It's never fair to evaluate a general manager by one trade, or to judge a trade after one year, but the Mike Napoli–Vernon Wells swap didn't help Angels GM Tony Reagins' chances of keeping his job. That Napoli had back-to-back multihomer games against his former team for the playoff-bound Rangers this week as Wells sputtered to the finish line may have helped owner Arte Moreno decide it was time for change.
The Angels announced that Reagins resigned, according to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times (on Twitter). He'll remain with the club as a special assistant, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times (on Twitter).
The Angels won 100 games and the AL West in Reagins' first full season, 2008. They repeated as division champions the following season, but haven't been back to the playoffs since. They finished with 80 wins a year ago and wrapped up the 2011 campaign with 86 wins.
As our Transaction Tracker shows, Reagins has shaped the Angels roster since being promoted to his current role in 2007. For example, he signed Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana to extensions, traded for Dan Haren and acquired Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Scott Downs on the free agent market.
A number of current Angels, including Mike Trout, were drafted under Reagins' regime. Eddie Bane, who is now on the Tigers' scouting staff, was Reagins' scouting director until the Angels replaced him last year.
The Cubs are also looking for a general manager and it appears that the Orioles could soon be searching for one as well. Familiarize yourself with candidates around the league by checking out MLBTR's list of GM Candidates.
Maybe he’ll go to Toronto, where he can openly help the Blue Jays.
The first thing he can do for the Blue Jays is trade for Vernon Wells. :)
I have nothing against Wells but his career batting average was horrible in Angel Stadium. Shouldn’t that send up a red flag?
No. It shouldn’t.
However, there were plenty of other reasons (80 million in fact) that trading for Wells was not a good move.
He got my email. Nice.
Actually I give him props for doing the right thing. Takes a lot to walk away from a long-term contract with a good owner and a good team.
You’re assuming he walked and was not given a cordial invitation to resign “or else”.
Given that he is staying iwth the team I assume it was a relatively easy decision with no feelings hurt.
JUSTICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON IN THE MLB TODAY
Probably asked to leave!
Probably asked to.
Damn, there goes my dream of the Angels trading to take back Lackey.
The new GM might do a straight up deal, Lackey for Wells. Still interested?
actually, that’s not a half-bad idea! (on either side)
Oh boy I think i might drive to Anaheim and watch the parade (coming from a non-Angels fan)
My quick review of TR:
The Good:
— Original Abreu contract
— Dan Haren trade
— Jered Weaver contract
— Drafting of Trout and fairly solid drafts overall since taking over (though most of this credit does go to scouting and Bane).
— Torii Hunter deal (although it was pretty bad this year and will be awful next Hunter was a huge asset to the team)
— Trading for Mark Teixeira
The Bad:
— New Abreu contract
— Kazmir deal
— Rodney deal
The Awful:
— Wells trade
Best moves were the ones he didn’t make:
— Chone Figgins
— John Lackey
— K-Rod (at the Mets price)
— Mark Teixeira (at the Yankees price)
— Carl Crawford (at the Red Sox price)
— Adrian Beltre (at the Rangers price)
Your analysis is great. I’d only quibble with the Kazmir deal, he pitched well after he arrived and we didn’t give away too much for a reclamation project-a losing bet, but worth the risk. I would add to the list the break with and departure of Eddie Bane, widely regarded as one of the best eyes for talent in MLB. His departure really hurts the farm system.
I agree with you. The Kazmir deal is very hard to evaluate. At the time – it was a solid move. He was terrific post trade. Even with modest regression it would have been an OK move.
Like Dunn, Kazmir just completely feel apart – to a degree that NO ONE could have predicted. I don’t fault Reagins for the mess that Kazmir became.
i might argue with on the Beltre move, the production was horrible out of 3rd base spot. Texas was a different team while he was out of the lineup vs when he came back for minor ailments. our 3rd base production was just as horrid as our DH production. Not to mention his top notch defense. our 3B didn’t do bad defensively, but could of been better.
That’s a tough call– I would have liked to have Beltre this year too but I’ll bet that contract doesn’t look to good in a couple of years. They do need more production from 3rd base though.
even with regression in his bat (unlikely in texas though), his defense is going to make him a valuable guy for at least 4 years. the angels could have easily afforded it and he would have made a big difference
if they come up with a great solution at 3B going forward, it’ll look a lot better. if they don’t, it was a mistake
Angels -Wells + Beltre >>> Texas -Napoli
Texas – Napoli – Beltre
I like Beltre but am not sold on his value with a long-term contract. I was fine with the $70-75m offer the Angels submitted. Anything more than that was just too much risk for me.
Looking at his road stats in 2011, I think even $70-75m was a little steep. With the Angels, his numbers are probably nowhere near his numbers with the Rangers.
>the production was horrible out of 3rd base spot
Is there a way to check that? I was against Callaspo at the beginning of the year, but my gut says he and Izturis combined were slightly above average.
Izturis provided roughly 1 WAR in very limited time at 3rd. Callaspo clocked in at 3.6 WAR. Combined the Angels got roughly 4.5 WAR out of 3rd base. Beltre was at 5.7 WAR.
The Angels spent $5m between Izturis and Callaspo. The team is under no long-term commitments for either player.
The Rangers spent $14m on Beltre. They are on the hook for another 4 or possibly 5 years.
While that extra win would have been nice, at least according to WAR, the Angels made the better decision by avoiding Beltre.
