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Chuck

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  1. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Feature Writer
    The clock is now down to days before the first name in the 2022 MLB Draft is called. I’ve been gathering information from around the industry to put together my final in-detail mock draft for 2022, and will have a names only one coming just prior to the draft itself on Sunday at 4pm PT.
    You can read my first and only other mock for the year, Mock Draft 1.0, from HomePlateView.com from July 1, here
    As noted throughout, the top pick will dictate much of the first third of the draft. No one knows what Baltimore is doing with the first pick and won’t up until the name is called. As always, enjoy...
     
    1. Baltimore Orioles - Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan HS (GA)
    The entire top of the draft hinges on Baltimore's selection and as record will stand, no one will know what direction Mike Elias and staff are going until just minutes before the selection or potentially even when the selection is made. There are still five names attached to this pick between Jones, Jackson Holliday, Termarr Johnson, Brooks Lee, and Kevin Parada. Everything will come down to price and value that permits them to execute the best use of their bonus surplus and set them up for their second, third, and ongoing picks through the course of the first two days of the draft. Jones is viewed, although not by consensus, as the top player in this draft and may have enough of a gap between the potential "money-saving picks" of Johnson, Lee, and Parada to still merit the top selection and allow Baltimore to swing a talent to their second and third picks at 33 and 42. I believe that if Jones is not the selection, it will be at a reduced deal with Lee, or a very slightly reduced deal with Holliday, with a target on one of the upper-tier arms that suffered injuries over the spring with their next pick.
    2. Arizona Diamondbacks - Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK)
    Much less held to secrecy, Arizona's hopeful scenario is that Baltimore passes on Jones, and he is available for them. They don't view Holliday as a consolation prize though as he is seen as their second priority to Jones.
    3. Texas Rangers - Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
    Similar to Arizona, Texas will have hopes that Baltimore passes on Jones and Holliday with the chance one is at hand here, with Holliday being the more likely scenario. If not, it seems this pick is down to Kevin Parada and Elijah Green, who had a strong showing during a workout at Globe Life Field.
    4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly
    It seems this pick is down to a trio if the top three go accordingly, with Lee, Johnson, and Cam Collier in the mix. Lee and Collier continue to gain traction here with Johnson staggering just behind though I wouldn't rule him out. An underslot deal with Cole Young has started to gain some headwind.
    5. Washington Nationals - Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
    Once again, pending the outcome of the first pick, the third selection may dictate what happens here between Parada and Jacob Berry based upon who Texas takes and whether or not Parada is available.
    6. Miami Marlins - Termarr Johnson, 2B, Mays HS (GA)
    This pick seems less likely determined by the top pick as it does by the fourth. Though college bats come up more often here and this would be the apparent floor for Parada, I still think Johnson is near the top of their board. If Pittsburgh does swing for Collier instead of Lee and neither are underslot options for the first pick, I believe Lee lands here. If Texas gets one of Jones or Holliday and Washington opts for Green or Berry over Parada, I believe this is his final outcome (I give these scenarios as alternates since the top of the draft has so many potential outcomes that intertwine together). In this scenario, neither Lee or Parada are available and that would lead to Johnson. I mentioned in my previous mock that Berry could have his ceiling here, though I see Johnson and others above him here. Another option gaining steam over the last week, though I’m not biting on the smoke, is that Miami may go down the board a bit and underslot one of the upside prep arms like Dylan Lesko.
    7. Chicago Cubs - Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola JC (FL)
    Collier and Johnson have both been long attached to Chicago, with Collier being the preference so it could be a dream scenario for Chicago to get one of their favored bats. There's always a strong chance someone does something unique in the first handful-or-so picks with underslot deals for teams who have supplemental picks, but it seems the seven mentioned here and before are going to be the first seven picks of the draft. If Collier or Johnson is gone, I could see this being the final landing spot for Lee to fill out to top seven. College bats like
    8. Minnesota Twins - Jacob Berry, 1B/OF, Louisiana State
    Returning quickly to the alternate scenarios, the perceived top seven talents are going in the top seven picks of this mock. By Sunday afternoon, there is just as strong a chance one of them falls out of the first seven selections as there is they all land within that range. There's no guarantee, but I would bet that someone mentioned above this will be available over the next two picks and ripe for the taking. That could leave Minnesota (and Kansas City right after this) in a holding pattern awaiting a potential faller. Back to this mock reality (fun oxymoron that I had to include), I've heard Minnesota on college bats. Berry and Gavin Cross lead the charge.
    9. Kansas City Royals - Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS (NV)
    After trading the 35th selection in the draft, Kansas City's bonus pool fell by just over $2.2M and went from the fourth largest to their ninth. It likely won't do too much altering with their first selection but it does hinder the chance of landing one of the priority picks in they do fall far enough -- Green in particular. This is the first legitimate underslot bet I've been hearing for some time and actually believe may be a reality between Brock Porter, Brandon Barriera, and Justin Crawford, though I'm hesitant to go Crawford for the diminished bonus and a strong potential suitor with a large bonus pool in the teens (see below). It's also the first place I've heard any pitcher's name tossed in and feel they'll be the first to pull the plug.
    10. Colorado Rockies - Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
    I've been told for weeks by multiple industry sources that this is the floor for Berry. When one person says it, it's a poor rumor, but when multiple people say it, it has merit. There's a chance he falls here, but if he's gone, I believe it will be Cross or Porter.
    11. New York Mets - Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard St Mary's HS (MI)
    With two picks in the teens separated by only two picks between, the Mets have cast a wide net on potential suitors. Crawford has been attached here for a long time and I believe if they like him enough, they could swing him to either pick with their large bonus pool. The Mets have played the draft backwards in the past by taking two underslot deals early and landing their bigger fish with a later pick (i.e., 2019: Brett Baty, Josh Wolf, Matt Allan), though that was without the excess of two high picks and leads me to believe they'll play this draft more straightforward. Pending their confidence in what the Tigers and Angels will do, I see them going upside with their first pick and top of their board with the second. Jett Williams is a name of interest for either pick.
    12. Detroit Tigers - Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama
    Up until the last week, I believed this would be the floor for Jace Jung with very slight risk the Mets would take him ahead of this. Detroit was full hands-on deck for Jung late in the season and I still wouldn't rule it out. But, I have it on good authority, almost to guarantee, that Detroit has pivoted heavily towards Prielipp who impressed during scouted bullpens and at the MLB Draft Combine, and he is set to be the first college arm off the board.
    13. Los Angeles Angels - Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage HS (FL)
    As this is an Angels Community Fansite & blog, there will be more reader emphasis on the Angels selection due to its paramount readership. As a caveat, it doesn't alter anything to the entirety of the mock and will go according to the information given. I have brash confidence that the Angels will take a pitcher here. Few pitchers, if any, will be selected ahead of them which gives the Angels their most desired arm and surplus to pick from. To my understanding, they have narrowed down who they believe is the top college and prep arm to Gabriel Hughes and Brandon Barriera and will be selecting between the two. The debate of who lingers behind them tends to fall to Justin Campbell on the college side and Robby Snelling on the prep, while Cade Horton and Lesko may be enticing. Kumar Rocker has had rumors in this range, though I'm leery on the Angels being among that group based on some internal comments. It will be noted here as opposed to later: whoever takes Rocker will plausibly have a gameplan of getting him to the big leagues as a reliever by September while in the hunt for the playoffs or impending a roster spot in the postseason. Postscript: belief is that the Angels will not take twenty pitchers with twenty picks.
    14. New York Mets - Daniel Susac, C, Arizona
    Once again going to the Mets and their creativity, this pick and the one they hold ahead of this have so much variance that plenty can alter between the two and it's a crapshoot as to trying to access what they will do. I do believe that if Crawford is available the Mets would try and swing him here as opposed to at 11 due to how the Tigers and Angels picks are being conceived, and they would target a college bat with their first pick. Instead, with him unavailable, I see them going to the top of their board with my idea being that it is a college bat and Susac being the frontrunner. One name that continues to come up around the teen picks and even prior is Lesko who was seen as the top arm in this class before having Tommy John surgery this spring. Again, there's no dead set feeling here but I could see the 11 and 14 picks being swapped multiple ways with too many players involved to feel any bit of confidence about New York.
    15. San Diego Padres - Jett Williams, SS, Rockwall-Heath HS (TX)
    Speaking of Lesko, everyone and their mother will believe he's a perfect fit for A.J. Preller and the Padres. I have it on good faith that San Diego is taking a hitter here, but I too am wary of Lesko being available and not being the pick. Of the hitters I've heard mentioned here, Crawford gains the most traction with Jett Williams and Cole Young right behind, with Williams getting the slight nod.
    16. Cleveland Guardians - Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech
    Cleveland shied away from their standard draft model last year with Gavin Williams, only slightly, where they focus on youth for the
    class and upside. With that, I could see Crawford, Barriera, or Williams going here and gives me pause on them taking Cole Young. A late rumor I heard as of writing this mock is that Cleveland has hopes of a particular falling talent getting to them in Jung who has rumors of falling down towards the 21st pick, while also having suitors from 8-14, though I don't believe the Mets would take him with either of their picks. Drew Gilbert and Chase DeLauter also seem to be candidates. With Lesko still on the board, I'm once again wary of Cleveland passing.
    17. Philadelphia Phillies - Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
    Another late rumor I heard while writing this mock is how deep Philadelphia ran in to see Gabriel Hughes during the late stages of the season. I've heard mixed reports on Philadelphia and while keeping things honest, don't have a strong feel for the direction they will go. My belief is that they'll take an arm here and though I'm somewhat confident in the general demographic they'll target I'm much less confident in who that will be. Plenty of teams in this range are interested in Lesko and he could even work his way into the top ten.
    18. Cincinnati Reds - Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford HS (GA)
    It might be a pipedream, but I don't think it's out of the realm for Cincinnati to get who they see as the top arm in the class. If Lesko is taken earlier and the Angels go with Hughes, I think this would be Barriera's floor. Zach Neto is also mentioned here, as well as into the late top ten.
    19. Oakland Athletics - Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
    College bat here with some options between DeLauter, Beavers, Drew Gilbert, and Jacob Melton; among others including previously selected.
    20. Atlanta Braves - Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
    College arms are the talk with Atlanta, and they should have a reserve to pick from. Hughes -- who is believed to not make it past this pick with confidence -- and Campbell are the most common names that come up here. Running back to the trade with Kansas City, I'm curious to see what Atlanta does with the extra $2.2M+ in allotted bonus pool funds. I'm not certain it will alter this pick as much as it will their next, but with the rumors of Horton's bonus demands, it would make sense that they could be getting some extra bank for someone like him, and he seems to be solidly in their mix.
    * I said it in my last mock, and I think it bears repeating: Expectation is that there will be a run of college bats that could start upwards of 19 and end somewhere around the start of the supplemental round. During that stretch, there will be players who are not college hitters taken. Mock drafts are an inexact science and are based on information granted by industry sources. At some point, you're going to be wrong while doing a mock, and I'd put big money on this run of college bats being quite different from the real outcome. After that grain-of-salt public service announcement, let's move on. *
    21. Seattle Mariners - Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
    Another team with a broad mix of potential candidates, I'm hearing college for Seattle with no set direction on bats or arms. My best bet is Seattle sits and hopes for someone to fall, potentially Young who is still available. I believe this is the floor for Neto or Jung who could be the falling talent Seattle could be looking at. Gilbert is in play and is one of the top candidates for each of the next three picks. Other hitters here are the same as Oakland while the pitchers here are Hughes, Horton, or Connor Hjerpe.
    22. St. Louis Cardinals - Peyton Graham, SS, Oklahoma
    Sticking to my guns from the last mock. This is the first spot I've heard Graham's name attached and I was told to not be surprised by how high he goes. I also could see St. Louis taking a falling talent.
    23. Toronto Blue Jays - Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
    A lot of the same. Plenty of college bats in the mix, with Gilbert being the preferred.
    24. Boston Red Sox - Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
    I'm going to stick with college bats here, and any of the ones ahead fit. Among this group is Jordan Beck, though I am leery to Colorado trying to swing Beck towards their supplement picks, as they do have some interest in him with their 10th overall selection.
    25. New York Yankees - Brock Jones, OF, Stanford
    The Yankees have been keeping up with the Jones', Brock and Spencer. It's the first landing spot I've heard for either but there seems to be real smoke that could be a fire on either here. There is some noise to the Yankees looking at Mikey Romero of Southern California for their second-round pick.
    26. Chicago White Sox - Connor Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
    Hjerpe is more likely destined for one of the picks ahead of this where I mentioned that it won't strictly be college bats. His range is from 18 onwards. If Chicago went with a bat, I could see it being Melton or Toman.
    27. Milwaukee Brewers - Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma State
    We've reached the throwing darts portion of the mock. I've heard pitching with Milwaukee, and they'll have plenty to choose from.
    28. Houston Astros - Jacob Melton, OF, Oregon State
    Sticking and probably ending with the run of college bats. No real connection here, just going with the gut.
    29. Tampa Bay Rays - Jacob Miller, RHP, Liberty Union HS (OH)
    If you go back to my pick for the Braves, this is my secondary landing spot for Horton due to the same reasons mentioned: lots of bonus pool. There are so many directions the Rays can go, and it seems like every year they do something off the charts. Miller is the kind of arm they've shown interest in in the past, but I don't have any real connections for them either.
    30. San Francisco Giants - Dylan Beavers, OF, California
    San Francisco is another broad range team with their first selection, and it seems natural as we're at the end of the natural first round. They have been linked to high upside preps and solidified college hitters. I could see them taking one of the previously mentioned bats if one were to fall, or go directly to upside arms and take Snelling, Jackson Ferris, or even swing big on Rocker.
     
