The Angels are looking to lock up a trio of core players.
The Los Angeles Angels are open to extending right-handers Garrett Richards and Huston Street, as well as catcher Chris Iannetta, per MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. The trio proved to be crucial parts of the Angels' success last season, so it is quite reasonable that the club would want to extend them long-term. Both Iannetta and Street are currently slated to be free agents next winter, while Richards is just entering his first year of arbitration eligibility.
The 26-year-old Richards had a breakout season in 2014, emerging as the club's ace. In 168.2 innings pitched, he posted a 2.61 ERA, 139 ERA+, 2.60 FIP, 3.22 K/BB, 4.6 WAR, and league-leading 0.3 HR/9. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a knee injury in August that cost him the final part of the season, and may put a damper on any extension talks as the two sides try to see if he returns to full health.
As a Super Two player eligible for arbitration for the first time, Richards and the Angels are currently engaged in a negotiation that has yet to be settled. The two sides are scheduled to hold an arbitration hearing on February 11th, per the Los Angeles Times' Mike DiGiovanna, with a sizable gap in exchanged figures, as the Angels have offered $2.4 million and Richards has asked for $3.8 million. Per DiGiovanna, the Angels and Richards have also yet to discuss a multi-year deal.
The Angels dealt away catcherHank Conger in November, leaving Iannetta without any competition to retain the starting job in 2015 (though they did pick up prospect Carlos Perez in the Conger deal). Iannetta has quietly been a real asset for the Angels behind the plate since GM Jerry Dipoto and co. acquired him from the Rockies prior to the 2012 season. Over the past three years with the Angels, he has hit .238/.357/.386 with a 113 OPS+ and a 6.2 WAR, though he has been oft-injured and isn't the greatest pitch framer. Nonetheless, Iannetta is among the most patient batters in the game, and is well above-average offensively for a catcher.
Street, meanwhile, was acquired in a mid-season deal with the San Diego Padres last season, and was lights out for the Angels down the stretch, notching a 1.71 ERA in 26.1 innings with the club (he had a 1.37 ERA with 41 saves, a 229 ERA+, and 4.07 K/BB in 59.1 total innings). Street, who will make $7 million in 2015, has apparently already been approached by the Angels regarding an extension, per Gonzalez. Interestingly, as Street told Gonzalez in November, the 31-year-old closer plans to represent himself in negotiations.