More Arte Moreno drama with city of Anaheim simply can't bode well for LA Angels

Arte Moreno may be one of the most unpopular figures in all of Major League Baseball, but the Los Angeles Angels owner may have a legitimate gripe with the city of Anaheim. However, no matter which way you slice it, this is bad look for all involved.

A confidential deal between Moreno and former Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu back in 2022 has been brought to forefront once again. According to LA Times, Moreno claims that the city of Anaheim owes him $5 million in "transaction costs." The Anaheim City Council is scheduled to discuss the issue privately this week and could face litigation if the matter is not resolved.

This is about the last thing fans of the LA Angels want to hear about right now. It's bad enough that the team is among the worst in the league, but this latest debacle just shines an even brighter light on the plight of a once-proud franchise.

More Arte Moreno drama with city of Anaheim simply can't bode well for LA Angels

The Angels' woes this season began this past winter when the team failed to even make a competitive offer for the reigning AL MVP. While Shohei Ohtani's return to the Angels' was questionable at best, and the Los Angeles Dodgers' offer would have never been matched by the Halos, Moreno and GM Perry Minasian never even made a good faith effort to keep the two-way superstar in Anaheim.

The Angels' prized free agent acquisition was a middle reliever (Robert Stephenson), who will miss the entire season after suffering an injury in spring training. LA appeared to have several opportunities to make free agent offers to the likes of Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and even Cody Bellinger. Unfortunately, LA decided that trying to resurrect the careers of Miguel Sanó and Aaron Hicks was the better path to take.

Throw in Mike Trout's injury (that's already dragging on longer than expected with no end in sight), the rift between the team and Hall of Famer Rod Carew, and the likely fire sale at the MLB trade deadline, and you've got a recipe for a failed and lost season.

Moreno's beef with the city of Anaheim (which may be warranted) is just the latest in a tumultuous season for the Angels and their fanbase. Sadly, it seems as if this goes without saying, but things are going to get worse before they get better.

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