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How Good Are The Angels?

By Connor Byrne | December 17, 2017 at 2:35pm CDT

The Angels have employed the world’s best baseball player, center fielder Mike Trout, since 2011, yet the team has never come close to fully capitalizing on his presence. The Halos endured their third straight non-playoff season in 2017, during which a thumb injury helped limit Trout to a career-low 114 games, and finished below .500 (80-82) for the second year in a row. With Trout on their roster, the Angels have gone to the postseason just once – in 2014 – and the Royals swept them from the American League Division Series that year. So, through no real fault of his own, Trout has never even won a playoff game in the majors.

Shohei Ohtani

With Trout set to enter the third-last year of his contract in 2018, general manager Billy Eppler has spent this offseason making one impressive move after another to ensure the Angels finally give real support to the two-time AL MVP. Not only was Eppler able to reel in the offseason’s top free agent, ballyhooed Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, but he also kept big-hitting left fielder Justin Upton from leaving via the open market and improved the team’s infield substantially with the pickups of second baseman Ian Kinsler (acquired from the Tigers) and third baseman Zack Cozart (signed to a three-year, $38MM deal).

The Angels’ inability to find solutions at either the keystone or the hot corner helped lead to their downfall last season, when their second basemen finished with the majors’ third-worst fWAR (minus-0.3) and their third basemen posted the league’s 10th-worst mark (2.0). Kinsler and Cozart combined for 7.4 fWAR in 2017, meanwhile, and the latter was particularly strong during an unexpected offensive breakout (.297/.385/.548 in 507 plate appearances). Even if that proves to be a mirage and Cozart regresses to being the roughly league-average hitter he was from 2015-16, both that and the ex-Reds shortstop’s top-quality defense would still make him a welcome addition in Anaheim.

Now, with Trout, Upton, Kinsler, Cozart, shortstop Andrelton Simmons, catcher Martin Maldonado and right fielder Kole Calhoun, the Angels have an enviable core group of position players (though Calhoun’s the only lefty-swinger of the bunch). Of course, they may yet have another impressive bat in Ohtani, who thrived as a lefty slugger in Japan and will get an opportunity to factor in as a designated hitter with the Angels. Another benefit of Ohtani’s presence is that it should make it easier for the team to limit the at-bats of future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who seemed to finally hit the wall during his age-37 campaign in 2017.

While it’s anyone’s guess whether Ohtani’s offensive excellence will transfer from Japan to North America, he at least figures to be a front-line starting pitcher if healthy. That’s not a given, unfortunately, as the hard-throwing right-hander is currently dealing with a sprained UCL in his throwing elbow. Every team that courted Ohtani during his famous foray into free agency seemingly knew about the issue at the time, however, and there’s hope it won’t prove to be a major injury.

Barring a disastrous turn of events, Ohtani and fellow righty Garrett Richards – who barely pitched over the previous two years while contending with injuries of his own – should form an outstanding one-two punch. There are injury- and performance-related questions peppered throughout the rest of what could be a six-man starting staff, though, with no one from the quintet of Matt Shoemaker, Parker Bridwell, Tyler Skaggs, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano inspiring a ton of confidence.

Beyond that, a bullpen that was an upper-echelon group last season lost arguably its premier reliever, workhorse Yusmeiro Petit, who joined the AL West rival Athletics in free agency. With apologies to up-and-down veteran Jim Johnson, whom the Angels acquired from the Braves last month, they haven’t done anything to adequately replace Petit. Consequently, their current relief corps consists of several question marks aside from Blake Parker, who was tremendous last season.

Eppler’s heavy lifting for the offseason is probably over, but he could still address certain areas – namely the pitching staff – in an effort to bolster the Angels’ playoff chances in 2018. At the same time, other AL GMs will surely make moves in the coming months that help shape the postseason race next year. But for now, the Angels join the division-rival/reigning world champion Astros, Indians, Yankees and Red Sox as the class of the AL, according to FanGraphs, which regards the new-look Halos as an 86-win team. Based on that projection, the Angels would finish three games ahead of sixth-place Toronto, earn the AL’s second wild-card spot and snap their three-year playoff drought. We’re still a few months from seeing these Angels play a meaningful game, but are you on the bandwagon right now?

(Poll link for App users)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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240 Comments

  1. Phillies2017

    7 years ago

    They’ve won the offseason
    They didnt overpay for anyone, boosted their farm and addressed their concerns efficiently. Hats off to Eppler.

    8
    Reply
    • card collector18

      7 years ago

      Yankees won this offseason you have 0 clue what shohei does

      5
      Reply
      • old ranger

        7 years ago

        You overestimate Stanton.

        6
        Reply
        • Phoenixdownyjr

          7 years ago

          You underestimate the power of the force.

          8
          Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          Stanton’s gonna get hurt. Just like Angel haters expect Ohtani to. Own medicine, doesn’t taste good.

          3
          Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          yes he does. not to mention seeing houw judge does in his sophmore campaign

          Reply
        • bigcubsfan

          7 years ago

          Listen, listen, listen! The Los Angel Ass Angels will be better than the Houston Ass Tros. Houston already won the world series, so they can’t win next year. Look at how the team that wins do next year after. Then the Angels get Japan best player, have America best player, have Maldonaldo best player. They boutta win some trophies.

          2
          Reply
        • anthony1-13

          7 years ago

          Yes let’s look.. the cubs had an off year and still went to NLCS

          Reply
        • bigcubsfan

          7 years ago

          Maldonado being Maldonaldo’s best player. Baseball Fun Fact #43587-E, Maldonaldo is Spanish for “bad Donald O”. And yes, I can come up with 43587-D more baseball facts like this.

          Reply
        • venom

          7 years ago

          Kinsler and cozart only play 2 months out of the year. You want to talk getting hurt.

          1
          Reply
        • bigcubsfan

          7 years ago

          Pickle-nose, you think Houston is going to win the world series next year? Not unless they trade Correa, Bregman, Keuchcul for Trout (and I ain’t talking about the fish smartypants).

          Reply
        • sox34

          7 years ago

          PROFANITY ALERT!

          Reply
        • Astros44

          7 years ago

          Right! No chance Houston has a chance….its not like every key player is returning…

          3
          Reply
        • jekporkins

          7 years ago

          Only the Yankees deal with absolutes.

          Reply
        • jleve618

          7 years ago

          Good. Twice the pride, double the fall.

          Reply
        • Ironman_4life

          7 years ago

          Didn’t he just win an MVP award?

          Reply
        • bosox90

          7 years ago

          My goodness will you stop living in the past?!? (Sarcasm)

          Reply
        • T_Rexx2

          7 years ago

          The Phillies went back to the WS the year after they won, then the NLCS the year after.

