“Nothing Is Remotely Imminent” eh?
I guess I’ll let Nolan Ryan off on a technicality. I mean there isn’t a whole lot that’s remote in the 48 hour distance between that statement and a signed contract now is there? No, that pretty much is just imminent. What was it I was saying a few weeks ago about the different front offices playing a little too much Diplomacy this off season? If I were actually sitting in on this particular game of Diplomacy I might say well played in addition to growling less sportsmanlike comments but, as it is, I’m just growling.
So Adrian Beltre is a Ranger and the Angels missed the boat again. I understand that the free agent market got outrageously expensive again this year. Under normal circumstances, I think sticking to one’s principals is laudable but, right now, claiming to stick to their principals just looks like the Angels front office is making a piss poor excuse for terrible performance. We didn’t strike out this off season, we barely even bothered to step up to the plate. And they better not start carting out Takahashi and Downs again like those signings make for a fine off season on their own and anything else would just have been gravy. Those signings were a great start, alas apparently on a road to nowhere. When nothing else followed, just admit that you messed up. That way you only look really stupid instead of abysmally stupid.
If I am being rational, I know this isn’t the absolute end of the world. If I am being rational, I know that there is no one player who is the answer for us in a vacuum without any other changes. If we had landed Beltre and, defying all reason, the rest of bats went missing for most of the season again, a season with only Beltre and Weaver consistently performing to expectations isn’t going to be any prettier than one where Weaver more or less consistently performed to expectations alone. If the bats actually show up, I think the team that hits the field in 2011, as it stands right now, is a better team than the one that hit the field in 2010. Rationally though, I really don’t know if that is enough.
Again, if I’m being rational, it’s a long season and we haven’t started Spring Training yet. Everybody has to play 162 games, blah, blah, blah and all of the other clichés. But, seriously, a lot can happen in that amount of time, especially in California baseball. My sister and I have always said that no one, but no can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (or, sadly, defeat from the jaws of victory but let’s not go there right now) in the most unexpected of ways like California baseball teams. Angels, Dodgers, Giants, A’s and Padres fans, you all know what I’m talking about. And tomorrow…okay maybe by next week, I will probably truly believe all of this and the other hopeful posts I have made on this blog again.
But tonight I don’t feel like being rational. I am angry, enough so that I didn’t so much type this as I beat and pounded it into the keyboard. Whether or not Beltre was the answer, I just wanted something, anything to point at and say, look, the front office is really trying this off season instead of well, just being trying.
This is a very simple game... 
I figured you’d be angry about Beltre and the Rangers when I heard about it. And I tell myself the same things you do – that a lot can still happen, the season hasn’t even started, blah blah blah. It’s still annoying when players slip away and land with other teams.
http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Angels make some trades this year. It’s obvious they lost out on free agents Crawford and Beltre, but that doesn’t mean that can’t improve their roster. If healthy, the Angels are a good team. With the right trade or two, they could be a serious World Series contender.
Ron
http://strictlycubsbaseball.mlblogs.com/
Angels’ main targets this offseason have all gone to other teams. First crawford and now beltre. Outside the division, Angels don’t perform so well. With pretty much the same roster as 2010, I am not sure how they can improve. I guess full season of Haren and Morales should help a little bit. Can they expect Bobby to bounce back or is he aging? Anyways, Angels would be my second favorite to win the division.
Jane – Yeah, last night was anger. Today it’s anger moving towards resignation. I suppose grudging acceptance can’t be too far off. It’s the 5 Stages of Hot Stove Grief, LOL!
Ron – Thanks! Yeah, trades will have to happen at this point. And I can think of several candidates I would suggest – take Juan Rivera, please! But I doubt my suggestions will be the guys getting traded. Although, the Angels do seem to have better luck with trades than free agency signings. I miss Saunders but Haren was a much better deal.
OPWRKDNSCGTO – Thank you for dropping by my blog and for your thoughts! Yeah, the Angels have blown opportunities left and right this off season. Haren and Morales should help a bit in 2011 and if everyone just bats at their average instead of below like last year that will help as well – a lot of last year’s losses were squeakers lost from lack of run support. But, you’re right, this is all very iffy and 2011 is going to be tough.
