In recent days, it was reported that the Cardinals and Astros had each given multi-year offers to catcher Willson Contreras, with the Cardinals eventually winning the bidding by giving him five-year, $87.5MM deal. However, there was one other team apparently at the table, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Angels were one of the teams outbid by the Cards.
The Angels have been fairly active so far this offseason, adding to their pitching staff by signing Tyler Anderson for their rotation and Carlos Estévez for their bullpen, while adding Gio Urshela to their infield and Hunter Renfroe to their outfield. It seems they are still hoping to make further moves, but the fact that they pursued a catcher like Contreras is at least mildly surprising since that doesn’t stand out as the club’s most obvious weak spot.
Max Stassi had a nice breakout for the Halos over 2020 and 2021, getting into 118 games and hitting .250/.333/.452 for a wRC+ of 113, indicating he was 13% better than league average. When combined with his strong glovework, he produced 3.6 wins above replacement over that time, according to FanGraphs. With Stassi set to reach free agency after 2022, the club signed him to an extension that went through 2024 with an club option for 2025. Unfortunately, he had a dismal campaign in 2022, hitting just .180/.267/.303. He probably deserved better than that, however, as his .239 batting average on balls in play was below his .276 career mark and well below his .325 from 2021. With another two guaranteed seasons on his deal, he’s sure to be in the mix somehow with a chance to bounce back.
Then there’s also Logan O’Hoppe, who came over from the Phillies in the deadline deal that sent Brandon Marsh to Philadelphia. Between the two clubs, he annihilated Double-A pitching last year, leading to a batting line of .283/.416/.544 and a wRC+ of 159. He skipped Triple-A to get a five-game cup of coffee in the big leagues as the season was winding down.
Neither Stassi or O’Hoppe are a sure thing, but it would have been reasonable enough to go into the season with the two of them each jockeying for playing time and letting it get sorted as the season went along. However, it seems the club has at least some openness to upgrade, based on their pursuit of Contreras. It’s possible they want to give O’Hoppe more time in the minors or maybe that they would have pursued trades with Stassi if they landed Contreras.
General manager Perry Minasian recently told members of the media that the club could push pay the competitive balance tax in 2023 with no ownership mandate against it. Roster Resource currently pegs their 2023 payroll at $198MM with a CBT figure of $213MM. The first threshold of the luxury tax will be $233MM next year, giving the Angels about $20MM to work with before they have to think about whether they are willing to cross the line or not.
Contreras ended up signing a five-year, $87.5MM deal, with comes to an average annual value of $17.5MM. We don’t know exactly how much the Angels were willing to spend on Contreras, but something in this vicinity would have gotten them close to luxury tax territory. Assuming the Angels still have that money to spend on other players, it’s a good sign for Angel fans. The club could look for another backstop but have also been connected to shortstops and bullpen help. Since Contreras was clearly on a different tier to the other available free agent backstops, it’s possible that the Angels were willing to make an exception for him and won’t necessarily circle down to the other options. However, if they are interested in pursuing help behind the plate, the free agent market has options like Christian Vázquez and Gary Sánchez. The trade market is highlighted by Oakland’s Sean Murphy and Toronto’s Danny Jansen, though the asking prices on from both the A’s and the Jays are reportedly quite high.
tzk.
Seems like I hear a lot of “pursued” by LAA, but seldom “obtained”…
You mean besides 4 players they’ve already acquired?
They do the same thing every year. Start getting our hopes up that their gonna get what we need and fall flat with 1 year deals to mid level guys. We need a true SS! Plus 1 #2 or #3 starting pitcher and some quality bullpen arms, preferably a true closer. Then maybe a 2nd cather or a starting catcher.
You have Mike Trout … enjoy
You have Mike Trout … enjoy , resign that guy from Asia ( lol) to an extension,Fill in like the Cardinals from the farm, mix in a flyer on a rule 5 , Just do it
Likely a half-hearted pursuit considering they have Stassi already.
bucsfan0004, if we got Contreras I would have traded Stassi for a couple hot dogs and some nachos.