I would add check Beltre’s numbers at Anaheim, they’re pretty bad.
all of your points ring true with the exception of one. Beltre would have helped the Angels win the division. His preference was Anaheim and we decided we couldn’t do that but we could waste Napoli and 20 million a year on Vernon “The Disater Wells”. In not getting Beltre, the dominos all fell against the Angles. 57 homeruns between Napoli and Beltre and I think close to 180 RBIS. Pretty bad move on Wells and not singing Beltre. It affected the Angels in multiple ways. Its like getting less for the money not more!
Beltre likely puts up the same numbers with the Angels as Wells would. Don’t forget about the Rangers home ballpark. Napoli didn’t have a role on the Angels at the time he was traded, and apparently there were issues between him and Scioscia. Even with those additions it took the Rangers until the final 2 weeks of the season to pull away. They got red hot at the end, so that 96-66 record isn’t a season long stretch of winning consistently because the Rangers have some great ballclub. The Angels scored more runs than the Rangers did on the road. A LOT of the Rangers success has to do with their ballpark, and their pitching on the road.
What a great post! You summed it up well. I agree with all you have said…especially the things he didn’t do…which were good. Tony and I were interns together with the Halos way back when. Nobody has dedicated himself to the organization (except for Tim Mead…he’s an icon) more than Tony Reagins. He wants the Angels to win more than anyone. People forget he has worked his way up in the organization since 1991. He deserved the shot…and he did some great things. The Angels will be lucky to keep him in the organization. I’m sure another GM position will be his if he wants it at some point. Tony is one of the “good guys” in baseball. Unfortunately, when the team fails to make the play-offs and expectations are high (based on past results), someone takes the fall. I’m hoping it was his decision. I’m sure it was mutual. Hopefully, it’s what’s best for him and the team.
Beltre was incredible for the Rangers even at that price, not even considering the lack of production the Angels got from 3rd base.
Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are FREE AT LAST!!!
Somewhere, the sound of a door hitting someone on the rear end on the way out can be heard…
Nothing
Who might be his replacement?
Some very interesting potential names out there.
I would be doing all that I can to wrest away Beane from Oakland. Give the man $130m payroll and see the magic he would create. Also, hurting the A’s at the same time would be sweet.
There are a lot of pretty qualified folks out there. Hopefully, the team does some drastic and bold. We need a new direction and it should be from someone outside the organization.
I would personally love the Rays GM (Friedman) but highly unlikely that it happens.
What about the Rays’ assistant GM? Or Kevin Towers?
Why would Towers want to leave Arizona?
Good point. Nicer weather, maybe?
better weather than SoCal? no way..
Nothing personal against Reagins, but ADIOS, FAREWELL, GOOD RIDDANCE, SEE YA, BYEEEEEEE!!!!!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
nah, nah, nah, nah
nah, nah, nah, nah
heeeeeeeeyyyyy
GOOODBYE!!
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”
-Alex Anthopolous
That is to funny
Nice..
Just opened the door for TheoElDio, if you ask me. It’d be even better if his successor in Boston can convince Epstein that he knows someone who’d look PERFECT in the Angels rotation (spoiler: his name rhymes with Brawn Hacky).
Besides, are the Angels REALLY going to play all those outfielders? I mean, it would be the least Boston could do, taking Trout and Bourjos off their hands…
or Wells.
BAAAAAHAHAHA no, the whole point is to rob Anaheim blind. As a middling bunch of Irish folk said, everyone else is doing it, so why can’t we?
It’s not really funny if you have to explain it.
congrats, angels fans!
Too late, the Vernon Wells damage is done.
This is a sad day for baseball comedy :(
I already miss Tony Reagins jokes
I like to think the Reagins jokes will live on.
That’s what they said about Minaya jokes and you never hear those anymore
True. A sad day for MLBTR boards indeed.
Another GM will do something lulzy and then you’ll start hearing those jokes.
Remember- Reagins jokes didn’t really start until the Vernon Wells trade.
Angels fans you guys had a great GM so it will be very yough to replace Reagin
I guess the Jays will take Wells back. They’d need Trout too, though.
But no matter. Today is the first day of the Angels 2012 winning season because of it.
Angels should also get rid of Mikey Hatcher Get a real hitting instructor!
Eugenio Velez probably isn’t coming back to the Dodgers, so he’s available.
Tony Reagins = the best GM the Texas Rangers ever had!
Seriously…I just turned on my computer and when I saw this headline pop up, I nearly jumped through the roof! Reagins was more right than he knew when he said the Angels were going to be aggressive and “creative” this offseason!
And Wally George thought the Reagins Revolution was a good thing
Nicely played, although 99.2% of the people on here have no idea what you’re talking about.
Yep, I’se old & lived in OC in early 90’s :P
All the comedy aside, really the move that got him fired was the trade for wells, its amazing what AA did.
Well this should be a intresting offseason…
Wow I am stunned !
Now if Wells could only OPT OUT….
Now that Reagins is gone, I’d like to see the Angels give someone like Kim Ng a shot at the GM chair. I imagine she’d jump at the chance to finally have a shot at being a GM. Does anyone know if the Angels have to ask the commissioner’s office for permission to interview her since she works for them right now?
Kim Ng is a woman? I thought that would be a guy lol. I already know im a a-hole so im just gonna say it: baseball is a mans sport.
Keith Hernandez agrees. “I wont say that women belong in the kitchen, but they dont belong in the dugout.
Tony Reagins threads are always my favorite. I was so excited to read this. But i have to say, it was a tiny bit of a let down :[
“D@mn it I wasn’t done!!!!!”
Anthropolous
Vernon Wells is going to be a fantasy baseball bargain next year.
Whoever the new gm is, i just hope they dont go after jose reyes. Thats Alfonso Soriano 2.0
Also, only offer Aramis Ramirez 2 years. 3 max. anything more is bad news.