Life after "The Dirtbag".

Jered Weaver

Shortly after the 2010 Major League Baseball season ended, talk spread like wild fire that Jered Weaver's management were already in talks with the Angel Front Office about a new contract.  Prior to the Opening Day 2011 festivities at Angel Stadium, Arte Moreno expressed that the Angels have intent on re-signing Weaver and didn't expect a home town discount.  

But does that fit with the current Angels Front Office operating model?  The Angels over the year haven't exactly been known to pay the big bucks on their own players who reach free agency.  They were outbid by the Mariners and the Red Sox for Figgins and Lackey (although both were probably for the best,) and didn't even attempt to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero or Darren Oliver.  And lets not forget after the 2008 season, Arte was very vocal about re-signing Mark Teixera and was outbid by the Yankees.

The Red Sox and Yankees both have the money and the need of a pitcher the caliber of Jered Weaver.  Could you imagine a one two pitch of Sabathia and Weaver or rotation of Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, and Weaver?  I hope that Jeff Weaver's years in New York left a bad enough taste in the mouth of the Yankees that they won't consider his little bro.  As seen by Cliff Lee, money isn't always the determining factor of where a player ends up, but not everyone is Cliff Lee.  

Weaver had emerged as the ace of this team even before Lackey fled to Fenway.  Weaver became a leader on the pitching staff after the passing of Nick Adenhart.  Jered was elected to the All Star Game last year, but could not pitch.  Weaver led all of Major League in strikes outs in 2010 with 233, just edging out the Cy Yong Award winner, Felix Hernadez.

Deciphering Weaver's next move is a lot like listening to the Clash.  "Should I stay or should I go now."  The Angels have a great relationship with the Angels but not so great with his agent.  The Owners has said he wants Weaver to stay, Weaver has said he wanted to stay, but he even alluded to on the Petros and Money Show interview from Fox Sports Radio, that he wasn't sure he'd be back in 2012.  

Replacing Weaver isn't going to be easy.  When you look at the young bucks of the Halos Rotation, you realize Chatwood baring any injury will be a real good pitcher for the this team.  Haren and Santana are both locked up for the 2012 seasons and have options for 2013.  Piñeiro will more than likely reach free agency after this season, although he is having a pretty good year and miracle withstanding, Kazmir will not return to the Halos in 2012. 

The team traded away a couple of potential starters last year in Sean O'Sullivan and Tyler Skaggs.  Trevor Bell is currently in the bullpen, but hasn't been all that impressive.  Two top pitching prospects currently in AA are Garret Richards and Trevor Reckling.  But jumping from AA to the Majors is a big leap.  I'd like to tell you life after the Dirtbag will be fine.  But I'd rather make a final plea to the Halos Front Office to re-sign Weaver.  

Go Halos