Angels haven’t made that hiring official yet.
Washington also said that he doesn’t foresee any issues in working with the front office. It’s well established that all major league teams now have analytics groups that provide daily guidance for how to run the team.
Although Washington definitively said “I am writing the lineup, I can tell you that right now,” he said he would welcome input from the front office.
“We’re not going to have an antagonistic relationship,” Washington said. “I believe in conversations. I have no problem with any information that they bring down to us. And if I do have a problem with it, we’re gonna close the door and we’re gonna talk about it. We’re not going to have an antagonistic relationship. I guarantee you that.”
Relief pitcher usage is one of the most common ways in which front offices typically come up with a pregame plan.
“I’ve seen out there, a lot of managers and their organizations have already scripted how the game is going to go and don’t seem to get off that script,” Washington said. “I’m just gonna watch the game, from the first pitch. And me and my bench coach and my pitching coach, we’re gonna put our experience together, and from watching the game from the first pitch, we’re going to take the information that we have, and we’re gonna apply it that way.”
Officially offical.@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/rLa0cwzYMT
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/bCerdBqQoY— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
It's 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/lV43Cci4J4
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙧, Ron Washington of the Los Angeles @Angels#GoHalos pic.twitter.com/Fmt4aCyIfl
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
"It's time to go!" @MickeyMoniak is excited to have Wash as his new Manager@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/NfWL6QBOI0
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
Wash already giving us those
Wash-isms@Angels | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/obMhDg0isf— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
New @Angels Manager, Ron Washington is here to make a difference. #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/aQuGoXvogB
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) November 15, 2023
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One of the Angels biggest needs this offseason, aside from a few pitching stars up top, always seems to revolve around a lack of strong talent behind the incumbent starters and superstars. It’s hard to sustain any type of run towards success when the supporting cast behind our frontlines is more often than not “less than replacement level”. Last year saw a slight change of pace as a support squad of O'Hoppe/Neto/Schanuel grew as frontline leaders, yet now behind them appears yet another thin picking of questionable prospects. Competing in 2024 would be nice and I’m sure fans would love to see an immediate run towards success, yet without truly accepting the lack of roster wide depth and firmly addressing it next year will be nothing but a repeat of the last season, and the season before, and so on. We all agree the Angels need to do something different, something more than the cycle of free agent signings and trade packages leaving Anaheim in order to roll the dice on the productivity of inconsistent veterans. Too long have the Angels shyed away from trading their own big league pieces for prospect packages and develop their own cycle of youth infusion. The lack of initiative in taking advantage of trade values over the last few years is one of the biggest culprits in this perpetuating cycle of failure, but with the Angels roster already so paper thin how exactly can they open up their trade options without tearing it all down?
Recent hot stove news has the Marlins leaving prospective first baseman and corner outfielder Troy Johnston unprotected for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. They 26 year old lefty swinger profiles as a talented power hitter who just finished his 2023 season at Triple A with a 51 game stint that saw him collect 22 XBH's on a .923 OPS. Much like Mickey Moniak, though with a game that is naturally more level spread and consistent, Johnston’s potential puts himself in line for a possible breakout season should he get claimed and featured in a Major League outfield. Overall his 600 PAs across both Double A and Triple A in 2023 amounted to a season total 26 HRs with 116 RBIs, 62 BBs/108Ks with an OPS of .948 while scoring 102 runs and stealing 24 bases (2 caught stealing). It doesn't take much to see the value in a hitter who can bring runs around while also putting himself in position to score at a high clip. A deeper dive into his peripherals takes us into some mind blowing territory; his 125 PA’s in 2 Out RISP situations has him mashing an 1.022 OPS. His splits are as even as it gets as RHP have him at .314/.406/.557 on 17 HRs (432 PAs) while LHP see him swing .288/.381/.527 with 9 HR in 168 PAs. His ability to see either handed pitchers on a relatively even basis can bring a much needed consistency to a roster that struggles to employ such qualities across the roster. One of the Angels biggest offensive struggles stemmed from an inability to make meaningful contact in high leverage situations, yet Johnston has the apparent ability to step up in hot situation. Could that simply be a fluke minor league run, or perhaps the indication of a gritty, hard nosed man in the box? There are few guys better for injecting culture into a clubhouse than the ones who step up in the grittiest of moments and often they make the best role models for those who struggle to do the same. Of course this is prefaced with a lot of "what-ifs", yet the potential ceiling Johnston has is enough to make one seriously ponder.
Just off of these stats it seems like a no brainer claim on the Angels end given the lack of outfield depth behind Moniak, unless you count Rengifo. Defensively Johnston has not played the corner outfield since 2022, yet his 93.2 innings in LF that season saw him manage a perfect fielding percentage alongside enough positive peripherals to encourage a potential transition of said skills to the Majors. Especially when you consider the outfield specialties of Angels new 3B coach Eric Young Sr and the support he will bring to developing athletes. It seems like a lot of work to transition a 1B/DH guy a year removed from slight Minor League outfield reps into MLB form, and while it is quite the task this does not come without reward for the effort. The Angels biggest hump that keeps them from truly progressing into sustained competency is the lack of initiative in occasionally offloading big league talent for prospect packages. The Angels cannot continue to clutch their pearls over their own valuable players until said player loses all value and sees release (for nothing) either through Free Agency or waivers. All good clubs utilize every avenue of improvement regardless if it means trading a big league piece or two to ensure youth is constantly cycled into the organization. The Angels do not do that, only within the last couple of seasons have the Angels prioritized infusing youth talent across the roster and we've quickly seen the effects it can have on a roster. That lackadaisical, no initiative attitude has to end now if the Angels are going to compete in the near future, this penultimate first step requiring the trades of at least one of Ward, Drury, or Estevez. You don't have to trade all three, but even just two of them (Ward/Estevez) would bring a worthwhile haul back to Anaheim. This is not an opportunity to be scoffed at, again especially for a franchise hard up on avenues towards improvement. A Troy Johnston claim would more than free up Ward for trade consideration, but at the end of the day it doesn't have to be Johnston. It can very much be a Bellinger on a big time contract or any other free agent outfielder, but if the Angels are looking to do it cheap while maximizing ceiling potential this would be the way.
Troy Johnston can give the Angels what they need most and provide options where little to none exist. Much of this conjecture relies on the Angels missing out on Ohtani and committing to a reload (we all know Moreno doesn’t rebuild), but should the Angels take the path of the reload a Ward trade would be the easiest to stomach. It would probably be more feasible to sign Bellinger and go with a more proven starting commodity in event you ship off Ward, but if the Angels want to allocate those dollars towards young pitching talent on the market (Yamamoto) they'll have to go cheaper than Bellinger. Johnston could potentially be a massive pickup for a team looking to take a chance on high ceiling prospect talent and with the luck the Angels have had flipping other teams top prospects into MLB talent (Moniak/O'Hoppe) perhaps it would be advisable to continue the trends that have brought the few bright spots the Angels currently have. Rather than build from the top down through expensive contracts the Angels should continue to build from the bottom up by taking furthered chances on top ranked prospects. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it as they say, and though much of Anaheim is in tatters the one quality that worked in their favor was their trust in young prospect talent and should they continue to trust the highly talented baby boom coming into the modern baseball landscape they will find suitable reward awaiting at the end of a long season.
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By Ryan Falla, AngelsWin.com Contributor
The Angels are currently hard up for quality talent in many spots across the roster heading into 2024, yet one place that needs little reinforcement is their current infield situation. With a talent stream featuring the likes of Nolan Schanuel, Brandon Drury, Zach Neto, Anthony Rendon, and Luis Rengifo there is clearly little room for addition in this tightly packed, talented infield. Yet recent offseason stove burnings have the Angels smouldering with interest in former White Sox infielder Tim Anderson, an athlete once known for his league best contact abilities who now stands at the crossroads as the light begins to dim on his career. His beleaguered bat, coupled with known character issues, and a league worst glove at shortstop, make a Tim Anderson partnership seem rather questionable for the Halos.
However, when you break down the minutiae of the Angels present paths going forward there is little to indicate the organization has many, if any options at all, in improving current roster conditions. Digging deeper into the potential benefits and consequences of a Tim Anderson signing points towards the Angels potentially receiving the greatest asset in which they currently have little of, that asset being versatility in roster construction opportunities as they plunge headfirst into the long winter off-season.
First we must evaluate the strength of an Anderson signing on it’s own accord. The former All Star once swung a league best bat back in 2019 as he produced an MLB best batting average of .335 with flashes of power promise that saw the young star collect 32 doubles with 81 runs scored, though his 18 HR’s would be an underachievement as he hit 20 the year before while swinging just .240. Tim Anderson, at his best, showcased a world of promise, though even then the cracks were already present in the league leading 26 year old. Though he managed a .335 average his OBP sat at .357, which to be fair is a nice OBP for most athletes, though when you’re swinging .335 to begin with it becomes clear there is something there that is not quite sustainable. Aside from his contact prowess Tim Anderson was not getting on base in any significant manner. You don’t have to look far to make sense of this aberration, through 518 PAs in 2019 Anderson managed just 15 walks, a mark so overwhelming egregious it is almost commendable in its absurdity. This of course was paired with 109 strikeouts on the year, setting the tone for unsustainability going forward. Though Anderson would maintain his productivity the next few seasons (hitting over .300 from 2020-2022) this all came crashing down come in 2023. Last year saw Anderson struggle immensely as he lost every conceivable offensive tool in his belt; his slash of .245/.286/.296 paints the entire picture clearly enough without need for advanced peripherals or linguistic athletics. Though he would state injury as a factor in his lost season (a torn hand ligament limited his 2022 to 79 games while an MCL injury stole time in 2023) this was only the tip of the iceberg in burgeoning concerns.
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"I had an MCL injury[...] that kind of messed with me hitting. I kind of was not really hitting up against anything on the front side. I'm really not trying to make that excuse. This year has been a lot of searching. The body is working a lot differently, especially coming off injury. I could never grab hold to what I was searching for." -Tim Anderson (quote by Scott Merkin @ MLB.com)
There are a few factors regarding the massive drop off in 2023, injury being a large one, yet even outside of his IL woes Anderson's BB/K rate alongside certain batted ball factors had his production primed for a leveling off. Aside from having the 4th worst walk rate in the Majors at 3.7% (through 2019-2022) Tim Anderson also ranked in the bottom of the league with the 10th worst GB% as 53% of his batted balls registered as ground balls. It’s hard to say Tim Anderson benefitted from luck through an entire four year span, though a hitter who profiles as a high groundball, low walk, high strikeout type would not be due for as much offensive success as Anderson saw were it not due to outlying factors such as luck.Defensively Tim Anderson was one of the worst shortstops across the Majors through this span; overall he ranked 4th in errors among qualified shortstops (54 errors), was bottom 4 in assists (906), bottom 10 in putouts (498), while ultimately registering the 6th worst Defensive Runs Saved total of -8 DRS. Speaking on peripherals there is little to love about Anderson; can’t walk, strikes out far too often, doesn’t lift the ball, has no range, no arm, and generally no defensive touch. So what exactly is there to gain from a Tim Anderson signing for the Angels?
The true quality of such a move comes through opening up the Angels ability to sell either Brandon Drury or Luis Rengifo on the trade market without facing massive consequence (i.e fielding less than replacement level Minor Leaguers all year). Brandon Drury was one of the MLBs best offensive second baseman as noted by his 7th best wRC+ of 114 thanks to a consistent, hard hitting approach at the plate. Drury ranked as the MLBs best 2nd baseman when it came to HR/FB ratio as 19.1% of his flyballs went yard in 2023, a value that would be rather easy to play up on trade market. Overall Drury's .262/.306/.497 slash with 26 HRs and 83 RBIs would mesh well on any contender light on consistent and quality 2B AB's (Los Angeles Dodgers?). On the other hand you have Luis Rengifo, who may not command as much up front value as Drury, though his years of team control (under team control through 2026) alongside his super-super-utility ability to play six positions across the outfield and infield combined would mesh well on a contending team looking for quality support behind their starters. Rengifo’s offensive ability carries a surprising ceiling as the last three months of the 2023 season saw him bat well over .300 each month as he finished the year slashing .262/.339/.444 with 16 HRs and 51 RBIs alongside 41 BBs to 82 Ks. Of course there is an inconsistency to consider with his bat as his first three months saw him hit .200, .197, .209 respectively, though with 12 of his 16 HRs coming in the final three months there is plenty of room to negotiate his offensive value in trade talks. The real question to consider is not who would get the most value back, but which trade would put the Angels in the least vulnerable position in 2024?
