A few days ago, Arte Moreno decided not to succumb to the temptation to sell his Angels and this decision can be a major game-changer regarding the long-term signing of star player Shohei Ohtani.
Remember that Ohtani could become a free agent at the end of this season.
According to the team’s general manager, Perry Minasian, the fact that Moreno remains the big boss adds a significant element of stability in a mode of seduction with regard to Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo.
After all, the people involved in the future of the Japanese in California have all managed to agree so that the two parties avoid arbitration twice, in 2021 and most recently.
The Angels have a payroll that weighs heavily compared to the results collected, but this is part of the habits of the house. The fact that the team will have to sign Ohtani for several years will cause this mass to grow again.
What is encouraging at the moment is that relations are good and that everyone seems to want the same thing: to create a climate of victory and to ensure that we obtain results in this direction.
This winter, Minasian added a few additions to his roster in Tyler Anderson, Carlos Estevez, Gio Urshela and Hunter Renfroe, boosting the roster’s payroll from $180 million to around $206 million.
Are the ambitions of the club’s leaders realistic considering that the team must deal with the Astros and the Mariners? It’s normal to want to improve you might say, but I wonder what must be going through Ohtani’s head right now when he looks at the big picture and the outlook for the future.
Yes, playing with Mike Trout is a big deal and the two players seem to get along well. Money has never been the issue for the Angels as the possibility of having to contribute to the luxury tax becomes more and more likely at the rate things are going. Ohtani is a phenomenon and his agent will want him to be paid properly.
In the short term, Shohei Ohtani will be present at the opening of the Angels’ training camp and he should even make a start in the Cactus League before taking a flight to Japan to participate in the World Classic which will take place in motion on March 1st.
