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Tony Reagins Prolong Woes, So Angels' Fans Might As Well Boycott

Bleacher Report
Dec 16, 2010

It's as if spirit has suddenly vanished on Katella Ave.; almost as if the Angels couldn't care less in revamping an inactive ballclub faced with tremendous emptiness and shame, unable to lure a blockbuster free-agent in an offseason attempt.

Before, the well-respectedย ballclub that residesย nearย Disneyland wasย as popular as the other team in town and the city of Anaheimย had beenย emblazoned with seas of red attire to adore the best baseballย franchise in town.

At this point, the Angels are in oblivion,ย even if this isย one of the main attractions in Orange County, even if this is one of the most mediocreย clubs in baseball and even if Tony Reagins, the inept Angels general manager, is a toxic waste in a town thatย once was accustomed to postseason splendor.

These days, as the Halo in the parking lot of Angel Stadium doesn'tย brighten the sky as much, the organization is failingย so miserably toย improveย and helplesslyย transforms intoย dysfunction.

It was one ofย baseball's well-operated businesses, until the owner Arturo Morenoย purchased the franchise when the Waltย Disney Co. decided toย relieve itself of the responsibility in running a profitable business.

And just as much as he downplays the magnitude of becoming the first Hispanic owner, heย pathetically denies to confess that he has sabotaged the Angels and disgustedย devoted fans in a depress community, unlessย theyย driveย down the street and spend countless hours at Disneyland toย release all the disillusionment and affliction.ย 

Beyond theย duplication ofย his failures as owner, so largelyย that fans are bickering in an outcry forย losingย on every bid thisย winter, it has lifted the insanity andย the sport has strangely teetered.

For all the belief thatย theย polarizing Bill Stoneman,ย the former general manager who built the Angels World Seriesย championship team,ย wasn't aggressive in reaching deals or assemblingย talent,ย he's nowย truly missedย since stepping down after eight years.

And yet, what turned into futility to expand upon theย twinge of unsuccessfulness, the malcontent fans might as well just boycott the Angels next season, until Reagins is canned by his softheartedย boss and until the Angels make adjustments,ย erecting a profound club and reinstalling exuberance.

The Angels are wrapped in tremendous disarray, untilย Moreno isย reluctant in believing inย Reagins' horrendous implosionsย as a nugatory executive,ย reliedย on to renew a depleted and lifeless culture. Reagins, by further note, isn't criticizedย of hisย botched inactivityย after he hasn'tย solidified or rehabilitated normalcy.

Whatever it is, he's poorly tearing down theย essence of Angelsโ€™ baseball, ruining aย franchise that has plunged mightily andย he is heavily notย suitable for the task.

The Angels were never on the verge of pulling off a valuable deal to benefit long term, nor were theyย considered likely the favorites of the AL West, but blameworthy losersย andย could replicateย another awful season.

Honestly, the deranged Angels couldn't care lessย about winning a World Series, letย alone spending wisely on a few leading candidates, losing on Carl Crawford andย Cliffย Lee.

What theย hell?

It's not particularly hard toย notice that the Angels are cheesy in the way they run aย lousy business,ย unless you are blind or either in denial. Every season, this time,ย it's a suspensefulย scenarioย and the Angels constantly keep the fans guessingย on any potentialย upgrading pieces.

But in the end,ย whileย other franchises bid aggressively for the best slugger or aceย available, the Angels are deprived of putting togetherย the repertoire of necessary players, befitting for rising into topย contentionย in a ripened division.

In all, it figured that the Angels wereย endangered of losing Crawford based on its history in the past, even if they informed other clubs he was a targeted free-agent amid theย pursuit.

The most recent story in the midst of such a misunderstanding, around the time when teams are actively upgradingย to add missing pieces, is that Reagins acknowledged he was busyย calling other organizations. For now, it's not easyย to believe a damn thing and it feels sometimes as ifย he'sย overwhelmed by a shortage of finances, unsure whether or notย he desires to ensure a player of a long-term deal.

"I think when you hear the marquee names being shopped around or portrayed in the media as 'that player is coming to your market,' there's an excitement level, and then when he doesn't come, obviously there's some disappointment by some." Reagins said.

If you haven't notice, he's been saying the same thing repeatedlyย during his tenure and still, he hasn't done anything to reform the defenseless Angels.

"But you have to go and play 162 games everyย year," he said.ย And being able to add bullpen pieces are significant. When you don't have those pieces and your bullpen doesn'tย perform the way it can, it can really show itself. I'd ratherย have those pieces than not have those pieces, I can say that."

I'd ratherย have a dignified player, too.

In an effort to not fortify a misplaced era, the Angels aren't anywhere near returning to its usual form.

So the understanding, for some, is that the Angels prolongsย an epidemic of woes, wrongly at a time whenย the high-market franchises are rebuilding and aimingย to rightfully be the elites of baseball.

This is the town thatย Markย Teixeiraย was traded to as a rental and then hightailed his way to New York, where he signedย a sizable deal with the Yankees.

This is the town that Paul Konerko turnedย down millions, just to stay in the Southside of Chicago, a place he gladly calls home.

This is the town that had a chance to bid for Lee and, at one point,ย had been in the sweepstakes to potentially finalize an unforeseen deal with the unhittable ace, but as usualย the Angels lagged, allowing the Philliesย to present a fittedย amountย andย stun the baseball world byย signing theย peerlessย left-hander.

This is the town that was in the running for Roy Halladay in midseason, butย opted to rebuff interest inย grabbing the Cy Young winner.ย 

When it comes to baseball in aย tepid town that hasย dysfunctional owners, oddly enough, fans tend to becomeย furious with the lack ofย aggressiveness in addingย a relentless texture.

There has been, on the other hand,ย gossip that teams from smaller markets withย limited profit are forced to overpay to attract top-tier free-agents.ย And believe it or not, it's very obvious these days.

The latestย dealย of insanity cameย on a $126 millionย contract for Jayson Werth that the Washington National foolishlyย gave to a role player who had a fairlyย superb season as an outfielder for the Phillies.ย 

Then, it was the Boston Red Sox giving Crawford a ridiculousย $142 million deal. It was, by far, one of the most overpaidย and mismanaged deals in baseball history, butย reports were released that Moreno came close to proposing a contractย within a pricey range.

Hell, the last timeย the Angelsย signed a top-notch free-agentย happened two winters ago, when they brought in Torii Hunter, but since then the Angels famously become known forย offseason blunders.

Ifย what is destroying the Angels isn't visible for people, then either theย folks of Orange County are simplyย humiliated orย could beย unaware of Reagins.

What's more important, for the moment, is theย destructionย and it has held the fans hostage, wondering if the Angelsย were ever covetedย to obtainย one of the finest free-agents on the market.ย 

The situation probably turnsย burdened for the well-respected manager Mike Scioscia. For now, at least, the responsibility of assemblingย a refinable aspect falls onย the skipper.ย ย 

Just the other day, however, it was an amusing party that generated holiday cheers to more than 200 children at the annual Angels' Children's Holiday Party at Downtown Disney's ESPN Zone, but so far, that is as much holiday cheer the Angels have treasured this offseason.

Don't expect much, until Reagins isย given his final paycheck.ย