Tim Anderson cannot play defense whatsoever and should not be expected too, making it difficult to see the team sending off a glove who can play all across the infield and outfield in favor of fielding two incumbent second baseman. Zach Neto covers shortstop with exceptional ability, meaning Anderson would only see SS AB's on Neto’s days off or in emergency situations. Realistically you cannot account for many outings at shortstop for Anderson, and if Rengifo is traded over Drury then you really are selling Anderson short because he will get almost zero time at 2B with Drury and Neto healthy. Drury can work some days at 1B when Schanuel needs time off, though it would not be nearly enough time to open the AB's needed at 2B to justify Tim Anderson. This leaves Anderson playing as utility man behind Drury and Neto, yet with defense so egregiously awful and a bat no better than Rengifo's there is less than no benefit to utilizing Anderson as a utility option. Especially considering Anderson would likely make more money than Rengifo, who made 2 million through 2023 and is currently set for arbitration this offseason. At what point can you truly justify signing Anderson as a utility option? The only reasonable solution would be to trade Drury and employ Anderson as an everyday 2B, leaving Rengifo to do what he does best and cover whatever is most in need on any given day, which is an incredibly valuable asset that Angel fans should not discount. There is also argument that Anderson could be signed without a trade as a stash in case of injury, but this in itself would require either an option on Neto or Schanuel or a DFA of Rendon or Rengifo, and with Tim Andersons inability to play third there is little logic in DFA'ing Rendon or Rengifo. There is no logical path towards an Anderson signing without a following trade.
There is some chance he could bounce back and achieve a glimmer of his former star under Ron Washington, though that is not to be heavily considered when you evaluate the true value of an Anderson signing. Acquiring the former favorite son of the White Sox would signal a new era in Anaheim, not one where the team excels under the power of his revived productivity, but one where the organization takes a realistic stance on their internal ability and values going forward and subsequently engage in the unglamourous decision making process that ensures long term success. Is this the longwinded way of saying a Tim Anderson signing signals a rebuild in Anaheim? Somewhat. A Tim Anderson acquisition gives the Angels options where they had little before, and for this beleaguered organization any step forward, no matter how insignificant, brings fans closer to seeing the favorable days shine down on Anaheim once more.
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The Angels have hired Eric Young Sr. as their new third base coach and Ryan Goins as their new infield coach, confirming assignments that had leaked out since Ron Washington was hired as manager last week.
Although there have been other names connected to jobs on Washington’s staff, nothing is official yet.
The Angels are set to introduce Washington at a press conference on Wednesday morning at Angel Stadium.
Young has been the Atlanta Braves first base coach since 2018, arriving one season after the Braves hired Washington as their third base coach.
Young previously had stints as a first base coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. His 15-year playing career ended in 2006. Young played for seven teams, including five years with the Rockies and four with the Dodgers.
Goins accepted his first coaching job after retiring earlier this offseason. He spent parts of eight years in the majors, including five with the Toronto Blue Jays. He last appeared in the majors in 2020. He was in the Braves farm system in 2021 and 2022.
Torii Hunter is among those who have been connected to other coaching positions under Washington, but he told the Foul Territory podcast last week that he is not going to be the Angels first base coach. Hunter confirmed that he interviewed for the manager job.
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Shohei Ohtani, who led the American League in home runs despite missing the final month of the season for the Angels, won the Silver Slugger at designated hitter for the second time in three years.
Ohtani hit 44 homers in 135 games, before suffering an oblique injury that cost him the final four weeks of the season. Ohtani also led the league with a .412 on-base percentage and he led the majors with a .654 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.066. His batting average was .304.
Ohtani, who is a free agent, is expected to win the AL MVP Award when it’s announced next Thursday.
In 2021, Ohtani also won the MVP and the Silver Slugger.
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Jim Alexander: With Ron Washington’s hiring as Angels manager Wednesday, lots of us – myself included – were reminded of the scene in the movie “Moneyball,” where the Billy Beane character (played by Brad Pitt) and Washington (played by Brent Jennings) were in the living room of free-agent catcher Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt), trying to convince him that he should sign with the A’s and convert to playing first base. Hatteberg was dubious, as the script goes, and Beane prodded Washington, sitting next to him on the couch, saying, “Tell him it’s not hard.”
Washington’s response: “It’s incredibly hard.”
Lots of social media memes were repeating that line Wednesday afternoon, and while it’s been noted that the conversation didn’t exactly happen that way, that line is probably an accurate description of what Washington’s going to be getting into in Anaheim.
Everybody in baseball seems thrilled for him and optimistic that his infectious spirit and ability to teach will benefit the Angels, and particularly some of their young middle infielders. He’s 71, and while that will raise some eyebrows, I’m the last person who’s going to rag on someone’s age.
But … it’s still the Angels, still Arte Moreno’s organization, still a chaotic mess in so many ways. I think it’s a Sisyphean task. Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon and Phil Nevin all tried to push that boulder up the hill only to have it crush them on the way back down. (Plus, not only does GM Perry Minasian not have a president of baseball operations above him to help/guide him, but his assistant GM Alex Tamin left the club earlier this fall. Who knows when, if or how that position will be filled.)
Yeah, incredibly hard is a good description.
Mirjam Swanson: Well said.
Washington has a reputation as a teacher and someone who can really cultivate and develop young talent – which is exciting if you’re into that kind of thing, and likely a sign of what the Angels intend to prioritize going forward, post-Shohei Ohtani. I think it could be good, actually. (What that might mean for Mike Trout, though, I’m not sure…)
It’s heartening to see baseball people all celebrating the hire; from fans to former players, everyone loves Washington. Adding someone like him to the organization ought to give the Angels a lift – but, as you point out, it’s the Angels. And the weight of all their failures tends inevitably to be crushing, as you noted, even for someone with a personality as buoyant as Washington’s. So I don’t have great expectations.
But the guy loves baseball, he’s a lifer, and the Angels’ young players will be better for having played for him – whether that adds up to wins in the short term, well, we’ll see. (I also like that he’s bringing aboard Chili Davis as a hitting coach, because Chili was my favorite player as a kid.)
Jim: If he can bottle and bring with him any of what has made the Braves excellent, who knows what might happen?
Next topic: Should we be thinking of USC as a basketball school? I know, that’s extreme, but the Trojans’ two highly regarded freshmen made their debuts this week in Las Vegas, and both demonstrated they’re ready for the bright lights. Our Luca Evans wrote about Isiah Collier’s debut the other night against Kansas State, when in Luca’s description he “attacked his first game in cardinal-and-gold without a shred of passivity” en route to an 18-point, six-assist night.
Meanwhile, JuJu Watkins lit up future conference foe Ohio State for 32 points and five assists in her debut, and while I must confess I wasn’t riveted to that game since it was an afternoon game, and I was busy multitasking (writing some, watching some), every time I looked up JuJu was doing something guaranteed to get your attention. USC’s women’s program has had some legends pass through – my all-time list remains Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper and Tina Thompson, in that order – and it may seem kind of early to say it, but JuJu will be somewhere on that list before she’s through.
And it’s worth noting: USC, under Lindsay Gottlieb, and UCLA, under Cori Close, could be battling for the final women’s basketball championship of the Pac-12 as we know it. The Bruins are awfully good, too, No. 4 in the country coming in, and Lauren Betts – a 6-7 transfer from Stanford, who scored 20 points with seven rebounds and two blocks against Purdue on Monday night – might just be their missing piece. Worth noting: The Bruins and Trojans play each other Jan. 27 at Galen Center and Feb. 24 at Pauley Pavilion.
Mirjam: We might have to play a game of H.O.R.S.E. to see who covers that one!
Because it’s absolutely not premature to say that Watkins is going to wind up among the pantheon of USC women’s basketball greats.
Tarek Fattal encouraged me to get out and watch her play last season at Sierra Canyon, and I’m so glad I did. What a pleasure that was, because she’s one of those great athletes whose presence is just felt in the gym.
I mean, yeah, she was Gatorade National Player of the Year, she’s been hooping with the age group national teams, all that. But you know someone is special when you see the family of a referee, a woman who’s reffed for decades, trying to snap a photo when she and Watkins would be near enough to each other they’d be in the same frame. That’s the kind of potentially generational talent we’re talking about – and at a time when women’s basketball is gaining steam, judging by the historic ratings for last season’s NCAA tournament (including a peak of 12.6 million for the title game).
What makes Watkins’ story more compelling is that she elected to stay home, in L.A., to build something here. That’s especially significant considering NIL implications, that she might have made more playing in a place that’s an established women’s basketball hotbed – a Connecticut or a South Carolina, say. One of those programs that’s on TV more at this point, that’s got a higher profile. I’m really curious to see if Southern California basketball fans catch on to the JuJu Watkins show. I hope they do.
Jim: This may be a sign of the growth of the women’s game: An AP story a couple of days ago reported that the NCAA acknowledged that the officiating in last April’s championship game between Iowa and LSU was “below expectations.” And that was an understatement in the eyes of most of those who were paying attention. This tells me the bar has been raised, and also that the NCAA is finally taking the women’s game seriously.
Maybe the next thing they’ll do is negotiate a TV contract that accurately reflects its interest and popularity, rather than lumping women’s hoops in with all of the Olympic sports when approaching the networks.
Now … Chip Kelly on the hot seat? I really wasn’t expecting this, given the ennui of his first five seasons at the helm of UCLA football. If declining attendance totals and the sort of listlessness of the program didn’t discourage the school from extending his contract, what would? Similarly, I got the impression most Bruin alumni by this point of a season have been resigned to waiting for basketball season to begin.
The curse of raised expectations, perhaps?
Consider this, too: The Bruins, now 6-3 overall and 3-3 in conference, could find themselves assigned to the L.A. Bowl – the Rob Gronkowski Bowl? – as the No. 7 team in what may be the most competitive conference in America, and if so they may set a record. What other team has ever gone to a bowl game that’s closer to campus than their home stadium? It’s 13 miles from Westwood to SoFi Stadium down the 405 – OK, it’s the 405 parking lot, so what’s your point? – and 36.4 miles (according to Google) from campus to the Rose Bowl.
Would they get per diem for that bowl trip?
Mirjam: I don’t think Chip Kelly is going anywhere anytime too soon. Going into the season, they signed him to an extension through the 2027 season – including upping his salary to $6.1 million this year and next. So, ya know…
I get fans having higher expectations following the Bruins’ success last season with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Zach Charbonnet and Jake Bobo (all now in the NFL) leading the team, but if we’re being real, it was hard to know what to expect this season without that experience and that talent – largely because no one knew how good freshman QB Dante Moore would be, or how good Ethan Garbers could be.
And it turns out, they’ve not been good.
But while UCLA’s offense has sputtered all season – their 28.6 points per game rank ninth in the Pac-12, their 240.9 passing yards per game are eighth in the Pac-12 and the offense’s 17 turnovers are 11th in the Pac-12 – its defense is playing historically well under new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
The Bruins are on pace to set program records in rush defense (70.4 yards per game, second-best in FBS) and sacks per game (3.8, also No. 2 in FBS).
Ironically, across town, it’s the opposite story. Caleb Williams and the Trojans have remained absolute juggernauts, averaging 45.5 points per game – second best in FBS. But USC’s defense, we all know, has hemorrhaged points – including 52 in last week’s loss to Washington at The Coliseum, the most since Lincoln Riley arrived.
If only the teams could take their best pieces and put it together – who’d beat them?!