          Reply
        • TroutMVP27

          7 years ago

          Dude, work on your English before you comment. I’m a huge Angels fan and I don’t appreciate it when you call them the Los Angel A** Angels even though you support them. And Maldonado is not even close to “America best player.”

          Reply
        • togaman

          7 years ago

          Plus we no longer have Beltran Gregerson, Maybin and Fiers

          Reply
        • togaman

          7 years ago

          Are you like 10 years old or just plan delusional? Hard to repeat for any team even as good as our Houston Astros. Be civil and stop being a punk

          Reply
      • Travis’ Wood

        7 years ago

        Lol Ohtani cost $23 mil while stanton cost $265 mil. You are clueless. Ohtani was obviously the more valuable move, regardless of how he does.

        5
        Reply
        • hiflew

          7 years ago

          Regardless of how he does? Really? So if the Red Sox spent a thousand bucks for me it would be a better move than the Yankees getting Stanton? If we are saying regardless of how he does, then cheapest is best no matter what.

          7
          Reply
        • delete

          7 years ago

          I’ll take the MVP a little below market rate over UCL problems at any price. Thanks

          4
          Reply
        • Travis’ Wood

          7 years ago

          Lol I guess you can take everything as literally as possible. Obviously Ohtani will provide value. It’s all about port unity cost. The Angels killed it this offseason especially with Ohtani. Anyone who prefers Stanton to Ohtani doesn’t understand opportunity cost or basic economics. This is middle school stuff.

          2
          Reply
        • Kslaw

          7 years ago

          Lol. The Mvp comes with a much higher price tag and injury concerns as well. Poor example.

          1
          Reply
        • delete

          7 years ago

          Your argument assumes economic parity. Which there is not here. $20MM is a LOT more to the Angels than it would be to the Yankees and $250MM is a LOT less to the Yankees than it would be to the Angels. In terms of opportunity cost, the Angels had to guarantee Otani at bats to get him signed. Grey Albright, one of the best projectors out there, has Otani for 26/11/33/.266/3, significantly below replacement level.

          Keep at it with your middle school economics. The Otani signing ain’t as good as you’re praying.

          3
          Reply
        • Kayrall

          7 years ago

          You would be singing a completely different tune had he signed with the Yankees.

          4
          Reply
        • therealbdavis

          7 years ago

          I died at this. Hahahaha

          Reply
        • WalkersDayOff

          7 years ago

          Guess what. Ohtani is a lot better than you. For 20 million its a better value than stanton. Ohtani is not going to be the hitter Stanton is obviously. But a top of the rotation arm is a real possibility. Some of you yankee fans are talking straight out your @$$. if ohtani was a yank you would all be talking about how good he is

          7
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        • bastros88

          7 years ago

          this wasn’t a smart comment

          1
          Reply
        • delete

          7 years ago

          What makes you think he’s a top of rotation arm. He is only willing to pitch once each week and he has UCL problems. If he goes 140 innings any year during his tenure with the Angels it will be a huge coup!

          1
          Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          Good thing Jeetah still works for the Yankees.

          2
          Reply
        • WalkersDayOff

          7 years ago

          He could have tommy john at some point and would easily be worth 20 million. Stop pretending he isn’t anything. Its an absolute joke how your trying to play it off like Ohtani isnt even worth 20. If he was an UFA he would have got 100 million at least

          4
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        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          agreed

          1
          Reply
        • delete

          7 years ago

          You should read before you type. I’m not saying Otani isnt worth 20. I’m saying Stanton is a much better and more impactful addition at 250+ than Otani is at 20+. You and rols are a great combo. Him with his middle school economics and you with your middle school reading comprehension

          2
          Reply
        • WalkersDayOff

          7 years ago

          Its not middle school economics. The Angels are big market team. They can afford most of what the Yankees can. You are just a delousional yankee fan who uses insults instead of logic. Ohtani on the yankees would make a bigger imapct dollar for dollar than stanton

          4
          Reply
        • santosPinkyToe

          7 years ago

          Well that’s moronic. Butt hurt yankee fan

          3
          Reply
        • gavinrendar

          7 years ago

          Below market rate?

          Haha someone didn’t look at Stanton’s contract, which is the biggest in history. And it had a no-trade clause, and it has a player opt out, which is always bad for the team.

          Stanton is awesome, but below-market? Not even close.

          2
          Reply
        • Stevil

          7 years ago

          Not to throw fuel on the fire (well, kind of), but that 20 million doesn’t even affect payroll, nor does the signing bonus. Those are separate budgets. He’ll cost LAA 545k.

          There really isn’t an argument here. Both are positive acquisitions, one just happens to be 40+ times more expensive. Him suggesting there’s more value in Stanton is pure nonsense.

          2
          Reply
        • rivera42

          7 years ago

          To the Yankees, all that really matters is the AAV, which for Stanton is 22M a year. That’s actually a pretty good rate considering the monster contracts that are expected new year for the likes of Harper, Machado, Kerhsaw, etc.

          1
          Reply
        • venom

          7 years ago

          Wow you should watch baseball once in a while. Ohtani thinks he’s going to pitch and hit? Lmao and already injury concerns? The old man kinsler couldn’t play a whole season when he was young and cozart will be his best buddy on the dL

          2
          Reply
        • Cisco425

          7 years ago

          Lol I don’t think you really understand opportunity cost man… No offense. Opportunity cost really doesn’t have much to do with the actual price tag. Hence why it’s called opportunity cost and not cost cost, don’t be a moron. The opportunity cost of these transactions isn’t the difference between Ohtani and Stantons salary lol, it’s the cost of losing one over the other, i.e the opportunity cost of signing Ohtani over trading for stanton is the 50 home runs you will lose every year. Vice versa it’s the 150 innings of 100 MPH fastball you’re losing per year if you choose Ohtani. I’m not even a fan of one move over the other, but don’t try and act all educated when you don’t even know what you’re talking about. The New York Yankees have more money than God himself. Do you really think they care about spending that extra money if it brings a championship to New York? Im a mariners fan btw. Use your head brother.

          Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          Well I’m glad you’ve got a crystal ball that can predict injuries! So, how many games will Stanton miss in 2018?

          Reply
        • bosox90

          7 years ago

          @beisbolista while I’m sure you’re an expert on the anatomy of the human elbow, I don’t believe 27 teams (including the Yankees) would’ve courted Ohtani. From all actual experts it’s extremely minor, EVERY pitcher puts strain on their UCL. Just blown out of proportion because a bitter team decided to leak the info.

