It was the same story after another year as the Los Angeles Angels missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. The Angels struggled again, despite the prescience of Mike Trout, as the entire team was unable to win games consistently. Now, MLB and Angels writer Sam Blum has questioned the team's desire to win in a lengthy rant on Foul Territory TV, while also alluding to owner Arte Moreno and the organizational structure.
“You see that the way they are spending in free agency, you see the choices they are making on their coaching staff, you see some of the complaints they're getting about amenities. This is a slow decline,” Blum stated when discussing the last few years for the Angels.
The Angels went 72-90 this season, finishing last in the American League West. This followed the 2024 season, in which they went 63-99, and the 2023 season, in which they went 73-89. Perry Minasian remains the general manager, but has not made the best moves to improve this team.
Blum believes that things have been slowly getting worse in Anaheim and that the Angels' minor league system continues to struggle, both in amenities and talent. Moreover, he believes the operation has not done well enough to instill confidence in the possibility of winning, including roster moves.
“Not a lot of depth there, not a good enough roster or a system in place to really build a good enough team. And I don't think there's an interest in doing it.”
While Blum acknowledges that Jo Adell, Zach Neto, and some of the younger players have played well, it has not been enough. He also noted that Yusei Kikuchi was the most expensive contract in recent seasons and that the Angels hired Kurt Suzuki as their new manager for just one season. Blum believed this put Suzuki in a tough spot and forecast that the decisions they were making could make them the next team to lose over 100 games.