Jim: Well, If UCLA’s defense and USC’s offense went against the UCLA offense and USC defense, I’d set the point spread at 51.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A younger Andrew Friedman once assessed free agency this way.
“If you’re always rational about every free agent,” the Dodgers president of baseball operations said in 2016, “you will finish third on every free agent.”
If ever there was a winter to get irrational about a free agent, it is this winter with Shohei Ohtani, the most unique player in MLB history, available on the open market.
Attendees at this week’s GM Meetings in Arizona competed to say as little as possible about the Ohtani Sweepstakes, hiding behind MLB’s prohibition against talking about specific free agents and offering repetitive “No comments” and “I don’t knows” to questions about Ohtani’s market, potential payday and landing spot.
Friedman and Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto were both asked a theoretical question about how difficult it is to set a value for a player as unique as Ohtani. Both declined to answer. When asked if that wasn’t something he would have to do in his capacity running a major-league team, Dipoto responded only, “Presumably,” the parade of non-answers continuing unabated.
MLB’s decision-makers and talent evaluators were willing to acknowledge Ohtani’s existence in only one way – he’s really good at baseball.
“He’s a special player. That’s probably the only way to describe him,” Texas Rangers executive vice president and GM Chris Young said.
“He’s just such a unique talent,” Cleveland Guardians GM Mike Chernoff said.
“He’s as fascinating a talent as we’ve all seen in our generation,” Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.
“He’s a very good baseball player,” Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said.
“There are 30 teams that would love to have him,” Dipoto said.
Only one team can have him – though MLB might want to consider a rule change that would allow Ohtani to hit for one team and pitch for another (when he takes the mound again sometime in 2025).
The Dodgers are the consensus favorites to sign Ohtani, given that standing by prognosticators in the know – and not. DraftKings Sportsbook has them as prohibitive favorites, -110 with the San Francisco Giants next at +550.
“I mean, I think there are things that are put out there. Sometimes they’re true, sometimes they’re not,” Gomes said of the futures betting on Ohtani’s decision. “We don’t really know how to pick and choose and decipher those things so we just try to have a sound process and be prepared for any possible scenarios that do arise.”
The Dodgers check several boxes expected to be on Ohtani’s wish list as he chooses his next employer.
First of all, they have the financial resources to satisfy the massive asking price, expected to be north of the 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension his presumably soon-to-be former teammate Mike Trout got from the Angels in March 2019.
“I’m not sure where any of that is going to land,” Gomes said uncomfortably when asked about the challenges of mega-contracts. “If we have those conversations, we’ll go down that path. But I think we’ve shown that we’ll play in different areas and go after different players. So when it comes about and however the team shapes up, we’ll be able to handle it.”
The Dodgers have actually not been big spenders in free agency since Friedman took over. They came up short in bids for the likes of Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Gerrit Cole and let in-house free agents like Corey Seager, Trea Turner, Yu Darvish and Max Scherzer walk when the bidding for their services went too high.
They have spent to retain players like Mookie Betts (whose 12-year, $365 million contract came after he was acquired from Boston in a February 2020 trade). But their biggest free-agent splurge under Friedman has been Freddie Freeman, who practically fell into their laps for six years and $162 million.
“Our ownership has shown time and time again that we’re going to do things to create as good a team as possible to win this year and moving forward,” Gomes said.
The New York Mets, Yankees, Giants, Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays all have the financial resources as well and varying levels of demonstrated willingness to spend irrationally.
“I think there are a ton of teams that will be interested in these different players and we’ll be right there with those other teams,” Gomes said, still talking in generalities.
The belief is that a primary factor in Ohtani’s ultimate choice will be the opportunity to compete for a championship. For all of their struggles in the postseason, the Dodgers privately puff out their chests, confident no team can offer Ohtani a better chance to win annually for however long his next contract runs.
But that doesn’t take into account the possibility that Ohtani might want to sign with a team that he could lift to the heights – after all, isn’t that part of what lured him to the Angels six years ago?
There is also the possibility that Ohtani might be motivated to sign somewhere where he could be ‘The’ star, not just one of the stars as he would be with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers were also considered one of the favorites to land Ohtani when he first came to MLB. The lack of a DH in the National League at that time scuttled their chances. But now they are positioned to satisfy Ohtani’s two-way brilliance – he can DH for them in 2024 while he rehabs from this year’s elbow surgery then assume a place at the front of their rotation when he’s ready to pitch again. The Dodgers have both state-of-the-art resources to support Ohtani’s rehabilitation and out-of-the-box willingness to accommodate his needs as a two-way player.
“Our goal is to put together the best team that we can,” Friedman said. “Yeah, we definitely have ‘A’ scenarios of how to best get there. It just may not line up for whatever reason, so we have to be prepared to make sure we have a strong enough team to put ourselves in position to legitimately have a real chance of playing in and winning the last game of the season.”
Reminded of his 2016 pronouncement, Friedman was asked if that might require getting irrational about a free agent.
“Defining ‘irrational’ is not necessarily an easy thing to do,” he said.
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The first week of free agency has been a busy one – for managers.
Ron Washington is an Angel. Bob Melvin is a San Francisco Giant. Stephen Vogt is a Cleveland Guardian. Carlos Mendoza is a New York Met. Even one team that already had a manager decided a change was in order. Within a week after the World Series ended, Craig Counsell was a Chicago Cub and David Ross was a free agent too.
Soon, the attention will shift to the players, and the annual game of musical chairs that reshapes the major league landscape every winter. Here are this offseason’s Top 10 free agents, ranked in order of (approximate) demand.
1. Shohei Ohtani
The two-way superstar won’t throw a pitch in 2024 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. How will that impact the unprecedented contract he is likely to receive?
It’s possible Ohtani will sign a short-term “bridge” contract in the range of two to three years, allowing him to re-enter the market as an actual two-way player a couple of years from now. More likely, Ohtani’s next contract will allow him to opt out after, say, Year 3, or allow the team to re-negotiate the deal in light of his recovery.
For comparison’s sake, outfielder Julio Rodriguez last year signed a contract extension with the Seattle Mariners that could pay him up to $470 million over 18 years, but that deal contains a club option after Year 7 – Rodriguez’s age-28 season.
If Ohtani, 29, is able to opt out of his next contract, whichever team gets him this offseason is not necessarily his last MLB employer. We could be looking at another Ohtani Derby a few years down the road.
2. Cody Bellinger
MLB Trade Rumors, a reliable predictor of salary arbitration winnings, pegged Bellinger’s next contract at a mind-boggling 12 years and $264 million. It wasn’t that long ago that the Angels signed Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254 million contract; at the time he was one of the best hitters in baseball and a near-lock to make the Hall of Fame.
Bellinger is neither. Yet, in a shallow market for free agent position players, the versatile 28-year-old could be able to cash in at just the right time.
A reunion with the Dodgers seems unlikely, as they never could coax Bellinger’s bat out of its injury-induced slumber, but a reunion with the suddenly gung-ho Cubs could make a ton of sense.
3. Blake Snell
The likely National League Cy Young Award winner is not an archetypal ace. He practically matched a career high in innings pitched (180) and walks per nine innings (five) with the Padres in 2023, neither a traditional hallmark of excellence.
But if you want a left-handed pitcher with electric stuff who can deliver 20 to 30 starts a season – who doesn’t? – the 30-year-old is your man. A team in need of a front-line starter (like the Angels) could do much worse.
4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
At 25 years old, Yamamoto will arrive from Japan as the youngest free agent on the market. He’ll also arrive with question marks around his height. Listed (perhaps generously) at 5-foot-10, Yamamoto must overcome questions about his durability – particularly after pitching more than 684 innings over the last four NPB seasons.
The right-hander also has a 1.57 ERA over that time. Between his recent performance and his age, some teams might have him higher on their want list than Snell.
5. Jordan Montgomery
On the other end of the height spectrum, 6-6 Jordan Montgomery faces an entirely different question: was his dazzling late-season performance for the eventual champion Texas Rangers (4-2, 2.79 in 11 regular-season starts, 3-1, 2.90 in the postseason) the real deal?
Before this season, Montgomery had been a slightly above-league-average starting pitcher with a slightly below-league-average strikeout rate. It will be a gamble for some team, but Montgomery might also be hitting the market at the right time to cash in on his change-of-scenery success.
6. Josh Hader
He already has the best (only?) free agent hype video of the offseason, and has the market cornered on “impact closers available for only the cost of money.”
With 165 saves over seven seasons, Hader has already reached a point when many high-leverage relievers burn out. Yet his 2023 season in San Diego (33 saves, 1.28 ERA in 61 games) was the best of his career. Not many left-handers are better at mixing a 96-mph fastball with a slider, a well-suited mix for a team looking to make a statement – like the Padres a year ago. He’s the rare reliever who can leverage for a long-term deal.
7. Clayton Kershaw
While some viewed his recent shoulder surgery as a tepid endorsement for his major league future, Kershaw could have delayed the procedure or foregone it altogether. By addressing his health early in the offseason, Kershaw made a statement of intent more powerful than his surprise Instagram announcement.
Now, the question is where does he want to pitch – or, more accurately, spend most of 2024 rehabbing: Los Angeles, Camelback Ranch (the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Arizona), or closer to his Dallas home, with the Texas Rangers? Some believe Kershaw’s expected absence improves the Rangers’ chances; the Dodgers would like their franchise icon to retire where his career began.
8. Aaron Nola
Few pitchers have seen their good work go to waste behind a poor defense more than Nola, who is better than his one All-Star appearance and back-of-the-baseball-card stats would suggest.
Start with his durability: he’s averaged 30 starts and 200 innings in every non-pandemic season since 2018. At 30, he’ll be hard-pressed to continue that into the future, but plenty of teams will put stock in his mighty potential outside of Philadelphia.
9. Eduardo Rodriguez
It’s no surprise Rodriguez opted out of his contract after a bounceback season with the Detroit Tigers (13-9, 3.30 ERA) to take advantage of a relatively weak free agent class. Teams who covet a left-hander and lose out on Snell might quickly pivot to the 30-year-old Venezuelan, who blocked a trade to the Dodgers at last season’s trade deadline.
His decision to block the trade raises the possibility that Rodriguez prefers to remain close to the East Coast. Even the Tigers, who seem to be on the upswing after years in the rebuilding desert, could choose to bring Rodriguez back to anchor a relatively young rotation.
10. Matt Chapman
Chapman struggled at the plate (.240, 17 homers, 108 OPS+) in his only season in Toronto, but still managed to win a Gold Glove at third base – still the best selling point for the Orange County native.
An All-Star and MVP candidate with the Oakland A’s from 2017-22, Chapman might prefer to return to the West Coast, where the Giants (among other teams) could use a steady-fielding third baseman.
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The first week of free agency has been a busy one – for managers.
Ron Washington is an Angel. Bob Melvin is a San Francisco Giant. Stephen Vogt is a Cleveland Guardian. Carlos Mendoza is a New York Met. Even one team that already had a manager decided a change was in order. Within a week after the World Series ended, Craig Counsell was a Chicago Cub and David Ross was a free agent too.
Soon, the attention will shift to the players, and the annual game of musical chairs that reshapes the major league landscape every winter. Here are this offseason’s Top 10 free agents, ranked in order of (approximate) demand.
1. Shohei Ohtani
The two-way superstar won’t throw a pitch in 2024 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. How will that impact the unprecedented contract he is likely to receive?
It’s possible Ohtani will sign a short-term “bridge” contract in the range of two to three years, allowing him to re-enter the market as an actual two-way player a couple of years from now. More likely, Ohtani’s next contract will allow him to opt out after, say, Year 3, or allow the team to re-negotiate the deal in light of his recovery.
For comparison’s sake, outfielder Julio Rodriguez last year signed a contract extension with the Seattle Mariners that could pay him up to $470 million over 18 years, but that deal contains a club option after Year 7 – Rodriguez’s age-28 season.
If Ohtani, 29, is able to opt out of his next contract, whichever team gets him this offseason is not necessarily his last MLB employer. We could be looking at another Ohtani Derby a few years down the road.
