OT: Los Angeles Angels Talk

[AngelDuck]

Major League Baseball has a serious parity problem that will either need to be addressed by a salary cap or people will just stop watching.

The dodgers having Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Sasaki, Yamamoto, Snell, Kershaw, Hernandez, Glasnow, Smith, etc on the roster all making big money isn’t good for the league. It’s not sour grapes either, I’d say the same thing if I were a dodgers fan. I don’t blame Andrew Friedman, but at some point the league has to step in and realize that they’re the only sport without a salary cap and there’s a reason why that’s a big problem in the age of sports as a business

Something will have to give at some point because it’s gotten out of control. The deferred salary nonsense has made things even worse

 

[tomd]

Been a fan of them and the Ducks since I was old enough to talk really, I'd sooner rather stop being a fan of baseball and that's kind of the way it's heading. Were it not for me not wanting to waste the rest of Trout's career even more I'd be hoping for a long lockout at this point.

Same reason why we're still posting on this board as Ducks fans.

It was meant as a rhetorical question.

 

[ADHB]

Major League Baseball has a serious parity problem that will either need to be addressed by a salary cap or people will just stop watching.

The dodgers having Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Sasaki, Yamamoto, Snell, Kershaw, Hernandez, Glasnow, Smith, etc on the roster all making big money isn’t good for the league. It’s not sour grapes either, I’d say the same thing if I were a dodgers fan. I don’t blame Andrew Friedman, but at some point the league has to step in and realize that they’re the only sport without a salary cap and there’s a reason why that’s a big problem in the age of sports as a business

Something will have to give at some point because it’s gotten out of control. The deferred salary nonsense has made things even worse

To add to this, it’s sort of pointless to have “penalties” for going over the CBT threshold when that penalty is only money. Only the richest teams will ever go over, and in the Dodgers case, they have no problem spending $400 million or whatever on their payroll, so what do they care if they spend another $100 or $200 million in taxes? Especially when they’re worth as much as they are and can basically print money with the players they have?

I would even be fine with there not being a hard cap as long as the penalties were meaningful, like taking away draft picks, limiting ability to sign FA’s, cutting international money etc.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

The fact its the only 1 of the big 4 Pro sports league in NA without a salary cap shows how old, outdated and archaic baseball is and add in with how Baseball is declining among youths and sports like Football/Basketball/Hockey are gaining ground among youth sports level. The Ducks alone contributing a lot to the growth of youth hockey. Baseball not only needs a lockout but it needs a salary cap and salary floor (no more budget Rays/Athletics pocketing the money and not spending on the team).

Sadly they need to make the game more exciting and end those 14 inning games no one likes.
Just make it sudden death regardless of which team scores first in extra innings.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Do I have to be an Angel fan to post on the Angel thread? Are you the gatekeeper?

Kikuchi is nowhere near Ohtani AND Sasaki.

Why do you deflect? Because you know you're trolling. Don't play stupid. You either know baseball or you don't. Apparently, you do know about baseball. What a bitch comment you shared.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

New ownership is the key. Moreno showed his true colors when he refused to trade Ohtani for future pieces. He's about enriching himself, not winning baseball games.

You think Ohtani was when Moreno showed his true colors? SMH. You don't know shit.

 

[Deuce22]

You think Ohtani was when Moreno showed his true colors? SMH. You don't know shit.

You’re right, confirmed his true colors.

Kikuchi is nowhere near Ohtani AND Sasaki.

Why do you deflect? Because you know you're trolling. Don't play stupid. You either know baseball or you don't. Apparently, you do know about baseball. What a bitch comment you shared.

Kikuchi is nowhere near Ohtani AND Sasaki.

Why do you deflect? Because you know you're trolling. Don't play stupid. You either know baseball or you don't. Apparently, you do know about baseball. What a bitch comment you shared.

As an Angel fan, thicker skin is required.

 

[JAHV]

Great piece by Sam Blum at the Athletic, who of course can't get an actual quote from an Angels representative because he dares to criticize the petty and vindictive Arte Moreno. In Anaheim, Ducks lean in to hometown pride while Angels gaze longingly at L.A.

The Samuelis aren't perfect owners by any stretch, but this article illustrates the sharp contrast in the way they've leaned into Anaheim and Orange County as a distinctive community that they want to support, versus the Angels who have ostracized themselves from it. As a lifelong Anaheim resident, it's why I continue to support the Ducks. I consider myself an Angels fan, but I won't wear a piece of gear or spend a dime on them until Moreno sells the team.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Great piece by Sam Blum at the Athletic, who of course can't get an actual quote from an Angels representative because he dares to criticize the petty and vindictive Arte Moreno. In Anaheim, Ducks lean in to hometown pride while Angels gaze longingly at L.A.

