Joe Maddon has seen enough. The former Angels skipper is taking direct aim at owner Arte Moreno, calling out a franchise he believes is failing from the inside out.

Maddon has put Moreno on notice, questioning the franchise’s current infrastructure and lackluster mindset.

In a recent interview with Halo Territory on March 6, Maddon addressed the fundamental issue regarding the Angels’ situation and what they need to turn it around. 

“The infrastructure is not good. I’m just talking about basically the facilities at Anaheim Stadium, the facilities in Mesa, Tempe,” he noted.

Elaborating on the issue, Maddon states how facilities at Angel Stadium of Anaheim and the club’s spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona, fall short of modern MLB standards.

He pointed out that everything from locker room setup to the weight training areas and even batting cages at Anaheim are “substandard compared to what’s going on in the world today.”

According to the veteran skipper, these routine elements play a crucial role in how players prepare for games and recover from setbacks throughout the season. The shortcomings have garnered criticism from the clubhouse, as well.

In late 2025, pitcher Yusei Kikuchi highlighted the lack of air conditioning in the weight room. It causes sweat-drenched players to suffer minor injuries like finger cramps. All of these point to the deficit of renovation for the last two decades.

The spring training home in Tempe is one of the oldest and smallest stadiums, and ranks near the bottom in recent 2025-2026 facility reviews. Although there were some upgrades in the weight room and training space, the facility largely lacks modern amenities, barring high-level recovery and preparation routines.

Joe Maddon managed the Chicago Cubs for four seasons (2015-2019), allowing him to draw a firsthand comparison between the Cubs and the Angels’ facilities. He implied that the amenities and establishments in LA seem insufficient compared to the facilities of the 2016 World Series winner in Chicago. 

Before their renovation, Wrigley was notorious for having some of the worst player facilities in MLB. It was outdated, tiny, and didn’t even have enough recovery spaces compared to other modern ballparks. But to improve the Cubs clubhouse, engineers went underground. There is a 30,000 sq. foot state-of-the-art clubhouse beneath Wrigley Field stadium, roughly half the size of a football field. There’s more.

Hydrotherapy room. Chirotherapy chambers. Cutting-edge weight training facility. High-tech analytics room. The modern age Wrigley finally came to light in 2019 after the Ricketts family’s $700 million+ multi-year investment. In fact, there were changes for fans, too.

Two massive video boards (45 feet high and 95 feet wide) were installed in right and left field.

And none of these were sparkly or luxury additions, but a necessity for big leaguers to grind through the hectic season.

Maddon noted how successful franchises prioritize non-glamorous aspects like investing in player facilities and team operations over high-profile additions. 

“When it comes down to how much you want to spend, don’t just focus on bright, sexy objects, shiny, sexy objects. Focus on the things that are very non-sexy, things that really make a difference.” 

The Angels last won the World Series in 2002 and currently hold the record of longest active playoff drought in MLB. So, Maddon’s call to prioritize foundational investment over cosmetic upgrades rightly questions the direction in which the franchise is headed. 

Joe Maddon’s comments attract scrutiny on the Angels’ direction amid a decade-long playoff drought

Maddon’s comment arrived at a time when the direction of the Los Angeles Angels is already under scrutiny. The club has gone through several managerial changes and roster rebuilds since its last postseason in 2014. This is hard to digest considering the presence of generational talent like Mike Trout and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (now an ex-Angel). 

Trout, despite spending his prime seasons in Anaheim, hasn’t managed to play postseason baseball. Ohtani’s individual accolades, like 3x All-Stars and 2x unanimous AL MVPs, couldn’t push the club beyond game 162. The franchise has failed to capitalize on star power and translate it into playoff success, making some believe that they have given up on winning. The debate intensified with Moreno’s recent comments.

The owner shared that there have been fan surveys, but the details remain unavailable to the public. And he noted that fans are not prioritizing winning right now.

“The number one thing fans want is affordability. They want affordability. They want safety, and they want a good experience when they come to the ballpark. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”

Since then, Arte Moreno has been at the receiving end of criticism. Backlash even came from the MLBPA.

In fact, current shortstop Zach Neto promptly urged prioritizing winning.

According to Joe Maddon, the solution starts with addressing the fundamentals that can improve the team’s overall environment. His players-first mentality, snubbing cosmetic upgrades, matches Zach Neto’s winning-first attitude, throwing a stern warning at the ownership.