Much easier to market a winning product Rev.

You can also say the classic line from a great baseball movie “If you build it they will come” That would go for fans and top players.

The best part for me in the book is that there was a lot of people that still believed that there was a need for baseball people (scouts) thank god for that. I understand looking at the numbers but this is still a game run by baseball people. I like the fact that Mike is given a lot of input into player acquisitions. The club has a scouting director that is very good at recognizing talent and not afraid to take chances on players.

This is the impression that I get from the Oakland A’s moneyball style in terms of baseball (I’m not an expert by far so bear with me). They trade their “proven” players for top prospects. And they do this when their value is at its peak (i.e Swisher, Hudson, Haren, etc). They unleash the young guys into their starting lineups. Since new rookie pitchers need some time to get figured out by the other teams, they do alright in the beginning. But, eventually they either get figured out or they fade late in the season because of a lack of experience.
Recent examples: Gaudin last year, Eveland/Smith this year. check out how these guys started the season

I think they’ve gotten lucky (in the past) with their prospects. In my opinion, the As have hit the bottom quarter because recent prospects have not lived up to their potential combined with bad signings (ie Chavez) which has locked them up cause of their budget. I always thought that once they hit a string of busted prospects they’d spiral.

On the other hand I am so glad the Angels are a big market team with quality management running the show. Its great being an Angel fan these days. I have the confidence in the front office moves. Of course they’ve made some mistakes – Spier, Yan, Carrasco, GMJ, Finley, Hilenbrand come to mind. But, on paper and when the signings happened it seemed pretty legit to help the team. I thought the Finley signing was perfect when it happened. I don’t care if Tex (still a good trade if he walks imo) and Krod don’t get resigned. If the prospects taking their place don’t work out, I know the team will attempt to fix it.

Bottom line is we’re in first (& contenders for a long time to come). Although its easy to criticize Moreno, Reagins/Stoneman, Soth, we should be thrilled to be Halos fan this decade and not Mariner/As fans.

You make more money. The product (in theory) becomes better because you have more money to invest. However, their is a temptation to run a dept beyond the market. That is where baseball sense becomes involved. Ted Turner had it. Arte Moreno has it.

Baseball sense? Pitching and Defense and Winning and keeping the dept down. Dept is ok for the present, but too much can ruin the future. Without it, you can have all the Big Bats in the world and come away with nothing. Look at NY.

Marketing plus baseball sense. Me thinks Arte has it.

Having said that, I think Arte is a genius. Got the Big Bat for the Home Run push for only 12.5 million. Beat that.

2008 World Series:

Game seven going into the top of the ninth, game tied at 3, K-Rod comes in to hold it with Samardzija warming up in the Cubs pen.

Watching this team make everyone in ChiTown wait 101 years might make me giggle like a school girl.

I agree with many of your “points”. It is hard to be critical of a team doing so well, but people being people, they have to something to bitch about. I don’t think anyone is truly unhappy about anything Angels related. How can they be?

I think we differ in our opinion on Billy Beane and Oakland’s team. I feel there are two types of owners in baseball; the “fan” owner who wants to win at all cost, and the “business” owner who wants to make a profit at all costs. Thankfully we are blessed with an owner who embraces both theories and has built a successful team while pocketing some serious coin. Billy Beane doesn’t have the luxury of this type of owner and must do what he can to do earn profits for his owners and create the perception of assembling a competetive team for the fans. In this, I think, he’s doing a great job.

Also, being a “baseball geek”, I realize our differences in the types of fans we are, but that doesn’t make me less of a fan. At the core, we’re both Angels/baseball fans, we just take different paths. Doesn’t make either of us wrong, just different.

I said (in no reference-able format) “As much as I hate the sound of the name, if the business end of this name change brings the revenue to turn this team from a playoff contender to a WS contender/favorite, then so be it, We’re LAA.” And although I can’t point to anything specific that depicts where the “LA” has paid dividends, I am ecstatic with the product on the field.
In Reference to the ESPN coverage
Despite their best efforts, the word is out. I have had the luck to travel a bit to other major baseball locales or have had friends do the same and the reverence for this team from other fan bases is universal. While in Philly, New York, Bay area, San Diego, Orlando, Kansas City, St Louis, Tempe (for spring training) and Cooperstown (everybody NEEDS TO GO THERE) the fans have been blown away with the quality of baseball we play at the Big A. Nothing but the utmost respect. That is something that I as an Angels fan welcome even though I/we don’t get to see that praise from the national media.