AL West Preview: Los Angeles Angels
Ok, let’s take a look at our last AL West preview, the Los Angeles Angels:
What’s good
Among the Rangers’ three divisional opponents, the Angels are leaps and bounds ahead of the Mariners and Athletics when it comes to having an offense that keep up with Texas. Essentially, they’ll be replacing the aging Hideki Matsui in the lineup with Kendry Morales. Morales was hitting .290 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI when he broke his leg after celebrating a game winning home run May 29th last year. The injury forced Morales to miss the rest of the season and weakened the Anaheim offense just as Josh Hamilton began his historic June tear at the plate. Barring another Morales injury, the Angels will have their most productive hitter back in the middle of the lineup in 2011 along with Vernon Wells who came over in the Mike Napoli trade. Napoli led Los Angeles with 26 home runs last year but consider this: Wells, who is only 32, had six more home runs and 20 more RBI (88) than Napoli and a batting average that was 35 points higher (.273).
What’s bad
Jered Weaver led the American League in strikeouts last year (233) and he’ll be the anchor Mike Scioscia will rely on again in 2011.
But the questions about Los Angeles’ starting rotation start to pile up after Weaver.
Dan Haren was thought to be the missing piece last year and he wasn’t bad after being dealt to the Angels in late July. He went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts but Haren will have to have ace-like stuff in 2011 for Los Angeles to have some sort of reliability in the starting rotation because Ervin Santana was decent last year (17-10, 3.97 ERA) but has been up and down his whole career and Scott Kazmir who has been nothing short of horrendous (11-17, 5.26 ERA) since coming to the Angels in August of 2009.
But the Angel bullpen might be shakier than their starting rotation. Scott Downs is really the only reliable arm among a middle relief corps that is largely inexperienced. And even more questions arise concerning their closer Fernando Rodney. Rodney closed in place of Brian Fuentes at the beginning of last year and was okay as a fill-in but he ended the season with seven blown saves and a bloated 4.24 ERA.
Who’s new
Vernon Wells
Biggest addition to the Los Angeles lineup and should help the Angel offense somewhat keep up with what could be a torrid offensive pace set by the Rangers. Angels owner Arte Moreno proved he can pay the big bucks by trading a low-salary yet productive guy in Napoli for an even more productive yet high-salary guy in Wells. The 32-year-old centerfielder also takes the burden of playing centerfield everyday off Torii Hunter who will turn 36 this July.
Who’s gone
Hideki Matsui
Matsui turns 37 in June and even though he was still productive last year (.274 avg., 21 HR, 84 RBI) getting rid of his contract will give Los Angeles more flexibility at the trade deadline. The Angels just hope letting Matsui sign with division rival Oakland won’t come back to haunt them.
Mike Napoli
Napoli could play three positions (catcher, DH, and first base) and play well at each and he provided production on offense leading the Angels in home runs last year with 27. But Napoli, 29, is somewhat in the mold of a Jack Cust-type where he’ll get you 20-30 home runs a year but his average will be low and his strikeouts will be high. It’s understandable that Los Angeles would jump on the opportunity to trade Napoli for a guy like Wells, who will hit for a higher average with the same amount of power production, even if it means paying a whole lot more.
Prospect watch
Mike Trout
Espn.com’s Keith Law has Trout listed as the best prospect in baseball and the Angels expect the 19-year-old to be called up sometime this season. You can read more about that here, but basically Trout could be a key part of the Angels’ outfield by 2011’s end. He hit .341 last year and ranked fifth in the minors with 56 steals. He would be the ideal fit for centerfield or leftfield if Peter Bourjos struggles at the plate.
Projected record
The Angels could have the offense to compete with Texas and Oakland for the AL West crown but their shaky pitching, both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen, could make it hard for Los Angeles to win the division especially with the Rangers defending their AL pennant and the Athletics rolling out what could be the best pitching staff in baseball. Mike Scioscia’s club finished below.500 (80-82) last year for the first time since 2003. They’ll improve on that but it won’t be enough to beat out Texas or Oakland…85-77, 3rd in the AL West….