LOS ANGELES—After months of speculation over his playing future, baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani announced Friday his plans to leave the Los Angeles Angels for a team in Major League Baseball. “It’s been an honor playing for the Angels, and I’ll be sad to leave, but like many great foreign players before me, I want to see how well I stack up against the best players in the world by joining a Major League Baseball team,” said Ohtani, who is expected to be the subject of a fierce bidding war as he joins the MLB, with teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros competing to sign the two-way star. “I also want to make sure I’m not a distraction for the other players on the Angels, especially since there have been so many MLB scouts coming to my games. I know the level of play in the major leagues will be much higher than what I’ve seen on the Angels, but I’m ready, and I’m really excited to finally be part of an MLB team. I want to take my time with my decision, though, because it would be great to find a team that I can spend my entire MLB career with.” Ohtani added that if his transition to a Major League Baseball team doesn’t pan out, he could always return to the Angels.
Tag: Los Angeles Angels
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Angels GM On Ohtani Potentially Leaving: ‘We Are The Most Incompetent Franchise In The History Of Professional Sports’
ANAHEIM, CA—Asked for his thoughts on the potential departure of impending free agent star Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian told reporters Thursday that his team was “the most incompetent franchise in the history of professional sports.” “None of us know what the fuck we’re doing,” said Minasian, explaining why the supremely talented pitcher, designated hitter, outfielder, and 2021 American League MVP would likely become a free agent and leave the team that had failed to make the playoffs in all his years with them. “Only the most inept organization led by absolute idiots could have gotten six seasons of Ohtani’s prime, paired him with Mike Trout—another generational talent—and then, by some miracle of stupidity, failed to provide a supporting cast good enough to win at least a World Series or two. Did we even win the goddamn division? Not once. What a bunch of goddamn morons we are. Why on God’s green earth did he sign with us, anyway? I guess the poor guy didn’t know he was getting involved with a bunch of world-class fuckups. The minute the season ends, he should definitely high-tail it out of here and never look back. Christ, they ought to kick us out of the league.” At press time, the Angels front-office executives were all reportedly asking team owner Arte Moreno why the hell they still had their jobs.
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Los Angeles Angels Smash Records With Massive 25-1 Win Over Colorado Rockies
DENVER (AP) — Mike Trout, Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss hit homers on consecutive pitches to open a 13-run third inning and Mickey Moniak capped it win a two-run homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ record-setting 25-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
The Angels set franchise marks for runs and hits (28) in a game and tied team records for runs and homers with their huge third inning.
David Fletcher hit a three-run homer to cap an eight-run fourth as the Angels scored 21 runs on 17 hits in the third and fourth innings combined, sending 27 batters to the plate. Fletcher had three hits and five RBIs in his first game since being recalled from Salt Lake City.
Hunter Renfroe and Mickey Moniak each had five hits and four RBIs for the Angels, who ended a three-game skid in a big way.
Drury had three hits and four RBIs and Trout had three hits and an RBI. Both were replaced in the fifth with the game well in hand. Every Angels starter had one hit, RBI and run scored.
Surprisingly absent from the outburst on offense was major league home run leader Shohei Ohtani, who had an RBI single in seven at-bats.
Griffin Canning (6-2) gave up four hits in six scoreless innings while striking out seven with a walk. He has won his last four decisions.
Trout, Drury and Thaiss homered on consecutive pitches in the third off Chase Anderson (0-2).
It was the second time Anderson has given up homers on three straight pitches. It happened while he was with Toronto on Sept. 17, 2020, when the Yankees’ Brett Gardner, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit went deep against him.
Ohtani’s RBI single knocked out Anderson with two outs in the third inning. Drury followed with a two-run single off Matt Carasiti before Renfroe hit a three-run triple and newly acquired Eduardo Escobar singled in a run before Moniak’s homer.
The 13-run inning third set a Rockies record for runs given up in an inning.
Brenton Doyle homered for Colorado in the eighth.
INFIELD REMAKE
Escobar started at third base after being acquired in a trade with the New York Mets on Friday night. Meanwhile, Renfroe made his second career start (and fourth appearance) at first base and Fletcher started at shortstop after being recalled Saturday.
The Angels also optioned 1B Jared Walsh and IF Michael Stefanic to Salt Lake City. Walsh was hitting .119 with one homer in 28 games since joining the team May 20.
TRAINERS ROOM
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon (left wrist contusion) played catch for the first time Saturday, but has yet to take batting practice. There’s no timetable for his return. … LHP Matt Moore (right oblique strain) threw a 15-pitch simulated game and will be evaluated Sunday.
Rockies: OF Kris Bryant (left heel bruise) took batting practice and did running and fielding drills. “As much as I’d love to give you a timeline, I just can’t,” manager Bud Black said. … 1B C.J. Cron (back spasms) had a single and sacrifice fly and was hit by a pitch in three plate appearances as a DH in an Arizona Complex League game Saturday. The Rockies have not decided if a rehab assignment will be necessary.