Throw a six pack into the mix & I’m with you…
“Having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but often true”, Mr. Spock (Star Trek the original series, “Amok Time”)
I’ve always liked the LAA, but you arguably have the 2 best players in BB. and have done little to pursue that. The few major FA you have obtained in past years have been rather sad. You’ve signed a few middle of the road FA this year that won’t get you past .500-for TJ’s sake I hope the outcome is better than usual.
No acrimony meant in my post.
If you can sign Swanson, I’ll eat my words…
…or Correa, although I like Swanson more…
Curly, they’ve greatly improved. Took out minor league bats in Velazquez, Fletcher (at least less ABs) and Adell replaced with Urshela, Renfroe, Rendon and Walsh (post-surgery. Replaced Lorenzen with All Star Tyler Anderson, and Estevez as back-end bullpen. Marsh, Mayfield MacKinnon all gone too.
Also taking out SP Tucker Davidson. Too many poor bats last year getting too many ABs.
Respect @i like al conin, You folks need to put it together NOW while Ohtani & Trout are together. SS will tell me if LAA are committed or not. Ohtani will be gone 2024, right? Now or never….commit
I don’t know why there’s so much hate for Fletcher. I can’t comment on his defense (although his SS stats don’t look terrible?), but his offense isn’t atrocious by any means. He’s been fairly solid, just hurt this last year.
I agree Curly. I’m one of those fans mentioned in the article excited about the increased spending. Although I don’t think it’s now or never- that $50 mil+ for Ohtani starting next year can be reallocated.
Eh. A .622 OPS last 2 years, no more than 3 HRs the last 3 seasons. If you squint he’s a 2nd division type player, not championship. He’s 1 reason why their offense is near the bottom.
It’s the advanced metric geeks who don’t care for Fletcher. But us with a real grassroots knowledge and understanding of baseball’s intangibles know better. He is a gamer thru and thru.
His offense has been poor five out of the last six seasons, only above average in 2020, the shortened season. His last two seasons have particularly bad with an OPS + under sixty. Unfortunately, he has two more years on his contract.
O’Hoppe was the Minor Leagues Player of the Year. He will probably be the starting catcher by the end of April. Minasian probably made a tertiary interest in Contreras, which is far from making a legitimate offer for him.
Stassi can’t be as bad as last season and O.’Hoppe looks to be the answer behind the plate for the next seven seasons.
Define “middle of the road”. The Angels have made moves this offseason they should been making a long time ago to bolster the middle of their roster. I’ll let you in on a little secret. The top heavy rosters they’ve had from signing expensive superstars are what Angels fans asked for. When they were making the playoffs year in and year out right after their championship, they couldn’t get back to the World Series, and fans were harping about getting more big bats. What did they think it was going to cost? Arte answered, got big bats, and that didn’t work, so fans bitched about that. Now they’re making the depth moves they should’ve been making a long time ago to add badly needed depth, and now fans are bitching about that because they’re not All-Star names. If fans want to spend big again, then can’t blame Arte. Angels doing exactly what they should be doing and any so-called fan bitching about that is just showing they don’t follow the Angels (or baseball) as much as they want people to think on the internet.
Wilson! Wilson! Awww Wilson awww
They’ve been talking about depth all offseason. They likely would have used him all around the field- LF, C, DH and first I’d imagine.
Time to get Murphy. Just send O’Hoppe and Adell.
TJ – Send Adell, not O’Hoppe. We need a shortstop and more pitching.
Dude, you’re not getting a Dell.
I prefer HP.
I have a compaq presario
At this point Adell wouldn’t net us Dale Murphy.
No O’Hoppe, just send Adell.
You’ll need at least double that for Murphy, they want the world for him. They think he’s the second coming of Molina.
I honestly thought it was a dumb joke about old #3 Dale Murphy……….who knew?
Why? Just let O’Hoppe take the reigns. This would have been a stupid use of resources.
