Angels Career WAR

[Hubs]

Before Vlad put a Halo on his cap I looked over Angels Career WAR totals to see how much he had, and in relation to other greats who played for the Angels.

I wasn't exactly shocked, but Trout is the career WAR leader for The Angels at 55.2. ( I use Baseball-reference because I like their interface and methodology better than Fangraphs).

It is interesting to see this when considering whose number should be retired. My thoughts are the top five guys should have their number retired. Only two of them are currently retired.

1. Trout - 55 WAR - ACTIVE

2. Finley - 52 WAR

3. Fregosi - 45 WAR

4. Salmon - 40 WAR

5. Ryan - 40 WAR

6. Downing - 37 WAR

7. Weaver - 35 WAR

8. Grich - 34 WAR

9. Tanana - 34 WAR

10. Erstad - 32 WAR

11. Anderson - 28 WAR

12. Kendrick - 27 WAR

13. Langston - 26 WAR

14. Lackey - 24 WAR

15. Aybar - 23 WAR

16. Guerrero - 22 WAR

17. Glaus - 22 WAR

18. Figgins - 22 WAR

19. Witt - 22 WAR

20. Hunter - 21 WAR

21. Washburn - 21 WAR

22. Edmonds - 20 WAR

23. Joyner - 18 WAR

24. DeCinces - 18 WAR

I find it interesting Pujols six seasons with the team have not put him on the list, but he's currently at 11.0 after a negative showing in 2017. I also was surprised at how high Kendrick was.

Among current Angels, Pujols probably won't get on the top 24 list unless he returns to 2012 Pujols form for the remaining 4 seasons, but interestingly, Andrelton Simmons would make the list after just three seasons if he repeated last year's number. He is also around 11, at 11.2 WAR.

Ohtani will climb quickly if he hits even as well as Mike Napoli hit in 2008 / 2009, not that I like that comp, but I was looking for a comp in expected playing time, which I figure will fall between Napoli's 2008 and 2009 seasons with the club, both of which ended up in the 3.0 WAR. As a DH the positional adjustment will be a bit rougher versus Catcher, but I think a 2-3 WAR season as a hitter is within reach even as a DH. As he is effectively counted separately as a hitter/pitcher, a 2-3 WAR season as a hitter combined with a 4-6 WAR season as a pitcher, means a 6-9 win player, and after just a few seasons, he'd show up on this list.

 

 

[Hubs]

Kole Calhoun is the next active player after Trout, at 13.0. Then Simmons, at 11.2, then Pujols at 11.0.

I also could see Justin Upton being on this list after his current contract is done. He currently has only 0.5 WAR with the Angels, but has 32.8 in 10 seasons (his debut was -0.4 in 40 games so that doesn't count for averages).  5 years at 3-4 average will put him close. Especially if he has a year or three like 2017 (5.7).

[Inside Pitch]

16 minutes ago, Hubs said:

I also was surprised at how high Kendrick was.

He was a second baseman...  His WAR over that span (2006-2014), ranked 7th in baseball at the position and this was despite his having taken until year four to play in as many as 100 games in a season.  Brandon Phillips in 6th place had over 1200 more at bats during that time.

[Hubs]

4 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

He was a second baseman...  His WAR over that span (2006-2014), ranked 7th in baseball at the position and this was despite his having taken until year four to play in as many as 100 games in a season.  Brandon Phillips in 6th place had over 1200 more at bats during that time.

It makes you appreciate what they had more. Considering the Angels as a team had negative WAR from the position in 2017 (-1.2) , and just 0.5 WAR in both 2016 and 2015.

 

[m0nkey]

And yet 83% if the board couldn’t wait to get rid of him

[Lou]

 I love Howie 

[Dick B Back]

25 minutes ago, Lou said:

 I love Howie 

I agree.

[AngelsLakersFan]

49 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

He was a second baseman...  His WAR over that span (2006-2014), ranked 7th in baseball at the position and this was despite his having taken until year four to play in as many as 100 games in a season.  Brandon Phillips in 6th place had over 1200 more at bats during that time.

Wonder why it seems like second basemen are always underrated....

