Yesterday, the Angels decided to buy out left fielder Garret Anderson’s $14MM ’09 option for $3MM. Anderson’s friends told the L.A. Times he prefers to stay in Anaheim, but the Angels may not have a spot for him. Said GM Tony Reagins:
He still wants to play. He still thinks he can play a significant role, as far as getting 500 or 600 at-bats. We just need to determine whether we have that place for him.
The quote seems to imply that the Angels may not view Anderson as an everyday player anymore. He hit .293/.325/.433 in 593 plate appearances this year, spending significant time at DH. The Angels have more pressing concerns this winter, and they’ll deal with those first. Waiting around for the Halos could be a risky move for Anderson.