C Mike Napoli (right shoulder surgery in October 2008) should be fully recovered in time for Opening Day.
OF Gary Matthews Jr. (left knee surgery in October 2008) could miss the first month of the 2009 season.
The Angels were willing to make first baseman Mark Teixeira the highest-paid player in franchise history (and one of the highest-paid in baseball) with a $160 million offer that nearly matched Arte Moreno's purchase price of the franchise six years ago (approximately $184 million).
But Teixeira spurned the Angels for an even more lucrative contract with the New York Yankees, leaving the Angels with money to spend -- but they haven't.
Four players have left (or are likely to leave) the Angels via free agency (right-handers Francisco Rodriguez and Jon Garland, Teixeira and unsigned outfielder Garret Anderson) but the Angels have added only one, new closer Brian Fuentes.
And even with nearly 100 players still available on the free agent market, Angels general manager Tony Reagins feels no pull to spend the money ticketed for Teixeira elsewhere.
"It was out there to be spent," Reagins said. "But that doesn't mean that when the player goes elsewhere, just because of that, you spend it in ways that don't necessarily improve the ballclub.
"If we felt it was the appropriate player and made our club better, we would pursue it."
The result is likely to be a significantly lower payroll in 2009 than last season when the Angels spent approximately $120 million (sixth in the majors).
With one arbitration case still pending, right-hander Ervin Santana, the Angels have 15 players under contract for 2009 at salaries totaling slightly more than $97 million.
Inexpensive young players are likely to fill out the rest of the Opening Day roster and bring the payroll in under $110 million for 2009, even if they lose the arbitration case with Santana.
Reagins insists he has not been given "a floating budget" that changed when Teixeira did not re-sign.
