The Angels will be in the red this year, but that won’t stop them from spending. As they head toward their first losing season since 2003, it’s becoming apparent that the Angels will lose about $10MM this year, a baseball source told Mark Saxon of ESPNLos Angeles.com.
But Angels fans can still dream about a 2011 outfield that includes Carl Crawford. Multiple sources tell Saxon that the organization plans to push aggressively to sign the left fielder when he hits free agency after the season. Speaking in general terms, GM Tony Reagins said the team will be able to spend this offseason.
"You always have to take account of how the finances work, but we're not limited financially in any way," Reagins said. "Whatever we need to do that makes sense and that's reasonable, we'll address."
Crawford, Adrian Beltre and Jayson Werth are among the top free agent position players who could draw interest from the Angels. The team’s rotation appears to be set, but the club will likely pursue relievers and consider trading Mike Napoli at some point this winter.
Its nice seeing the Angels finally lose the AL West, it was getting so stale seeing them win every year and i hope the rangers win the world series
Booooooooooooooooo!
I don’t think he’s right about what he said about the Angels, but I really think Texas will win it all. In fact, I feel 100% comfortable that Felix will win the Cy Young, 80% comfortable that Halladay wins it in the NL, 60% that Sabathia doesn’t get a 1st place vote, and 101% that Texas at least makes it to the ALCS!
Halladay just bumped it up to 75% today.
I said 80%…And he did bump it up, bumped it up to 100%!
Hahah I read 60% for some reason, lol.
I knew he would dominate NL easily. Imagine what Halladay could get if he didn’t re-sign with Phillies for such a bargain. O.o
1 trillion dollars over 50 years
I’m convinced Halladay could have gotten a record deal had he reached free agency — or at the least, something matching Sabathia’s deal. Halladay is basically a taller version of Greg Maddux, meaning his style of pitching should allow him to age very well.
Watching him pitch, it’s just unfair — NL lineups just dont have a chance. He has a couple of complete games in which he threw under 100 pitches — that’s just unreal. I’ve always felt that Pedro (in his prime) was the best pitcher I ever saw, but sometimes Halladay looks pretty close.
Actually my vote is for the Rays or the Phillies this year. Rangers are good… but I don’t think they’re good enough.
aren’t you banned?
BOOOO this man!
big talk there guy
bet ur a yankees fan in secrecy 🙂
Okay, so Crawford, Beltre, Crain, and Qualls are officially Angels.
I’d rather have Crawford and Downs, and pass on Beltre, Werth, and Qualls. Crain is a possibility I haven’t really looked at.
Man, an Angels team with either Beltre, Crawford, or Werth would be a force to be reckoned with. One year away from the ALCS, a signing of any of these three would put them as early favorites to get back in my book.
Crawford, here we go
Is it safe to say that Reagins learned his lesson from making horrible FA signings the last offseason? $10M in the red, dang.
I don’t know if it’s safe to say that if he’s willing to spend $18M a year on Crawford for six to seven years, which is what he’s likely to get.
That’s not a contract that the team who gets him is going to be digging in three years.
As the Angels always have talent, and were so close to the series a year ago, wouldn’t it make sense to spend the money to get them there? Seems like a successful team would make back that money, especially in fan friendly Anaheim when they are winning.
The Angels attendance this year is virtually the same as last year. They are $10m in the hole because the team can’t support a $120m+ payroll. Unlike clubs like the Red Sox and Yankees, the Angels can’t spend gobs of money and still turn a profit.
The team cannot afford to sign a big time contract this off-season as things stand today. The only thing I can think of is they are looking to go in the hole again for 2011 knowing that they have gobs of money coming off the books following next year (only $50m in commitments for 2012).
Of course, they could afford Crawford if they would deal Abreu and Rivera. An outfield defense of Bourjos, Hunter and Crawford would be sick. Hopefully, by 2012 it would Trout, Crawford, and Bourjos. That would be flat out phenomenal.
The Angels are in the red because of the horrible GMJ signing. It cost Bill Stoneman his job, and the Angels are still paying for it, to the tune of $11M a year.
i agree
that guy was the big curse…worse then wood for sure lol
especially when you factor in the millions 🙂
GMJ didn’t help things but EVERY team has a bad signing. This is especially true for teams with payrolls in the $90m+ category.
Astros – $92m with $19m tied up in Lee (705 OPS + awful defense and baserunning)
Brewers – $90m with $12m tied up in Suppan
Cards – $95m with $9m tied up in Lohse (80 innings with an ERA above 7)
Cubs – $144m with $13m tied up in Lee (now traded), $18m in Big-Z
etc, etc.
GMJ was bad. So was Speier. So was the Kazmir trade. So was Torri Hunter (not yet but it will be before the deal is over). You give a GM enough rope and they will hang themselves. The goal isn’t to be perfect, rather a good GM minimizes mistakes.
