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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim team preview with Sam Blum · Foul Territory

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: They're not really concerned about rent and don't right, They're
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: concerned about, you know, developing themselves, you know, proving that
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: they can be big league players.
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: All right, we got our friend Sam Blum with us
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: from the Athletic joining us to talk about the team
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: that he covers every single day. Sam, good to see you.
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: And we're gonna run right into storylines for this team.
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: So let's cue the good stuff. I'll run through the
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: four that we must get to, and then we'll do
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: a bonus question or two if we have time. So
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: let's hit it, all right, I'll go first, and then
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: I want the rest of my friends here to pick
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: up a question each. Mike Trout check up dominated first
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: month of the season, but then he got hurt. And
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: how much outfield versus e h time coming up this year?
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: Christian more eighth overall pick last year. They love to
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: speed their guys through the minor leagues and up to
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: the show. When's he coming? What do we think about
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: this offseason so far? For the Angels? Did they do
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: well with Solaire and Darnault who were former Braves? And
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: you say Kakuchi joining the rotation? And then there is
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: the always entertaining Anthony Rendon conundrum, which includes perrimanation on
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: FT saying that he was going to have to earn
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: his time. So let's start with Trout. Sam Where are
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: we at with Mike Trout and the impact that he
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: could make and how they should play this with him
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: in terms of playing time and where he's going to
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: be outfield versus DH.
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: I think that the conundrum with Mike Trout and the
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: Angels has always been, well, he's They kind of know
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: him to be this very twitchy kind of guy that
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: needs to be doing things at all times. So their
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: concern is if he's daching too much, he's going to
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: be taking swings the entire game, possibly, you know, creating
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: some sort of injury for him. So my estimation is
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: that they're going to do a mixture of all three
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  Speaker 1: of these things. They're going to have him play center
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: field probably a decent amount. My guess is, play the
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: corner outfields a decent amount, and probably DH a decent
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: amount as well. Obviously they added Jorge Hilira. We'll talk
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: about it in a minute, but he he will eat
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  Speaker 1: up a lot of the DH bats. I mean, they're
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: gonna want to have Solaire's bad in the lineup, but
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: they're not gonna want to have his glove in the field.
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: So it's it's, you know, an interesting kind of dynamic.
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  Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean Trout, I mean, they're just hoping
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: he's playing. You know, they hope he's he's on the field.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: I mean, at this point, he's missed most of the
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: last four years. I mean, twenty twenty two is kind
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: of the anomaly there, but he's missed so much time
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: that at this point, I think they have to try
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: something a little different. But you also just kind of
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: have to hope that that he stays healthy and you know,
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: maybe give him a couple more days off here and there.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: But it's it's at some point it's just got to
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: stay on the field and if if he does, great
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: and if he doesn't, you know, that's just kind of
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: what they've come to expect.
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: When it comes to rankings Farm Systems, the Angels, they
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: rank pretty low, but they have a guy here that
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: just signed eighth overall, Christian Moore. Could he be the
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: next guy that gets called up? We know the Angels
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: are fast trackers when it comes to bringing their guys up.
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: This kid's an absolute stud Where do you see this
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  Speaker 3: guy being called up sooner than later?
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean he would have been called up on
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: September first of last year if you get an injuries
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: in thee like two days before that, which was an
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: unfortunate thing for him. He did come back at the
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: very end of that of the season. So yeah, I
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: would not be shocked if he makes the opening day roster,
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: especially you know, we'll talk about Rendome, but you know
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: it's because I don't think there's a spot in the
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: starting lineup guaranteed to Rendome. You know, there's some there's
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: some opportunities, especially in the infield. Zach Netto is hurt
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: right now, there's no guarantees going to start the season.
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: I think it's more likely than not he doesn't start
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  Speaker 1: the season on the active roster. So I would not
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: be surprised whatsoever if Christian Moore comes into camp does
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: as well as expected, is starting at second base to
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: begin the season.
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  Speaker 4: Now that's not a guarantee.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, they signed you know, Kevin Newman, they could
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: put Louis ran Heath for a third you know, they
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: they have a bunch of other guys at shortstop that
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: they could They can go there early in the season
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  Speaker 1: if they don't think more is ready.
