Shohei Ohtani is coming off an MVP-winning season, the kind of showing Angels fans dreamed of when he chose to sign in Anaheim during his highly-publicized posting process over the 2017-18 offseason. It’s widely expected the Angels will try to work out a long-term deal with the two-way star, but those discussions didn’t get underway prior to the lockout.
Ohtani tells Sam Blum of the Athletic (via an interpreter) the team and his representatives at CAA Baseball have had “no talks yet” regarding an extension. Last October, the 27-year-old expressed openness to a long-term deal. He didn’t go into detail regarding the chances of eventually signing an extension when speaking with Blum, instead noting that he’s “in the second year of my two-year deal coming up this season” and “just trying to complete that last year of the two-year contract.”
As Ohtani noted, he signed a two-year contract last February that guaranteed him a total of $8.5MM to avoid arbitration through 2022. He’ll make $5.5MM this year and is scheduled to go through arbitration a final time before reaching free agency two seasons from now. Ohtani would be entering his age-29 season during his trip to the open market. That’s relatively young for a free agent, setting him up for a megadeal if he stays healthy and continues to perform at an elite level.
The parameters of a potential Ohtani extension are essentially impossible to predict. There are, of course, no contractual precedents for players with his skillset. Ohtani’s coming off a .257/.372/.592 showing with 46 home runs and 26 stolen bases. That overall offensive output checked in 52 percentage points above the league average by measure of wRC+, the fifth-highest mark among 135 batters with 500 or more plate appearances. While he didn’t perform particularly well in the abbreviated 2020 season, Ohtani has a wRC+ of 120 or better in his other three big league campaigns.
In addition to that middle-of-the-order offense, Ohtani has flashed at least middle-of-the-rotation upside. He’s worked 183 2/3 innings across 35 MLB starts, posting a 3.53 ERA/3.75 SIERA with a very strong 29.2% strikeout rate, albeit with an elevated 9.7% walk percentage. The majority of those frames came last season, when he put up a 3.18 ERA in 23 starts. He averaged north of 95 MPH on his fastball, backed up by an elite swing-and-miss secondary offering in his high-80s split.
Given Ohtani’s unique ability to produce at a high-end level on both sides of the ball, it stands to reason the Angels would love to keep him in the fold beyond the next couple seasons. The team does already have a pair of long-term investments in star position players on the books. Mike Trout is slated to make a bit north of $37MM annually through 2030, while Anthony Rendon will earn over $38MM per season from 2024 through 2026 under the terms of his backloaded deal. The Angels also owe Raisel Iglesias $16MM in both 2024 and 2025, while David Fletcher will make at least $14MM combined between 2024 and 2025.
Between those commitments, the Angels already have around $100MM guaranteed in the first two seasons of what are currently slated to be Ohtani’s free agent years. Anaheim set a franchise record with an outlay in the $182MM range to start last season. An Ohtani extension would probably require owner Arte Moreno to stretch his longer-term payrolls a bit further if the front office is to have the requisite payroll flexibility to supplement a Trout – Ohtani – Rendon core group.
Arte is gonna have to back up the Brinks truck sooner or later like he did with Trout. Will we see another $400 million dollar contract on the Angels payroll?
If MLB limits teams to 12 pitchers on the 25 man roster, does Ohtani count as a pitcher or position player?
In what universe is the active roster still 25?
Sorry. It is 26 now. Feel better?
There are MLB rules regarding two-way players already, google them.
I can’t really figure out how the market will value this guy. He will be 2 years older than Machado was when he got a 10 year deal. So maybe an 8 year deal like Heyward for with a higher AAV? 8 years and $320 million would lock him up for $40 million a year until he is 38. Does that sound about right? I think paying this guy top dollar until he’s 40 might not happen. If he’s really good the next 2 years I could maybe see the AAV going up to the 45+ level though. Anyone else have an estimate?
As others pointed out, its a 26-man roster, not 25. You were also one off on the pitcher limit….its a 13-pitcher limit, not 12. That being said, the rule has never actually been active. It was agreed on prior to 2019 to go in effect for 2020, but the COVID-19 related rule changes included putting a hold on the rule going into effect for 2020. The league also waived the rule in 2021, so 2022 is currently the first season in which the rule will be used (unless the new CBA changes it or the league decides to delay it again.
The rule is that, subject to an exception, only players that are classified as one of the teams’ 13 pitchers can pitch in most games. Non-pitching position players can only pitch if a game is extra innings or if it is a blowout (their team is winning or losing by more than 6 runs.
