With the Angels hard up for starting help and Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole a pending free agent who hails from Southern California, they’ll be a speculative landing spot for the Cy Young candidate. Cole tossed a bit of fuel on the fire after dominating in Anaheim on July 17, saying (via Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times): “I grew up here, watched games when they still had bleachers. It’s a really unique park. Driving up the 57 today, seeing the Big A, it’s always cool. It’s always special. In an industry where you don’t always get to see your family as much as you would like, getting to hug your mom after the game is nice.”
As one of the game’s preeminent aces, the soon-to-be 29-year-old Cole is a solid bet to land a $200MM-plus contract in the coming months. However, as DiGiovanna points out, the Angels have never even handed out a $100MM deal to a pitcher. But that doesn’t mean the franchise that signed off on (ill-fated) contracts worth a combined $365MM to hitters Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton several years ago will shy away from a gargantuan outlay for a pitcher.
“We haven’t secured one, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t explored one,” general manager Billy Eppler told DiGiovanna on Wednesday. “There is not a philosophy or a directive in our organization to avoid sizable investments in pitching. The circumstances need to warrant such an investment.”
The Angels did think one starter, Patrick Corbin, was deserving of that type of investment last winter. They offered Corbin a little over $100MM, per DiGiovanna, though that still fell well short of the winning bid for the left-hander. The Nationals ended up securing Corbin on a six-year, $140MM guarantee, and he now looks as if he’ll help pitch them to the playoffs in his first season in D.C. The Angels took less risky routes, inking Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill to one-year commitments worth a combined $20MM. The phrase “no risk, no reward” applies in those two cases. The Angels released Harvey on July 23 after he tossed a dreadful 59 2/3 innings for the franchise. Cahill’s still a member of the Angels, but he’ll also go in the books as a failed signing. He lost his place in their rotation weeks ago and has logged a 6.28 ERA in 81 2/3 innings.
Thanks in part to the abysmal performances of Harvey and Cahill, the Angels are on track for their fifth straight non-playoff season. Their rotation has been a sore spot, ranking 28th in the majors in ERA (5.45) and 29th in FIP (29th). Heading into 2020, two-way star and 2018 Tommy John patient Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound, which will be an invaluable boost. Tragically, though, the Angels lost a key part of their staff and team last month when Tyler Skaggs passed away. Now, in all likelihood, Ohtani, Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning are the only surefire bets for next season’s rotation.
The Angels’ dearth of quality starters could lead them to free agency – not necessarily just to Cole – as “the market will have some pitching on it,” Eppler said. “I’m sure we’ll be sitting with [free agents] and seeing if something can be worked out.”
Cole may end up as the lone starter to break the nine-figure barrier during the offseason, but he won’t be the sole high-profile arm available. Lefties Madison Bumgarner (Giants), Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers), Cole Hamels (Cubs) and Dallas Keuchel (Braves), as well as righties Zack Wheeler (Mets), Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson (both Twins) could represent other options for the Angels. While Cole’s the ultimate prize, anyone from that group should be able to upgrade the Angels’ rotation and give them a better shot at a playoff berth in 2020.
Let’s be real here the angels need multiple pitchers since the Skaggs passing with ohtani coming back canning saurez and ohtani is a great back end but they have to sign cole and another one of these free agents. Which would really boost our rotation I think eppler will get the job done with cole it sound like there’s interest on both sides.
I think Cole and Hamels are their best bets since they are from SoCal and can get acclimated easily. Odorizzi and Gibson are wildcards for me
I think signing Cole will be a good idea, he’s a local product and is worth the money. Plus, it would be cool having two UCLA alums in that rotation (Canning being the other). Hamels would be the second pitcher they should sign for their rotation too. Ryu is too injury prone and don’t trust him with the Angels training staff, same for Wheeler, and Bumgarner is on the decline.
Two things to point out that haven’t been a part of the discussion so far: 1. The Astros will for sure make a qualifying offer to Cole. That would cost the Angels a draft pick if he goes the free agent route; and 2. The return of Ohtani likely means a return to a six man rotation. That’s a sure fire reason for Eppler to go back to the well on reclamation projects.