    SUPPLEMENTAL ROUND A
    31. Colorado Rockies – Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
    32. Cincinnati Reds – Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen HS (NV)
    33. Baltimore Orioles – Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
    34. Arizona Diamondbacks – Thomas Harrington, RHP, Campbell
    35. Atlanta Braves – Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS (SC)
    36. Pittsburgh Pirates – Cole Young, SS, North Alleghany HS (PA)
    37. Cleveland Guardians – Blake Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
    38. Colorado Rockies – Kumar Rocker, RHP, Tri-City (Independent League)
    39. San Diego Padres - Henry Bolte, OF, Palo Alto HS (CA)
    Supplemental Notes: Colorado has some interest in Beck with their 10th pick and have the bonus pool to swing him down though I believe he'll go ahead of this. Toman, Snelling, and Young are all likely to go earlier in the first round, but someone will swing some tend talents to the supplement and second round; Young is the most interesting at Pittsburgh has a rumored under slot deal early in the draft. Rocker will go somewhere in the first round though no one seems to know where; my best bet is he files in between the college hitters.
  2. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    There's a strange feeling of ambivalence about the 2023 season: That the Angels, and a variety of players, could either bring us yet more mediocrity-induced heartache, or finally return to legitimacy. While I could probably write similar segments for almost every player on the team, there are two players that best exemplify this for me, as well as the team as a whole.
    Mike Trout in his Early 30s: Accepting Inevitable Decline or a Return to Greatness?
    On one hand, Trout hasn't had a full season since 2019 and hasn't played more than 140 games since 2016, with the past six seasons ranging between 36 and 140 games, a total of 596 of 870 games played (68.5%). Furthermore, there are worrying signs in 2023: he had his lowest BB% since 2012, his lowest fullish season BA of his career, and it is clear he no longer steals bases. Furthermore, his 6.0 WAR in 119 games prorates to the lowest total of his career. So on one hand, it looks like Trout is in decline - no longer the dynamic player of his early career, or the best bat in the game like he was in the middle portion. Still very good, but maybe no longer one of the very best players in the game, at least when you take into account his games played.
    On the other hand, Trout absolutely killed the ball for the first quarter of last year and his overall numbers were reduced by the two worst slumps of his career, perhaps at least partially due to a team-wide psychological malaise brought on by the losing streak. Meaning, it seems like his offensive skills are still intact, that if he can just avoid epic slumps and revert to garden variety ones, his offensive numbers could return to peak levels. Last year, despite the reduced walks and BA, he still managed a 176 wRC+, which is slightly above his career average of 172.
    So the ambivalence is this: A combination of concerns about his health and specific aspects of his profile on one hand, and the feeling that it is possible that he puts together a nice string over the next few years that could be at or close to his best with the bat. I wouldn't be surprised to see Trout struggle with injury and hit .270/.360/.580 in 110-120 games, or be healthy and have his best year with the bat, hitting something like .300/.430/.650 in 140+ games, maybe even finally reaching 50 HR. 
    Jo Adell: More of the Same or an Impending Breakout?
    I've been all but ready to give up on him for the last year or more, as he seems to have made no progress since the 2020 debacle, or at least no more than from "Woodsian horrible to just really bad." On the other hand, I have this sneaking suspicion that now that the pressure is off, and with his focus of the offseason that has transformed him into looking like an Asgardian baseball player, he finally blossoms and forces his way into the lineup, or at least makes good of the inevitable chance he'll get at some point this season. Either way, I think he's going to utterly destroy AAA pitching this year and, hopefully, take a big step forward when he gets his chance in the majors. But I'm still ambivalent: I also see a very possible scenario where he doesn't really catch on for another couple years, and then with another team. 
    The good news is that with the acquisition of Hunter Renfroe, the Angels don't need Adell to breakout like they did in 2022 (or at least one of him or Brandon Marsh). He can focus on his plate approach and defense in AAA and wait for his chance. 
    The Team Overall: More Mediocrity or Will Things Finally Come Together?
    Over the last few years--half decade plus, really--the Angels have left fans and non-fans alike scratching their heads; the former in agonized frustration, the latter in bemusement. The confusion comes from the related questions: How can a team with the talents of Trout and Ohtani continue to be this bad? How have the Angels front office managed to not build a quality team around them, with their payroll and big market resources?
    As fans with a ground-level perspective, we can list all the things that have gone wrong season to season. But from one angle, they're all excuses. Good quality franchises with smart front offices somehow manage to find a way to win. Someone the Angels always find a way not to win, with their seventh consecutive season below .500 and eighth without even a wildcard berth.
    So on one hand, the question for the jaded fan going into the 2023 season: How will they manage to screw things up this year? What will go wrong? It is quite understandable to feel that way; truly, I can't help but wonder myself. On the other hand, the talent is there, and GM Perry Minasian checked off the most important boxes on his offseason priority list: he plugged the biggest holes on the team, namely the bottom half of the lineup. The team isn't perfect, and certain areas of the team are still thin enough to be concerned, but certainly they're in a lot better shape now than they were in October.
    While I can't see this club repeating last year's disaster and feel fairly confident that they'll--at least--have their first winning record since 2015, the ambivalence comes from the split feeling that we'll either weather through another mediocre season of 80-85 wins with numerous injuries, or things will finally come together and the team will win 90+ games and charge into the postseason. 
  3. Chuck
    Robinson Pina, RHP Tri-Cities Dust Devils
     
    By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    With the trade deadline now in the past and prospects on the move to the bigs, attention continues to turn towards some of the Angels breakout prospects; unexpected performance from once-prospects, 2021 draftees and trade returns making their debuts, players adjusting to new leagues and other names returning from injury...
    -- Pitchers--
    1) Robinson Pina – RHP, Tri-City A+:
    In the last two weeks, Robinson Pina was the hard luck loser in two of his three starts, but there was more than meets the eye, as the 6’4” righty struck out 28 hitters in 17.1 IP, almost half of the hitters he faced (62) in that time, continuing a resurgent summer following an erratic May which saw Pina walk 24 hitters in his first 15 innings. Since then, Pina has only walked 22 in his last 60 innings, and has flashed strong strikeout numbers along the way, whiffing 88. Pina also continued to limit opponents at the plate, as his .175 BAA is consistent with his season mark of .185 BAA. A late-season promotion to AA Rocket City isn’t out of the question, especially as Pina’s stuff could easily factor into the Angels bullpen as soon as late-2022, though it might be best the Angels continue developing him as a starter until no longer feasible.

    2021 (IE A/TRI A+): 3.48 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, .185 BAA with 46 BB, 107 K, 6 HR allowed in 75 IP in 16 GS
    2A, tied) Davis Daniel – RHP, Rocket City AA:
    Maybe AA won’t be a challenge either? The Angels 7th round selection from the 2019 draft continues to breeze through his first professional season, who has not missed a beat since being promoted at the start of July. In his last two starts for Rocket City, Daniel continued to dominate hitters with a fastball-heavy attack pounding the zone, striking out 21 and walking zero across 14 IP, while also holding hitters to a .213 BAA (10 hits) and 0.64 ERA (1 ER). Daniel isn’t Rule 5 eligible until December ’22 so the Angels have no need to rush him, but at this rate, Daniel could be in the running for bullpen innings before this season is even out.

    2021 (TRI A+/RCT AA): 2.47 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .200 BAA with 25 BB, 100 K, 6 HR allowed in 72 IP in 14 GS
    2B, tied) Jhonathan Diaz – LHP, Rocket City AA:
    Matching Davis Daniel almost pitch-for-pitch from the other side of the mound is former Red Sox farmhand Jhonathan Diaz, who in his two starts (one of which was the rare complete game) struck out 16 and walked one in 16 IP, allowing two HR, 11 hits, and three ER (1.69 ERA), though he did also hit five hitters (!!!) in that span. Only 24, Diaz still has youth on his side and his strong performances through the year should garnish consideration for a bullpen audition as soon as this season, though the time he missed with injury could cause the Angels some hesitation. It will be interesting to see how he fits in the org’s future plans.

    2021 (RCT AA): 2.22 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, .210 BAA with 9 BB, 65 K, 4 HR allowed in 48.2 IP in 10 G/6 GS
     3) Cooper Criswell – RHP, Salt Lake City AAA:
    Just as Davis Daniel didn’t miss a beat in his promotion to AA, the same can be said for Cooper Criswell, whose first two starts with Salt Lake at AAA have been no different from his season’s performance in AA. In his first two starts at the minor’s highest level, Criswell has thrown 11 innings, struck out 14, walked 2, allowing 4 ER (3.27 ERA) and a .250 BAA. Criswell doesn’t have any overwhelming stuff, but he attacks the zone, keeps hitters guessing, and his approach has produced both this season and in the pre-COVID 2019 season. Now at AAA, Criswell’s pitchability will be put to the test. So far, so good.

    2021 (RCT AA/SLC AAA): 3.65 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .247 BAA with 10 BB, 99 K, 10 HR allowed in 81.1 IP in 14 GS
    4) Adam Seminaris – LHP, Inland Empire A:
    Somewhere in the last two months, something clicked for Seminaris, the Angels’ 5th round choice in last year’s draft, as the lefty started striking out hitters at a much higher rate than the first part of his season (56 K in 35.1 IP against 24 K in his first 19 IP). That’s continued of late as Seminaris posted two consecutive starts with 8 K in 5 IP, holding opponents to a .270 ERA and .184 BAA. Seminaris’ control has also been steady, though not remarkable, as he allowed four free passes in that time. Drafted with some anticipation that he could move quickly, Seminaris is probably due for a promotion to Tri-City to face competition a little older and more challenging. His future seems to spin off in all sorts of possible outcomes, as he could draw a trajectory like prior lefties in Nick Maronde or Michael Roth and find himself a spot-starter/multi-inning reliever, or he could be brought along more gradually in hopes of achieving a much higher ceiling, either in the rotation or relief.