Honestly, I don’t believe the attendance was the same as last year. Don’t get me wrong, the sold tickets were the same, but people stopped going. That means no revenue from food or merchandise, which can be pretty heavy. A person spends around than $10 when going to a game just for food. That’s like $300,000 per game, for 81 home games thats more than $34M for the season. I know that you have to count costs and what not, but I hope I’m getting my point across.
I’m a season seat holder, and when they reported that the attendance was 39,000 for the game and you look at the stands, there was no way that many people were ever inside the stadium, specially towards the end of the season. Have you checked Stubhub lately? The cheapest tickets are about 10 cents, that’s insane. Part of the Angels’ loss is because they played so bad nobody wanted to go to the big A. I’m not saying this is the only reason, but one of the reasons.
people stopped going as much to games when the playoffs were basically unreachable. but even on nights when they play “boring” or “bad” teams, there are still 30k+, which is more than alot of stadiums get when they play good teams
i hope Reagins looks to at least shed some salary through trades in the winter.
Who’s coming off the books? Matsui(6 mil), Speier(5 mil), Shields(5 mil), and if they trade Napoli(could make $5 mil in arb). Also, you don’t have Fuentes’ contract. That’s over $20 mil worth to put towards Crawford.
Of course, everyone and their mother is gonna get a raise through arbitration.
Not everyone. Weaver will and Kendrik and Aybar will get a very small raise if anything. Not sure how Kendry’s situation in arbitation will work. To add to your list of money off of the books, put in a possible (and hopeful) trade of Rivera ($5.25 mil) and possibly even Abreu ($9 mil?). I dont think Crawford should or will get $20 mil per.
can’t see anybody willing to pay 9 mil for Abreu.
all but done as an outfielder, decent numbers at the plate, but not the centrepiece-type slugger this team needs right now and probably not what anyone else, at that price, needs as a DH
not saying they would pay $9 mil for him, but i could see a team like the white sox or something like that interested if free agency isnt good to them
Only two people deserve them – Weaver and Napoli. Everyone else sucked it up big time.
i know..and agree..
napoli being traded could bring fat cash…but hes a solid player…maybe not as defensively sound as mathis behind the plate…but his offense more then makes up for it…
They are still paying Gary Matthews Jr. next year (off the books in 2012, i think).
correct. The Angels are free and clear of Matthews Jr. after the 2011 season.
A contending team needs offensive improvements and will achieve that by trading its 3rd best hitter, who is affordable AND plays a position of need (catcher)?
You are right on.
The problem is that the Angels won’t let him play catcher. Once you remove him from behind the dish his value decreases. I think most Angel fans DO want him to catch but are resigned to the fact that the team has other plans. In that case, trading him maximizes his value.
Don’t forget Gary Matthews Jr. and his crazy salary!!! Even though he was on the Mets at the beginning of this year and in the Reds organization later , the Angels agreed to pick up around $21 million of the remaining contract over this year and next year. After 2011, they are free of that contract too.
I think signing Werth would be a mistake. I just see him regressing quickly, especially if he changes leagues and is expected to be a major run producer. He’s benefitted greatly from playing on the Phils.
I could handle the Angels signing Crawford. It is a big investment and I’m not sure the Angels are comfortable making that 15+ million a year commitment for 5-7 years. That hasn’t been their style. But he’d fill a couple needs for the team.
I like them signing Beltre, but I’d be cautious to put too much of a financial commitment to him. Try not to go past 4 years. He and Crawford are Angels type of players and I can see Reagins trying to get both.
“I could handle the Angels signing Crawford. It is a big investment and I’m not sure the Angels are comfortable making that 15+ million a year commitment for 5-7 years. That hasn’t been their style.”
It’s not their style, even though they signed Torii Hunter for 5/90?
They are by far one of the more cautious teams in shelling out big bucks. 1 Big contract every so often. Hunter and Vlad in the last decade. Any other big name signings I’m forgetting?
This is why we love Arte, always putting his all into the team unlike some other owners!
Speaking relatively, the Angels have blown it.
As in, they’ve blown a lot of money to win the AL west without being able to put together the pieces to be a great team.
too many contracts overpaying for decent (Fuentes, Abreu, Shields, Rivera) mediocrity (Speier) and nightmare (GMJ).
Other than Torii it doesn’t seem like there has been strong leadership and I’m thinking that’s one of the reasons the young taelent they stubbornly refused to package in trades haven’t developed as quickly.