They’d lose at worst a 2nd and 5th round pick though right? Hamels could also be had without that as he cannot receive a qualifying offer.
I think only the top 10 picks are protected.
Angels current spot in the standings would give them the 12th pick overall.
So maybe let’s run Cahill out there a bunch more times and we can get that protected pick slot.
MLB should protect all 1st round picks for *non-playoff* teams. This way they are not penalized in player development for signing a top FA.
The entire first round is protected. There is a round after the first round just for comp picks.
Ah thanks for that, you’re right. Just looked it up, they changed that last year. No team can lose their highest pick anymore.
Why does forfeiting a draft pick matter when your signing a top pitcher? Thats ultimate prospect hoarding.
I never understood the fear of losing a draft pick to sign a ready for the majors type player. This year teams lost a third round pick. I mean come on, the third round pick won’t come near the majors for 3 more years if at all.
2015 8 of the 30 3rd round picks have made it to the majors. Of those 8 only 2 have WARS above 1. Harrison Baden and Brandon Lowe.
2014 13 of the 30 picks have made it to the majors. 1 Has a WAR over 1. Brian Anderson
2013 13 of the 30 made the majors. 4 have a WAR over 1. Tyler O’Neil, Jacoby Jones, Keynon Middleton and Ryon Healy.
Great stats, how do those shake out for first and second round picks?
should be an interesting off Season. hopefully the angels get one of these starters, if not 2 to would be even better. they really need pitching if trout is ever going to win a ring .
117 million going to Trout/Pujols/Upton/Simmons/Cozart/(buy out Calhoun)
Team opening day payroll will not top around 160 (up to 165 range if guys on IL so insurance tossing in cash)
Can you figure out a way to add 19 guys (including 1, let alone 2, top pitchers) for the remaining spots for around 40 million total?
So you’re forgetting about all of their arb and pre-arb players? Arte can spend as much as he wants to if he’s willing to pay the tax.
No, I’m not forgetting them at all – everyone else seems to be though.
Around 40 million to spend and 20 sports to fill around the 5 guys under hard contract
With arbitration and raises you are looking at about maybe 10-15 million left for a FA
Arte is not worried about Luxury Tax at all. He’s publicly said that. The teams salary is based 100% on what he says is their operating budget – a budget which has sat between 150-160 for years. I don’t believe him, but I trust the tightwad will not breach that number (just like he hasn’t the last 3 or so years Angel’s fans have insisted he was going to raise the salary to add pitching, but he ultimately didnt and instead stuck to his same 150-160 he has insisted on for years)
tightwad? yup! i don’t trust any billionaires regarding profits.
I count about $117 mil in hard 2020 commitments (with $1m Calhoun buyout) to 5 active players.
The other 21 Pre-Arb and Arb guys should come in around $40m. They are currently at $35.9m for 2019.
So now you’ve got a full active roster of 26 players with an opening day payroll right around $160m. That’s 26 players. They don’t need another 20 at that point.
2020 luxury threshhold is $208m. The Angels will have lots of room to add players this offseason.
“So now you’ve got a full active roster of 26 players with an opening day payroll right around $160m-$165m”
Well then you’ve made their opening day roster, because they will not top 150-160 opening day payroll
Arte is on record saying he doesnt care at all about Luxury Tax, and instead is working off the “teams budget” (which is 150-160) so using Luxury Tax threshold holds no barring in the conversion
Not accurate, there is tons of evidence they made a play for the top pitching names this offseason which would have broke the line. I think Arte is realistic about competitiveness and isnt dropping on aging assets.
There is no evidence he was willing to increase payrol. Anywhere
Even if he had signed a guy last off season before adding Harvey/Cahill/Allen, it doesnt mean he wouldn’t have cut payrol for 2020 to stay within the budget he has never allowed to be breached
You’re quoting Arte from spring of 2016 and ignoring his quotes to the contrary from spring of 2019.
You also ignore they were in on Corbin and Eovaldi last offseason.
You also ignore any revenue growth from the last three seasons.
I guess you think it’s static $160m payrolls all the way to the year 2050.
