Inside Sam Blum’s viral Angels AC question, Skaggs wrongful death lawsuit, Kurt Suzuki’s 1-year deal

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Artist, working man in baseball Right now, Sam Blum joins us, writing for The Athletic, covering the Angels among other topics. Sam, great to see you, and we'll get to the crazy court case that's been going on in your awesome coverage of it. Let's just start nice and simple. Kurt Suzuki one year contract. First thoughts.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: I mean, my first thought is it doesn't really matter who the manager is if you're going to give someone a one year deal. And it makes me wonder to some extent if that's what they were offering Albert Pooholes and Tory Hunter and why those you know, those pursuits didn't pan out. Again, I just don't know how relevant it is that who their manager is, if it's going to be a one year deal. I think it's embarrassing. I mean, you know, this is you're putting a guy who's never managed before, which is already a really tough spot to be in an even tougher spot by giving him basically a well, we just won seventy two games and now you've got to go figure it out on a one year deals. We're not we don't really believe in you, we don't really see you as a long term guy. But you know, here, here's a here's a you know, a flyer to see if you can pull off a miracle. If not, then you know, we'll just do this again next year with somebody else. And so my initial takeaway is it's pretty clear that this is a lockout, you know, anxiety or driven or whatever it is, because I don't think Already wants to be paying a manager when that lockout begins, which seems pretty inevitable at the beginning of December of next year. So that that's kind of the way I look at it. And I also look at it as this is Perry's last shot too. I mean, you know, he's on a one year deal. I think that's the only positive in this is that if you were to hire an Albert pool Holes on a four or five year contract and you have a guy like Perry on a as a lame duck GM, I mean you're basically cutting him out of the whole process. You're you're basically just making Albert the GM and giving him the keys to the castle and the direct line to Already. So everything with this organization is always very dysfunctional. This is no different. But yeah, the one year deal is just you're just punting the season before it begins. It's as far as I'm aware. I mean, listen, they could, they could pull off a miracle. I'm always waiting for someone to come and clip one of my comments on the show when they actually pull it off and are good. But uh, you know, I just I don't believe in it, don't. I don't think it's good process and I don't think it's gonna, you know, lead to good results. And you know, especially someone like Curtis, who's really young, who with most of the guys on this team, or a lot of the guys on this team were teammates with him on the Angels or elsewhere. It's just a weird dynamic to step into on a one year deal.

00:02:19
Speaker 3: Sam, you can write into the contract, by the way, you don't get paid during a lockout for coaches, And there are teams that paid their people and teams that didn't. So I don't know that I necessarily agree with that. My bigger question is is Suzuki just wanted to be a big league manager that badly? Because I can't believe that he went into this as a former player, and I know he's He had the quote, I was on one year deals my whole career, but gosh, like he knows going into this, Perry's on a one year deal. I'm gonna take a one year deal because if something happens with Perry, then I'm kind of his guy and I'm gone too, Like, I don't know, it just seems the whole thing is just crazy that somebody would take a one year deal to be a manager.

00:02:54
Speaker 4: I guess managing is that much fun, I guess.

