Angels fans ready to riot after Arte Moreno rumor on Padres-Shohei Ohtani trade leaks

Par for the course management by the worst owner in baseball!
San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Angels
San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Angels | Ralph Freso/GettyImages

With the Angels on the road and set to face the Shohei Ohtani-led Dodgers this weekend, the last things fans needed to hear is what might have been while the two-way player donned the red and white. Well, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic made sure to kick Angels faithful while we are down in his most recent article. Rosenthal commented on Arte Moreno's inability to construct anything close to a functional organization around the global superstar by focusing on the lack of financial planning, his powerlessness to capitalize on the Japanese market and lack of foresight in rebuilding a barren farm system by trading Ohtani when he had a year-and-a-half of team control left on his contract.

Rosenthal contextualized the 2022 trade deadline by pointing out that Ohtani and then Washington National, Juan Soto, were the hottest names that could have been moved. The San Diego Padres and their always-aggressive general manager, A.J. Preller, were willing to part with members of their loaded farm system in both 2022 and 2023 (when Ohtani had less than a year left on his deal). Not only could the Angels have brought on some variation of the CJ Abrams, Mackenzie Gore, James Wood-led package that the Nationals got for Soto, but they might have even been able to pry away a now 22-year-old superstar who just received a nine-year, $135,000,000 contract.

"[Jackson] Merrill was part of the trade discussions, according to sources briefed on the talks. It’s not out of the question the Padres would have included him if Moreno was willing to go forward."

Angels fans ready to riot after Arte Moreno rumor on Padres-Shohei Ohtani trade leaks

Who needs Jackson Merrill, right? He's only hitting .412/.438/.676/1.115 this season and making highlight reel plays in centerfield every night! CJ Abrams -- what a stiff! Guy is only slashing .317/.379/.548/.926! Who needs Mackenzie Gore and his 75:16 K:BB or James Wood's 11 home runs anyway?

The Angels' front office and ownership were a split-camp with regards to trading away the most unique player in baseball history. Clearly Arte Moreno wanted to try and reach the postseason for the first time since 2014, while also selling some more tickets and merchandise by way of Ohtani's massive popularity. Not only could the Angels have received a Godfather offer from San Diego, but teams like the New York Yankees were also negotiating which prospects they would send to the Angels in exchange for Ohtani.

Moreno's leadership, or lack thereof, has turned a once great franchise into the laughingstock of baseball. Fans will have to once again sit back and watch their favorite team get pummeled in the Freeway Series and think about what might have happened if Moreno ever came to his senses when he had the single best asset in baseball under contract.

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