Angels GM Jerry Dipoto told Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times that he’s "very, very unlikely" to sign Ryan Madson or another closer. Despite rumors and speculation linking Los Angeles to Madson, Dipoto says the club has already made its most significant offseason additions.
"We're trying to add depth, and in a perfect world, we’d like to find another guy to join Jordan Walden, Scott Downs and LaTroy Hawkins to help with those last nine outs,” he said. “But closer has never been the real priority."
Madson posted a 2.37 ERA with 9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 48.8% ground ball rate in 60 2/3 innings for the Phillies in 2011. The 31-year-old saved 32 games in his first full season as a closer. Last week 32% of 13,000 MLBTR readers said they expect Madson to sign with the Angels. The Reds were the runner-up with 18% of the vote.
Angels Unlikely To Sign Ryan Madson, well that is because the Orioles are going to sign him! In addition, the O’s are going to sign Oswalt and Kuroda.
Of course I realize Peter Angelos will have to cough up the coin to do so and I also know his wallet is sealed tighter than a “Snare Drum” but just like Kid Rock stated yesterday I have to show some faith in the system!
I also believe that madson will end up with the orioles and that oswalt will ultimately end up there too. His market isnt that good and it would be a good addition if the angelos could cough up some money and land those two
No way Oswalt goes to the Orioles in a year where he’s trying to reestablish his value. He’ll be going to an NL team.
Im on the fence about them getting oswalt but if angelos gives out the right amount of money then who knows.
Orioles have about the worst chance in the entire MLB of getting Oswalt. Rebuilding your value in the AL East is tough enough as is, but doing it on the worst team in said division (Meaning you have to face all the good teams regularly) would be a nightmare scenario.
Nah Athletics and Royals have the worst chance.
The Athletics play in one of the biggest pitchers’ havens in the MLB compared to itty bitty Camden Yards. Oswalt isn’t going to wrack up a ton of wins, but having the Mariners offense to feast on and a huge ballpark to pitch half of his games in would make Oakland a much better destination than Baltimore.
As for the Royals, Kauffman’s not as bad to pitch in as Camden and that division’s overall very weak offensively outside of the Tigers, so I can’t see how they’d be any worse off for Oswalt than the Orioles.
There’s seriously no worse mix of opposing offense and cruddy team to play for than the Orioles. He couldn’t compete there and his numbers would balloon.
Itty Bitty Park??
Here’s the Dimensions of Both Parks Compared
If Roy Oswalt can pitch in Citizens, he certainly can pitch at OPACY. Your argument is ridiculous! They are professionals! They should be able to handle any and every park!
Citizens Park
Left field foul pole – 329 feet (100 m)
Left field power alley – 374 feet (114 m)The “Angle” (left of CF to LCF) – 409 feet (125 m) – 381 feet (116 m) – 387 feet (118 m)Center field, straightaway – 401 feet (122 m)Right field power alley – 369 feet (112 m)
Right field foul pole – 330 feet (101 m)
OPACY
Left Field – 333ft (101.5 m)
Left-Center – 364ft (110.9 m)
Left-Center (deep) – 412ft (125 m)
Center Field – 400ft (121.9 m) (Not posted)Right-Center – 373ft (113.7 m)
Right Field – 318ft (96.9 m)
It’s not the park on its own that’ll kill him, it’s the park AND competition. While pitching in CBP, the teams he faced most noften were the likes of the Mets, Marlins, Nationals and Braves. The Orioles are the only team in the AL East who put up a worse wOBA than the Marlins, Nationals and Braves and the Mets were just a hair better than the Blue Jays and Rays.
Sure, Oswalt’s a good to great pitcher and he can certainly handle himself, but if rebuilding value is his aim, there is literally no worse place to do it in the MLB than with the Orioles. There is only one other MLB team that plays in a hitters’ park and has to play the Yankees/Red Sox offenses 36 times a year and that team doesn’t have to pitch to Jose Bautista.
Nah he could go to a contender like the Red Sox or Tigers or something along those lines. His options don’t lie solely on the NL.
Not solely, no, but his best bet for his intended goal of rebuilding value is the NL. I still think the Cardinals are a good fit: wide open division on a team where he’d be one of the better pitchers on the team. Good rebuilding opportunity.