00:02:57
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, there's only thirty of these jobs, so it's like that I think, is that is kind of what the Angels rely on, right, that they are one of thirty still, and so that is always going to be lucrative and interesting to people. You know, I'm sure Kurt is probably thinking I want to be a big lead manager someday. So if that's this is the way it, you know, and I don't know if he if he thinks that that's going to be long term with the with the Angels, or if he thinks that's going to you know, this maybe leads to and you know a lot of people that work from the Angels end up going and having a lot of success elsewhere, and so that might be kind of what he's thinking. You know, you get your foot in the door, you become you know, someone that people can at least evaluate in the role, and maybe you end up performing well as a manager elsewhere, you know, because it's these these chances, you know, if you if you don't take them when they come, that you might never get them. So and I'm if I had to guess that that's kind of the that's was the incentive to do this and probably why they weren't able to land, you know, one of those bigger names that they were certainly going after earlier on in the process. So yeah, in terms of in terms of the lockout, I think there's a I think that and I don't know if it's Perry related. It's you know, it's not the kind of thing already's going to come out and talk about. But the timing of it just I don't know exactly. I mean, again, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why they decided to go on to one year deal or why it was so important for the Angels. But this does not happen. I mean, this isn't something that like the Angels are one of ten teams or you know, there are twenty other examples of this. I think the most recent example, and really the only other one that I know of, is Dusty Baker signing a one year deal with an option twenty twenty in a much different scenario when he was taking over, you know, during that scandal, when he was also seventy years old at the time and ended up I think getting the option picked up almost immediately anyway, so it didn't really matter. I don't think that will be the case here unless the angel start out red hot, Sam.

00:04:40
Speaker 4: Easiest question I'll ever ask you. Do you have air conditioning where you are?

00:04:46
Speaker 2: Yeah? And it's on way too often.

00:04:48
Speaker 4: I will say, Okay, that sounds like a better answer than you got from perrimin Asia. And can you explain what you learn from the not cryptic answers, but the side stepping answers about the amenities and everything that kind of happened surrounding that back and forth that you had with Perry, which you kindly blessed us all.

00:05:12
Speaker 2: With thank you. Yeah, I mean, listen, that's not a new type of interaction with Perry. That is kind of how we response to questions. He doesn't really want to answer, which is typically a little bit indignant, and you know, why are you asking? He always says that's a question for somebody else, which I don't agree with. I know who I'm asking the question to, and I don't understand why he always tries to tell me it's for somebody else, but you know, it's it's that's his prerogative, he doesn't. I think this is reflect The reason I put it out there is I think it's reflective of issues with the Angels and the way that they go about it, the way Perry goes about it in particular, which is to you know, you're not looking inward if you're not willing to listen to your player who's saying that there's an issue here, and you're just saying the air conditioning is great, very cold, rubbing your arms and you know, smiling about it. It's just, to me, is not the right response to something like that. And I think you see the response to that interaction, the way people looked at it. I think fans agree with me on that, which is this is this is not just about air conditioning in your weight room. This is about amenities, which you know, Kevin Pillar on your program, obviously brought up and was I think was helpful in being able to kind of press Perry because it wasn't just one player. It was, you know, a long time veteran of the of the game who's played for many teams, much like Kakuchi it has as well. So yeah, to me, it's just if you're not willing to look inward at the problems and ask yourself why why as have I as a GM gone seventy seven and eighty five, seventy three and eighty nine, seventy three and eighty nine again, sixty three and ninety nine and then seventy two and ninety in my five years, is a GM you're not willing to ask those questions, which it doesn't always feel like they are willing to ask those questions, then I think you're going to go and look at the same record again next year, in the year after that, and as long as you're in that job. So uh yeah, I just I think it was reflective of larger issues. And you know, we saw that they obviously posted a job for an HVAC technician on that day. I don't know if somebody meant to me that they were reposting it that day, which is interesting to me, but I don't I don't know exactly the I have no real insider information is to if that interaction led to them posting that job. But uh, you know, you can make the assumption if you want.

00:07:08
Speaker 3: Hey, listen, First of all, the h fact thing was awesome that it just it just happened, happened to coincide with that. And then the other thing was Perry was a clubhouse guy. He was a clubhouse guy, so he should know that the players need air conditioning. He was down in the clubhouse grinding in Texas for years, right, so he should have an HVAC guy on speed dial.

00:07:27
Speaker 4: And if the players complain.

00:07:28
Speaker 3: As a former clubhouse guy, there shouldn't be a question about it. He should be like, yes, whatever you want, because most clubhouse guys don't tell players know because then they don't get a tip.

00:07:38
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:07:38
Speaker 2: I mean, from all I understand, I think the Angels club's or this is not on them, right, like this is on the organization.

