Angels Could Trade Haren, Santana
8:33pm: Dipoto tells Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times that the team could exercise one or both options, trade one or both, or decline both options. All scenarios are still in play (Twitter link).
5:50pm: The Angels have explored the possibility of trading Dan Haren and Ervin Santana before Wednesday, the date on which option decisions are due, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Angels are not expected to exercise Haren’s $15.5MM option or Santana’s $13MM option.
A rival executive suggested to Heyman that it could be difficult to trade the pitchers given their disappointing performances in 2012. GM Jerry Dipoto wanted to trade Santana last winter, but owner Arte Moreno wanted to keep him, according to Heyman.
Here's my take: many teams are in need of starting pitching, so it’s possible that a club would look at the options and determine that they’re reasonable. They would be especially appealing to teams that are often spurned by free agents.
Also, a team that acquired Haren or Santana and exercised the option could make the hurler a qualifying offer following the 2013 season, assuming a rebound. That could net any acquiring organization a first-round pick in the 2014 draft.
MLBTR's Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Angels To Pursue Pitching, Hunter
The Angels will make significant changes to their roster following a season that included many positive developments before ending in disappointment, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. The team enters the offseason with a number of top priorities: re-signing free agents Zack Greinke and Torii Hunter, adding at least one more starting pitcher, improving the bullpen and trading Vernon Wells.
The Angels will likely let Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, LaTroy Hawkins, Jason Isringhausen and Maicer Izturis go, DiGiovanna reports. Haren has said he’d consider returning for less than the value of his $15.5MM option. Santana recently suggested he’s prepared for a change if the Angels decline his 2013 option, as expected.
The Angels have “a tremendous interest” in re-signing Hunter, general manager Jerry Dipoto said. The GM confirmed that the Angels would “like to explore” contract talks with the agent for Greinke. Both players have significant leverage after playing well in 2012, but Dipoto pointed out that the Angels have “never been short of resources." Just don’t expect them to use those resources on relief pitchers. Spending lavishly on relievers "is akin to going to Las Vegas and throwing it down on double-zero green," Dipoto said.
Angels Notes: Santana, Wilson, Iannetta, Napoli
Despite adding Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson last winter and enjoying a legendary rookie season from Mike Trout, the Angels will miss the playoffs for the third straight year. Here are a few notes from Anaheim as the Halos are already looking ahead to offseason business…
- Ervin Santana is prepared for the possibility of the Angels declining his 2013 option, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. "It would be tough to not come back here because I've known my teammates for a long time, and we have a good relationship," Santana said. "At the same time, it might be time to move on and try different things…If that happens, it happens. I'm not worried about it." The Angels are reportedly planning to decline their club options on Santana ($13MM) and Dan Haren ($15.5MM) in order to free up resources for re-signing Zack Greinke.
- Wilson said his struggles in the second half of the season were caused by bone spurs in his elbow, reports Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. The southpaw said he will undergo minor surgery to repair the problem and doesn't anticipate any issues, noting that he had a similar operation in 2008.
- Both Chris Iannetta and GM Jerry Dipoto tell MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (Twitter link) that they're interested in Iannetta being an Angel in 2013. Iannetta's $5MM option for 2013 became a mutual option once the catcher was traded from Colorado to Los Angeles last November. The Halos can buy out Iannetta's option for $250K.
- Also from Dipoto (via Gonzalez on Twitter), the Angels will be bringing back their entire coaching staff next season.
- The Vernon Wells trade has been made all the more disappointing by the fact that Mike Napoli has obliterated Angels' pitching since being dealt, writes Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan. Napoli has 12 homers and a whopping .396/.500/.829 slash line in 134 career plate appearances against his former club.
Angels To Pursue Greinke, Decline Haren/Santana
The Angels' "preference" is to decline their club options on Dan Haren and Ervin Santana in order to pursue a long-term extension with Zack Greinke, a source tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. The team would only look to bring back Haren or Santana if Greinke signed elsewhere, Gonzalez believes.
Haren ($15.5MM option, $3.5MM buyout) and Santana ($13MM option, $1MM buyout) both went from being likely pickup candidates to possibly expendable after their disappointing 2012 campaigns. Both men have shown better recent form, however, which could be a sign that their struggles were temporary — Haren has a 2.45 ERA over his last six starts, Santana a 2.49 ERA over his last seven.
If the Angels did decline their options, Haren and Santana would become two of the most sought-after arms on the market this winter. Haren just turned 32 but has been one of the game's better pitchers for the last several years, while Santana was very good in 2010-11, has thrown at least 175 innings in four of the last five years and may still be somewhat of a breakout candidate going into his age-30 season.
The Angels have Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and presumably Garrett Richards (who will have to replace someone) in place for next year's starting rotation. If Greinke is re-signed, that would leave the fifth starter's job open to such current in-house options as Barry Enright or Jerome Williams, though the Halos could also pursue add veteran depth this winter.
Dodgers, Angels Continue Pursuing Top Arms
The Dodgers are considering trades for Josh Johnson and James Shields since they aren’t making progress with the Cubs regarding a possible Ryan Dempster deal, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. The Dodgers could check in on Zack Greinke, who will likely be traded this month. However, they view Cliff Lee’s contract as onerous (not that he's available).