          Reply
        • HayesWilson33

          7 years ago

          Weren’t Yankee fans the one who cursed Ohtani’s name like children upset they had to share their toys after he decided not to make them one of his finalists

          Reply
      • StuMatthews11

        7 years ago

        Getting Stanton doesn’t mean the Yankees won the off-season. Having a one-dimensional team with only three true outcomes make them dangerous. But the only thing the Yankees truly won was getting back their mantle of the most despised franchise in baseball, if not all pro sports.

        Eppler massively upgraded his team without sacrificing dignity, which the Yankees regained a shred of last season, but now have lost again.

        See you in the postseason, an Angels fan.

        5
        Reply
        • delete

          7 years ago

          Oh the bitterness is so real!!! I bathe in your tears Angels fan!

          2
          Reply
        • NOPelicanFangirl696969

          7 years ago

          I dont know why people despise the yankees for getting better, im a rays fan and im intrigued for the battles this year. Gl yanks lmao

          3
          Reply
        • arc89

          7 years ago

          last time I checked there is no trophy for the off season. Picking up a 3B that plays out of position is still a question mark. Picking up a player who could have a injury is a question mark. Their starting pitching is a question mark. Their relief lost some good pieces so its a question mark. Their farm system is still at the bottom of the pile. Angels could be good or could be bad. NYY adding a MVP without giving up anything is a big plus.

          4
          Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          love it! PLUS even the orioles are reported to to be attempting to ensure machado doesnt somehow end up a spankee. no one likes them

          1
          Reply
        • LaFlamaBlanca

          7 years ago

          Lol if the Angels are such a non threat then why are you commenting? Your actions make it seem as if their moves caught your attention and made you think twice lol.

          2
          Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          The bullpen lost only one piece, Petit, who is replaced by JC Ramirez. The farm system is much improved by adding Maitan and Soto, and not losing any prospects rated higher than #20 in the system.

          Reply
        • dave13

          7 years ago

          I couldn’t agree more. I’m a Red Sox fan and I’m very excited for this season. The AL East is going to be fun to watch this year I think the Sox-Yanks rivalry will be as good as it was early 2000s. Both the Yankees and Angels have had great off seasons who cares who “won” the off season it doesn’t correlate to actual championships. April couldn’t come soon enough

          2
          Reply
        • rivera42

          7 years ago

          Sorry, the bullpen is very suspect. And the farm is not much improved by adding a couple of teenagers . C’mun, you can’t honestly be serious with that. The farm is still bottom 5. The Angels have made some great moves(Ohtani, of course, was a coup for them as he would’ve been for anyone) and they should definitely contend for one of the two wild cards, but there are numerous questions regarding the pitching, both rotation and bullpen.

          Reply
        • venom

          7 years ago

          Remember the yanks have 6 of 9 starters which are home grown. The angels had to trade or sign free agents to build their team which is made of glass!

          Reply
        • angels fan 3

          7 years ago

          They did also lose Norris although he wasn’t as effective in the second half as he was in the first half.

          Reply
        • togaman

          7 years ago

          You have to get through Houston first

          Reply
      • Philliesfan4life

        7 years ago

        the yankees robbed the marlins blind for stanton, the yankees didn’t even need him to begin with. They aren’t a lock for the world series in my eyes still.

        3
        Reply
        • dave13

          7 years ago

          This isn’t the NBA there are no locks for World Series

          1
          Reply
        • TJECK109

          7 years ago

          Tell that to the cubs

          Reply
      • michaelw

        7 years ago

        Psssf

        Reply
      • Kayrall

        7 years ago

        Lol

        Reply
      • aussiejaysfan

        7 years ago

        I think saying they signed Stanton has the Yankees winning the offseason thus far is a bit ridiculous. Who will fill out the infield? How has the rotation improved over last years? The Angels still have definite depth issues but they have shored up all the gaps in their lineup. You might like the Yankees lineup better but at the end of the day the Angels have won this postseason (so far) just because of the improvement over last years team

        3
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          amen

          Reply
      • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

        7 years ago

        images of done well but they still have a major holes at second and third to fill

        1
        Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          Huh? You didn’t hear about Kinsler and Cozart?

          Reply
        • venom

          7 years ago

          Two of the most often injured players in baseball! Ya we heard just not scared

          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        what he said is agreed by most people loke

        Reply
      • MattyWil

        7 years ago

        Ugh just another delusional Yankees fan go figure

        1
        Reply
      • kcusgnikcufsregdod

        7 years ago

        Youre an idiot that is salty Ohtani didnt choose your wittle yankees

        1
        Reply
        • venom

          7 years ago

          We’re glad he didn’t choose us are you kidding. I want no part of a Japanese player who thinks he’s babe Ruth! What a joke!

          1
          Reply
      • camdenyards46

        7 years ago

        Card collector 18:
        Stanton
        Jabari Blash
        CC

        Ohtani
        Kinsler
        Cozart
        Maitan

        Reply
        • camdenyards46

          7 years ago

          And Upton

          2
          Reply
      • jdgoat

        7 years ago

        The Yankees won the offseason because they took on an albatross?

        Reply
      • JKB 2

        7 years ago

        Angels won the offseason hands down! Revamped the team. Ohtani was just one player JDgoat. Open your eyes. Its not dependent on Ohtani

        Reply
    • teufelshunde4

      7 years ago

      Winning the off-season means jack. Halos haven’t added any pitching that can be counted upon. Ohtani might help. But he isn’t gonna provide the bulk IP that is needed. adding Darvish might tilt the needle a bit. But is it enough?

      4
      Reply
      • Philliesfan4life

        7 years ago

        the angels don’t need an impact ace, I think they should add lance lynn or alex cobb. Or they could have a reunion with Lackey.

        1
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          yes.something along these lines

          Reply
      • justin-turner overdrive

        7 years ago

        What does “winning the offseason” even mean? The most high-profile acquisitions? Who added the most wins? No one even knows what it means.

        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          its an appearance….a projection..hard to argue against it

          Reply
    • justin-turner overdrive

      7 years ago

      Anytime “won the offseason” gets thrown around, I always think of how everyone has said it about the Mariners every year the last 10 or so years and they never ever win anything, sooo….it’s not really “winning” lol

      2
      Reply
      • ck420

        7 years ago

        When the Mariners beat your a** to get into the playoffs I’ll be lmfao

        2
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          could happen but most likely won’t and you know it boyyyyyyy

          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        justin….i was better than you. please sit down. long live the penguin

        Reply
    • CursedRangers

      7 years ago

      Just a small sampling of players that have helped their respective teams win the offseason: Alex Rodriguez, Joe Mauer, Prince Fielder, Mark Teixeira, Jayson Werth, Troy Tulowitzki, Carl Crawford, Jose Reyes, Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp, Ryan Howard, Shin-Soo Choo, Albert Pujols and Jason Heyward.

