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.
Column: Rob Manfred should be concerned about Arte Moreno’s Angels ownership
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.
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
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
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.”
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?
Leave a Reply