August MLB News thread

Minneapolis Millers

Wants you to please think of the Twins fans!
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Jul 15, 2005
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Stay classy Rod Carew.
WTF? Do you know something the rest of us don’t? Rod Carew is about as unassuming a superstar as there is. But there have apparently been some issues with the Angels, perhaps just general disregard of former great players. See: https://halohangout.com/posts/rod-carew-calls-out-la-angels-leadership-while-praising-fans

If I were jumping to conclusions, I’d be putting it all on Arte and pals, not Carew.

(Edit/aside: I’ve casually met Carew in fan settings a few times. Doesn’t tell you much, but he was gracious and friendly. So I guess I’m biased.)
 

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
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Show your work or shut up. SOSH is better than baseless accusations that smell a bit of racism imo. Carew is one of the greatest players to ever play the game and I’m sad I’m a bit too young to have watched him play in person.
Either our lurker friend is referring to the rumors from ten or so years ago that the real Rod Carew was replaced by an alien pod person, or he is suggesting that Carew’s passive-aggressive comments about the Angels are inappropriate and that Rod should just say what he means.

Kind of ironic if so, eh?
 

ColdSoxPack

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Jul 14, 2005
2,351
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Show your work or shut up. SOSH is better than baseless accusations that smell a bit of racism imo. Carew is one of the greatest players to ever play the game and I’m sad I’m a bit too young to have watched him play in person.
I meant it would be best if Rod said nothing. I have no idea why he said that. It's not about him.
 

ColdSoxPack

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Jul 14, 2005
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Ok here we go. From today's LA Times:

But Carew’s animus toward the organization he played the final seven years of his 19-year Hall-of-Fame career with and spent eight years (1992-99) as the hitting coach for actually predates Moreno, who purchased the team from the Walt Disney Co. in 2003.
When Mike Scioscia took over as Angels manager in 2000 and brought in a new coaching staff, Carew arranged to spend part of spring training that season in Florida with the Minnesota Twins, the team he spent the first 12 years of his playing career with, and part of it in Tempe, Ariz., with the Angels.
But when Scioscia found out Carew had been in Twins camp, he was no longer welcome in Angels camp.
“Mike Scioscia said it’s either one or the other, and I said to myself, ‘Minnesota has been treating me great for so many years, does he think that I’m gonna give away secrets?’ No,” Carew said by phone from his home in South Orange County.
 

Leskanic's Thread

lost underscore
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Jul 16, 2005
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My take on the Angels as part of the L.A. market is that they are kind of like the Islanders in New York: they aren't really a team for "the city" but for a large suburban region outside the city. Despite Arte's attempts, the team has never really made in-roads into Los Angeles -- that remains Dodger country. For people in L.A., the Angels will always be an Anaheim/O.C. team. It's less a "you are a second tier team" like the Clippers and more "you aren't from around here."

I guess, to hit all major four sports here, the Chargers are a good comp too. Even when moving into Los Angeles, they are seen as a renegade San Diego team.

Going back to "California" would be the best move, both as embracing the team's history and also giving people in the wider southern California area who may not have a vested interest in the municipalities of Los Angeles or Anaheim the invitation to get on board.

The answer to overcoming this and making market in-roads is, of course, to just win, baby. Signing great players isn't enough. I'm a couple miles away from Little Tokyo, and while anecdotal evidence, I have to say it's surprising that I've never seen anyone wearing Ohtani Angels gear around there -- lots of Dodgers stuff though.
 

ColdSoxPack

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Jul 14, 2005
2,351
Simi Valley, CA
My take on the Angels as part of the L.A. market is that they are kind of like the Islanders in New York: they aren't really a team for "the city" but for a large suburban region outside the city. Despite Arte's attempts, the team has never really made in-roads into Los Angeles -- that remains Dodger country. For people in L.A., the Angels will always be an Anaheim/O.C. team. It's less a "you are a second tier team" like the Clippers and more "you aren't from around here."

I guess, to hit all major four sports here, the Chargers are a good comp too. Even when moving into Los Angeles, they are seen as a renegade San Diego team.

Going back to "California" would be the best move, both as embracing the team's history and also giving people in the wider southern California area who may not have a vested interest in the municipalities of Los Angeles or Anaheim the invitation to get on board.

The answer to overcoming this and making market in-roads is, of course, to just win, baby. Signing great players isn't enough. I'm a couple miles away from Little Tokyo, and while anecdotal evidence, I have to say it's surprising that I've never seen anyone wearing Ohtani Angels gear around there -- lots of Dodgers stuff though.
Agree with. this. It was a mistake to try and compete with the Dodgers. If the Angels want to have a good relationship with Anaheim they should change their name back to California Angels or Anaheim Angels.
 

ehaz

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It will depend on the details of the incentives. $400M is insane for a rookie but I would imagine those incentives hitting would mean he turned into peak Mike Trout.