That being said, the rule won’t impact Ohtani. The exception mentioned above is for 2-way players (which is now an official designation). Players who are 2-way players are NOT subject to the above pitcher limit rule. Meaning, they don’t take up one of the 13 pitching spots but can still pitch at any time (they’re not restricted to extra innings or blowouts like position players). To qualify as a 2-way player, in either the current or previous season, the player must pitch at least 20 innings and start at least 20 MLB games as a position player or DH (with at least 3 PAs each of the 20 games).
@all in the suit that you wear. I promise we aren’t all a bunch of little punks like skyline and lemon. I think that’s a good question. I don’t know the answer either and it seems like a question specific enough that you might have a difficult time just googling it.
SCM: I agree. We have a lot of great posters here. I think they will rewrite the rules if they limit teams to 12 pitchers. I guess they will need to come up with definitions for pitchers and position players and Ohtani will need to live with what they designate him. Maybe a position player can pitch no more than 10 innings per season and a pitcher can play no more than 10 innings in the field per season.
I don’t like the way they have it now. It is goog for Ohtani but it makes it hard for players like Walsh. He Had good results at the majors in limited innings Had a small arm injury so they shut his pitching down. He has to start the season as a pitcher because he needs spring training and you can’t send him down because he is a good hitter/defender. His stuff is not overpowering but he would give an extra arm in the pen. They may just not want to have him to try now that he had a good year just let him hit.
the way I see it If he did not pitch the prior season or this season in the minors, he is not allowed. I think he could do both because he hit good at AAA part time relieving. He seemed to put his pitching energy and time into defense so that part may suffer. The thing is he won’t be the only one in this kind of situation. I think they just want to limit the use of non-pitchers in blowouts, this excludes some 2 -way players.
+++
They already have a rule and designations. Pitchers are players the team designates as pitchers. Position players are players the team doesn’t designate as pitchers.
Pitchers are permitted to pitch at any time while position players can only pitch in extra innings or blowouts (when the team is winning or losing by more than 6 runs). Pitchers can also be used in games in any other roles (hitting, PH, PR, taking a position). However, there’s a 13-player limit on who can be classified as a pitcher, so teams will likely only take the players’ pitching skills into account when designating players as pitchers.
Two-way player is another designation. Two-way players can pitch at anytime like other pitchers, but do not count against the 13-pitcher limit. To be classified as a 2-way player, in either the prior season or current season, the player must have pitched at least 20 innings AND started 20 games at a position or DH (and have at least 3 ABs in those 20 starts).
The rule was supposed to go into effect for the 2020 season and Ohtani would have been the only player to qualify. Although Ohtani didn’t have the requisite innings pitched in 2019 (he didn’t pitch because of his Tommy John’s surgery in 2018), the initial implementation of the rule for 2020 looked back 2 seasons (to 2018 and 2019) for the prior season innings pitched requirement [honestly, Ohtani was likely the reason the league said for the first year, they could look back two seasons]. Going forward, the rule only looks back to the immediately prior season (so the 2021 season for 2022).
Of course, the rule has never been in effect because the 13-pitcher limit has been delayed due to COVID-19, though it appears it will finally be in force for 2022 (unless the new CBA changes it or the league postpones it again).
Thanks, much clearer and shows how some 2 -way players will get excluded including Ohtani if he gets hurt 1 year. How many position players get 19 innings pitched anyway?
I want to see what he gets in arbitration.
He will be signed to a long term deal before his first and only year of arbitration
Why in the world would he sign with the Angels.. they are light years from a winning season if ever again.
Why in the world would he sign with your team?
Sexual Chocolate dropping Ws in the replies
I haven’t used that many W’s since I guest starred on That’s My Momma.
Perhaps he’d sign with them for the same reasons he chose to sign with them in the first place.
The reasons are because he’s emulating a comic book character he admired when he was a kid…
Not only comic book, but There is also a cartoon series. Can not remember the player’s name. he was a superman type two-way player. that from Japan that made the team from a try out before spring training. The team was the Anaheim Salmons. I wondered if Tim Salmon had something to do with that name.
But I do not think this is the main reason I like the odds of him choosing to stay.
The show is called “MAJOR” and the character is Goro Shigeno
Seriously? Never heard of this before. Will check it out, thanks!
Don’t make the same mistake Trout did. Dip from Anaheim ASAP
Why was it a mistake?
trout is 30 years old with 75 career WAR and 1 postseason appearance.
