The Angels are a joke. It all traces back to one man. Fixing it is as simple as replacing him whenever he’s ready to sell. The Angels are in Hell. They’re the hopeless Angels. They’re the bleakest team outlook in the major North American professional sports. They’re tied for the worst record in baseball, matching those Rockies at 24-40. They lost to the Dodgers last night on a Freddie Freeman walk-off homer. They’re in last place. They trailed 7-0 at home against a team that lost 119 games a year ago. Their right fielder missed a fly ball with his glove and volleyed it over the wall with his head for a home run, helping to clinch a series loss against said 119-loss team. Their fans are apoplectic. They are pleading with owner Arte Moreno to consider a sale as the Angels ignore them. Moreno looked into it a few years ago, then didn’t sell. A tease. Mike Trout is being wasted, again. Not that this is new, but the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer is cruising toward his best season since 2022, all for nothing. The owner’s irrationality means the team may not even sell. Pitchers José Soriano and Reid Detmers would help restock the farm system. But Moreno wouldn’t even trade Shohei Ohtani as his team control was expiring in a lost season in 2023. It’s a dice roll whether the franchise will do the most obvious thing that could help it. Ohtani is elsewhere in Southern California. You know how that’s gone. It just doesn’t get worse than this. The Angels’ single smartest grift is that, under Moreno, it will never get that bad. They trick their fans annually by making the team just good enough to sprinkle in a little hope. Underneath the surface, the organization lacks the infrastructure, facilities and personnel to get it done. This season, however, is their 2024 White Sox/2025 Rockies year. The veneer has worn off, and everyone can see it for what it is. The record might not get to 120 losses, but you know a truly bad product when you see it. Franchises in this part of the country will command a massive price. Whoever would buy the Angels, in this particular scenario, would have the financial ability and desire to get a return on the investment. The Knicks take a 2-0 lead to MSG. The story here could’ve been different if Victor Wembanyama didn’t first throw a pass off his teammate’s back and then clang a good look at the buzzer, and we’re sure to hear a lot in the coming days about the young Spurs’ readiness. But an implosion narrative doesn’t feel fair: San Antonio had several gritty spells in Game 2, and Wemby was mostly his transcendent self. The fact is the Knicks, even on an off night for Jalen Brunson (7-of-25), were so poised and relentless that they were always in a position to win. A 13-game playoff winning streak is undeniable, and they’re now just two more away from their first title since 1973. The Grand Slam of opportunity. An extremely chaotic French Open will wrap up this weekend with little starpower but solid intrigue nonetheless. On the men’s side, it’s “if not now, then when” for world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who yesterday beat Jakub Menšík to reach his fourth major final. He’ll face Flavio Cobolli, whose semifinal opponent, storybook longshot Matteo Arnaldi, withdrew with a virus. This morning’s women’s final (9 a.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max) meanwhile positions 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva as default favorite against world No. 114 Maja Chwalińska, the lowest-ranked finalist in tournament history. Should be a fun watch. Hammonds, Indiana, is the Chicago Bears’ priority location after a vote from the team’s board of directors. It’s far from a done deal, but Hammond, Indiana, is the Chicago Bears’ priority location after a vote from the team’s board of directors. Yankees star Aaron Judge spoke about how he got a stress fracture in his rib and his injury return timeline (or lack thereof). SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said there’s no truth to accusations that his conference and the Big Ten are in cahoots to create a Super League. Maple Leafs adviser Cliff Fletcher made a huge imprint on the NHL during more than 70 years in front offices. Ned Jarrett, a legendary NASCAR driver who became one of its most recognizable voices as a broadcaster, died at age 93. The U.S. issued visas to Iran’s World Cup team but warned them “not to sneak terrorists” into the country. Welcome! FIFA meanwhile reversed course again and now will allow fans to bring water bottles inside what will often be sweltering stadiums — at least in the U.S. and Canada. Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor criminal mischief and domestic violence. It’s far from a done deal, but Hammond, Indiana, is the Chicago Bears’ priority location after a vote from the team’s board of directors. The Angels are a joke. It all traces back to one man. Fixing it is as simple as replacing him whenever he’s ready to sell.
