Angels Insider Questions Decision to Fire Phil Nevin

Was he really the problem?

The Angels made headlines on the first day of their 2023 offseason after choosing to let go of manager Phil Nevin.

Nevin certainly wasn't perfect in his tenure as Halos' skipper but many questioned if he was scapegoated by the organization amidst a dreadful season in Anaheim. Sam Blum of The Athletic wondered if this was a fair decision.

"Reasonable people could argue this is not the right decision. Angels owner Arte Moreno will be on his fifth manager since 2018. He doesn’t look inward when it comes to assessing his team, but assigns blame easily. And it’s hard to know how exactly any manager is going to fix this team’s woes. And with Minasian likely set to return, what manager will want to join a GM who will be on an expiring contract next year?"

via Sam Blum, The Athletic

Mike Scioscia overstayed his welcome after failure to win a postseason game past 2009 or even make it to October past 2014. 

Yet, the Angels' constant state of disarray since his departure proves managerial dysfunction isn't the main issue around the team. 

Pricey veteran contracts handed out like candy to hitters in their 30s mixed with bargain bin pitching deals doomed the team for years to end the 2010s. 

Even with Mike Trout's emergence as one of the best to ever play the sport, his playoff drought is now nearing a decade. 

With age came more injuries and ineffective play from Trout and he found out rather quickly that he couldn't carry the team by himself. 

Shohei Ohtani can't even claim a postseason trip for his trouble in his six years with the team and he's all but likely to leave as a free agent in the winter. 

As Arte Moreno settles for another managerial hire, Nevin likely takes the fall for the true issues atop the organization that start with Anaheim's owner.