May 15: The Angels announced a series of roster moves today, including the recall of Soto and the reinstatement of catcher Chad Wallach from the injured list. In corresponding moves, Rendon was placed on the 10-day IL due to a left groin strain, retroactive to May 14, while catcher Chris Okey was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake.
May 14: The Angels will be calling up infielder Livan Soto from Double-A to the majors, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base (Twitter link). Soto began the season at Triple-A, but was shifted down to Double-A Rocket City about a month ago.
The hitting hasn’t been there for Soto this season, as he has hit only .177/.349/.226 over 129 combined plate appearances at the two minor league levels, with only slightly improved numbers at Double-A. This lack of production makes the two-level promotion a little unusual, but the Angels also promoted Soto to the majors in 2022 without any Triple-A experience, and he posted an impressive .996 OPS over 59 PA after making his Major League debut.
Soto has drawn far more praise for his glove than his bat during his six minor league seasons, as scouts consider him a big-league caliber defender at shortstop. He has also played a good deal of second base in the minors and a handful of games at third base, so Soto will provide the Halos with some utility infield depth.
Some extra infield help is perhaps a sign that Anthony Rendon might require a trip to the injured list. Rendon left Saturday’s game due to left groin tightness, and Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) today that Rendon was going to miss a couple of games while being evaluated.
It could be that the testing has revealed an injury that requires some time off for Rendon, or since the Angels don’t have an off-day until May 25, the team might be making a precautionary IL placement just to fully heal Rendon up, and to not leave the roster short-handed. Conversely, Rendon might be avoiding the IL and another player might end up being optioned or designated for assignment to make room for Soto.
Now THIS (finger point)… This is the move you’ve been waiting for!
I’d prefer some Lamb or Cabbage.
Ham and cabbage?
Corned beef? Mustard sauce? Mmm.
59/129 PA this dude walked or k’ed. he will never contributed at the major league level…ever. He’s passive and takes what pitchers give him while relying on his defense.
He contributed at the MLB level last year.
He actually hit .400 in his 18 game call up last year
Rendon and not staying healthy, name a more iconic duo
Mike trout and not giving a crap, Tatis and ringworm, mad max and his rosin and sweat. I’ll stop for now lmk if you want more.
Ah yes. The player who has put up the best numbers this century actually doesn’t care. You sir are CLUELESS
I thought that was sarcasm. I didn’t think anyone was that stupid.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Man, how many of these mega deals of the last few years have paid off? Where is Trevor Story? Rendon can’t stay on the field. Baez is a pile. DeGrom is hurt again. Strasburg is making tens of millions, and he’s given the Nats like 30 innings the last three seasons. Seager is hurt and coming off a less than stellar 2022. Stanton is stealing from the Yanks. Springer is average. Jose Abreu is starting off terrible. Conforto is making 18 mil. BUYER BEWARE! I predict that Juan Soto will be the next mega dissapointment.
If you’re so sure. go put some money down on it in Vegas.
When you’re making $38M this season and have been a massive disappointment to your fan base, you get into the PT room and work out that effing tightness.
The Angels needed Rendon yesterday and today. Bad. Earn your effing paycheck Tony.
To the credit of the FO they are prepared with depth this year relative to last year’s void.
My boy, he’s on pace for 5war+ offensively. Try another cliche please.
LOL. If Rendon gets to 5 WAR this season (which by a miracle I hope he does), I’ll buy you 5 cases of your favorite beer. He’s never come close as an Angel.
So you’re saying Ohtani getting thrown out at 3rd didn’t hurt the Angels chances?
Anthony Rendon is a complete bust. He’s been healthy up to this point this season, yet he only has 1 HR and 4 Doubles in over 100 ABs. He’s never had over 220ABs in a season for the Angels either. So he’s either on the IL or just not performing. His .301 average so far this season is meaningless with only 5 extra base hits. That’s not what they paid him for. The Angels can’t get his contract off the books fast enough and to think that his salary may be the reason why Anaheim can’t afford to re-sign Ohtani next season is even more frustrating. It certainly feels like he took his massive payday and is now just playing out the string as an average defender and singles hitter with a good eye.
I never liked his contract. It was bad to base it on 1 season.