It’s kind of a shame some of the pitcher’s parks in the AL will probably have such poor teams next year. Oakland, even Seattle, regardless whether they sign fielder or not have good stadiums for pitchers and would like to see what Oswalt can do in the AL.
Oswalt’s too expensive for the Red Sox unless they clear up some salary somehow. They’re afraid of the new luxury tax percentages.
If Fernando “censored” Rodney cost us Madson, I will not be a happy person.
Madson was never a realistic option for the Rays. If fans are complaining now about $2 million limiting our ability to sign a proper 1B & DH, what do you think signing Madson for $8-$9 million would have done.
Exactly…
while madson is not going to get that big contract now (he can thank his wonderful agent for that) he will still be getting at least a 1 year deal north of 8m, something those tightwads in Tampa would never spend.
He may need to take a setup job for 2012 and go back on market next winter.
Wow the demand for Ryan Madson completely fell apart, he’s definitely gonna need to settle for a one year deal.
What’s his stats against lefties? I could see Texas taking a flyer on him to replace Oliver. Or be closer and push Nathan back into Oliver’s role. Whichever works best.
That could be a good option for him, if the Rangers get the Darvish deal complete they’ll be primed for another WS run.
Look for the White Sox to sign him – then move Thornton to Angels
Seems like it would be a win-win move, depends on who the Angels give up.
Boras really screwed madson
I’m thinking if you ask Ryan he will say the Phillies screwed him. He should probably sign on with Nationals and haunt the Phils.
How did the Phillies screw Madson? They offered him a 4 yr $44 million deal and he rejected it.
False. Try again.
Havent seen him pitch, is he overrated or is it all Boras screwing him?
No one is screwing him. He is an amazing setup man and had a fantastic year last year. The market after Philly was not a good one for a closer because of so many candidates.
When you factor age, talent, and success is there anyone left with his value?
No, but likewise, there’s absolutely nobody left who really needs him.
im pretty sure ownership rejected the deal
Madson approved the deal from GM, but the owner refused to approve it and deal was pulled and Paps signed. Madson and Phils GM had verbally agreed. “Boras and Amaro negotiated for several days, but sources indicate the issue of Amaro needing approval only arose after Madson and Boras had agreed to the terms.”
link to sportsillustrated.cnn.com
That SI story is bogus. Jim Salisbury is a highly reliable source and has the correct version. Madson was never going to get 4/44. He could have had a good 3 year deal
The Phils GM, Boras , and Madson all verbally agreed to contract. The Phils GM then brought up that owner had to approve first which he refused to do. The Phillies played both sides of fence and went with Paps and screwed Madson.
According to Jon Heyman that’s how it went down
The Phillies had congruent contract talks with Papelbon and Madson. Jim Salisbury, the minute those reports came out, said sources close to Madson AND the Phillies said they were no where close to an agreement, and sources from the Phillies were pushing for Papelbon.
Heyman = Boras puppet, so it was probably a lie. I would also think with how greedy Bora$ is that he’d be suing them by now if it went down like Heyman said.
Sue them? On what grounds?
Boras makes his living by playing teams off of each other, teams likewise have the right to negotiate with multiple free agents at once and until something’s signed, he’s got nothing.
Exactly.. i love it when people even equate a verbal agreement anyway with something written on paper…
if anyone in the game ever deserved getting sued it should be Boras regardless for lousy representation by the ‘fringe” players not in the top 10-20% category.
Exactly my point about Heyman.
They didn’t offer him that contract… They wouldn’t go beyond three years for him.
If you ask Ryan he should have taken the 3 year deal with the Phils. The 4 year “deal” was floated by Boras and has apparently backfired .
This is what happens when Boras is your agent. You either hit the lottery like Werth or you’re stuck in limbo. If somebody signs this guy for 1 year it’ll be a steal.
He’ll just to settle for a two year deal that allows him to opt out after a year.
It’s all about the price tag. I’m sure the Angels are out if he continues to sit in the $10m range. Should his price drop they would snag him.
Personally, I would rather see the team snag Oswalt. They could then flip Santana for prospects. The money ends up being in the Angels favor and they get some new blood for the minors.
