--The Angels will be represented by two players on the American Division team in the Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League. RHP David Herndon and OF Chris Pettit were selected for the exhibition game. Herndon, 23, was 3-7 with 17 saves in Class A last season, while Pettit, 24, hit .248 in 61 games at Class AA, where he was limited by injury this season.
--INF Maicer Izturis began working out with the Angels during their brief stay in the postseason. Izturis had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and is expected to recover fully in time for spring training.
--Six Angels players are expected to play in the Dominican Republic winter league for the Estrellas club, for which Angels coach Alfredo Griffin is a coach: OF Reggie Willits, INF Brandon Wood, Cs Ben Johnson and Bobby Wilson, RHP Shane Loux and OF Brad Coon.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5-15 -- Angels' record in playoff games since 2003.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's going to be with me for a while. It's frustrating. ... I could have sworn to you we were going (to the World Series). I was so happy and confident. If any team I was part of was going to go all the way, this was it." -- OF Torii Hunter, on the team's first-round playoff exit.
The Angels thought they had put together a team capable of winning the team's second championship. It didn't work out that way, and now they are faced with some difficult contract decisions. While the roster that won 100 games for the first time in franchise history might be worth keeping together for another run at the World Series, financial pressures make that all but impossible.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The addition of 1B Mark Teixeira in midseason seemed to fill the Angels' gaping need for a dangerous presence in the middle of their lineup to team with OF/DH Vladimir Guerrero. Now they have to decide if they are willing to pay what it will take to keep Teixeira. That is just the biggest of several offseason questions the front office will have to address. "I think it's pretty obvious it's going to be tough to keep every piece in that room here. That's the reality of it," manager Mike Scioscia said.
FREE AGENTS: RHP Francisco Rodriguez, 1B Mark Teixeira, RHP Jon Garland, OF Juan Rivera, LHP Darren Oliver, LF Garret Anderson.
Teixeira should be the Angels' top priority. But re-signing him will take a clash of negotiating styles between the Angels (who like to move quickly) and Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras (notorious for playing the market out to get his clients the most money possible). Rodriguez is as good as gone after his record-setting season. There are cheaper in-house alternatives in Scot Shields and Jose Arredondo. If the Angels can save enough money on some decisions (like letting Rodriguez and Garland go), they could become players for free agent LHP CC Sabathia as well.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: 3B Chone Figgins, RHP Ervin Santana, C Mike Napoli, INF Maicer Izturis, INF Robb Quinlan.
Santana figures to get a big raise after his 16-7 season during which he finished among the AL leaders in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts and ERA. Figgins is in a more tenuous position after a subpar season in 2008. He could become a chip the Angels use in trade talks. The Angels are likely to make offers to Napoli, Izturis and Quinlan and get them re-signed before any arbitration hearing.
IN LIMBO: LF Garret Anderson, whose contract option for 2009 was declined by the Angels, holds nearly every franchise record for a position player and still has some skill (as shown by his .335 batting average after the All-Star break this season). The Angels will have 15 days after the end of the World Series to negotiate with him.