• 4:00
  Speaker 4: But you know they I think, you.
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  Speaker 1: Know, this is an important year for for Perry and
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  Speaker 1: for for this you know, front office, and I'm sure
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  Speaker 1: they're gonna want to go out there with their guys
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  Speaker 1: and give themselves the best chance to have a winning
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  Speaker 1: season as possible.
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  Speaker 4: So if Christian Moore.
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  Speaker 1: Gives him that, I would be not surprised whatsoever if
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  Speaker 1: he's starting on March twenty seventh.
• 4:18
  Speaker 5: A right, Sorry, I know it's supposed to go to
• 4:20
  Speaker 5: something else, But you forgot Tim Anderson. Let's not forget.
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: Yes, Tim and yes, I love you forgot question that was?
• 4:27
  Speaker 4: That was?
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: That was a great interview you guys had with him.
• 4:29
  Speaker 5: Oh thank you, we forgot you forgot that. By the way,
• 4:32
  Speaker 5: he has some experience playing short so he's done okay
• 4:34
  Speaker 5: in his career too, so if he's back, he can
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  Speaker 5: be the guy. All right, onto the Braves way you
• 4:38
  Speaker 5: guys have the Angels have decided. We're bringing in Travis Darna,
• 4:41
  Speaker 5: We're bringing in Jorge Soilaire, Ron Washington, Eric Young, bo Porter.
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  Speaker 5: All these guys are from the Braves. What is Perry
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  Speaker 5: aminaising in love with the Braves for and then also, yeah,
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: you say Kakuchi came in also he's not a Brave.
• 4:53
  Speaker 5: But the rest of these guys are a bunch of
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  Speaker 5: veteran guys coming in from a winning organization.
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  Speaker 4: What can they bring to the table.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I have a hard time with
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: the Braves. But obviously Perry has got a lot of
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  Speaker 1: ties to the Braves. But it's you know, for me,
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: it's like, I look at the Braves. They're spending more money.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: I mean they if you look, they've got a really
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  Speaker 1: balanced payroll in terms of a lot of guys you know,
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: making a decent amount, and they've signed a lot of
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: their young players early on. I mean, it's that's the
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: Braves way to me. I mean, I don't think the
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: Angels have hit that. They have some players that have
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: ties to the Braves, but they need to they need
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: to do a lot of things differently to be anything
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: close to what that organization is has you know, accomplished
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: in the last you know, five six, seven years, really
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  Speaker 1: getting back longer than that.
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: Yeah, So, I mean.
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  Speaker 1: They have some guys there that have that have ties,
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: but that's to me, it rings a little hollow.
• 5:38
  Speaker 4: I think that you know individually.
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: Obviously, a guy like Travis Darnaut is a you know,
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: really experienced big league catcher I think will help, you know,
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: player like Logan Ohapi who isn't but has a lot
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: of potential. You know, I think on an individual basis,
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: you know south Asano, I mean, Boris Laire. These guys
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: have won, and these guys have really accomplished but a
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: bit in the game, and so it doesn't hurt to
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: have them there. But I don't I don't see the
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: Angels molding themselves in the braves, you know image at
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  Speaker 1: this point, just given the fact that you know, they
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: lost ninety nine games last year and their offseason so
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: far has been incredibly incomplete.
• 6:11
  Speaker 5: Sam, you didn't say Mike frost had their head athletic
• 6:13
  Speaker 5: trainer too. I mean, if you leave out Frosty, then
• 6:18
  Speaker 5: I don't know that you can come on FT as
• 6:19
  Speaker 5: often if you're leaving out my guy Frosty. But yes,
• 6:24
  Speaker 5: everybody loves Frosty. But what about rend Dome Perriman Agian
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  Speaker 5: came on here and said he's going to have to
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  Speaker 5: earn his spot, and you've already talked about Renhifo possibly
• 6:34
  Speaker 5: or Christian Moore, if Renhifo, you know, moves slides over there,
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  Speaker 5: You sit there and you go, is this a case
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: where they're going to buy him out of his contract?
