Angels to decline Dan Haren and Ervin Santana's options, go after Greinke

The Los Angeles Angels are planning to decline the 2013 club options of both Dan Haren and Ervin Santana in an attempt to re-sign impending free agent Zack Greinke to a long-term deal, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com:

The Angels’ preference, I’m told, is still to re-sign Greinke.

A source familiar with the team’s thinking told me recently that he expects the Angels to cut ties with both Santana and Haren this offseason and focus their efforts on signing him to a multi-year extension.

Gonzalez believes that the Angels plan to decline both Haren and Santana's options during the exclusive bidding window they will have with Greinke so that they can have more financial flexibility in which to sway the Cy Young winner. The offseason price tag for Greinke is estimated to be in the area of six years, $125 million.

The Angels own 2013 club options for Haren and Santana worth $15.5 million and $13 million, respectively. If the club does decide to part ways with both veterans, they will have to cover $4.5 million in buyout money ($3.5 and $1.0). Only if the talks with Greinke fail will the Angels pursue re-signing Haren or Santana.

For more information on the Haren and Santana options, check out our "Exercising Options" series.