Angels have wasted one of the longest and best offensive peaks that baseball has ever seen on remarkably mediocre teams.
You do realize one of the main reasons he was able to enjoy the season he had was because he signed with angels. Other teams were not gonna even give him a shot Nor had roster flexibility to let him pitch and hit. Why go somewhere else that’s not gonna let you display your skill set.
you can’t be serious…Ohtani’s contract is a joke for what his actual value is…also the NL is a thing that exists.
i agree. all the players before arbitration are getting what amount to a joke. ohtani is getting a lot more than a joke though not that much.
He also could have waited I think 1 year, and he could have signed a major league contract for hundreds of millions. His priority is baseball things first and money will take care of itself. He really is high integrity, good example kind of guy and it’s not for show.
Name a great player that wasn’t paid his true value before his arbitration years.
All of them.
Yeah, poor Mike.
Makes $38MM/year and lives in Laguna Beach.
What a huge mistake. /s
He lives in Newport Coast
May I please make the same mistake Trout did?
The word “loyalty” is lost on some people.
Loyalty? Really? Players are T loyal to there teams any more. They run to whom ever offers the fattest contract. The owners/front offices aren’t loyal. They trade or waive any one they feel like is necessary.
Right. Few players are loyal. It’s about the money. Many commenters on here don’t understand it either. I chalk it up to youth. Trout showed his loyalty to the Angels knowing what the team was lacking and people on here criticize him for it. Or they comment as though he was forced to stay with the Angels. So I like the trend that seems to be emerging with players signing career contracts with one team.
you say “loyalty” like these dudes were born a member of their clubs. should everyone show such “loyalty” to their employers, because we darn know most aren’t worth it.
Chill darkside. Loyalty is a good thing. It’s easy to be loyal to a good employer. True character is when you’re loyal through good times and bad. Again, the concept of loyalty is lost on many.
Very true, Prov356. It’s amazing that loyalty turned into something to be criticized for… when, in fact, it’s precisely the lack of loyalty by player & team that has us in the current CBA stalemate situation many complain about.
DarkSide—I am sure you’re applauding yourself over your cynical reply, but Trout has been a member of the Angels since he signed his deal after the draft in 2009, and he’s 30 now—he’s nearly spent half his life with the Angels. That is as close to being “born a member” of that team as it gets.
Yes, there is such a thing as loyalty in pro sports.
If teams were Loyal they wouldn’t trade any players without there consent. Do you really think that happens?
@prov356 – Loyalty? Let’s not pretend that the $426M contract he signed didn’t have anything to do with him staying with the Angels. They offer him $100M less (which would still be among the largest contracts in history) and he’s out of Anaheim in a hurry.
Trout is loyal because the Angles paid him, he did not take a pay cut to stay.
Why do they need a players consent to trade him?
If the same player was a FA, He doesn’t ask or need their permission to sign with another team.
And that is why there is no loyalty on both sides!
Why would Trout or any player take a pay cut to stay with a team? The Angels got a massive bargain his first three seasons and only very large bargains the next three. His big extension balances that out.
DEM HEAUXS AIN’T LOYAL
Craven – You’re so street.
Loyalty has to go both ways to be loyalty. The Yankees weren’t loyal to Babe Ruth, nor the Tigers to Ty Cobb. This has been an issue with both sides for a long, long time.
You are all talking out of both sides. The fact that the Angels paid Trout what they did shows the owner’s loyalty to Trout. Trout could and probably would have gotten more money from the Yankees or the Red Sox. Moreno could have let him go to free agency without spending that money. The Trout deal shows loyalty on both sides. Jared Weaver showed the same character with the Angels.
No, loyalty does not go both ways in many cases. You have all proven that the concept of being loyal is lost on you. I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.
prov356, just how high is that horse you’re sitting on? You are the only one who understands what loyalty means? Give me a break.
The Trout deal does show good loyalty and commitment on both sides. In many cases, either the team or the player decides a continued mutual relationship is not desired. That doesn’t necessarily mean either side is being disloyal, it could just be a business decision. Or it could be disloyalty. It depends on each particular case.
gbs42 – My horse stands about 15 hands. He’s a quarter/welsh mix.
Examples of loyalty work in both directions. Many players have insisted on staying with the same team and have worked it out like Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield. Teams can be loyal to the player both by keeping him and also by sending the player in a trade to a better situation. Lots of examples there, it’s called good will and there are teams who will do that. Piscotty comes to mind.