      The Angels have made strong upgrades though. They will be an interesting team to watch. However I don’t think they have enough to overtake the Astros. So, in my opinion, they will be gunning for a Wildcard spot. Would be shocked if the A’s or Ranger finish with a better record than the Angels.

      2
      Reply
      • justin-turner overdrive

        7 years ago

        Are the Angels better than the Mariners right now?

        2
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          yes

          1
          Reply
        • 805rich

          7 years ago

          Yes

          Reply
        • CursedRangers

          7 years ago

          Yes, I think the Angels are better than the Mariners right now. However the teams are fairly close. I think the team that has a better record, between the two, will come down to injuries.

          Reply
        • BaseballRebel

          7 years ago

          I picked Angels dead last in their division, Astros win 110 games, Yanks win 108

          1
          Reply
        • brucewayne

          7 years ago

          If the pitching stays healthy ! Yes!

          Reply
      • cxcx

        7 years ago

        What team did Tulowitzki help win an offseason? He never even changed teams or re-signed during and offseason…

        1
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          your right. the off season hype is usually swollen

          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        yes but im thinking 90 wins not the division necessarily

        Reply
        • camdenyards46

          7 years ago

          WC but not over Astro’s.

          2
          Reply
    • SirPartyAnimal

      7 years ago

      winning the off-season means nothing. they need to make a deep playoff run. I think the need to sign a few relievers to solidify the bullpen and try and get a solid starter that shouldn’t get get hurt.

      2
      Reply
      • Philliesfan4life

        7 years ago

        Wade Davis and Lance Lynn?

        Reply
        • soggycereal

          7 years ago

          too much money IMO, id bet that they could get one, and then another lower-tier pitcher

          Reply
        • SirPartyAnimal

          7 years ago

          I’d like to see Wade Davis. Lynn is great but definitely too expensive for both

          Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          or cobb

          Reply
        • greatdaysports

          7 years ago

          Meyers and J.C. Ramirez are probably going to the bullpen. That gives them two more powerful arms that throw multiple innings.

          Reply
        • andrewgauldin

          7 years ago

          Meyers is out for at least the first 4 months, if not the whole season

          Reply
        • angels fan 3

          7 years ago

          Meyers is out the whole season.

          Reply
        • StuMatthews11

          7 years ago

          Who the hell is Meyers?

          Alex Meyer is an Angel pitcher who had 10 or so effective starts for Anaheim last year. He would be a question mark to even make the Angels’ six-man rotation this year, but Meyer is indeed out injured for 2018.

          Maybe “Meyers” is good, like that Kershaws guy. Goes to show you need to take some comments on these threads with a big baseball-sized grain of salt.

          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        i do agree with that. we could outscore everyone though

        Reply
    • bigkempin

      7 years ago

      So they didn’t give Cozart $38M? Coazrt had been a low BA/OBP SS with little power. So now the Angels sign him as a 3B…..which he has never played. 3B also tends to be a premium offensive position. Ohtani means that Pujols will be forced to play 1B for X amount of games. They overpaid for Upton to make the team look more appealing to Ohtani. They still have a rotation and BP in shambles

      5
      Reply
      • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

        7 years ago

        in what world did they overpay for up to that was a good deal lol what are you talking about

        Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        IF pitching staff is healthy we will probably make that run. hopefully a freeway ws

        Reply
      • halos101

        7 years ago

        so so so many false statements in this comment bigkempin

        1
        Reply
      • brucewayne

        7 years ago

        I think they got Upton a really reasonable price on that extension . Lower than market value anyways!

        Reply
    • Sheldon Bowen

      7 years ago

      Think they will be very good. Also think the Mariner’s could be much improved, the offense is going to be solid and pitching if health improves will be a good team. Wild card. Angels should be a wild card team SP Richards and ohtani will show if they can even go for the division title and possibly further. Seems they may not be done yet as well.

      Reply
    • sithdude

      7 years ago

      I can’t believe there is a discussion filled with negativity on who won the off season. I’m an Angels fan and I’m excited to see what the next season brings the team now that we have a GM that actually has a plan and implementing it. Ironically there’s an argument in these postings about the Yankees winning the off season and our GM is from the Yankees. I would hope we could all agree the Angels have vastly improved their chances to make the playoffs and will be exciting to watch what they do. I also would hope we could all agree that the Yankees have the top two current monster sluggers of the game and will be fun to watch, I will be watching their batting practice for sure when I can. It will be fun for the fans to see Ohtani pitch to Judge, Stanton, and even Sanchez. There’s no denying the Yankees are stacked and hopefully the Angels live up to the expectations as well. This could be an exciting years for both clubs. I don’t care who won the off season just that the Angels are trying to head in the right direction. There’s a long season ahead and I’m not stating it will happen but I would love to see the Angels and Yankees playing against each other in the playoffs.

      1
      Reply
      • StuMatthews11

        7 years ago

        On this thread you should be “reported” but being eloquent and sensible!

        Reply
  2. a1544

    7 years ago

    Need more pitching depth. Missing out on CC hurt. Think they upgraded some below average personnel to league average

    1
    Reply
    • halos and quacks

      7 years ago

      Depth is something they have a ton of. Especially on pitching. Reliability has been the issue, testing the depth at every turn

      1
      Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        yes….the amount of injuries our pitching staff has had the past couple years is apalling. if they stay healthy we are in absolute fabulous shape

        1
        Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      average at least and great d.

      Reply
  3. fmj

    7 years ago

    add a top tier starter and have some luck with health with the other starters and they can be a wild card team.

    1
    Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      an honest look at our starters proves otherwise. when these youngsters are on they are great. even tropeano and heaney

      1
      Reply
  4. justin-turner overdrive

    7 years ago

    Are they better than the Astros, Yankees, Indians, Red Sox and Twins? No. The have zero depth, so any injury immediately sends them to replacement level player level. Pitching is lacking too. Defense is otherworldly though, so we’ll see how much the pitching matters.

    5
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    • card collector18

      7 years ago

      I think they’re better than the Twins but not by much

      1
      Reply
    • chichitog

      7 years ago

      Today, they are better than the Yankees and the Twins. Yankees are not done dealing, though. Let’s wait and see how they upgrade 2B and 3B. Do the Yankees have replacements for Judge and Stanton if they hit DL? I think the Yankees are also one injury away from being out of contention. Both rotations healthy, I’ll take the Angels in a split second.

      3
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      • chichitog

        7 years ago

        Yankees bullpen is way more solid than the Angels.

        2
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        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          at this time yes

          Reply
      • delete

        7 years ago

        You’re drunk. The Yankees have 5 starting outfielders

        2
        Reply
        • chichitog

          7 years ago

          No reason to offend. Most teams have 5 OF’s. Now can any of the reserve OF replace the production of Stanton and Judge? Is it possible that Judge have a sophomore year?

