A former Angel reveals how selling the team could transform it into a top MLB destination for players and fans.
The Los Angeles Angels have been one of the focal points at the start of spring this year, first getting unwanted attention for their inability to broadcast spring games for their fans and more recently because of their owner, Arte Moreno, saying Angels fans don’t prioritize winning.
According to Moreno, it’s not even a top-five priority for Angels fans to see winning baseball. Instead, Moreno claims the fans care about affordability, safety, and a good experience when they come to the ballpark. One would think after owning the Angels for over two decades, Moreno would understand that watching your favorite team win games is vital in creating a good experience at the ballpark, but it still hasn’t seemed to click.
There’s been much scrutiny pointed at Moreno after the comments, and former Angels player Kevin Pillar called out his former owner on an episode of Foul Territory TV.
“He needs to get rid of the team because he really doesn't care about the Angels,” he said.
It’s hard to argue against Pillar, given the history of the Halos under Moreno’s ownership. Since buying the franchise in 2003, the Angels have become one of the most embarrassing teams in the MLB. From name changes that have isolated the team from the community to a lack of on-the-field-success, it hasn't been fun for Angels fans under Moreno for the most part.
It’s gotten especially bad in the last decade, where the Angels have not made a single appearance in the postseason and have zero winning seasons under their belt. With Moreno’s recent comments, it’s easy to see why the Angels have been so bad – because their owner does not care about putting out a competitive roster.
“If [Moreno] really cared about winning, it would be such a destination for players to want to come and play,” Pillar said.
Instead, Moreno has run the team as a business instead of a sports team. His focus is on profit above all else, and the consequences of that have haunted the team for over a decade. Despite being in Southern California with great weather, passionate fans, and playing alongside some of baseball’s greatest players, MLB players stay away from the Angels because of how dysfunctional they are.
Angels fans have been hoping for it for years, but there's no indication that Moreno will sell the team. It’s another example that proves how he doesn't actually care for the team or want the best for it. He’s too focused on money to realize he is the poison that has rotted the Angels organization and made them a laughingstock, not just in baseball, but in all of American sports.