– Kristen
http://blithescribe.mlblogs.com/
Kristen,
Anger and Resignation has been hanging with us Dodger fans for too long.
Can you beleive ESPN threw that curveball of changing the Openner from Friday day game to Thursday eve with ESPN? AGHH. No Vin Scully! At least we don’t have to go to SF and watch the hated Jints ceremony.
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com
The Angels have a pretty good Minor League system, so maybe they’re banking on some young guys stepping up in the next few years. I saw Mike Trout play in Cedar Rapids last season, and the guy is a beast. I wouldn’t be suprised if he gets called up late this season.
–Mike
‘Minoring In Baseball’
http://burrilltalksbaseball.mlblogs.com
We may not have been a front runner for belier but pirate fans desperately wanted to make a splash with him. But other than that whenever a middle of the road paler goes elsewhere it disappoints me. It pains me that our organization is happy with the status quo. The pirates only need a few more pieces to be remotely respectable but it looks like another offseason letdown
http://pittpeas.mlblogs.com
I say it again, the angels need to get Vlad. I know that his knees aren’t that good, his range isn’t like it used to be, but hold out hope that the Angels front office gets him into a contract until he retires.
Look at this: 29 hrs, 115 rbi’s and a .300 batting avg. is what Vlad had in Texas last season. Bring that over to the Angels, then you’ve got an explosive offense again with him in the middle of that line-up. I think the deal will get done and if the Angels miss out on him then shame on the front office.
Emma – I hear that. It’s weird but the Angels and Dodgers often seem to be two peas in a pod with good seasons and bad seasons that match one another. Although your Dodgers have been pretty active this post season which is nice to see. I got the email about the opening day change (I went to the freeway series at Dodger Stadium last year so I’m on the email lists) and thought Dodgers fans wouldn’t be too happy with it…though I suppose it’s traditional for the World Series winning team to start a day ahead of everyone else. Maybe starting off against the Giants with an altered schedule will really fire the Dodgers up for the season? It could be a good thing.
Mike – Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting! Yeah, I am really excited about Mike Trout. But as much as I want them to bring him up soon, I hope they don’t bring him until he’s really ready. The expectations fans are heaping on him are verging on the unfair already so that’s going to be a lot of added pressure. I want to see the kid get a fair chance to shine when he comes up.
Matt – Yeah, the Pirates always do seem to be a case of missed it by that much in terms of growing into a competitive team. It’s frustrating when it feels like the fans know what the team needs better than the front office.
HTBM – If all we needed was a DH, I’d be cheering for the team to sign Vlad too but we have two defensive holes and must fill at least one for a “patch” solution to work on the other. I’m not denying his prowess. I’ve seen what he’s done in years past for us and watched what he did for Texas last year and he can seriously hit anything. I’ve always maintained that if the pitcher decided to roll Vlad the ball with a little bit of speed on it, he could probably knock it for a base hit. We’ll see what the front office does but if it’s to be just a one player solution, this is not the way I would choose to go.
– Kristen
http://blithescribe.mlblogs.com/
If it takes 6 years and 96 million to sign Beltre, then in the long run, I don’t think the Angels missed out. The Rangers organization will probably be on the losing end of this deal, especially factoring Beltre’s age.
Not much really left out on the free agent market besides possibly signing Vlad back. The Angels still have big pieces including getting Morales back and Weaver and Haren anchoring the rotation. Plus, I think Abreu is going to have a comeback year. I like the Angels chances even if their isn’t any improvement via free agency or trade.
Risinghalo – Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting! I don’t know about the cost. It’s outrageous yes, but that seems to be the going rate this year. Being able to say nah nah you spent too much money on a guy over 30 in 3 years seems cold comfort when we have to watch the upside to their deal this season, next season and so one. That said though, when I am being rational instead of angry, LOL, I agree with you that all is far from hopeless for the very reasons you listed.
– Kristen
http://blithescribe.mlblogs.com/