Justin

Remember when one of the greatest players of all time reached free agency and left his team to sign the biggest contract in baseball history? I'm talking about ARod in December 2000. The Mariners won 116 games the next season. Do I think the Angels are going to win 116 next season? Yes, obviously. Just kidding. But my point is: None of us know what is going to happen. I remember when the Angels finished the 2001 season losing 18 of their final 20 and I thought This team will never win a championship. And I remember 12 years and one day ago when the Angels signed Pujols and CJ Wilson on the same day and I thought This guarantees at least one World Series appearance in the next three years. None of us know what is going to happen. Except maybe Lou. I miss that guy on days like today.

This is how 13-year-olds follow sports.

In my recliner, refreshing ESPN.com for literally the 200th time in the previous 30 hours.

Giving a massive contract to a player for his decline years is something the Angels have done many, many times. I'm not upset that they did not give one to Shohei. Will I miss watching him play for the Angels? Of course. But the Angels couldn't win when they were paying him well below his market value. They weren't going to win paying him 50, 60, or 70 million per year. I am ready for the next chapter.

We have known this day was coming for at least two years. It will suck not having him on our team anymore, but we can all say that we got to see something truly special. I wish him nothing but the best. So long, Fletcher.

WTF is the point of X if not lying and guessing?

The Angels got Ohtani cheaply in his 20s. Someone is going to get him (extremely) expensively in his 30s. If it's not the Angels, I will be just fine.

If you're old enough to remember when getting the newest issue of Sports Illustrated was a thrill, you might share my wistfulness at what it has become.

"Starting" My friends who are Dodgers fans have been assuring me since Spring 2021 that Ohtani will be a Dodger this offseason.

For the second year in a row they are going to be eliminated by a team that finished double-digits behind the Dodgers in their own division. Last year the Padres were 22 back; this year the Diamondbacks were 16 back. I enjoy watching the Dodgers lose in October, but I truly hate the MLB postseason format.

I would like to change my prediction about Ohtani signing with the Mets.

Both things can be true.

So it's no longer almost 100% that he will be back?

Too long; didn't read? Let me paste the most important 8 words: "Player development is the lifeblood of any franchise"

Holy shit! He played 40 games after the break last season?

Nonsense. He deserves what the Angels are paying him - which is a lot - and nothing more.

Stepping on the toes of Rendon would result in... ah, never mind. Too easy.

I would. He announced before the season "I'm going to do whatever I can to keep Shohei here" then proceeded to have his worst season and got injured, as he often has in the last 5 years. Asking for a trade would be pathetic.

Thank you for posting this. My condolences for your loss. It freaking sucks what your family is going through right now but I promise you one thing: As time goes by, the dominant emotion will shift from sadness to My God we were lucky to have that man in our life. I would argue that Lou was not "an AngelsWin.com legend," but rather THE AngelsWin.com legend.

Remember in 2020 when they played without fans in the stands? Sure, it was still baseball, but it just wasn't the same. That's what AW is like without @Lou. I will still read it and still enjoy many of your comments, but I will always feel like something major is missing.

Howie Kendrick. 9 seasons. 28.5 bWAR. 28.9 million dollars total salary. And some people complained because he never hit .350 in Anaheim like he did in the minors.

We will get better offense THIS season. Not sure if it will be in time though.

Then San Diego makes more sense.

This website is far more enjoyable than this franchise.

This made me way happier than it should. "The one ray of hope we have is that our favorite team is REALLY dumb!" Maybe it's because I just read the latest comments in the thread about @Lou and I realize that none of this really matters. Or maybe it's just hard for me to care about the team like I used to. But your comment brought a smile to my face when it probably should not have.