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| It's arguable the the Angels won the offseason. But will that translate into a title? |
Notice that at Coffee, we refer to the Angels as the "Anaheim Angels" and not the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim."
To say the Angels made a splash this offseason would be an understatement. Leading off those big transactions would be the signing of Catcher Chris Iannetta. Then the huge singings came in, when the Angels announced the signing of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson in the same week. These automatically made the Angels a playoff contender. What almost guarantees their appearance in the playoffs is the establishment of the 5th Playoff Spot. The Angels will be good competition for the Rangers in the AL West, as well as the Wild Card contenders in the AL East. However, this team can separate themselves from the pack.
What jumps out at me is the Angels first three starters winning 50 combined games. Their fourth starter, Ervin Santana, won 17 games in 2010 and bested his 2010 ERA in 2011 by over half a run. This is the most proven rotation in baseball.
As for their bullpen, they have a young closer in Jordan Walden that is capable of saving a lot of games. The issue is that he cannot blow 10 Saves next year and expect the Angels to be fine. He has a 2.98 ERA that needs to be improved next season. His cast includes LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Downs and Hisanori Takahashi. Downs has been a reputable reliever for the past few seasons and is trying to establish himself as a prime Bishop rather than a left-handed specialist. I would say that he, in fact, leans closer to the former. They shouldn't be much of a problem, but Jordan Walden could potentially be an issue.
The Angels come into this season with a target on their back. Based on their offense, they expect to contend for a title. I expect them to merely contend for a playoff slot.
X-FACTORS:
Lineup: OF Vernon Wells. If he produces like he did in Toronto, they will get a better return on two investments.
Rotation: Jerome Williams. Or whoever the 5th starter is. This rotation is stacked enough.
Bullpen: Jordan Walden. He needs to blow less saves this season.
The Kids: OF Mike Trout. In 2012, Trout needs to live up to the hype. The beginning of his career is being thrust into a pennant race.
ROYAL LIST:
#3 OF Mike Trout: Best offensive prospect not named Bryce on this list.
#55 SS Jean Segura: Figures to come back from injury-slowed 2011. Expect him in Anaheim this September.
#83 RHP Garrett Richards: Should see some appearances with the big club this season.
PROJECTION: 2nd Place AL West
-I still feel that the Rangers are too good to be bested by Offseason Super Team West this offseason.
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