Locals welcome the move to sell the Angels. Will it affect Shohei Ohtani this offseason?

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Last Updated on 09/07/2022 by てんしょく飯

 

A tremor struck the U.S. baseball world. On August 23 (local time), the Los Angeles Angels, to which Shohei Ohtani belongs, announced that they have begun the process of considering selling the team.

 

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Angels fans welcomed the announcement

Arte Moreno, team owner, said, “We made this difficult decision. It was a decision worth considering, but my family and I have come to the conclusion that now is the time,” he said in a statement.

 

This is a shocking story that came without warning, but Angels fans welcomed the announcement. The local newspaper, the Orange County Register, reported the following reaction. The Orange County Register reported the following reaction: “Regardless of whether it is surprising or not, many people involved with Moreno’s announcement see it as good news.

 

The paper noted that the local community is already in a welcoming mood, citing comments from Trevor O’Neill, a city council member in Anaheim, where the team is based, that “(the sale) is an opportunity for a fresh start, and we all welcome it now. Rod Kalu, an alumnus of the team who is in the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame, also expressed his delight, saying, “This is good news.

 

The reason why the sale of the team has been so welcomed, even though it is still in the consideration stage, is due to Moreno’s past approach. It was so bad that Buster Olney, a talented reporter for ESPN, a U.S. sports network, gave the team a low evaluation, saying that Moreno’s one-man management had gone in the wrong direction.

 

Mr. Moreno was what is called an “owner who talks but does not pay. He had a great deal of influence over the organization of players, and while he liked to sign big contracts for star players, he did not reinforce the team with the reinforcements that were truly needed.

 

In addition, he was reluctant to pay the “luxury tax,” which is imposed when the total annual salary of a team exceeds a certain amount, so the GMs of the previous teams were obligated to organize players within the amount that Mr. Moreno allowed. If the team was strong enough, there would be no problem.

 

If they were strong enough, there would be no problem, but the Angels have been missing the playoffs since 2015. Furthermore, the Angels’ minor league environment has seen little investment despite the fact that it is so poor that it was the subject of a whistleblower complaint last July.

 

Still, why would Moreno, who has owned the Angels for 20 years since 2003, be willing to let the team go now? The Los Angeles Times, a local newspaper, cited the 76-year-old Moreno’s succession problem as the reason, saying, “He has three grown children, but none of them are interested in managing the team.

 

On the other hand, some believe that the scandal surrounding the acquisition of land around the ballpark is the reason. Moreno had planned to acquire the ballpark and surrounding land from the city of Anaheim in 2019 for a major redevelopment project.

 

However, in May of this year, it was discovered that the then-mayor was under investigation by the FBI for corruption (he subsequently resigned). The Anaheim City Council unanimously declared the sale agreement null and void.

 

The Athletic, a U.S. sports media outlet, reported that “Moreno had been drawing up a sale plan for at least two months,” and believed that the decision to sell the team was the result of the abandonment of this redevelopment plan.

 

It is also pointed out that the Angels’ market value is at its highest now. According to the U.S. business magazine Forbes, the value of the Angels’ assets is estimated at 2.2 billion dollars (about 302.6 billion yen) (as of March of this year). (as of March of this year).

 

The Orange County Register, mentioned above, also estimates that “the sale price will exceed $3 billion (approximately 410.9 billion yen). Mr. Moreno is the owner of the property, which was purchased for $184 million (approximately ¥25.2 billion) from the previous owner, Walt Disney Co. The value of the property is more than ten times what it was at that time.

 

It is said that the reason for that much money is because of the two big stars, Mike Trout and Ohtani. The Angels will have the right to hold Ohtani until next offseason, so even if there is a change of owners, they will be able to hold him at least through next season.

 

It is said that the trade of Ohtani, which was the biggest concern this summer, did not come to fruition due to Moreno’s wishes, but some speculate that he had already been considering selling him since that time. In any case, the best time to sell is now, when both players are available as a “purchase bonus.

 

However, even though there are popular players, will the team be able to sell at such a high price? It is expected to be sold as early as the end of the year, but Mr. Moreno will be looking for a buyer in the near future.

 

With no potential buyers yet, the “Los Angeles Times” predicted a new owner, citing Joe Lacob, owner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, as the most likely candidate, saying, “Joe Lacob, who grew up in Anaheim Lacob, who grew up in Anaheim, has considered buying the Angels, Dodgers, and Athletics over the past 20 years,” the article said. He further reported that Mr. Lacob responded, “I can’t answer that question too soon, but I would like to explore good opportunities.”

 

Other candidates included Stan Kroenke, owner of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Arsenal of the English Premier League.

 

However, the Angels have a number of problems, as mentioned above. The biggest problem is Ohtani’s salary. Ohtani, who will be granted arbitration rights for the second time this offseason, is expected to earn $30 million or more after next season. He is expected to earn $30 million or more after next season.

 

With the team already paying Trout and Anthony Rendon $72.5 million per year, the new owners are expected to take over the club as soon as they take office. He will also have to bear the burden of Ohtani’s salary, which is expected to skyrocket. Therefore, while there is a strong belief that Ohtani will remain with the team, there are also those who believe that the new owner will release Ohtani along with Trout.

 

With the sudden consideration of selling the team, the local talk about Ohtani has shifted from MVP contention to the question of his departure, and the anticipation of where he will be traded has once again heated up. The uncertainty over where he will belong could have an impact on next spring’s WBC. What kind of outcome awaits Ohtani, who has become a whirlwind in a way that is unimaginable?

 

 

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