Next year’s free agent class is just as loaded with closers, so I still think he’ll sign a multi-year deal somewhere even if it’s for slightly less money per year. Maybe with the Rangers or Blue Jays?
Yankees might need a closer to replace Rivera. (Though Robertson looks like the favorite for that).
For the right price the Sox should try and sign him on a one year deal…Then have Madson close and Bailey as the 8th inning guy. Of course it all depends on how low his price drops and how desperate he gets to sign somewhere…
No chance. Having brought in Bailey and having Bard as a failsafe, if it comes to signing someone to a one year, relatively big money deal, they’ll pursue Kuroda or Oswalt, both of whom offer more value to the team as currently constituted.
I don’t understand the whole “Madson got screwed” idea. He is an elite set up man, not an elite closer. Hooray he saved 30+ games in 2012, but everyone forgets that Madson was the third option for closer. If Lidge and Contreras both didn’t get hurt, where would Madson be? Could Madson be a great closer? Sure he could. He could also be the next Scott Linebrink.
“He is an elite set up man, not an elite closer”A 2.37 era, 2.25 FIP, 2.94 xFIP, and 2.63 SIERA makes you pretty elite…
Not if you’ve only done it once and not even the whole season.
Don’t forget about Melancon.
Didn’t the Angels say the same thing about Pujols…
Still holding out hope Ryan Madson will give up on his closer aspirations and resign for a 1 year deal to pitch with Papelbon at the back end… no matter how unlikely it still is. (would make no sense if he wants to build up value for next year).
The Phillies are better off with Madson signing elsewhere and getting a pick to replace the one they hastily wasted signing Paps before the CBA was agreed upon than committing big money to him in a setup role.
Well even though the Soxs got Bailey I think they should get Madson also what ruin them this year was their pitching that will be a great start
Their starting pitching is what sunk them, stockpiling relievers isn’t going to fix that. Madson’s allegedly still seeking an eight figure deal at minimum and if that’s his cost, you may as well sign a starter for a little more money. Even on a one year deal, Madson simply doesn’t make sense anymore with Bailey AND Melancon in the fold and questions about whether Bard will stick at starter.
Now that Fraudney is gone, and Madson probably won’t be coming here, I hope Rich Thompson gets more innings. Mike Scoscia is an elite coach in my opinion, but his reluctance to play Thompson is almost as annoying as his man-crush for Jeff Mathis. Hopefully, we end up with a bullpen like this.
1-6th : Starters
7th: Hawkins/Thompson
8th: Downs
9th: Walden
Lefty Specialist: Takahashi
reds?
i hope so id rather see him then uh oh cordero
I wouldn’t count out the Rays on this one. Friedman has money to spend, for one year only however. The Rays tend to secretive about their negotiations, so you never know. But I wouldn’t be surprised if our budget just wouldn’t let the deal work.
Hawkins is 39. Just saying
Well first of all, I never said anything about Rich Thompson bringing the World Series. I didn’t even say he would give the Angels a top-tier bullpen. What I meant was Thompson could give Downs and Hawkins, as you said are no young guns, much needed rest if he was utilized more. I would pose the same argument for Bobby Cassevah.
But don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly agree with what you are saying about the big arm. I may be misguided, but I feel the bullpen is how the Angels can win a World Series. Pujols is amazing, but I think the Angels will still be in alot of close ball games. I have faith in Downs, but nobody in the pen has proved themselves capable of delivering in the clutch consistently. I would love to have a big arm like Madson, but if we don’t get him, our pen has the depth, if used properly, to hold us over till maybe the trade deadline, then we could trade for someone even better. I think Madson’s price right now may be a little too high, and even though the Angels have splurged, doesn’t mean they should keep doing it; they do have key players to resign as soon as next season.
I know this is a long rant LOL, but I just gotta say one more thing. I wish the Angels had gone after Andrew Bailey, especially since the Sox got him for a surprisingly low cost. I think I’m justified to say Trumbo has about the same value as Reddick.
You missed the part where I said it makes no sense for him and that it wasn’t going to happen.
Great points, bro. I fully agree that we need bullpen help. I feel like we have depth, but they are all average guys. So yeah, hopefully something happens. We shall see if Dipoto has something up his sleeve.