Where was the revenue growth from 2012 until today? Sure didnt show up in the payrol, did it?
Yes, Arte said in 2016 the team is at or above the operating budget every year. Since then payrol has stayed exactly the same every single year – with them going as far as to renegotiate Trout down 20 million for 2019 just to stay in that budget while allowing money to sign pitching
This idea he’s just going to randomly abandon what he he’s not only told you, but worked extremely hard to show you, is completely wishful thinking with no hard evidence to support it being a possibility
So I’ll continue to go off the words and actions of the owner that has led me to be right in these Angel’s budget conversations the past 3 years, and you go off the pure wishful thinking
Funny thing is by signing a top FA SP or 2 revenues would go up! Jersey sales, season ticket sales, parking, concessions, NEW local advertising.
Yep. Or maybe he will just hit the lottery or something – people do that too sometimes!!!
…or you can stop dreaming and instead work in the actual real world.
Angel’s attendance has stayed roughly the same since 2002, and Jersey sales are not going to pay for the players salaries (if they did, every team would just bank on that)
It’s all just wishful thinking to avoid the hard stance Arte has both outlined and stuck to for 8 years
Yes there is. Payroll has gone up over the last decade and only in the past few years have the Angels actually pushed against the luxury tax.
They better do something, unless they just plan on wasting Trouts best years.
As an Astros fan I don’t want them to get better, but as a baseball fan I hate seeing Trout not get a chance at a ring.
as an Astros fan I was excited to see the Angels give Trout all that money. Because I know this contract greatly reduces the chances of them ever being a threat to my team
This isn’t a 2020 problem for the club, this is a 2016-2019 problem
Eppler should have been signing pitchers in years past instead of wasting the money on easier to replace guys like Upton. Now we are stuck with almost all the money Arte will allow us to spend going to the Outfield and DH while we have holes everywhere
Angels wont make a big FA signing this offseasons because they can not afford it. Last season they had to have Trout renegotiat his contract down to a 17 million 2019 salary just to sign Harvey/Cahill/Allen to their one year deals. None of them had team options though because the team knew they wouldn’t be able to keep them in 2020 no matter what with the 120 million Trout/Pujols/Upton/Simmons/Cozart will cost (leaving only about 40 million for the remaining 19 guys the team needs to field)
They will be able to spend only 10-15 million on FA for 2020, and that is not going to fill the pitching issues at all. Trout/Pujols/Upton esp have the team bent over and taking it up the caboose when it comes to the financials
They gain 13m by declining Calhoun’s option as well
Don’t count backwards, count forwards
117 million to Trout/Pujols/Upton/Simmons/Cozart/(buy out Calhoun)
160 range opening payrol
Leaves around 40 million total for remaining 20 guys
Factor in who is on club already (many of which are in arbitration so getting raises) and you are left with about 10-15 for FAs
I think they trade Upton and Cozart. And now that Trout is locked up, I think Arte will go over the cap to get the help. Plus the double b-hole comes off the books soon.
Arte has said they are at to even exceeding their budget every year – and that payrol has sat between 150-160 since 2012
There is no reason to think they will boost the payrol other than just hoping they do
Also, no one is going to trade for Upton, and especially not Cozart. Zero chance unless we ate all the salary (which defeats the purpose of the trade)
Team renegotiated Trouts 2019 salary down to just 17 million solely so they could add Harvey/Cahill/Allen on 1 year deals. Locking up Trout didn’t mean they spent a penny more last season
The “double b-hole.” Nice. Going on a limb and guessing you’re in high school?
Trout made $34M not $17M. They never renegotiated his contract. Where did you get that BS from.? Arte has proven he is willing to spend and Is willing to go over the luxury tax if need be. I think the Angels buyout KC’s contract. And resign him for $16M for 2 years as insurance in case Adell stumbles.
maybe it’s time for arte, el codo, to shut it and sign a starting pitcher. or two.
@HaloHonk4Life
The contract for Trout is 17 million for 2019. That is what is on Epplers books, and how he was able to afford signing Harvey/Cahill/Allen. Epplers opening day payroll was wityin his 150-160, specifically 158.9 million, because Trout cost him just 17 million
The missing money went to Trout as a signingbonus, not salary
@miguel trucha…35 years ago! Young until I die!
