Dodgers-Brewers success shows both sides of Angels' owner's cheapness

While the Angels once again miss the playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers are taking on the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. With the winner of that series likely going to face former Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto and his Seattle Mariners (who hold a 2-1 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays), times could not be worse for Arte Moreno.

There was no worse moment for Angels fans than when they lost Shohei Ohtani - who believed in the organization entirely when he made his decision to sign with them over more surefire contenders - to the rival Dodgers. The Angels did not repay the dedication and loyalty Ohtani provided them, and ultimately Arte Moreno did not offer enough to keep Ohtani in Anaheim.

The Milwaukee Brewers have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, and while the Angels watched their season slip away in August after buying at the deadline, the Brewers won 14 straight games on their way to owning the best record in the entire league. Despite having $80 million less on their payroll than the Angels, the Brewers were able to get the absolute most out of their roster due to investing their resources where it matters most - even if it does not bring in the profit right away.

Dodgers, Brewers show just how cheap the Angels can be

Now, Arte Moreno is not an outright cheap owner. The Angels have the 11th highest payroll in baseball and Arte Moreno has brought in big time free agents time and time again. He is a businessman, and he knows that signing superstars like Anthony Rendon and Albert Pujols will (theoretically) bring both profits and wins to the Angels. What he will not do, however, if invest in his development staff and fill out the roster with depth if it means going over the luxury tax, which the Angels have long treated as a salary cap.

The Dodgers represent the team who gets creative and takes big swings financially in free agency. The Shohei Ohtani deal was built on deferrals, which the Angels would reportedly not accept. This led to the Dodgers being able to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well, giving them the ace they needed.

The Brewers have been one of the best examples of how low-budget teams are successful and find winning. They invest in their development teams, increasing the odds of getting the most out of every player who goes through their system. The Angels have notoriously never invested much into their scouting department, and thus have struggled to produce MLB talent and the depth needed to support the top players on their roster.

Arte Moreno spends - he always will when he sees the chance to make money. But his allocation of finances is poor, resulting in an MLB-worst farm system and Anthony Rendon sitting out season after season.