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: They're going to cut him and eat the rest of
• 6:45
  Speaker 5: his contract during this season.
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: I don't think I would be very surprised if it
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: happens before the season starts, and they've got a kind
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: of history.
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  Speaker 4: I mean, justin Upton a couple of years ago.
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: Obviously they let him, you know, see how he didn't spring,
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  Speaker 1: and then they weren't happy with it and cut him
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: before the right before the season started. You know, you
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: look at Albert pooh Holes again.
• 7:04
  Speaker 4: You know that was in May.
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  Speaker 1: I believe of twenty twenty one that you know, both
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: of those guys were on the last year of their deal.
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  Speaker 1: I just don't see, and I don't think the front
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  Speaker 1: office really sees already being willing to part with you know,
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: over seventy six.
• 7:17
  Speaker 4: Million dollars ode to Rendon.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: You know that being said, if it happens during the season,
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: I mean, you know, ultimately he gets hurt.
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  Speaker 4: He's unproductive.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, he hasn't a home run since July twenty three.
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: I mean, this is a player that has has lost,
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  Speaker 1: you know, so much of what made him really great
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  Speaker 1: when he was with the Nationals, and I don't put
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: that on him. I mean, that's just the natural progression
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: of aging to some extent, you know, and who knows.
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: I mean, anything's possible. I mean, he can come back
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: and be you know, semi productive, I think, But if
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: he's not, I wouldn't be surprised if at some point
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: during the season he's like, I just don't think it
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  Speaker 1: will happen before the year. I think they're gonna they're
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: gonna give it a go. And you know, I don't
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: know if he'll be this every day starting third baseman,
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: but you know, they might want to have him be
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: a backup first baseman, backup third basement. I could see that,
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: maybe even second base here and there. But I think
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: they're going to try to get creative with him and
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: hope for the best and hope to keep him on
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: the field as much as you know he possibly can.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: Sam, what's it like. Does that situation actually get felt
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: in the clubhouse because you're in the clubhouse almost every day,
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: or is there more talk and noise about it? You know,
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: in the public sphere, we certainly get a lot of
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: questions and see a lot of comments whenever Rendon is
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: brought up because he's a super highly paid player that
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: definitely is not the most in love with baseball. So
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: does the clubhouse does the organization feel it when he's there?
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: That's what I'm always curious about, because I'm like, if
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: that's the case, why are you going to let that
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: ruin your season when you're not getting the production on
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: the field anymore.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: I you know, I think you'd have to give some
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: players some truth, seram. But I don't think it's a
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: huge deal in the clubhouse because you know, some of
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: these guys are younger players, and you know, at the
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: end of the day, like they're not really concerned about Renton, right,
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: They're concerned about, you know, developing themselves. You know that
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: they can be big league players trying to win some
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: games here and there. It's it's been a struggle to
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: do that obviously, So I would be surprised. I mean,
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: I'm sure there's probably players in that clubhouse who see
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: him making the money he's making and not playing and
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: you know, coming in the media and talking about how
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: he's you know, not prioritizing or baseball is not his
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: top priority or whatever, and just kind of being antagonistic
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: and feeling like, well, I you know, I could never
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: get away with that, and there's probably some resentment there.
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: But if I had to guess, I mean, this is
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: you know, the fans are the ones who probably feel
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: the worst about this. They're the ones who have followed
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: this story for five years. There's almost nobody on the
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Angels who's been on the roster that long to kind
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: of see how this is all played out or is
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: here when when they signed him, So, you know, I
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: think this is more of a public issue.
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: I think it's a front office issue.
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: I think it's an ownership issue, and probably at you know,
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: at the coaching staff level too. But in the clubhouse,
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: I don't think like these guys are sitting here angry
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: at Randon or wanting him gone. It's it's it's the fans.
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: And I don't blame the fans. I mean, you know,
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: if I was an Angels fan, I would probably feel
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: that way. It's it's you know, frustrating watching the guy
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: that's getting paid that much not played.
• 10:03
  Speaker 5: You talk about the fans, this might hurt their feelings.