          Reply
      • NineChampionsips

        7 years ago

        Yankees have enough OF depth to cover Judge/Stanton injuries. They’ve got Andujar for 3B and Torres will be ready for 2B sometime next year. Yankee pitching also outclasses LAA no matter how you spin it.

        4
        Reply
        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          the angels pitchers are still so young and havent been healthy. i firmly believe if they remain healthy we should be playoff bound for next several years. we really have had bad luck

          Reply
        • chichitog

          7 years ago

          What are the chances that two rookie infielders pan out for the same team the same year? When was the last time that something like this happened? I’m sure Cashman knows that. Yankees are not dealing. If their SP is so good, why are they trying to lure Pittsburgh into trading Cole?

          1
          Reply
        • chichitog

          7 years ago

          *not done dealing

          Reply
        • Dark1150

          7 years ago

          in comparision to the angels the yankees have better pitching, bullpen and offense. They want more pitching since they got depth from CC, i don’t know how any fan thinks that the angels are better than the yankees.

          Reply
      • Yankeepatriot

        7 years ago

        You are clinically insane for this comment

        1
        Reply
      • justin-turner overdrive

        7 years ago

        In no way imaginable are the Angels better than the Yankees. The Angels might be better than the Twins if you squint, but if the Twins get a SP they’d leap way over the Angels. The Yankees are better than the Angels in every possible way other than “having Trout”. Angels have an amazing pool of elite talent, but it’s their floor, the lowest in the game, that is always going to hurt them. Still not sure if the Angels are better than the Mariners right now either.

        3
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        • ron cey

          7 years ago

          justin…PLEASE. the angels havent proved it yet….but dont count them out if injuries are not a factor. ivebeen tracking these young guys. they have high ceilings.could be pretty darn good. i am thinking every starer should won 10 games each at least…..if healthy

          1
          Reply
      • saintchristafa

        7 years ago

        Settle this like MEN. Position by Position break down. Go!

        1
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      • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

        7 years ago

        both rotations healthy LOL you can’t really say that when one rotation has been relatively healthy recently the Yankees, and other the angels has been incredibly injury-prone

        Reply
        • chichitog

          7 years ago

          You are right. Let’s wait until the season starts and see how that develops. Let’s see how Boone administers Severino in a second full season in the rotation. Let’s see how many innings Yankees can get from Sabathia. Let’s see if Tanaka reverses his curve of performance. Let’s see if Sonny Gray can emulate himself in 2014 or 2015.

          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        yes. besides judge still needs to be as good as 2017. its not a given. trout and stanton though are given

        Reply
        • togaman

          7 years ago

          Which is the real Stanton ? The guy who hit 27 HRs in 2016 or the guy who hit 59 in 2017? Probably somewhere in between

          Reply
      • rocky7

        7 years ago

        YOur dreaming buddy……the Yankee bullpen at AAA is better than the Halos at the MLB level!
        And the Yankee rotation is considerably better than anything the Halos can offer.
        Ohtani is a wildcard both at the plate and throwing the ball.
        Injuries change everything…don’t get overexcited by a couple of acquisitions….Cozart has never played 3rd!
        You ain”t won anything…calm down!

        Reply
    • steven st croix

      7 years ago

      They will be fighting for a wild card spot, that’s probably their ceiling.

      2
      Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        they came an inch shy of playoffs with limping team. imagine a healthy team with great d and solid bats

        Reply
    • Chris Sale Amateur Tailor

      7 years ago

      MN twins I think the Twins and angels are pretty close I think the Yankees are Just A Cut Above both of them and couldn’t fly up more if they get a second or third baseman

      1
      Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      yes they are better than yankees red sox and twins

      Reply
  5. card collector18

    7 years ago

    I wouldn’t describe Richards as ‘outstanding’ more like out-sitting on the bench with an injury

    3
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    • slider32

      7 years ago

      Eppler has done a great job so far, but the Astros might be better than them in every position except CF. I can see them making the second wild card if Ohtani is good and Richards returns to form.

      1
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      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        lets be optomistic

        Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      richards has 15 game win potential

      Reply
      • card collector18

        7 years ago

        Too optimistic

        Reply
  6. Surprisingly a Bucks Fan

    7 years ago

    no idea how ohtani will do, kinsler won’t bounce back, pujols won’t bounce back. big names like always but poor production

    yes I know its simply an opinion

    1
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    • old ranger

      7 years ago

      Hmmm. Pujols will bounce back?
      .241 BA but 23 homers and 101 ribbies?

      1
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      • Surprisingly a Bucks Fan

        7 years ago

        He won’t do that next year

        1
        Reply
      • Modified_6

        7 years ago

        OPS .672…WAR -1.8 Terrible season. Possibly the slowest player in baseball at this point.

        RBIs are an awful stat to use to judge a season, especially when a guy has Trout on the bases.

        Reply
        • Modified_6

          7 years ago

          Shoot, I think Odor had 32 bombs or so again this year, and a ton of people are already calling his contract a huge mistake. 23 bombs from a 1b/DH who makes what he makes…. terrible.

          1
          Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        im thinking he will bat num 5 or 6

        Reply
    • sweetmarie

      7 years ago

      +1

      Sure sounds like a great team, but Hamilton, Pujols, Wilson… Just feel like I’ve seen this one before.

      2
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      • NineChampionsips

        7 years ago

        TrAdition

        1
        Reply
      • ron cey

        7 years ago

        yes but we were optimistic then too

        Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      even if kinsler hits 270 its a good move

      Reply
  7. mntfan

    7 years ago

    Bullpen and starting pitching sucks. Possibly might make the playoffs.

    2
    Reply
    • old ranger

      7 years ago

      How does the starting pitching suck? Please clarify.

      2
      Reply
      • delete

        7 years ago

        Well their nasty 1-2 punch has combined for about 30 innings in the last couple years. Let’s start there. After that it’s all question marks. Will 5 bouncebacks happen? 3? Doubt it

        1
        Reply
  8. emt tim

    7 years ago

    pitching is still horrible

    3
    Reply
    • bigcubsfan

      7 years ago

      oh? ohhhhh. OHHHHHHHH!!!!! OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! OHHHHTTAAANNNNIIIIII!!!!!
      Ohtani disagrees.

      1
      Reply
  9. juicemane

    7 years ago

    Lets sign a whole bunch of old players past their prime…i remember the last time that worked…oh wait no i dont

    2
    Reply
    • R.D.

      7 years ago

      2009 that did work to be fair.

