Making sense of it all

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Angels under the ownership of Arte Moreno is that they always find ways to surprise me. This was never truer than when Tony Reagins resigned last week as the team’s general manager.

It was a move that most Angels fans wanted in the worst way and yet those same folks (including me) probably doubted it would happen in the near future. So when the news first hit the internet, I had to do a double take. And when I realized my eyes weren’t deceiving me – I threw both fists up in the air and let out a “Yes!” I couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the day.

Reagins seems like a nice guy. I mean he doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would kick his dog after a bad day at the office and even though I didn’t care much for some of the moves he made or didn’t make; I couldn’t say that I actually disliked the man per say.

Granted, I didn’t really want him to continue on as the Angels’ GM, but I had kind of accepted the idea that he would.

Now, I don’t know Reagins and I’ve never had more than a three or four sentence conversation with him; so I’m really in no position to judge the man’s character, but I will say that he did project a certain image that I didn’t care a great deal about.

It appeared to me that there was a certain arrogance about him. I wouldn’t say he was “cocky” per say, but more along the lines of an arrogance born out of naivety. There were times when I thought he’s either really not that bright or just plain arrogant. The whole Carl Crawford debacle made that more evident than ever (I blogged about it: HERE)

That whole episode made it virtually impossible for a lot of people to ever take him seriously again. He seemed over-matched and again – arrogant; almost defiant in his own failures. And let’s be honest – he failed at monumental levels. He failed like Jeff Mathis failed as a hitter. Just saying.

So here we are; the Angels are in search of a general manager and speculation is rampant. As soon as the news hit the fan; names like Theo Epstein, Brian Cashman and Billy Beane were being thrown about as if they were the only names Angels fans had ever heard.

Personally, I believe all of those names are pipe dreams and in the case of Billy Beane it’s even laughable, if you ask me.

What’s even more laughable is the popular opinion that Mike Scioscia calls all the shots and that whoever the GM is or will be – will be taking their orders from him.

Really?

While I do find it believable that Scioscia has a tremendous amount of input regarding personnel issues; I can’t fathom a scenario where he would actually perform the duties of a GM from behind the scenes. Think about it.

If the Angels really wanted to Scioscia to take on the responsibilities of a general manager – they’d most likely come right out and say it. I don’t see any reason to try and hide something like that what-so-ever.

Do I believe the GM seeks the blessings of Scioscia? You bet. I would be that’s true (seeking out the opinions and blessings of managers) in most cases throughout major league baseball. That only makes sense (unless you’re Sandy Alderson or Billy Beane), who are notorious for enforcing their will).

All of this feeds into the idea that someone like Theo Epstein could never co-exist with Scioscia. While I don’t believe for a second that Epstein is leaving Boston (where he grew up cheering for the Red Sox) to come to the left coast; I will say that having Scioscia as the manager would probably be the least of his worries.

Think about the players Epstein has acquired over the years via trades, free agency or the draft? Are there any that you think Scioscia wouldn’t want? Adrian Gonzalez? Carl Crawford? Dustin Pedroia? Jacoby Ellsbury? Anyone?

Okay, I could see Scioscia not wanting a guy like J.D. Drew who makes Garret Anderson seem like an overachiever when it comes to effort and maybe he wouldn’t exactly welcome John Lackey back with open arms, but you get the idea.

Seriously, Scioscia would embrace Epstein or anyone who could arm him with those kinds of weapons. I also believe that Epstein would in turn embrace the knowledge and wisdom of someone like Scioscia who has demonstrated the keen ability to get the most out of his players (Although, I would love to hear a conversation between the two about Jeff Mathis).

In any case, it’s all moot because I don’t believe Epstein is coming to Anaheim. Chicago? Maybe, but not Anaheim.

So who are the top candidates? I really don’t know enough names (other than the retired Pat Gillick or the Dodgers’ Logan White) to venture a real guess.

All I know is that I hope they’re on board soon so that the Angels can hit the ground running when the Post season ends and the Hot Stove Season begins.

Dare to imagine...

Imagine a world where Derek Jeter played baseball for another team. Hard to picture? Well, take it a step further and imagine that team being the Boston Red Sox.

Did your head just explode?

I know that when all is said and done, Jeter will most likely be back in New York wearing pinstripes and making more money than he deserves simply because he’s Derek Jeter, but it’s fun to think about the pure chaos that would envelop the world if Jeter were to somehow end up in Boston.

It’s the kind of scenario curses are made of.

Imagine the media circus that would follow. It would be bigger than the O.J. Simpson trial. There would be rioting in the streets of both New York and Boston. Jerseys would be burned; Jeter-like dolls would be hung in effigy from bridges and trees.

Imagine the confusion … one day you hate a guy, the next he’s on your team. The look on the faces of both Red Sox and Yankee fans would be priceless. Some of them might even be speechless (yeah, right).

Could it happen? Is it even remotely possible? Perhaps.