Where was it ever written Trouts 2019 salary went to 17m?? Source??
First off, my apology – I see its straight 16 million, not 16.6 (17) million as I thought
legacy.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/al…
Or you can Google and check any articles with details of the contract extension signed
Under old contract he was set to make 33.25 million in 2019
Under new contract he was set to pull in 36 million in 2019 and 2020 …but 20 million of that 2019 was to be a signing bonus instead of salary
They renegotiated his contract down to just 16 million for 2019; 20 million under what it would have been if Arte was willing to increase Payrol
Upton has no-trade clause.
Cozart has no trade value.
Neither is going anywhere.
However, Pujols drops off after 2021 season, and Upton after 2022. That means a big FA salary can be structured within those constraints. A key FA could either take a lower salary until 2023, when the salary explodes, or Angels can just pay luxury tax for a couple of years. AAV is the same, no matter what.
What payroll are you looking at? The 25 man roster payroll or the 40 man luxury tax payroll? Their 25 man payroll was $140-150 million from 2012-2015. It’s been $150-$160 million since. But at the same time their luxury tax payroll has gone way up since 2012 to where they’ve pushed luxury tax only within the last few years.
Trout didn’t renegotiate his contract down to $17M. MLB and the player’s union wouldn’t even allow a player to reduce his salary. $20M of his contract was converted into a signing bonus. So he got $20M up front and his payments are based off of his remaining $16M. He’s making $36M this year….
You say he didnt renegotiate his 2019 salary down, then document how he renegotiated his 2019 salary down.
Good job man
You think Arte paid Trout’s signing bonus with Monopoly money? They paid Trout 36.6m THIS YEAR. With real money.
The money coming out of the team’s bank account next year to go to Trout does not jump by 20m in 2020.
The teams opening day payroll stayed exactly the same as it always is because the signing bonus is not part of it
If Arte was willing to increase payrol, why play the money game to keep it off Epplers books?
He did it because he was willing to give Trout a bonus, but is not willing to raise the teams payrol. He specifically negotiated down Trouts 2019 salary so he didnt have to raise payrol.
Payrol has stayed 150-160 since 2012 (with some leeway because of IL insurance) with 2019 being no different because they renegotiated Trout down to just 17 on the 2019 books.
How is this so hard for people to figure out?
I don’t even know what to say to that.
I guess you think Eppler didn’t know about the $20m signing bonus…or something.
I can’t figure out why you think paying $20 up front instead of bi-weekly over the next year really makes a substantial reduction to the team’s 2019 or 2020 actual financial outlays. It doesn’t.
In fact, time value of money theory tells us there is a marginal *increased* cost to paying the $20m now vs. spread out over the future.
If you think this “one weird signing bonus trick” really was about keeping payroll down, then the obvious solution will be to offer Cole $150m signing bonus and pay him $60 spread out over seven years. Cole and his agent almost certainly understand time value of money theory better than you, and therefore would jump at such an offer.
You might even come on here after that happens and still insist to us, “see Arte didn’t increase the budget, just like I said”.
Also, to answer the question why “play the money game” as you stated?
A large signing bonus is an enticement to the player/agent to make the deal. Immediate money is worth more than spread out money.
Clearly that was a sweetener to for Trout’s benefit, not some shell game with budgets. The money still came out of the same Angels corporate bank account.
I’m not sure what to tell you – the teams opening day payrol did not increase 1 penny (actually decreased) solely because Arte took 20 million off through the Trout renegotiation
How is that so hard to understand?
Payroll 2018 to payroll 2019 didn’t increase
Payroll 2018 to payroll 2019 didn’t increase
Payroll 2018 to payroll 2019 didn’t increase
Why? Because Arte renegotiated Trouts contract to give him a bonus instead of putting that 20 million on Eppler payroll books
Yes Trout still got the money, but it’s not in the Opening Day Payrol because Arte refused to raise that. Arte hasn’t raised the Opening Day Payroll budget since 2011
Okay, then we’re in a great position to do the same thing with a couple of free agents, right? Huge signing bonus to Cole, huge signing bonus to Bumgarner/Wheeler/Hamels/whoever, and we’ll both be happy.
