- The Story: Reliever Jose Arredondo will miss the 2010 season to have Tommy John surgery. The Monkey Says: That certainly explains why Dondo struggled so much last season. While most pitchers come back strong (if not stronger) from TJ surgery, this clearly puts a damper on Arredondo’s status as a potential future closer for the Angels and it certainly means Tony Reagins is going to have to acquire another potent arm for the bullpen now that he can’t count on a bounce back season from Arredondo.
- The Story: Jose Arredondo, Dustin Moseley and Matthew Brown were all non-tendered by the Angels. The Monkey Says: Talk about adding insult to injury for Dondo. There is a good chance that Jose is brought back on a minor league deal, but given his contentious relationship with the organization right now, he might try and latch on elsewhere. As for Brown and Moseley, it is possible each might be brought back on minor league deals as well, especially Moseley. The real impetus behind these moves is clearing spots on the 40-man roster to increase roster flexibility. The Halos now have five open spots which should be more than enough to do whatever they need to this off-season.
- The Story: Here is a list of a few intriguing non-tender players. The Monkey Says: Garrett Atkins’ name clearly jumps off the page since he is a guy who has been linked to the Angels in the past. He’d make a nice insurance policy for Brandon Wood at third base as well as a right-handed complement to Kendry Morales at first. However, I suspect that Atkins will be able to find a team willing to give him a bigger role.
- The Story: The latest Halladay-to-the Angels rumor has Toronto asking for Trevor Reckling as part of the package. The Monkey Says: If all the rumors are to be believed and combined, that would mean the Angels would be giving up a package of Joe Saunders, Peter Bourjos, Trevor Reckling and then either Erick Aybar, Mike Napoli or Hank Conger. That fourth player will ultimately decide whether or not the trade gets done and I suspect Toronto’s recent signing of John Buck makes the Jays a lot less interested in Napoli. Either way, giving up Trevor Reckling would be a tough pill to swallow for the Halos. He isn’t exactly a guaranteed ace of the future, but he is the top pitching prospect in the Angel system.
- The Story: The Angels will build a permanent monument to Nick Adenhart at Angel Stadium. The Monkey Says: It truly is amazing how much Adenhart touched the hearts of the franchise and the fans in such a short amount of time in the big leagues.
- The Story: The Angels are expected to be interested in trading for Derek Lowe. The Monkey Says: That is definitely a possibility, but Lowe sounds like a Plan C for the Angels at best after Roy Halladay and John Lackey.
- The Story: Could the Angels manage to pry away a talented young outfielder from the crosstown Dodgers? The Monkey Says: The idea here is solid in that the Halos could take advantage of the Dodgers’ financial woes, but the proposals suggested in the article are moronic. Trading Matt Palmer and Maicer Izturis for Matt Kemp and Juan Pierre? The Dodgers need to clear salary, but they aren’t going to give away a potential star like Kemp just to get a pitcher who may or may not be a legit big league starter.
- The Story: John Lackey wants to make AJ Burnett-type money, but doesn’t seem to measure up. The Monkey Says: Statistically, Burnett is probably technically better, but Lackey has a much better track record in terms of health and winning big ballgames. But if this statistical analysis does enough to knock down Lackey’s asking price, than I totally agree.
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