The Samuelis aren't perfect owners by any stretch, but this article illustrates the sharp contrast in the way they've leaned into Anaheim and Orange County as a distinctive community that they want to support, versus the Angels who have ostracized themselves from it. As a lifelong Anaheim resident, it's why I continue to support the Ducks. I consider myself an Angels fan, but I won't wear a piece of gear or spend a dime on them until Moreno sells the team.

I officially started my embargo today as well; no merch, live games or television/radio broadcasts until Arte either sells or croaks, whichever comes first. Probably the first time I’ve skipped game 1 of an Angels season in my life

Did manage to accidentally catch the score, 8-1 loss to the White Sox on opening day? To anyone left who actually follows this team, hope you’re strapped in because it’s gonna be a looooong year and they have a legit shot to lose 100

 

[AngelDuck]

This is the worst Angels roster I can remember in my lifetime perhaps. Embarrassingly bad and zero real hope on the horizon IMO

 

[terranraida]

the MLB needs to step in and have Arte sell the team to someone who actually gives a damn. That was embarrassing. Battle of the basement and we lost big time.

 

[eaterfan]

This is the worst Angels roster I can remember in my lifetime perhaps. Embarrassingly bad and zero real hope on the horizon IMO

Say what you want about the Samuelis, but they are at least allowing a rebuild to take place. The pipeline is stacked with talent and they aren't panicking and forcing trades of young guys to win now.

The Angels may be the worst team in baseball and have the worst farm system to boot.

 

[tomd]

Tankathon showing that the Angels can't pick higher than 10th in the '26 draft...that's sadly hilarious.

 

[AngelDuck]

Say what you want about the Samuelis, but they are at least allowing a rebuild to take place. The pipeline is stacked with talent and they aren't panicking and forcing trades of young guys to win now.

The Angels may be the worst team in baseball and have the worst farm system to boot.

I agree

 

[AngelDuck]

Tankathon showing that the Angels can't pick higher than 10th in the '26 draft...that's sadly hilarious.

Why’s that? Not familiar with the MLB draft rules

 

[tomd]

Why’s that? Not familiar with the MLB draft rules

Don't know...just saw it on Tankathon.

 

[JAHV]

I officially started my embargo today as well; no merch, live games or television/radio broadcasts until Arte either sells or croaks, whichever comes first. Probably the first time I’ve skipped game 1 of an Angels season in my life

Did manage to accidentally catch the score, 8-1 loss to the White Sox on opening day? To anyone left who actually follows this team, hope you’re strapped in because it’s gonna be a looooong year and they have a legit shot to lose 100

Because I couldn't help myself (hope springs eternal and all that BS), I followed along on Gameday yesterday. First inning, Ward with the leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout. Then Trout hit by pitch on the hand (of course), followed by 2019 All Stars Jorge Soler and Tim Anderson striking out with a runner on third.

They proceeded to get two hits in the next six inning against literally the worst team in history. They loaded the bases in the eighth inning - only down by three at this point - and Soler struck out. I closed the page in disgust and that might be the last time I look for a while. What a joke this team is.

Screw you, Arte.

 

[eaterfan]

Because I couldn't help myself (hope springs eternal and all that BS), I followed along on Gameday yesterday. First inning, Ward with the leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout. Then Trout hit by pitch on the hand (of course), followed by 2019 All Stars Jorge Soler and Tim Anderson striking out with a runner on third.

They proceeded to get two hits in the next six inning against literally the worst team in history. They loaded the bases in the eighth inning - only down by three at this point - and Soler struck out. I closed the page in disgust and that might be the last time I look for a while. What a joke this team is.

Screw you, Arte.

I used to be such a fan of the team, but I've become apathetic because of Arte's stewardship of the team. I used to know the countdown until pitchers and catchers reported. I got the notification from the Athletic that the game was starting and didn't even realize it was opening day and wasn't a spring training game for a few minutes.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Tankathon showing that the Angels can't pick higher than 10th in the '26 draft...that's sadly hilarious.

