The Angels are moving fast to get their front office lined up before the offseason clock starts ticking, and that urgency has put John Mozeliak’s future back in the spotlight.
Mozeliak has had a productive run so far as the club’s interim general manager. His draft approach drew praise, and his trade deadline work brought a needed jolt of upside into a farm system that had spent years stuck in mediocrity under Perry Minasian. On the surface, it looks like a smooth start.
But the big question remains unanswered: will he stay in Anaheim beyond this year?
When Mozeliak first stepped into the interim role, he sounded like someone preparing to hand things off. After the deadline activity, though, he said he would talk with Arte Moreno about the organization’s future before deciding what comes next. That conversation still hasn’t produced a clear answer, and club president Molly Jolly didn’t offer one either.
Instead, Jolly made the timing issue plain.
“Originally we were talking about trying to have that in place going into the offseason, so we are well-positioned,” Jolly said. “This is my preference, to give us the full amount of time in the offseason with the right person in place.”
Her comments matter because Mozeliak’s current deal runs through December, right as the lockout is expected to begin. The Dec. 1 expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement leaves teams with only about a month between the end of the World Series and the start of the lockout. That means front offices will have just a short window to add, keep, or move players under the current rules, which is exactly why the Angels want their leadership settled before the offseason gets rolling.
Jolly stopped short of committing to Mozeliak, and that’s telling. There’s still a path for him to land the permanent job overseeing baseball operations, but neither side has given any public signal that a decision is close.
At the same time, the Angels’ actions suggest Mozeliak still has real backing. He’s already made bold moves, including dealing controllable talent such as José Soriano and Ryan Zeferjahn at the deadline. He also overhauled the pitching side of the coaching staff, with the most notable move being the firing of pitching coach Mike Maddux.
And there are bigger calls still ahead. Kurt Suzuki’s status is one of them, and so are possible trades involving Zach Neto and Reid Detmers.
The Angels clearly want their next move in place before the offseason pressure hits. Whether Mozeliak is the one steering that process is still unresolved, and if he isn’t, the club will have to get the next front office hire right.
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