Letters to Sports: Shohei Ohtani stays with Angels, but is that a good deal?

I did a double take after reading Mr. Plaschke’s column about the Angels and Shohei Ohtani. For the first time in a long while, I completely agree with Bill. The Angels made a huge mistake in not trading away Ohtani for an arsenal of quality prospects.

They have a young nucleus, Mike Trout, and a respectable coaching staff. The players they would have received for Ohtani could’ve been the last few pieces needed to put them on track for a decade’s worth of winning. Instead of growing long-term organizational talent, owner Arte Moreno continues to build his team around one or two big-name players. Mr. Moreno, can you tell us the definition of insanity?

Rob Demonteverde
Brea

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While Bill Plashke’s position is reasoned in arguing that the Angels should have traded Shohei Ohtani, the Boston Red Sox did not win a World Series for 84 years after trading Babe Ruth for $125,000 in cash to improve their club. You simply do not trade away a player of Ohtani’s once-in-a-lifetime greatness.

Scott Bentley
Port Hueneme

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I would like to thank former Angels GM Billy Eppler for introducing Shohei Ohtani to Southern California. The great thing about the Anaheim organization is that they cultivated Shohei to become what he is today.

Do you believe any other organization would have agreed to let him play both ways? Or go out for a year with arm surgery and then let him swing away? I believe that Ohtani and the Angels are a perfect fit to lead the Angels to a World Series and possible world championship.

Dean Connor
Fontana

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Once Shohei Ohtani took the doubt and confusion off the table by saying he didn’t want to be traded, he wanted to charge for the playoffs, the Angels jelled and have been rampaging ever since. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a trade to be made. If Shohei agrees to a deal with the Angels, now’s the time to trade Mike Trout to the Yankees, who are desperate for outfielders and can afford his contract, freeing up the money Arte Moreno will need to give Shohei his 10-year, $600-million deal.

In return, the Angels can shore up a couple of positions and get the prospects they need to not just be a playoff-level winner, but a dynasty. Sounds unthinkable, but it’s the savvy move.

Mitch Paradise
Los Angeles