Dgar24

Enjoyed the podcast as always.

1 hour ago, Chuck said:

I think the Angels would have to get someone that is a bit closer than that. Like someone they could plug in immediately. 

So you're trading a serviceable starter with an ERA in the 2's with a great contract for the rest of this season and all of next season, so you better get a good pitching prospect. 

I think it's fair to say that last season was an adjustment year for Anderson. So if you take his All-Star season with the Dodgers and this season, that's got to net a decent prospect IMO. 

I’d love to see Arte pay down half of contract to get the small market teams involved. If we could pull a true stud from one of these teams that fits our young nucleus 3rd base , starting pitching from Anderson, would be a nice first step. I’d also take offers now we do not have a recent history of health and or players staying hot. We are in a rebuild no need to wait.

1 hour ago, Chuck said:

And Perry is the GM so he should be putting up some type of fight. Maybe he did? Who knows.

Honestly, I think he's a terrible GM. 

A bit surprised of your Perry take. Arte is Jerry Jones, meddling owner with final say. Which of course is done on his dime so…… what’s a hired GM going to do……

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

By the end of April he will have a .300 OBP and if he stays healthy by the end of May he will be above league average in OBP.  That doesn’t mean he will be having a good offensive season, but it will be helpful at the top of the line up to have a better than league average OBP.  

Agree with this, as a guy that, due to health was out of work for a while, getting up to speed takes some time. 

Right now his timing is off. He will get there.

Remember when healthy he is a game changer. 

35 minutes ago, totdprods said:

That's why I've been saying they needed to flip him all winter. We've extracted the best we as an org can get out of him, and I worry he's about to become even more ineffective or injured. Cash him in to add another young bat to the core and should've signed another SP earlier in the winter to step into his place. I just don't see him having the durability or consistency to make it as a MLB SP, sort of like Hector Santiago. He may be good for 20 GS/120 IP, or good for a few innings before crumbling, but I can't see him being a consistent SP on the reg.

This is absolute truth, sign Snell , Montgomery  preferably both. Trade this guy, somebody will take him.

28 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

At this point, does it seem almost counterproductive to sign either Snell or Montgomery?

They are going to need time to build up game condition arm strength, and the season is just 22 days away.

Not opposed to signing one if the plan is to trade a lefty for a quality young third baseman or pitching all 25 or younger to go with our current youngsters. Impressed with early spring pitching as well.

27 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Correct. No one year deals or opt outs after one year that have draft pick compensation. 

Montgomery or just a pass on pitching . None of the others are enough of an improvement to pay or take innings from our young pitchers.

With four picks in the top 100 or so, how many will get called up by end of season?

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

 

1 minute ago, tdawg87 said:

Maybe this is Washington's way of saying "Hey dumbshits, we need pitching". Funny that the guy's name is "Wantz".

Sitting here thinking the same. 
Maybe it’s a show, letting Boras know we don’t need his guys ha.

23 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

I believe the moves they have made support the theory that they either did, or still do, want to add a quality starter.  If they don’t sign one, it will be because the price was way outside what they think the price should be.

And given that nobody has signed Snell or Montgomery, it makes sense that maybe it’s because the asking price is outside of what everybody believes it should be.

If the price doesn’t change, it seems like Angels won’t be the team that signs one of them.  If it does soften, I believe the Angel might be the team that acts.

This exactly. Arte has been burned a few times, he’s not showing his hand. Really hard to believe different because he’s not cheep , his spending hasn’t worked out well. I think he and Minasian are the only 2 that know the plan. They’ve always operated quietly.
 

10 minutes ago, Chuck said:

How did Caden Dana and Nick Jones look today? I missed the last half of the game. 

Caden gave  up a lead off single, retired the next six in a row. Looked in control, big man. Looks legit. Didn’t see Nick Jones.

23 minutes ago, Blarg said:

I think you guys are hanging your hopes on something that isn't going to happen. Be honest with yourselves, do you really believe Minasian would wait this long to make any more free agency offers?

I think whoever is on the spring training roster today is what the Angels are going with opening day. 