You can’t look at things in retrospect. Of course, in hindsight some moves look bad.Speier – coming off back to back season of sub 3’s ERA over 120 innings. K/9 was nearly 10. Angels needed another arm. Year 1 was fine. Years 2 and 3 a disaster.Fuentes – coming off 4 years where he averaged an ERA right at 3, over 10 K’s per 9 innings and averaged 28 saves. His nearly 4 ERA was the highest in the past 5 years. He also fared better (dollar for dollar) than many of the other options that off-season – K-Rod and Wood come to mind.Abreu – Didn’t like this resigning but he has provided expected production for what he is paid.Rivera – Was a steal last year and a bust this year. The measurement of whether this is a good signing or not will be determined next year.Shields – Up until 2008 Shields had posted a career ERA under 3. He was arguably the best set-up man in baseball. His 2008 season validated the signing with a great 60+ innings at a sub 3 ERA. Unfortunately, the wheels came off in 2009 and 2010.At the time here is how I would have handled the deals:GMJ – paid too much but not a terrible signing (alternative was a finished Erstad or Rowand). At the time I was hoping for $3/36.Fuentes – happy about the signing at the time.Abreu – would have preferred for him to walk (collect the picks and save the money). However, it wasn’t a terrible deal by any means. 1/$8 is the most I would have paid.Shields – too many years but otherwise fine. 2/$10 would have been my max.Rivera – smart signing.Speier – too many years but not bad either. 2/$10 would have been my max.
All in all I don’t think any of the deals were horrible at the time (exception being GMJ). They may have all been a million or so too much but that’s not anything to a club with a $120m payroll. What has killed them is injuries. Each of those players, with the exception of Abreu and Fuentes, dealt with major injuries that seem to have derailed careers. Some might have been foreseeable (Shields maybe) but that’s a stretch.
as ever, you’re the loyal Angels apologist
OF COURSE you look at things in retrospect
what’s the old saying? those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
besides, you all but contradict yourself with the above post replying to John W and confirm what I said: the Angels, along with the other $90 M+ teams you listed, are capable of spending money, just not of doing it all that wisley
if the angels have dnt have money problems i have some ideas that can help them save some money n get some talent to contend with the yankees n phillies…
i suggest that they should start some rookies, sign some players and trade a few
first i would trade napoli 6 mil, abreu 9 mil, rivera 5.5 mil, and aybar for some prospects
with those trade they save a little over 20 mil
non-tender- mathis
and exp. contract shield 5 mil, speier 5 mil, matsui 6 mil, and good thing they traded fuentes because whenever he was out there i felt he could have a blown a save..16 mil off the books
C- Conger and veteran to teach him some stuff (Hernandez or Molina)
1st Base- Morales
2nd Base- Kendrick
SS- Callaspo (upgrade over aybar)
3rd Base- Adrian Beltre (Defense + Power)
LF- Crawford (Speed, defense, and hitting)
CF- Bourjos
RF- Hunter
DH- Adam Dunn (Power that we’ve been missing)
the rotation is pretty much set with
1st- Weaver, 2nd- Haren, 3rd- Santana, 4th- Piniero, 5th Kazmir
Bullpen they have some rookies that can pitch
Walden (give him a shot at closing), thompson, kohn, bulger, and jepsen
with vets rodney and sign scott down or jesse crain (palmer when a pitcher gets rocked)
bench players like mighty maicer, kevin frandsen, willits
with this line up we can definetly compete with anybody in the league
they would have everything speed, power, and defense and would have a great starting rotation
the good thing is that next year Gary Mathews Jr awful contract will come off the books, also rodney and kazmir if he struggles again…i hope ur reading TONY REAGINS
Basically you saying $36M would come off the books, but with Crawford, Beltre and Dunn we would take on around $40-45M. Yeah, I don’t think the Angels could pull this off, moving Abreu’s contract will be tough. I like the lineup (i’m not too convinced about Beltre, he’s not that consistent offensively), although I think a Wilson/Conger platoon would be better. If the Angels could get Wright from the Mets without losing Trout I’d rather have him instead, he’s cheaper and younger than Beltre. Of course, as you say, if the Angels indeed had no financial limitations. We’ll see where that takes us.
some good hopes, but …
Callaspo at SS?!!?!?!?!
Callaspo over Aybar?!?!?!?!?!?!
start again
Callaspo at short? what are you smoking and where can i get some
solution for the Angels:
first is sign an OF ( crawford,werth, and maybe if we loose both dunn)
Then trade napoli, rivera, and maybe even kendrick, because if you look at callaspo he is the same player as kendrick and can play 2b, and put a package together to get wright and if you cant, then trade rivera and napoli and maybe even willits for prospects and relievers.
sign soriano to make bullpen insane and have the young arm in their too because they have already looked good ( jordan walden and michael kohn)
guarantee a alcs and i say not world series because you never know what can happen but have a very good chance.
I say all this too because the Angels are a lucky team to have Moreno, because he can with a snap of his fingers spend tons of money and do trades with sciosica and regians to get a world champpion team as above!!!!!!!!
Yes yes yes! All we would need is a slugging third baseman through the trades, then we would be set
I do not think the Angels will sign both Crawford and Beltre. I see Crawford playing LF. Look to trade Napoli and Rivera for a solid 3B. Sign Scott Downs for the bullpen and the Angels are set for 2011. Morales will be back at 1B and the offense will be good. The starting pitching staff is very good. We just need another solid bullpen arm.