2012 Season
The Angels made the biggest splash in the off-season prior to last season, forking out huge amounts of money to sign top free agent Albert Pujols and added C.J. Wilson to their armour in the rotation. After a disappointing April (8-15 record), they took off in the next few months, with a 35-20 record in May and June. They stumbled a little in July and August, and ultimately they were made to rue the slow start as they finished 89-73, five games back in the division. It's no coincidence that the team's turnaround after April coincided with the call-up of rookie sensation Mike Trout who had the greatest rookie season in history as he had a .326/.399/.564 triple-slash to go with 30 home runs, 49 steals and outstanding defensive work. Pujols struggled through a well documented April slump, but he too picked up the pace after that, and whilst the .285 average was lower than his usual standard, he still cranked 30 homers and drove in 100 runs. On the mound, Jered Weaver continued to prove he is an ace-calibre pitcher with a 2.81 ERA and minuscule 1.02 WHIP. The mid-season acquisition of Zack Greinke gave the play-off run some impetus, but ultimately didn't prove the difference maker.
Off-Season Moves
IN: Josh Hamilton, Jason Vargas, Joe Blanton, Sean Burnett, Tommy Hanson, Ryan Madson
OUT: Zack Greinke, Ervin Santana, Kendrys Morales, Jordan Walden, Torii Hunter, Dan Haren
Overview: Having dominated the 2011 off-season, most people expected this to be a quiet free agent period for the Angels, but they once again stole the show as they signed Josh Hamilton to a 5 year, $125 million contract. The departures of Greinke, Santana and Haren opened up holes in the rotation, but the acquisitions of Vargas, Blanton and Hanson should at least fill those gaps for the time being. Ryan Madson appears to be the favourite to close, although the departure of Torii Hunter leaves the Angels without an obvious option at number 2 in the line-up. The Angels brought in another stud slugger to make their line-up one of the more formidable in the Majors, but to me the biggest need was another big rotation arm, and the underwhelming acquisitions of Blanton and Hanson don't really address that need. Overall grade: 6/10.
| Projected Opening Day Line-up | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Projected stat line (OBP/SLG/WAR) |
| LF | Mike Trout | .402/.564/7.4 |
| SS | Erick Aybar | .321/.389/2.7 |
| 1B | Albert Pujols | .394/.564/4.1 |
| RF | Josh Hamilton | .356/.540/3.2 |
| DH | Mark Trumbo | .315/.495/1.8 |
| 2B | Howie Kendrick | .327/.424/2.4 |
| 3B | Alberto Callaspo | .337/.386/2.2 |
| C | Chris Ianetta | .352/.426/1.7 |
| CF | Peter Bourjos | .316/.411/2.6 |
| Projected rotation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Player | Projected stat line (IP/ERA/WAR) |
| 1 | Jered Weaver | 220/3.07/4.4 |
| 2 | C.J. Wilson | 198/3.45/3.4 |
| 3 | Tommy Hanson | 160/3.66/2.1 |
| 4 | Joe Blanton | 182/4.10/1.6 |
| 5 | Jason Vargas | 205/3.82/1.7 |
Position Players
There was no better all-round player in baseball last season than Mike Trout, and at aged 21 it's scary to think he may improve. One area in which he could improve is cutting down on the strikeouts. He whiffed 139 times in 2012, and if he is able to shave this by 10 or 20% then the average may actually rise. He wasn't projected to hit for much power, but there is no reason to think that the pop is not legitimate, and the speed certainly won't be going away soon. Josh Hamilton will slot right into the side as the clean-up hitter, and whilst he was incredibly good for streaks last season, his disappointing end to the season (.259 average in September) and propensity to strike out means he is susceptible to bitterly cold streaks. Moving to Anaheim may sap some power from his bat, but if he is able to stay healthy then he'll be a highly productive hitter at the heart of this line-up.
Pujols was woeful in April, but after making a few adjustments went back to being his true self and there is no reason to think that the man we saw from May onwards wasn't the real Pujols. Mark Trumbo has prodigious raw power, but poor contact rate and no real position on the diamond. He crushed in the first couple of months last season, but cooled down considerably down the stretch, so he'll need to improve that it's the .373 and .407 OBPs from April and May that are repeatable, not the .263 and .205 in August and September. Howie Kendrick and Alberto Callaspo both have limited ability with the bat, but play solidly in the field and have the potential to drive in runs with such talented hitters ahead of them. Iannetta hit well in streaks for the Angels, but struggled with injuries and may find his playing time reduced if he can't find a groove with the bat. This is a line-up with a few stud players, but they may miss Hunter more than they think, and if Trout regresses and Hamilton struggles with injuries, the team's flaws will become more obvious. Overall grade: 7/10.
Pitching
The clear ace of the rotation is the 30 year-old right-hander Jered Weaver, who continues to excel. He won 20 games last season, with a 2.81 ERA and 1.02 WHIP to go with them, as his fly ball tendencies work well in spacious Anaheim. He also pitched a no-hitter, and will look to take that form with him into 2012, with more pressure on his shoulders than ever. C.J. Wilson was disappointing in his first season, with a 3.84 ERA and 1.34 WHIP his highest stats for 4 years. He'll look to rebound in 2012, with pressure on him to live up to his contract. Blanton and Hanson are both looking to bounce back after disappointing seasons, with the latter coming off an awful -0.9 WAR season. Jason Vargas is an underrated innings-eater, who's fly-ball tendencies will play just as well in Angels Stadium as Safeco.
In the bullpen, the newly acquired Ryan Madson will look to bounce back after missing a year with injuries. He recorded 32 saves with a 2.37 ERA in 2011, and the Angels will be hoping they have found themselves a bargain in free agency. Ernesto Frieri arrived at Anaheim at the start of the 2012 season from the Padres and was lights-out, with a 2.32 ERA and 0.99 WHIP whilst in Los Angeles. He saved 23 games, saving 11 from 11 prior to the all-star break, and will be the first to step in if Madson falters. The acquisition of Sean Burnett gives the bullpen a second lefty to go with Scott Downs, and both pitchers were strong in 2012, although the latter struggled a little down the stretch. Overall, the rotation seems to lack a clear second starter behind Weaver and I don't love the depth. The bullpen is very strong however, and should keep the Angels ahead in close games. Overall grade: 7/10.
Prospects
After years of trades and wasted draft picks, the Angels have run out of quality prospects. Third baseman Kaleb Cowart promises to be an intriguing prospect at the hot corner, but beyond him there is little to look forward to in Anaheim. Kole Calhoun will be a bench bat in 2013, and a good one at that, whilst Nick Marone and R.J. Alvarez may provide bullpen help. The big league club may be strong, but the farm system is very much in need of replenishing. Overall grade: 2/10.
Overview
Overall, this is a team that could easily win 100 games, but could also struggle to keep pace in the division. Trout, Hamilton and Pujols are three fearsome hitters, but don't have a lot of other support in the line-up, whilst the pressure will all be on Jered Weaver to win another 15-20 games. If they can avoid another April slump I like their chances, but I don't think they run away with the division.
Prediction: 90-72
Gif to Watch
You've probably seen this GIF a thousand times, but it bears watching again and again. Trout made a number of spectacular home run robbing catches in 2012, but this was surely the pick of the bunch.
No comments:
Post a Comment