RON WASHINGTON, manager of the Los Angeles Angels (Angels photo).

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to say what you think.

Angels manager Ron Washington got in a spot of trouble this week when he suggested that the Halos didn’t have major league-quality players.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Washington was quoted as saying, “We’re going to get some baseball players who may not be superstars, but they know how to play. We forgot to bring real baseball players into the organization. Nothing against those guys here, but they’re not big-league baseball players and they certainly can’t help us win a championship.”

Yikes.

But then he recanted, somewhat. “I misspoke. I didn’t mean it the way it came out, where I’m saying the organization isn’t giving me big league players, it’s players that have to grow into big league players.”

C’mon, Ron. You’re known as a straight shooter. The 2024 Angels, finishing with their worst record ever and dead last in the weak American League West, are awful.

The “best” hitter is Nolan Schanuel at .250. The right fielder is hitting .207. The centerfielder is batting .219. The second baseman hit .170.

Truth be told, this is not a big league team in the original meaning of the term. It’s more like a slightly above-average AAA team. 

However, there is still virtue in patience. Wait ’til next year, as Brooklyn Dodger fans used to say. But if these not-ready-for-prime time players on the roster don’t make a giant leap for Angel-kind, some voices will start wondering whether Ron Washington is still suited to managing a big-league team. Or even this one.