Angels GM Reagins Steps Down; Team Likely To Look Outside Organization For Replacement

Tony Reagins stepped down as Angels GM on Friday in a move team President John Carpino said was a "little bit" of a surprise and Reagins “characterized as his own choice,” according to Bill Plunkett of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Reagins said, "I just felt the club needed a fresh perspective and a different direction." Angels Owner Arte Moreno did not make himself available to the media, but “his statement in the official news release seemed to indicate Reagins' resignation was not as voluntary as Reagins made it sound.” Moreno in the statement said, "Though we finished 2011 with a winning record, we remained short of our objective in winning a championship. In moving forward, we felt a change was needed" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 10/1). In L.A., Mike DiGiovanna noted the move “came one day after Reagins vowed to be ‘creative and aggressive’ in attempts to upgrade the team this winter.” Reagins was promoted to GM after the '07 season, and he “had two years left on his contract.” He said that he “had been contemplating the move for a month before informing upper management of his intentions Friday.” Carpino said that Reagins' successor “probably will come from outside the organization, an indication the jobs of longtime assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland are in jeopardy.” Carpino “would like to have someone in place in early November for the start of free agency” (L.A. TIMES, 10/1).

UPS & DOWNS: In L.A., Bill Dwyre wrote Reagins “was a loyal part of the organization for 20 years.” He was “on duty when the Angels traded away Mike Napoli and brought Vernon Wells on board for around $80 million.” Whether he was the “driving force in those decisions -- the current biggest aggravations for Angels fans -- is not clear and never will be.” Dwyre: “It happened on his watch and his watch needed to end to demonstrate to the people buying tickets and all those red jerseys that 2012 will not be more of the same” (L.A. TIMES, 10/1). ESPN L.A.’s Mark Saxon noted Reagins “had some successes as GM -- swinging trades for Mark Teixeira and Dan Haren among them.” Most recently, Reagins “worked out a five-year, $85 million contract extension” with P Jered Weaver. But Reagins “also had some big misses” (ESPNLA.com, 9/30).