The Angels have signed 31-year old lefty reliever Mitch Stetter to a minor league deal. Stetter pitched in 41 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 1-1 with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2011 for the Brewers. He has pitched in 132 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 8-2 with 1 save, a 4.08 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Stetter will get a shot next spring to win a job in the Angels’ pen as a situational lefty.

The Angels have declined 32-year old righty starting pitcher Dan Haren’s 2013 option valued at $15.5 million bucks. The Angels bought him out for $3.5 million bucks after a deal with the Cubs for Carlos Marmol fell through at the last minute. Haren pitched in 30 games (all starts) for the Angels last year and he was 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Haren pitched in 79 games (78 starts) in his three years with the Angels and he was 33-27 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. The Angels will move in a different direction in the starting rotation for 2013 after letting both Dan Haren (free agent) and Ervin Santana (traded to the Royals) leave town.

The Angels have signed 29-year old righty swinging SS/2B Angel Sanchez. Sanchez played in 107 games in AAA-ball for the Astros last year and he was 110 of 344 (.320 avg, .797 OPS) with 48 runs scored, 5 homers, 45 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. He last played in the majors back in 2011 with the Astros. Sanchez has played in 184 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 145 of 568 (.255 avg, .612 OPS) with 67 runs scored, 1 homer, 54 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Sanchez is going to have a good shot of making the Angels’ roster next spring if they can’t re-sign Maicer Izturis.

UPDATE: (12/6/2012) - The Angels have lost Angel Sanchez to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 Draft today.

The Los Angeles Angels have six free agents heading into this winter. Here is a look at who I see staying and leaving:

Maicer Izturis: 32-year old switch-hitting infielder Maicer Izturis played in 100 games for the Angels in 2012 and he was 74 of 289 (.256 avg, .634 OPS) with 35 runs scored, 2 homers, 20 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He is going to be looking for a starting job this winter. VERDICT: LEAVING

Torii Hunter: 37-year old righty swinging RF Torii Hunter had an outstanding season in 2012 for the Angels. He played in 140 games for the Angels last year and he was 167 of 534 (.313 avg, .817 OPS) with 81 runs scored, 16 homers, 92 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. VERDICT: STAYING

Zack Greinke: 29-year old righty starting pitcher Zack Greinke pitched in 13 games (all starts) for the Angels last year and he was 6-2 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Greinke pitched in 34 games (all starts) for the Angels and Brewers last year overall and he was 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. VERDICT: STAYING

Dan Haren: 32-year old righty starting pitcher Dan Haren was off a little bit last year for the Angels. He pitched in 30 games (all starts) for the Angels last year and he was 12-13 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Angels are going to decline Haren’s $15.5 million dollar club option and they are going to buy him out for $3.5 million bucks. VERDICT: LEAVING

Ervin Santana: 29-year old righty starting pitcher Ervin Santana pitched in 30 games (all starts) for the Angels last year and he was 9-13 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Angels have a $13 million dollar club option on Santana, but I see them buying him out for $1 million bucks instead. VERDICT: LEAVING

LaTroy Hawkins: 39-year old righty reliever LaTroy Hawkins pitched in 48 games (0 starts) for the Angels last year and he was 2-3 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. VERDICT: LEAVING

The Angels have lost 29-year old righty swinging catcher Bobby Wilson on waivers to the Blue Jays. Wilson played in 75 games for the Angels last year and he was 36 of 171 (.211 avg, .569 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 3 homers and 13 RBIs. Wilson played in 191 games in his five years with the Angels and he was 81 of 389 (.208 avg, .593 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 8 homers and 37 RBIs. This is probably a good thing for Wilson as he has been buried on the depth chart in L.A. The Angels won’t likely miss Wilson too much in the future.

32-year old lefty swinging outfielder Ryan Langerhans has elected to become a free agent and leave the Angels. He played in 2 games for the Angels this year and he was 0 for 1 (.000 avg). He also played in 96 games in AAA-ball this year in which he was 84 for 336 (.250 avg, .816 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 11 homers, 54 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Langerhans has played in 593 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 280 of 1,239 (.226 avg, .704 OPS) with 174 runs scored, 33 homers, 125 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. The Angels aren’t going to miss Langerhans at all in 2013.

The Angels have re-signed 29-year old righty swinging catcher Chris Iannetta to a 3-year, $15.5 million dollar deal. He played in 79 games for the Angels this year and he was 53 of 221 (.240 avg, .730 OPS) with 27 runs scored, 9 homers, 26 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Iannetta has now played in 537 games in his first seven years in the majors and he is 389 of 1,650 (.236 avg, .780 OPS) with 223 runs scored, 72 homers, 262 RBIs and 1 stolen base. The Angels need Iannetta to stay healthy in 2013 and beyond.

The Los Angeles Angels have dealt 24-year old lefty swinging 1B Frazier Hall to the Arizona Diamondbacks to complete the deal for Barry Enright. Hall played in 126 games in A-ball for the Angels this year and he was 116 of 456 (.254 avg, .708 OPS) with 56 runs scored, 13 homers and 50 RBIs. He played in 188 games in his two years in the minors for the Angels and he was 197 of 684 (.288 avg, .793 OPS) with 100 runs scored, 22 homers, 96 RBIs and 1 stolen base. The Angels have 1B in their system that they like better than Hall, so they likely won’t miss him at all moving forward.

The Los Angeles Angels have lost 37-year old lefty reliever Hisanori Takahashi on waivers to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He pitched in 42 games (0 starts) for the Angels this year and he was 0-3 with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Takahashi pitched in 156 games (12 starts) in his three years with the Angels and he was 14-12 with 10 saves, a 3.80 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. This could wind up hurting the Angels down the road, as Takahashi isn’t that bad of a pitcher.

The Angels have signed 31-year old righty starter/reliever Tony Pena Jr. to a minor league deal. Pena pitched in 28 games (10 starts) in AAA-ball for the Red Sox earlier this year and he was 1-9 with a 5.38 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. He gave up 98 hits in only 77 innings in AAA-ball this year, so he wasn’t missing many bats. Pena has now pitched in 124 games (27 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 14-19 with 11 saves, a 4.11 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.