I mean, Rendon was a very very good hitter for more than that 1 year. He was arguably on a HoF trajectory. Even naysayers would be hard pressed to expect him to be this bad when healthy. Bad contract, but even worse performance.
As a Braves fan, I can confirm that he was a premier hitter and plus defender at 3B. The guy seemed to always split the gap with runners on base against us. Don’t know what happened, but it really is a shame and feel bad for Moreno and the Angels fan base.
As a fellow Braves fan I can confirm this to be true..lol Rendon was a pest, amd was a very good, all-around 3B right up there with the league’s best each year.
Also, as a Braves fan, Livan Soto was part of the Braves huge punishment where several recent IFA signees were let go after already being in the system a year, and more prospective signees were released of their contract as well..
SS/3B Kevin Maitan, C Abraham Gutierrez, SS Yunior Severino, and P Yefri Del Rosario were supposed to be the best of the bunch, but so far I’ve really only seen 2B/SS Bae from Pittsburg even have a remotely decent time at the ML level thus far…
Maybe there’s been more of these guys to make it to the show, and I just missed them, but I’m pretty sure they were almost all busts..
Only an idiot would think Rendon’s contract was based on one year. Dude was a beast.
It was bad to base it on 1 season.
==========================
And it still happens every single year. And it gets worse than that because half the time it happens to players that are aging. Rendon was always a very good hitter, with an OPS+ of 120 from 2013-2018. But his 157+ happened when he was 29. That’s not ancient, but not young either.
No off days for a while? It’s almost like we’re playing a lot of games right now.
I see what you did there. There will be hell to pay when your friend with the colorful glasses and drab personality notices.
Is this move in this kid’s best interests for his development? Demote him to aa then promote him to a big league bench? I don’t understand this one, Perry.
I’d say playing in mile high altitude when the big club is at sea level is bad for development.
I’d much rather have guys go from AA to MLB in our system.
Rendon on the IL lmao, who didn’t see that coming? Trout will be there at some point too….
This is why they got Urshela and Drury, though i imagine they probably hoped Walsh would be back by now
Hoped Walsh would be ready coming out of camp.
Rendon is made of glass
I know just about everyone likes to rip on Rendon. But you know what. Guys who play 150 games a season are over. What’s the incentive? These long term deals took care of that. Today’s ballplayers with exception was select few are babies and they don’t really care. They’re set for life.
Look at the great players like Rose, Aaron, Ryan,Mays, Gibson and Drysdale to name few. They played and pitched every inning. No stints on the DL.No TJ surgery. They were playing for next year’s contract. They had regular jobs during the off season. Are today’s players fragile? Who knows. The idea of most the players playing 150+ games in 2023 and beyond ended in 1995 with Cal Ripken Jr.
So call Rendon Mr.Glass. I’m sure he really doesn’t care what any of us think.
Wow. Says volumes that they are bringing up Soto instead of Fletcher. Angels have no confidence in Fletcher.
Fletcher isn’t on the 40 man roster. So that makes it more difficult
I saw Fletcher Saturday night in Sacramento against the River Cats. Poor guy lost his job, his 40-man spot and is hitting .233 with 1 HR in AAA. He played the whole game as a member of the team while Walsh on rehab got to sit after 6 innings. Just a shell of who he was.
He is making millions traveling the country playing minor league baseball, I wouldn’t feel too bad for him.
That’s not my point. Of course you’re right and it’s implied, but he’s a baseball player and after making his money he’s found his career greatly diminished. That must be tough being a shell of a player you used to be.
Was in SLC and took in a Bees game. Fletcher was sitting at the far end of the dugout and the player on the team were basically ignoring him. I don’t think even his teammates like Fletcher, let alone the Angel brass. He is hitting about the same in the PCL as he was in Anaheim, so that is not a good sign for him. His MLB career is likely over.
Yet another player who is being brought up too early. He had a small sample size of 18 games last season. I guess gone are the days when players play a full season of AAA before being called up officially. The Angels are most likely going to fumble badly later in the season (they do every season), so don’t call people up prematurely.. They must surely have guys at AAA that they can call up instead. even if they are bad.
He there for defensive purposes. The same reason Neto was brought up.
Anyone who watches Angel games understands Neto has made a world of difference. At least until the bullpen enters the game.
Name me a team that doesn’t do this.
If I chose one word to describe the way the Angels are managed it’s chaotic…and random…oh, and bewildering.
Erratic?
Yes, erratic.
I’m sure 178 avg at double A will translate well in mlb
If Livan doesn’t hit, he can always sell cartoon balloons in town.
Livan likes his money. He makes a lot they say.
He was born on a Christmas Day
Yep, when the New York Times said God is dead, and the wars begun.
Rendon makes Urshela look like Brooks Robinson, and who would you rather have as a late inning defensive replacement, Soto or the player somebody gets offended if I mention his name.
I would say somebody has to step up, but Nevin would just find a way to lose the game anyway.
Halo11Fan, you seem to be learning. LOL
Don’t need to hear it again and again and again (x 200)
You would have been right in this case. Too bad the mustards off the hot dog now.
(homage to Chick Hearn)
When the Angels stumble into KC June 16th, the only question is how many games below .500 they will be. My guess is 10.
Oh a troll makes his way to an Angel thread. Color me surprised.
Why don’t you skip, jutz?
Are you the former #8? Skip?
Most likely he is. Same sentiment. I’ll never understand guys like that.
I’m glad the Rangers didn’t sign Rendon when they had the chance. I bet the Angels wish they never did either.
You mean a team made a bad free agent acquisition. That never happens. Again, color me surprised.
Replying to the poster above, but exactly getting players from free agency isn’t the right way to go never works out will not argue about the trout extension, since he was homegrown. Arte needs to spend money on better scouts instead of getting players on the declining years. Haven’t drafted worth a damn since bane was fired
Thank you for not calling up Jo Adell!!!! He needs to stay in AAA for another few months or so. They’ll probably recall him before that, but every day he can stay in SLC is a good day.
No reason to call up an outfielder, already have Moniak and Phillips as 4th and 5th. Not entirely sure why they called up a SS when they already have Neto. Could have swapped a bullpen hand.
I’ve been saying that since 2020. such idiotic development for a guy with some talent. That said, it is close to the time where you write the guy off and hope maybe he can be #4. He still has a 239K/600 AB line in AAA.
Rendon played almost two months this season. He must be exhausted.
Angels are paying Rendon like 38 million this year lol. Almost nothing from this guy working on 4 years in a row. I know someone out there will defend him but you can’t. Just can’t.
As someone noted earlier, this situation, Rendon going down, is exactly why Perry acquired Urshela and Drury. With Walsh set to return soon, the Angels should be able to weather this storm comfortably. Perry’s focus can remain squarely on the organizational depth at catcher and the bullpen.
Welcome home Anthony!
I would of thought they’d bring up Lamb or Cabbage. I guess they went with some “D” over a bigger bat.
The Angels need Walsh back sooner rather than later. The lineup is predominantly right handed. Besides Ohtani, the left hand options are Thaiss and Phillips. Rengifo is a switch hitter, but also is much better as a RHB. They recently added Moniak and Soto. Hopefully Moniak can add something because outside of Ohtani the Angels haven’t had much production from the left hand side all year.
It is unusual to think that to start the season Ohtani was the only right handed starting pitcher and he is basically the only productive left hand hitter. Sadly, things will only get worse when they lose him.
I’d love to have Walsh back but scoring runs isn’t this teams problem.
I wish Nevin would let starters learn how to pitch out of trouble, especially since the bullpen never met an inherited runner it didn’t invite home.
That and the defense seems to me to be the team’s problem.
Nevin can’t play the game for these guys..
The defense has been bad, really bad. That explains the Soto call up.
I get your frustration with the bullpen too. They have been largely ineffective when it comes to stranding runners. We may very well be the worst in baseball in that category to this point. That said, I agree with you. Let the starters finish the inning. It isn’t like the starter could do much worse.
Old Halo. No, but he makes choices and it is his job to put players in a position to succeed… he hasn’t.
Otherwise, why not just draw names out of a hat to see who plays?
If you ask players to bunt, like Thais, and he has zero sacrifices, and he fails, it’s not the players fault. If a player can’t do something, and you ask him to do it, it’s not the players fault.
Where can you find inherited runners scoring % by team? I googled it, and found individual stats, but not by team. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Is bunting not a part of the game at all anymore?
I would hope they still take time to practice it, if they are going to implement it in a game. The player bares the same, if not more, of the burden, for failed sacrifices. You may as well say stop hitting the ball to the opposite side of the field, since most players are just as bad at that forgotten part of the game as well.
Nevis is not the best of all time, but you can’t blame him for players not doing their job.
Just have to do it by hand. I did the whole bullpen a few weeks ago, but I didn’t keep the list. About half the bullpen was giving up inherited runners, but I think only three were atrocious. One is gone, another is hailed as a great pitcher, and I think the third is on the IL.
Baseball reference. Go close to the bottom. Select pitching. Find IS%. Sort. Angels 50%. League average 37%.
I think that we will have to qgree to disagree on your example with Thais, though I understand your over all point. It is my position that as a hitter, you should be able to bunt and should be practicing the skill in the event, as unlikely as it might seem, to be able to execute if called upon to do so. Once again, a player not performing when asked to deliver results. Is he or would he be the best candidate to bunt in that situation probably not but when your spot comes up in the line up you need to be prepared to deliver when called upon, especially when called upon to bunt. I don’t give a lot of room to professional athletes to perform poorly when I’ve seen travel, collwge and minor league teams do better when it comes to consistancy and delivering results. MLB is the best of the best, show me and the other fans what that looks like because to this point many of the mistakes and let downs that I have seen on this team appears to stem from poor player performance, with some being tied to more than others, like your favorite player who’s first name starts with an R. Simply put, I am not going to hold Nevin accountable until I see the players executing at a higher and more consistant level.
Have you been a fan since 1972. If you have, you learned a thing or two from Don Drysdale.
He preached it constantly. Don’t ask players to do things they can’t do.
You don’t learn anything from announcers today. It explains why the modern fan is lacking. However, it was a pleasure listening to Langston wondering what the heck was Nevin thinking during the Sunday debacle.
@Halo11Fan – I just did it by hand. Maybe that doesn’t include Tepera, because the number I came up with was 58.6%. The worst offenders are (over that percentage) Herget, Loup, Wantz, Weiss and Tepera. Warren 2/4, Devenski is 3/6 and Estevez is 2/3.
I like Langston.
You should be able to bunt. But a manager should not ask a player to do something he can’t do. Especially when the defense is looking for it.
If the batter fails, that’s on the manager. As I wrote, I learned that from Drysdale. Back in those days, Enberg and Drysdale got people fired. The most famous of course was Dave Garcia.
Today’s announcers are jokes. Most of them are an extension of the PR department.
When I can’t watch games, such as when they are on Apple and Peacock, I listen to them. Langston is impressive and he’s not afraid to speak his mind.
He’s a breath of fresh air.
Every mlb hitter should be able to bunt and move runners. The fact that so many can’t or won’t is a problem with player development.
They should, but many can’t.
I’m parroting Drysdale, and I happen to agree with him.
I loved listening to Drysdale.
“never met an inherited runner it didn’t invite home.”
Know you didn’t mean it that way, but that’s hilarious.
I normally wouldn’t bother to respond but I don’t appreciate the jab or disrespectul response. Just because you are older and believe that Don D is righteous in his judgement doesn’t make your response/statement any more accurate than before. The fact that you couldn’t help but respond and what’s worse infer that you being older makes you right is just childish and lacks maturity that should be present at your age. Additionally, you know nothing about me or how I interpret todays broadcasting. Don’t make foolish assumptions. Lastly, to answer your question I was 7 when I became a fan and a few players from the team at that time were Brian Downing, Fred Lynn, Bobby Grich, Bob Boone, etc.. you can do the math.
What disrespect was that? Do you have 1972 in your name?
That’s who it was directed to. Someone who has 1972 in his name should be aware of Drysdale.
And let me amplify the point to the absurd. If Thaiss was asked to play short and made an error that cost the Angels a game. Whose fault is the loss? I agree with Drysdale, don’t set up players to fail. I think that’s obvious.
Oldhalo, you are spot on with the argument Halo11fan seems to always portray. He thinks by yelling louder and casting insults he is “winning. When all he is doing is yelling louder and casting insults, and less and less people hear him. No one is allowed to see things in a different way than he does.
The game is played so much differently then when DD was calling games. The players need to still do their job(s) though, bunt, sacrifice, walk, steal. Don’t a player to do something he isn’t capable of doing? Thais is not Ohtani, not is he Trout, he is there to do the little things., as well. Sort of funny how you glossed over my hitting the ball the other way comment. Is that not asking too much?
Thank you. The only team worse than the Angels 50% is the ChiSox at 51%… ugh.
And here comes another one.
All you did was amplify your simplified view. Just because you agree with Drysdale, we all have to agree?
Do you know for an absolute fact that Thaiss Can not in anyway perform a bunt? Are you in the Angels clubhouse waiting for someone to ask your opinion on what Thais should be doing when he gets to the plate?
No one was arguing that Thaiss should be playing short.
The plain and simple fact is many of us share the same opinion in that Thaiss should be held accountable for not performing. Whether you like it or not, that is an opinion other people may have. Not one time in my response to you did I disrespect your opinion on bunting. I simply gave another opinion.
Maybe it is time you take your own advice and Man Up and admit you take things a little too far. Be respectful of someone else opinion for a change.
I’m yelling. Paranoid much?
Drysdale had the ear of Autry, got a manager fired, maybe two, was hired to do National games and made comments that changed the direction of the team.
Palmer and Drysdale were the two best analysts I’ve ever heard.
Anyway, if you don’t see it, you don’t see it. Instead, people are not only ripping me, they are ripping Drysdale. Go figure.
Langston talked about it and he did almost bunt into a DP. And he has zero sacrifices in his career.
Players are not Jack knives. They have strength and weaknesses.
When you ask a player to do something they are not good at, when they fail it’s not their fault.
I’m surprised this is such a controversial take.
My guess is you were born in 1972. Which is fine, your experience with Drysdale is likely similar to my experience with Buddy Blatner.
Not in any way paranoid. You stick to the same old strategy, disrespect any opinion that is different from yours by name calling or mocking.
I have not read one reply of some one mocking Drysdale…Go figure.
You are taking a quote you heard many years ago, that may or may not have pertained to this situation and inserting it in your rhetoric. Just because we don’t agree with you, does not mean we don’t respect Drysdale.
Once again…take your own advice for a change an “man up”. Not everyone sees it “your way”.
Halo – “Today’s announcers are jokes. Most of them are an extension of the PR department.”
I couldn’t agree more. No one has an independent thought. They all have to stay in lock step with MLB or they won’t have a job. That’s why you never hear anyone criticize in the slightest bit any of the new rule changes. Now I understand there are people who like them, but everyone working for MLB? That’s like a communist dictatorship.
I also agree that every player has their strengths and their weaknesses, regardless of how much they practice…and the manager is paid to manage that knowledge. To make a blanket statement that they are professionals and they should never fail at bunting is silly. If the Lakers are down by 2 with one second on the clock and a free throw opportunity arises for the win, I certainly don’t want Shaq to be the guy at the line.
However, they need to hone every aspect of the game to their best ability.
Not sure who said “never fail at bunting” but I agree every player should hone in their skills and be much more well rounded.
I also feel that the players needs to take some accountability for not being able to perform. I understand the logic behind not giving away outs, but situational hitting (including bunts) is a lost art it seems.
1972 – I was the one who said “never fail at bunting”. I agree players are responsible for honing their own skills as I said, but I also believe managers are responsible for managing to the skills of their players in specific situations. No one is good at everything regardless of how hard they work at it. Talent plays its part.
You’re right that situational hitting is a lost art. I think “small ball” is gone in exchange for fans expecting a home run every at bat. I’ll take a guy batting .300 with no home runs over a guy batting .250 with 30 dingers and a 30% strike out rate.
Prov I think we are on the same page. I stated it before, both sides are to be accountable. I think I am just stressing the point that the players should not get a free pass just because they are poor at it.
I am very much like you in that I enjoy a strategic game where the players and coaches display a high baseball IQ, rather than a pitcher trying to throw to get ultimate spin rate and batters swinging out of their shoes. There is so much more to the game.
