The hiring of Ron Washington is the kind of short-term considering that has come to outline the Los Angeles Angels since Arte Moreno formally purchased the franchise throughout the spring of 2003. These Anaheim Angels have been the defending champions. Washington is taking on a membership with a hellish trajectory. The Halos’ farm system is in a drought and Moreno overpaid for a shedding roster that’s delivered meager outcomes. Accepting this job is smart for Washington. He’s been chomping on the bit for one more likelihood to steer a membership, however this was the oddest match.
At his introductory press convention, Washington harkened again to his halcyonic Rangers days and echoed common supervisor Perry Minasian’s stance on constructing on high of the Angels’ unstable basis.
“Should you keep in mind now — I used to be in Texas, and guess what we did? We ran the Angels down,” Washington advised a big convention room of media members, workforce staff and present and former gamers. “Now I’m in California, with the Anaheim Angels — effectively, the Los Angeles Angels. I’ll get that in my head. As soon as we get issues collectively, we get these guys collectively in spring coaching and begin to work, our entire focus is gonna be to run the West down. And you may take that to the financial institution and deposit it.”
It doesn’t matter what metropolis the Angels are related to, these are nonetheless the Moreno Angels and his Halos are years away from making a distinction. This can be a membership that has one of many shallowest farm system expertise reservoirs in all MLB and concurrently boasts one of the cost-ineffective rosters in baseball surrounding Mike Trout. They wanted a youthful, extra vibrant supervisor than the 71-year-old Washington.
The Angels weren’t a membership constructed to win within the short-term with Shohei Ohtani beneath contract and so they positively gained’t be if he decamps in free company this winter. This isn’t an avenue to harp on Washington’s superior age, nevertheless, the two-year clock for Washington doesn’t bode effectively for Los Angeles. It’s not fully clear which path they’re going as a corporation.
It’s been 9 years because the Halos appeared within the postseason, and 14 since they final gained a playoff recreation. The implication is that this membership goes to proceed down the identical path they’ve been on since Trout was promoted to the massive leagues in 2012. As an alternative of buying and selling the now 32-year-old and launching a rebuild, the Angels are hiring a septuagenarian to steer aggressive professional baseball’s model of a fast get-rich-quick plan.
The aggressive offseason that Minasian has hinted at gives the look that they’ll double down on their harebrained deadline trades of two of their high prospects for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. Lopez and Giolito have been presupposed to facilitate their playoff push, however have been waived in September. The Moreno Angels stay to eat egg off their very own faces.
Washington’s hiring is much more perplexing contemplating his scandal-ridden stint with Texas and his baffling departure. The final time Washington was answerable for a membership, he abruptly resigned as supervisor of the Rangers earlier than the tip of the 2014 season. A report from then-Scoop Sports activities CEO Jamie Kelly stated the problem was “on account of an impending authorized situation stemming from an alleged sexual assault of a reporter.” The murky allegations got extra weight when then-general supervisor Ron Daniels didn’t refute these allegations, selecting solely to say he was given permission to say it was not drug associated. Nevertheless, Washington later admitted to being untrue to his spouse.
His battles with drug habit and steady relapses whereas serving as supervisor of the Rangers typically overshadowed their four-straight 90 win seasons and consecutive World Collection berths. In 2009, Washington failed a drug take a look at and supplied his resignation to Daniels.
Since Mike Scioscia resigned after 18 years on the helm, the Angels’ managerial place has been a recreation of musical chairs. Since 2017, Washington has served as third base coach of the Atlanta Braves. Nevertheless, within the wake of Dusty Baker’s retirement, he’ll be the oldest supervisor in baseball. For a playoff-ready membership that might use Washington’s knowledge, just like the Astros utilized Baker’s, this may be a logical rent. Nevertheless, the Angels are turning to Washington to be their fifth supervisor since 2018. Given all these potential conflicts, this appears destined to be one other ill-advised transfer for the Moreno Angels.
