Should the Angels go 'all in' this year?

Brian Kenny and Jayson Stark sit down for another go at the MLB Now Showdown to discuss if the Angels should go all in this year, if Shohei Ohtani is the greatest free agent of all-time and more!

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[bwestby]

They are only Half game back and they haven’t even hit their stride. The team can easily win a playoff spot. No sense trading him now. Too late.

[raymondspencer]

I would also add in he is Japanese and you have an entire nation following him in Japan so there are the broadcasting rights involved

[terrytitus]

The team has played winning baseball.I like the devolpment of SS Zach Neto, Moniak has turned out to be a good pickup, their is some organizational depth with Jo Adell, very good power bat/5th OF now, maybe Trey Cabbage later this season helps at this point!

[tobyreek]

Anyone who says the Mets have a chance is uninformed. The Mets owner has an open checkbook, but won't be able to cash it due to their losing record. Shohei is making $40 million in endorsements alone in 2023. Yankees Judge's new contract gives Judge $40 million for 2023. Shohei's endorsements alone gets him paid better than 99.99% of all MLB players. Also, Shohei entered left Japan early to play for his legacy, leaving millions on the table. Shohei is picking a team whose playoff ready. The highest $ bidder is not in the cards. Shohei is Japanese, whose culture values honor and legacy over money. Shohei gets the $ bag from endorsement deals alone so no matter what, he gets paid. Shohei is going for legacy.

[rhh]

I am worried about injuries with Ohtani, if he gets hurt for a significant amount of time that’s the end of the season but if the halos were going to trade him they had to do it last season

[wwpjd]

I agree with Kenny that Ohtani could be a waste from a performance standpoint by an injury, but any single player can be. No player will cost more. But from a pure financial standpoint, if he stays healthy for even the first 2 years of the deal, you make the entire value of the contract in endorsements and merchandising. Yankees already sell signs for ridiculous amounts. The price for a sign specifically on Shohei start days or to be behind Shohei when he is hitting would be $10's of millions or maybe even $100 million a year (or multi year deals). They would make so much money off of him in 2 years alone its not even funny. Than, the rest of his career is pure profit. And they made all that money up front and are able to invest it. The interest from investments would be paying his AAV. Purely from a financial standpoint, no amount of money really hurts you with Shohei if you are big market and can capitalize on how much he is worth to the world. The only way his money hurts you is in how much luxury tax space he takes up. But I foresee that amount rising quite a bit because I think players realize that is the sticking issue they have to push for growth in. The game is expanding massively even if the league likes to pretend it isn't. The WBC proved that. In 2-3 more cycles, it will be near the level of WC or Olympics. There are at least 5-6 powers in WBC just like there are in soccer and even more single game upset potential in baseball than soccer. If sold properly, it could be similarly massive as a global game. So luxury tax amount should go up by massive amounts. Every single team needs to invest in foreign superstars so even smaller US markets can grow a global following (like Seattle with Ichiro). It really isn't that hard and I am thinking all this through as I'm typing it with just a Econ undergrad degree. How do the Ivy League MBAs and genius analytic and quant guys not figure this out in the MLB. The growth potential is much larger than the other US sports because their interest is not nearly as global. NBA has China, but baseball could have India if they tried hard enough. And I think the transition from soccer and cricket to baseball is easier than the transition to football or basketball because the intelligence and delayed gratification are much more similar.

[simondaughtry]

I'd love to see Mike Trout carry this team for a series?? My expectations when he is at the plate have fallen way the past 2 years...

[Sam-bqus]

Part of me wonders if Shohei will even ask for the amount of money everybody thinks he will get/he’s worth. He doesn’t seem like the guy who would keen on being the highest paid player. He’ll easily make more off the field from endorsements and other deals

[jmtm-dq]

There’s a risk always but you know if you have the money then you would go try to sign him. This kid is proven MVP, disciplined unlike those players from Cuba or America. Absolutely low risk to my eyes. Plus the amount of sponsorship and sales from his uniform from Asia market is another plus which will save at least 10-15 mil out of his annual salary.

[paraisoinformativo]

Showalter has a tendency of leaving his best reliever stranded in the bullpen when the team needs it most. We all know how the Orioles' 2016 season ended in the playoffs, with a Cy Young-caliber Zach Britton in the bullpen and Edwin Encarnacion hitting a pitch a country mile to walk-it off.

[walterbison]

@0:34 Mike Trout isn't PLAYING for another decade unless it's on crutches.

[TempeLane]

Ohtani isn't coming back to Angels unless he is willing to take a lot less money. Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers will offer far more than Arte Moreno.

[rakusanamu]

Didn't you see Ohtani was one of the best closer ever at the WBC final game?

[aldito]

The Halos got the 2 very best players in baseball. Mike Trout and Shoei Ohtani .And a good team! Not for nothing, Just a little advice.. If you want a ring, don't go to the Mets. If you want a half a billion dollars, then go to the Mets. Steve Cohen will pay you. But you will NOT get a ring !!! -I'm no baseball expert. I'm a Met fan ! / I know. "My condolences". - How the F#$k did I get in to this situation ?

[ftwtwcs]

wow you mean a baseball player can get hurt? I'm shocked I tell you....

[amonrodriguez]

Kinda have too. Every year they have talent but do nothing. Might as well add what you can. Then you still have trout and gotta pay Sho

[aldito]

I have been on winning teams, and losing teams. Losing sucks so bad, that it actually blows !!!

[this_guy_here]

Technically they would make their money anyway .. with fans and jaoanese fans

[recusantvessel]

they should go all in on trading ohtani
get him off that team

[AmorFatiMementoMori]

Trade him, it’s about the future not 1 season that won’t matter. Angels won’t win the WS & keeping him just for a potential playoff spot is more about ego than anything. The Angels can acquire a lot of great talent by trading Ohtani & actually be a competing team for many years.