14/$210 is not that crazy for Julio Rodriguez ($15M per year until his age 35 season). He’s on a 6 WAR+ pace per 150 games in his first taste of big league action at the age of 21 while adequately playing a premium defensive position.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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I love these deals for the younger players. I hate the trend of guys emerging as stars and then leaving their teams when they are in their primes because only a small handful of teams are capable/willing to sign the $250+ million contracts. I think the deal is very logical for both sides; if Rodriguez turns into a bust or can't stay healthy, he'll still make more money than if he didn't sign this deal, and the Mariners aren't crippled by the contract. If he has a Trout-like 10 year stretch, he'll make insane money and the Mariners will be ecstatic to pay it out.

I wish these kind of deals became commonplace a few years sooner; imagine if the Sox were able to lock up Mookie, X and Devers the way Atlanta has locked up their young core?
 

DaubachmanTurnerOD

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Jul 15, 2005
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I love these deals for the younger players. I hate the trend of guys emerging as stars and then leaving their teams when they are in their primes because only a small handful of teams are capable/willing to sign the $250+ million contracts. I think the deal is very logical for both sides; if Rodriguez turns into a bust or can't stay healthy, he'll still make more money than if he didn't sign this deal, and the Mariners aren't crippled by the contract. If he has a Trout-like 10 year stretch, he'll make insane money and the Mariners will be ecstatic to pay it out.

I wish these kind of deals became commonplace a few years sooner; imagine if the Sox were able to lock up Mookie, X and Devers the way Atlanta has locked up their young core?
Completely agree with Kliq, and the relative discounts Atlanta has been able to get its young stars to sign onto is remarkable.

I live in Seattle, and Julio has created a lot of excitement for a city and fan-base that is absolutely ready to latch onto the Mariners, but has not been given too many reasons to do so over the past several years. It is great to think that he will be with the team long-term.

Like many things, the Rays were among the first to try to lock up young players early. The contract that jumps to mind is Longoria's. Signed in 2008 after he had been in the majors for six days, it was a six-year $17.5 million contract with options for up to three more years that could bring the total to 9-years and $44 million.

So, I guess wages have been less stagnant for pre-arb MLB super stars than for the rest of us!
 

Seels

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Jul 20, 2005
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so every team in the majors except for the Red Sox makes active attempts to extend their stars. It's hard seeing contracts like this and not being really bitter.

and no I didn't mean every team of course teams like the Pirates and Diamondbacks exist
 

Diamond Don Aase

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so every team in the majors except for the Red Sox makes active attempts to extend their stars. It's hard seeing contracts like this and not being really bitter.

and no I didn't mean every team of course teams like the Pirates and Diamondbacks exist
The Pirates signed Ke’Bryan Hayes to an eight-year extension in April, days after avoiding arbitration with Bryan Reynolds by signing the star outfielder to a two-year contract.

The Diamondbacks signed Ketel Marte to a five-year extension in March and Merrill Kelly to a two-year extension in April.
 

Seels

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The Pirates signed Ke’Bryan Hayes to an eight-year extension in April, days after avoiding arbitration with Bryan Reynolds by signing the star outfielder to a two-year contract.

The Diamondbacks signed Ketel Marte to a five-year extension in March and Merrill Kelly to a two-year extension in April.
Well I don't know that those guys are stars but point taken.
 

Diamond Don Aase

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Well I don't know that those guys are stars but point taken.
Kelly may be more of a prominent regular than a true star but is well on his way to a 4+ bWAR season and could receive more Cy Young Award votes than Nathan Eovaldi did after last season. Kelly is under contract for $8 million in each of the next two seasons and the Diamondbacks hold a team option for 2025, while the Red Sox rotation is primarily predicated on Winckin’ and hopin’.
 

Max Power

thai good. you like shirt?
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Jul 20, 2005
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The Julio Rodriguez contract is for 8 years, $120 million, but with various options and MVP finishes, can be 17 years and $470 million. He better start working on Christmas cards for every single MVP voter out there.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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I have a soft spot for former Cleveland first basemen (except for Jake Bauers, @#%$* that guy). Carlos Santana hasn't really worked out well for Seattle since a few big hits in his first 2-3 weeks there, but I hope Aguilar gets an opportunity with Baltimore gets hot in September.