I get to see an improved team on the field. You get to say “Arte didn’t increase payroll AGAIN!” We both win.
Sure, they can try to do that. Might be able to fit one more big future salary in with enough creativity.
But again, that’s just more wishful thinking, and would take much more game playing on Artes part to try to stick to what has been a very strict budget
2021 salaries are no better than 2020 ones, so anyone somehow signed is basically going to have to take next to nothing for the first 2 years at minimum
Lazorko – I understand what Darkstar is saying. Signing bonuses aren’t considered part of the salary pool. So technically, Trout re-negotiated his new contract in the sense that they played games with what bucket his money comes out of. He personally will make the same money, just sourced from different buckets to play the MLB salary game. Technically, Trout’s “salary” is 16m as it relates to the MLB salary tax threshold, which his 20m bonus doesn’t affect. Think of it in terms of how the California legislature plays the numbers game with its “expected revenues” line to “balance” the state’s budget.
Nonsense. Team budgets do not have separate buckets of money for bonuses vs salaries. Signing bonuses aren’t cheaper or discounted or whatever you think as far a team’s actual financial outlays to field a team.
And there isn’t a gaping big loophole to the luxury tax like you describe, either. Signing bonuses absolutely do get applied to the luxury tax, prorated over the length of the deal. Otherwise, the Yankees and Dodgers could just give out big signing bonuses attached to minimal contracts and completely avoid the luxury tax.
They don’t do that because the luxury tax rules don’t allow it. Signing bonuses do count for luxury tax calculations.
Lazorko – I understand what you’re saying and I think we all actually agree. I also agree that my bucket analogy was a bad one. The following is a paragraph from an article I found that addresses this exact topic:
“Signing bonuses can impact payroll calculations. Trout originally was set to earn a $33.25 million salary this year, but his record $426.5 million, 12-year contract dropped his salary to $16 million and added a $20 million signing bonus due May 31. That lowered his figure for the 2019 payroll calculation from $34.08 million to $18.5 million.”
It’s how a team can play with their official payroll numbers, which is totally acceptable in my opinion. The bonus is prorated over the life of the contract like you pointed out so it does get added into the payroll number, but spread out over time. It allows a team like the Angels and others to keep their official payroll down based on a big player signing like Trout in the signing year. Here is a link to the whole article I’m quoting from:
ktul.com/sports/2019-mlb-payrolls-drop-due-to-sign…
Good find Phill, this is how the teams such as the Halos have to create as business model that allows them to come in under cap space. Come on over and visit Halo Heaven my friend.
Darkstar – what you are saying about Trout is simply not true. His “salary” for 2019 was reduced from $33.25 million when his old contract was replaced with his new contract just before the season. Common misconception that Trout signed an “extension” — he did not he has a all new 12 year deal. To offset the reduction the Angels paid him a $20 million signing bonus. So his real earnings for 2019 are $36 million, $2.75 million more than he was due under his old contract.
What you saying is flat out not true
Trout makes 16 million in “salary” this year when you look at the Angel’s payroll
If he were to get suspended, he would lose a prorated portion of 16 million
If he were to get hurt, insurance would only cover the prorated part of 16 million
Yes, he got a signing bonus to bring his 2019 take home up to the 36 they would have paid him – but that 20 million signing bonus part has nothing to do with the teams salary; they merely gave him a bonus on top of his salary
Angel’s 2019 opening day payroll went down solely because they renegotiated Trouts 2019 salary down
Teams Payroll has not increased since 2012 and sits comfortably between 150-160 every year (with some play for insurance amounts)
They’ll get cole or hamels or cole hamels
I think Phillies could be looking at a Cole Hamels return. They had no lefty in their rotation until picking up Drew Smiley after released and adding a slow-tossing Vargas in a trade. Hamels seems better/more comfortable in the NL.
Must be August, people start talking about how being from a certain area actually plays into where these guys sign.