The Piscotty trade was a very compassionate move.
I believe Ohtani will be offered a back loaded career contract and he will accept it. What a great story if he and Trout play their careers on the same team together. Moreno loves a big bat, which Ohtani has. The Angels need a strong starter which he is. Whatever his contract is, it will be cheaper than paying two players to fill those two roles.
I agree it’d be nice for them to play together long term. I just wonder if Arte’s reluctance to sign a SP long term will factor in here. Maybe his value with the bat helps lessen the risk for him? Also want to see what they can do with Sho, Trout, and Rendon all healthy
He signed a contract. It is what it is.
G.O.A.T. status user name
One thing I didn’t know until the lock out started. MLB guarantees contract $300M or more.
All MLB contracts are guaranteed.
Yes all MLB are guaranteed. I think what they meant in the article I read was, Should something happen eg The Angels go bankrupt in 2025 and cannot pay the remaining years of his contract. MLB would step in and pay the remaining years.
Otherwise would they say all contracts $300M or more are guaranteed?
Arte can market Ohtani. That makes him Arte kind of player.
He’s going to sign with a West Coast team. I like the Angels Odds.
“Arte of the deal”
That’s quite an Arteistic perspective…
You mean there have been no contract talks since Dec 2? Seriously?!?
they are prohibited from talking to players or agents, you know?
Read the room.
Only players, they can talk to agents just not about forming a deal
All those budding friendships between player agents and owners just warms your heart. =))
Well if he wants to win he absolutely should not sign with the Angels.
And please spare me with the loyalty BS. Loyalty ends when and where the contract ends.
Angels are the Phillies of the AL. Big contracts and big losing.
Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. I believe his 5 things that make him so great are:
5 His ability to do everything well with strength and speed.
4 His kinda unusual body shape. He kind of has the perfect baseball body shape, especially for the way he hits. He has oversized shoulders.
3 He has great focus and to do well under pressure. When he signed with the Angels many Yankee fans said he signed with the Angels because he thought it would be less pressure than in NY. Alot of people underestimate How much pressure Japan has, especially the Media. It started when he was in high school and by the time he signed with Anahiem there was number of publications that had one reporter only for Ohtani stories as well as one cable channel with just Ohtani stuff.
2 His work ethic and his stamina. I think he did get a little tired at the end of the year, but I think he wanted to build stamina for next year. Remember he had not pitched many innings the last couple of years.
1 His Baseball IQ is off the charts. Part of that is he is learning how to prevent Injuries. He studies everything about baseball. He has said about a month ago he likes the teams direction and also said he likes his teammates and the fans and enjoys this area.
There is a loyalty aspect to him. Maybe some fans over hype this but it Does fit his personality even for Japanese who seem to be a little more Loyal than your average MLB player. I think this is who he is, very honest and polite. His Number one thing is baseball. How much he makes is not as high on his list of priorities. If it was he would have waited to come to the MLB and not signed a minor league contract. The Angels could see a big boost this year if healthy Look at what hurt them the most last year. The bullpen had very few good options all year and the worst part was the rest were really bad and the few O.K. pitchers were tired. The Starters other than Ohtani and Cobb (who were good) were really bad and Ohtani was not giving you many Innings. The younger Starters that took over in the second half did good until some late season Injuries. The other thing that hurt the Angels last year was the defense was bad after expecting a stronger showing. Shortstop is still an unknown but just about every other position should be good to great. This is where the injuries to trout, Rendon and even all the of the OF injuries really hurt the defense.
I think he knows all this and also feels comfortable here as well as all the other things that made him choose Anaheim in the first place.
It’s not a sure thing he stays, but I like the chances.
it looks like 2023 is the year he will be extended. upton’s contract expires after upcoming season and the team will have enough room to lock ohtani in. they’d probably want to see if he can repeat it, too.
man he’s good… I can’t stand LA but I want them to be in October so they can stop wasting the two best players in baseball.
Ready? Ohtani is hanging on by a thread. He will blow his arm out in a year. He will be a free swinging 1st basemen after that. Why pay 30 mil plus for that?!?
lol, another fortune teller here!
From the poster called Vizonaire! Check the injury history on Ohtani sweetheart. Free swinging 1st then and in the future. What you think Madam Cleo?
Yikes “Anthony Rendon will earn over $38MM per season from 2024 through 2026“
he’s healthy and already mashing!