Yeah, I think the team dodged a bullet there. I have no opinion about O’Hoppe, but everyone seems to think he’s Yogi Berra, or at least a really good catcher, so I figure give the kid a chance. I agree with most that infield depth is the most important thing at the moment.
This would have been a stupid use of resources.
==========================
I agree 100%. The idea behind free agency is to fill positions where you have a need and no alternatives. Stassi could revert to better numbers, and O’Hoppe could be playing this year.
IMHO, the Angels would be better off pursuing like Swanson, or a closer.
I think either the team or Estevez himself is hoping to become the closer… so we’ll see. swanson would be a good signing, but I don’t think that will happen.
It’s not stupid f they are committed to spending what it takes to fill out all of their needs– and it appears they are. Moreno is getting a billion dollars, so he can afford to spend. They need a a serious shortstop and a top starter.
@Karl, Moreno won’t b the one paying 99% of any contracts signed. Any long-term financial commitments could affect the value of the club, as they re contracts any new potential owner would b taking on. The sooner he sells the team the better it is for the franchise. That way the roster can take shape in the way the new owner envisions.
ohoppe is a stud! you heard it here foist!
I pursued a burrito yesterday, before settling on tacos.
Did you have to agree to keep buying burritos for eleven more years as part of the deal?
I bet there will be several opt out’s along the way.
The problem with tacos is that they keep getting “shelled” on the mound.
Too cheesy?
Did you say, “lettuce alone”?
Yes, but with the stipulation that they have sour cream and avocado in them.
Always go for taco brother.
dirk, When you are starving it’s better to nail a Burrito with a few tacos on the side! Eating a dozen tacos is just never practical for me.
I pursued my wife. I had to have her. Now we are divorced. Sigh.
I like that one Carl.
AngeLs
I see what you did there miggywrLd.
I’m old school, I guess, but I don’t consider O’Hoppes’ .283/.416/.544 batting line, as “annihilating “ AA pitching. A great OBP, for sure.
A. 960 OPS is pretty impressive from a catcher.
also he hit a bunch of HRs in the minors.. so maybe that could translate a little..
For any position.
For a catcher? That’s incredible.
Angels are probably thinking, sign this guy and then trade the excess to fill other needs. Or, they could be thinking they rushed Adell and Marsh and don’t want to risk the same with O’Hoppe?
I don’t think they should rush O’Hoppe either. I’d like to see another veteran backstop to backup Stassi… hopefully someone that will be an improvement over Suzuki.
Agree. The catching trade market appears lucrative this year. Or to their strategy in building depth, let O’Hoppe be the 3rd catcher stashed at AAA.
Appears lucrative yet nobody has been moved. I say appears pie in the sky. Somebody will trade for catcher and they will likely have to overpay to do so, but I don’t see one catcher moving and then the flood gates opening. Sellers are going to have to get realistic in their asking prices.
To2too
The issue is the teams that are hoarding players aren’t going anywhere in the next decade and willing to sit on this talent till they find someone desperate enough, if they don’t oh well. A quarter of MLB teams aren’t even teams anymore, they are like staffing companies, tank and hoard talent to trade them for more prospects and cash, no interest in building a real team anymore.
Agree with almost everything you said. But the Blue Jay’s appear to be right there and for their asking price for Jansen or Kirk (if you believe reports) to be so high is the one calling for sanity. And should they trade one of their surplus I don’t see Oakland opening the market up by lowering the asking price for Murphy.
27-17
Soto, Moniak and Guanare for Tim Anderson
Derrick Goold was given the nickname Day Late Derrick for a reason.
I feel for Angels fans. Saddled by bad big contracts forever it seems. How many Angel fans would take back that Rendon contract now?
2 years ago!
I really, really hope i have to eat crow after that comment…
I would still give Two Bags 1 more year!
Im stil hoping Rendon can turn it around.. but I dont have high expectations
After seeing Turner and Bogaerts each sign for 11 years, I guess four more seasons of Rendon doesn’t look that bad. If the motherf%cker can just stay healthy, that would help! >:(
Not a bad thing to look into it. I like the additions they have had so far.