The Angels continue to be involved in talks for Greinke, Shields and Johnson, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. They might like Greinke best, but Shields may be their most realistic target (Ken Rosenthal reported this morning that the Angels believe in Shields at a time that other clubs have doubts about him). The Angels would prefer to acquire a pitcher they can keep beyond 2012, so Shields’ contract options likely appeal to Angels executives. Johnson is also controllable, but the Angels have concerns about his health issues and $13.75MM salary.
The Angels would like to find a taker for Ervin Santana and Vernon Wells, Knobler writes. The team would likely have to absorb salary to move either player.
Rays, Angels Have Discussed James Shields Trade
The Rays and Angels have talked about a deal that would send right-handed starter James Shields to Anaheim in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and catcher Hank Conger, and possibly right-hander Ervin Santana, a source tells Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com.
The deal is complex because of the money involved, the source tells Kurkjian, which accounts for Santana's possible inclusion. Santana makes $11.2MM this season with a $13MM club option for 2013. He can become a free agent at season's end with a $1MM buyout.
Shields, 30, could be locked up through 2014 and is considered quite affordable. He's owed $7MM this year with a $9MM club option for 2013 and an $11MM club option for 2014.
Bourjos, Kurkjian reports, would be a likely replacement for B.J. Upton, whom the Rays plan to allow to walk as a free agent this offseason. Conger, meanwhile, was once a pretty well regarded prospect, and the Rays have been rumored to be seeking a catcher.
Angels Notes: Morales, Richards, Santana, Hunter
The Angels continue to seek relief help, even as they pursue high-end rotation upgrades, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. They have talked to the Nationals about bullpen help and could have interest in Royals closer Jonathan Broxton, Knobler adds. Here’s the latest on the Angels, who now have a 50-41 record:
- The Angels are willing to offer Peter Bourjos for the right reliever and they're suggesting to teams that they would also deal Kendrys Morales, according to Knobler. Starter Garrett Richards could be available in a deal for a top starter such as Zack Greinke, Cole Hamels or Francisco Liriano.
- Adam Katz of WMG now represents Angels right-hander Ervin Santana, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reports (on Twitter). Agent Bean Stringfellow had represented Santana in the past. Be sure to check out MLBTR’s Agency Database for any information about player representatives.
- Torii Hunter told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that there hasn’t been any progress toward a contract extension that would keep him in Anaheim beyond this year. The 37-year-old would like to remain with the Angels, though he would consider other clubs if Los Angeles doesn’t have interest in bringing him back. “If my time is up here, then you think about Minnesota, think about Texas,” Hunter said. “The Angels are No. 1 for me.”
Angels Interested In Acquiring Zack Greinke
The Angels plan to make a run at trading for Brewers starter Zack Greinke if the right-hander becomes available prior to the trade deadline, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
The Orioles, Rangers and Braves are also thought to be interested in dealing for Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner, although a person close to Greinke said that the Halos are a "perfect fit."
The Angels lavished huge contracts on Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson this offseason, but they may have payroll flexibility for 2013 with club options on right-handers Dan Haren and Ervin Santana, the latter of which is expected to be declined barring a "major turnaround," according to Heyman.
The Brewers entered the break with a record of 40-45, eight games back in the NL Central and six back for one of two Wild Card spots. They've not yet decided whether they're sellers and will apparently use the first week or two after the All-Star break to sort that out.
Brewers cornerstone Ryan Braun, for his part, wants to convince management to retain Greinke, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (via Twitter): "Realistically, we're still in this thing."
Angels Notes: Aybar, Dipoto, Haren, Santana
Earlier this evening we asked MLBTR readers if they thought the Angels made the right move in signing Erick Aybar to a new four-year, $35MM extension. As of right now, just over half of you are in favor of the move. Here's more on the fallout from the deal and other Halos notes..
- With the Aybar deal completed, the Angels will have $121MM committed to ten players for the 2013 season if the options for Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, and Chris Iannetta are exercised, tweets Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
- Meanwhile, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com tweets that GM Jerry Dipoto doesn't sound like he's focused on taking care of the three club options just yet. Haren's option is for $15.5MM with a $3.5MM buyout, Santana's is $13MM with a $1MM buyout, and Iannetta's is worth $5MM with a meager $250K buyout.
- Dipoto says that the amount of money committed to players in the coming years puts added pressure on the scouting and player development system to come through with in-house talent, DiGiovanna tweets.
Angels Notes: Cordero, Pujols, Haren, Santana
Here's the latest from the Big A…
- With the closer market quickly shrinking, Francisco Cordero could "fall in [the] Angels' laps," reports ESPN Los Angeles' Mark Saxon.
- Albert Pujols will have trouble living up to his massive contract on the field, but Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times examines how Pujols' arrival has impacted ticket sales, merchandise sales and the overall value of the franchise.
- MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez looks at what it might cost the Halos to lock up Dan Haren and Ervin Santana to contract extensions. The team has options on both pitchers ($15.5MM for Haren, $13MM for Santana) for 2013. Haren will be 32 in September and, as durable as Haren has been, I'd argue the Angels should wait until this season is through before exploring an extension. A source tells Gonzalez that the Angels haven't discussed a new contract with Santana yet.
- Also from Gonzalez, he reports that GM Jerry Dipoto declined to comment on the status of Erick Aybar's extension talks. LAA has already signed one infielder (Howie Kendrick) to a multiyear deal this week.