Nobody knows what Arte’s going to do. I prefer hope.

26 minutes ago, Erstad Grit said:

I think Lodge is the worst, unlistenable. However I suspect the angels feed him info with hopes of influencing the fan base. 

Lodge was adamant for a while that Ohtani loved it here, and Arte wanted him here. Suddenly Lodge shifted the narrative to "that's way too much money for one player" and within a week Dodgers signed him. 

Without remembering specific examples I remember Lodge talking up mid tier type of players and suddenly a day later the angels sign them. I think it played out that way with Esteves. When radio boy talks up a FA and then the Angels sign him, I could see that generating excitement for the average fan. 

Lodge is the worst, but I believe the front office uses him to leak their directions with hopes of manipulating and influencing PR.

So when Lodge says they're out on Snell rather than "Snell would be a huge addition", I suspect that is coming from the bosses and is accurate. 

I agree with your last sentence, why on earth would the owner or management give any indication on the radio to Boras, what their true desire is at this time. If the price comes into the comfort zone they will jump on it. No cars in the parking lot stuff. My thoughts.

1 hour ago, Dtwncbad said:

For someone so close to the Angels, and I assume with some “sources”. . . why do all of instincts tell me Lodge just isn’t a good place to get an accurate read on what’s going on?

He’s on the payroll.

35 minutes ago, mmc said:

 

Ron Washington.Is it wrong to have a man crush. Asking for a friend 

23 minutes ago, Chuck said:

I don't think you look at signing either of them to just this season because they're going to get at least a three-year deal. If the Angels finish in 3rd or 4th place this season but their young core have really good seasons, there's going to be a ton of optimism heading into 2025 with an ace locked up for that campaign and the next. 

They need to quit it with these 1-year deals hoping to catch lightning in a bottle garbage.

If you have a Snell type locked up, get a good season out of 2-3 of Detmers/Canning/Sandoval/Silseth you can add another arm via FA and head into '25 full steam ahead.

Agree with this thinking. Need a lead dog to show the way, bullpen has been built. Snell or Montgomery shorter term  option after year 2. Gives us a chance at a wild card. I think signing a bat will interfere with opportunity to see if Adell and others can play Major League Baseball. If we’re in the hunt, we can find a bat at trade deadline. 

16 minutes ago, Chuck said:

There are 2 pitchers out there that can make an impact. Sign em both. Would keep team in the race . Get butts in the seats or stadium will be empty. Do it Arte! 

 

16 minutes ago, Second Base said:

You either go for it, and spend like a big market club, or you cut bait and sell. The only wrong way to go about this is exactly what the Angels are doing. Not selling, but not signing anyone impactful. 

Mike Trout feeling the same way today. Frustrating 

Good show, I’m an optimist like you 1 of Snell, Montgomery. And a bat the team would have a shot at a wild card. Ron Washington show us the way!

1 hour ago, The Ghost of Bob Starr said:

I like the youth movement. I don’t care that Ohtani is gone.  Would love to see them compete.  After watching the Reds all season last year; I’d love to see that here - limp dick and all. 

Funny how little I care Ohtani is gone as well. Youth movement and a well coached team competing is my hope. 

16 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I think this board's falling into a little bit of tunnel vision re: Arte.

First, let me preface by saying that I do think Arte should sell, Arte has more than a fair share of criticisms, Arte does hold a large share of the blame...I'm by no means an apologist. 

But Arte has done things a little differently the last couple of years that I believe are blurred by the decade of missteps he made before. 
Arte wanted big splash Trea Turner, Perry convinced him to spread the money around instead. 
Arte was set to pay luxury tax following the deadline acquisitions last year for the first time in years. 
Arte has largely stepped back, at least publicly, which may or may not mean he isn't involving himself as much in baseball ops decisions. 
Arte did not kneejerk respond to Ohtani leaving by signing another big-name, despite clear FAs available, money to spend, fan backlash...
You could even say not giving Ohtani a blank check was atypical - he's never shied away from giving unprecedented contracts, and as much as we wanted Ohtani back, it was still a $700M deal for a DH coming off two elbow surgeries.