• 10:05
  Speaker 5: You might lose some subscribers. Where are they going to
• 10:08
  Speaker 5: finish in the division?
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: If I said they were gonna be good, that's what
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: would make me lose subscribes. I just people all be
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: honest truth there. And I mean I don't think they're
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: I don't think they're they're off season.
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: I mean, last.
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: Time Perry really came out and talked to that, well,
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: he talked to the Winter meetings, but before that was
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: November twenty seventh, and he said, after they signed Kakuchi
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: that day, they said, you know, they're going to be aggressed.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: They're going to remain aggressive. They're going to continue to
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: make a lot of changes to this roster. And since
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: that day, the only addition they've made is Chuckie Robinson
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: as like a third string catcher. And they also picked
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: a be guy in the Rule five drafts. So they've
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: they've done almost nothing in.
• 10:39
  Speaker 4: The last.
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: Yeah major league deals right then, I'm sorry, you know,
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: and they got J. D. Davis and Anderson. They've got
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: you know, Yolmer Sanchez the other day, so they've got
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: you know, it was some White Sox players, but you
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: know they're they're there West.
• 10:56
  Speaker 4: What's that talked about the Braves.
• 10:58
  Speaker 5: They're White Sox West now, Jackie Robinson, Tim Anderson, Yolmer Sanchez,
• 11:05
  Speaker 5: who else, I mean, who other? What other ex White
• 11:07
  Speaker 5: Sox can we throw in there.
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: It's funny because the White Sox had they just did.
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: White Sox just hired Phil Nevin, they hired they have
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: the Marcus Tims, they have Matt Wise and Drew by
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: Terror on their coaching staff, all guys who've been with
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: the Angels in the last couple of years.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: So the Angels Midwest, Yeah, the Angel that would actually
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: be a pretty big improvement. I mean, I know it
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: was a what the worst season in franchise history for
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: the Angels last year? Was it their worst win loss?
• 11:33
  Speaker 4: Yes, but you know what White all that, the.
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: White Sox would call that big, big improvement. The nine games.
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: The Angels lost ninety nine, the White Sox lost one
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: twenty one and they face each other opening Day this year,
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: so some something's got to give.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: So I will say, I mean, you know a lot
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: of Angels fans watch this show, including on the TV side.
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: It's not great right now, but your team was twenty
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: two games better than the White Sox, and yeah, you
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: did a lot in the off season, so I do right,
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: Like you might not love every move, but if you
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: look at where those two teams were last year, okay,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: and then what they did this offseason, it is a
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: big difference. You are a big tier up from what
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: Chicago is dealing with right now on the South Side.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: I just don't think Angels fans are trying to compare
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: themselves to what the White Sox are. And you know,
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: I mean, they lost ninety nine games and they have
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: made some moves, but they're not They're not in the
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: mix for big name players, and I think that's what
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: frustrates people the most because that's always been a place
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: where they've been, you know, at least, you know, in
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: the mix here, and they're just they're watching guys go
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: left and right that they you know, Angels fans have,
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: you know, and it's so often the Angels' names are
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: are attached to these players and it just doesn't really
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: pan out. And it's unclear if it's because teams they
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: don't want to sign them or the players don't want
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: to complay there, But you know, I think it's I
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: think it's a tough spot. I mean to answer your question,
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: like I would you know, I'm not really sure I
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: would put them in fifth right now.
• 12:57
  Speaker 4: I mean, it could be like they could a lot
• 13:00
  Speaker 4: of people.
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: The divisions I think wide open, so there's an opportunity
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: for them to do really well. But I look on
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: paper right now, I don't think they're better than any
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: other team in the AL West, and that's you know,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: it's a tough spot to me.
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: You know, there's actually had a really nice second half
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: of the season. So we'll see what happens. Okay, but
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: I do like the plan of at least bringing some
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: of what the Braves did over to Anaheim. They can't hurt.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: They've done a lot of things well. Sam will try
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: and keep the glass half full. Thanks for the time,
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: Good to see you again.
• 13:31
  Speaker 4: We'll see what happens. Thank you for having us.
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: You will see, We will see.