2. Cody Bellinger
MLB Trade Rumors, a reliable predictor of salary arbitration winnings, pegged Bellinger’s next contract at a mind-boggling 12 years and $264 million. It wasn’t that long ago that the Angels signed Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254 million contract; at the time he was one of the best hitters in baseball and a near-lock to make the Hall of Fame.
Bellinger is neither. Yet, in a shallow market for free agent position players, the versatile 28-year-old could be able to cash in at just the right time.
A reunion with the Dodgers seems unlikely, as they never could coax Bellinger’s bat out of its injury-induced slumber, but a reunion with the suddenly gung-ho Cubs could make a ton of sense.
3. Blake Snell
The likely National League Cy Young Award winner is not an archetypal ace. He practically matched a career high in innings pitched (180) and walks per nine innings (five) with the Padres in 2023, neither a traditional hallmark of excellence.
But if you want a left-handed pitcher with electric stuff who can deliver 20 to 30 starts a season – who doesn’t? – the 30-year-old is your man. A team in need of a front-line starter (like the Angels) could do much worse.
4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
At 25 years old, Yamamoto will arrive from Japan as the youngest free agent on the market. He’ll also arrive with question marks around his height. Listed (perhaps generously) at 5-foot-10, Yamamoto must overcome questions about his durability – particularly after pitching more than 684 innings over the last four NPB seasons.
The right-hander also has a 1.57 ERA over that time. Between his recent performance and his age, some teams might have him higher on their want list than Snell.
5. Jordan Montgomery
On the other end of the height spectrum, 6-6 Jordan Montgomery faces an entirely different question: was his dazzling late-season performance for the eventual champion Texas Rangers (4-2, 2.79 in 11 regular-season starts, 3-1, 2.90 in the postseason) the real deal?
Before this season, Montgomery had been a slightly above-league-average starting pitcher with a slightly below-league-average strikeout rate. It will be a gamble for some team, but Montgomery might also be hitting the market at the right time to cash in on his change-of-scenery success.
6. Josh Hader
He already has the best (only?) free agent hype video of the offseason, and has the market cornered on “impact closers available for only the cost of money.”
With 165 saves over seven seasons, Hader has already reached a point when many high-leverage relievers burn out. Yet his 2023 season in San Diego (33 saves, 1.28 ERA in 61 games) was the best of his career. Not many left-handers are better at mixing a 96-mph fastball with a slider, a well-suited mix for a team looking to make a statement – like the Padres a year ago. He’s the rare reliever who can leverage for a long-term deal.
7. Clayton Kershaw
While some viewed his recent shoulder surgery as a tepid endorsement for his major league future, Kershaw could have delayed the procedure or foregone it altogether. By addressing his health early in the offseason, Kershaw made a statement of intent more powerful than his surprise Instagram announcement.
Now, the question is where does he want to pitch – or, more accurately, spend most of 2024 rehabbing: Los Angeles, Camelback Ranch (the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Arizona), or closer to his Dallas home, with the Texas Rangers? Some believe Kershaw’s expected absence improves the Rangers’ chances; the Dodgers would like their franchise icon to retire where his career began.
8. Aaron Nola
Few pitchers have seen their good work go to waste behind a poor defense more than Nola, who is better than his one All-Star appearance and back-of-the-baseball-card stats would suggest.
Start with his durability: he’s averaged 30 starts and 200 innings in every non-pandemic season since 2018. At 30, he’ll be hard-pressed to continue that into the future, but plenty of teams will put stock in his mighty potential outside of Philadelphia.
9. Eduardo Rodriguez
It’s no surprise Rodriguez opted out of his contract after a bounceback season with the Detroit Tigers (13-9, 3.30 ERA) to take advantage of a relatively weak free agent class. Teams who covet a left-hander and lose out on Snell might quickly pivot to the 30-year-old Venezuelan, who blocked a trade to the Dodgers at last season’s trade deadline.
His decision to block the trade raises the possibility that Rodriguez prefers to remain close to the East Coast. Even the Tigers, who seem to be on the upswing after years in the rebuilding desert, could choose to bring Rodriguez back to anchor a relatively young rotation.
10. Matt Chapman
Chapman struggled at the plate (.240, 17 homers, 108 OPS+) in his only season in Toronto, but still managed to win a Gold Glove at third base – still the best selling point for the Orange County native.
An All-Star and MVP candidate with the Oakland A’s from 2017-22, Chapman might prefer to return to the West Coast, where the Giants (among other teams) could use a steady-fielding third baseman.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jo Adell has one more chance to show the Angels what he can do.
Adell, who has still not lived up to the potential that once had him considered a top prospect, will be out of options next season. If the Angels don’t have a spot for the outfielder in the majors, he’s likely to be in another organization.
“He knows what’s at stake,” General Manager Perry Minasian said on Wednesday at the GM Meetings. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in the spring.”
Adell has been working out this offseason with longtime major league outfielder Matt Holliday, a six-time All-Star who works for Scott Boras, Adell’s agent.
Adell, 24, hit .207 with a 706 OPS in 17 games last season. He would have gotten an opportunity to play more, but he suffered an oblique injury just after he was recalled to the majors to replace Mike Trout in July.
Defense was considered Adell’s biggest issue a few years ago. He’s improved in the field, but he still has work to do offensively.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed in my career, somebody improve defensively as much as he has over the last three years,” Minasian said. “I think there’s some strides to be made offensively that he knows, that he’s working on as we speak.”
At the moment Adell is likely fourth on the Angels’ outfield depth chart, behind Trout, Taylor Ward and Mickey Moniak.
HOW MANY ARMS?
Minasian made it clear that the Angels will pursue pitching, but he didn’t say how many starters or relievers he feels they need.
The Angels’ top five starting pitchers are Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, Tyler Anderson and Chase Silseth.
“You need more than five,” Minasian said. “You need more than six. You need more than 10. The amount of starting pitchers you need to have a productive year is significant. We’re looking to improve that group if we can. The more the merrier.”
As for the bullpen, the Angels have closer Carlos Estévez and then a group of young pitchers who have yet to establish themselves.
“We have some good young arms in the bullpen,” Minasian said. “With that being said, we’ll look to add more.”
NOTES
Boras said Cody Bellinger is open to playing either outfield or first base, but most of the teams pursuing him are interested in him playing center field. He also said he didn’t believe it was in a player’s best interest to bounce around between different positions because of the risk of injury. Bellinger could be a fit for the Angels in the outfield or at first base. …
Boras said he’s in favor of Arte Moreno continuing to own the Angels. “You want people in the game that are invested in it and in my meetings with Arte, he’s very much into it,” Boras said. “He likes it, likes to talk about the game and sit down and talk to you for four or five hours. So as long as you have passionate owners, and these things aren’t assets and you’re not an absentee owner, then I’m very much for those people being in the game.” …
The Angels depleted their farm system with a series of trades aimed at getting them in the playoffs in 2023, but Minasian said he still believes the organization has assets to move this winter. “We have a lot of desirable players,” Minasian said. “That’s something we’ve done over the last few days, talk to teams and see if we match up. … It’s hard. Making trades is hard. But we do have some pieces that people like.”
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Angels have hired Atlanta Braves third-base coach Ron Washington as their new manager, giving a second opportunity for the former Texas Rangers manager.
Washington, 71, becomes the 20th manager in Angels history. He replaces Phil Nevin, whose option was declined last month.
Washington managed the Rangers from 2007-14, which overlapped with Angels general manager Perry Minasian’s final years working in the Rangers baseball operations department.
The Rangers were 664-611 in Washington’s years, including World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. The Rangers lost both times.
Washington resigned in September 2014, saying in a statement that he wanted to devote his attention to addressing an “off-the-field personal matter.” Washington subsequently said he had been unfaithful to his wife of 42 years.
Washington also failed a test for cocaine while he was managing the Rangers in 2009, subjecting him to more stringent testing thereafter.
News of his failed test broke during spring training in 2010, and Washington admitted making what he said was an isolated mistake.
“Any attempt to try to explain it is going to sound like excuses,” Washington said in 2010. “There is no right way to explain something wrong, and I did wrong. Was it tension? Maybe. Anxiety?’’
After leaving the Rangers, Washington returned the Oakland A’s, who had employed him as a coach prior to his time managing the Rangers. Washington was the A’s third-base coach, and he was widely credited for helping Marcus Semien make dramatic defensive improvement.
The Atlanta Braves hired Washington as their third-base coach in 2017, around the same time Minasian was hired as assistant general manager.
Before beginning his coaching career, Washington spent parts of 10 years as a major-league infielder, mostly with the Minnesota Twins. He last played in 1989 with the Houston Astros.
More to come on this story.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Although Perry Minasian was careful not to provide much information on where he stands in the search for the Angels’ next manager, he did give an indication of what he sees as most important.
The Angels general manager said he’s looking for a manager with a “presence,” who can “command a room.”
“There are certain people that have earned different things,” Minasian said at the GM Meetings on Tuesday. “Whether it be through their coaching style, whether it be through their playing style, but when they walk in the room, you know they’re there. When they speak, people listen. That’s something that we’re trying to identify.”
Minasian used the example of Bruce Bochy, who took over in his first year as manager of the Texas Rangers and changed the atmosphere.
“You see him walk through the door and what he did for that club doesn’t go unnoticed,” Minasian said. “So we’re looking for that type of presence. It’s going to be hard to find, because (Bochy) is one of the best. But we’re pretty excited with who we’ve talked to.”
Minasian, however, wouldn’t go any farther than that. He would not even identify the number of candidates they have interviewed, or give a specific timeline for when he hoped to make a decision. It could happen this week, or maybe not.
“You’d like to have everything in place as soon as possible,” Minasian said. “With that being said, we want to make the right decision. It’s such an important decision that I don’t take lightly. There’s a certain relationship you have with a manager. It’s almost like a marriage. It’s you and the manager and you go through some good times and you go through some tough times. Seasons are up and down. And you have to have somebody with you that you can have conversations with, that can be honest with you.”
Longtime manager Buck Showalter, who was fired last month as the New York Mets manager, is the most often discussed candidate. He has a relationship with Minasian from their days with the Texas Rangers.
Former major league managers Ron Washington and Ron Roenicke have also been reported as candidates, as well as Angels coaches Ray Montgomery and Benji Gil and former Angels players Darin Erstad and Torii Hunter.
Minasian said that the type of presence he’s seeking doesn’t necessarily include previous major league managing experience.
“It’s nice to have experience in anything to a certain extent, but that’s not the end all, be all,” Minasian said. “We’re trying to find the right person. And I think we’ve seen managers have success that hadn’t managed before.”
WHAT ABOUT OHTANI?
Unsurprisingly, Minasian declined to give any specifics about the Angels’ dealings with Shohei Ohtani, who officially became a free agent last week. Minasian said repeatedly that he would not talk about any negotiations with any player.
“He’s a great player,” Minasian said. “I know that there’s going to be a lot of attention on it and I understand why. Great player. We’ll see how the offseason develops. We’ve got our plan, and we’re going to try and execute that plan and see where everything goes.”
The American League general managers were available to the media on Tuesday and the others were equally careful about making any statements about Ohtani.
Presumably, the Ohtani situation could hold up the offseason for teams because of the amount of money he’s likely to get. Minasian said he didn’t think a wait for Ohtani would cause a problem for the Angels, though.
“You don’t base an offseason on one single player,” Minasian said. “You have to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, and so on and so forth. So we’re going to work like we always do. We’re gonna be aggressive. We’re gonna have a lot of conversations and just see where everything goes.”
STAFF CHANGE
After the Angels’ season was derailed by injuries, Minasian said they decided to replace strength and conditioning coaches Matt Tenney and Adam Auer. They are currently looking for their replacements.
Although Minasian said many of the injuries were unavoidable, like utility man Gio Urshela breaking his hip, others might have been preventable.
“We did have a large number of obliques and other things that we feel like there’s a possibility we can address those,” Minasian said. “Maybe warm up a little different, do some things from an activation standpoint before games, do some things after games from a recovery standpoint. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments to see those IL numbers decline.”