    2021 (IE A): 5.63 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .281 BAA with 15 BB, 80 K, 7 HR allowed in 54.1 IP in 14 G/12 GS
    5) Daniel Nunan – LHP, Arizona Rk.:
    Rocketing into the list is 6’6” lefty Daniel Nunan out of New Jersey. Taken in the 12th round of the 2018 draft, Nunan has electric stuff but has struggled to harness it in his limited pro career. In the last two weeks, Nunan has made four appearances (all in relief) with the Angels’ Arizona Complex League team and the results are near perfect – 5.1 IP, zero hits, two walks, nine strikeouts. Nunan has the stuff to advance quickly, though with the Angels’ strong organizational pitching this year, the need is slightly lessened.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): 5.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, .059 BAA with 4 BB, 9 K, 1 HR allowed in 5.1 IP in 4 
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Connor Von Scoyoc (RHP, IE A/ARZ Rk.): 3.97 ERA, .295 BAA, 6 BB, 15 K across 11.1 IP in 3 G/2 GS – Angels 11th rounder from ’18, 6’6” showing signs of establishing some prospect status
    Zac Kristofak (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .071 BAA, 0 BB, 5 K across 4.1 IP in 5 G  
    Emmanuel Duran (RHP, ARZ Rk.): 2.57 ERA, .143 BAA, 2 BB, 10 K across 7 IP in 3 G/1 GS – lively relief arm pitching well consistently in Rookie ball
    Jose Aleman (RHP, ARZ Rk.): 2.57 ERA, .231 BAA, BB, 5 K across 7 IP in 3 G – teenaged arm pitching well stateside
    Jose Marte (RHP, RVA/RCT AA): 0.00 ERA, .083 BAA, 3 BB, 5 K across 4 IP in 4 G – power relief arm impressing since coming back in Watson trade 
    Sam Bachman (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .167 BAA, 2 K across 2 IP in 1 GS – strong pro debut for Angels’ 2021 first round draft pick
    Jake Smith (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .000 BAA, BB, 2 K across 2 IP in 1 GS – equally strong pro debut for Angels’ 2021 sixth-round draft pick
    Justin Courtney (RHP, IE A): 1.42 ERA, .250 BAA, 2 BB, 8 K across 6.1 IP in 3 G – indy ball signee having a solid first pro season, though a little old for the league
     
    -- Position Players--
    1) Edgar Quero – C, Arizona Rk.:
    It’s been years since the Angels had a catching prospect this exciting, and Edgar Quero only furthered that excitement over the last two weeks as the teenager from Cuba slashed an impressive .294/.600/.765/1.365 in 30 plate appearances over 8 games. Quero drew twelve walks against 7 strikeouts, displaying extraordinarily advanced plate discipline for his age, and did just as much damage when he did swing, hitting three doubles, a triple, and a home run in 8 games as well. Quero is playing in a manner which will give him legitimate Top 30 prospect consideration for updated lists and could start hearing whispers of catcher-of-the-future, even if premature, before long.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): .304/.513/.679/1.191 with 7 doubles, a triple, 4 home runs, 19 RBI, and 19 BB, 17 K, 33% CS% in 20 G/80 PA

    2) Luis Aviles – 2B/SS/LF/3B, Rocket City AA:
    What is going on here? After typically posting home run totals in the single digits through a reasonably lengthy minor league career, and never hitting more than his career high of 9 in nearly 500 PA, Luis Aviles has erupted since returning from injury, hitting 14 HR in less than 200 plate appearances, a pace that has not lessened of late, as the utility player clubbed 6 more home runs in 12 games, adding five doubles in for good measure, leading to a .345/.339/.764/1.103 slash. He didn’t walk once in the last two weeks, but hard to hold that against him when he’s hitting as well as he has. At 26, Aviles isn’t exactly prospect-age and is quickly approaching minor-league filler status, but versatility, speed, and some pop could give him MLB at-bats in the future, though it might be hard to find with the Angels.

    2021 (RCT AA): .266/.312/.597/.909 with 9 doubles, 14 home runs, 37 RBI, and 9 BB, 41 K, 6-6 in SB attempts in 40 G/170 PA
    3) Brendon Davis – 3B/2B/SS/LF, Rocket City AA:
    Another utility player for Rocket City is also enjoying swinging the bat lately, as Brendon Davis has had no problems adjusting to AA since his promotion. Over the last two weeks Davis has slashed .295/.426/.523/.949 displaying impressive discipline (10 BB to 14 K), contact (13 hits in 44 AB) and power (3 doubles, 1 HR) to go with his defensive versatility, seeing time at four positions. A once well-regarded Dodgers’ prospect, Davis could not be enjoying a breakout season at a better time, as he’s on the cusp of outgrowing prospect status. The Angels could still have a potential late-bloomer here, especially if he finishes the AA season strong.
    2021 (TRI A+/RCT AA): .284/.349/.552/.901 with 19 doubles, 3 triples, 20 home runs, 51 RBI, 29 BB, 95 K, 10-13 in SB attempts in 80 G/355 PA
     4) Michael Stefanic – 3B/2B, Salt Lake City AAA:
    If it weren’t for the offensive outbreak and defensive prowess of Jack Mayfield, there’s a chance Michael Stefanic would be in Anaheim by now and no longer eligible for this list. All season long, Stefanic has hit and nothing has changed of late. In his last ten games, Stefanic has hit .350/.409/.525/.934 in 44 plate appearances, only striking out once in that span. Displaying Fletcher-esque contact skills, Stefanic has only improved as the season has continued, dropping his K% in AAA each month. Stefanic has also benefitted from the hitter-friendly parks of AAA-West, as he his 10 HR obliterated his former career high of 3. Rule 5 eligible this winter, there’s a chance we still see Stefanic make an appearance in Anaheim before the year is out, and it’s almost a certainty he will be added to 40-man.
     
    2021 (RCT AA/SLC AAA): .333/.405/.479/.883 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 41 RBI, 31 BB, 51 K, 2-5 in SB attempts in 78 G/303 PA
    5) Alexander Ramirez – RF/CF, Arizona Rk.:
    Typically, it takes more than 5 games and 23 PA to rank in the top five, but this kid can just hit. In the last two weeks Ramirez has hit .500/.565/1.000/1.565 in 23 PA, with half of his ten hits going for extra bases: two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Ramirez drew one walk, was hit by a pitch twice, and limited his strikeouts to only five in this time, furthering some of the hopes that his offensive skill set can continue to translate as he progresses and he can avoid the high strikeout numbers that often beset young power hitters.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): .290/.380/.548/.928 with 4 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 17 RBI, 10 BB, 37 K in 23 G/108 PA
     
    Honorable mention, position players:
    Gabe Matthews 1B/DH (IE A): .393/.541/.893/1.433 with 5 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB, 6 BB, 7 K ­– at 23 and an UDFA, he’s a little old for the competition but it’s a good debut to a pro career
    Matt Thaiss C (MLB LAA/AAA SLC): .367/.457/.600/1.057 with 4 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K in 8 G/35 PA
    Braxton Martinez 1B (IE A): .257/.413/.457/.870 with 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 9 BB, 10 K – still rockin’
    Izzy Wilson RF (RCT AA): .282/.341/.410/.751 with 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 13 K, 4 SB - .299 BA, .929 OPS since start of June
    Francisco Del Valle RF/LF (TRI A+): .250/.388/.425/.813 with 4 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 9 K
    Elijah Greene CF/LF (IE A): .303/.378/.424/.803 with 2 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 14 K – increasing power from a discipline-first bat
    Kevin Watson DH/C (Arizona Rk.): .333/.571/.333/.905 with 8 BB, 3 K, 4 SB – interesting stat line debut for UDFA catcher
    Ray-Patrick Didder SS/2B/CF (Rocket City AA): .243/.391/.432/.824 with 4 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 14 K
    Adrian Placencia 2B/SS (Arizona Rk.): .167/.400/.500/.900 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 BB, 8 K – continued strong discipline and power showing, unlucky .125 BAbip
    Kyren Paris SS/2B (Arizona Rk./IE A): .294/.455/.471/.925 with HR, 5 BB, 5 K, 3 SB – strong return from injury
    Brennon Lund RF/CF (SLC AAA): .353/.368/.706/1.074 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, 3 K
    Anthony Mulrine C (RCT AA): .267/.450/.667/1.117 with 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K – also a strong 36% CS% on the year
  4. Chuck
    Photo by: Cristina Byrne-Sternberg/Rocket City Trash Pandas
    By Chuck Richter, AngelsWin.com
    The Angels selected first baseman Sonny DiChiara in the fifth round (148th overall) out of Auburn. DiChiara started in all 61 games played for the Tigers batting .838 (79/206) with 15 doubles, 22 home runs, 59 RBI and 59 runs scored.
    DiChiara was named First Team All-America by ABCA, Baseball America, D1 Baseball and Perfect Game and Second Team AllAmerica by College Baseball Foundation, Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA. 
    Currently the Trash Pandas first baseman boasts a .444 OBP (as of August 30th). 
    We caught up with Sonny D at Toyota Field ahead of the Trash Pandas contest between the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday, August 21st. Here's our interview below. 

