Column: Rob Manfred should be concerned about Arte Moreno’s Angels ownership
ARLINGTON, Texas — Shohei Ohtani is here at the All-Star Game, representing the Dodgers. Mike Trout is not here, the first time in his 13 full seasons that the All-Star Game has gone on without him.
Baseball has pretty much gone on without the Angels this season, yet again. They are in fourth place, where they have finished in five of the last six seasons.
Angel Stadium used to be packed every night, for stars such as Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon, Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon, Jered Weaver and John Lackey, Torii Hunter and Francisco Rodriguez.
Those were Arte Moreno’s Angels, in his first decade of ownership, with five division championships in a six-year run.
Athletics owner John Fisher says moving to Las Vegas will improve the franchise, but Paul Sewald, Bryce Harper and other players don’t see it that way.
His second decade of ownership has not been successful: one postseason appearance, three general managers, five managers, eight consecutive losing seasons and counting, and what ranks as baseball’s worst farm system, according to the league’s website.
In the last 10 years, this one included, the Angels have developed one homegrown All-Star behind Trout: first baseman Jared Walsh, who was released two years later. The Angels are stuck between winning and rebuilding, without accomplishing either.
This is bad for baseball. In their first decade under Moreno, the Angels shook off their small-market mentality and emerged as a powerhouse. They even outdrew the Dodgers one year.
Fans cannot be taken for granted. Commissioner Rob Manfred should be very concerned that a team in the second-largest market in North America is about to extend its streak of consecutive years without a postseason victory to 15 years, its streak of consecutive years without a postseason appearance to 10 years.
“Arte, I think, has worked hard over the years to be as competitive as possible,†Manfred told me Tuesday. “He runs a fan-centric business operation in Anaheim.
“The results on the field are the results on the field.â€
The Dodgers return home Friday, and the cheapest ticket on their website Tuesday was $64. Moreno should be commended for his family pack: four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $44.
But the fans have spoken. The first-place Dodgers are leading the league in attendance, yet again. Attendance is up around the league, but the Angels’ attendance is down 28% from its peak.
The results on the field are the results on the field.
On balance, does Manfred consider Moreno a good owner?
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“I think Arte Moreno wants to win,†Manfred said. “He is committed to winning. His desire to win is as strong as any of the owners.â€
I reached out to Moreno with these questions: How would he assess the progress of the Angels’ young players? Would he be comfortable playing primarily young players next year, even if that meant a short-term hit in the standings and in attendance, or would he prefer to continue to try to compete every year? Does he plan to retain general manager Perry Minasian beyond this season? And would he consider selling the team, or does he remain committed for the long term?
He did not respond.
I did speak with two high-ranking baseball people, neither of whom said they had any indication Moreno would sell the Angels any time soon.
That could leave Moreno, who turns 78 next month, to determine the Angels’ long-term home. Their stadium lease expires in 2029, with options that could extend their tenure to 2038.
The city of Anaheim says there are no talks underway about a deal, although both city and team officials acknowledge the stadium would need hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades to remain viable over the long term.
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Angel Stadium opened in 1966, and its last major renovation took place in 1997. A new stadium probably would cost at least $1 billion.
Who would pay? In 2006, when the city sued Moreno for changing the Angels’ name from Anaheim to Los Angeles, the city commissioned an analysis that said Anaheim would lose $374 million in exposure from then through the end of the lease in 2029.
Moreno is invested in the Los Angeles name. If he were to sell, would the city contribute that much to a new owner to get the Anaheim name back on the Angels’ jerseys?
That is a ways down the road. Unfortunately for Angels fans, their team’s next postseason berth might well be a ways down the road too.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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