Mar 24, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno at a press conference to announce a 12 year contract extension for center fielder Mike Trout (not pictured) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Arte Moreno on Monday announced the surprising news that he is not going to sell the Los Angeles Angels. Angels fans who have grown sick of the 76-year-old’s leadership of the team were not happy about the news.
The news could also have one significant consequence.
SNY’s Andy Martino wrote a column on Wednesday about the chances the New York Mets or New York Yankees have of landing Shohei Ohtani. In his column, Martino said that the “strong perception around the league” is that Moreno remaining as the Angels’ owner will make it far less likely that Ohtani re-signs with the team.
Ohtani stunned the industry when he chose to sign with the Angels in December 2017. He considered seven teams, and most of the teams had one thing in common: they were on the West Coast. The seven finalists were the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.
Ohtani has spent five seasons with the Angels, so 2023 will be his last year under team control. He can become a free agent after that.
The Japanese two-way star has not shared much about his plans, but he has emphasized that he wants to play for a winner. Though the Angels should be commended for the way Ohtani has developed under them, the team has not had a winning season since he signed with them (he did miss time as a pitcher with an arm injury). The Angels had four straight 4th-place finishes in the AL West to start Ohtani’s career with them, and they finished third last season.
Moreno is known for making whimsical decisions that often prove to be detrimental to the team. He declines to invest in player development, choosing instead to sign established stars on long-term contracts that hamper the team (Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Justin Upton, Anthony Rendon).
Had a new owner entered the picture with big plans to spend and develop, perhaps that might have convinced Ohtani to stay. But as long as Moreno remains the team’s owner, Ohtani might not want to remain with the team so long as winning is his top priority.
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