  5. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Perhaps what defines the 2024 Angels, to me at least, is the wide range of variance between best and worst-case scenarios, that is such scenarios that exist within the realm of possibility. Meaning, nearly every player--with only a couple exceptions (e.g. Brandon Drury) has a huge range of reasonably possible outcomes.
    In what follows, I will look at the hitters and suggest what I see as their ceilings and floors, and where I think they'll end up in 2024 and beyond. Please note, this isn't an actual series of projections - it is more a ramble, with a bit of prediction thrown in for each player as to where I think they'll end up. I did a set of stat predictions a couple months ago which I deliberating didn't look back on, but these are more general.
    C LOGAN O'HOPPE
    Best: Becomes a bonafide first tier star catcher - not Adley Rutschman and maybe not Will Smith, but not far behind. In this best-case scenario, an off year is 3 WAR and only due to missing time; a typical year is more like 4-5 WAR, and he has one or two seasons above the 5 WAR mark. He easily becomes the all-time Angels WAR catcher leader, and before reaching free agency.
    Worst: Aside from the injury-bug, the worry would be that he doesn't really iron out his defensive kinks and struggles to make contact. Still, worst-case is the strong side of a platoon, but more of a 2 WAR in 100 games type than a 4 WAR in 120 games type.
    My prediction: The variance for Logan isn't huge, but there's still a range of outcomes, but none of them bad - more "solid to very good." I see more of a second tier catcher being the most likely scenario - a quality regular to borderline star type (3-4 WAR) who is a good captain of the team, sort of like Jason Varitek. Meaning, he won't be confused for Rutschman (let alone Gary Carter), but he'll have some years in the top five WAR for catchers, but mostly more in the #5-10 range.
    1B NOLAN SCHANUEL
    Best: If he makes enough good contact to regularly hit .300, with his plate discipline he could put up gaudy OBPs. And if he develops even average power, he's a "3-4-5" threat and a star hitter. Sort of like Nick Johnson, if he had been able to stay healthy.
    Worst: With that downward swing, there's a chance he never develops any power at all and becomes a Doug Mientkiewicz type - a nice guy to have on your roster, but more of a platoon guy or fringe starter.
    My Prediction: I think he'll probably be more of a .280ish hitter than .300ish, but still have seasons above the .400 OBP mark. I'm more dubious about the power - his downward swing leads to a lot of ground balls, no matter how strong he gets. Still, he's too big and strong not to hit a few out of the park, but I see a peak season being something like .290/.420/.450, which is plenty good enough for me. 
    2B BRANDON DRURY
    Best: More of the same.
    Worst: More of the same, but getting older, and the defense gets shakier. 
    My Prediction: Drury is probably the guy with the least variance of any hitter likely to see substantial playing time: What you see (or what we've seen) is what you get. I think the only questions are how much playing time he gets and where he plays, which depends largely on Rengifo and Rendon. So my prediction is "more of the same," but not sure how much of it. He's a useful guy to have around, but he'd be really useful if he could back-up Rendon (he played 67 games at 3B in 2022).
    SS ZACH NETO
    Best: I like the Dustin Pedroia comp, with a significantly lower batting average but playing Gold Glove defense - so similar overall value. This is pretty optimistic, though, but I could see it happen. 
    Worst: Has trouble getting away from the injury bug, and becomes known as an undisciplined hitter, but still a solid starting shortstop. But rather than the 5 WAR stud of the best-case scenario, he's more of a 2-3 WAR guy.
    My prediction: Zach Neto is a ballplayer - I just love the energy he brings to the team, sort of the anti-Rendon. I do think he'll be prone to occasional injuries and never be quite the hitter Pedroia was, but he'll have some really good seasons, with a good probability of reaching his best-case scenario, at least in his peak. But it might take a few ups and downs to get there. I think 2024 will be a continuation and gradual improvement from 2023, so something like .250/.330/.420. 
    3B ANTHONY RENDON
    Best: He makes baseball a top priority, avoids the injury bug and has a bit of a career renaissance, playing about 350 games over the last three years of his contract and putting up 10+ WAR. Yeah, right.
    Worst: More of the last three years. Arte releases him sometime in 2025.
    My Prediction: I can't imagine how it can possibly continue to be as bad as it has been the last few years, but I would be surprised if Rendon ever plays 130 games again, and maybe not even 120. Part of the problem is that he's a momentum hitter and is never healthy enough to get into a groove. If he manages to play 110-120 games, he'll put up better numbers (maybe .270/.380/.450), but he's never going to be a star again. And that is a pretty big "if." I honestly don't know what to predict, as I could see a continuation of the last few years, or a scenario where the youthful energy of some of the guys above him on this list rubs off and he has a nice next couple years as the Roger Dorn of the Angels. 
    LF TAYLOR WARD
    Best: He's not only back, but he finds the star hitter form that we've seen for parts of the last two years, and is an elite hitter for the next few years, maybe something like .290/.370/.550 with 30 HR. 
    Worst: He's never the same - either neurological, psychological, or just an inability to stay healthy. Ends up as a 4OF/DH type.
    My Prediction: Ward has one of the widest range of possibilities on a team with a lot of players with a wide range of possibilities. For whatever reason, I remain bullish on Ward: I think he's going to have several really good years in the 140 wRC+, 4-5 WAR range, and be the team's second best hitter, at least in 2024. But I've been over-optimistic before. 
    CF MIKE TROUT
    Best: Let's play a game of imagination and time travel to the end of Trout's contract in 2030 and do a career retrospective. It turns out that Trout just had some terribly bad luck for a few years in 2021-23 (they were all different injuries, right?!), but then righted the ship in 2024 and had a career renaissance. Maybe not quite vintage Trout, but he had several years around 7 WAR, with one truly special one in the 8-9 WAR range, winning his 4th MVP award. He started trending down in 2027 or so at age 35, but it was gradual and he finished his career with 127 WAR, just edging Stan Musial out of the top 10. You might say that I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one...
    Worst: Ken Griffey III. He'll still hit, but the injury-prone label is real, and the hitting--while flashing towards Ye Olde Days at times--is inconsistent and not what it was. It will be hard to watch for the next seven seasons, as Trout just squeaks above the 100 WAR mark for his career, which would be under 30 WAR in his last eleven seasons after 70 WAR in his first eight.
    My Prediction: I'm going to be bullish again, as I think Trout could do something similar to 2022 (it was just a year ago, afterall); with a bit of better health (130ish games), he could reach the 7 WAR mark. The next few years will be a bit of a comeback for him, just not the Trout of 2012-19. He'll probably miss chunks of time over the rest of his career, but have good spells and just pass Mickey Mantle (112.3) on the fWAR chart.
    OF MICKEY MONIAK
    Best: He learns to take a pitch and builds on 2023, but with more walks. Not a star, but a good overall player who is known for dangerous spells when he's hitting everything.
    Worst: No plate discipline and 2023's good parts turn out to be a fluke. Minor league depth or an erratic 4th outfielder.
    My Prediction: Remember Jeff Francoeur? That's the type of career I think Moniak might have, with minor cosmetic differences. He probably has no place starting for a contender, but will find gigs on various teams over the next decade. I do think he loses a starting job to the next guy on this list, sometime before the ASB and, if Trout, Ward, and Adell are healthy, could be shipped off in July.
    OF JO ADELL
    Best: Basically what we thought his upside would be a couple years ago. Adell kind of reminds me of Dave Winfield, but with more power and significantly less contact ability. Maybe it is the tall, athletic build. But the best-case scenario might be Winfield in 1982 (.280/.331/.560 with 37 HR), but maybe even more HR and a bit lower average. 
    Worst: More of the same and the Angels swap him for a rondon in July to some team thinking they can do better (which, knowing the Angels, they probably will).
    My Prediction: Is it foolish to think that this could finally be the year? He probably won't be the star we hoped for, but he could make enough contact and develop enough discipline to leverage that power. In other words, as much as my mental faculties say that Adell is a bust, my gut still sees a good ball player. I still think he'll hit 40 HR at some point in his career; probably not this year because he's unlikely to get enough plate appearances--and I think needs several years of building success to get there--but I could see something like 110-120 games, .250/.330/.500 with 25+ HR, with even better numbers in 2025.
    IF LUIS RENGIFO
    Best: Take Rengifo's second half numbers last year (.318/.374/.587 in 47 games) and extend them over a full season, but reduce them a bit for likelihood that he's just a slow starter and he's simply unlikely to be that good for a full season. But it foretells the future. In this scenario, everything comes together and Rengifo hits .290/.350/.500 with solid 2B defense. Can we dream?
    Worst:  Basically more of the same - which isn't so bad, but the problem is the defense - which is ok, I guess. But he never quite gets out of the fringe starter/UT role.
    My Prediction: I'm a fan and think he'll find another level in 2024. Maybe not my best-case scenario, but if you imagine that he'll continue his arc of improvement from 2022 to 2023 to 2024, he could hit .270/.340/.450 or better. Now if he could only polish up that defense a bit...
    Pitchers to come...
  6. Chuck
    #5: WAR PACE THROUGH OLDER AGES
    Here are the top five WAR leaders through the next few years:
    Age 28: Cobb  78.6, Hornsby 77.0, Mantle 74.8, Trout 73.4, Foxx 71.3 (Trout’s 5.2 behind)
    Age 29: Hornsby 87.9, Cobb 86.4, Mantle 85.1, Ruth 79.4, Rodriguez 77.7 (Trout -14.5)
    Age 30: Cobb 97.9, Hornsby 92.5, Mantle 91.1, Foxx 83.6, Ruth 82.9 (Trout -24.5)
    In other words, Trout only needs 5.3 WAR in 2020 to maintain his lead through age 28, 14.6 (or 7.3 per year) through 2021 for age 29, and 24.6 (8.2 per year) through 2022 and age 30.
    Now unfortunately, the current crisis puts a damper on his pace. Assuming that MLB plays more than half a season, Trout has a good chance of maintaining his lead through age 28. He has averaged 9.9 WAR through 162 games for his career, or 10.5 over the last three seasons, so half a season gives him a shot and 100 games should get him there easily.
    Assuming health, he could catch up a bit in 2021, with a real chance of finishing the year with the highest WAR through his 20s in major league history.
    Age 30 and 2022 seems less likely. Cobb had a monster age 30 season (11.5 WAR), the highest of his career, and jumped way out  in front.
    What about beyond that? Here are the WAR leaders through all ages for the rest of Trout’s contract, with the WAR that Trout needs to average per year to keep pace:
    Age 28, 2020: Cobb 78.6 (5.2)
    Age 29, 2021: Hornsby 87.9 (7.3)
    Age 30, 2022: Cobb 97.9 (8.2)
    Age 31, 2023: Cobb 104.4 (7.8)
    Age 32, 2024: Hornsby 111.9 (7.7)
    Age 33, 2025: Hornsby 123.0 (8.3)
    Age 34, 2026: Ruth 126.3 (7.6)
    Age 35, 2027: Ruth 136.8 (7.9)
    Age 36, 2028: Ruth 147.5 (8.2)
    Age 37, 2029: Ruth 156.2 (8.3)
    Age 38, 2030: Ruth 163.0 (8.1)
    What I find interesting about that list is that the pace remains relatively  consistent: If Trout wants to remain the age WAR leader, he pretty much has to average about 8 WAR per year from here on out. Anything significantly above that and he’s ahead of the curve; anything below, and he starts falling behind.
    It is also worth reminding ourselves of the names on that list: all guys who played a century ago, in a very different context. Once we get to the mid-30s, the only recent player in the top 10 is Barry Bonds. Before Bonds you have to go back to Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
    Now it is highly  unlikely that Trout will average 8 WAR per season for the remainder of his career. But he might keep pace for a few years. And more so:  just the  fact that this is worth discussing reminds us just how great he is.
    #6: ALL-TIME WAR LEADERS
    With only eight full seasons and 1199 games under his belt, Mike Trout is still far down the list of all-time WAR leaders—but not as far as you might think. Trout current ranks at #47 all-time:
    40. Charlie Gehringer 78.6, 2323 games
    41. Ken Griffey Jr 77.7, 2671 games
    42. Bill Dahlen 77.5, 2443 games
    43. Johnny Bench 74.8, 2158 games
    44. Frankie Frisch 74.8, 2311 games
    45. Paul Waner 74.7, 2549 games
    46. Ed Delahanty 73.7, 1835 games
    47. MIKE TROUT 73.4, 1199 games
    48. Derek Jeter 73.1, 2747 games
    49. Fred Clarke 72.8, 2242 games
    50. Reggie Jackson 72.7, 2820 games
    Now consider this: Of the 46 players ahead of Trout, only # 46 Ed Delahanty (73.7 WAR, 1835 games), #39 Dan Brouthers (79.5, 1673), #34 Joe DiMaggio (83.1, 1736), and #29 Roger Connor (86.2, 1997) have played in fewer than 2000 games.
    To find a player with fewer than 1200 games played, like Trout, you have to go all the way  down to #224, Charlie Keller with 46.0 WAR in 1170 games. Keller, by the way, is sometimes included among the best players to not be in the Hall of Fame, and that is entirely due to his short career.
    In other words, Mike Trout is the  only player in the top 223 position players to have less than 1200 games played, and he’s at #47.
    Speculation Time
    How quickly will Trout rise in the rankings? Well, obviously we don’t know how Trout will age or how much time he will lose to injury, but let’s play make-believe anyway. Assuming a bit more than a half season this year and similar performance over the three years with steady  decline in his 30s, we get something like this: 5.6, 9, 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (obviously without such an even array, but the point is to give a moderate prediction of what might be ahead). This would yield WAR totals and rankings like so, with the player he would supplant in parentheses:
    2020: 79.0, #40 (Charlie Gehringer)
    2021: 88.0, #28 (Albert Pujols)
    2022: 97.0, #22 (Eddie Mathews)
    2023: 105.0, #18 (Frank Robinson)
    2024: 113.0, #14 (Mickey Mantle)
    2025: 120.0, #12 (Lou Gehrig)
    2026: 126.0, #11 (Eddie Collins)
    2027: 131.0, #7  (Tris Speaker)
    2028: 135.0, #7
    2029: 138.0, #6 (Hank Aaron)
    2030: 140.0, #5 (Honus Wagner)
    In other words, with basic health and without early or steep decline, but balanced with no performance spikes and steady decline, Trout would end up with the 5th highest WAR in major league history, with only Ruth, Bonds, Mays and Cobb ahead of him.
     
  7. Chuck
    He's a hometown home run! Celebrate the roots of the Halos' one-of-a-kind two-way player from Japan to L.A. with this Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels Hometown Bobblehead from FOCO! This exclusive from FOCO portrays Ohtani wearing his gameday uniform in a swinging action pose, ready to launch another blast over the fence. He stands atop a Japanese inspired base that captures some of the elements from his hometown of Ōshū. The Japanese flag stands proud on the back of the bobble, while the base also includes rice paddy fields, with a picture of Shohei and text that says SHO-TIME. Front and center is Shohei’s name in Japanese to make sure nobody forgets who the face of the MLB is.
    The bobble is limited to just 521 individually-numbered units and retails for $60. Each unit stands approximately 8 inches tall and is handcrafted, and hand painted so no detail goes overlooked. So don’t miss your chance to get your hands on the Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels Hometown Bobblehead for your Angels collection! While you’re visiting FOCO, make sure to check out the rest of their Los Angeles Angels Collection!
      
     
  8. Chuck
    Hear that sound? It's the crack of the bat and roar of the crowd signalling America's pastime is BACK! There's no better way to kick off the MLB season than with an exclusive look at the future stars of the game.
    That's why we're going to knock your socks off with LIVE Spring Breakout action from March 14-16! Thanks to our amazing partners at Major League Baseball, you can livestream these top prospect matchups without paying a dime.
    MLB.com's Angels beat reporter has everything you need to know about this contest between the Dodgers and Angels farmhands that are set to square off this Saturday here: https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-angels-spring-breakout-2024-faq?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
    If you'd like to watch one of the other games live on AngelsWin.com, please let us know and we can accommodate you due to our partnership with STN & MLB.
    Here is the full schedule. 

