TEMPE, Ariz. — When Arte Moreno finally sat down for an extensive interview, the story was the same, just more detailed.
Moreno hasn’t answered questions from local reporters in three years, but this week he sat with Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci during two games at Tempe Diablo Stadium. In the story, which was published on Saturday morning, Moreno explained why he pulled the Angels off the market and spoke about his plans for Shohei Ohtani.
Moreno said he had three solid offers for the team that would have exceeded the $2.42 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in late 2020. Moreno said he simply decided that he couldn’t part with the team that he bought for $184 million in 2003.
“When you got right down to it, I didn’t want to go,” Moreno said.
It was a similar message to the one he provided in the official statement when the team was pulled off the market in January, although Moreno added that one of the bidders was interested in joining him in ownership of the team.
As for Ohtani, Moreno explained why the Angels haven’t traded him, and added that they will not trade him while they are still in contention.
“People ask me, ‘Shouldn’t you get something?’ But we get to see him every day. That’s not nothing,” Moreno said. “These people get to come and watch the best players. They’re going to tell their grandkids, ‘I saw Ohtani play.’”
Moreno would not answer when asked if the Angels would trade Ohtani if they were out of the race.
“We expect to be a playoff contender,” Moreno said. “Everything in our plans putting this team together is about getting to the playoffs. So, I’m not going to sit here and wonder what happens in an outcome we’re not planning for. That would be like a fighter going into the ring and thinking, ‘What if I lose?’ If he does that, he will lose.”
The Angels increased their payroll from about $180 million in 2022 to about $212 million in 2023. Moreno said he wanted to sign shortstop Trea Turner, but general manager Perry Minasian advised him the money would be better spent on multiple players.
The Angels have not had a winning season since 2015, including none of Ohtani’s five years. Moreno acknowledged that the Angels will need to win in order to convince Ohtani to stay.
“I think Ohtani’s had fun here,” Moreno says. “He wants to win. I think he likes the lifestyle of Southern California. But as he said, ‘I just want to win.’ So obviously everybody who puts the uniform on wants to win a World Series. I don’t care if you’re on the team ranked 30th out of 30, everybody that goes on that field, they’re trying to win.”
LOUP TO TEAM USA
When left-hander Aaron Loup pitched in an exhibition against Team USA on Thursday, he did so with an ulterior motive.
“I kind of wanted to show them, hey I’m over here, you might have forgotten about me,’” Loup said Saturday. “Anytime you face a lineup that like those guys had over there, I always like a challenge. It definitely brought a little bit of the best out of me, for sure.”
Loup pitched a scoreless inning against Team USA, and it impressed manager Mark DeRosa enough that he asked for Loup to join the team after left-hander Brooks Raley got hurt.
Loup did not hesitate in saying yes.
“It’s really exciting,” Loup said. “For doing what I’ve done in my career and gotten to this point to be able to have a chance to go and pitch for your country and play for something as big as this is, it’s definitely an honor.”
Loup, 35, is trying to bounce back from a up-and-down season in which he struggled early and then settled down to post a 3.84 ERA. He has not allowed a run in two Cactus League games or the exhibition against Team USA.
“For me, it’s the best I’ve felt in camp in a long time,” Loup said. “It’s shown the way I’ve pitched the first two or three times. Felt great. Pitching great. Stuff’s been working, so I’ve got no complaints.”
NOTES
The Angels made their first round of roster moves Saturday, sending down pitchers Justin Garza, Kolton Ingram, Luis Ledo, Luke Murphy, José Soriano and Kenyon Yovan, infielder Michael Stefanic, outfielder Bryce Teodosio and catcher Anthony Mulrine. …
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Manager Phil Nevin said the Angels are not “leaning toward anything right now” in terms of whether they’ll use a traditional sixth starter or have that spot be filled by someone who goes between starting and relieving. The top candidates for that spot would seem to be left-hander Tucker Davidson and right-handers Jaime Barria, Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth. Nevin conceded that the plan of using a swing-man would be affected by which pitcher wins the job. Canning, for example, has never pitched in relief, so the Angels might prefer to have him on a more predictable schedule. Nevin said the Angels will make those decisions when “when we get a week or so away” from the season.