CHICAGO — Angels manager Ron Washington said he “misspoke” when telling the Los Angeles Times that the organization “forgot” to acquire big-league talent.
“We’re going to get some baseball players who may not be superstars, but they know how to play,” Washington told The Times. “We forgot to bring real baseball players into the organization. Nothing against those guys here, but they’re not big-league baseball players, and they certainly can’t help us win a championship.”
The Angels entered Thursday at 63-95. The loss total ties the most in franchise history, and they still had four more games to play. The team has utilized 64 players this season — after using 66 in each of the past two years. A spate of injuries and poor organizational depth is at the root cause.
GM Perry Minasian said he’d next take questions during his press conference shortly after the season ends.
When asked about the comments, Washington wanted to clarify what he’d said.
“I misspoke. I didn’t mean it the way it came out, where I’m saying the organization isn’t giving me big-league players,” Washington said. “It’s players that have to grow into big-league players.”
Washington is expected to return for the second year of his two-year contract next season. He said on Tuesday that he anticipates his entire coaching staff will return in 2025.
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Washington’s comments was his declaration that the organization doesn’t plan to spend on top-flight free agents. That had long been a staple of Arte Moreno’s Angels ownership but has waned recently. Minasian has seldom tipped his hand at how much he plans to spend in free agency over the years.
On this point, however, Washington stuck to his word.
“When I say big-time acquisitions, I’m talking about going out and getting a pitcher that we’ve got to give $30 million to, or go and get a player, where we’ve got to give something like another contract like (Anthony) Rendon or Mike Trout,” Washington said. “That’s what I meant by that.
“I’m not the one that makes that decision, but I can tell you that we’re not going to make acquisitions like that.”
(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
