T.G.

True all the way around. Well stated.

Today's conversation has me thinking.... The idea of the Angels buying a championship team doesn't resonate with me. I will probably never see a team like the 2002 team again. Although that's kind of sad, I'm also thankful that I have that memory. For some, it's all about winning and losing. For some of us, it's about the memories baseball creates for us.

My one exception is Torii Hunter. He was my favorite player before he became an Angel and when he became an Angel, I was very, very happy.

Exactly. When the Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton... I was like WTF? Those guys were the "enemy" and now I'm expected to cheer for them? That being said... the Angels are at that point in time - where they have to go out and get guys who aren't home grown to compete. They F'd up the farm system and don't have much choice, unfortunately.

TORS knocks it out of the park again.

^^^ This I bought season tickets in 2004 and for several years, our section was full of season ticket holders. Most of them came often. It was like the movie "Fever Pitch" and that section was sort of like our "summer family." As the losing started, the number of season ticket holders dwindled until eventually, we were the only ones left. This past season, we finally gave them up. Mostly because of family obligations - but the incentive to stay wasn't there. The team was bad and all our "friends" had left. In fact, they'd been gone for years. When we cancelled our season tickets - they told us if we just bought a mini plan for this year - we could keep our "seniority" if we renewed next year. We didn't. People might still be fans, but they're not showing up at the stadium. The drop off is real. As a side note - we still keep in touch with some of old crew... we even went to an Angel game earlier this year with some of them.

Why would he want to be a slum lord?

It's the Jered Weaver effect. It's why Tim Salmon is so beloved. Fans love their home grown players. It's only natural. They wanted to be here. Weaver went to the Padres because he didn't have the option of staying. Salmon has publicly stated that when it was time for him to become a FA, he told his agent "take the first offer" from the Angels. These guys will forever be Angels royalty.

Once again, Jim Bowden and the other click bait pros have worked some of you into a frenzy. Arte isn't going to trade Ohtani. Ohtani is never going to come out and say...."I won't sign with the Angels." His recent comments are a shot across the bow. He's saying make this team better, IMO. He's not going to say that out loud out of respect to his current teammates. I also believe he feels some responsibility for the team's failure. Just a guess on my part. I believe Arte will do everything he can to sign Ohtani to an extension, all the way until Ohtani either signs with the Angels or signs with another team via FA. That means, not trading him now and not trading him at any point until his current contract runs out. It doesn't matter if fans think that's a good idea or not. If Ohtani wants to pull a KD and go some place where he feels like he's "joining" a winner (Golden State) to increase his chances of winning instead of "being a part of team that's building a winner" - that's on him. That's what guys like ARod did when he tried to orchestrate his own trade to Boston and then ultimately the Yankees. I bet Freddie Freeman has some regret in leaving an organization he helped build to win it all. He was a part of the process. Now he's like a hired gun, in room full of hired guns. Albeit, a well paid hired gun. Trout made a commitment to stay because he wants to win here. I'm guessing that winning here means something to him. If Ohtani doesn't feel the same way, that's his choice. It's time for Moreno to step up. This is his most important off season ever. Don't underestimate Arte on this one. You can dream about him selling. You can dream about him making a trade to build for the future. It's all a fantasy. He's not selling and he's not trading Ohtani.

Drove by the stadium and I didn't see a "For Sale" sign yet.

Players do this... ARod played one year for USA and one year with The Dominican Republic ARod always picks where he thinks he can ride on the back of others to victory

I think the success and failure of the Angels ultimately is on Arte, but I don’t think he has to sell the team. He just needs to make better decisions, learn from his mistakes and spend more money.

I’m cautiously optimistic.

First of all, I would do everything possible to sign Ohtani. I would not trade him, period. If he wants to play for the Yankees or Dodgers, he’ll have to do that on his own via free agency. That’s a topic for a separate post… Secondly, I don’t know enough about other teams or their prospects to propose a trade that I would never do. I also don’t think the odds of that being a game changer is pretty small. Thirdly, I don’t know enough about the 20/80 rating system to provide an answer and I am not going to pretend like I do. Bottom line, my voting would be a waste of your time and mine. Let guys who have an opinion on all this do their thing. You don’t need me, but THANKS for asking.

Business at Applebees went down as a result.

Islands

How do “we” get Moreno to sell the team?

Well, if he makes it to AA… they might in Arkansas

The $160K is for hookers and blow.

I guess the good news is he’ll likely lose weight, given the living conditions of Angels minor leaguers.

No concerns about his weight?

Never a doubt. LTBU!

Postseason here we come! Oh wait...