The Rendon signing was simply not a very good one. Too many years at too high an annual value. I think Arte was pissed that he had just barely missed out on Gerrit Cole, and made an impulsive decision with Rendon. The Rendon money should have gone towards the pitching staff, plain and simple.
5 yrs 175 million and everyone should be happy.Leaves room for another contract if he can stay healthy.Who knows,4 yrs 200 million.
If he’s anywhere close to last year’s performance in ’22, why would he settle for 5/175?
I think the Angels want to see a bit more of Ohtani on the mound before they commit $350+ million to him
It can’t hurt.
I’ll be contrarian, but he should give up the hitter/pitching gig and focus on being a full-time OFer and hitter. It’s been fun to watch, but he’s already missed a lot of time trying to do both. It will only become physically demanding as he ages, and he’s limiting his offensive upside and what he can also provide in the field. Focus on one discipline.
all those nl pitchers forced swing a bat should give up hitting.. oh, we;; it will be forced upon them!
NL pitchers also hit a lot less in a season than Sho does.
if he can do it and he doesn’t suffer, why bother?
I wonder if he can repeat that offense when using the same baseball as everyone else too. I’m not inferring he didn’t, but with all the shenanigans that Manfred & co did last season, it’s really difficult to discern which players they favored, and let’s face it, Ohtani was huge for the sport, not that Manfred even needs motivation to do anything underhanded.
@Yankee Clipper, you ARE implying that he didn’t use the same ball, which doesn’t make any sense. How exactly would that work? Did the umps ask the SP for the ball back every time he came up to bat? And then switch back?
Angels86ed: Two different baseballs were used in 2021. We don’t know which stadiums received which balls.
mlbtraderumors.com/2021/12/mlb-used-two-different-…
He’s really not missing AB’s much anymore. He played in 155 games last year with 639 PA’s. Maddon (smartly) batted him on the days he pitched, something they were reluctant to do before.
2 best players in the game.You have to compete for the highest payroll every year till they are gone if you truly want to win!Its time Mr.Moreno to win another World Series in halo history.Don’t be foolish and squander this opportunity.Plus your not getting any younger if you want a ring.
Good point, but in a way he kind of has 3 of the best players (3 slots filled), in that Ohtani is also one of the best pitchers. Requires one less top-tier talent anyway, which is why Ohtani is so special.
One billion dollars
Trade him to Boston for Devers!!
The deal would be dependent on Anaheim paying Devers in ice cream for the remainder of his contract.
i dont get the rush. Ohtani seemingly wolnt settle for a lowball offer and the Angels wolnt cave. the reality is, if Ohtani’s representation wants what he’s worth a year as a hitter and pitcher – perhaps $50 million a year over a term – it simply wolnt happen. not enough teams can fit that within the tax line, even if it rises, while maintaining an overall competitive team, and those who go over may not be ideal destinations (as in the CBT payers have recently been more NL types and Boston might not be able to fit him in even then). Even beyond that he’s got health issues. His value woln’t go up unless he turns into DeGrom or Mike Trout.
Why not? If they trade Dévers for Ohtani, you trade JD, the x-man will walk out this year!! They have the $$$$
If he does what he did last year for a few more years in a row without injury, and the next CBA is fair, he’ll get $50M. He’s really more valuable than the sum of his hitting and pitching contributions, because he also saves you a roster spot so it’s almost like you have a 27 man roster to everybody else’s 26.
But the Angels would be fools to give him that kind of extension before he proves he can keep it up and maintain health.
he’s worth that, yes, but the issue is being able to afford such an outlay of tax space.
Raise the CBT – a lot!
That may be a problem for the Angels with all their huge contracts on the books for many years to come. It’s not really a problem for Ohtani, because there are plenty of teams more than $50M below the current tax level who will occasionally go big on a player. Instead of spending their winter signing a slugger and a starting pitcher for $50M, they’d spend it on the two-in-one and use the other roster spot on a guy making the league minimum.
If he only wants to play 162 games a season he needs to sign with LAA long term.
I’m…. worried he’s gonna burn himself out and whether he picks hitting or pitching, he will come back down to earth or he’ll become a spectacle two-way player but not an elite player. And then you’ll be paying him $40M a year for $18M production. In some ways him being under contract for such an insanely low salary in 2022 is a good thing that will save the Angels so much money and allow them a chance to re-evaluate… or…
…It will inspire them to overpay to make up for the underpays from 2021 and 2022.
