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| Million-dollar Smile |
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
by Hayden Hughes
Let’s get this out of the
way real quick:
MIKE TROUT, MIKE TROUT,
MIKE TROUT, MIKE TROUT, MIKE TROUT, aaaand MIKE TROUT.
Okay, I’m good if you’re
good now.
The problem with baseball
is you can’t just bat the same guy over and over again. Which is funny, because
that’s the problem with watching Angels games. I shouldn’t be subjected to
watch this piss-poor lineup under perform just to see Trout bat 4 times a game.
Unless my ticket is free, of course.
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| Here's the good news. |
Let’s be honest, losing
Mark Trumbo hurts a lot more than Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago are going to help. At least in
2014. Trumbo lead the team in games played, at-bats, homers, and RBIs, although admittedly, strikeouts. Almost all other non-baserunning categories, Trumbo
came in second behind Trout.
The Angels didn’t just dump
Trumbo, however. They have replaced his bat at DH with Raul Ibanez and solidified third
base with David Freese and not Alberto Callaspo. So what does each bring to
Anaheim?
Ibanez had a solid season belting
29 homers with Seattle and got on base at a .306 clip, so he should be adequate
enough replacing Trumbo for a year. One roadblock is that you’d have to bench
Ibanez to play Albert Pujols at DH if lingering injuries stiff-arm Pujols away
from playing defense.
David Freese comes over to
Anaheim for fourth outfielder Peter Bourjos. Freese had an iffy final season in
a Cardinals uniform – his home run total dropped to 9, he hit .262 with an OBP
of .340, but struck out 106 times in 136 games. But as Freese has proven, he
will be productive in the postseason, should Anaheim make it that far.
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| Freese seems to have lackluster regular seasons, but it's a different story in the postseason. |
So here’s why I believe we
have the Angels ranked way too high: I envision a world with a healthy,
productive Albert Pujols, a productive Josh Hamilton who doesn’t strikeout so
much while outright refusing to walk,
a Raul Ibanez who isn’t literally 42 years old in June, an Erick Aybar who will
revert to 2012, and a Howie Kendrick who isn’t traded. Unfortunately this world
does not exist and we have the Angels ranked too high – and I helped make this
list.
Mike Trout’s .432 OBP led
the team in 2013. Who was second? Catcher Chris Iannetta with his .358 OBP.
Josh Hamilton and Albert
Pujols’ averages were .250 and .258 respectively with respective OBPs of .307
and .330. I don’t know how low my standards are supposed to be for guys making
$17M and $23M in 2014 (respectively, of course), but if I were an Angels fan I
would just watch the Dodgers. At least I’ll find a familiar face in Zack
Greinke.
But then I may only weep at
the thought of losing Jean Segura for the 89.1 innings Greinke pitched.
See, it would make losing
Aybar or Kendrick tolerable if I had Jean Segura’s talent available. But
instead, the Angels made a panic trade-deadline move in a season where they
finished 3rd in the AL West. Seriously, just watch the Dodgers.
Okay, I’ll lay off for a
second and give the Angels’ faithful something to watch this year that I
truthfully believe: this is the year that will determine a lot of things. For
one, Jerry DiPoto’s employment for the future. Another thing determined in 2014
will be to what degree the long-term Pujols and Hamilton deals were bad or
horrid.
The Trout-Pujols-Hamilton
trio should be comparable to the Miami Heat’s Big 3. But LeBron and co. lost in
their first title run to the Mavericks. BUT AT LEAST THEY MADE THE PLAYOFFS.
Then they went on to win two consecutive titles.
Anaheim, your baseball team
isn’t good. Enjoy the success the Dodgers have in 2014. I have quit laying off
on them, if you couldn’t tell.
Side note: How crazy
awesome is Chris Iannetta. The guy hits .225 in 2013, but gets on base at a
.358 clip.
Side-Side note: Don’t you
think that the Angels’ P.A. announcer should broadcast Mike Trout’s name like
the Bulls’ announcer introduced Michael Jordan for so many years?
“Miiiiichaelllllllllllllllllll Trooooouuuutt!” Okay…I guess the syllables just
aren’t there.
1. Last Season and Offseason
a. 78-84
b. Signed Raul Ibanez
c. Traded Peter Bourjos to STL for David Freese
d. Traded Mark Trumbo to AZ for Tyler Skaggs; CHW sent Hector Santiago
2. Line Up/Rotation
Lineup:
1. Erick Aybar SS
2. Mike Trout CF
3. Albert Pujols 1B
4. Josh Hamilton LF
5. David Freese 3B
6. Raul Ibanez DH
7. Howie Kendrick 2B
8. Kole Calhoun RF
9. Chris Ianetta C
Rotation:
1. Jered Weaver
2. CJ Wilson
3. Garrett Richards
4. Hector Santiago
5. Tyler Skaggs
3. Favorite/Least Favorite
a. Nick's Favorite – Going younger with Calhoun, Skaggs, Freeze, Trout
b. Hayden's Favorite – Trout; Freese Trade
c. Nick's Least Favorite – Haven’t locked up Trout yet; No one walks.
d. Hayden's Least Favorite – No youth; No Kendrick, Aybar trades; Ibanez signing;
i. Going Younger? Pujols and Hamilton are each a year further removed from their peaks
4. Impact Player
a. Josh Hamilton
i. Someone’s gotta do better
ii. Quit pulling everything, don’t be afraid to walk every other week or so
iii. Literally cannot get on base versus lefties (.233 OBP in 2013 v. LHP)
iv. Just earn your money.
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| Come on, man. |
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| Oh look, he did this in Texas, too. |
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| He makes $64 million in 2016 and 2017!! |
a. None. Literally None. CJ Cron?
6. Midseason Status
a. Pujols stumbling out to 1B after DL stints
b. Pujols suspended for conduct detriment to team (Voo-Doo dolls with pins remarkably resembling Raul Ibanez and his eventual injuries because now Pujols can’t DH)
c. Hamilton’s blue eyes regain form and hits better during day games
7. Bold Predictions
a. 81-81
b. They will aggressively shop one of Hamilton and Pujols
c. 3rd or 4th Place.
d. Trade 2B Howie Kendrick to LAD for RHP Zach Lee
e. NICK EXCLUSIVE: Trade 1B CJ Cron and 2B Howie Kendrick to CHW for DH Adam Dunn and a prospect.
f. Team stays exactly where they are now. Stuck in their old age.
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| The good ol' days. |
Podcast Playlist:
"Apocalyptic Renegade" by Twin Atlantic
"Hey Ho" by the Lumineers
"Hey Ho" by the Lumineers
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