NOTES
The Angels still don’t know if they finished above the luxury tax threshold, Minasian said. They placed six players on waivers last August to try to clear enough salary to get under the line, but only five were claimed, leaving them to spend the final month watching every dollar. Minasian said they can still make roster plans without knowing. “I think you have to plan both ways,” he said. …
Minasian said the Angels will welcome back catcher Max Stassi, who is preparing to return to action in 2024 after missing the 2023 season while dealing with his son’s medical challenges. The baby was born three months prematurely in April. “When you have a veteran catcher that can control a pitching staff like he can, that’s huge,” Minasian said. “We were very young there last year.” Rookie Logan O’Hoppe began the season as the starting catcher before he missed four months with an injury. Matt Thaiss and Chad Wallach then handled the duties while O’Hoppe was out. …
Minasian confirmed that pitching coach Matt Wise, hitting coach Marcus Thames and catching coach Drew Butera have all left the organization. Coincidentally, each went to the Chicago White Sox. Minasian said the other coaches have been told that decisions on their roles are “on hold” until they have a manager. …
The Angels brought Dom Chiti back to the organization as one of the minor league pitching coordinators because Minasian said the Angels “needed to change” their minor league pitching program. Minasian said Chiti “has a history of developing young pitching,” including his time with the Atlanta Braves. Minasian said any decisions on the major league pitching program would be made after they have a manager and a new pitching coach.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Although Perry Minasian was careful not to provide much information on where he stands in the search for the Angels’ next manager, he did give an indication of what he sees as most important.
The Angels general manager said he’s looking for a manager with a “presence,” who can “command a room.”
“There are certain people that have earned different things,” Minasian said at the GM Meetings on Tuesday. “Whether it be through their coaching style, whether it be through their playing style, but when they walk in the room, you know they’re there. When they speak, people listen. That’s something that we’re trying to identify.”
Minasian used the example of Bruce Bochy, who took over in his first year as manager of the Texas Rangers and changed the atmosphere.
“You see him walk through the door and what he did for that club doesn’t go unnoticed,” Minasian said. “So we’re looking for that type of presence. It’s going to be hard to find, because (Bochy) is one of the best. But we’re pretty excited with who we’ve talked to.”
Minasian, however, wouldn’t go any farther than that. He would not even identify the number of candidates they have interviewed, or give a specific timeline for when he hoped to make a decision. It could happen this week, or maybe not.
“You’d like to have everything in place as soon as possible,” Minasian said. “With that being said, we want to make the right decision. It’s such an important decision that I don’t take lightly. There’s a certain relationship you have with a manager. It’s almost like a marriage. It’s you and the manager and you go through some good times and you go through some tough times. Seasons are up and down. And you have to have somebody with you that you can have conversations with, that can be honest with you.”
Longtime manager Buck Showalter, who was fired last month as the New York Mets manager, is the most often discussed candidate. He has a relationship with Minasian from their days with the Texas Rangers.
Former major league managers Ron Washington and Ron Roenicke have also been reported as candidates, as well as Angels coaches Ray Montgomery and Benji Gil and former Angels players Darin Erstad and Torii Hunter.
Minasian said that the type of presence he’s seeking doesn’t necessarily include previous major league managing experience.
“It’s nice to have experience in anything to a certain extent, but that’s not the end all, be all,” Minasian said. “We’re trying to find the right person. And I think we’ve seen managers have success that hadn’t managed before.”
WHAT ABOUT OHTANI?
Unsurprisingly, Minasian declined to give any specifics about the Angels’ dealings with Shohei Ohtani, who officially became a free agent last week. Minasian said repeatedly that he would not talk about any negotiations with any player.
“He’s a great player,” Minasian said. “I know that there’s going to be a lot of attention on it and I understand why. Great player. We’ll see how the offseason develops. We’ve got our plan, and we’re going to try and execute that plan and see where everything goes.”
The American League general managers were available to the media on Tuesday and the others were equally careful about making any statements about Ohtani.
Presumably, the Ohtani situation could hold up the offseason for teams because of the amount of money he’s likely to get. Minasian said he didn’t think a wait for Ohtani would cause a problem for the Angels, though.
“You don’t base an offseason on one single player,” Minasian said. “You have to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, and so on and so forth. So we’re going to work like we always do. We’re gonna be aggressive. We’re gonna have a lot of conversations and just see where everything goes.”
STAFF CHANGE
After the Angels’ season was derailed by injuries, Minasian said they decided to replace strength and conditioning coaches Matt Tenney and Adam Auer. They are currently looking for their replacements.
Although Minasian said many of the injuries were unavoidable, like utility man Gio Urshela breaking his hip, others might have been preventable.
“We did have a large number of obliques and other things that we feel like there’s a possibility we can address those,” Minasian said. “Maybe warm up a little different, do some things from an activation standpoint before games, do some things after games from a recovery standpoint. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments to see those IL numbers decline.”
NOTES
The Angels still don’t know if they finished above the luxury tax threshold, Minasian said. They placed six players on waivers last August to try to clear enough salary to get under the line, but only five were claimed, leaving them to spend the final month watching every dollar. Minasian said they can still make roster plans without knowing. “I think you have to plan both ways,” he said. …
Minasian said the Angels will welcome back catcher Max Stassi, who is preparing to return to action in 2024 after missing the 2023 season while dealing with his son’s medical challenges. The baby was born three months prematurely in April. “When you have a veteran catcher that can control a pitching staff like he can, that’s huge,” Minasian said. “We were very young there last year.” Rookie Logan O’Hoppe began the season as the starting catcher before he missed four months with an injury. Matt Thaiss and Chad Wallach then handled the duties while O’Hoppe was out. …
Minasian confirmed that pitching coach Matt Wise, hitting coach Marcus Thames and catching coach Drew Butera have all left the organization. Coincidentally, each went to the Chicago White Sox. Minasian said the other coaches have been told that decisions on their roles are “on hold” until they have a manager. …
The Angels brought Dom Chiti back to the organization as one of the minor league pitching coordinators because Minasian said the Angels “needed to change” their minor league pitching program. Minasian said Chiti “has a history of developing young pitching,” including his time with the Atlanta Braves. Minasian said any decisions on the major league pitching program would be made after they have a manager and a new pitching coach.
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On the day when Shohei Ohtani could officially begin negotiating with all 30 teams, he moved one step closer to another accomplishment with the Angels.
Ohtani was named a finalist for the American League MVP award on Monday. The other two are Texas Rangers teammates Corey Seager and Marcus Semien.
Voting was completed before the start of the postseason. The winner will be announced next Thursday (Nov. 16).
Ohtani is the heavy favorite to win the award for the second time in three years, but this time the honor will come amid one of the most fascinating free agent stories in years.
The Angels have vowed to try to keep Ohtani, but he is going to be wooed by a handful of other teams willing to pay upwards of $500 million to win the services of the two-way star.
Although Ohtani won’t be able to pitch until 2025 after undergoing elbow surgery, he is expected to be ready as a hitter, coming on the heels of arguably the best offensive season in the majors in 2023.
Ohtani hit .304 with a league-leading 44 home runs and a major league-best OPS of 1.066. He led the AL with a .412 on-base percentage and he led the majors with a .654 slugging percentage.
Ohtani played 135 games before his season was cut short by an oblique injury in September.
His season on the mound had ended because of the injury two weeks earlier, but Ohtani still posted a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings over 23 starts. When Ohtani won the MVP in 2021, he posted a 3.18 ERA in 130⅓ innings.
Seager also missed time with an injury, hitting .327 with 33 homers and a 1.013 OPS in 119 games. Semien played all 162 games, hitting .276 with 29 homers and an .826 OPS.
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PHOENIX — The Angels’ offseason is about to shift into high gear.
The Angels have been quietly working behind the scenes while the playoffs were underway for the past month, but with the start of the GM Meetings this week, they can begin more actively tackling a long list of to-do items.
The most important issues, of course, are hiring a manager and beginning the process of trying to retain Shohei Ohtani.
Since the Angels declined the option for Phil Nevin to return as manager, there have been plenty of rumored candidates but the Angels have not confirmed anyone who has been interviewed.
Buck Showalter, who worked with General Manager Perry Minasian when he began his baseball career with the Texas Rangers, has been widely assumed to be one of the top candidates. However, the Angels could have hired him already if he was their No. 1 choice.
Once the Angels have a manager, they’ll have to fill out the coaching staff. Matt Wise has already reportedly left his job as Angels pitching coach to become the bullpen coach for the Chicago White Sox.
As for Ohtani, the Angels will make him a qualifying offer of $20.325 million, and Ohtani will reject it. All of that is a formality, having no bearing on the Angels’ chances of signing him.
The Angels have been able to negotiate with Ohtani throughout the season, but beginning Monday at 2 p.m. PT, Ohtani can negotiate with the other 29 teams.
If Ohtani’s history is any guide, he could make a relatively quick decision in free agency. When he first came to the major leagues in 2017, he began meeting with teams on a Monday and he picked the Angels on Friday.
He agreed to a $30 million arbitration deal in October 2022, about four months before a typical arbitration deal would be reached.
Certainly, the Angels and the other teams that are pursuing Ohtani would love to have his answer as soon as possible because a salary of $40 million to $50 million per year will have an impact on the rest of the roster.
Beyond the Ohtani question, the Angels need a little of everything.
Their current rotation includes Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, Chase Silseth and Tyler Anderson. Without Ohtani in the rotation – even if he re-signs, he can’t pitch until 2025 because he had elbow surgery – the Angels could go with a five-man rotation.
Although each of the five has shown promise in the past couple of years, the Angels could use more depth to cover themselves in case of injuries or poor performance.
The top free agent starters are Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, right-handers Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Marcus Stroman and Sonny Gray and left-hander Blake Snell.
The Angels also need help for a bullpen that is currently just Carlos Estevez, who had a terrible second half, and a cast of unproven young pitchers. Left-hander Josh Hader and right-hander Jordan Hicks are the best relievers available. Typically the free agent reliever market is a crapshoot, with a team just as likely to find quality for $3 million as $10 million.
Among position players, the Angels have a reasonable answer at every position on the field. Like last year, though, they could use some versatility to provide depth wherever they spring a leak. Last year they picked up Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela because both could play multiple positions. This time around, a player like Cody Bellinger or Justin Turner could fit that bill.
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The Angels continued cleaning up their roster for the winter by declining the options for left-hander Aaron Loup and infielder Eduardo Escobar, a couple of expected moves.
The Angels will pay Loup a $2 million buyout instead of his $7.5 million option. Escobar receives a $500,000 buyout instead of a $9 million option.
Loup, 35, posted a 6.10 ERA in 55 games in 2023, finishing his two-year Angels career with a 4.86 ERA. He signed a two-year, $17 million deal prior to the 2022 season.
Escobar, 34, hit .219 with a .563 OPS in 59 games with the Angels.
The Angels also transferred their nine players on the 60-day injured list back to the 40-man roster, which is now at 38. Free agents Shohei Ohtani, C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk, Mike Moustakas and Gio Urshela have also been removed from the roster.
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Jim Alexander: Welcome to the first day of life after baseball. We have a rule in our household that there’s to be no talk of Christmas until the World Series is over – but, of course, I’m the only one who abides by the rule, because everyone else has been chattering about decorations and when family members are arriving in town and so on. Now that the Rangers have won and Corey Seager has another Series MVP trophy, I can at least answer the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” My standard answer: “Uh, I don’t know.”
But the end of the World Series carries another important milestone: First day of free agency. Which means Shohei Ohtani’s next workplace will be the main topic of baseball conversation from now until he signs with someone. The Angels still have exclusive rights to offer a contract from today through Monday, but other teams can begin testing the waters. So let the speculation begin.
