Stan Kroenke has agreed to purchase a controlling share of the Los Angeles Angels from Arte Moreno, signaling a significant shift in the team's ownership dynamic. Kroenke, who also owns the Los Angeles Rams and Arsenal of the English Premier League, is expected to emulate his management style from those franchises, which prioritizes empowering baseball operations personnel rather than direct owner intervention.
Under Moreno's ownership, a period marked by 11 consecutive seasons missing the postseason, key decisions were often traced back to the owner himself. This included major player acquisitions like the $245 million deal for Anthony Rendon and the $240 million signing of Albert Pujols, as well as preventing trades, such as one that would have brought Andy Pages from the Dodgers. Unlike Moreno, Kroenke is known for not micromanaging, instead trusting his hired executives to guide the team's vision and providing financial support for their strategies.
This approach is evident in Kroenke's handling of the Rams, where head coach Sean McVay has been instrumental in team decisions, and at Arsenal, where manager Mikel Arteta holds similar influence. Baseball operations, typically led by a general manager or head of baseball operations, are expected to gain more autonomy under Kroenke. Former Angels general managers such as Jerry Dipoto, Billy Eppler, and Perry Minasian did not experience the same level of independence as McVay or Arteta.
Moreno's tenure was characterized by his deep personal involvement, which, while stemming from a genuine care for the team, often led to decisions made without the necessary baseball expertise. His impulses reportedly influenced outcomes, such as an instance where impatience led to the scuttling of a trade with the Dodgers for Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling before the 2020 season.
Kroenke inherits a team with a relatively clear financial slate for the upcoming season, with Anthony Rendon's contract off the books and only Mike Trout and Yusei Kikuchi currently under contract. The immediate challenges for Kroenke will involve identifying and empowering a leader for the Angels' baseball operations, similar to the roles McVay plays for the Rams or Arteta for Arsenal. This search for the right executive is a critical step, as Kroenke himself acknowledges that there are no guarantees of immediate success, citing past coaching changes with his existing teams. Nonetheless, Kroenke's acquisition is viewed as a positive development, marking an end to Moreno's era of owner-driven decision-making.