I'm not saying these were all the right moves or are good moves, or even that Arte is 100% responsible for how those played out, but his behavior the last 18+ months or so deviate from what he's done in years before.

I also don't think you could also say the Angels are 'cheap' or have done nothing...they've still plopped down what, $40M this winter? Stephenson, Moore, Garcia. They have room to keep spending now, at the deadline, or in locking up the new young core. 
Has he been cheap in regards to the minors, lower-tier FA, staff, development? Hell yes, no doubt - but the Angels are still spending more than most of the league, even this winter. 

From a baseball sense, it made all the sense in the world to trade Ohtani at any time the last couple of years, but he's never shied away from saying he's in the entertainment business and he felt having Ohtani as long as he could was more entertaining to a much larger fanbase than the diehard fans here who "know baseball". Sure, winning brings in plenty of bucks and fan excitement too - but Arte was getting that just by having Shohei. Bad baseball move to keep Ohtani? Sure. Bad fan experience decision? Nope. More parents got to bring their kids to see Ohtani a couple more times, perhaps some even knowing it'd be their last chance. Not to romanticize the decision, but we here are a different breed from the fans that bring in the Angels' revenue.

In many ways, I actually think the way the Angels have operated the last 18+ months is sneakily the way we've wanted them to operate - we just haven't seen the fruits of those labors yet, so it's hard to buy-in. They haven't committed dumb money (even to Ohtani), and they've seemingly turned an emphasis to developing youngsters - O'Hoppe, Neto, Moniak, Detmers, Joyce, Silseth, all while never actually tearing down the team to where they were a tank job that would turn off the casual fan, which is the biggest pipeline of revenue. 

All of this is why I've maintained the Angels org, and us, need to just take a deep breath, exhale, and enjoy 2024 without the intense pressure we've had hanging over us the last decade. Wouldn't be surprised if we were already in the dawn of a new age of Angel success, but that sun just hasn't yet risen. Give it a few more mornings.

I think you’re correct , nice write up. Seeing Arte yesterday got my blood flowing. Calmed back down ready to watch this rebuild, Washington doing his thing. And for me also can’t wait to see if we draft another kid first to the bigs this year.

3 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Some of the dumbest Angels fans are on X,

 

So it’s your fault Chuck. Hmmmm

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Thats so simplistic saying he’s just in it for the money. If that was true he’s not dropping $39 million on Anderson or $245 million on Rendon. 

Agree on Anderson. But he grabbed him from Dodgers which I’m sure he enjoyed. 

Rendon he considered a star , just got beat on Cole impulse move.    Hamilton, Albert Pujols. Even today he talked of baseball being an entertainment business. That’s what he values.
Im new to Angelswin not Angel  baseball. The Angels have always chased star power and that’s fine to an extent. Me personally I don’t mind not spending on this player or that player. I personally wanted to go young, all in on Ohtani trade. My view is just what he mentioned today he’s all in on entertainment and baseball is second. Lastly he made it fairly clear that he has no concern with the future of Anaheim Stadium.  
FYI I am pretty simplistic. 

 

25 minutes ago, T.G. said:

That's totally understandable.  I'm not defending Arte.  I'm not saying he has a good plan (especially since I don't know what it is).  I'm just saying we're not privy to the plan.  Right or wrong.  It's one of the many things that's out of our control.  I don't get worked up about stuff out of my control. 

He has a plan, it’s filling his pockets with millions, billions. And hope that a few star players can carry team to championship, until today now he has faith in youth movement. Ha Ha. Meanwhile the farm has been decimated. Fans love to call out GM’s on some recklessness, but really we don’t how often they have come up with plans only to be shot down By Arte. So many off the field issues which the GM’s probably aren’t responsible for or should not be, show overall recklessness 
We don’t know he might sign 2 pitchers or 1 and Bellinger and it could have been the plan all along. But history seems to show that it will be a whimsical move.
Having said all of that, I will continue to follow this team because why, shit I don’t know. 

Let’s Go!

3 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

So the budget is lower and Perry has spent $50 million on the bullpen … cool

Ya he probably let Perry now just before the interview.