    You can watch the Angels vs. Dodgers game here:
  9. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    The emergence of Taylor Ward as an elite hitter--as well as the slow development of Adell--has put a bit of a crimp in the Angels outfield outlook. Before the year, it was reasonable to assume that the Angels would platoon Ward, Marsh, and Adell in the corner spots, and let them hack it out for playing time all year long. Even last year, I presented various configurations on how the Angels could platoon Marsh and Adell with Upton, assuming Ward would be a bench guy. But Ward wasn't having any of it, and Adell is now in AAA.
    But here's another "problem": Adell is absolutely crushing AAA pitching. He just hit an HR in his first AB tonight and is hitting .500 with 3 HR in four games. Oh yeah, he walked 4 times yesterday.
    So the Angels have a "problem" - both in the near and long-term future: How to get Adell back in the lineup, when he's ready? Be that in a month or next year, it is going to happen. 
    Ward is already 28, but is under club control through 2026 - that's 4.8 seasons of cheap offensive firepower, even if he chills out and becomes a more garden variety borderline star hitter in the 130-140 wRC+ range (and at this point, he could be a true 150+ wRC star).
    Marsh (24) is under club-control through 2027, and Adell (23) through 2026. Meaning, basically all the same.
    I know this question is unanswerable, but how do you see this playing out? Will the Angels trade one in July for another pitcher or a middle infielder? Or do they stash Adell in AAA all year until someone gets injured and/or go back to a platoon with Marsh? 
    One other factor to consider is that Walsh is under club control through 2025, and had significant trade value so could also be traded and Ward moved to 1B. But that seems less likely.
    It is a good problem to have, but hard to get my mind around - as far as what the Angels are likely to do.
  10. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    As with the hitters, the Angels pitching staff has a good amount of variability, although perhaps a bit less, with almost every starter having a floor of a #4-5 and either #3 or, in one or two cases, #2 upside. I'll look at the bullpen in a third instalment.
    A note on "worst-case scenarios:" For pitchers, even durable ones, there's always the lingering phantom of a blowout and/or Tommy John surgery. Rather than repeat myself for every pitcher, I'll only mention that if there is a significant injury concern beyond the norm. In other words, worst-case scenarios don't include the "absolute worst" of TJS, but are rather more focused on performance only.
    SP REID DETMERS
    Best:  We finally come to a place in which Reid Detmers is not simply the "staff ace" by default (that is, there's no one else), but he's actually a legit #2ish starter. In this scenario, he irons out the kinks of the last few years and puts together a full season like one of his hot-streaks: a sub 3.50 ERA, 180+ IP, and ~4 WAR. 
    Worst: More uneven performance like the last two years, which is still pretty good, but more Heaney-esque than Finley-esque.
    My Prediction: If there's any player that I feel relatively confident flat-out predicting that they hit their best-case scenario--or close to it--in 2024, it is Detmers. I don't think he'll reach his peak level yet, but I do think that he'll be more consistent and have more good starts than bad, so an ERA around 3.50, and more innings (170ish). Meaning, if he doesn't reach his best-case scenario, he'll be close.
    SP PATRICK SANDOVAL
    Best: He defies the warning signs and bounces back to 2022 level, with an ERA around 3.00 and even manages to reduce his pitch count and bit and surpasses 150 IP.
    Worst: The warning signs explode into a total poop-show. Sandoval struggles to throw strikes and his ERA creeps up to the mid-4.00 range.
    My Prediction: I'm worried - not hugely so (yet), but something just seems off. The good news is that while his velocity was down early last year, it trended up all season and his last start was not only the highest of the year, but one of the highest of his career. But in order to even take a step back to his 2022 level (3.7 WAR in 148 IP), he has to curb the walks. last year he walked 4.6 batters per 9 IP - up a full walk from the last two seasons - and his K-rate went down more than a full strikeout. So my prediction is...I don't know. Let's see how he looks after five starts.
    SP TYLER ANDERSON
    Best: Even in the best of possible worlds--or at least those that have a real chance of happening--it is hard to imagine Anderson re-capturing his 2022 performance (2.57 ERA, 4.0 WAR). But if you look at his FIP that year (3.30) and split the difference with his career rare (4.29), then you get around 3.80...which is about the performance level for ERA that I think a best-case Anderson is capable of. 
    Worst: A continuation of last year. 
    My Prediction: Not a lot of variance with Anderson. Split the difference between 2022 and 2023 and you have a decent #4 pitcher with an ERA in the low 4.00s and a solid number of innings. Anderson may even end up under-appreciated for much of the season, but eventually we'll learn to enjoy the fact that he's consistently putting up solid innings. Not sexy, but steady.
    SP GRIFFIN CANNING
    Best: Canning finally makes good on his potential and becomes a good (and consistent) #3 starter, even fringy #2, and embodies the leadership role that Ron Washington envisions for him. 
    Worst: Aside from a revisit to the injuries of the last couple years, the worst-case scenario for Canning is that he doesn't progress further. Last year he produced a 4.32 ERA and 1.8 WAR in 127 IP, which means he's already a 2-3 WAR starter - which is either a good #4 or fringe #3. The FIP was almost exactly the same as his ERA (4.29), so it is possible that this is who he is. In other words, while much has been made of his comeback last year, it was really only to the solid level of 2019-20, which is as a solid #4. So the worst-case scenario is that is who Canning is, which isn't so bad but not what we hoped for.
    My Prediction: I think we'll see a consolidation of 2023's performance, but with slight overall improvement and more innings: an ERA in the 3.70-4.20 range, 150+ IP, 3+ WAR. In other words, he'll establish himself as a bonafide #3.
    SP CHASE SILSETH
    Best: We'll call this the "Angels fan scenario," because it is an outlook that only Angels fans seem to see for young Mr. Silseth. In this scenario, he makes good on the flashes of promise we've seen over the last couple years and becomes a true #2 starter - right there with Detmers (and perhaps a resurgent Sandoval and/or best-case scenario Canning) for best pitcher on the staff. 
    Worst: More erratic performance, and is eventually relegated to a relief role. Or another alternative, it just takes a few years for him to find his best form - but it it won't be 2024.
    My Prediction: Silseth has the widest variance, at least over the pitchers above him. As I implied in the "Best" section, there seems to be a wide gap between Angels fans and analysts as to his upside; I can't think of an outlet that sees the potential that some of us see in him. Whether that is because of fan bias or knowledge is hard to say; probably some of both. Regardless, I think Silseth will become a good starter, but not the ace some envision - but a #2-3 pitcher who has some flashes of brilliance, but isn't consistent enough to be a true ace. In 2024, I think the inconsistency will still be a major factor, but the trajectory will be positive.
    SP ZACH PLESAC
    Best: Plesac picks up where he left off in 2019-20, four years ago, and becomes a solid mid-rotation starter.
    Worst: 2021-23 proves to be his true level; in other words, a back-end starter. There's also the lingering attitude concerns, so he's probably either going to do well or be released.
    My Prediction: Who knows? We probably need to see a few starts, but if he does well enough, I'm guessing he ends up as AAA depth but ends up with 10+ major league starts and/or in the bullpen.
    SP/RP JOSE SUAREZ
    Best: The time off brings things together for Suarez, and we see far more of the better version than the worse. He becomes a solid #3-4 starter or a very good middle reliever.
    Worst: Prone to bad spells, Suarez is relegated to the bullpen and becomes an innings-eating long reliever utilized in low-leverage situations.
    My Prediction:  I personally like the idea of taking the idea of the "worst"--that of a long reliever/swingman--but with the hopes that he pitches well in that capacity, and can be relied upon in a variety of situations. He could be a very useful pitcher if used correctly, but I'm not sure that is as a regular starter. As things stand, he's probably third on the list of potential #5 starters, behind Silseth and Plesac. I imagine he'll pitch in a variety of situations, from spot starts to long relief. By season's end, we could be looking back at him as one of the quiet stalwarts on the pitching staff.
    OTHERS
    Davis Daniel making good on his potential probably means a solid #4 starter, which is more valuable than it sounds, but the not-so-young prospect (27 in June) has had a slow road: a delayed professional debut due to injury, a lost 2020 due to covid, solid development in 2021-22, then most of 2023 lost to injury. At this point, I'm only hoping for a serviceable relief pitcher and/or AAA depth. Kenny Rosenberg is the quintessential minor league "depth starter" - not the worst guy to start in a pinch, but a dime-a-dozen in AAA. Victor Mederos probably has the most upside of likely AAA starters, but needs more seasoning and is less likely to receive a major league gig than some of the others. Brett Kerry and Mason Erla (and several others) look like minor league depth for the foreseeable future. A brief note on Caden Dana. While I think it very unlikely that he factors into the major league rotation this year, he's on the cusp of being a legitimately good pitching prospect and perhaps on the fast-track for the major leagues. His minor league debut was very impressive, but I'd like to see more before getting too excited. 
  11. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Clayton Kershaw actually inspired me to write this, not Trout. If you haven't noticed, Kershaw is off to a great start, with a 1.89 ERA through 6 starts, including 1.2 fWAR and a 9.71 K to 1.18 BB rate in 38 IP. Kershaw may be a bit under-appreciated these days, as he hasn't been among the very best pitchers since his peak in 2011-16, after which he dropped a level from best pitcher in the world to merely top 10 or so. But even then, since 2017 he's had a 2.68 ERA and averaged 4.9 WAR per 200 IP...not quite his 2011-16 level (2.06 ERA, 6.8 fWAR per 200 IP) but still among the better pitchers. What I find particularly impressive about "latter day Kershaw" is that he seems to overpower batters less, while still knowing how to keep the runs down...meaning, he's gotten smarter.
    Meaning, Kershaw is under-appreciated if you over-emphasize WAR. He's not dominating in the same way he used to on pure stuff and peripherals, but he's still putting up stellar ERAs.
    As far as career fWAR is concerned, with 74.5 he's now tied with Warren Spahn in just about exactly half the innings at 27th all-time. He's almost certainly going to pass Robin Roberts and Kevin Brown to finish the year at 25th, behind Justin Verlander. If he has another decent year next year, he'll be in the top 20, though will be hard-pressed to reach the top 10 (95.7 fWAR).
    OK, Trout update. He's been pretty good this year, but clearly not peak level. He's at 1.5 fWAR through 29 games, good for 9th in the majors. But he hasn't really gotten hot with the bat yet, so expect a spike at some point and with a chance at finishing 1st for the first time since 2019.
    Trout passed Joe DiMaggio earlier in the year and is at 83.6 for his career, 34th all-time. He's going to pass a bunch of guys this year:
    25. Cap Anson 91.2
    26. Al Kaline 88.9
    27. Albert Pujols 88.8
    28. Wade Boggs 88.3
    29. Roger Connor 86.2
    30. George Brett 84.6
    31. George Davis 84.6
    32. Chipper Jones 84.6
    33. Adrian Beltre 83.8
    34. Mike Trout 83.6
    35. Joe DiMaggio 82.6
    As you can see, Trout needs 5.3 WAR to pass Albert Pujols, which he should do--barring injury--sometime in the second half. He has a chance at becoming the 26th hitter in major league history to reach 90 WAR by year's end.
    More on this, including updates along the way in the thread below:
  12. Chuck
    By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    I love the MLB draft. It’s unlike just about every other major league sport’s draft in that the results of the draft won’t be known for 3-5 years, or more.
    A good example of this is Mickey Moniak who was drafted 1-1 (1st round, 1st overall pick in the round) in 2016. He is just now starting to reach his potential in the Major Leagues, 7 years after he was drafted out of high school by the Phillies.
    Because of the long timeline for a draft to be deemed either a success or failure, every team’s general manager and scouts will always say that they will take the Best Player Available (BPA). The only problem with this response is that the word “best” is a highly subjective word. Is a player who can reach the majors and posts slightly lower numbers “better” or “worse” than a player who may take 6 years to reach the Majors and posts slightly higher numbers? Or, what if drafting one player prevents you from drafting other players who can also make the Major Leagues in later rounds? Should the Angels only focus on the individual player or drafting the best players who make the whole organization better?
    With so much emphasis on the word “best”, and 30 Major League teams all trying to find the next Mike Trout or Clayton Kershaw, trying to predict who a team will pick is nearly impossible, especially the deeper one goes into the draft. Additionally, with the pool system for money to sign players there are many interesting strategies for teams to employ to get the most talent using the limited funds that they are allowed to use in the draft.
    Two notes: First, our own Taylor Blake Ward wrote a great article on the potential 1st round picks that the Angels may be able to draft. Please read it here, as I will refer to some of the players when talking about how to find the BPA. Second, any draft that develops just 1 player who has at least a 5-year career as a regular is considered a success. Anything beyond that is gravy, so, that creates a further set of strategies for teams to employ to find the BPA.
    One of the biggest challenges for a team to find the BPA is where in the draft they select. The Pirates, who have the 1st overall pick have the most money to spend in the draft. While the Angels pick 11th in the 1st round, they lost their 2nd round pick when they signed Tyler Anderson in the offseason and the money associated with the pick.
    Invariably, prior to a draft, a general consensus will form around who the top picks are. Most of them are fairly sure bets to make the Major Leagues, even if it takes years for them to get there like Moniak. As Taylor Blake Ward notes, there is a general consensus on 5 players this year who are expected to be drafted before the Angels get to pick, so, the Angels will have to dig deeper to find their BPA.
    Players taken out of high school will take longer to develop than those taken out of college and are far more likely to never make the Major Leagues, so the player’s timeline can affect whether a team will see him as the BPA or not. Teams do want to layer their talent so that they will have waves of talent in development to provide fresh talent to the Major League team and create more financial and trade opportunities for them. So, a team that’s top heavy (with lots of talent in the upper Minor Leagues) may be more focused on high school players than a team that’s bottom heavy (with most of its talent in the lower Minor Leagues).
    Where a team is relative to its competition can also affect who it sees as the BPA. For example, a team just starting to rebuild is more likely (but not necessarily guaranteed) to draft a younger high school player than a college player. Teams that are in a win-now mode are generally more likely to take a “sure” college player (high floor/low risk player) over a high school player with a greater potential but is less likely of making the Major Leagues (high risk/high reward type).
    While every GM and scout will say that they will draft the BPA, meaning the “best” player regardless of position, that’s not exactly true. Prospects are tradable, and pitchers and players who play more defensively challenging positions are more likely to be drafted before those who play less challenging positions. That’s because in terms of future impact in the Major Leagues or for trades, those elite positions carry more value than players at other positions.