And I have a weird feeling – no reason for it, just a premonition – that the team considered to be the favorite to land him won’t. The Dodgers will not meet his price. The rest of the nation looks at Dodgers payrolls and figures this is the team that will break the bank, but when’s the last time they truly did so? Freddie Freeman signed for six years and $162 million before the 2022 season, and that was partly because he was tired of waiting for the Braves to move in negotiations. The Mookie Betts contract – 12 years, $365 million – came on the eve of the 2020 pandemic season and only after he and the team had had a chance to learn about each other.
But consider the free agents of the last few seasons: The Dodgers offered Bryce Harper a short-term deal, which he spurned. They made little attempt to re-sign Manny Machado, which was expected. They let Seager walk (and what a mistake that was). They let Trea Turner walk last fall, and I’m not sure if they made any sort of play at all for Aaron Judge before he re-signed with the Yankees. This team under Andrew Friedman has a track record of kicking the tires but blanching when it gets to the big money offer with high profile free agents. I really don’t see them ponying up for what it would take to sign Ohtani, especially if we’re talking north of $500 million.
Hate to say this, Dodger fans, but my opinion is that there’s a better chance Ohtani winds up in Giants’ orange and black.
Mirjam Swanson: Most Dodgers fans gotta hope you’re wrong.
Because it’s gotta be the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are trying to get over the hump. Ohtani is trying to get over the hump.
The Dodgers need a star who won’t fizzle in the postseason, Ohtani needs a team that’ll get him to the postseason so he can really put on a fireworks display. This is the unique talent who’s been performing with the pressure on since he was a teen, who was the difference-maker in the World Baseball Classic. He’s the dependable star who won’t wilt or spend time thinking about not overthinking.
And while the Giants will put in a bid, as will the Mets and the Red Sox and the Cubs – oh, and the Angels – who possibly could have enjoyed Southern California for so many years and want to leave?
Ohtani’s asking price is going to be sky high, of course, though likely not as high as it would’ve been had he not suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow late last season.
And maybe splurging on Ohtani isn’t the most practical way that a team desperate to improve its pitching can spend its money – though Ohtani could be back on the mound, mowin’ them down in 2025. But as you mentioned, they haven’t really splurged lately. Instead, they’ve effectively cleared payroll space.
Because it’s gotta be Ohtani.
Jim: I’d like to think you’re right. But Friedman and Co. have squandered a lot of goodwill the past two seasons, and I suspect a good portion of the fan base is preparing for the worst – that they fail to get Ohtani and again compensate with a lot of smaller, less expensive moves. At least they don’t have Trevor Bauer’s albatross of a contract any more. That was a mistake, and it was the gift that kept on giving even after they released him in January.
The assumption is that they were making small moves and small signings last winter to clear space for a run at Ohtani. But somebody – and maybe it’s controlling partner Mark Walter – needs to let it be known loud and clear that they’re not going to be outbid. I’m just not sure anyone in the organization is willing to make that hefty a commitment.
OK, next topic. I just saw the post that you re-tweeted – re-X’d? – pleading for a Lakers-Clippers playoff series, finally. The preview Wednesday night was good stuff. But the question still comes down to what kind of impact James Harden will have on the Clips. I know you and I are on opposite sides as to whether this was a good trade or not. Now’s your chance to convince me it was.
Mirjam: OK, here’s what I got: On the court, I think it’ll be – to use Russell Westbrook’s go-to word last night – a “process.”
But I can picture it working. People forget how good the Brooklyn superteam looked until things got super-weird over there (and that was a lot of Kyrie Irving’s doing, after he opted against getting vaccinated and, thereby, playing basketball).
Here’s how The Ringer described Harden’s fit with KD and Kyrie back in 2021: “He’s flourishing as part of a superteam in Brooklyn, averaging 24.2 points per game with career highs in assists (11.7), rebounds (8.2), field-goal percentage (50.0), and 3-point percentage (40.8). He doesn’t have to carry his team on his back anymore. Harden can play within the flow of the Nets’ offense, attacking off the dribble and taking what the defense gives him. He’s one of the most skilled and intelligent players ever. There’s little opponents can do to slow down the former MVP now that he’s playing with so much talent around him.”
I do worry that the Clippers did themselves a disservice by trading away all of their long-armed defenders on the wing – they seemed to miss those guys in the second half against the Lakers. But I have a hunch Harden’s presence will keep the offense moving. We might think of him as a ball dominant dribbler, but put him out there beside Kawhi and Paul George, and he’ll free them up.
But what fascinates me most about the Clippers adding Harden is that for the first time, they’re really, truly interesting. In an L.A. soap opera kind of way.
To be really relevant, they’ll have to win, of course. But there’s winning with a pair of reticent/modest stars like Kawhi and PG, who are great players but not larger-than-life characters. And then there’s winning with Russ and Harden, figures that invite extra scrutiny and attention, that allow for the possibility of combustion, tripwires that’ll appeal to NBA fans who are addicted to the drama. It’s a mix that might actually hook L.A. fans who’ve been conditioned – by decades of the Lakers’ drama during their championship runs – to live for that stuff. For that reason, too, it could be a win for the Clips.
Jim: I’m still skeptical about how it works on the floor. And I’m not the only one. I go back to something else you re-posted, the conversation between Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and one particular point Pierce made: Harden’s accustomed to handling the ball. So is Westbrook.
“Can James Harden play a role?” Pierce asked. “Can you say, ‘James, run, sprint to the corner, spot up?’ … Can you say, ‘cut backdoor, come off the downscreen?”
“He gonna have to,” Garnett said.
“Man, c’mon,” Pierce responded. I don’t often agree with The Truth, but he’s speakin’ it.
Garnett did make the same point you did, sort of: “It’s the Drew (League), slash NBA edition.” The Clippers will now have the attention of not only everyone in the NBA but everyone in L.A. – Clippers fans hoping this experiment is going to work, Lakers fans waiting for the whole thing to implode.
And maybe I’m just of the opinion that sometimes less is more, that too many stars and not enough complimentary players can derail a season. I lived through that first season after Wilt Chamberlain joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor on the Lakers, 1968-69 (and if I’m dating myself, so be it). That was supposed to be the NBA’s first superteam and a guaranteed champion. As we subsequently learned, there was so much turmoil on that team – especially with a coach in Butch van Breda Kolff who absolutely could not handle those dynamics – that in retrospect it was amazing they got to a Game 7 against the Celtics in the Finals.
Sometimes chemistry experiments work. Sometimes they blow up. This will be intriguing, for sure, but I’m not optimistic Ty Lue will still be coach when all is said and done.
Mirjam: So, do you think the Rams’ season is said and done?
They’re 3-5 after Sunday’s 40-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys – and now they don’t know when Matthew Stafford will return from the sprained ligament he sustained in the game.
They could very well be relying on Brett Rypien, who took first-team reps in practice on Wednesday, while Dresser Winn ran the scout team after he was signed to the practice squad.
Stafford has looked really good at times this year, especially when he’s been throwing to rookie sensation Puka Nacua, but the 35-year-old veteran QB likely isn’t the future.
So have they reached the point that they should – as you put it – Crumble for Caleb?
And, considering Caleb Williams is looking a little more like a mere mortal lately, is he still who teams should be crumbling for?
Yes, yes he is. I don’t think the Rams are going to give the appearance of giving up, but I do think Williams will be who he’s projected to be in the NFL – whichever team does crumble for him.
He might be going through a human funk related to the program-wide funk USC is enduring, but he remains the quick-thinking, big, big-armed, athletic prospect that has mesmerized NFL teams.
Maybe he’d do well to not pouting on the sideline when things don’t go his way, but I doubt that changes NFL teams’ perception of him.
But what say you?
Jim: From the Rams’ standpoint, I was a little surprised they didn’t make a deal for at least a more seasoned backup QB – i.e., this year’s version of Baker Mayfield – before Tuesday’s deadline, but maybe this hints at their strategy: Stay the course through the rest of this season, take their lumps and prepare to draft Stafford’s eventual replacement.
Caleb may not be the No. 1 pick, depending on how the rest of this season shakes out, but he still will be top 5 for sure. He’s sort of been dragged into this mess, this USC mixture of karma and hubris that is less about his own performance and more about the way his team is gasping for air with three really tough regular season games left.
The Trojans are 3-point underdogs at home Saturday against Washington, itself No. 5 in the first College Football Playoff rankings but coming off a couple of underwhelming victories the last two weeks. Then they play at Oregon – and the way the Ducks pounded Utah at Salt Lake City last week, that could be ugly. Then they get UCLA at the Coliseum, no gimme for sure.
Theirs is no easy task just to get to the final Pac-12 championship game Dec. 1 in Las Vegas … but then again, it could require multiple tiebreakers to determine which teams play that game.
And as for that quarterback question? Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. would be atop lots of draft lists as well, I would think. This spring’s selection process could feature some tough choices, just like the Justin Herbert/Tua Tagovailoa dilemma in 2020.
Mirjam: Interesting moment here in Southern California, across sports – we’re at a crossroads with Ohtani, the Clippers really (finally) went all in with Harden, and USC is fighting for its season – with ramifications, perhaps, on Caleb Williams’ future … with the Rams, maybe?
As the sports world turns. Glad to be able to Audible about it all.
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Jim Alexander: Welcome to the first day of life after baseball. We have a rule in our household that there’s to be no talk of Christmas until the World Series is over – but, of course, I’m the only one who abides by the rule, because everyone else has been chattering about decorations and when family members are arriving in town and so on. Now that the Rangers have won and Corey Seager has another Series MVP trophy, I can at least answer the question, “What do you want for Christmas?” My standard answer: “Uh, I don’t know.”
But the end of the World Series carries another important milestone: First day of free agency. Which means Shohei Ohtani’s next workplace will be the main topic of baseball conversation from now until he signs with someone. The Angels still have exclusive rights to offer a contract from today through Monday, but other teams can begin testing the waters. So let the speculation begin.
And I have a weird feeling – no reason for it, just a premonition – that the team considered to be the favorite to land him won’t. The Dodgers will not meet his price. The rest of the nation looks at Dodgers payrolls and figures this is the team that will break the bank, but when’s the last time they truly did so? Freddie Freeman signed for six years and $162 million before the 2022 season, and that was partly because he was tired of waiting for the Braves to move in negotiations. The Mookie Betts contract – 12 years, $365 million – came on the eve of the 2020 pandemic season and only after he and the team had had a chance to learn about each other.
But consider the free agents of the last few seasons: The Dodgers offered Bryce Harper a short-term deal, which he spurned. They made little attempt to re-sign Manny Machado, which was expected. They let Seager walk (and what a mistake that was). They let Trea Turner walk last fall, and I’m not sure if they made any sort of play at all for Aaron Judge before he re-signed with the Yankees. This team under Andrew Friedman has a track record of kicking the tires but blanching when it gets to the big money offer with high profile free agents. I really don’t see them ponying up for what it would take to sign Ohtani, especially if we’re talking north of $500 million.
Hate to say this, Dodger fans, but my opinion is that there’s a better chance Ohtani winds up in Giants’ orange and black.
Mirjam Swanson: Most Dodgers fans gotta hope you’re wrong.
Because it’s gotta be the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are trying to get over the hump. Ohtani is trying to get over the hump.
The Dodgers need a star who won’t fizzle in the postseason, Ohtani needs a team that’ll get him to the postseason so he can really put on a fireworks display. This is the unique talent who’s been performing with the pressure on since he was a teen, who was the difference-maker in the World Baseball Classic. He’s the dependable star who won’t wilt or spend time thinking about not overthinking.
And while the Giants will put in a bid, as will the Mets and the Red Sox and the Cubs – oh, and the Angels – who possibly could have enjoyed Southern California for so many years and want to leave?
Ohtani’s asking price is going to be sky high, of course, though likely not as high as it would’ve been had he not suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow late last season.
And maybe splurging on Ohtani isn’t the most practical way that a team desperate to improve its pitching can spend its money – though Ohtani could be back on the mound, mowin’ them down in 2025. But as you mentioned, they haven’t really splurged lately. Instead, they’ve effectively cleared payroll space.
Because it’s gotta be Ohtani.
