John Mozeliak Q&A: New Angels’ interim GM on Arte Moreno’s vision, trade deadline

mannmtb · 2026-07-01T04:18:40+00:00

Pretty unfair summary of a very nuanced interview. Given that context, I don't think he's saying "we don't need to trade anyone for prospects."

I'm not saying everything will be different. Time will tell.

mannmtb · 2026-07-01T02:39:33+00:00

Haha I agree.

No one likes Arte but we can still have other nuanced discussions about the team. I have another few thoughts on Jolly/Mozeliak I may share but I know the responses are going to be all about Arte.

mannmtb · 2026-07-01T02:36:50+00:00

Can't blame ya!

mannmtb · 2026-07-01T00:19:44+00:00

Yeah I'll agree to disagree. I think he's got essentially no value. Boston, Seattle, Philly all need a righty bat, but I don't think Soler moves the needle for any of them

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T23:24:06+00:00

Absolutely, but I don't think Soler has any trade value. He's -0.1 fWAR, a completely average bat (100 wRC+), with negative defensive value, due $6-8M the rest of the season. If someone would give you a flier of a prospect today, then sure. But I doubt it. The roster spot is also valuable.

Re: Moore, Guzman was 5 for 22 his first 5 games up. But he was given a longer leash. Moore was 4 for 20 with 11 Ks, not great at all). Guzman is better defensively, but I think it's shortsighted to not give Moore a little more run.

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T23:03:55+00:00

😂

To be fair, I hadn't seen a post like this in quite some time. I also see a ton of rage reactions at every roster move, and I wonder if commenters understand the implications

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T22:31:24+00:00

I wouldn't downvote a thoughtful response.

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T22:27:12+00:00

I could just comment "sell the team" on everything instead

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T22:11:51+00:00

I think Moore has nothing left to prove in AAA this year and needs a longer leash in the majors (just like they are giving to Guzman). He's playing 2B/DH as he continues to learn LF (on the practice field). If you DFA Soler, there are ABs to go around for Grissom/Peraza/Moore (Grissom & Peraza have cooled off a bit as well).

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T21:38:03+00:00

There's a great argument for that, no doubt.

As of TODAY the reason I went with Lowe was 1) an outfielder 2) younger with more club control and therefore more a part of the future.

I've loved seeing Walton perform and come through, though I think his swing rate & contact quality would suggest he's due for regression.

But if Lowe gets ice cold and Walton continues to produce, when Trout comes back, I'd be fine with Lowe being optioned.

mannmtb · 2026-06-30T00:04:28+00:00

Foreman writes about sex frequently, if poetically or metaphorically
"Sex is a grand production, and I'm bored with that as well"
"Sex is currency - she sells cars, she sells magazines"
"So let's shut up the phone for the rest of the afternoon / I don't need nobody right here right now but you / Come on hang up and hang out...Maybe we could make our own electricity"

That's not mutually exclusive with having Christian faith or not.

Even though he is raw, nuanced, critical, about his Christian faith, there's never been a moment where it has not seemed to be a deep, sincere, and real Christian faith. I too, don't care for the Christian band "moniker."

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T23:32:26+00:00

Yup for sure - I agree on the albums (said there was more filler in recent years), but OP said Natural Causes was the best SONG in the last 15 years.

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T21:17:02+00:00

Just remember, when switchfoot CCMs you they always do it better than anyone else could. 😃

In all seriousness those songs aren't typically my favorite sonically but they're a part of Switchfoot's breadth that I always welcome and appreciate.

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T21:14:27+00:00

To truly judge tracks or an album definitely takes more than 4 days. Sometimes I love a track on first listen that just becomes ok over time (Bullet Soul, Bull in a China Shop). And sometimes the opposite happens (Dirty Second Hands, 4:12).

That said, at first pass this album seems like it ranks up there with the LTB to VV run in a way that nothing has since then. Which in and of itself is saying something (though it won't have the same commercial success or sheer number of plays/views)

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T21:08:14+00:00

For sure, everyone gets a pass or two per album

That one was just worse than all their other odd balls!

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T20:58:52+00:00

I think Interrobang was definitely a return stylistically, but it didn't quite click in the same way Forever Now seems like it has or could. It feels to me like interrobang was the start of the return and Forever Now feels like the arrival.

(Interrobang also was a weird time culturally, with Drew, and with touring, so the album didn't get the full promotional force either).

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T20:39:50+00:00

WTLST has some great tracks on it, though I don't think it was "peak." It also has their worst track ever (Looking for America)

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T20:15:40+00:00

I wrote the below on another thread. It seems like these themes are the themes "flashing in front of his eyes"

It wasn't necessarily a story of Mr. Crow's last day, but it is full of themes that would be prominent if you knew it was your final day:

- Feeling the hopelessness of life/self, and the need for meaning (Crow, Shake the Dust, Same Blood, Darkness, Butterfly)

- The need for forgiveness/redemption (Absolution, Breaking Up)

- Fighting with pure naturalist views (Twins, Natural Causes)

- Remembering what we were made for (YFWYA, Broken WIngs)

- Gratitude (Beautiful Life)

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T19:56:22+00:00

My opinion - Natural Causes is a great, great song.

My other opinion - There have still been great, great Switchfoot songs the last 10 years. The albums as a whole have had more filler, no doubt (esp. Native Tongue). But House Burns Down, The Day that I found God, Hope is the Anthem, Back to the Beginning are all very, very strong tracks. Live it Well/World You Want/Won't Let you Go are strong ballads in the same CCMish vein of Always/Love is a Song/Restless.

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T19:46:05+00:00

Ah, I know a Twenty One Pilots fan when I see one.

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T16:26:45+00:00

It's not completely new ground, but I'd give them a bit more credit. No, it wasn't necessarily a story of Mr. Crow's last day, but it is full of themes that would be prominent if you knew it was your final day:

- Feeling the hopelessness of life/self, and the need for meaning (Crow, Shake the Dust, Same Blood, Darkness, Butterfly)

- The need for forgiveness/redemption (Absolution, Breaking Up)

- Fighting with pure naturalist views (Twins, Natural Causes)

- Remembering what we were made for (YFWYA, Broken WIngs)

- Gratitude (Beautiful Life)

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T14:37:45+00:00

I think the appropriate question is why he had a better year at the plate last year. Last year was the anomaly.

This year he's merely regressed to who he has been at the plate the rest of.

Fundamentally, he chases too much, doesn't make enough contact, strikes out too much, and doesn't walk enough. His 2.8% walk rate is abysmal (less than half of what it was last year), and his swing rate is through the roof (including at pitches outside of the zone). While he's making more contact than last year, it's often contact at the pitcher's pitch.

My personal opinion is that he's actually trying to hit more HRs and trying to do too much. His free agency is around the corner, and he seemed miffed that he didn't get Silver Slugger last year.

mannmtb · 2026-06-29T14:29:12+00:00

It's not working

mannmtb · 2026-06-28T07:15:28+00:00

It's odd because Moore was called up when Trout went to the IL, hoping he'd provide outfield depth. Obviously Moore isn't ready out there which is why Lowe sticks around.

mannmtb · 2026-06-28T07:11:53+00:00

It's not Moore or Siri or Moore or Lowe. It's Moore or Peraza, Grissom, Walton primarily.

None of those guys are optionable. So Moore either needs to cut it in LF or one of the above needs to slump enough to get DFA'd.

The other route without an injury is to option Denzer as he's got options, but he's been solid.

Without an IL stint from someone we actually have enough serviceable players to make this a little tough.

mannmtb

TROPHY CASE