Can The Angels Win The AL West? Only Time … (And Health) Will Tell

No Comments March 28, 2017 Angels By John Stellman

Ah, the spring.

The air is fresh.

Beautiful gardens are starting to bloom.

The days are getting longer.

It’s also the time of year when baseball teams travel to Arizona and Florida to begin preparations for “The Grand Old Game.”

High Expectations

A time when optimism spreads like a contagious disease.

Thirty teams set their sights on participating in the Fall Classic.

Hopes spring eternal.

All Is Good

Realism evaporates.

Common sense is nowhere to be found.

Sweet dreams permeate the nights.

After all, for approximately seven weeks everybody is 0-0.

They’re Off And Running

Opening Day signals the beginning of the race.

There are those who will stumble out the gate, never to recover.

Others will lose ground on the back nine, unable to keep up with the pace.

Some will break quickly, hoping to be relevant down the stretch.

Where Are The Angels?

Even with high powered binoculars, it’s hard to place the Angels in the tightly contested American League West race.

Injuries ended the Angels 2016 season almost before it began.

Twenty one players combined to be placed on the disabled list 49 different times.

It was as if the clubhouse had been turned into a hospital ward.

No Vacancy

It almost seemed like the medical staff spent more time tending to the injured than the healthy spent on the diamond.

Needles to say, the Angels struggled to fourth place AL West finish.

When they mercifully pulled the curtain down on the season all that was left was a 74-88 record and 21 game gap between the Angels and division winning Texas.

So what would you expect for an encore?

For starters, how about a HEALTHY roster!

And speaking of starters, the Angel rotation is one GIANT question mark.

2016: A Nightmare

In his breakout year of 2014, Garrett Richards made 26 starts. He hurled 168 2/3 innings, compiled a 13-4 record and a flashy 2.61 earned run average.

Just to prove that was no fluke, the 6’3 210-pounder came back to compile equally impressive statistics. His 2015 line: 207 1/3 innings pitched, a 15-12 record and a solid 3.65 ERA.

So when Richards took the mound just six times and pitched in only 34 2/3 innings last summer, you knew the Angels were in deep trouble.

And he was just the beginning.

Andrew Heaney

Projected at the No. 2 starter, Heaney made one start comprising just six innings.

Both went down with ulnar collateral ligament damage which requires Tommy John reconstructive surgery.

The recovery period is between 12 and 18 months.

Another promising starter, Nick Tropeano, was also KO’d and required surgery.

Going, Going, Gone!

Heaney and Tropeano won’t be back until 2018.

“From the information I have available right now, there is nothing that would make him available to pitch this year,” Angel manager Mike Scioscia said.

Asked if perhaps the time line could change, the skipper responded: “That’s going to be their (the doctors) decision. It’s not our call or Andrew’s call.”

If there is a silver lining here, it’s that Richards was able to opt for successful steam-cell therapy.

Richards however, will have limitations.

Closely Watched

The Angels will be carefully monitoring his pitch count.

“That just means I’m going to have to be more efficient.

“If I want to go deeper into games, I need to cut down 20 pitches.

“Maybe filling up the zone a little more, less walks,” Richards suggested.

By eliminating the elbow pain caused by his change up, Richards will rely on two fastballs: a cutter and a sinker.

He hopes that will induce quick outs, as it did in 2014.

Out Of Nowhere

That same year saw Matt Shoemaker burst on to the scene impressively.

A late bloomer to say the least, the now 30-year old right hander made the most of his 30 starts. His 16-4 record was complemented with a solid 3.04 earned run average.

That earned Shoemaker runner up to the White Sox Jose Abreu (.317 BA, 36 HR, 107 RBI) in the American League’s Rookie Of The Year balloting.

If Tyler Skaggs, also a Tommy John victim, can be more consistent dominating opposing hitters, he could be the No. 3 starter.

Ricky Nolasco, who blossomed down the stretch after his acquisition from Minnesota, and free agent Jesse Chavez, figure to round out the rotation.

Then There Were Two

While there may be some questions surrounding the Angel starters, the bullpen appears to be solid.

Although Houston Street and his 324 career saves will open the season on the disabled list, Cam Bedrosian and Andrew Bailey appear capable of filling Street’s shoes.

Bedrosian, a first round selection in 2010, took the mound on 45 occasions last summer.

He made the most of his opportunity.

On Fire!

The 25-year old flame thrower posted a 2-0 record with one save and a 1.12 ERA. And his strikeout to walk statistic was almost 4-to-1 (51-14).

Signed by the Angels last August 13 after his release from Philadelphia, Bailey earned a half dozen saves in his 12 appearances and completed the season with a 2.38 ERA.

Handling the pitching staff will be Martin Maldonado, acquired from Milwaukee December 13, and holdover Carlos Perez.

The 30-year old ex-Brewer has a rocket arm. Last season Maldonado cut down 40 percent of would be base stealers and permitted just three passed balls.

“Maldonado hasn’t caught 100 games (in a season) yet. Hopefully he’ll be ready to catch and take that leap to the next level,” Scioscia said.

Johnny G Upgrade

They talk about strength up the middle and the Angels seem to have taken steps in that direction with the trade with Washington for second basemen Danny Espinosa.

Espinosa, who will team with shortstop Andrelton Simmons, committed just 18 errors in 603 defensive chances last season,

Yunel Escobar and either Albert Pujols, C.J. Cron or Luis Valbuena will man the corners,

Left Field Solved?

With Kole Calhoun patrolling right field and reigning AL MVP Mike Trout in center, the perennial question is, what kind of production will the Angels get from Cameron Maybin and Ben Revere in left field?

Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry were a disaster last year.

Combined, Angels left fielders OPS of .584 was worst in the majors. Their 2015 OPS of .592 was also the worst.

The Longer The Better!

So there are questions.

But like Trout (above, celebrating the Angels 2014 AL West Title) says, “Everybody has a chance. The games haven’t started. It’s a long season, and we’re looking forward to it.”

After all, isn’t that what spring training is all about?

The Southern California News Group Contributed To This Article

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...