Wasn’t Corbin supposed to be a Yankee because of his ties upstate and his brother wearing a Yankee cap at the wedding over the winter? Right…
I think the whole thing about targeting Garrit Cole was fueled by his statement about being back in seven California felt great.
if you are from upstate n.y. you can live anywhere in the country and it is better. but when you are coming from so. cal. there isn’t any place better to live!
Common sense could tell you that Cahill and Harvey were not going to get them to a legit playoff position. While it’s great they are rebuilding a barren farm system, it’s just another wasted year for Trout.
Simmons most likely will be a trade candidate. Simmons will be entering his last year of his contract, with Fletcher having five more years of team control. Simmons is expendable. La Stella might be another trade candidate. His value will be worth more, this off-season, than it was last off-season.
No doubt that he holds significant trade value, but I just can’t imagine the Angels trading him. He’s arguably the best defensive player in all of baseball.
I’m a huge believer in building defense up the middle; catcher, SS, 2nd and CF.
Fletcher, if he played just one position, would be in line for a gold glove finalist at second, third or short. Yes you lose some defense, replacing Simmons with Fletcher. That goes without saying. The Angels could get a top pitching prospect for him.
If they get rid of Simmons, Eppler is dumber than I thought. Simba is one of their best pickups
Just have Trout pitch too. He can’t be as bad as Harvey and Cahill.
My perfect off-season for the Angels.
1. Sign Gerrit Cole. Hand him a blank check.
2. Sign one of Bumgardner or Ryu.
3. No one is taking Cozart’s and Upton’s full contracts. Angels will have to eat money to deal them, but they should for upside relief pitching.
4. Pay Calhoun’s opt out money and re-sign for less. Promote Jo Adell.
5. Trade Heaney for a young cost controlled catcher.
C: Whoever you traded Heaney for.
1. Pujols
2. Fletcher
SS. Simmons
3. Thaiss and LaStella
LF. Adell
CF. Trout
RF. Calhoun
DH. Ohtani
Bench. Fill out the roster with Goodwin, Walsh, (one of) Thaiss or LaStella and maybe Marsh, etc.
SP1. Cole
SP2. Bumgardner
SP3. Ohtani
SP4. Canning
SP5. Suarez, Barria, or Sandoval. ST battle.
Bullpen is really up for grabs aside from a few notables, Buttrey, Bedrosian, etc.
Money spent for sure but I don’t think this kind of off-season is really way out there. I think it’s realistic.
Between Cole and madbum that is $50 million a year spent. There would be nothing left for bullpen or infield. That is still a .500 team not a playoff team
we already have a great infielders. epp was able to assemble the pen for basically nuthin’!
I’m not so sure it would be $50M added per, but even if so, it’s doable with trading some, not all, of Upton and Cozarts contracts. Cozart is completely off the books after the 2020 season.
Plus, Pujols is off after 2021. There’s financial freedom in sight.
who are going to take them? one just had another surgery and the other has been playing so poorly after his own injury.
There is nothing anywhere to show Arte will increase payrol.
Every year Angel’s fans insist he will, and every year he doesn’t.
He went as far as to specifically lower Trouts 2019 salary down 20 million just so there was money to sign pitchers – there was zero reason to do that if he was willing to raise payrol. He did that solely so he didnt have to raise salary!!
This idea has going to open up the wallet is all wishful thinking, and nothing more
Only if you ignore Arte’s entire history of team ownership. The guy has boosted salary huge in the past to make signings he thought were worthwhile.
They were in on Corbin and Eovaldi last offseason.
They will be in on at least Cole this offseason.
You’re going to have to show where he boosted salaries over what he claims is the budget, because there is no evidence of it anywhere
Yes, he has insisted on some massive salaries …but only when other salaries are simultaneously cut to stay within his budget.
They claim they were in on pitchers they didnt actually sign. We’ve heard this before in years past. Never have gone over the pre-set budget though. Any signings which broke future bank came with future money cutting moves to keep them under said budget.
