- Cashman comments about Stanton may cost the Yankees the g of a superstar free agent
- Patrick Mahomes wants to prove he can still be an elite MLB pitcher like his dad
Nine years after reg as the manager of the Texas Rangers, Ron Washington is back with the Los Angeles Angels -- and he wants nothing more than to stick it to his old club.
The Rangers this month scaled the baseball mountain and became World Series champions for the first time in franchise history. They overcame the Houston Astros, the 2022 World Series champions and their fierce in-state rivals, to reach the Fall Classic. Along with the Seattle Mariners, these teams make up the class of the AL West division to which the Angels belong -- and at his introductory press conference, Washington made it clear he intends to upend the status quo in 2024.
Washington on Angels' sole focus
Speaking to reporters in Anaheim on Wednesday, Washington described what the Angels' focus would be next season, after nearly a decade as also-rans in the West.
"Our whole focus will be to run the West down," the 71-year-old said. "You can take that to the bank and deposit it."
The Angels have not made the MLB postseason since 2014. Their last postseason win -- one game, not a series -- occurred way back in 2009. The Angels have been able to recruit and keep superstar players, but the organization has long struggled to build a sustainable minor-league system and has thus failed to win more than 80 games in any of the past seven full seasons.
Washington, who guided the Rangers to the World Series in 2010 and 2011, will be tasked with ending that sorry streak. But it won't be a quick fix, especially if the Angels' best player leaves the club this winter.
Ohtani looms over everything
It's about time we addressed the elephant in the Angels' room: the free agency of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani has rejected a qualifying offer from Los Angeles and can sign with any team following the expiration of his contract. Ohtani this week is set to win his second MVP award in three seasons, and the Angels would love to re-sign him -- but they have to prove to the 29-year-old that he is better off competing for championships at Angel Stadium and shouldn't the Rangers, or the San Francisco Giants, or the Los Angeles Dodgers.
If the Angels can convince Ohtani to stay, Mike Trout -- the team's other superstar -- will probably follow suit, and Washington would have two players to build around. If Ohtani leaves, Washington will have to build something new from the ground up -- which won't be easy against the strong Texas-based teams.