Angels may finally have a chance to contend after owner Arte Moreno agrees to sale

In 2003, Moreno purchased the Angels for $182M from the Walt Disney Company, which took complete ownership of the franchise following former owner Gene Autry's death in 1998. That came seven months after Los Angeles won the only World Series in franchise history in seven games over the San Francisco Giants.

But in Moreno's 23 years as owner, the Angels only have two playoff series wins and six postseason appearances, most recently in 2014. He squandered Mike Trout's prime. The active career-leader in WAR has only made the playoffs once, and even generational great Shohei Ohtani's arrival in 2018 couldn't spark a turnaround.

Many of Moreno's attempts at boosting the roster didn't pan out and went against team needs. 

In December 2011, the Angels made a major splash luring Albert Pujols from the St. Louis Cardinals on a 10-year, $254M contract. But after establishing himself as MLB's best hitter from 2001-11 when averaging 40.5 home runs per season and hitting .328 with a 1.037 OPS, Pujols, who turned 32 ahead of his first season in Los Angeles, never reached those heights on his mega deal, slashing .257/.313/.454 with 258 home runs (23.5 per season) from 2012-22.

In August 2013 while reporting on a locker-room incident between Pujols and veteran outfielder Torii Hunter amid a 5-13 stretch the year prior, CBS Sports noted some within the Angels organization pushed back against the Pujols signing, citing power-hitting first baseman Kendrys Morales as filling a similar role and the need for pitching depth.

The contract was "the most expensive example of the organization-wide dysfunction that Moreno has both created and fueled with his temperamental and impulsive decisions," CBS Sports wrote, adding that beginning with his first full year (2004), "Moreno ... fired close to 40 members to the front office, baseball operations department and scouting and medical staffs."

CBS Sports also reported that Moreno was key to Los Angeles pursuing free-agent outfielder Josh Hamilton in 2012 as opposed to re-signing 2009 AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke after acquiring him from the Milwaukee Brewers at that year's trade deadline. Two seasons late, Hamilton was no longer on the team and Grienke led the NL with a 1.66 ERA as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (seven years, $245 million) was another free-agent whiff, last playing in September 2024 and hitting .242 with 22 home runs over the lifetime of the contract.

"We spent most of the time analyzing pitching," Moreno reasoned at the time of his signing, "but when it got down to it, we felt our money in the long-term would be better spent on Rendon."

With change imminent, the Angels will soon have better decision-makers in place. Kroenke's teams have been on a roll this decade, and the Angels will be the next to benefit. The Rams won Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 with the Rams, followed four months later by the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup. In 2023, the Nuggets were crowned NBA champions, and this past May, Arsenal won its first Premier League title in 22 years.

Under Moreno, there was little hope things would ever change for the Angels. But when Kroenke takes over, they may finally grow their wings and fly.