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Thursday, September 27, 2007 |
Dodgers, Angels Trade Places?
This is getting really crazy.
| Bullet Point | Dodgers | Angels |
|---|---|---|
| Kids | Great minor league prospects, but the front office too often goes into hysterics based on today's press clippings. The GM acquires an inappropriate veteran supporting cast that blocks conspicuously better and cheaper young players, leaving outside observers to conclude there's no apparent plan for any of the kids. | Great minor league prospects, some of whom are blocked by stupid contracts, but fewer by long-term deals. Every grade A kid (with the possible exception of Kendry Morales) has a definite and obvious plan going forward. |
| Vetruhn abuse (contracts longer than one year with one or more years remaining to mediocre-or-worse players) | Juan Pierre + Jason Schmidt + Nomar Garciaparra + Esteban Loaiza = approximately $119.5M for up to four more years (for Slappy). | Gary Matthews, Jr. + Garret Anderson ($12M in 2008) = $62M, 4 years (Matthews) |
| History | Long history of postseason glory including two postseason appearances in the McCourt (2004+) era, but best times were before many of the team's current fans were even born. | Recent successes eclipse a previously weak product. Four postseason appearances and a World Series title in six years. |
| Ownership | In the Walter O'Malley and early Peter O'Malley era: unquestionably the best in baseball, as the O'Malleys were the game's hidden kingmakers. Post-O'Malley: Incompetent (in the case of News Corp.), and/or panicky and possibly underfunded (in the case of the McCourts), though this may not matter given attendance levels, which remain high despite recent turmoil. |
In the Autry era: Panicky and, toward the end, underfunded. In the Disney era: It is no understatement to say that the Mouse turned the Angels around 180°. In the Moreno era: The best owner in baseball, bar none. |
| Beloved team symbol for whom the team strives for rings before he dies | Vin Scully. He's only going to live so much longer, and with every year, the pressure to have him see a Dodger World Series title before he rides into the sunset grows greater. | Gene Autry. Missed the timing on that one. How many times did the camera cut to his picture in the 2002 Series? Thank God we're past that now. |
It doesn't all line up. But it's starting to.
Comments:
Ro, as much as it pains me to say it, i think the Halo's minor league cupboard in now preet bare. You can't call Morales or any eone else who spent a lot of time in Anaheim a minor league prospect. Wood should be spending most of 2008 in Anaehim.
After Adenhart and Conger, i see nothing but mediocrity in the Angels system. (And you yourself just questioned Adenhart's 2007 TL season in a national chat).
I hate to say it, but if the Angels rank higher than the median in organizational talent this winter, it'll be on reputation alone - i'm seeing a big tumble.
yeah, we have a great youth corps, but its basically all in Anaheim now, and they are no longer prospects.
After Adenhart and Conger, i see nothing but mediocrity in the Angels system. (And you yourself just questioned Adenhart's 2007 TL season in a national chat).
I hate to say it, but if the Angels rank higher than the median in organizational talent this winter, it'll be on reputation alone - i'm seeing a big tumble.
yeah, we have a great youth corps, but its basically all in Anaheim now, and they are no longer prospects.
True, but what are the Dodgers doing with theirs besides threatening to send them away? (And by the way, the Dodgers' system took a hit from exactly the same thing you mention, graduations to the big club.)
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