"After coming up empty in pursuit of big-ticket free agents over the past few years, Angels owner Arte Moreno's desired budget for 2012 doesn't seem to have much room to land one this winter.

Speaking to reporters after Saturday's press conference introducing Jerry Dipoto as the team's new general manager, Moreno said the Angels "stepped out of line a little bit" in extending the 2011 payroll to a club-record $142 million (the fourth-highest in baseball). Moreno was convinced to pay more in order to add two free-agent relievers (Scott Downs and Hisanori Takahashi) and take on Vernon Wells' contract (which still has three years and $63 million to run).

In 2012, Moreno said he would like to stay "in that ballpark probably."

"I would say that $130 (million), $140 (million) range we're pretty comfortable in," the owner said.

The Angels will shed three free agents (Joel Pineiro, Fernando Rodney and Russell Branyan) this winter as well as get out from under 'dead money' obligations to two discarded players (Gary Matthews Jr. and Scott Kazmir). But they already have approximately $99 million committed to nine players signed for 2012 (Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and Maicer Izturis in addition to Downs, Takahashi and Wells)."