Daily Links for the LA Angels including the meaning of Weaver going to arbitration, the Angels will have a top five payroll in 2011, Trout tops yet another prospect list and much more…
The Story: Does going to arbitration mean Weaver is leaving?
The Monkey Says: I don’t think looking back at previous cases is really any kind of good example in Weaver’s case. All those comparisons are almost entirely of players who were never very good to begin with and most of those that were elite played for teams with low payrolls. There is so much that can happen in the next two seasons before Jered hits free agency, that it is impossible to draw any kind of concrete conclusions about what this means to Weaver’s future in Anaheim.
The Story: The Angels will have one of the five most expensive payrolls in 2011.
The Monkey Says: So here is what really sucks about that. Their payroll is going to be right around $140 million, but they originally budgeted for $135 million. What that likely means is that if the Angels are in contention come the trading deadline, they likely aren’t going to be able to take on much, if any, additional salary via trade.
The Monkey Says: It is a curious development, but I do believe that the reason the Halos never settled with Weaver is partly because of animosity between the team and Scott Boras, but also because I think that they somehow thought that not settling would somehow give them leverage in extension talks. Or maybe they are just dumb.
The Story: AOL Fanhouse has 5 Angels in their top 100 prospects.
The Monkey Says: As usual, Mike Trout is #1, but Jean Segura is also listed at #32 with Hank Conger (#74) and Jordan Walden (#78) up next. The fifth entry though is Garrett Richards at #85, which I think might be the first time I have seen him crack a top 100 list. Keep an eye on Richards as he has great raw stuff and could rocket up the prospect lists if he is able to put it all together this season.
The Story: Jerry Crasnick gives the Angels a D+ grade for their off-season.
The Monkey Says: Hooray, another national columnist piling on the Angels. D+ is just too harsh a grade. They certainly didn’t live up to the lofty expectations set for them, but the team is better, even though they do have a bloated payroll now. I’m not saying the Halos deserve an A or anything, but a D+ is too low. I’m going with a C-. Call me nitpicky, but that just sounds a lot better than a D+.
The Story: Can the Angel starters repeat their success in 2011?
The Monkey Says: PECOTA actuallys says they can do even better because Scott Kazmir will be less than terrible this year. I actually see little reason for the Angel rotation to regress this season. Weaver might come back to earth, but Haren stands to improve and Joel Pineiro is healthy again. The real questions are about the ever-inconsistent Santana (who actually looked pretty steady last season) and the wayward Kazmir.
The Story: Angel FanFest will return this season.
The Monkey Says: The event is back, but going to be much smaller than past seasons. It also sounds like plans are still being fleshed out, which makes me think this was a last minute decision that was made in respone to the palpable unrest in the Angel fan base