LA Times: Owner Arte Moreno willing to take blame for Angels' slow start

[Lifetime]

What you just quoted said Dipoto talks to every free agent available.  That doesn't mean the Angels are interested in every one of them. 

 

So I think when Moreno gave the signal it was him telling Dipoto what to do...even though Moreno claims not to do those kinds of things, leaving them up to the baseball people. 

No, when Moreno gave the signal it was OK to go ahead and pursue him even though the budget had already been met. It was another "I'm willing to go ahead and open my wallet again if we can get this guy"

[mp170.6]

No, when Moreno gave the signal it was OK to go ahead and pursue him even though the budget had already been met. It was another "I'm willing to go ahead and open my wallet again if we can get this guy"

 

Why is Moreno telling them who to pursue if he's "not a baseball man" by his own admission?  He claims he leaves those decisions to the baseball people. 

[Lifetime]

Because it's his purse that's why. IF they are going to pursue a big time FA, it has to have the owner's blessing or they're just wasting their time. 

[austin724]

I hope all of this crap just goes away.  I am sick and tired of losing and I just want some of these injured players to come back.

[mp170.6]

Another reason I think Moreno -- and not Dipoto -- was the impetus behind Pujols is because signing him gave us that awful logjam in the outfield. 

 

We were already set with two very capable players at 1B and DH with Trumbo and Morales.  Dipoto knew Trout would soon be ready and that we needed Trumbo's bat in the lineup.  So why would Dipoto even consider Pujols knowing that Trumbo would have to displace Bourjos in the outfield?  I seriously doubt the baseball staff saw it as prudent to bench Bourjos following his great 2011 season in order to sign Pujols.  We downgraded our outfield defense for a very expensive first baseman whose best years are behind him. 

 

Dipoto seems way too smart to overlook problems like that.  That's why the Pujols signing has Moreno written all over it. 

[Lifetime]

Because in addition to what he brings to the field as one of the best players of all time, he has considerable media and fan pull. It means more money in the TV deal as well as other revenue. The log jam was temporary.

[mtangelsfan]

I don't think there is anyone in the organization that shouldn't take significant blame for this mess.  Moreno certainly wanted to get both Pujols and Hamilton, he agreed to sign the checks.  Dipoto certainly agreed to be involved in those acquisitions and other questionable ones as well.

 

Bottom line, right now Moreno could say the air contains oxygen, nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide and a majority of fans would be pissed about it.  The team is horrible and fans are pissed.

[austin724]

Funny thing is the fans wanted these players. Back in 2010 people were complaining that Arte was pocketing money.  Now everyone is upset because he spent on these players. Can't have it both ways people. The fans are just as responsible for this mess.

[Docwaukee]

Who initiated the deal for the halos is actually somewhat irrelevant as both Arte and Dipoto had significant input as to potential positives and negatives.  Probably MS as well. 

 

There is no way Arte spends what he does on Pujols if he's not fully invested in the idea or if his GM isn't fully sold on the idea as well.  Although both are likely totally aware that the back end of the contract was likely to be an albatross, there probably isn't a GM or owner who would have thought Albert's production would be where it's at in the first two years.   Also, there is no way they go out and do something similar in bringing in Hamilton the following year if either needed some swaying on the previous deal. 

 

Two superstar caliber players essentially falling off a cliff in terms of production is a complete oddity.  Even if they don't continue at super star levels you can expect star to at least above average production.  Which i am sure they'd be fine with because if that were the case, the team would be a lot more competitive. 

[Angel Oracle]

What mt said.

 

Re what austin said: True to a point, but I don't know that too many of us would approve of going on a spending bender to acquire players who were already approaching decline, all the while ignoring developing the farm through lack of focus on foreign scouting and player development.

[mp170.6]

Who initiated the deal for the halos is actually somewhat irrelevant as both Arte and Dipoto had significant input as to potential positives and negatives.  Probably MS as well. 

 

There is no way Arte spends what he does on Pujols if he's not fully invested in the idea or if his GM isn't fully sold on the idea as well.  Although both are likely totally aware that the back end of the contract was likely to be an albatross, there probably isn't a GM or owner who would have thought Albert's production would be where it's at in the first two years.   Also, there is no way they go out and do something similar in bringing in Hamilton the following year if either needed some swaying on the previous deal. 

 

Two superstar caliber players essentially falling off a cliff in terms of production is a complete oddity.  Even if they don't continue at super star levels you can expect star to at least above average production.  Which i am sure they'd be fine with because if that were the case, the team would be a lot more competitive. 