UP NEXT
Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (4-1, 5.64 ERA) will oppose Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-7, 7.25) in the rubber game of the three-game series.
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Pitcher Who Threw 105 MPH In College Makes MLB Debut And The Heat Is On
He was called in to protect a 4-3 lead in an eventual 6-4 Angels victory in Chicago, MLB.com reported. He struck out two in a scoreless seventh inning, some of which was captured in a compilation video below:
“It felt awesome. I felt very comfortable ― a lot more comfortable than I thought I’d feel,” said the 22-year-old pitcher, whose speed topped out at 102.2 mph on Monday. “Just went out and trusted my stuff and threw strikes, and it worked out. It was an amazing feeling.”
Joyce’s high-velocity exploits in college last year were followed by outlets that don’t even emphasize sports.
Now he’s a big leaguer.
His coach at Tennessee, Tony Vitello, once said: “He is an abnormal kid with an abnormal work ethic and fortunately he has been blessed with abnormal stuff, too.”
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MLB opening day offers clocks, shift bans, Ohtani and Judge
A major shift in how Major League Baseball is played. About time, too.
Aaron Judge aiming at his own home run record, Shohei Ohtani trending with every pitch and swing, Dusty Baker trying to win another World Series ring.
All-Stars in different spots, a new scheduling concept featuring each team facing all 29 opponents.
If it sounds like these plot lines are from a movie — “Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes to mind — it’s true.
Opening day is Thursday and the full slate includes games at Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium. And good news for fans — there’s no snow in the forecast at any of them.
TICK-TOCK
Manny Machado drew the first pitch clock violation in spring training and it was nuisance. A game between the Braves and Red Sox ended on a clock call and it was a novelty.
Chances are, if Max Scherzer or Nolan Arenado or some other intense star gets timed out in a key spot, it could go nuclear.
But MLB realized it had to do something to cut all the dead periods when absolutely nothing was happening. Well, except for hitters adjusting their batting gloves or pitchers pawing at the rubber. So with games routinely dragging on for more than three hours, the slowdown is getting sped up.
The sport that never had a clock suddenly has them all over the park. Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and the rest of the pitchers get 15 seconds to throw with nobody on base, 20 seconds with runners on. Vladimir Guerero Jr., Mookie Betts and the hitters need to be ready.
The early returns were good, spring training games lasted nearly a half-hour less this year. But remember, that was in Clearwater, Tempe and Lakeland — it might be a lot different, especially early in the season, when umpires begin pointing to their wrists at Busch Stadium, Camden Yards and Petco Park.
VERY SHIFTY
NL home run champ Kyle Schwarber, 2020 World Series MVP Corey Seager and a bevy of left-handed boppers should benefit hugely by this rule change. Because from now on, those pull hitters won’t face a wall of three infielders on the right side.
Defensive shifts dominated the game in recent years, a big reason why batting averages plummeted so sharply. José Ramírez, Cody Bellinger and other lefties increasingly found themselves being thrown out from shallow-to-medium right field.
No longer. Realizing that shifts were a winning strategy on the field but a losing proposition with fans, MLB banned them. These days, two infielders must be standing on each side of second base. And no playing deep on the grass to rob hits, either — Dansby Swason, Jeremy Peña and other infielders need to be on the dirt.
One likely effect: With more grounders sneaking through for singles, look for the number of no-hitters and near-gems to drop.
SHO OR GO?
All eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani when he starts for the Los Angeles Angels on opening day at Oakland. Here’s what fans will really watch: Where will the two-way sensation wind up?
Quite possibly the most popular and talented player on the planet, Ohtani clinched the World Baseball Classic for Japan and earned the MVP trophy by striking out Angels teammate Mike Trout.
Ohtani can become a free agent after this year. He’s never reached the postseason since joining the Halos in 2018 — Trout, a three-time MVP, has never won a single playoff game, but that’s another matter.
At 28, it’s hard to imagine Ohtani sticking around Anaheim after yet another lost season. If they don’t start winning soon, the Angels can either trade him to a very ambitious team or risk letting him walk away for nothing.
STAR SCRAMBLE
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom bolted New York for a greener field in Texas. Three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, a model of power pitching, now on the mound for the Mets.
Trea Turner smoothly slid over to join pal Bryce Harper on the Phillies. Xander Bogaerts livened up a San Diego lineup that already included sluggers Manny Machado, Juan Soto and the suspended Fernando Tatis Jr.
AL batting champion Luis Arraez was traded from Minnesota to Miami and former MVP José Abreu signed with the World Series champion Houston Astros.
Maybe the most intriguing newcomer: Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida. He powered Japan in the WBC and was penciled into the Boston cleanup spot even before his major league debut.
EXTRA BAGGAGE
We get it: Stolen bases are for suckers, modern metrics show they’re not worth the gamble. Miami’s Jon Berti stole 41 last season and topped the majors; it was the lowest total for the MLB leader since 1963, when Maury Wills and Luis Aparicio each swiped 40.