      1
      Reply
      • Yankeepatriot

        7 years ago

        Teix, AJ and CC weren’t passed their prime

        2
        Reply
  10. srechter

    7 years ago

    Easy narratives for both a wildly successful or utterly disastrous season. All of these supporting moves (Kinsler, Cozart) only really matter if Ohtani performs. And what that performance would even look like is still something of a mystery. Lots of exciting teams, and the Yankees may have ultimately compiled the most tantalizing of the bunch, but the Angels’ success is undoubtedly the most unique situation to follow heading into the 2018 season.

    2
    Reply
  11. beard

    7 years ago

    They should have a real shot at the 2nd wild card but I think thats about it. Astros should win the division easily. Indians, Yankees, Red Sox should all get in also. That leaves probably the Twins, Angels, and Mariners (maybe?) in contention for the 5th spot.

    The starting pitching is not as bad as people say. Garret Richards can be an ace if he stays healthy. Meyer showed sparks of brilliance last year. Shoemaker should be a solid middle of the rotation piece. Birdwell turned some heads. And who knows how well Ohtani will do. If they can pick up some bullpen pieces and IF (big if) they can stay healthy they should have a solid pitching staff.

    They kind of remind me of the Mariners on paper in terms of talent level and their off season moves. Remains to be seen if they can actually turn that into wins though.

    2
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    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      true except the mariners whp wont do much

      Reply
  12. lilpartialbaldo

    7 years ago

    Even the losers get lucky sometimes…

    3
    Reply
  13. Philliesfan4life

    7 years ago

    The angels could use wade davis to close games, maybe add lance lynn to the rotation. And I think they are set.

    Reply
  14. pro4pro32goathletics

    7 years ago

    The question is how will guys like Skaggs, Richards, Heaney and Shoemaker play. Will they be healthy? Will they give the Angels a lot of quality IP? This is for me the big question mark. These guys have talent, but often are injured.

    2
    Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      yes if healthy we do well

      Reply
  15. ipourghaed

    7 years ago

    Not Astros good!

    1
    Reply
  16. madmanTX

    7 years ago

    Lessee…Trout and nobody else still on their roster, but they did add a guy who is about 5 starts away from needing Tommy John surgery and being shelved for a year or so.

    1
    Reply
  17. jaw056

    7 years ago

    Everyone in the world thought the Phillies were the best team (Starting rotation) in decades, when they had R2C2 (Roy, Roy, Cliff, and Cole). They never reached a World Series. Writers and Websites hype teams up too much before the season even starts. This article should be written after the 2018 season. However, this article might not even be written if the Angels don’t win the World Series. (Phillies fan)

    2
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    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      remember that. rip doc

      Reply
  18. ttinsley1434

    7 years ago

    Lol!

    1
    Reply
  19. cuscus85

    7 years ago

    The Angels are always the underdog. They never get credit for always trying to put a winning product on the field ever year. And because of that, they’ve lost a lot of high Draft Picks because of it for Free Agent signings. And our losing seasons are never more than several games under .500, so even then the Angels never get a high draft pick.

    Angels are very well-rounded to this point of the off-seasons, which is far from over. Will the Angels make the playoffs? Probably. Will they win it all? Probably not. But a shot is always better then not having one, which is what we have ever year.

    Go Halos!

    3
    Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      go angels

      1
      Reply
  20. bjsguess

    7 years ago

    Really, really big miss in the analysis. Ohtani ISN’T included in the Fangraphs projections. Guys over at Fangraphs are projecting 4-6 wins for Ohtani. That puts them between 90 and 92 wins.

    Let’s talk about some of the other issues with the projections (not MLBTradeRumors fault – I just disagree with the assessment):.

    — Justin Upton is projected at 2.3fWAR. He posted 5 last year. Unless he craters, he’s good for 3.5 fWAR.
    — There is absolutely zero upside listed in the rotation. Basically, every pitcher is pitching at their worst rates. Heaney, Skaggs, Shoemaker, Tropeano all have horrible projections. This is not to suggest that they will all pitch better that their projections. However, each has demonstrated the ability to easily beat the sub 2 fWAR that is projected.

    At the end of the day, the team pushed across 80 wins last year. That’s with 1/3rd of a season from Upton (replacing Revere and Young), 2/3rds of a season of Trout. A putrid Pujols. Nothing from 2nd or 3rd. And a starting 5 rotation that was on the DL for the vast majority of the year. Getting 10 wins more from that core isn’t hard to see. Then you throw on Ohtani and the team could be really good.

    4
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    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      yes. we are always counted out. bad luck lately

      1
      Reply
  21. dgid

    7 years ago

    I’m an optimistic Angels fan. Would love o see one more Starting pitcher signed so we can throw one of our injury future pitchers to the relief spot (Shoemaker, Bridwell). I’ve been a fan of Lance Lynn for a while. He’s obviously got some questions marks with health, so maybe it’s not the best acquisition to put on a team with so many liabilities. BUT, this season will be fun to watch, regardless of how they do they have some fun players on the field!

    1
    Reply
    • ron cey

      7 years ago

      its gonna be a fun year. one more solid starter would be beneficial..plus some relief help. we should also scoremore runs and save more rins this year…yes?

      Reply
  22. Aldo estrada

    7 years ago

    Nice moves the Angels have made so far. They might have enough for a WC spot. Astros have a pretty nice 3b and 2b of their own and are more complete. Stanton seems like a bigger get but Angels prob made the best moves this offseason especially getting two noteworthy prospects after having one of the worst farms and above avg vets to help at the ML level

    1
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  23. StuMatthews11

    7 years ago

    We’ll have to see them play. It’s my feeling that the projected 86 wins is probably low – even as the team stands right now. The Angels won 80 games in ’17.

    Ohtani is the wild card, because we can’t project what his actual WAR will be. But he’s the No. 1-ranked “prospect” in MLB. Those guys usually turn out to be very valuable in their first season.

    The last time the Angels had a No. 1 MLB prospect was 2011, and rookie Mike Trout led the league in OPS+ with 168, and had an insane bWAR of 10.8.

    Let’s go conservative on all estimates then. Ohtani should be at least worth 6 WAR, pitching and hitting.

    Add in a full season of Justin Upton, not just September, and add the 5 WAR Upton produced in a bad Tigers team until August 31.

    Let’s figure Cozart to be around 4 WAR, Kinsler to be good for the 2 WAR he put up last year. Improvements at 2B and 3B.

    The Angels haven’t lost much positive WAR (only Yusmeiro Petit). A finally healthy pitching staff … Maybe add 4 WAR for healthy starters, not including Ohtani.

    Add another 2 WAR, conservatively again, for the 48 games Trout lost to injury last year.

    By these numbers, Ohtani makes the Angels an 86-win team on his own. Add the other figures and that’s 17 more WAR.

    This doesn’t even factor a motivated and healthy Albert Pujols, whose chasing milestones as well as trying to save his career. Nor does it factor any future improvements Eppler makes to the front end of the rotation, the bullpen and bench.

