Will Angels suffer from loss of clubhouse leaders Freese, Aybar?

Despite a quiet winter, the Angels did experience a fair amount of turnover in one important area of their roster. The left side of the infield played a particularly prominent role in the clubhouse, but both David Freese and Erick Aybar are employed by different teams in 2015.

New shortstop Andrelton Simmons and third baseman Yunel Escobar are filling some unique shoes.

“I think clubhouses seem to turn over every year to some degree,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “I think Erick Aybar in particular, this guy was really important to everybody in that clubhouse. We replaced the guys who came over have great make-up, great chemistry.” Continue reading “Will Angels suffer from loss of clubhouse leaders Freese, Aybar?” »

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Texas Rangers acquire Alex Rios from the Chicago White Sox.

The Texas Rangers have been in the market for a right fielder ever since Nelson Cruz was suspended for the remainder of the regular season — 50 games — for alleged performance enhancing drug use. David Murphy started in right field in Anaheim that night, and you might recall how that went.

So on Friday the Rangers and White Sox worked out a trade that sends Rios and cash to Texas for a player to be named later, expected to be minor leaguer Leury Garcia.

In 28 at-bats over seven games against the Angels this season, Rios has batted .357/.379/.714, with two home runs and six RBIs. The Rangers and Angels play seven more times before the season is over, giving the Angels just one more thing to look forward to in an increasingly long season.

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Angels stand pat at deadline; Houston Astros don’t.

The Angels did not consummate any deals in the final hours before baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline, but one of their division rivals made a significant move.

The Houston Astros traded starting pitcher Bud Norris to the Baltimore Orioles, reportedly receiving a pair of minor-leaguers, L.J. Hoes and Josh Hader, and a 2014 draft pick, in return.

That’s of significance to the Angels, who faced Norris four times this season and scored one run in 28 innings. Norris’ 0.36 earned-run average against the Angels was his best against any team he faced at least twice. The Angels are scheduled to play Houston six more times this year, but won’t face Norris’ Orioles until next season.

Yesterday, the Angels traded Alberto Callaspo to the Oakland A’s for minor-league infielder Grant Green. While they were rumored to have made infielders Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick available to other teams, both players remained Angels through the non-waiver trade deadline at 1 p.m.

Teams can still make trades through August 31 if the players involved pass through the waiver system unclaimed.

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One more thought on the Vernon Wells trade to the New York Yankees.

I had the chance to ask a veteran baseball guy — not a team employee, but someone with decades of experience in different facets of the game — about the Vernon Wells trade on Monday. Specifically, is there such a thing as an “unmovable contract” if Wells gets traded twice after signing a seven-year, $126 million deal?

“The economics of the game have changed so much in the last one, two seasons,” he said, “between cable revenue and MLB revenue sharing, unmovable contracts are looking movable to teams that have money.”

Keep that in mind in 2014, when Albert Pujols‘ salary jumps to $23 million, and gradually escalates before expiring in 2021. Or in 2015, when Josh Hamilton‘s salary jumps to $25.4 million, or 2016 when Hamilton becomes a $32.4 million man.

Who knows where the economics of the game will be then, but don’t call either contract unmovable.

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