The Angels' arbitration stalemate with Luis Rengifo highlighted their dysfunction

Luis Rengifo has emerged victorious over the Angels in an arbitration hearing, ending the two sides' squabble over the paltry sum of $150K. Rengifo will make $5.95 million this upcoming season instead of the $5.8 million the Angels offered, marking the second time in three years that the versatile infielder had taken the team to a hearing and won. The Angels went 0/2 in arbitration, as they lost their hearings against both Rengifo and Mickey Moniak.

Arbitration hearings happen all the time, but usually not over a difference as insignificant as this one. The Angels prolonging this process was extremely questionable process, but that's just the tip of the iceberg with their problems.

Rengifo is not a star, but his versatility both positionally and as a switch-hitter makes him an important cog for the Angels. Entering his age-28 season and coming off his best season statistically, albeit one shortened by injury, Rengifo is just entering his prime and should be a player the Angels are looking to extend.

The team instead decided that saving some pocket change and potentially damaging their relationship with a player, who should have a future with the organization, was more important than planning for the future and rewarding a player that they've developed for years.

The Luis Rengifo situation spotlights a cultural issue with the Angels that starts at the top

Arbitration can cause extreme divisions between players and their organizations (see: Corbin Burnes). However, this isn't about arbitration. It's about the Angels' culture.

Owner Arte Moreno promised upgrades, increased payroll, and a return to contention. Despite some good early-season moves, the Angels haven't accomplished that mission and still have money to spend, though the field of players worthy of that money is waning fast. An additional $150K going to Rengifo doesn't impact the budget in any tangible way, but the rift it causes between him and the team may cause them to lose a significant player once he reaches free agency at season's end.

Moreover, the mentality that drove the Rengifo situation explains why the Angels have been "in" on so many players yet often come up short, even when those players sign reasonable deals elsewhere.

The Angels don't have to look far to see an example of a better approach as their crosstown rivals, the Dodgers, have become a destination where nearly every player wants to play. The Dodgers obviously have financial resources that few teams can match and wield them in a way that is unprecedented. That said, they've also made it a point of paying players what they're worth which, in addition to winning baseball games, has made them an attractive place to play.

The Angels have done the opposite. Far too often the team has haggled and drawn a line in the sand, sometimes like in the case of Rengifo, over absurdly small amounts of money which makes them a less attractive place to play. If all else is equal, that reputation even with a fair contract offer might force a free agent to accept a different offer.

In turn, it's made it difficult for the team to consistently acquire good players that help win baseball games. At the end of the day, winning is the goal, and changing that culture and the perception that comes with it is paramount if the Angels want to return to their former glory and emerge as perennial contenders again.

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