    Looking at this year’s draft, Nolan Schanuel posted some of the best offensive numbers in all of college baseball. However, scouts have generally ranked him lower than many other players expected to be taken in the 1st round because he is defensively limited to 1st base or a corner outfield at best. Far more shortstops, pitchers, catchers, and centerfielders are likely to be taken ahead of him because they are considered more “valuable” for their defensive skills.
    Risk and risk tolerance also affects who is the BPA. As noted earlier, some players are high risk/high reward and others are high floor/low risk types. Some teams are more risk averse and others are not. Teams that are more risk averse are far less likely to take a high school player than a college player. While there is some evidence that drafting an elite high school player is more likely to result in finding the next Mike Trout (who was drafted out of high school), it’s far more likely that a high school player, even one who is generally considered to be one of the elite players in the draft, will never make an impact in the Major Leagues.
    Money can affect who is the BPA. While draftees can’t have “agents” they can have an “advisor”. Players may not want to play for a certain team for a variety of reasons. A high school player may really want to go to college. A player may not want to play in a certain location or may believe that other teams may develop their talents better.
    Since every team is essentially capped by the slotting system in the draft, how much money a player will want to sign becomes a big factor as money spent on one player reduces the money available for every other player that the team drafts. High school players have plenty of leverage because they can always go to college and go through the draft again if their financial demands aren’t met.
    Already we are hearing grumblings about this with the Pirates and Dylan Crews. While Crews is a college player, rumors are that he does not want to play for the Pirates unless they pay him an amount over what he is slotted to get in the draft. Consequently, the Pirates may move past him and may draft Paul Skenes or Wyatt Langford even though scouts see Crews as the top talent this year simply over money.
    While baseball teams generally do not draft for “need” like in basketball and football (such as drafting a forward or a wide receiver), teams do look at their overall system to see how they can best layer talent out over time. For example, a team with a lot of pitching talent and little catching talent may want to draft a catcher to pair with the pitchers and develop them all together as a wave of talent. Or, a team loaded with outfield talent may look for other positions so as to not block players in the Minors. 
    Again, looking at the Pirates, they drafted Henry Davis, a catcher, last year, and he just reached the Major Leagues. It may make more sense for them to draft Skenes, the top pitcher this year, to pair him with Davis. That would give them an incredible pair for 4 or 5 years. That may make Skenes the BPA in their eyes even if almost every analyst sees Crews as the greater talent with less risk than a pitcher.
    Finally, organizations know what they are better at developing in terms of talent than other organizations. Hurston Waldrep has an electric arm, but somehow lost his control this year. He is a good example of a high risk/high reward type player from college (as compared to Rhett Lowder who is still a great pitcher, but still seen as more of a high floor/low risk type pitcher). A team that is more confident in its ability to help Waldrep rediscover his form may view him as the BPA when they pick while other teams may move onto hitters in the draft because they do not see a clear path to fixing his command and control.
    Finally, the program where the player developed and success with wooden bats (as opposed to the metal bats used in college) also affects how a team will view him. Looking at the Angels, our GM appears to place a lot of emphasis on success in the Cape Cod League, which uses wooden bats. While the Cape Cod League is just a summer league, with fewer games, the use of wooden bats replicates more of what can be expected from the player in the future, especially when trying to project future success.
    With all of these factors, trying to figure out who is the BPA is very difficult. Scouts will study every aspect of a player, from mental fortitude to physical skills and work ethic. As a former teacher, I know how deep scouts can go, as I’ve had several scouts ask me very specifically about former students that they were deeply considering in the draft.  They specifically asked about the player’s mental and academic abilities, resilience, mental fortitude, maturity, etc. And, of course, teams will try to get a sense of how much it will take to sign a player (asking about how seriously the student wanted to go to college). With the slotting system essentially creating a cap on how much a team can spend, and with a much shorter draft than in the past, money is a huge factor for teams to consider.
    So, at this point, I will fully admit that I do not know what the Angels will do in the 2023 draft. No one really knows, even the Angels to a certain extent, as 10 teams will get to pick ahead of them, and that will affect who is available when they pick. Plus, the Angels  they won’t pick again until the 3rd round, which means that they will be watching to see who may fall to them on Monday.
    But I do have some thoughts on what they can do to find their BPA.
    With the 11th overall pick, I think that the Angels should focus on the college arms and bats. Whether Ohtani resigns with the Angels or not, there is a window for the Angels to challenge for the American League West and/or a Wild Card spot over the next few years. Drafting a high school player with our top pick does not make as much sense given our overall window with Trout and to keep the fanbase happy.
    This year’s draft is considered rather deep in talent. There are more than enough really good college players, especially when we pick, that we don’t have to take on more risk with a high school player to get the same level of impact. If we were drafting much lower in the draft, like when we took Trout, it would be different because most of the top college talent would have already been picked by other teams. But with the 11th overall pick, we should focus on more certainty with our top pick. Later in the draft, in subsequent rounds, we can take more risky players. Plus, seeing how Perry Minasian likes to challenge players in our Minor Leagues and isn’t afraid to move them up levels quickly (the Angels had the first player from the 2021 and 2022 drafts reach the Majors), a college player seems more likely.
    Pitching is ALWAYS in demand and premium. Just look at this season when we traded some of our pitchers for Escobar and Moustakas. By drafting all pitchers two years ago, we had the prospect capital to make trades (which is something that we haven’t had for a while). And, thanks to our 2021 draft, we’ve had arms to bring up to bolster our bullpen as it floundered. If two players are ranked equally by scouts in terms of their impact in the Majors, and one is a pitcher, I would take the pitcher over the hitter, especially in early rounds, as he will always be more in demand and have more prospect capital for trades. 
    If Dollander or Lowder are available, I would absolutely hope the Angels pounce on either of them. Either could move through our system quickly and could become fixtures in our rotation. I haven’t seen enough of Waldrep’s video from last year to see what changed this year, but his high walk rate is a concern. If scouts believe that it is an easy fix (which there are mixed beliefs), I would consider him, especially if he would take a below slot deal to free up more money to use later in the draft. If not, I would move onto one of the college bats.
    When it comes to bats, there are many intriguing options. Again, though, I do not want to risk our pick on a high school bat such as Arjun Nimmala because I am a bit more risk averse. And I want a player who is more likely to impact our window and get us back to the playoffs in the next few years rather than waiting 4-5 years for one of the high school players to develop, even if the high school players could become a slightly better talent down the road.
    Knowing that Matt Shaw was the Cape Cod MVP last summer, I think that makes him a likely target for the Angels. While I don’t see him as a future shortstop in the Major Leagues, he could become a very good double-play partner with Zach Neto at second base. Having a strong defensive middle infield, that could work in tandem, would give the Angels a big boost both offensively and defensively.
    Another player who started off slowly and then finished strong was Brayden Taylor. We have had nothing but problems at 3rd base and very little in our system to fill the hole. Taylor could be another fast mover would allow us to move Rendon to 1st base long-term. Seeing how that could improve the parent club a lot more overall, that may make him the BPA over other players in the draft who play other positions.
    Strategically, there is an interesting option for the Angels to explore: Nolan Schanuel. As noted before, he isn’t ranked as highly as players who did not hit as well as him because he is most likely a 1st baseman or a corner outfielder. Assuming that Adell finally has figured things out (the homerun robbing catch that he did against the Dodgers was a big improvement compared to his 4-base error years ago) Schanuel would most likely stick at 1st base.
    While 1st base has been an unfortunate challenge to fill this year (I truly hope that Walsh bounces and rediscovers his talents), drafting Schanuel is not drafting for need at the position. Instead, we would draft him for his insane plate discipline (71 BBs vs. 14 Ks) and power potential (19 HRs this year) and for the potential to get him at a below slot deal.
    Some analysts have knocked Schanuel for not playing in the most elite D1 program. However, Minassian has shown with Neto that he isn’t afraid to take a player from a perceived weaker system if the skills are there, especially elite plate discipline skills. Schanuel has an unorthodox swing, much like Neto, but if works for him, we could sure use an elite Middle of the Order (MOTO) lefthanded bat in our lineup. Schanuel could start in AA this year and could be ready by the middle of next year giving the Angels a quick return on their investment.
    What makes Schanuel especially appealing is that because he is perceived as a lower defensive talent, he might be a player who is more likely to take a lower financial deal, coming in under slot, which would allow us to spend more money later in the draft.
    Every year, there are always high school players who will want to be drafted in the 1st round to get the large signing bonus to forego college. Not all of them will be taken. Freeing up money to lure a high talent high school player who fell in the draft would create more opportunities for the Angels to layer talent for the future as well as the present. This may make Schanuel the BPA for us, even if other players may have more defensive talent or potentially more offensive upside.
    Last year, Minasian employed this exact strategy to spread our limited draft pool money around and get a lot more talent into our organization. Not only did the Angels get Neto, who was not expected to be available when the Angels picked him, they got him at a below slot deal because he came from a lesser program and his unorthodox swing was a concern for other teams.
    By freeing up more money with an under slot deal with Neto, the Angels were able to draft Ben Joyce in the 3rd round, Jake Madden in the 4th round, and Caden Dana in the 11th round all for over slot deals (with Dana setting a record signing bonus for the 11th round pick in the draft pool era). All of them are making an impact in our system and likely to produce at the Major League level. So, not only was Neto the BPA when we picked him because he made it to the Majors quickly and provided excellent defense at shortstop, he also allowed us to spread our resources and get far more talent than we could have if we had spent all of our 1st round money on someone else.
    This wouldn’t be the first time that Minasian employed a similar strategy. In 2021, we had several under slot deals to free up money to sign Chase Silseth Mason Albright for over slot deals (with Albright setting a record bonus that was then broken by Dana in 2022). It’s pretty clear that Minassian takes a holistic approach to the draft and is willing to employ strategies and financial concerns to determine who is the BPA. So, if Schanuel, Shaw, or Taylor will take below slot deals, that may make one of them the “BPA” even if other players may individually be ranked higher by many analysts.
    Using a holistic approach to the draft, the BPA should make the overall organization the best it can be. That’s why the Angels fans shouldn’t get too caught up in where commentators rank players in terms of the draft. Instead, we should see how each player fits into our overall system and makes the organization stronger. A lower ranked player by analysts may still be the BPA for us if we can draft him and several other premium talents who fell due to signability issues in later rounds. Unlike Major League organizations, analysts can look at players in isolation without considering any of the other factors that GMs must consider. While the Angels should pass on a premium talent, especially a pitcher, when comparing almost identical talents, we absolutely should consider other factors when making our 1st pick.
    No matter who the Angels pick over the next few days, I will absolutely root for their success. I’m not going to get too caught up in the rankings to say one player is the BPA compared to another. Instead, I’m looking forward to seeing how it all works out overall and hope that whomever we choose will get us back to playoffs ASAP!
  13. Chuck
    #3. WAR7 FOR CENTER FIELDERS and ALL POSITION PLAYERS
    Related to the two stats above, but worthy of its own entry, Mike Trout’s WAR7—or seven best seasons of rWAR, according to Baseball Reference—is 65.6, behind only Mays (73.5) and Cobb (69.0) among center fielders. He’s surpassed Mantle (64.7) and Speaker (62.5). In other words, his seven best seasons are only behind Mays and Cobb among all center fielders in major league history.
    Here are the above Hall of Fame average (which is 44.7) center fielders by WAR7:
    Willie Mays 73.5 Ty Cobb 69.0 MIKE TROUT 65.6 Mickey Mantle 64.7 Tris Speaker 62.5 Ken Griffey Jr 54.0 Joe DiMaggio 52.4 Duke Snider 49.5 Andruw Jones 46.4 Can he pass Cobb or Mays? Maybe Cobb but probably not Mays. As things stand right now, his seven best years according to rWAR are: 10.5, 10.5, 10.2, 9.6, 8.9, 8.2, 7.7. Let’s say he eventually replaces those bottom three with three 10 WAR seasons; that would get him to around 70 WAR7: ahead of Cobb, but still well behind Mays. The only way he beats Mays is if he has another performance spike.
    But that's a tall order, especially now that 2020 will be abbreviated. That said, he does have a good chance of adding a few points to his WAR7.  Just one 9 WAR season gets him up to around 67.
    How does Trout stack up against all position players?
    Babe Ruth 84.8 Rogers Hornsby 73.7 Willie Mays 73.5 Barry Bonds 72.7 Ty  Cobb 69.0 Lou Gehrig 68.1 Ted Williams 67.9 MIKE TROUT 65.6 Meaning, considering how many of the all-time best players are center fielders, he  only slides to 8th. And he has a very good chance of passing Williams and Gehrig.
    So let me say this one more way: Mike Trout has already had one of the eight or so best peaks in major league history. Let that sink in.
    One final note on WAR7: this number won't go away or get lower. In other words, he's got this locked up for years to come and will forever be among the greatest peak players in major league history, no matter how he performs in the second half of his career.
    #4. WAR THROUGH AGE 27 SEASON
    The next stat is one of my favorites, but also one that has been talked about extensively: WAR leaders through age 27, Trout’s official age for the 2019 season (the age threshold is June 30 to July 1). For the next three installments, we’ll be using Fangraphs’ version of WAR (aka ‘fWAR’).
    WAR Leaders Through Age 27
    Mike Trout 73.4 Ty Cobb 68.8 Mickey Mantle 67.9 Rogers Hornsby 64.6 Jimmie Foxx 64.6 Alex Rodriguez 62.0 Mel Ott 61.5 Ken Griffey Jr 57.0 Tris Speaker 54.4 Eddie Collins 53.7 If you want to know why some consider Trout to be the best player in baseball history, and why that idea isn’t as ludicrous as it might sound, you can start by looking at this statistic. What it tells us is this: Trout has been the best position player in major league history through his current age.
    Now certainly it is probable that eventually he’ll fall behind, especially as Babe Ruth—who  didn’t become a full-time position player until his age 24 season (1919), and thus Trout has a four-year head start on--catches up. And of course Bonds’ spike in his late 30s led him to be only one of two players, along  with Ruth, to have surpassed 150 WAR for his career.
    With that in mind, what lies ahead? What does Trout need to do to keep the pace?
  14. Chuck
    By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist

    In honor of the draft, the commencement of the Arizona League, and reaching the halfway point of the MLB season, we’re doubling up today – featuring ten hitters and ten pitchers who have performed well over the last two weeks. This is also in part to the hot hitting on the farm, as eight Angels farmhands posted an OPS over 1.000, with four prospects from the Arizona team opening their seasons with big production at the plate. 
     
    --Position Players—
    1) David MacKinnon – 1B, Rocket City, AA:
    It’s probably time to start taking David MacKinnon seriously as a legitimate prospect. The first baseman, 26 years old and a 32nd round pick, continued to dominate at the plate over the last two weeks, hitting .381, which is basically what he’s hit now over his last 100 plate appearances (.389 since June 11th) to go along with his typically advanced plate discipline (6 BB to 8 K in that time). This is nothing new for MacKinnon though. What’s more encouraging however is the uptick in power. After hitting 9 extra-base hits in his first 24 games, MacKinnon has added 15 more in the 24 games since, giving him a .541 SLG on the year, a significant increase over his prior career full-season best of .392, and one in line with what you’d want to see from a player who is exclusively playing a power-first position in 1B. It’s difficult to see how MacKinnon’s career can progress with the Angels as he has Matt Thaiss, Jose Rojas, and Jared Walsh (of course, another late-round 1B who slugged his way to the majors) ahead of him on the depth chart. Thaiss and Rojas’ positional versatility clears this path slightly, but it’s still hard to see MacKinnon getting a chance with the Angels. Bearing a remarkable offensive similarity to Tampa’s Yandy Diaz, MacKinnon seems the type of player a low-payroll team thin at organizational depth at 1B could take a chance on and could be one of the names we see moved in a deal for a rental or lesser name – or as depth allowing the Angels to move Rojas or Thaiss in similar fashion. Detroit, Colorado, Texas, Pittsburgh, and Tampa all seem like teams that could have interest in this type of player and could have pieces that match up with Halo needs.
    2021 (RCT AA): .335/.412/.541/.953 with 17 doubles, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 22 BB, 35 K in 48 G/211 PA
     2) Brendon Davis – 2B/3B/SS/LF, Tri-City, A+:
    Named the High-A West Player of the Week for the second time this season and leading the league in HRs, Davis is almost single-handedly holding up the offense for the Dust Devils, so you may need to excuse his subpar June, in which he posted a .698 OPS after opening the year with an .841 OPS in May. The former 5th round pick of the Dodgers in the 2015 draft returned to May form over the last two weeks – and then some – as he slashed .356/.404/.822/1.226 since June 28th, boosted by five doubles, two triples, four home runs, 16 hits, and two stolen bases in two attempts for good measure. Perhaps Davis’ struggles in June came because of his newfound versatility in the field. After playing the first 31 games of the season at the hot corner, Davis has started at SS eight times, 2B six times, LF twice, and 3B nine times. He’s still suffering from some swing and miss issues – 14 in his last 11 games – but the offensive potential the Dodgers once dreamed on, and that the Rangers dreamed on when they acquired him for Darvish, is showing itself now more than ever in Davis’ best pro season to date. 23 years old, Davis will likely finish the season at Rocket City and could be in the MLB bench mix as soon as 2022 if his performance continues to match his one-time prospect shine. Much like MacKinnon, Davis could be the type of lotto-ticket the Angels could use in deals for rentals.
    2021 (TRI A+): .256/.315/.507/.821 with 15 doubles, 3 triples, 12 HR, 31 RBI, 17 BB, 71 K, 6 for 8 SB in 57 G/251 PA
     3) Luis Aviles – 2B/3B/SS/LF, Rocket City, AA:
    Signed by Billy Eppler as a minor league free agent prior to the 2020 season, Aviles finally got onto the field for the Angels in late June after coronavirus eliminated the 2020 season and injuries robbed Aviles of playing time in almost all of May and June. Once a prospect in the Brewers system who drew occasional hype for strong defense and a minor league All-Star appearance in 2019, Aviles made this list mostly because of his play in one series against Tampa’s AA affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits. Aviles homered six times in four games, also clubbed two doubles, and drove in 11. It’s far too soon to tell if this was a precursor to any sort of offensive breakout for Aviles or just a ridiculous series as he only has 17 games on the season, but nonetheless, it’s production the Angels will welcome from the 26-year old. Aviles’ strong play earned him the AA-South Player of the Week honors.
    2021 (SLC AAA/RCT AA): .273/.358/.636/.995 with 2 doubles, 6 HR, 15 RBI, 6 BB, 17 K, 3 SB in 17 G/69 PA
     4) Edwin Yon – DH/RF, Inland Empire, A:
    One of the most interesting prospects in the Angels system is Edwin Yon, a towering outfielder (listed at 6’5”) plucked in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft from Cincinnati. Yon is about as raw as a prospect could be. Originally debuting with the Reds’ Dominican summer team at the age of 16, Yon owns 302 K in 800 career plate appearances – and despite his projectable power, only a career .363 SLG to show for it, never topping more than 4 HR in any short-season ball. That’s changed in the last two weeks though, as Yon homered four times in 10 games, hitting .303/.439/.788/1.227 in that time. Ten hits in ten games and seven walks against 14 strikeouts also provide some encouraging hints of improved contact and discipline. At 22 years old, Yon is at the age where raw, tenured power-first prospects can start to put things together, and if he does, look out. A Jabari Blash-like career as a free-swinging, HR mashing career minor leaguer/foreign league superstar is still probably the best case scenario for Yon, but nonetheless he’s another name worth watching as the summer continues on.
    2021 (IE A): .238/.342/.556/.898 with 3 doubles, one triple, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 9 BB, 36 K in 18 G/73 PA
     5) Arol Vera – SS/2B, Arizona, Rk.: 
    Arol Vera, signed in the 2019 international period, has finally made his pro debut, and it’s been as good as advertised for a talent often mentioned as one of the Angels Top 10 prospects. Splitting time up the middle at SS and 2B, the Venezuelan switch-hitter has hit in every single game so far, slashing .421/.477/.632/1.109 in his first 9 games and 44 plate appearances, with four doubles and two triples peppered in.
    2021 (ACL Rk.): .421/.477/.632/1.109 with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 11 K in 9 G/44 PA
     6) Edgar Quero – C/DH, Arizona, Rk.: 
    One of the more exciting signings of recent international period is that of 18-year-old switch-hitting Cuban catcher Edgar Quero, whose Arizona debut will only inflate that excitement. While Quero has only seven pro games to his career so far, he’s made an impression in them, whacking two doubles, two homers, and hitting .364/.440/.727/1.167. Quero is arguably a bat-first catcher but has enough skill behind the plate to be the Angels’ most complete catching prospect since Bengie Molina. He nabbed two of seven baserunners in his three games behind the plate so far and could find himself on Angels Top 30 prospect lists as soon as midseason 2021.
    2021 (ACL Rk.): .364/.440/.727/1.167 with 2 doubles, 2 HR, 8 RBI, BB, 5 K, 1 SB in 7 G/25 PA
     7) Michael Stefanic – 2B/3B, Salt Lake City, AAA: 
    Much like David MacKinnon or perhaps a better comp, David Fletcher, Michael Stefanic just continues to hit. Settling in at Salt Lake between 2B and 3B over the last two weeks, Stefanic’s June was fairly under the radar but still productive, and July has yielded strong numbers at the plate once again, as he slashed .316/.395/.579/.974 in ten games, adding 12 hits, a double, and three HR to his 2021 campaign, giving him a career high mark of 7 HR. Also like MacKinnon, Stefanic finds himself somewhat buried on a depth chart that includes Jack Mayfield, Kean Wong, and Luis Rengifo all ahead of him, and could similarly find himself mentioned in trade talks for lower-impact names or rentals. However, should Mayfield and Wong wind up lost to waivers over the course of the 2021 season, Stefanic figures to be first-in-line for their MLB roles come 2022. 
    2021 (SLC AAA/RCT AA): .313/.396/.460/.856 with 10 doubles, 7 HR, 30 RBI, 24 BB, 44 K in 54 G/240 PA
    😎 Braxton Martinez – 3B/1B, Inland Empire, A: 
    The numbers that Braxton Martinez, as a 27-year-old in Low-A, are starting to become comical. Over the last two weeks, Martinez has hit .447 (17 hits in 38 AB) with an OBP of .560 (11 walks to 4 strikeouts), which is almost becoming typical production now, as he owns a batting average of .370 and an OBP of .496 over his last month. Martinez also touts power, with 22 doubles and 8 HR on the season already, with 7 of those doubles coming in the last two weeks. After playing 1B/DH exclusively in his first 37 games, Martinez is now playing primarily 3B. What comes next is anyone’s guess.
    2021 (IE A): .344/.460/.611/1.071 with 22 doubles, one triple, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 38 BB, 29 K in 51 G/224 PA
     9) Adrian Placencia – 2B/SS, Arizona, Rk.: 
    One of three mid-infielders with Top 30 talent at Arizona, Adrian Placencia made his pro debut for the Angels in the last two weeks, and like Vera, has done nothing but impress in his first look. Often mirroring Vera in the field – playing primarily 2B to Vera’s SS and vice versa – Placencia has also produced at the plate. In 8 games Placencia has peppered a double, a triple, two homers, and four singles across 40 PA, but more importantly, drawn nine walks against five strikeouts. Should it continue, this advanced plate recognition could set Placencia apart from Vera and Blakely as the trio progress in their careers and give the Angels a trio of dynamic infielders with differing skill sets to work with.
    2021 (ACL Rk.): .258/.425/.548/.973 with one double, one triple, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 9 BB, 5 K in 8 G/40 PA
     10) Werner Blakely – 3B/2B/SS, Arizona, Rk.: 
    The 4th round selection of the 2020 draft made his pro debut in Arizona, and much like with Vera and Placencia, saw immediate success. While Blakely, who might have the most power out of the three, produced only a double and a HR in his first two weeks, he also drew 8 BB (though against 13 K) and roped 8 singles in 9 games, while stealing three bases in three attempts. Blakely has the most star potential of the trio, having a shot at being a real four-or-five tool player, especially if his defense manifests, while the power, speed, discipline, and contact skills are already on display in Arizona so far.
    2021 (ACL Rk.): .303/.439/.424/.863 with one double, one HR, 8 BB, 13 K, 3 SB in 3 attempts in 9 G/41 PA 
     
