Arte Moreno unwilling to repeat infamous mistake leading to "The Curse of the Bambino" mistake by signing Ohtani to long-term contract
Arte Moreno, owner of the Los Angeles Angels, has said that he's unwilling to make the same mistake that led to the infamous "The Curse of the Bambino" by signing Shohei Ohtani to a long-term deal. Moreno, who has been a lifelong fan of baseball and is well-informed about its history, is aware of the dangers of losing one of his most valuable players.
"The Curse of the Bambino" refers to the sale of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees in 1920. The trade is widely considered to be the reason for the Red Sox's lack of success for nearly a century. The curse was finally broken in 2004 when the Red Sox won the World Series after 86 years.
Arte Moreno is now faced with a similar decision as he tries to retain Ohtani, one of the most talented players in the game, on a long-term contract. Ohtani, who can both hit and pitch at an elite level, has become one of the most sought-after players in the league.
Speaking to the New York Post, Arte Moreno said:
"I’ve loved baseball my whole life, and obviously I’ve read all the stuff on Babe Ruth. It’s true we could have traded him. But how do you get (back) a major league starting pitcher and Cy Young candidate and obviously an MVP type? How do you trade for that? You can’t.”
Angels owner Arte Moreno hopes to keep Shohei Ohtani with ‘impossible’ task looming trib.al/7EQcMzC https://t.co/nN7HG3IxUf
Will Arte Moreno succeed in keeping Ohtani with Angels?
Atre Moreno and his front office at the Los Angeles Angels have done some very good work in the market this winter. They acquired Tyler Anderson, Carlos Estevez, Brandon Drury, Hunter Renfroe and Gio Urshela for less than $100 million, and they have been very clear about their wish to keep Ohatani.
"I’d like to keep Ohtani,” Moreno said. “He’s one of a kind. He’s a great person. He’s obviously one of the most popular baseball players in the world, and he’s an international star. He's a great teammate."
A host of teams will be interested in acquiring the two-way superstar's signature next winter, which promises to be the biggest deal in MLB history.
The likes of the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees are all expected to join the fray. While many insiders believe that it could be impossible for the Angels to hold on to Ohtani, Arte Moreno said:
"I’d like to say we have as good a chance as anybody.”
While Ohtani is focused on the upcoming season with the Angels, only time will tell what his decision will be at the end of the year.