Ah you’re right, Arte bought the team in 2003 when it had a payroll of $160m, and by gosh, it’s been stuck there ever since! What a piker!
stevetheump.com/Payrolls.htm#2003payroll
He’s raised it once, in 2011,
…and stayed so strict to it since that he took 20 million off Trouts 2019 payroll commitment just to stay within it
So yeah, you’re here hoping he will raise it again in 2020 – with the only evidence (the Trout situation) showing he is unwilling to
Other evidence he is unwilling to though? The Harvey, Cahill, Allen and Lucroy contracts. If any of them played like allstars, it would have been nice to have a team option with merely a slight raise right? …Angels didn’t want that though because even if the team did want to keep them for 2020, there was no way they could afford them. So instead they all got straight 1 year and walk deals to ensure the team could stay within the 2020 Arte budget
Hope and pray all you want, but all actual evidence is against payroll raising
Again, he paid Trout a $20 million signing bonus. Which means the Angels real payroll this year is in the $177 million range, blowing your budget argument you’ve posted over and over.
No, it’s not. A bonus is not the same as salary and does not count in a teams payroll
Angel’s opening day payroll went down in 2019 because Trout was (smartly) willing to take a lump sum of money up front instead of over the season as salary
Arte risked the full 20 million doing it that way; if Trout were to get hurt or suspended he wouldn’t have had any way to get back the investment
So answer it yourself; why would he gamble his 20 million like that, for absolutely no reason, if he was willing to just increase payroll? And why does it happen to be the exact amount needed to get under Artes 150-160 payroll limits?
The answer is as clear as the nose on your face, no matter how little Angel’s fans apparently know about finances
You keep saying they “renegotiated” Trout’s salary down to $16 million. Not true, he signed a NEW contract, not an extension. If his new deal was an extension, then what you are saying would be correct. But that’s not what happened.
Mike Trout signed a new 12 year contract, not an extension, that pays him $16 million plus a $20 million signing bonus in 2019. That $20 million was an incentive for Trout to sign the new contract, that’s what signing bonuses are. Those signing bonuses are added to the payroll on a pro-rata basis ($1.66mil per year in this case) for purposes of the payroll tax. Arte still had to pay the full bonus right? Why would he care if that bonus doesn’t show up on the “payroll” as a lump sum? He still had to pay it!
But if you think that $20 million would not be considered employee compensation then I can’t help you understand how payrolls, compensation, and businesses operate.
A few of my credentials when it comes to finances. CFP, CLU, ChFC, MBA, AEP.
First off, Trout was signed for 2019 and 2020 before the extension was signed. He “renegotiated” that old contract away, to “extend” his commitment to the team from its promiced 2 year until now 2030.
Second, Eppler is forced to stick to a yearly payroll, in this case it is between the 150-160 its been every year for 8 years. This year is absolutely no different, with it again being in that range …because he only has Trout making 16 million on his books
If Arte wants to walk around handing guys million dollar bills for saying he looks nice in a suit, that is his business – and his doing so will have NO bearing on the payroll Eppler has to stick within.
The 20 million is a “bonus” and it came straight from the owner – the 16 million is his salary that Eppler has to account for.
Yes, bonuses are added to the “Average Annual Value of a contract” to keep teams from cheating the system – but they do NOT count as salary, are not open to penalties if the player is suspended and are not insurable if the player gets hurt. Why? Because they are not salary – they are an added gift from the owner for whatever reason he decides
If you seriously have those degrees then I’m honestly embarrassed beyond compare for you, as what a waste of money that schooling was (which I’m confident you don’t have them though. Its not uncommon at all for usually children to claim stuff like that to make it sound like they know what they are talking about even when they so clearly dont to anyone with half a brain cell)
Lazorko – It’s easy to say they were “in” on Corbin and Eovaldi and others in the sense that they may have discussed an offer. But they have a history of offering low ball contracts to see if any stick, which allows them to report they were “in” on a player. Darkstar is correct in the sense that Moreno has not raised his official team salary in years, bonuses aside, regardless of what he says he’s willing to do to the media.
I have always said that big contracts don’t equal post season play. There are many examples of small salary teams winning it all, for example KC a few years ago. Young talent and team chemistry, which I believe we have in abundance, is key. But that has to be balanced with solid pitching, which is where we have lacked for various reasons.
