Los Angeles Angels fans react to Stephen A. Smith calling team ‘irrelevant’: "His opinion of anything baseball related is irrelevant"
ESPN mouthpiece Stephen A. Smith, talking over his co-hosts on "First Take," said that the Los Angeles Angels are "irrelevant." Angels fans aren't taking the words kindly.
Smith normally makes his opinions known all too well during ESPN's football and basketball coverage. However, he made the foray into baseball during a Wednesday conversation about whether the Angels should trade phenom Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani is an impending free agent this offseason, and most expect the pitching/hitting superstar to sign elsewhere for upwards of $50 million a year.
“The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, no one cares about you. I’ve been in LA quite often. I never hear anybody talking about the Angels… You’re irrelevant.” -Stephen A. Smith https://t.co/qDCmi5KhFQ
Smith was in favor of the Los Angeles Angels trading Ohtani, expounding upon his opinion by saying:
"The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, no one cares about you. I've been in L.A. quite often. I never hear anybody talking about the Angels. ... You're irrelevant."
Most Angels fans find anything Smith has to say about baseball to be equally irrelevant.
@JomboyMedia @TalkinBaseball_ His opinion of anything baseball related is irrelevant
@JomboyMedia Why wasn’t he one of the bagillion people ESPN laid off
@JomboyMedia hate when this dude talks anything other than basketball and football
Nevermind that Smith called the Angels the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim," which became the short-lived name of the team after Arte Moreno bought the team in 2003. However, the Angels dropped the "of Anaheim" in 2016.
The team does not actually play in Los Angeles, in spite of its current title. Anaheim, while part of the L.A. metroplex, is a city onto its own, approximately 29 miles away from downtown Los Angeles and has a population of 345,940, according to the last U.S. Census.
@JomboyMedia considering the Angels don’t play in Los Angeles…
Stephen A just wants reactions
@JomboyMedia Maybe he should start going to Anaheim instead
@JomboyMedia Of course, but Did he go to Orange County, where they’re from and play?
Many Angels fans wish that Smith could have been among the mass layoffs of on-air talent jettisoned by ESPN last week. Alas, now he has been pressed into talking about baseball. Worst of both worlds for Angels fans.
@JomboyMedia Bro hasn’t watched a full baseball game in at least over a decade
@JomboyMedia Its amazing SAS still has job.. I wonder how he keeps it? What could it be...??
@JomboyMedia Stephen A don’t know what 6-4-3 DP is so why would I care what he thinks about ball
The Angels, which entered MLB as an American League expansion team in 1961, have been known by many different locales in spite of playing in the same location at what is currently known as the Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966.
The Angels played as "Los Angeles" from 1961-1964, then as "California" from 1965-1996. The locale changed to "Anaheim" from 1997-2004, before referring to both "Los Angeles" and "Anaheim" from 2005-2015, before reverting to the original "Los Angeles" from 2016 on.
@JomboyMedia @Jared_Tims @LockedOnAngels @diego1927angels @TalkinHalos @SuperHaloBros
Stephen A. Smith, no one cares about you. I’ve heard your baseball takes quite often. I never hear anyone taking about Stephen A. Smith….You’re irrelevant.
Los Angeles Angels falling out of playoff contention
The Angels have begun to fall out of playoff contention as of late. Entering Wednesday's games, Los Angeles is seven games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.
The 2023 season had been going well for the Angels until injuries began to take their toll. Los Angeles has not made the postseason since 2014.