AngelsFanSince86

Also.... they auction and sell game used stuff for a bunch.  Why shouldn't we?
I bought a game used baseball that Trout hit for a single for $200 a while back.  They've since upped the prices quite a bit.  Angels are asking $1599 for a Trout single.

I hope he breaks his leg running to first on 700 and it doesn't count.

Nacho favorite nachos, is what you're saying?

I just don't see how they can compete next year. They need 2 more legit outfielders. Ward hasn't proven he's the real deal. After his hot start and subsequent injury he has not been great at the plate. They need at least one legit infielder too. Preferably a SS. Fletcher should be a utility man. Rengifo looks like he may be able to man 2B. They have Ohtani, Sandoval, Detmers, Suarez, and several guys as depth. They need 2 legit starters. They need a #1/2 and a proven #3/4 guy. Additionally, they need a closer. 
So they need to sign at least 6 guys: 2 OFers, SS, 2 starters, a closer. That's probably $100M per year worth of contracts. Highly doubt they do it.
Personally, I hope they do NOT sign anyone outside of low price lottery tickets type players that can be traded at the deadline if performing well. I hope they trade Ohtani. Pains me to say, but I think it's necessary. And I honestly think having a 6 man rotation is a hindrance to the team. I think if they do those things and stick to it, they can compete starting in 2024. 

I put no hope, but I do have some hope.  Just not that they will be competetive.  My sliver of hope is that they (Arte) finally understand their position.  They traded Iglesias and Syndergaard.  Hopefully this is the start of at least a small rebuild.  Ultimately I think they will resign Ohtani and then Arte will go back to pinching pennies and they will be stuck in the same cycle of mediocrity. But you never know.

lol at defending every move the front office ever makes 

I'd love to, but if he won't sign an extension with them now or means one of two things:
1) he won't sign until the offseason regardless of the team he's on which means the Angels could still sign him even if they trade him.
2) he won't sign an extension with the Angels, but if they trade him he may sign wherever he goes. If that's true he never would have signed with the Angels

It's the smart thing to do given the state of the organization. That's why they definitely won't trade him.

and it all starts at the top, with Arte Moreno as owner.
There’s a reason why the Angels development has been awful, and it starts with Arte Moreno.
There’s a reason why the Angels have made horrible free agent signings, and it starts with Arte Moreno.
There’s a reason why the Angels keep hiring first-time GM’s who can be puppets, and it starts with Arte Moreno.
There’s a reason why the Angels have had instability in managerial positions, and it starts with Arte Moreno.
 
Jeff Fletcher will always be quick to point out that we don’t know how much the Angels spend on player development, scouts, front office personnel, et al.
But here’s what we do know:
- The Angels have consistently had issues paying/taking care of their minor leaguers.
- The Angels keep cycling through GMs and Managers with no stability.
- Arte Moreno has interfered with Baseball Operations (such as forcing the Rendon signing, nixing the Joc trade, forcing the Wells trade, and Pujols signing).
- The Angels have failed to consistently develop players outside of unicorns like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
 
Until Arte Moreno changes his ways or sells the team, this team isn’t improving. Maybe they luck into 1 postseason appearance, but that’ll be it. He rode the coattails of what Bill Stoneman built at the beginning of his ownership, and it’s been a disaster ever since then besides lucking into 1 playoff appearance in 13 years.

We don't know how much the Angels spend on scouting and development, but the results speak for themselves. If they're spending as much as other big-market teams they're getting ripped off.

Their problem is commitment.  If they want to win with Trout and Ohtani then they needed to sign a legit SS, another OFer, and another SP.  The Angels have depth.  The problem is they've made that depth their starters.  Adell, Duffy, Velasquez, Ward, and Marsh should have all started this season as depth.  Instead they were all battling for starting positions.  
On the flip side I definitely don't want them to trade Trout, but as long as he and Ohtani are on this team they will never be bad enough to get a top draft pick.  That is why the Angels are forever in mediocrity.  Won't go all in and try to win and won't go all in and rebuild.  