Nothing bad happens from adding a premier player. And a good catcher can help a young pitching staff.
Either Contreras was going to be DH depth (Ohtani says he’s pitching more) on top of the days he catches OR maybe Perry was going to trade O’hoppe for a shortstop.
Wish we got him.
can sign Yermin Mercedes to a minor league deal, he is a better hitter than Contreras and he can catch when needed.
I’d like to pick up Alfaro. Decent bat. Still young.
Bwmiller is a fan of below average talent.
id say in ’23, if both Contreras and Yermin get 400 big league AB’s, that Yermin will have as good or better numbers
in 1900 MiLB AB’s, Contreras hit .282 – in 2500 MiLB AB’s Mercedes hit .295 w/ better power numbers
Contreras minor league numbers are irrelevant. He has been an above average hitter in the major leagues since 2016.
Mercedes had one great month in April 2021 with the Sox. He is a DH and has been an average hitter in AAA the past couple of seasons. He is now a player without a team as he will be 30 years old next season. Yermin should look into playing in Mexico next season.
There really should be no comparison between the two.
John “Money Bags” Mozeliak wins another bidding war. Feel the big Bowtie energy!
so much for the proud cards fans claiming they develop their own talents. boo!
He’s not a cardinals fan or he would be more angry then happy. We needed pitching FAR more, and MO will now dumpster dive pitchers
I pursued Charlize Theron… its not what you want… but what you get that matters..
Drink enough and they all look like Charlize Theron.
The Angels need to worry about PITCHING. It’s been one of their biggest weaknesses for years.
this narrative is getting old. Their starting staff is fine, bullpens are volatile. They stunk last year because their offense sucked. Their pitching staff had the 9th best era last year
Thats an understatement. The only team that scored less runs than the Angels in AL in 2022 was Oakland. AND! Only three teams allowed fewer runs than the Angels..
cookmeister – I agree Don’t NEED pitching. If they add to it I am fine with that, as long as it doesn’t come at the cost of adding (more) quality bats.
Worst. Managed. Franchise. In. Sports.
I’m pretty sure that honor falls to the pirates or the rockies..
Well, if you look at what its costing a team to buy a win, Angels are horrible and grossly under perform, and I would suspect all 29 other teams buy a win for less.
…And their farm system is notoriously a lower ranked system….
And 2 years ago, with a farm system void of pitching, their GM childishly selected 20 pitchers in a 20 round draft rather than the best talent available.
Clepto_;
Do you think the Angels pitching has improved the past 2 years – not only in the majors, but throughout their minor league system?
Teams can always buy or trade for offense. Hitters go from one organization to another and they’re still going to pretty much produce the same way the majority of the time. Pitchers are so dependent on their catchers, defense and coaching that what an organization has in place matters in the way they produce. MLB isn’t computer baseball.
As noted about – the narrative that the Angels pitching is awful is no longer true. Their GM – coming from the Braves organization – put a lot of structures in place, and they’re working. Don’t belittle him or the organization he’s straightening out by calling him names that fit you.
worst. punctuation. in. a. post. ever.
carllafong;
If he’s over 11 years-old we’ll all be shocked.
That’s what happens when the owner actually listens to the fans, a little too much, instead of the front office. Angels fans got what they asked for and they’ve paid the price.
I know he’s good but.. why. You already overpaid Stassi. Ohoppe minors walk to strike outs is impressive. Also looks like a ballpalya if you ask me. I think they knew what they were getting in giv8ng up Marsh. Phillies would of kept him if not for realmuto
I agree Tingles, that trade was perfect for both. It was a positional need for both.
From the way it was sounding, Contreras had his mind set on St. Louis from the get go and even a slightly better deal wasn’t going to deter him from that. I think playing time behind the plate may have soured him on Houston. Chicago is rebuilding and St. Louis is in a win now situation. LAA is just a mess no matter how you look at it. I kind of feel like they need to trade off all assets and start over.