That said, yeah, his last year of arbitration will be a doozy. I think 1 year/$28M or even more than that, like 1 year/$32M, could be on the table. Although I think it’ll more likely be 1 year/$23.5M or something.
I’d sign Ohtani to 6 years/$235.5M…. if I thought he’d hold up and play close to his 2021 performance.
No nostalgia or sentimentality. Going into his final year of arbitration, I’d sign him to 5 years/$205M guaranteed and up to 6 years/$235M on an option.
1 year/$30M his final year of arbitration,
3 years/$135M and
1 year/$30M with a $10M buyout on a $40M club option.
I think any less would be a team trying to cheap out on someone like Ohtani, banking on his body falling apart. Any longer (like a 6th guaranteed year, or 7 guaranteed years, etc.) would almost certainly turn it into an albatross the last 1-2 years or more, almost guaranteed.
On a side note; Ohtani was named “MLB: The Show ’22” cover athlete today
Deservedly so… What an incredible campaign.
If I was ohtani I would wait and see if the Angels were serious about putting a winning team around him and that they wont be expecting him to be the only good pitcher.
Trout signed that 400 million dollar contract with the mindset that real winning is getting paid.
I think the Angels are “serious” about deploying a winning team, they just never seem to make the right moves.
I thought the teams can’t talk shop with players during the lockout. Why is this a story?
They are just drumming up stuff to keep us busy.
Good. He should sign with the Yankees.
I can smell your jealousy of the Angels all the way out here on the left coast.
BTW has that ball landed yet the Walsh hit off Chapman?????
As long as he stays healthy, he should be easily top 300+ mil as Ohtani’s marketability is second to none in baseball since he makes about 20+ mil from pure advertisement/sponsorships/endorsement after his stellar 2021 season. Per latest report from Japan, he has 27 sponsorships including FTX deal giving him $$$$ bitcoins for endorsement.
Teams will be dying to contract him as it will even double their advertising revenue. Matsui brought 6 Japanese sponsorships to Yankee stadium netting 6mil a year. That was decades ago and Ohtani is 10x figure than Matsui in his prime.
He came to the Angels to play with Trout.I don’t see that changing!Arte will pay or restock the halos minors.Great investment with fantastic value like we’ve never seen before.Teams will pay if the Angels get weak knees.
If the Angels are foolish enough to pay him that type of cash, he should take the offer. As more teams move towards the Tampa business model, fewer teams will will be shopping at the high end of the market. Look at Correa struggle to find a landing spot that pays to his liking. There are only so many teams willing to pay those dollars, and they can only have a limited number of them. Once those spots are filled, watch those prices drop.
I think the Angels want to be cautious and see what kind of numbers he puts up and his health stamina and longevity in the 22 season before they back the brinks truck up.
I think the Angels want to be cautious and see what kind of numbers he puts up and his health stamina and longevity in the 22 season before they back the brinks truck up. I think their biggest problem contract is Rendon, another bad signing! Hasn’t been worth even half that contract amount!
Upton, Rendon, Hamilton, Pujols, Wells.
What do these 4 have in common?
I know what you’re going to say. “Bad Signings”.
Pujols got them a huge TV contract.
Rendon, He’s a good player when healthy.
Wells was traded for not signed.
Hamilton, I would of signed him if I was the owner. He was a great player. Some say the guy falling after Hamilton tossed him the ball rattled Hamilton.
Ohtani: “No (Extension) Talks Yet” With Angels, and there won’t be any because I don’t want to play for a losing mediocre team.”
I love the fact Ohtani and Trout are with the Angels and bothers most of you.
Doesn’t bother me in the least. I’ve been an angel fan since 1961
No one is bothered by it, teams love playing against the Angels, they are a consistently losing team because they are so incomplete. Watching them burn up Trout’s prime with nothing to show for it… that was bothersome and I couldn’t care less about the Angels.
Not sure if Ohtani can replicate last season, it anything remotely close before free agency and he’ll get AAV of $45/year. No doubt.
Maybe cause we’re on strike
I think little to no chance the Angels extend Ohtani, he will ultimately be traded at some point before reaching FA. They tied up so much money on the ridiculous contract they gave Rendon, he will be the reason Ohtani is forced out of there.
Lets be honest ohanti didn’t play all that well until last season and showed struggles towards the end of the season. I feel as if they want to see how he performs this season and go from there.
I asked you this before and I ask you now. Why the hell did they sign Rendon?