    Eppler’s not done.

    Are the Angels going to win 103 games? Hell no!

    But it looks like they’ll win in the 90s. A six-win improvement projection is simply too low, that’s a figure of roughly just 1.2 WAR each for Ohtani, Kinsler, Cozart, Upton and Trout.

    And the Astros may regress, it seems to happen every year. The Rangers, Mariners and A’s haven’t improved yet. It should be interesting in the AL West.

    2
    Reply
  24. card collector18

    7 years ago

    For those saying the Angels are better than Yankees, show me your bullpen, starters, as well as lineup altogether. Y’all still aren’t even the best in your division let alone others.

    2
    Reply
    • cuscus85

      7 years ago

      I’m not saying the Angels are better … obviously the offseason is far from over …

      But i’d still take:
      Upton over Gardener
      Trout over Hicks
      Cozart over Andujar
      Kinsler over Ronald Torreyes
      Valbuena over Bird
      Maldonado over Sanchez
      Simmons over Didi Gregorius

      Ohtani over Tanaka
      Heaney over Sabbathia
      Skaggs over Montgomery

      3
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      • Dark1150

        7 years ago

        “Valbuena over Bird
        Maldonado over Sanchez”
        Hahahahahahaha. sure, but what about judge, stanton, torres and the like. You would take their bullpen over the yankees. You would take ohtani over severino?
        Gray over heaney? Tanaka over skaggs? Right.

        Reply
        • card collector18

          7 years ago

          MALDONADO OVER SANCHEZ HAHAHAH you have 0 argument after that statement

          Reply
        • GeoKaplan

          7 years ago

          That’s a fair choice. Pick the guy who is an actual Catcher—handle the pitchers, throw out the base stealers, not let the pitch go through the legs, the stuff Sanchez can’t yet do. If you’re discussing defensive players as Catcher, Sanchez has no place in the conversation.

          He might learn the job as the seasons progress, but no objective fan would call him a good Catcher, certainly not in comparison to the best in the AL.

          Reply
        • Dark1150

          7 years ago

          lol, sure go for the guy with a 1.7 war over the guy with a 4.7 war. Substitute the best power hitting catcher in the league for marginally mediocre defense. I’m glad you are not a gm.

          Reply
        • GeoKaplan

          7 years ago

          It’s not my fault you don’t understand the importance of having a catcher who knows how to handle the pitchers, which includes not allowing passed balls–Sanchez led the league with 16 passed balls, which is atrocious.

          If you don’t think his inability to block a pitch in the dirt gets into the head of a pitcher who wants to bury something low and away, then you really don’t understand the game at all.

          Maldonado was worth 22 Runs Saved for his defensive play, while Sanchez was worth 1. Maldonaldo was rated 11 runs above average in Total Zone, while Sanchez was -4.

          But in your case: ZOMG! Dingerz!

          Reply
    • BaseballRebel

      7 years ago

      agreed, Angels aren’t even WC team, go Yanks

      1
      Reply
      • StuMatthews11

        7 years ago

        Go and post on an article about your beloved Yanks. Every other team’s fans despise the Yankees. Stick to Yankees articles, everyone will agree with you then.

        Reply
  25. aussiejaysfan

    7 years ago

    I think one thing we can all agree on is that the blue jays have lost the off season. Have all the upper management gone away for Christmas or…?

    1
    Reply
    • ctguy

      7 years ago

      Angels made some decent moves but Houston will still win the division. They may have a shot at the wildcard though.

      1
      Reply
  26. Ski to Coors

    7 years ago

    Defense looks strong but the rotation is very questionable and the bullpen is thin. Hard to draw a lineup too…

    Cozart
    Trout
    Upton
    Ohtani (is .250 BA with 20 HRs a fair first season projection?)
    Calhoun
    Cron
    Kinsler
    Simmons
    Maldonado

    Doesn’t blow me away on paper, seems like they’ll rank around 4th-7th in the AL in scoring. Team OBP projection can’t look good, but it should have improved along with the defense. If Kinsler bounces back, he might slide into leadoff and if Cozart balances the w/so ratio as well as last year, he’ll have a good chance to hit in front of Trout all season.

    Real question is how their competition fairs. Assuming BOS/NYY take one of the WC spots, AL WC contenders are Mariners, Twins, Rays, Blue Jays, and Angels. Mariners are a far more complete team right now, and they are likely to add a Cobb or Darvish still. Blue Jays are realistically also a more complete team than the Angels. It’ll be an uphill battle for the Angels relying on aging veterans, a paper thin bullpen, and an unreliable rotation but the defense will be fun to see.

    Reply
    • imindless

      7 years ago

      Your high lmao.

      Reply
  27. ldfanatic

    7 years ago

    They’re not.

    2
    Reply
    • dynamite drop in monty

      7 years ago

      That broadcasting school has really paid off.

      Reply
  28. ronaldreagan

    7 years ago

    they stink!!!!

    Reply
  29. davidcoonce74

    7 years ago

    Here’s something fantastic and interesting: Mike Trout has played 6 full seasons. He is 26 years old. Here are the centerfielders ahead of him in career bWAR. All of them have played at least twice as long as him: here’s the list, in order:

    Mays
    Cobb
    Speaker
    Mantle
    Griffey
    Dimaggio
    Snider
    Beltran
    Lofton

    Again, keep in mind all of the above players had careers at least twice as long as Trout and, for most of them, three times as long.

    1
    Reply
    • BaseballRebel

      7 years ago

      who really cares? He doesn’t wear pinstripes!

      2
      Reply
      • StuMatthews11

        7 years ago

        Go and post on an article about your beloved Yanks. Every other team’s fans despise the Yankees. Stick to Yankees articles, everyone will agree with you then.

        Reply
        • mlb1225

          7 years ago

          I sensed sarcasm in his comment.

          Reply
  30. imindless

    7 years ago

    The yankees fans are idiots. Angels have a competitive team now and for the years to come withover 100 million to spend 2018 and 130 in 2019. They can add harper and kershaw or keuchel if they were to leave the respective teams. Its not even close. Eppler added without subtracting. With these moves trout will not be leaving.

    1
    Reply
    • Yankeepatriot

      7 years ago

      Oh great more Yankee fan bashing like every day on this site just because of difference of opinion ….

      2
      Reply
      • rocky7

        7 years ago

        Don’t worry Yankeepatriot……mindless really fits him well.
        Just another very Yankee hater scumming up the comments.