Execs hope bigger bases that are 18-inch squares, up from 15-inch squares, will help entice more speedsters to try. It cuts down the distance between the bags by a few inches. They “look like a pizza box,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. Pitchers also will be limited in how many pickoff throws they can make.
Note to MLB: If you really want to get Randy Arozarena, Bobby Witt Jr. and Ronald Acuña Jr. on the run, see Andrés Giménez and others drop down more surprise bunts, open up hitting lanes and just increase overall offense, here’s a better idea — shorten the bases to 88 feet.
The NFL spruced up its game by moving back the extra-point line, making the PAT a more competitive play and prompting coaches to go for two. The NBA overhauled its sport way back by adding the 3-point arc. We know baseball has its hallowed distances — 90 feet and 60 feet, 6 inches — but they don’t have to stay that way forever, especially not with younger audiences eager for more action.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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EXPLAINER: Why are baseball teams spending so much money?
Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa and Trea Turner combined for almost $1 billion in contracts. Xander Bogaerts, Jacob deGrom, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Rodón, Brandon Nimmo and Willson Contreras added up to another billion.
And that’s just nine players. Just one lucrative slice of baseball’s December spending spree.
What a difference a year makes.
It has been an epic holiday season already for several teams and players — a year after Major League Baseball locked out its players in an ugly labor dispute that delayed spring training.
Judge decided to stay with the New York Yankees for baseball’s biggest free agent deal ever, a $360 million, nine-year contract. Correa has a pending $315 million, 12-year agreement to join the New York Mets, and Turner signed a $300 million, 11-year contract with Philadelphia.
Including Wednesday’s transactions, big league teams have handed out more than $2.8 billion in finalized contracts to major league free agents this offseason. That dwarfs the winter spending at this point in each of the last five years.
Through Dec. 20, 2021, that number was $1.9 billion. It was $187.4 million in 2020 — when teams were coming off the abbreviated season caused by the coronavirus pandemic — $1.6 billion in 2019, $655.95 million in 2018 and $413.25 million in 2017.
“Whether it’s ownership, whether it’s teams that fell short in the playoffs, teams that did well in the playoffs, teams that are ready to take a step from maybe a three-, four- or five-year rebuild, you look up and there’s few teams that are taking a step back,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said during baseball’s winter meetings.
“Almost everybody (is) looking to advance forward. And that, along with some really quality players, is why it’s a very aggressive market.”
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
The March labor agreement that set industry rules through 2026 is one factor behind the increased spending, but there are several more forces at play.
The labor deal included an expanded playoff format, leading to more TV money for owners, and cleared the way for advertising on uniforms and helmets for the first time.
Under the five-year agreement, the luxury tax threshold rises to $244 million by the final season and tax rates remain unchanged at the initial, second and third thresholds. A new fourth threshold was added — supposedly aimed at Mets owner Steve Cohen — but it looks as if the billionaire views that hefty tax bill more like a nuisance as he pushes his team’s payroll to near $400 million.
If a more punitive threshold system, like a salary cap, had been instituted — almost certainly a popular concept among some owners — the spending likely would have been more muted this offseason.
Labor peace, of course, is good for business in general, but MLB also is in the process of dispersing the $900 million it received from The Walt Disney Co. for its remaining share of a streaming service technology company. That money is expected to go out to clubs before the end of the year.
MLB had new streaming network packages on Apple TV+ and Peacock last season, and it announced in October that fans watched more than 11.5 billion minutes of game action on MLB.TV during the regular season, a record for the streaming package.
This year’s World Series had lackluster TV ratings, and in a cord-cutting era, there are major questions about the viability of the regional sports networks that carry baseball games. Attendance was down 5% from its pre-pandemic level, but the spending indicates at least some optimism about baseball’s health.
It’s also reflective of an unusually deep free agent class. Judge is the reigning AL MVP, and Turner, Correa, Bogaerts and Swanson are All-Star shortstops. Justin Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award with Houston last season, and then signed an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the Mets.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Looming over all this spending is Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani, who can become a free agent after the 2023 season. If Ohtani gets to free agency, he likely would smash each of baseball’s financial records for player contracts.
Ohtani, who turns 29 in July, hit .273 with 34 homers and 95 RBIs this year. He also went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 28 starts.
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado can opt out of his $300 million, 10-year deal after the upcoming season, giving up $150 million over the final five seasons, and he almost certainly is monitoring all the money being handed out this offseason.
“People are discussing who are the free agents in ’24 and ’25 now because it’s like all a big puzzle,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “So what happens this offseason is definitely going to impact what happens two offseasons from now.”
Machado’s decision is likely one reason why San Diego gave Bogaerts a $280 million, 11-year contract.
Also worth watching are baseball’s small-market owners, most of whom have been standing quietly off to the side since the end of the season. There is undoubtedly some private grousing going on behind the scenes, especially over some of the longer deals that dilute the intended effect of the sport’s tax system.
“We have a level of revenue disparity in this sport that makes it impossible for some of our markets to compete at some of the numbers we’ve seen,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said during the winter meetings.
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Lisa Lorey in New York contributed to this story.
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Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports