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Latest On Andrelton Simmons’ Future

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Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons is one of baseball’s most prominent players entering a contract year. It remains to be seen whether the Angels will stop him from reaching the open market, but they have held “internal discussions” regarding an extension for Simmons, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register wrote a few weeks ago. However, as of then, they hadn’t reached out to Simmons or his representatives about a long-term deal, per Fletcher.

Simmons offered an uncontroversial statement in regards to his future, saying: “I’m not even thinking about it. The only time I think about it is when (the media) brings it up. It is what it is. All I can do is play. I’m going to try to get better in spring training and just play good and at the end of the day, we’ll be where we need to be.” 

Acquired from the Braves entering the 2016 season, Simmons has been highly effective as an Angel, thanks in no small part to his well-known wizardry as a defender. His brilliance at short gives him a high floor, meaning he doesn’t have to star at the plate in order to provide significant value to his team. For example, Simmons totaled 5.0-plus fWAR in both 2017 and ’18 despite combining for a decent (hardly great) .285/.334/.419 line over those two seasons. But last season represented a step back for Simmons, who wasn’t himself because of an ankle injury. Simmons wound up with a .264/.309/.364 line and 1.7 fWAR across 424 plate appearances, though he did continue to amaze in the field, accounting for 12 Defensive Runs Saved and a 10.4 Ultimate Zone Rating.

Simmons is a historically marvelous defender, but as Fletcher explains in his piece, shortstops tend to wear down quickly once they reach their 30s. So, there would be plenty of risk on the Angels’ part in making a multiyear commitment to Simmons now, especially after he put up such a mediocre 2019 on the offensive side. A healthy Simmons may very well bounce back, though, and if that happens and if the Halos don’t extend him, he’ll enter what may be an interesting class of free agents at his position. The Athletics’ Marcus Semien and the Phillies’ Didi Gregorius are the other two headlining free agents-to-be whom shortstop-needy clubs could pursue.

Minor Signings: Barnes, Peterson, Stassi, Webster

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Here are the latest minor signings of note from around the game, courtesy of Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America …

  • The Orioles inked righty Danny Barnes. He’s a 30-year-old reliever who has spent his entire career to date in the Blue Jays organization. Barnes saw only limited action last season but was in the majors for each of the three prior campaigns. In 120 2/3 career frames at the game’s highest level, he carries a 4.33 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9.
  • Outfielder Dustin Peterson has joined the Angels. Still just 25 years of age, Peterson has a bit of MLB experience but has spent most of his time in recent seasons in the upper minors. The former second-round pick carries a .267/.320/.389 batting line in 1,107 total plate appearances at Triple-A.
  • The Athletics have signed first baseman/outfielder Brock Stassi. He got a shot in a reserve role with the Phillies in 2017 but wasn’t able to take advantage, slashing just .167/.278/.295 in ninety plate appearances. Stassi has kicked around the indy ranks, Mexican League, and upper minors since.
  • Former MLB righty Allen Webster is on board with the Nationals. He’ll be looking to crack the majors for the third-straight season at 30 years of age. The former top prospect has never managed to carve out a steady role at the game’s highest level, but he has registered 134 1/3 total innings, working to a cumulative 6.03 ERA.

Angels, Kole Calhoun Never Got Close On New Contract

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Kole Calhoun had spent his entire pro career in the Angels’ organization until the club bought him out for $1MM in lieu of a $14MM team option last November. The two sides had some discussions about a reunion over the offseason, reports Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic, but talks didn’t get particularly far.

“(There was) never really a moment I thought I’d be back,” Calhoun told Ardaya. Instead, the corner outfielder inked a two-year, $16MM contract (with a 2022 club option) to join his hometown Diamondbacks in December.

As Calhoun himself points out, it’s not particularly surprising the Angels didn’t ardently pursue a reunion. That’s not a knock on Calhoun, who was solid again in 2019. He hit .232/.325/.467 (108 wRC+) with his typical strong right field defense. All told, he was worth upwards of two fWAR in five of his six full seasons in Anaheim.

Rather, the organization’s reluctance merely reflects its comfort with the current outfield mix. Justin Upton was always certain to get an opportunity for a bounce-back season in left field. Brian Goodwin, meanwhile, looks to have established himself as a solid placeholder in right until top prospect Jo Adell reaches the majors, which will almost certainly be at some point in 2020. David Fletcher, having been displaced as the everyday third baseman by Anthony Rendon, is in line for some work in the outfield as a utility option, as well, Ardaya notes.

With the Angels shelling out $245MM for Rendon and making multiple additions to the starting rotation this offseason, it never seemed likely they would top the market to bring back Calhoun. There’s no animosity, as Calhoun called his time in Anaheim “a heck of a ride,” before telling Ardaya he’s turning his attention to Arizona, where he figures to be the Snakes’ top option in right field.

Angels Fire Visiting Clubhouse Attendant

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  • The Angels fired visiting clubhouse manager Brian Harkins on Thursday amid allegations that he provided “illegal substances” to help opposing pitchers grip the ball better, Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times reports. The news did not come as a surprise to the Angels, per Jeff Fletcher of the OC Register. “I think everybody knows that most guys are doing it,” left-hander Andrew Heaney said. “I don’t think it’s that surprising for anybody who knows baseball.” Pitching coach Mickey Callaway told Fletcher he expects Major League Baseball to ban hurlers from using pine tar and other such substances, but he believes it could have a detrimental effect because they help pitchers’ control – especially in cold conditions. “If I were a hitter, I’d be scared to dig into the box in Detroit on April 10,” he said. Manager Joe Maddon also weighed in, saying pitchers have been using substances to better their grip for “as long as I’ve been in baseball.” Maddon wonders whether MLB will eventually have to make changes to the ball, as the current one has become slicker.

Griffin Canning To Receive “Biological Injections”

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Angels righty Griffin Canning will receive “biological injections” to treat his ailing elbow, the team announced and MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger was among those to cover on Twitter. The team says he’ll be “reassessed in three to four weeks.”

This news still leaves some mystery as to the underlying condition and to Canning’s outlook. But it confirms that he’ll be sidelined for a lengthy stretch, as had already become clear of late.

Clearly there’s still hope of avoiding an invasive procedure. But the Halos will assuredly need to bring Canning along cautiously even if these injections prove effective. It’ll be hard for the team to presume much of anything about his availability in 2020.

Canning had a strong debut showing in 2019 but ended the season earlier with elbow woes. Unfortunately, they followed him into camp.

While the Halos did add two notable arms to their rotation, trading for Dylan Bundy and signing Julio Teheran, the rotation remains an area of weakness on paper. The Angels do have some options on hand, but they’ll need a few hurlers to establish or reestablish themselves as quality big league starters. For what it’s worth, they’ve shown well collectively to this point in camp, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register notes on Twitter.

Griffin Canning To Seek 2nd Opinion On Elbow

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Ongoing elbow questions have clouded the outlook of Angels righty Griffin Canning. The team isn’t quite ready to announce a decision on a course of action, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports on Twitter.

Canning was previously said to be slated for testing today. Now, he’s scheduled for a second opinion — though there’s still no public knowledge (quite understandably) regarding the initial examination.

The 23-year-old hurler emerged as a key part of the Halos’ rotation plans last year. But he also ended the season on the injured list owing to elbow troubles and has dealt with other issues in the joint in the past.

The Angels rotation remains a point of focus after a trying 2019 campaign. Even if Canning avoids a significant stay on the injury list, it now seems he’ll join Shohei Ohtani on the injured list to open the 2020 season.

Latest On Yasiel Puig

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The Major League Baseball season is set to open in just a few weeks, and outfielder Yasiel Puig surprisingly remains without a job. Could a return to Southern California, where he played and sometimes thrived in Los Angeles from 2013-18, be in the offing? The Angels have at least “considered” signing Puig, though “not too seriously,” Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times writes. The belief is that Puig turned down a one-year, $10MM contract from a National League club, Shaikin adds, but i’s unclear when the team presented Puig with that offer.

The Angels recently tried to upgrade their outfield with a different Dodger in Joc Pederson, but the trade between the two LA teams trade fell apart. It now appears they’re prepared to ride with in-house possibilities, per Shaikin, who reports they’re more inclined to spend available resources on pitching than their lineup.

As for the Angels’ current outfield setup, Brian Goodwin’s the favorite to start in right field alongside center fielder Mike Trout and left fielder Justin Upton. Goodwin, a waiver claim last March, put up respectable numbers over a full season of work during his first year with the club. He’ll continue to keep the seat warm for uber-prospect Jo Adell, who figures to make his major league debut sometime in 2020, and the Angels also have utility player David Fletcher and another talented prospect, Brandon Marsh, on hand as possibilities. Marsh, however, has been slowed by a left elbow strain.

Considering the options already on the roster, Puig and Angels don’t look like a perfect match. Elsewhere, nobody seems to be pursuing Puig with much gusto at this point, even though he could at least improve some non-contenders’ outfields and emerge as a trade chip around the July deadline. One problem for Puig is that he posted a less-than-ideal platform in 2019. Although he did rack up 24 home runs and 19 stolen bases across 611 plate appearances, Puig batted a so-so .267/.327/.458 – good for a 101 wRC+ that comes up well shy of his lifetime mark (124).

Maddon: ‘Hard To Imagine’ Griffin Canning Not Starting Season On IL

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The Griffin Canning health situation has drawn quite a bit of attention in Angels’ camp recently. Manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times) this afternoon “it would be hard to imagine” a situation in which Canning doesn’t begin the season on the injured list. Canning was unable to participate in his scheduled throwing session yesterday due to persistent trouble in his elbow, Maddon adds (via Shaikin). He’ll instead undergo testing next Wednesday or Thursday to determine if the issue is related to his joint or to a ligament, tweets Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic.

Until those results come back, it’s difficult to know exactly what to make of the situation. Still, it’s worrisome for a few reasons. Health concerns have dogged Canning dating back to his time at UCLA, and he ended last season on the shelf with elbow inflammation. A few days ago, Canning was diagnosed with “chronic changes” to his UCL and “acute joint irritation” in the elbow, hardly a promising start to the spring for the 23-year-old.

Canning’s health is especially important to an Angels’ staff that’s thin in the rotation. Shohei Ohtani won’t make a return to the mound until at least mid-May, leaving Andrew Heaney, Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy to front an uncertain starting group. Beyond that trio, Jaime Barria, José Suarez and Felix Peña are on hand to fill out the back end, but none was especially good in 2019. Canning, likewise, struggled a bit with run prevention (4.58 ERA), but posted solid strikeout (25.0%) and walk (7.8%) rates as a rookie. The club is no doubt hoping for positive news on the health front and a step forward in results from the former second-rounder.

Canning Injury Concerns Remain Nebulous

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Griffin Canning’s ongoing health concerns will remain nebulous until tomorrow at the earliest. The message from Angels manager Joe Maddon certainly paints the situation as unusual, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter). Whether there’s mixed messaging coming from the medical staff themselves, or if this particular injury is causing undue confusion isn’t totally clear from Joe’s comments. What is clear is that the next step is assessing how Canning reacts to his throwing session today. Canning is one of the wild cards in the Angels’ rotation, and it’d certainly be disappointing to begin the season with a significant setback. An update is likely to come tomorrow from Angels camp. In the meantime, let’s check in on some less serious injury news around the game…

Latest Notes On Angels Pitching Staff

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Uncertainty surrounding starting pitching is nothing new for the Angels … but it surely isn’t welcome. The still-unknown outlook for Griffin Canning is weighing on the team at the moment. That’s the backdrop for several of the latest notes regarding the Los Angeles ballclub …

  • GM Billy Eppler says he doesn’t feel any added need to acquire a new starter — at least not yet — as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets. That may in part speak to ongoing hope that Canning’s elbow woes won’t ultimately represent a major problem. But it also reflects the simple fact that, as Eppler notes, it just isn’t the best time of year to go out looking for a new arm. The open market’s best options are already taken and teams that have depth on hand are loathe to part with it at this juncture. A patient approach therefore makes sense, as the Halos’ precise level of need isn’t yet known and some amount of pitching supply is likely to free up later in Spring Training.
  • The Angels will build up JC Ramirez as a starter in camp, manager Joe Maddon told reporters including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic (Twitter link). As Ardaya notes, that could put the righty in the running for some sort of a flexible swingman function throughout the season. Ramirez just re-joined the Halos after reportedly showing a bit of a velocity renaissance in winter ball. If he can get back to something approaching the solid form he showed in 2016 and 2017, he’d be an awfully useful part of the Angels’ pitching staff.
  • There’s better news in the bullpen, where key righty Keynan Middleton seems to be showing well. As Fletcher tweets, Middleton was pumping 96-97 mph heat in his scoreless outing today. That’s a good sign given what we saw of him late last season, when he had only just returned from Tommy John surgery. While he allowed only a single earned run in 7 2/3 innings late in 2019, Middleton was clearly not in top form. He displayed a loss of over two mph on his average fastball and dished out seven walks to go with six strikeouts.

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