MLB draft is now a joke. The only sport that shouldn't have a draft lottery now has it and now there is all these rules preventing bad teams from drafting above top10 lol. MLB has the highest bust rate of first round picks than any other sport.1st overall picks not even guaranteed to make the majors.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Because I couldn't help myself (hope springs eternal and all that BS), I followed along on Gameday yesterday. First inning, Ward with the leadoff double, moved to third on a groundout. Then Trout hit by pitch on the hand (of course), followed by 2019 All Stars Jorge Soler and Tim Anderson striking out with a runner on third.

They proceeded to get two hits in the next six inning against literally the worst team in history. They loaded the bases in the eighth inning - only down by three at this point - and Soler struck out. I closed the page in disgust and that might be the last time I look for a while. What a joke this team is.

Screw you, Arte.

Apparently, you missed the catastrophic meltdown of Ryan Johnson, our second-round pick from last year who never pitched in the minors who gave up 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning after a clean 7th, which prompted a position player to have to get the final out. Franchise remains the best at baseball in their absolute failure to develop major-league pitching.

 

[JAHV]

Apparently, you missed the catastrophic meltdown of Ryan Johnson, our second-round pick from last year who never pitched in the minors who gave up 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning after a clean 7th, which prompted a position player to have to get the final out. Franchise remains the best at baseball in their absolute failure to develop major-league pitching.

The best thing I can say about that is skipping the minor leagues entirely makes sense when your player development department consists of one old man trying to figure out how to work a fax machine and several rats chewing on power cables to computers that don't work.

 

[Bender66]

Apparently, you missed the catastrophic meltdown of Ryan Johnson, our second-round pick from last year who never pitched in the minors who gave up 5 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning after a clean 7th, which prompted a position player to have to get the final out. Franchise remains the best at baseball in their absolute failure to develop major-league pitching.

I have no idea why they sent Johnson back out there for a 2nd inning.
Anaheim Lobsters were in mid season form.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Say what you want about the Samuelis, but they are at least allowing a rebuild to take place. The pipeline is stacked with talent and they aren't panicking and forcing trades of young guys to win now.

The Angels may be the worst team in baseball and have the worst farm system to boot.

Blame owner Arte for that. We have lost 1st round picks because Arte. For example, Arte wanted big time hitters in FA such as Pujols and Hamilton in back-to-back seasons. We have lost talent unnecessarily because Arte wanted a FA hitter, was impatient, or wanted to look good as well as milk the Ohtani money.

Lost talent unnecessarily: Then GM Dipoto identified that the Angels were lacking in pitching talent in their system and needed pitching in the MLB. So he traded a lot of future prospects, including future all-star prospect SS Segura, for ace starting pitcher Greinke in hopes of re-signing him at the end of the season. This process was good two folds: gives the MLB team an ace and doesn't lose a 1st round pick by trading for Greinke in-season on his last year of his contract. Unfortunately, Arte wanted the big bat of Hamilton over Greinke, who both wanted $25 mil/season.

Was impatient: Arte nixed a deal with the Dodgers because he was impatient. It was INF Rengifo plus a prospect for OF Joc Pederson, SP Ross Stripling, and prospect OF Andy Pages. That wjould have been a great deal for the Angles! I was giddy at the though of having a starting pitching in Stripling b/c he was at least at MLB level and the idea of getting OF Pages!

Milking Ohtani revenue: Arte could have boosted the farm system if they would have traded Ohtani at last year's TDL if Arte knew he wasn't going to keep Ohtani going into the future. What's more despicable is Ohtani coming back to the Angels to see if they would match the Dodgers' deal during the off-season as a sign of loyalty to the team, but Arte said no.

For all the Duck fans that want meddling from their owners, this is a great example why you don't want meddling owners.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Tankathon showing that the Angels can't pick higher than 10th in the '26 draft...that's sadly hilarious.

I took a step back to read some of the rules, instead of agreeing with the anger. I kinda like it. It prevents perpetual bottom feeders from hording top-end prospects just to sell later on to once every three years (rule #2). It doesn't reward overspending teams to be part of the lottery to once every three years (rule #3).

The Angels were benefactors of the rules for this draft and landed the #2 overall pick. The White Sox had the worst record in the MLB last year, were excluded from the 2025 lottery, and could not pick higher than 10th. That improved the Angels' lottery odds to land #2 overall in the 2025 draft. The highest the Angels have picked in the last decade was 8th OA in last year's draft.

 

[Deuce22]

The best thing I can say about that is skipping the minor leagues entirely makes sense when your player development department consists of one old man trying to figure out how to work a fax machine and several rats chewing on power cables to computers that don't work.

Player development doesn't make the owner any money. In fact, he would have to hire (and pay) people to scout and work with minor leaguers.