The Angels didn’t get Masahiro Tanaka, and the deal the New York Yankees gave him (seven years, $155 million) illustrates why they couldn’t even really come close.
In fact, they didn’t much try.
“We did not make a formal offer,” General Manager Jerry Dipoto said.
With big contracts already for Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, and with one coming for Mike Trout, they would have been really painting themselves into a corner in terms of having a ton of money tied up in a few players.
Now Angels fans can turn their attention fully to Matt Garza. I say “Angels fans,” because I believe the attention of the Angels front office has been squarely on Garza for months.
While Dipoto probably wasn’t waiting on the Tanaka signing before deciding how much he wanted to spend on Garza, it’s possible Garza was waiting on Tanaka to see how much he could make.
The Angels aren’t likely to offer Garza any more today than they were before Tanaka signed. It’s not as if they had been holding back money for Tanaka because they were never really close. It’s not as if Garza suddenly became a better pitcher.
The only factor that changed is if one of the other heavy Tanaka bidders is now willing to pay Garza more. Of the teams reportedly serious on Tanaka, only the Arizona Diamondbacks also have been connected strongly to Garza.
Meanwhile, while Garza has been waiting on Tanaka – if that’s really what he has been doing – his leverage has been shrinking with every day off the calendar.
How do you think it feels to be sitting here Jan. 22, three weeks from reporting day, without a job?
And he’s sitting there with Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana, Bronson Arroyo, Paul Maholm, Chris Capuano, Jason Hammel, Joe Saunders and Scott Baker.
That’s a lot of legitimate major league starters looking for jobs without many days left to find them.
Also, Dipoto insists the Angels feel no urgency to make a deal if it means overpaying. They have a rotation of Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Hector Santiago, Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs.
“We are very happy with the group we have and believe we’re in a position we don’t have to add,” Dipoto said.
For obvious reasons, Dipoto won’t divulge much about the Angels’ negotations with Garza or any other free agent, but here’s my guess:
If Garza comes down to something like 3/$45M (with an option maybe) up to 4/$55M, the Angels will get him.
If Garza signs elsewhere – and I believe Arizona is the only place where he has a chance to do better — the Angels probably wait to see if one of the following drops into the $4 million range: Capuano, Hammels, Maholm. It’s doubtful Arroyo would fall that far. I could see the Angels grabbing him if he drops to about $6 million, perhaps offering two years.
Meanwhile, 22 days until pitchers and catchers report.