Consider these words from Brian Cashman, the Yankees’ General Manager (courtesy of ESPN NY): “We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account. We’ve encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That’s the way it works . . . We feel Derek Jeter gives us the best chance to win. But we’re not dealing with Derek alone. We’re dealing with our closer, we’re trying to add to our club, and if putting all our eggs into one basket takes away from our ability to add to our club, I ain’t gonna do it.”

This could get ugly and yet it would be beautiful at the same time. You see it too, don’t you?

Cashman went so far to say “We've made an offer and we hope they strongly consider it, [But] there are things we have concerns with -- his recent performance over the last few years, and his age. And that has to be factored into this negotiation."

It’s been reported the Yankees have offered Jeter a three-year, $45 million contract. It’s also been reported that the Yankees have offered Cliff Lee a six-year, $140 million contract. Do the math. The Yankees are actually trying to show some fiscal restraint… well, theoretically at least.

I have to admit all of this comes as a bit of a surprise. I mean most of us thought a deal would get done without any problems and yet things are getting interesting. I guess if the Giants can end up in the World Series against the Texas Rangers anything can happen, right?

What’s next? Barry Bonds comes out of retirement and signs with the Dodgers?

In other Hot Stove news the Detroit Tigers have signed Victor Martinez to a four-year $50 million contract. This is good news for Angel fans. Why? Well, the Tigers were reported as being one of the teams interested in Carl Crawford. This signing puts a dent in their checking account and when you factor in their signing of Joaquin Benoit to a three-year $16.5 million contract and their need to fill other holes; it looks like we can take the Tigers off the table.

So… that leaves Boston and possibly the Yankees and that’s not all bad because I believe the Red Sox have more interest in Jayson Werth than Crawford… and the Yankees? Well, they have yet to express any interest and are hopefully more focused on Lee and Jeter.

Let’s just say that I’m hoping for some big news by Thanksgiving morning. A boy can dream, right?

Angels News:

ANAHEIM, CA – The Angels today announced the club will not offer salary arbitration to outfielder/designated hitter Hideki Matsui. Today’s announcement was made by General Manager Tony Reagins.

Matsui, 36, batted .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBI in 145 games with the Angels in 2010. The former World Series MVP led all of Major League Baseball with a .371 batting average (43/116) from August 14 through the end of the season.

A native of Ishikawa, Japan, Matsui has combined for a .297 (2499/8402) career average, 493 home runs and 1,570 RBI in 2,329 professional games between the Japanese League and Major League Baseball.

Got ear plugs?

It was nice while it lasted; real nice.

We had gone nearly nine years since the Yankees last won a World Series and during that time we could say with confidence that “you just can’t buy a championship” and that Alex Rodriguez was the biggest “post season choker of all time.” It was the best of times.

Last night, all of that changed and baseball as we know it may never be the same. The period between 2001 and 2009 will now be referred to as the good ol’ days and I couldn’t be more irritated.

I hate the Oakland A’s, but the last team I ever wanted to see win a World Series this year or any year was the New York Yankees. The A’s are the Angels’ divisional rivals, but the Yankees are basically public enemy #1.

Now, it’s as if all is lost. Pfffft. Gone.

The reign of terror is about to begin. If you thought Yankee fans were obnoxious before all of this; you ain’t seen nothing yet. They’ll be coming out of the wood work now, dawning crisp new Yankee caps and World Series t-shirts. They’ll have smug looks on their faces and their voices will be louder than ever. They will be in your stadium and mine. Nothing any of us can say or do will shut them up now. Instead of acting like they’ve been here (celebrating a championship) before, they will act like they never left.

We are all going to be made to suffer. It isn’t going to be pretty. Soon we’ll be reading about how the Yankees are on the verge of a dynasty. Congress will view the Yankees as an important business and divert tax payer money and stimulus payments to their payroll.

We’ll hear about how brilliant Brian Cashman is and he’ll be put in charge of the Federal Reserve. They will expound how deep down inside, everyone supposedly wants to be a Yankee – even Jonathan Papelbon. Nick Swisher will get his own sports talk show (but lose his job in RF next year to a healthy Xavier Nady).

The Supreme Court will rule that LeBron James is the property of the New York Knicks because he’s a Yankee fan. Billy Crystal will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame because he’s a Yankee fan. John Sterling will become the voice of every commercial in America.

Yankee fans will invade sports talk radio and internet message boards across the country where they will begin to propose lopsided trades netting them Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Roy Halladay and even Cliff Lee (who they’ll say isn’t good enough to crack their rotation, but will be a nice bull pen guy) and they will actually get their way.

Our computers will be spammed with pop up ads saying, “Yankees rule and your team sucks.” Microsoft will be come a Yankee asset and Warren Buffet will become a private investor in the club.

Matt Holliday will wear pinstripes next year and some how, some way, Major League Baseball will steal the all-star game away from the Angels and move it to New York. The Yankees won’t have to play any road games and they will actually receive revenue sharing from small market teams. Only Yankee games will be broadcasted to the public and Christmas will only come to New York.

We will pay for their victory, we will most definitely pay.

I guess there are worse things that could happen, right? Anyone? Please? Oh what the heck… congratulations New York, but know this; we’ll get you next year.