OC Register: Angels 2024 spring training preview: 5 key questions

[AngelsWin.com]

Here are some of the key questions the Angels hope to answer during spring training:

What does Arte Moreno have to say?

The Angels owner traditionally spoke to reporters on a wide range of topics near the beginning of spring training each year. Moreno abandoned that practice in 2021 and 2022, but he again answered questions in 2023.

Now, there are a handful of pressing issues that fans would like to see him address, starting with whether he has plans to revisit the sale of the team after taking it off the market a year ago.

Moreno can also speak to the way the Angels handled the Shohei Ohtani talks over the winter, and what he intends to do to help the team win now that Ohtani is gone.

How are Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon doing?

Rendon has missed at least half of the season for three years in a row, and Trout has missed significant time in each of those years too.

How they look and feel in spring training won’t be entirely revealing – after all, most players show up in “the best shape of their lives” – but there could be something to make of what they did over the winter and what they say about their efforts to prevent further injuries.

How will the outfield shake out?

Nothing is certain other than Trout being the center fielder, and even that has some questions because of his injuries. He hasn’t played more than 125 games in the outfield since 2016.

Otherwise, the Angels have Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak, Aaron Hicks and Jo Adell all vying for playing time. Certainly, the playing time and roles will evolve throughout the season, but the performances of all of those players in spring training will establish their roles out of the gate.

Moniak and Adell are both out of options, which could complicate things.

If more than three of those players are hitting well enough to be in the lineup at the same time, the Angels do have the DH spot to use for one of them.

Will Ward return to form?

Ward deserves a question of his own, within the previous one, because of what he endured last year.

Ward fractured bones in his face in a frightening incident last July, when he was hit in the face by a pitch. Ward left the field with a blood-soaked towel on his face, and he never returned to action.

General Manager Perry Minasian said in December that Ward has done well and they are planning on him being the same player he was before the injury, but it will be worth watching to see how he responds to live pitching in spring training.

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Are the young players ready for increased roles?

Catcher Logan O’Hoppe and shortstop Zach Neto both made impressive debuts as rookies in 2023, both on and off the field, demonstrating skill and leadership.

However, it’s a lot to ask players with so little experience to take on such prominent roles. Both players still have holes in their game that they will need to tighten.

First baseman Nolan Schanuel and right-hander Chase Silseth also could work into prominent roles despite limited major-league experience.

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