Sorry for the late reply on this. Obviously Ward is no longer depth, but starting the season he should have been and he wasn't.  That was my point.  How can you have a payroll close to $200M and yet not be willing to go past your budget to make sure you have real MLB level guys in all of your positions.  Marsh and Ward have been great , but we should have gone into this season with both of them as depth. Guys like Velazquez, Wade, Rengifo, and really even Fletcher should not be starters.  Only way Fletch is a starter is if you have a great SS that can hit.  Otherwise Fletch should just be the utility player.
Thats the problem though.  If you keep handing out massive contracts then you will will never be terrible which is what you need to be in order to properly rebuild with high draft picks.  If you are going to hand out massive contracts then you also need to be willing to push the budget to fill out the roster with real MLB talent.  Guys like Ward and Marsh and Lorenzen should be depth that surprises and allows the team to withstand injuries, not guys we depend on as starters.

and then other owners and players complain when A's don't spend.  As opposed to what? Wasting money on shitheads like Rendon?  Or pitchers that end up needing to be paid $30M+ for 2 years of tommy john rehab.  I'd pocket that money too.  Baseball is a joke and will be until they have a floor, cap, and non-fully guaranteed contracts.  So basically MLB will always be a joke and for the foreseeable future the Angels will be the punchline.

It's why so much of the focus has to be on developing your own homegrown stars, because thats where teams get surplus value at a fraction of the cost. By the time a lot of these guys finally do hit UFA, they've already exhausted through all their best seasons while not getting paid anywhere near the money they warranted for it.

and then other owners and players complain when A's don't spend.  As opposed to what? Wasting money on shitheads like Rendon?  Or pitchers that end up needing to be paid $30M+ for 2 years of tommy john rehab.  I'd pocket that money too.  Baseball is a joke and will be until they have a floor, cap, and non-fully guaranteed contracts.  So basically MLB will always be a joke and for the foreseeable future the Angels will be the punchline.

and then other owners and players complain when A's don't spend.  As opposed to what? Wasting money on shitheads like Rendon?  Or pitchers that end up needing to be paid $30M+ for 2 years of tommy john rehab.  I'd pocket that money too.  Baseball is a joke and will be until they have a floor, cap, and non-fully guaranteed contracts.  So basically MLB will always be a joke and for the foreseeable future the Angels will be the punchline.

Their problem is commitment.  If they want to win with Trout and Ohtani then they needed to sign a legit SS, another OFer, and another SP.  The Angels have depth.  The problem is they've made that depth their starters.  Adell, Duffy, Velasquez, Ward, and Marsh should have all started this season as depth.  Instead they were all battling for starting positions.  
On the flip side I definitely don't want them to trade Trout, but as long as he and Ohtani are on this team they will never be bad enough to get a top draft pick.  That is why the Angels are forever in mediocrity.  Won't go all in and try to win and won't go all in and rebuild.  

Yeah between Ohtani and Syndergaard I can at least look forward to the first 5 innings of 1/3 of the games

Yeah between Ohtani and Syndergaard I can at least look forward to the first 5 innings of 1/3 of the games

I've been a member for many years (Angels fan since 1961, no lie) but I rarely post because I can't get through the masturbation GIFs, the locker-room chumminess, and the "punch her in the pussy" posts.  While I admire the WicketMaiden (I think it is) posting, has it ever occurred to the posters or the mods that this really isn't a female-friendly forum?   Not to mention the way some posts go on and on in a conversation that no one else can figure out--or would want to!  I'm a real fan looking forward (again) to 2022 but I wish women who love the Halos didn't feel like they were all categorized as "v******" or "p*******".  Come on guys, I know (or hope) that you're not all dicks or pricks.  

We did Albert and his legacy an absolute favor by releasing him.   Could have buried him on the bench or let him play everyday where he would have failed even worse.  Would have played out his miserable contract as a bust remembered as much for that horrendous contract vs. his career achievements.  Instead, the Angels caught flack for releasing a legend and then he was able to catch on and become tio gordo with the dogs.  Parlaying that into 2.5m so he could do a victory lap with the cards as tio gordo segunda.    We made the right choice, but frankly I'm pretty tired of his stupid face.  

pujols sucked as a player and as a member of the team for the angels. i've never thought more highly of a player from a distance only to realize the level of his selfishness from up close. fuck albert pujols.

Really glad the Angels didn't end up with him. There was a nagging feeling they would sign him. My son views him as a cheater. I legit wouldn't have been able to support the Angels with him on the team.

Really glad the Angels didn't end up with him. There was a nagging feeling they would sign him. My son views him as a cheater. I legit wouldn't have been able to support the Angels with him on the team.