Somebody call hazmat; there’s a heinous odor coming from Anaheim and more specifically Angels Stadium. It smells like a season just died. Speaking of heinous, might as well cue the song " Buttercup" because once again, this team has let me and every Angel fan I know down.
I tried. I really tried to stay as positive as humanly possible and even though I’m not completely throwing in the towel, I need to blow off some steam.
Good grief.
Now there’s a lot of directions I can go right now. I can talk about what I believe to be a lack of effort and focus (Hello Erick Aybar). I could rant about Jeff Mathis, Vernon Wells and an offense that’s utterly pathetic or I could talk about empty promises from an owner (Hello Arte Moreno).
There are so many things to rant about, it’s not even funny, but there’s one thing that has been haunting me all season and I need to get it off my chest.
Something doesn’t add up.
It all started in the off season when the Angels balked at the dollars and years given to free agents like Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre.
When the trading deadline approached this year, Tony Reagins publicly stated that he wasn’t under any budget restrictions what-so-ever. And yet the Angels failed to add a player and any additional payroll.
Below the radar other things began to surface. The Angels asked their season ticket holders to pay for their 2012 season tickets by October 6, 2011; approximately three months earlier than normal. That's right - 3 months earlier! Do the Angels need the interest they'll bank from that money or what?
Wait, there's more...
In late July it was reported that the Angels and the stadium workers were at a standstill in contract negotiations. The Angels were low balling their workers proposing a wage freeze to workers who already were the lowest paid of any baseball stadium in the state. Mind boggling, isn't it?
More subtle signs…
A shortage of promotional items on give-away nights and the new policy of no longer handing out rain checks/vouchers to those who missed out; coupled with the new tag line “while supplies last” when advertising give-aways for future games. This is a dramatic change from previous practices by the Angels.
And... Have you noticed the numerous 40% off sales in the team store? It's kind of curious, isn't it?
And let me ask, why did it take them more than four months to bring in Peter Bourjos, Jordan Walden and Mark Trumbo shirts into their team store? Was someone asleep at the wheel?
I have to ask; are the Angels having financial trouble? Are the bad contracts coming back to bite the team in the rear end?
If that's the case, 2012 doesn't look very promising either.
Think about this… If the middle of this lineup in 2012 consists of Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells – the Angels 51st season is going to look a lot like the 2010 and 2011 seasons; abysmal. If the Angels are counting on this trio to turn things around – it’s really going to get ugly. That’s $48 million dollars of ugly. That’s right the three players will have a combined salary next year of nearly $50 million.
They’re still paying Gary Matthews, Jr. and Scott Kazmir millions of dollars this year.
When you consider all of these things; something doesn’t add up. There's a history here.
Something has to give and it appears those made to suffer are going to be Angel fans. Just saying.
Some Angel fans have responded to this question at AngelsWin and at Halos Heaven.
August 18, 2011
Are the Angels in financial trouble?
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Another example. The escalator from the first to second level has been broken for several weeks - it doesn't seem like there is any urgency to fix it.
ReplyDeleteIt is tough to tell actually. I just don't see the team taking on the Vernon Wells contract if they are suffering at all financially. You make great, great points though in your article. They do seem to be showing signs of penny pinching.
ReplyDeleteI can't blame them though. I could be wrong, but is attendance down from the last couple of years? That has to have an effect on Mr. Moreno's bottom line.
I don't know how they didn't give Beltre the money and years he wanted. What a mistake.
I would much rather develop the kids and enjoy the ups and downs associated with it than to trade the kids, or give up draft picks to get a high priced veteran you hafta pay tens of millions for. Rarely are they worth it. For every Torii and Haren there's a GMJ, Kaz, VW, etc. The great thing about the 2002 team is that its core was home grown Angels: Salmon, Anderson, Erstad, Glaus, Lackey, Krod. Let's not spend the money and prospects onguts who are rarely worth it. Just my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteYou say your an Angel Fan? Then support your team and don't make rumors that you have no actual FACTS on! Do you not know that this country is in a recession? Everything you say is a sign of financial trouble are smart business moves. You say you're a Grich fan, then remember how hard it was to be an Angel fan all through the end of the 80's and 90's. The Stadium sucked and the teams were not very good. I went to the game last night and there's 40k fans cheering and having a good time and even though we're 7 games back there's a competive team on the field. They're not letting me down. You're just spoiled Angel fan, that's wants to bitch about something.
ReplyDeleteP.S. look how good Crawford has done and there's still 6 years left on the contract, and Beltre is on the DL and who knows if he's gonna be back this year
There's a big difference between asking a question and starting a rumor. And read more of the blog before you question my "fandom." You might be enlightened.
ReplyDeleteAlso - I posted a link as a follow up in my next post. Here it is again:
http://angels.ocregister.com/2011/08/19/angels-change-season-ticket-policy/92157/
They are not in financial trouble...and if these are your reasons for stating that then there is a reason why you'll always just be blogger and nothing else. I get it - you're pissed the Angels lost 3 straight before last night and that we don't have big sexy stars on my team. Hind sight is always 20/20 so just sit tight and deal with it...and consider yourself lucky that we aren't the Cubs.
ReplyDeleteI read that article twice just to make sure I didn't miss anything, I still don't get how that translates into financial trouble. I just think there being cautious given the state of our economy.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Anonymous - your assessment of my future was a crushing blow to my self esteem, but I'm sure it made you feel better about yourself.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, please don't be concerned because the truth be told, I have an established career outside of my hobby as a blogger; thank you very much.
I do this for fun and have actually turned down offers to be paid for my work.