[Slegnaac]

Downing Rules

emo

 

[Dtwncbad]

I loved Howie.  Oddly (admittedley) i never liked Adam Kennedy.  Obviously his huge game in the playoffs was awesome but in general I didn't like him.

I was very happy they turned the page from Kennedy to Kendrick.

I also remember OF Register Mark Whicker basically whining that committing to move on from Kennedy to Kendrick was dumb.

And I thought, "if you are not comfortable going in this direction with this player, then when on earth could you ever be comfortable??"

I was annoyed when the Angels wouldn't just go with Mark McLemore over Johnny Ray. . .

[Chris]

This gets me thinking about the Angels HOF.  I think Weaver, Tanana, and Erstad all go in at some point.

[AngelsLakersFan]

It's amazing how many guys on that list put up their numbers in the late 90's/early 2000's.

[GrittyVeterans]

Simmons will go screaming up this list in the next few seasons

He's already at close to 12 WAR in just 2 seasons with the team

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just think its cool to see erstad top 10. I remember some guys on the old board hated him, because of his obp. But he was always my fave. Its irony to see a pretty accepted advanced stat favor him.

[Tank]

9 hours ago, Lou said:

 I love Howie 

i was one of those that tired of him. seemed like he never really delivered on all that potential we saw from him in the minors. i kept waiting for a big season from him and it never really materialized. am surprised to see his WAR was so high.

[ten ocho recon scout]

So obviously @Tank was a jerk.

[Tank]

it was the only occasion where i've been less than a perfect fan.

[ten ocho recon scout]

7 minutes ago, Tank said:

it was the only occasion where i've been less than a perfect fan.

Well, there was the aw.com bbq when you showed up with hummus and brocolli.

[Tank]

4 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Well, there was the aw.com bbq when you showed up with hummus and brocolli.

found out the hard way this group eschews anything healthy. 

my kale-kiwi-carrot-arugula-wheat germ protein shakes for everyone didn't fare well, either. 

[arch stanton]

2 minutes ago, Tank said:

found out the hard way this group eschews anything healthy. 

my kale-kiwi-carrot-arugula-wheat germ protein shakes for everyone didn't fare well, either. 

I would drink that. I'd add a shot of rum but I'd definitely drink it

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 minutes ago, Tank said:

found out the hard way this group eschews anything healthy. 

my kale-kiwi-carrot-arugula-wheat germ protein shakes for everyone didn't fare well, either. 

You definetely lost votes for the aw mount rushmore that day. You went from lincoln (pre that day) to carter. Very likable, but who wants to eat peanuts at a bbq?

[Revad]

Hey I live in Georgia- peanuts in the shell heavily salted and in a bag that says Angels would make it to my BBQ and so would the shakes if you add some protein powder and stevia. (Sounds like Tank had that under control).  And don't mess with Carter while Trump is president.

so there

[tdawg87]

Trout is just fucking ridiculous 

[Inside Pitch]

6 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Just think its cool to see erstad top 10. I remember some guys on the old board hated him, because of his obp. But he was always my fave. Its irony to see a pretty accepted advanced stat favor him.

His defense was really that good.   Dude racked up 10 dWAR in the span of 5 seasons at one point.  

[DCAngelsFan]

8 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Just think its cool to see erstad top 10. I remember some guys on the old board hated him, because of his obp. But he was always my fave. Its irony to see a pretty accepted advanced stat favor him.

I think a lot of the "hate" directed at Erstad was about his contract - (remember Rob Neyer's obsession with Erstad?  Couldn't write a column without taking a swipe at him - I thought Erstad must've screwed his wife, wiped himself on the curtains, and took his dog, the way he wrote about him) 

But you're right, looking back at WAR and the cost/win over the contract, he arguably had surplus value - he produced 32.6 bWAR for a salary of $45,725,000 or about $1.4m/WAR, in retrospect, even ab it of a bargain when the cost/win was $4- to 6m over his career.  Kind of amusing that WAR could be used to show he was better than we thought.  

I mean, yeah, as he started to break down, it was easy to get frustrated with his deficiencies and injuries - playing 1B with his poor bat in 04 and -5, and then barely playing his last year, well, he was a guy that stayed a year or two too long.

But does 2002 happen without him?  Probably not.  Hard to hate on anyone on the team that gave me the best baseball season, probably ever.