        Reply
    • BaseballRebel

      7 years ago

      Trout WILL go to the Yankees in due time, hopefully 2020. GO YANKS F ANGELS

      2
      Reply
  31. Davis2319

    7 years ago

    The signing of Zack Cozart pushes this team to the next level IMO. He is a plus defender and has figured things out at the plate. Being a diehard Reds fan (which is painful) it hurts to see Cozart go. I’m sure Angels fans do not know much about Cozart but they will come to love him as we Reds fans did. I expect the Angels to be in the thick of things in the AL.

    Reply
  32. TwinsHomer

    7 years ago

    Twins get nothing but disrespect

    Reply
  33. Stevil

    7 years ago

    It surprises me that this somehow turned into an LAA vs. NYY thing. It’s not. Both teams have had good offseasons, but LAA has considerable questions regarding their pitching and pitching depth. The Yankees may or may not be going young with their entire infield, but they have depth, they have pitching, they have pitching depth. LAA isn’t at the same level as Houston, though I can’t stress enough that there are no guarantees in baseball.

    I’m neither a Yankees fan, nor an Angels fan, but I am a baseball fan, and I can appreciate the strides both teams have made as I put together my voodoo dolls for both teams and hope that it helps the Mariners take advantage.

    Reply
    • KENNETH A LICHTIG

      7 years ago

      Would be great if Eppler signs Yu Darvish===== Darvish can take Ohtani under his wing—–a Superstar in the makings

      1
      Reply
      • Stevil

        7 years ago

        Of course that wouldn’t be great! I was clear that I’m a Mariners fan.

        Reply
  34. Angelfanforlife19

    7 years ago

    At lease Moreno came alive hopefully it’s not to late with trout is he tests free agency the salary will skyrocket and Moreno will have done himself in. He should have been proactive for the last 3 to 4 years…but here we are.

    Reply
  35. mlb1225

    7 years ago

    What needs to happen is their rotation needs to hold up, health wise. That’s been one of there biggest weaknesses the last few years.

    Reply
  36. rpoabr

    7 years ago

    Despite all the trolls, 60%+ of the voters believe they go to the playoffs.

    This team almost made it last year despite rediculous injuries and only Simmons having a career type year. They had less depth than they will this year.

    Add upgrade FAs and better health to the pitching staff and it’s very easy to see them in the playoffs. If a few of the adds meet and/or exceed expectations, they could be very dangerous.

    They are also set up for the next three years and have massively improved their minor league system.

    If the over/under on wins is 86, I’ll take the over.

    1
    Reply
    • brucewayne

      7 years ago

      Last year means NOTHING! It has zero to do with how a team will hold up or perform the next year! Yes, the Angels have improved on paper, but a lot depends on the health of the rotation holding up

      Reply
      • brucewayne

        7 years ago

        and Ohtani can’t pitch every game! Also the bullpen is still really weak. But good luck.

        Reply
  37. stroh

    7 years ago

    I think the Angels have done well in the off-season adding Ohtani, Kinsler and Cozart and could be a 90 win team grabbing one of the wild cards.
    Having said that Kinzler needs to show that last year wasn’t the first year of drop off in performance due to age, Cozart needs to show last year’s numbers weren’t a one-time flash, and Ohtani needs to show he can pitch and hit in the majors.
    As a stros fan, I view the Angels as now matching up with the Mariners lineup, but Mariners pitching seems better to me if they are healthy. Rangers lineup though may be better than Angels or Mariners, but their pitching is suspect even with adds of Matt Moore and Minor. Either way, I’ll be surprised if the stros don’t win their division and make it deep in the playoffs again – we do need to add a lefty to the bullpen to make the team complete.

    3
    Reply
  38. BaseballRebel

    7 years ago

    Yankees won the offseason, Angels signed a bunch of fragile glass they will break in the first week

    2
    Reply
    • Logjammer D"Baggagecling

      7 years ago

      They only made two moves the angels had a just as good off season. The cubs had a better one than Anaheim.

      1
      Reply
      • BaseballRebel

        7 years ago

        I thing the Phillies won the offseason then the Yanks then the Cubs did well, Angels just break down every year with Scioscia

        1
        Reply
  39. Yankeepatriot

    7 years ago

    Is there an award for “wining the off season” (which is subjective anyway) ? Also how can you win the off season when it’s still going on ? Lol

    1
    Reply
    • BaseballRebel

      7 years ago

      agreed they’re just a fragile team of broken arms! NOT WINNERS

      1
      Reply
  40. Logjammer D"Baggagecling

    7 years ago

    They’ll win the first wild card and beat the red Sox to have to face the Yankees in the ALDS. but they’ll lose in 5 in the alcs

    1
    Reply
  41. jd396

    7 years ago

    An 86-win team is the class of the AL?

    Reply
  42. Cuso

    7 years ago

    Angels will compete for a Wild Card. Their acquisitions don’t make this a 90-win team.

    Let’s assume you get a 6.5 WAR (huge assumption) from Ohtani. You still got an entire pitching staff -front, middle and back end full of question marks.

    I like Richards even more than the next guy, but you still don’t know that he’s all the way back.

    What’s improved? Their defense. I’d say their infield defense is improved.

    Let’s not kid anyone into thinking the offense is all that impressive.

    1
    Reply
  43. lowtalker1

    7 years ago

    Not that good
    No pitcher

    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      7 years ago

      No pitching

      Reply
  44. justinkm19

    7 years ago

    Their staff is garbage.

    Reply
  45. ScruffyTheJanitor

    7 years ago

    This is easy. Minus injuries, the Angels should be a wild card team- if they can get another starter. People are really underestimating just how awful 2B and LF were for the Angels last year. Those upgrades and some better injury luck on the pitching staff should be worth 10 wins, easy. They need another league-average, inning- eating starter and probably another bullpen arm, but if they get those than they should be a solid WC team.

    Reply
  46. timyanks

    7 years ago

    the angels are as good as any team right now with that no win/no loss record

    Reply
  47. Blake Camden

    7 years ago

    They’re not very good. There’s gonna be injuries. They lack depth. The pitching is still thin.

    Reply
  48. jleve618

    7 years ago

    Instead of saying third last year, you should have said antepenultimate, you never get a chance to use that.

    Reply
  49. GarryHarris

    7 years ago

    Before last season began, I thought LAA was the worst team in MLB. They had Trout, Simmons, Calhoun and Pujols. The rest of the team was patchwork of players hoping to make a comeback. They nearly made the playoffs.

    I caution that wins in the off season rarely translates to wins in the field; when wholesale changes are made to a team, they take some time to acclimate.

    I think the Angels make the playoffs if they improve their bullpen. It will not be easy because Houston and Texas look strong again. They must win their division because Cleveland and Minnesota compete with 3 rebuilding teams while the AL east is always strong.

    Reply
  50. matanzas1962

    7 years ago

    As to the Angels, Guess who led the Angels in RBI the last 3 years? Albert Pujols!!!!

    1
    Reply

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