Hoss – you’re missing the technicality of the “actual official salary” MLB uses for threshold purposes. Players get money from various sources, including bonuses, that aren’t counted as official team salary. Darkstar is correct in his “official salary” calculations. Moreno hasn’t increased the team salary in years, regardless of what he says he’s willing to do.
The problem is you’re giving false evidence. The Angels offered all the top arms big contracts. The guys they did sign were plan b in a weak starting pitching market.
Luxury tax payroll is actually $186 million.
it’s best to trade bedrosian!
I have not been a Bedrosian fan ever. He should go along with Anderson.
Yes i agree, he sucks
One word: YANKEES!!! Cashman has wanted from the draft. 7/210
Cole won’t be void of contending suitors and ungodly money will be thrown at him from a lot of teams. I think he’s going to go where he wants to play.
Wow that’s a astute posting. Do you have that sentence copied so you can just add a particular players name in front of it?
Darn… you caught me. SMH. And you’re bringing what, exactly, to the discussion?
Well at least I’m not posting Capt Obvious BS.
Oh yeah let’s not forget the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox Every MLB players” Dream Destination” NOT.
Angels problem is they have always been against rebuilding. They should have traded some of their assets this season excluding Trout. Instead they feel they can compete with old and mediocre players. Astros rebuild A’s rebuild and now both teams are the top 2 in the west. Angels stop dreaming everything will come out 100% correct.
yeah, yeah, heard the same thing million times before.
A’s have been rebuilding since 2002. They never go long term.
Angels need to sign two of the pitchers mentioned in the last paragraph to even have a shot at contending next year.
how do you know? do you know the lottery numbers for tomorrow?
Common sense. Just like it was common sense to know that Cahill and Harvey would be awful this year.
Sign Cole, Bumgarner, and Ryu. Arte can afford it.
your trousers have hole! you, too have holes!
No thanks on Ryu. He’s having a career year and will revert back once he gets a big C.
I predict Cole and Gibson.
Dude and organization are completely lost. The moves they have made, the scoreboard, and standings do not lie. Facts are facts like it or not Halo clowns. This organization has zero direction at this time PERIOD
Just the other day I saw an Angel fan here bragging how they are something like the 8th or 9th best team over however many years he cherrypicked, based off average W-L record, and how fantastic that supposedly is
Apparently sub-500 finishes year after year after year is all they are actually rooting for, and are quite pleased to have it.
Fans like that are the reason Arte has no reason to change this con-game at all, however. He’s got his roughly 3 million fans showing up, and endless abused-wife-like apologists running around everywhere with their wishful thinking and defenses, no matter how little he does to actually improve the one field team one bit.
He is likely laughing all the way to the bank
It’s going to be another disappointing off season for this team. Eppler will pick up a few more.outcher from Walmarts dumpster and Depend on an injury prone Heaney and Ohtani coming back TJ surgery. Will coax Jeff Francis come out of retirement for $20 mil and be done for the off season.
Make something good happen,Eppler
Arte got 50 million dollars this last year from the sale of bamtech to Disney, like every team. Their is the new found money. We will take the two Cole’s. Hamels and gerrit, the ladder for a little home town discount.
What a bunch of accountants u r. Cole is probably steroid arming this year. He’ll probably suck next year. Angels r suckers. Zack Greinke never shoulda got away. I can spell Scioscia should make a triumphed return. . The GM should be fired. The past GM, s should be imprisoned. After Disney. Hamilton was kinda fun to watch sometimes. Why let him go? Arty Tantrum. Whomever is responsible for just screw Upton & Valnobuena should b sent to NY and put on suicide watch.
2020 CBT Payroll sits at $118m for Trout, Pujols, Simmons, Upton & Cozart (w/ Calhoun’s buyout). About a dozen arbitration eligible players. CBT threshold will be $208m.
The only players with contracts expiring after next season are Simba & Cozart ($27m combined). I don’t think they’re waiting on those contracts.
They’ll have a ton of cap space to work with this offseason. It’ll be interesting to see if they pull the trigger.