The Angels are nearing a deal with free agent infielder Jorge Cantu, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Wasserman Media Group represents the 29-year-old.
Cantu hit 28 homers in 2005 and 29 homers in 2008, but has struggled to produce at the plate since then. Cantu signed with the Padres for $850K about a year ago, but they designated him for assignment and the Rockies picked him up. He posted a .194/.232/.285 line in 155 plate appearances for San Diego, appearing at first, second and third base. Cantu, a right-handed hitter, has hit lefties and righties at a nearly identical clip over the course of his eight-year career.
….Why?
You beat me to it.
Haha. I’m thinking with the acquisition of Cantu they’ll move Izturis for a reliever since they’re not done tweaking their bullpen. I’m not sure what Cantu’s previous health records are/if he’s constantly on the DL, but for the sake of the Angels, I hope he isn’t as fragile as Izturis.
i think they keep izturis, he and peter bourjos are our only lead off hitters
i would think they move Callaspo because Izzy can play SS to back up Aybar while Callaspo cannot. But taking Callaspo out gives Angels a very right handed lineup
you got me..? he sucks
Who knows? I’m neutral on the signing since it’s going to be a minor league contract. A new stadium could benefit him. We just have to wait and see.
The only way it really makes sense is as a minor league contract, but do we know that yet? Just curious, I haven’t seen it yet.
Sure you have. They’re called bench players.
Huh? Are you suggesting that all bench players are on minor league contracts? My question was just if we knew for certain that Cantu was on a minor league contract. Obviously, we do know that now.
They clearly needed depth at first.
Cantu can also play second and third base. No one knows if Morales will be 100% healthy on opening day, and Trumbo’s foot will take longer to heal. I’d rather have more depth than none.
He *can* play second, but it’s a stretch (although a few years ago I got favorable results from him in MLB 2k9—but this would not count).
Cantu wasn’t the best defensive 3B when he played with the Fish, but he could catch the ball if it was hit within a step and a half of him, not sure he would be any better at 2b.
Maybe he will make another comeback from the scrap heap, like he did when they got him from the Rays originally.. never know but this time age itself is going to start working against him.
There was a time when Cantu could play 2B, but that time has come and gone. He’s probably barely passable at 3B. He’s pretty much limited to 1B (and isn’t all that great there) and DH – oh, but wait….he can’t hit.
Darn, there goes the division. Angels are untouchable now.
I’m pretty sure this signing will guarantee the division.
Izturis or Callaspo must be on the move.
It is a strange acquisition though. They have guys in AAA that could do as well as Cantu.
Callaspo to Detroit for Ryan Strieby. Lord knows LAA needs more 1b/dh players
Kidding aside, I’d love Callaspo in Detroit. Anything so I don’t have to see Inge swing a bat again
huh?
NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This almost certainly means that either Trumbo or Morales are on the move.
Both of them are injured and have no trade value. Not to mention Dipoto keeps saying that both of them will not be traded and that Cantu really really sucks
Trumbo costs peanuts and only had a stress fracture- hardly a deterent. Morales would be the harder sell but he is also only making $3mil. Dipoto also said that he was done in the free agent market, and that he only had $20mil to spend this offseason….Believe me I don’t want it to be true but somebody is being moved. Maybe Torii to make room for Trumbo in right- The Angels would need to eat a ton of his salary though… I just don’t know.
You’re wrong. Dipoto NEVER said he had $20 million to spend.
That figure was thrown around as constant speculation by simply subtracting the payroll as it currently stood from 2011’s.
The Angels had 20 million to play with before matching 2011’s payroll, but not one member of Angels’ brass ever said that was their allotted amount.
Go to the Angels website and read this story- “Angels land both Pujols and Wilson”- it references it right there. “That the Angels were able to land them both — after stating they had only between $15 million and $20 million to spend this offseason — is flat-out mesmerizing. “
I read the story the day it was written and scoffed at it then.
It’s one of those things were a concept or idea, purely speculative, is thrown around so much that it’s perceived as factual.
Yes, the writer used the word “stated” instead of “were believed to” but there’s no attribution anywhere.
Believe me, I’ve been looking for direct attribution of that amount of money from Dipoto/Moreno/etc, because in light of their pending TV deal and the emergence of the Rangers, 15-20 million just didn’t feel right.