Dibble criticized the Nationals and was fired.
Also, did I misunderstand? Did you say you preferred an Urshela type over a Renfro type?
Aybar was a terrific bunter, I think we all remember the Boston playoff failed squeeze. I don’t blame Aybar, although many did. But then again, Boston knew it was coming.
Halo – is this to me?
I hated to see Aybar go. His career fizzled after he left the Angels.
I brought up Aybar to say good bunters can have a hard time bunting when the opponent is looking for the bunt.
Nevin is not smart enough to take this team where it needs to go. The Angels have less talent than the other teams in this division, haven’t a poor manager along with that, is the kiss of death. It’s team has to out play Nevin, and I don’t think they are capable.
I don’t know how the Angels feel about Nevin, but if they were to move on from him, who are some good candidates given the Angels current roster?
Maddon
We all scratched out heads when they extended Nevin a contract for this year. But I bet the person who was most surprised was Nevin.
I fear that the problem that any Angels manager would face this year is an unreliable BP. Who can Nevin, or any manager, count on beyond Moore and Estevez?
This isnt groundbreaking, but Perry needs to take a look at some of the young arms in AA and AAA over the next six weeks, and provided the Angels are in contention in July, make some moves to bolster the pen.
I don’t know who to bring in. There are only 30 big league managers, he can’t be one of the best 30 in the world.
He didn’t bring Wantz in with people on base. How many times does he have to make the same mistake before he learned that? He didn’t have an RP to pitch the 7th. Not his fault. That’s Perry’s fault. Moore did his job. Since the tying run will never beat you, I’m not a big fan of putting the winning on base, but if Baltimore tied, they were going to win, so that was the right play.
Right Angels and NL. There are only two reliable arms, but some of the mistakes are obvious. And if you can’t bring a. RP with men on base, you have to let your starter pitch out of trouble. They couldn’t possibly be worse.
A friend thats a Royals fan noted the Angels dugout looked lifeless and unengaged much like the Royals under Matheny before he was fired. I haven’t noticed that, but the person that commented has a brilliant baseball mind (queue the, “why is he a Royals fan jokes if he’s so smart”).
@Angels He’s a fan because he’s loyal? It’s hard for some of us to break that loyalty. All I know is I’d rather be a fan of a local team that sucks than be a douchebag and be a fan for a team across the country. I know a few LA locals that are Yankees fans and it *angers* me. Dodgers or Angels. Period.
Being an Angel fan is part of my identity. I’ve been following them as long as I can remember. So we are talking about the early 60s when they played in Chavez Ravine. I remember them moving to Anaheim. and being bummed. Chavez Ravine was a 15 minute drive,
Mickey Micketty Mick Mick Mick!
Anyone else surprised by his hot streak? I know I am. I didn’t expect much.
I think both HRs led off games.
Happily shocked. Growth is not linear. It’s easy to give up on prospects when they don’t hit the floor running. Most of us do it too often..
Case in point. When a pitcher has failed time and time again at stranding runners, and time and time again has turned a close game into a blowout. It’s the responsibility of the manager when that players costs a team a win more than the player.
A managers job is to put players in situations where they can succeed.
How this is not clear to everyone is beyond me.
Don Drysdale. What a man.
Fist bump.
FWIW, I learned to bunt in junior high. It wasn’t hard. Granted, it wasn’t MLB pitching, but I was 12. Learned the fundamentals.
Later on (speaking of broadcasters), Phil Rizzuto, Yankees broadcaster and former SS, would be critical of big leaguers who could execute a basic bunt. Which of course the Scooter himself excelled at.
We can wish everyone can bunt, but it’s not realistic. Some players can’t bunt, and good managers don’t put players in positions where failure is imminent.
I don’t know why that so controversial.
Detmers is pitching a shut out against Minnesota and gives up a run and a couple of singles in the 6th. So Nevin pulls him for Herget who promptly lets his inherited runners score. That’s the summary of this season.
Soft singles. There is a reason over 50 percent of inherited runners have scored.
1). Nevin needed a push button bullpen. He can’t read the situation.
2) Perry didn’t come close to giving him enough bullets.
If this team fails, they should both be held accountable.