Jim: I’d like to think you’re right. But Friedman and Co. have squandered a lot of goodwill the past two seasons, and I suspect a good portion of the fan base is preparing for the worst – that they fail to get Ohtani and again compensate with a lot of smaller, less expensive moves. At least they don’t have Trevor Bauer’s albatross of a contract any more. That was a mistake, and it was the gift that kept on giving even after they released him in January.
The assumption is that they were making small moves and small signings last winter to clear space for a run at Ohtani. But somebody – and maybe it’s controlling partner Mark Walter – needs to let it be known loud and clear that they’re not going to be outbid. I’m just not sure anyone in the organization is willing to make that hefty a commitment.
OK, next topic. I just saw the post that you re-tweeted – re-X’d? – pleading for a Lakers-Clippers playoff series, finally. The preview Wednesday night was good stuff. But the question still comes down to what kind of impact James Harden will have on the Clips. I know you and I are on opposite sides as to whether this was a good trade or not. Now’s your chance to convince me it was.
Mirjam: OK, here’s what I got: On the court, I think it’ll be – to use Russell Westbrook’s go-to word last night – a “process.”
But I can picture it working. People forget how good the Brooklyn superteam looked until things got super-weird over there (and that was a lot of Kyrie Irving’s doing, after he opted against getting vaccinated and, thereby, playing basketball).
Here’s how The Ringer described Harden’s fit with KD and Kyrie back in 2021: “He’s flourishing as part of a superteam in Brooklyn, averaging 24.2 points per game with career highs in assists (11.7), rebounds (8.2), field-goal percentage (50.0), and 3-point percentage (40.8). He doesn’t have to carry his team on his back anymore. Harden can play within the flow of the Nets’ offense, attacking off the dribble and taking what the defense gives him. He’s one of the most skilled and intelligent players ever. There’s little opponents can do to slow down the former MVP now that he’s playing with so much talent around him.”
I do worry that the Clippers did themselves a disservice by trading away all of their long-armed defenders on the wing – they seemed to miss those guys in the second half against the Lakers. But I have a hunch Harden’s presence will keep the offense moving. We might think of him as a ball dominant dribbler, but put him out there beside Kawhi and Paul George, and he’ll free them up.
But what fascinates me most about the Clippers adding Harden is that for the first time, they’re really, truly interesting. In an L.A. soap opera kind of way.
To be really relevant, they’ll have to win, of course. But there’s winning with a pair of reticent/modest stars like Kawhi and PG, who are great players but not larger-than-life characters. And then there’s winning with Russ and Harden, figures that invite extra scrutiny and attention, that allow for the possibility of combustion, tripwires that’ll appeal to NBA fans who are addicted to the drama. It’s a mix that might actually hook L.A. fans who’ve been conditioned – by decades of the Lakers’ drama during their championship runs – to live for that stuff. For that reason, too, it could be a win for the Clips.
Jim: I’m still skeptical about how it works on the floor. And I’m not the only one. I go back to something else you re-posted, the conversation between Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and one particular point Pierce made: Harden’s accustomed to handling the ball. So is Westbrook.
“Can James Harden play a role?” Pierce asked. “Can you say, ‘James, run, sprint to the corner, spot up?’ … Can you say, ‘cut backdoor, come off the downscreen?”
“He gonna have to,” Garnett said.
“Man, c’mon,” Pierce responded. I don’t often agree with The Truth, but he’s speakin’ it.
Garnett did make the same point you did, sort of: “It’s the Drew (League), slash NBA edition.” The Clippers will now have the attention of not only everyone in the NBA but everyone in L.A. – Clippers fans hoping this experiment is going to work, Lakers fans waiting for the whole thing to implode.
And maybe I’m just of the opinion that sometimes less is more, that too many stars and not enough complimentary players can derail a season. I lived through that first season after Wilt Chamberlain joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor on the Lakers, 1968-69 (and if I’m dating myself, so be it). That was supposed to be the NBA’s first superteam and a guaranteed champion. As we subsequently learned, there was so much turmoil on that team – especially with a coach in Butch van Breda Kolff who absolutely could not handle those dynamics – that in retrospect it was amazing they got to a Game 7 against the Celtics in the Finals.
Sometimes chemistry experiments work. Sometimes they blow up. This will be intriguing, for sure, but I’m not optimistic Ty Lue will still be coach when all is said and done.
Mirjam: So, do you think the Rams’ season is said and done?
They’re 3-5 after Sunday’s 40-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys – and now they don’t know when Matthew Stafford will return from the sprained ligament he sustained in the game.
They could very well be relying on Brett Rypien, who took first-team reps in practice on Wednesday, while Dresser Winn ran the scout team after he was signed to the practice squad.
Stafford has looked really good at times this year, especially when he’s been throwing to rookie sensation Puka Nacua, but the 35-year-old veteran QB likely isn’t the future.
So have they reached the point that they should – as you put it – Crumble for Caleb?
And, considering Caleb Williams is looking a little more like a mere mortal lately, is he still who teams should be crumbling for?
Yes, yes he is. I don’t think the Rams are going to give the appearance of giving up, but I do think Williams will be who he’s projected to be in the NFL – whichever team does crumble for him.
He might be going through a human funk related to the program-wide funk USC is enduring, but he remains the quick-thinking, big, big-armed, athletic prospect that has mesmerized NFL teams.
Maybe he’d do well to not pouting on the sideline when things don’t go his way, but I doubt that changes NFL teams’ perception of him.
But what say you?
Jim: From the Rams’ standpoint, I was a little surprised they didn’t make a deal for at least a more seasoned backup QB – i.e., this year’s version of Baker Mayfield – before Tuesday’s deadline, but maybe this hints at their strategy: Stay the course through the rest of this season, take their lumps and prepare to draft Stafford’s eventual replacement.
Caleb may not be the No. 1 pick, depending on how the rest of this season shakes out, but he still will be top 5 for sure. He’s sort of been dragged into this mess, this USC mixture of karma and hubris that is less about his own performance and more about the way his team is gasping for air with three really tough regular season games left.
The Trojans are 3-point underdogs at home Saturday against Washington, itself No. 5 in the first College Football Playoff rankings but coming off a couple of underwhelming victories the last two weeks. Then they play at Oregon – and the way the Ducks pounded Utah at Salt Lake City last week, that could be ugly. Then they get UCLA at the Coliseum, no gimme for sure.
Theirs is no easy task just to get to the final Pac-12 championship game Dec. 1 in Las Vegas … but then again, it could require multiple tiebreakers to determine which teams play that game.
And as for that quarterback question? Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. would be atop lots of draft lists as well, I would think. This spring’s selection process could feature some tough choices, just like the Justin Herbert/Tua Tagovailoa dilemma in 2020.
Mirjam: Interesting moment here in Southern California, across sports – we’re at a crossroads with Ohtani, the Clippers really (finally) went all in with Harden, and USC is fighting for its season – with ramifications, perhaps, on Caleb Williams’ future … with the Rams, maybe?
As the sports world turns. Glad to be able to Audible about it all.
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Shohei Ohtani was voted the American League Outstanding Player in the Players’ Choice Awards, which are determined by a vote of major league players.
Ohtani, who officially became a free agent on Thursday morning, completed his third straight historic season with the Angels in 2023, hitting a league-leading 44 home runs while batting .304 with a 1.066 OPS. He also compiled a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings as a pitcher.
Ohtani is the favorite to win his second American League MVP award in three years. That award will be announced on Nov. 16. The three finalists will be announced on Monday.
Ohtani was also named a finalist for the American League Silver Slugger at designated hitter on Thursday.
Another unworldly season for the @Angels unicorn
Shohei Ohtani recorded 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 78 extra base hits, and led the majors in slugging (.654), OPS (1.066) and bWAR (10.0). Congrats, Shohei, on being named 2023 #PlayersChoiceAwards AL Outstanding Player! pic.twitter.com/XhV2FkySO0— MLBPA (@MLBPA) November 2, 2023
- Slegnaac and Angel Oracle
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Game 1 of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks was, according to one headline, “the least-watched World Series game in recorded history.” Like many headlines, this one contained a nugget of truth but did not convey the whole story.
Tracing this particular slice of history, one must begin in 1969. That’s when average television ratings were first recorded. To understand the difference between average viewership then and now, start on Saturday, Oct. 11, 1969, the date of the first World Series game played in the Nielsen era.
Staging a prime-time sports telecast on that particular Saturday night meant, for rights-holder NBC, bumping off “The Andy Williams Show,” “Adam-12,” and “Saturday Night at the Movies.” It meant pitting your World Series broadcast against Jackie Gleason and Lawrence Welk and, well, nothing else, because there were only three networks at the time.
Did the strategy work? We’ll never know. The game began in the afternoon, long before prime time. And yet, Mike Cuellar’s complete game victory over the New York Mets still drew more viewers than the Rangers’ 11-inning win over the D-backs.
The record-low ratings beg a common question: So what?
The answer is nuanced and, hopefully, points to a future in which more and better World Series broadcast options exist for more fans. It’s also a litmus test for your opinion of the game of baseball. Your answer to “so what?” will tend to sort you into one of four camps.
Camp 1: Those who have no intention of watching the World Series under any circumstances.
Camp 2: Those who have every intention of watching the World Series because they’re diehard fans of baseball, or the teams involved.
Camp 3: Those who used to watch the World Series but for whatever reason no longer do so.
Camp 4: Those whose rooting interest is primarily financial, because you are a primary stakeholder for MLB, a major network, or one of its business partners.
Camps 1 and 2 are the constants. Camp 3 has the full and complete attention of Camp 4. People in Camp 3 are often opinionated. They’re quick to share their idea of how baseball “should” be played – ideas that might lead to such novel experiments as moving back the pitcher’s mound in the Atlantic League, or pitch clock ads featuring Bryan Cranston.
Really, though, Camp 4 should be listening to Camp 5. Camp 5 is younger than Camp 3. It hasn’t lived long enough to view the World Series through the lens of ratings, and we should hope they never become so jaded. Camp 5 is a lot like Rob Holub’s students at the University of New Haven.
“If I talk about baseball in my class, freshmen and sophomores know who Jomboy is,” Holub said, “but they can’t afford a cable subscription. (They watch) small clips that catch your attention.”
Holub, an adjunct faculty member of the Pompea College of Business for Sport Management, has a good reason to be jaded himself. He grew up a fan of the New York sports teams and was aghast when the MSG Network (regional broadcaster of New York’s Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Giants, and others) disappeared from his Optimum cable package and moved to a pay-per-view model charging $10 per game.
For baseball, Holub could purchase YES, the Yankees’ regional network, for $240/year. But that package would not get him access to the World Series because those games were exclusive to Fox’s linear television channel. (Not a particular problem for a Yankees fan this year, of course.) For older millennial cord-cutters and non-cord-cutters alike, the cost of watching baseball has become prohibitive.
“I’m 37 and I’d rather watch Jomboy for 4 minutes,” Holub said. “I watched 10 minutes of (Game 2) the other night and fell asleep. Jomboy’s breakdown of someone getting tagged out on the batting glove was riveting.”
Ironically, an August 1969 cover of TV Guide asked the question, “Will Soaring Costs Knock Sports off TV?”
Finally, we have the answer: yes, in part.
Holub believes that’s where the interesting, nuanced part of the so-what-if-ratings-are-down question comes into play. It doesn’t mean that baseball is dying.
He contrasted Fox’s approach to this postseason with ESPN’s approach to football, where the Manning brothers and Pat McAfee have provided popular “alternative broadcasts.” In some cases, Holub believes, the “alternative” broadcasts have been more successful than the “primary” linear offerings.
“I’d much rather watch Brockmire call a game than Joe Buck,” he said.
TruTV and Max toyed with an alternative broadcast format during the National League Championship Series. Host Alanna Rizzo moderated a group discussion among Albert Pujols, Pedro Martinez, Yonder Alonso, Nestor Cortes and other players and former players alike. It was conversational. It ignored the play-by-play that anyone could observe for themselves on screen. It was easy to tune in and out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t available during the World Series.