All I’ve found is “probably have” or “believed to have” from writers/analysts/talking heads, never someone within the Angels organization.
Well they spent $25 million… Pujols will make $12MM this year, CJ $10MM and LaTroy Hawkins will make $3MM.
Why would that mean Trumbo or Morales are on the move? He also plays 3rd and second. This move makes no sense other than maybe they are moving Callaspo or Izturis and they will put him on the bench as a back up.
That makes more sense, I just have a bad feeling about it. Don’t know how much 2b he can play anymore but I just don’t get it.
Please play him at 2nd. Teams would love having a huge gap on the right side of the infield to hit through. The free out wouldn’t be too shabby either
Strange. Did someone lose a bet?
Why?
Uh oh. Something’s afoot. We don’t need another infielder. JeDi is up to something.
Why would that mean Trumbo or Morales are on the move? He also plays 3rd and second. This move makes no sense other than maybe they are moving Callaspo or Izturis and they will put him on the bench as a back up.
He’s only 29? Wow.
I know his face makes him look like he’s 35 plus
Seems like ten years ago I went to a Rays game and he was their second basemen.
that probably means callaspo is goin somewhere. and probably because trumbos foot isn’t healing as fast as they thought.
Does this mean we are gonna trade Callaspo or Izzy or Abreu or Trumbo or Bourjos or…ok im done…
Relax Angel fans. Probably a minor league deal.
Haha, finally a grounded reaction.
OH MY GOD ANGELS ARE ON THE VERGE OF SIGNING A .194 HITTER LAST YEAR WITH PRACTICALLY NO VALUE, TRUMBO/MORALES MUST BE AS GOOD AS GONE.
“Cantu, a right-handed hitter, has hit lefties and righties at a nearly identical clip over the course of his eight-year career.”
-OR-
Cantu, a right-handed hitter, has not hit lefties or righties at a nearly identical clip over the course of his eight-year career.
I would like to reiterate, why?
For everyone either questioning this pending deal or freaking out about a subsequent trade involving anyone of importance (Trumbo/Morales), I implore you to chill out.
It’s Jorge freaking Cantu, a guy who hit .194 last year while making $800,000.
It’s either a major league deal for the league minimum (or slightly higher, definitely not eclipsing $800,000 though) or a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
He’ll provide depth when Kendrick/Aybar/Izturis suffer the inevitable annual injury, or if JeDi decides to move Callaspo.
The Angels have depth POTENTIALLY in the infield, but certainly not for the time being.
Izturis is the only reliable 3B/SS/2B back-up. Alexi Amarista’s slash line during his brief stint in the majors last year made Brandon Wood look like an all-star. I’ll be shocked if he makes the opening day roster.
Trumbo and Morales are injured.
But yeah, we got plenty of depth already. Riiiigghhhtt…….
I completely forgot about this guy
I thought about him as a possibility around a week ago for the Braves . But now with him going to the Angels , one can wonder about a possible trade between the Angels and Braves . Possibly Callaspo or Izturis .
The angels obviously need a sub 200 ba on the team
Well they did trade Mathis , needed to replace his production.
Have you seen Iannetta’s Home/Road splits last year? Very Mathis like…
Iannetta hit .238 and 14 hr’s
Mathis hit .174 and 3 hr’s
Not even close to being like Mathis.
Ed, If you read what I wrote you would see that I was implying that his #’s were heavily skewed towards Coors Field. On the road last year Ianetta hit 4HR had a .172 BAve and slugged drumroll please.,.,.,.,., .266 Jeff Mathis’ numbers last year were BAve .174 and slugged .259 so yeah Iannetta’s #’s away from Coor’s are very Mathis like. I am glad we got him though and I know that he will produce much better than Mathis did.
I think you’re on to something. With Mathis gone, the signing is probably meant to boost Wells’ ego.
“I’m not the worst player on the team!!! YAY!”
“I’m not the worst player on the team!!! YAY!”
What a young age to decline, odd.
Minor League deal probably for depth, just to have someone there to fill in if injuries take their toll.
He always seems to find a job because he is Jorge Cantu the 2 year homer run hitter
My guess is the Angels will deal Callaspo. Trumbo and Morales will be on the opening day roster.