00:07:44
Speaker 4: I never said that.

00:07:45
Speaker 3: I said he was a former clubhouse guy. Oh well, I'm just saying, like I'm saying, Perry the clubhouse people and I've always been awesome, But what I'm saying is Perry is a former clubhouse guy. When the player complains about something, they usually say, yes, how do I fix this or how do I get this done?

00:08:01
Speaker 4: Whatever it is?

00:08:02
Speaker 1: But he asked I saw, yeah, yeah, you can do it.

00:08:04
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:08:05
Speaker 3: No, I'm not complaining about the Angels clubhouse people at all. I'm just saying Perry should know, like, yes, you say, Kakuchi, if you want air conditioning tomorrow, it'll be forty two degrees when you walk in, you have to wear a damn park.

00:08:15
Speaker 2: And the thing is, I mean, listen, like the what I think is kind of lost in this is in the last. This was the last game of the Sea, last game of the season four Kakuchi would he exited after five I believe, scoreless innings and in the middle of his outing because he had cramps, and he said that this was why he had to leave. And you look at the you know, how much money does any team pay per win? Right, like millions of dollars like that. The I think I believe the just went on to lose that game and it, you know, irrelevant. Ultimately, I think it was against the Royals and both teams were out of him. Last week of the season. But you're paying millions of dollars per win? How much is the extra five hundred to fix you air conditioning, which clearly looked like it may have been the difference between a win and a loss that night. So you know, I don't I have to go check and make sure that they lost. I'm not I believe. I know they lost two out of three that series. But you know, it's just to me, like, this is this is why you lose games. It's not always how much you're spending. In free agency, people always wonder, I mean, I already's got a pretty decent payroll at least. He used to why do they keep losing? And it's because they don't do these things right, Like it's because they won't get air conditioning for the players, it's because it's not a good environment. I mean, I just I struggle to see how players really like being there. I know that was part of the interaction I had with Perry, was like, well he likes the environment here, it's not really the question. But I also do think it's relevant here. I mean, I don't you know if you're a free agent reading that interaction, if you're an agent with clients reading that interaction, I mean, who wants to go play for that? I wouldn't. I mean I certainly can't even play baseball. I just wouldn't be my first choice.

00:09:42
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00:09:55
Speaker 4: Nah?

00:09:56
Speaker 1: Right, you got one that's worth something, Now send it in for grading. I mean, the list goes on and you want to sell it. Now, you got to put it up. Then you gotta ship it out. There's one solution for that, and it's called.

00:10:08
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00:10:30
Speaker 1: You can get twenty percent off your first slab pack or card purchase at arenaclub dot com slash foul see what gets Todd father so excited when he gets that digital slab pack. It's like butter baby.

00:10:43
Speaker 4: I thought we were moving in the right direction. They got rid of the tent in spring training for the weight room. Does does and I know this is an arty moreno thing, but does the organization and maybe it's already moreno completely? Do they not see what other organizations do? Were gonna always like, look, they're just only going to look at the Dodgers and say, oh, they spend all this money on this stuff. The Dodgers ten years ago when I played against them in twenty fifteen. In the minor leagues, we're clearing out minor league clubhouses, bringing in all their own organic food, all their own fruits and vegetables for the players, and taking care of their food. That was ten years ago that they were starting to build their minor league system. If the Angels aren't doing that, they're not just ten years behind. They're more than that because other the best organizations are already doing that. Are they not moving in the right direction or are their little things because it can't all happen in one year. And I thought those little things started with the new weight room in spring training.

00:11:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, they added the pitching and hitting lab out there, and you know, the players raved about that, said it was, you know, better than they had other organizations that they played for. But I think that when you look at a big picture the way that they operate, it's that's one thing, and they continuously kind of point back to that as if like that's the only thing that they needed, and you know, it's I don't you know, I don't think that they're really moving in the right direction. And I think it's the opposite. I mean, that's that's a good example of something they've done correctly, But you know, I think the amenities actually it at Angel Stadium continue to lag and it goes beyond amenities. I think I think it's it's you look at the one your contract, You look at who you're going to bring in as a coaching staff. I mean, who is you know, do you are you gonna have cohesiveness between the player development side of the Major League which was a huge issue this year. I just to me, like, these these are the things that they're continuing to lag behind. And you know, they did one very very positive thing with what they did in spring training, but I don't think that's solved all the issues here and certainly not when it comes to their amenities at Angel Stadium, which continue to not be as good. And yeah, I mean on the food front, on the minor league front. Like you know, it's hard for me to say Gevin investigated all these things fully, but you know when I when I did more so in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, the Angels were like thirtieth out of thirty in terms of how they treated minor league players. And I just I don't think they're knowing what I know about the Angels. It's just it does not make me think that they're whole scale moving everything in the right direction. I think that they did something that was good, but it's not necessarily reflective of how the entire operation is running. I mean, I think when I don't want to compare the Angels to like the Rockies and the White Sox at least where they are right now. But you know, I think those those weren't one off seasons, right like that that was that was a slow deterioration to becoming the worst teams ever to play the game. I don't know if that's where the Angels are going, but you see the way that they're spending a free agency. You see their choices they're making other coaching staff. You see some of the complaints that they're getting about amenities, like this is a slow decline. I think that you know, the fact that they lost ninety nine games two years ago is you know, I think a red It should be a huge red flag to people that this is, you know, this is just not a good situation right now with the team. Maybe I'll be wrong, maybe maybe you know, jo Adell zach Neetto, some of these younger pitchers that they have, you know, end up really playing well. But again, those guys had really good years this year and they still were eighteen games of five hundred. It's just not enough depth there, and there's just not a good enough roster and there's not a good enough system in place to really build a good team. And I don't think there's the interest in doing it, honestly. I mean, I just I see what they you know, the Kikuchi is the most expensive for aging contract they've signed in the Perrimanazian era. And I just don't really see the priority number one being winning right now. I mean, if it was, I don't know how you square the one year deal for your manager who's already being put in a tough position as a first year manager.

00:14:26
Speaker 3: It's just I.

00:14:27
Speaker 2: Don't I don't see it. And I don't know if the Angels are going to go in the direction of the White Sox and the Rockies and lose one hundred and twenty games. But I think if you were to look across baseball and ask yourself which team is most likely to be the next on that list, I don't know how it's not the Angels, just because of all the decisions that are currently currently being made.

00:14:44
Speaker 1: One year manager contract is despicable. The entire sports should be embarrassed. And we are so next up and last topic here, and I know there's a lot to it. You are doing excellent work covering the court case involving the late Tyler Skaggs and the liability that the organization has for his death, and that is what is being figured out in court right now. It sounds like it's going to take a long time appeals probably after this. But can you get us caught up on what the current status is like? What are the real standouts that people should know if they know nothing about it? You know, and even people like Mike Trout having to show up to court for this.

00:15:26
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, it's really interesting court case. I mean, essentially, they're trying to litigate, you know, if the Angels are responsible for Tyler Skaggs's death, and they're doing that the way the Skags are they're the ones currently presenting their case. They're trying to do that by making a lot of example showing a lot of examples of Eric Kay being high at work allegedly and the Angels employees knowing about that he was high at work. I think, and there's a lot of evidence that the Angels employees knew about this. I mean, they're showing a lot of text messages, you know, things that were said in deposition testimony. I think what's interesting is a lot of the Angels represented witnesses who are coming in are you know, coming in and having to explain why they weren't able to produce text messages that you know, are appearing on non Angels represented witnesses phones, right Like, they deleted some text messages. They're changing some of their deposition testimony. You know, I try to stay away from analyzing what's happening too much, is because it is a It's not like talking about what you see on the fields necessarily because it's it's a court case, and the Angels are going to have their chance to put their own case on after the Skag side is done, and the Angels are are going to try and you know, basically make Tyler Skaggs had to be a drug addict who had lots of sources of drugs, who you know, was the driver of this and it was just ultimately responsible for his own death. And I think, you know, a reason when people can look at this in a lot of different ways. I don't think this is a clear cut thing. I think it's and that's why it's a long trial. There's a lot of nuance to it. You know, yesterday one of the interesting things that came up was, you know, how much would Skaggs's potential future value be. They asked about that. They asked Trad if he would have been an All Star in twenty nineteen. Trad says he would have been in the mix. And then you know, they had an Angel PR person up there yesterday who was kind of going through why you know, the Angels lawyers were asking why he wouldn't have been an All star why he wasn't that good. So it's I think there's a lot of interesting elements to it. But I think if you really try to boil it down to what are both sides arguing, The skagside is trying to portray Eric Kay is the driver of this, that the Angels were aware of his drug use, that he was using drugs, and this guy and the Angels are trying to portray Tyler Skaggs is as responsible for his own death, and that Eric kay drug use was not something that everyone was aware of and was more in the background and would have been not visible to team employees, which I think they're having a hard time arguing, quite frankly, given some of the evidence that we're seeing. But it's a you know, like I said, it's a living, breathing kind of case, and things evolve, things change, and you know, we'll can see how it develops over the next couple of months, which I think this you know, they said the outermost date for it to end is December twelfth, and I'm thinking it might be later than that. Just giveing the pay is really is quite slow. But they're off today.

00:18:03
Speaker 1: So and that's why we got you on which we were happy to do. We were waiting to talk to you about it better than us. You're inside court covering this great work, Sam, And for anyone that wants more info, there's a ton Just google Sam Blum the Athletic.

00:18:17
Speaker 3: It's a bad look, though. It's just a bad it's a bad look. It's a bad look of course for the organization. I mean, he's going to carry for a long this has been going on for a long know, it's just going to get a shame. It's a shame.

00:18:27
Speaker 4: It is.

00:18:28
Speaker 3: First of all, obviously the loss of life is a shame. Start with that, Yeah, but then the whole thing after me. Now, family's got to go through it again. And I mean, this is just this is this is tough, man. This is every time I see this stuff, I'm just like, gosh.

00:18:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, I wouldn't want to be going through this.

00:18:43
Speaker 3: Mike Trout's up there, you know, Mike Trout's up there on the stand testifying about a former teammate kind of against his team.

00:18:50
Speaker 1: They're asking him if he's good or not, like if he yeah, like.

00:18:54
Speaker 3: You have made the All Star team?

00:18:56
Speaker 2: Like what Mike Trout is the only Mike Trod has a shrine up of Tyler Skaggs next to his locker, and it's really the only memorial of Tyler Skaggs at the ballpark which did come up at in the trial as well from one of the other PR people. But you know, I think that is something I've taken away from this, you know, outside of everything is you know, you have a lot of these these regular people who are having to come and testify and who are probably under a lot of pressure to say it's certain things, and it's it's just really tough. You know, There's been a lot of tears shed in that court room in the last you know, three weeks, by witnesses, by the family. You feel for them a lot. I feel for Mike Trout because it's, like you said, it's it's really not an easy thing to uh, to be asked to do that. And uh, you know, I don't want to put the an I don't want to criticize the Angels on this front because they're fighting. They're fighting a lawsuit has brought against them, and I understand they're that that that right. So but yeah, it's a it's a tough look and I think, you know, I don't know what the what the fallout will be once this is all said and done, I think it could be significant.

00:19:48
Speaker 1: Of course, we'll have you back as more things happen and come out of that case, Sam, thanks for stopping by. Good to see you. Thanks for doing the work there. I know it's not easy.

00:19:58
Speaker 2: Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. You guys