Of course, that’s my own bias, and therein lies another litmus test. Some will view the suffering World Series ratings as the fault of the decline of the starting pitcher. Others will point to the teams involved, and the general lack of household names on either the Diamondbacks or Rangers. Or bat flips. Or John Smoltz’s commentary. Whatever you don’t like, blame that.
The death of cultural monoliths (like, say, “The Andy Williams Show”) is well-chronicled. Who can blame someone who simply enjoys having the television on in the background for choosing one of a hundred things other than the World Series when their options number in the triple digits? Heck, you could even have watched Game 1 of the 1969 World Series last Friday if that was your cup of tea. It’s on YouTube in its entirety.
But the networks are still married to old-school metrics, like Nielsen ratings, as a direct connection to advertising revenue. Holub believes the notion of spreading out a number of alternate game broadcasts over multiple corporate properties is the key to future success. Why expect one failing product to generate 10 million viewers when 10 products can give you one million viewers each? Or so the thinking goes.
In 2021, ESPN extended its contract with the NFL through 2033. Fox only holds the World Series rights through 2028. The need to cultivate more viewers over a 12-year period is enough to inspire more experimentation, Holub believes – hence the Manningcasts, he said.
If you’re in Camp 3 and you believe baseball is dying, that’s fine. Just don’t use the World Series ratings as definitive proof.
“I don’t think baseball is dying,” Holub said. “Interest is changing because society-wise we just have so many more options for what to do with our time.”
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Matt Wise, who had been the Angels pitching coach for three seasons, has reportedly accepted a job to become the Chicago White Sox bullpen coach, although neither the Angels nor White Sox have made any announcements.
The Angels are currently searching for a new manager after they declined the option on Phil Nevin’s contract, so the coaches typically have to wait until a new manager is hired before they learn the status of their jobs.
Wise spent his entire 12-year coaching career working in various capacities in the Angels system, mostly in the minor leagues. He was the major league bullpen coach in 2020 and he was abruptly promoted to pitching coach just before the 2021 season, after Mickey Callaway was suspended and eventually fired.
In three seasons as Angels pitching coach, the staff had mixed results. The Angels ranked 22nd in the majors in ERA in 2021, then they improved to ninth last season, before dropping back to 23rd in 2023.
Three of the biggest success stories under Wise were left-handers Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers and José Suarez, each of whom made significant improvements in 2021 and 2022. All three took steps back this year, though.
Pitchers consistently supported Wise, though.
“He’s been awesome,” Detmers said in August. “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”
With the White Sox, Wise would be reunited with pitching coach Ethan Katz, who began his professional career working the Angels farm system with Wise.
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When Major League Baseball and the MLB Players’ Association compromised on an expanded 12-team playoff field, it came with a rather consequential side effect: five days off at the end of the regular season for the two best teams in each league.
That downtime didn’t stop the Houston Astros from beating the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series, but it did seem to neuter the Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles in their respective series. They combined to go 1-9 in the division series round after each team won at least 100 games in the regular season.
In the aftermath of their losses, it was interesting to hear the principals from each team try to reconcile their regular-season dominance with their postseason faceplants.
“I mean, we thought we did everything possible during the delay, recreated things the best we could,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said shortly after his team was eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“We tried to simulate a lot of at-bats Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, because there’s no question that five days off affects hitters’ timing,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at his annual end-of-season press conference on Tuesday. “Now if getting enough at-bats leading up to that keeps that timing in place, obviously we didn’t do a good enough job.”
The Dodgers opened one of their three intrasquad games to fans and reporters. Of the 11 pitchers who faced their teammates that day, all 11 saw action on a major league mound during the 2023 season. The quality of pitching the Dodgers’ hitters faced during their five-day layoff wasn’t an issue. Neither, perhaps, was the quantity of at-bats they took.
From the press box at least, the problem appeared to be one of intensity.
Half of the Dodgers’ players wore white jersey tops, the other half blue, but occasionally a blue player would bat for the white squad. Some innings lasted three outs, some four, others five. A smattering of fans in the lower deck of seats in left field helped fill the air with noise. By the end of the game, you could hardly blame fans for focusing more on two screens above the bleachers showing the Arizona Diamondbacks’ wild-card game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Taking a baseball player out of the routine he performs 162 times a year is anathema to intensity. From the beginning of April until the end of September, there are only game days or non-game days. One brings a degree of intensity. The other does not. There’s simply no way around that.
“Our goal next year is to win the division and have those five days off again,” Friedman said. “It’s two years into this (postseason) format. We don’t concern ourselves too much with what’s optimal, what’s ideal. It doesn’t really matter. It is what it is. For us, it’s about how to operate the best we can within it.”
Here’s an idea for the two top-seeded teams in each league: Fill your five off-days with practice games. Keep the number of at-bats and quality of opposing pitchers high. Only next time, make sure it’s a game of consequence for one of the two teams on the field.
How?
As it turns out, Oct. 2-7 wasn’t a game day for nearly every professional baseball team on the planet. That includes the champions of each of the four independent “partner leagues” of MLB: the Atlantic League, the American Association, the Frontier League and the Pioneer League.
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks cut it close. On Oct. 1, they defeated los Caimanes Barranquilla, the top team in Colombia’s professional league, to close out the Baseball Champions League Americas tournament in Mexico. The next day, they flew home.
How practical would it have been for Fargo-Moorhead to divert its journey through, say, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Baltimore or Houston for a few days? Very, said Joshua Schaub, the commissioner of the American Association.
“We’re more than willing to get on a plane to play an MLB team,” he said.
An American Association team typically travels “29 or 30 people” on a road trip, Schaub said. He estimated it would cost no more than $15,000 to fly them all into any major airport. That’s pocket change for an MLB team.
The caliber of competition in the AA isn’t entirely major-league quality, but it’s not far off. Fargo’s leadoff hitter was Dillon Thomas, who as recently as last season was in the major leagues with the Angels. There are a few pitchers in the league who can touch 100 mph, Schaub said, “but usually they sit 92 or faster.” Control isn’t such an issue that hitters would be left ducking for cover.
Want the independent ballers to raise their intensity for an exhibition game? Invite scouts. Schaub said there were 52 in attendance at the Baseball Champions League Americas tournament.
“Guys play their (butts) off to get picked up by a scout in attendance,” he said.
The Atlantic League postseason also ends just in time for MLB’s wild-card round. The league selects players to an All-Star team too, but unlike the American Association they don’t stage a game – practically begging for an excuse to get the All-Stars on the field. This season, Atlantic League teams could have filled a pitching staff with 10 former major leaguers from their season-ending rosters.
“Having a member of the Atlantic League play an exhibition game or series against an MLB club preparing for the postseason would be a concept that we would be very willing to discuss,” Atlantic League president Rick White said. “There could be a number of options, whether a current club or a collection of top players, and the logistics would need to be worked out. But as a concept, we would be open to the idea. I can promise you that any collection of the Atlantic League’s top players would certainly be a worthy opponent for any club preparing for the postseason. Of course, any such discussion would be subject to the approval of Major League Baseball.”
To participate in a three-game exhibition series after the regular season, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement only requires that players get permission from their team and the commissioner. Staging an early-October series against a team full of indy ball opponents with something at stake, in theory, should not be a tough sell to players. It was the Players’ Association who first raised concerns about the effects of a five-day layoff during CBA negotiations before ultimately agreeing to an expanded 12-team postseason.
Four independent “partner leagues” and four postseason teams struggling with a five-day layoff seems like a perfect marriage. Of course, no marriage is perfect. The caliber of play in the Frontier and Pioneer leagues isn’t as high as the American Association or Atlantic League. The specifics would have to be ironed out.
Even if the exhibition games don’t perfectly simulate a game-day experience for the major league players, it should raise their level of intensity by a notch. Given the limitations of a 12-team playoff field, that should be the goal of every team facing the blessed curse of a five-day layoff.
- Tank, Angel Oracle and Vegas Halo Fan
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Jared Walsh, who was an All-Star in 2021, was among six players outrighted by the Angels on Monday. It’s the first step toward all six of them becoming free agents.
Right-handers Jaime Barria and Carson Fullmer, left-hander Jhonathan Diaz, outfielder Brett Phillips and catcher Chad Wallach were also outrighted.
Walsh, Barria, Phillps and Wallach were all arbitration eligible, making them candidates to be non-tendered in November. This move simply shifts the timeline on their potential free agency up by a month.
All six players will officially become free agents once they refuse the outright assignment. The Angels could eventually re-sign any of the players.
Walsh, 30, never returned to the level he reached in his breakthrough season in 2021, when he hit 29 homers with an .850 OPS. In 2022, he battled thoracic outlet syndrome, hitting .215 with 15 homers and a .642 OPS.
This season, Walsh struggled with insomnia and neurological issues in April and early May. Once he was finally activated, he struggled and was sent back to Triple-A. Walsh returned to the majors in September, in which he was 5 for 37 with 19 strikeouts and no walks. For the season, he hit .125 with four homers and a .494 OPS.
Barria, 27, had a 2.61 ERA, pitching mostly in long relief, in 2022, but he had a 5.68 ERA in 2023.
Wallach, 31, was one of the Angels primary catchers for much of the season, while Logan O’Hoppe was injured.
Troy Johnston can give the Angels what they need most and provide options where little to none exist. Much of this conjecture relies on the Angels missing out on Ohtani and committing to a reload (we all know Moreno doesn’t rebuild), but should the Angels take the path of the reload a Ward trade would be the easiest to stomach. It would probably be more feasible to sign Bellinger and go with a more proven starting commodity in event you ship off Ward, but if the Angels want to allocate those dollars towards young pitching talent on the market (Yamamoto) they'll have to go cheaper than Bellinger. Johnston could potentially be a massive pickup for a team looking to take a chance on high ceiling prospect talent and with the luck the Angels have had flipping other teams top prospects into MLB talent (Moniak/O'Hoppe) perhaps it would be advisable to continue the trends that have brought the few bright spots the Angels currently have. Rather than build from the top down through expensive contracts the Angels should continue to build from the bottom up by taking furthered chances on top ranked prospects. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it as they say, and though much of Anaheim is in tatters the one quality that worked in their favor was their trust in young prospect talent and should they continue to trust the highly talented baby boom coming into the modern baseball landscape they will find suitable reward awaiting at the end of a long season.
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OC Register: Shohei Ohtani becomes first player to win MVP by unanimous vote twice
in LA Angels | MLB Daily
Posted
Shohei Ohtani didn’t even need to play a full season to achieve another piece of history.
Ohtani, who missed the last month of the Angels’ season because of injuries, was unanimously selected as the American League MVP on Thursday.
Ohtani became the first player in major league history to win the MVP unanimously twice. He also did it in 2021.
With a second-place finish in between those years, Ohtani just completed a three-year run that stands alone in the history of the sport.
Now, the two-way star is in the midst of a free agent process that could end with a record-breaking deal.
The baseball world has been guessing about which team will sign Ohtani. The Dodgers are a popular pick, but the Angels are also trying to keep him.
There was much more certainty with the MVP race.
Ohtani seemingly locked up the award over the summer, when he was American League Player of the Month in June and July. He then tore his ulnar collateral ligament in late August, ending his season as a pitcher. In early September he suffered a strained oblique that prevented him from hitting.
Still, Ohtani led the league with 44 home runs and a .412 on-base percentage. He led the majors with a .654 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.066.
On the mound, he posted a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings over 23 starts, with 167 strikeouts.
All the numbers were similar to his MVP season in 2021, when he hit 46 homers with a .965 OPS and a 3.18 ERA in 130⅓ innings.
Ohtani received all 30 votes, cast by two baseball writers representing each city in the American League. Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager finished second, while Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien was third.
Ohtani is one of 18 players to win the MVP unanimously, including teammate Mike Trout (in 2014) and one of 29 players to win multiple MVP awards, including Trout, a three-time winner.
The Angels have had seven MVP winners, with Don Baylor (1979) and Vladimir Guerrero (2004) joining Ohtani and Trout.
More to come on this story.
View the full article