 

I think Moreno bases too many decisions on marketing and advertising potential than he does good baseball sense.  After all, this is what he knows best, and it's what made him so wealthy in the first place.

[sneaky_flute]

signing big free agents doesn't even make sense from a marketing standpoint. people don't go to games to see one superstar surrounded by scrubs (not saying this applies to the angels). people only care that an organization puts a competitive team on the field.

[Lifetime]

he bases his decisions on what his baseball people tell him, then he looks at how big the risk is - cost vs reward - and how he can recoup his investment other than performance on the field - TV deals, etc. so he can decide whether or not he is willing to take the risk. It's his job as a responsible owner to look at these avenues and consider them when he is making a substantial investment like these.

[Lifetime]

signing big free agents doesn't even make sense from a marketing standpoint. people don't go to games to see one superstar surrounded by scrubs (not saying this applies to the angels). people only care that an organization puts a competitive team on the field.

This is incorrect. Part of the driving force behind the considerable TV contract the Angels received had to do with the signing of a future hall of fame free agent. Not only that, Arte signed Albert for additional years after he retired from playing to continue to be part of the team family - which was a PR/marketing move as well. 

[mp170.6]

he bases his decisions on what his baseball people tell him, then he looks at how big the risk is - cost vs reward - and how he can recoup his investment other than performance on the field - TV deals, etc. so he can decide whether or not he is willing to take the risk. It's his job as a responsible owner to look at these avenues and consider them when he is making a substantial investment like these.

 

None of us know the exact process he uses.  We can only guess. 

[AZMike]

signing big free agents doesn't even make sense from a marketing standpoint. people don't go to games to see one superstar surrounded by scrubs (not saying this applies to the angels). people only care that an organization puts a competitive team on the field.

Moreno has in my view has, at the very least, encouraged his GM's to make a big splash move each offseason. He then puts up flashy new billboards and has big signing press conferences rigtht around the time season ticket renewals go out.  

 

Problem is he had about as much success as anyone can get from a free agent deal with Vladdy Guerrero and has tried to catch lightning in a bottle like that every single year. (Matthews, Hunter, Wells, Pujols, Hamilton). 

[Lifetime]

None of us know the exact process he uses.  We can only guess. 

of course, but it's business 101 mp. Arte is a good business man. He's not going about this haphazardly. Even a successful prudent businessman loses on deals now and then, sometimes more sometimes less.

[mp170.6]

of course, but it's business 101 mp. Arte is a good business man. He's not going about this haphazardly. Even a successful prudent businessman loses on deals now and then, sometimes more sometimes less.

 

Yeah, but over Moreno's tenure, he's probably had to eat $100-150 million in bad contracts. 

 

Nearly every expensive acquisition has turned out badly...

[Ohtaniland]

Arte hired Dipoto.

Was signing Albert Pujols Dipoto's idea or did Arte tell Dipoto to pursue him?

Was signing Josh Hamilton Dipoto's idea or did Arte tell Dipoto to pursue him?

Scioscia never looked comfortable in the pictures he took with Blanton, Madson, Hanson and Burnett. Was Scioscia involved in any of these decisions?

Arte is taking the blame for the slow start but will he take the blame if we miss the playoffs? Heads will roll eventually.

[Brandon]

What are you saying, the editors of Forbes are trying to make the Angels look bad?

http://www.forbes.com/mlb-valuations/list/

It's speculation. The reason I asked for a link is because operating income is not public record. This was discussed in depth years ago when documentation was leaked, I believe it was the team PnL.

[Brandon]

Yeah, but over Moreno's tenure, he's probably had to eat $100-150 million in bad contracts.

Nearly every expensive acquisition has turned out badly...

Arte turned the Pujols signing into a multibillion dollar TV deal.

[YouthofToday]

This is incorrect. Part of the driving force behind the considerable TV contract the Angels received had to do with the signing of a future hall of fame free agent. Not only that, Arte signed Albert for additional years after he retired from playing to continue to be part of the team family - which was a PR/marketing move as well.

Evidence?

Considering how much the Dodgers got I actually highly doubt signing Pujols had anything to do with the TV deal.

[YouthofToday]

Arte turned the Pujols signing into a multibillion dollar TV deal.

Evidence? Are you implying he would have only received hundreds of millions without signing Boohols?

[yk9001]

There is nobody tuning into Angel games to watch albert pujols who wouldn't watch the Angel game anyways.

[austin724]

Arte is definitely a good business man. We have all these bad contracts and still don't have any debt.