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Some scouts believe he still has serious some potential in him with modifications to his swing. For the record, I'm not suggesting a deal centered on Loney, I'm suggesting Loney's presence in an upcoming deal.
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That isn't the case at all. On the way home today, I turned on MLBNetwork radio and Tim Salmon was on. He talked about coming up through the minors and breaking into the MLB in 1993, and the Angels were very much a small market team. They were that until Arte Moreno bought the team- incidentally, he bought the team for less money than he paid out to Albert Pujols.
Moreno's background is in business and marketing. In 10 years, his company, Outdoor Systems (he rose to president and CEO) went from $500,000 profits to almost $90 million. When the company went public and he sold it, he received $8 billion from it. More than enough to buy the Angels at $180 million, invest in the team- both free agents and player development- and do that multiple times over.
For at least the past three off-seasons, MLB insiders have expected Moreno to make a move. Considering he didn't pull off a big signing before, like Mark Teixiera, people wrote him off. It was a mistake for people to forget Moreno, considering he has that large sum of money and it was rumored for quite some time that he had interest in Pujols.
Anyway, back to the original point. Just take a look at how many players from the Angels are homegrown, and how they use the draft and player development to build their team the way small market teams do:
C/1B Bobby Wilson
C Hank Conger
1B Kendrys Morales (signed as a FA, came up through their system.)
1B Mark Trumbo
2B Howie Kendrick
SS Erick Aybar (undrafted)
3B Alberto Callapso (undrafted)
OF Peter Bourjos
OF Mike Trout
OF Jeremy Moore
UTIL Alexi Amarista (undrafted)
SP Jared Weaver
SP Ervin Santana (undrafted)
RP Jordan Walden
RP Trevor Bell
RP Kevin Jepsen
RP Michael Kohn
RP Bobby Cassevah
RP Rich Thompson (undrafted)
P Garrett Richards
Those are 20 players who finished the season with the Angels, and all were drafted or came up through the system. In addition, they dealt some of their homegrown players for both Vernon Wells (well, they took on salary) and also for Dan Haren. I'll take that, and the ability to add players, whether its Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon, or Pujols and Wilson. I wish he was running the Orioles right now.Comment
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Yeah those fuckers. If they would have kept Tex, Trout would be a Brewer right now.Originally posted by glenwillett
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Please tell me you're joking. Tex is 70% the player Albert is.Originally posted by glenwillett
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True, but you also have to take into account they had Morales right around the corner and a crowded outfield at the time. However, when you have a player development system like that, a rental trade for Tex is a great move to make.Originally posted by glenwillett
As it was, Pujols was a deal that's great on multiple levels. Moreno is the first Latino to own a major sports franchise, and Pujols is arguably the most marketable and popular Latino player right now, and they are in an area with a huge Latino population. This deal is definitely going to pay for itself.
I don't want to leave mention of Wilson out either. That rotation is just sick.....three great right-handers in Weaver, Haren and Santana and then you throw Wilson in there. Also, is Jerome Williams still on the team? He did pretty damn well in his six starts last season, and if he has turned a corner, is a good option as the fifth starter.Comment
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Either way Anaheim is decidedly beaner free, no?Originally posted by glenwillettComment
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Hey guys, was I supposed to jump off a bridge?
^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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Pujols took FOREVER to get down the line on a hot shot that hit off Plouffe, flew in the air, came down into the SS's hands and still beat AP by a step
Originally posted by Nick MangoldComment
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