    Honorable mentions, position players:
    Alexander Ramirez (CF/DH, ACL Rk.): .256/.356/.462/.817 with 2B, 2 3B, HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 18 K in 9 G/45 PA – mixed start to the season for one of the Angels’ most interesting prospects
    Francisco Del Valle (RF/LF, Tri A+): .318/.412/.477/.889 with 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 HBP in 12 G/51 PA – still has a shot at being a solid 4th/5th OF type
    Elijah Greene (LF/CF, IE A/RCT AA): .571/.679/.762/1.440 with 4 2B, 7 BB, 2 K in 8 G/28 PA – unreal discipline earns a promotion past A+ straight to AA
    Brandon Marsh (CF/DH, ACL Rk./SLC AAA): .429/.515/.857/1.372 with 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 8 K, 1 SB in 7 G/33 PA – small sample kept him from placing, but strong production in return from injury
    Matt Thaiss (C/DH/1B, SLC AAA): .341/.473/.477/.950 with 3 2B, HR, 9 RBI, 8 BB, 9 K, 3 HBP in 12 G/55 PA – will he see the MLB again soon? Deadline could make it so.
    Izzy Wilson (RF/LF, RCT AA): .243/.349/.541/.889 with 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 19 K, 4 SB in 11 G/43 PA – since June 1st, an OPS of exactly 1.000 over 121 PA
    Carlos Herrera (3B/2B, TRI A+): .478/.520/.870/.1390 with 3 2B, 2 HR in 6 G/25 PA –BA of .324/OPS of .819 in last 109 PA
    Spencer Griffin (OF, TRI A+): .391/.440/.522/.962 with HR, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 SB in 8 G/25 PA – athletic depth OF with a shot at 4thOF 
    Jose Reyes (LF/RF, IE A): .297/.350/.486/.836 with 2 2B, 3B, HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 11 K 
    Gavin Cecchini (SS/2B, RCT AA/SLC AAA): .324/.385/.441/.826 with 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K – former 1st rounder promoted to AAA
    D’Shawn Knowles (CF, IE A): .239/.321/.478/.799 with 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 11 RBI, 6 BB, 12 K, 3 SB – now 16 for 16 in SB attempts
  15. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    2022: A Tale of Limp Bats
    Strangely enough, the lineup ended up being the biggest problem area for the Angels this year, as they're currently 24th in the majors in wRC+ (91) and 25th in runs scored (493). Compare this to them being 12th in ERA (3.83) and 11th in pitcher WAR (13.2). It's a bit harder to quantify their defense, but they're 17th in Def Runs with -3.1, so basically close to average.
    So Perry Minasian goes into the offseason realizing that while he probably needs to bolster the pitching staff with at least one bonafide starter, his main task will be getting the team to score more runs. 
    The problem this year has been multi-faceted, and all mostly injury related. Losing Rendon was a huge blow and correlated with the beginning of their losing streak; Trout has been both streaky and missed a lot of time - assuming health from here on out, by season's end he'll have missed about 45 games. Former top prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell have both continued to disappoint, and Marsh was shipped off to Philadelphia. After a torrid start and an injury, Taylor Ward has been terrible. Max Stassi and Jared Walsh both bottomed out, and David Fletcher continued last year's atrocious hitting and then missed a lot of time.
    But a couple questions have seemingly been answered in the affirmative: David Fletcher is back, healthy, and hitting like 2018-19, meaning adequate enough to be a starting infielder and not a hole in the lineup, and an overall valuable player. Luis Rengifo has finally put it together; From June 18 on, he's hit .294/.316/.484 with a 125 wRC+ in 256 PA. Meaning, with Fletcher and Rengifo, they Angels have two major parts of their middle infield locked in for next year.
    Perhaps the biggest question marks for next year, in terms of the success of the lineup, has to do with the health of two players, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. Trout's projected 115-120 games this year will be the most he's played since 2019, but is still about 70% of a full season. The Angels really need 130+ games from their aging superstar. Anthony Rendon has been even worse; over the last two seasons he's managed only 93 games, or about 29% of team games. One way or the other, the Angels really need at least about 250 games from these two players. 
    The third member of the projected "Big Three," Shohei Ohtani, started slow but is hitting close to last year's level, his 144 wRC+ not far behind last year's 150. He's been extraordinarily healthy the last two seasons and there is no reason he shouldn't continue to be healthy, but it is easy to take him for granted; any Angels success next year is contingent on Ohtani not only staying healthy, but staying period. With an impending ownership change, we don't know the ultimate fate of Ohtani.
    A secondary question relates to the trio of Ward, Walsh, and Stassi - the complementary offensive players, all guys capable of above average offensive performance. After coming back from injury on June 14, Ward has hit .218/.293/.333 with a 79 wRC+ in 279 PA. Stassi's wRC+ fell from 105 last year to 67 this year, and Walsh's fell from 126 to 78. So the question is: Who are the "real" Ward, Walsh and Stassi?
    The Angels continue to have an Adell-sized hole in the outfield, which is made even larger by the terrible hitting of Ward. The outfield around Trout was supposed to be a strength, but has instead turned out to be a huge liability. Neither Adell nor Moniak look like surefire answers, and both could end up starting next year in AAA. Maybe one or both breakout, but neither can be counted on at this point.
    As I see it, there are only a few questions that will be answered over the last 32 games:
    Is Adell (or Moniak) ready to be a solid major league contributor? So far the answer is "no" and "maybe, but probably not." Adell shows flashes, but never with any consistency - and consistency is what its all about. Are Fletcher and Rengifo for real? So far it seems "Yes." Fletcher is back to a level similar to 2018-19, which is about all we should have hoped for - and good enough to play a major role in 2023, whether as a regular player or a platoon or hybrid. Rengifo has been consistently good, with a 120ish wRC+, for about half a season's worth. He may not be a .290/.320/.480 hitter, but he certainly seems like a .270/.310/.450 hitter, which with average defense makes him a starter. Are any of the AA/AAA pitchers close to ready? This doesn't relate to the thread topic, but thought I'd throw it out there. Is Thaiss good enough defensively to catch 40-60 games next year? He's being auditioned for the back-up/platoon role, at least until O'Hoppe is ready. Which brings me to... How close is Logan O'Hoppe? Hard to say. If the Angels call him up in a few weeks for a look, they might be considering him for a roster spot on Opening Day. More likely they'll put him in AAA and wait for an injury. That's about it. I don't think any of those things really effect offseason moves, as far as the lineup goes. I mean, maybe Adell is Dave Winfield for the last few weeks and the Angels feel more confident in him, or maybe Moniak comes back and is good enough to give him a job. So that might impact offseason moves. And if the Angels want to start the year with five guys who can perform at a 2+ WAR level at 3B/SS/2B, they already have three of them (Rendon, Fletcher, Rengifo), so either way will need two legit middle infielders.
    I don't see them doing much at catcher beyond maybe signing a minor league journeyman, or perhaps a very cheap back-up type if they don't like what they see from Thaiss.
    Other questions won't be answered at all, until next year: Can Rendon and Trout stay healthy? Will Ward, Walsh, and Stassi bounce-back? Will any AA/AAA prospects breakout and enter consideration? Etc.
    Meaning, I think we have about 95% of the info we need to speculate about what lineup moves need to be made.
    The last area of concern is the bench. The reason the offense collapsed as badly as it did is that with injuries and declined performances from key players, they only had scrubs to fill in the gaps. The emergence of Rengifo and revival of Fletcher ameliorates this issue somewhat, but not enough to feel comfortable  - they need better bench players.
    2023 Outlook and Offseason Plan
    The problem going into the offseason is that the Angels have all the pieces of a good lineup - if all of the questions above can be answered affirmatively. But they can't count on that, so really need to bolster the lineup as much as possible.
    Their biggest target this offseason might be the biggest bat they can afford, either one of the many top shortstops on the free agent market, or an outfielder, or possibly even a first baseman, though I suspect they'll give Walsh a shot to redeem himself, if only due to the fact that he's cheap. The top free agent hitters include Aaron Judge (OF), a quartet of elite shortstops in Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson; Wilson Contreras (C); and a handful of second tier first basemen in Josh Bell, Anthony Rizzo, and the 36-year old Jose Abreu.
    With Rengifo and Fletcher, they're not as desperate for a middle infield upgrade, but if they did go after one of the many top free agent shortstops, either one--or both--could be a starter/utility hybrid and fill in at 3B as necessary. Or they could go a budget route and focus on depth, signing a couple higher caliber platoon/bench middle infielders that can fill in as needed.
    As far as the outfield is concerned, as of this writing, the Angels probably need to think in terms of signing an every day player who can hit. Maybe Ward bounces back to at least a 120 wRC+ level and/or one of Moniak or Adell takes a couple steps forward, but all of that is questionable; adding in the dubious health of Trout, and the Angels could use an outfielder who can hit. There's a big drop-off after Judge, but some decent options: Brandon Nimmo, Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Haniger, and Trey Mancini, who could double as an insurance policy for Walsh. They could also take a one-year flyer on Michael Conforto, who struggled in 2021 and missed all of 2022, and will be itching to prove himself.
    The Angels are currently auditioning Matt Thaiss, presumably to platoon with Stassi until Logan O'Hoppe is ready, probably sometime in the first half of next year. So chances are catcher next year will be some combination Stassi, Thaiss, and O'Hoppe, and possibly some veteran back-up type. Meaning, don't expect any major changes (e.g. Wilson Contreras) from what they already have; O'Hoppe was the big catcher acquisition and will be in the mix shortly.
    Conclusion
    So in summary, I think Minasian's offseason lineup targets will be:
    A quality bat or two - probably either OF, MI, or maybe 1B A starting outfielder Either a starting middle infielder or a quality platoon player Bench depth Again, with an impending ownership change, all of this comes with a big dose of uncertainty - that's just what makes sense given the roster. It could be that due to extended negotiations, Minasian's told not to spend any money, and the Angels go into 2023 with essentially the same roster they have right now, plus maybe a few spare parts. We have to be ready for that significant possibility. But Arte Moreno, not wanting to decrease the value of the team, might simply tell Perry to treat this offseason as business as usual, although even then he might be told not to sign any major free agents (e.g. Judge or one of the big shortstops).
    Either way, it should be an interesting offseason, with a lot riding on it: the fate of Ohtani and the outlook of the Angels over the next few years, not to mention Minasian's legacy and a possible new manager.
  16. Chuck
    Interview Conducted by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    It’s easy to see why the Angels drafted Jack Kochanowicz in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft (92nd overall). He’s big (6’6”) and still filling out, so there was and is a lot to project with him. As a result, the Angels went overslot for him to buy him out of his commitment to the University of Virginia.
    There is a lot to like with Kochanowicz. His velocity has ticked up since being drafted, and now sits mid-90s and touches 97. His curveball has near elite spin rates at around 3000 rpm. His changeup sits in the low 80s and is developing (in the interview he shows how he’s changed his grip on the pitch).
    During 2020, Kochanowicz (pronounced Ko/han/o/wicz) spent some time in the Long Beach complex. We heard a lot of positive things about his progress and development there from many sources.
    Right now, the Angels have Kochanowicz working on specific things and pitches in games. So, he is a case where the stats don’t tell the whole story. The talent is real, and Kochanowicz just needs to get the innings in to have it all come together. After missing 2 seasons between signing and Covid, there’s some rust that needs to be remedied. But, the tools are there. And, when he clicks, he could move through the system quickly.
    Please click below to watch our interview with IE66ers Pitcher Jack Kochanowicz and then head on out to San Bernadino to see him play.

  17. Chuck
    Interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com
    Werner Blakely grew up in Detroit and was Michigan's top high school player in the 2020 draft class. Due to the coronavirus pandemic he did not get a chance to play his senior season, but the Angels still drafted him in the fifth round and gave him an above-slot bonus ($900,000) to pass up an Auburn commitment. Blakely has what scouts drool over with a long, lean, projectable frame with above average athleticism. He has a good eye and patient approach and has really improved his contact at the plate from his rookie season after the Angels tweaked his uppercut swing. Blakely should add some home run power as he packs more muscle onto his frame and with his athletic body and above average speed he should be able to continue be a threat on the bases as he continues to fill out. While he played shortstop in High School, the Angels want to see him continue to grow at the hot corner where he made strides defensively as the season progressed. He's got a great arm, range and quick actions on the infield. 
    Blakely across 55 games this season in Low-A slashed .295/.447/.470 with five home runs and 40 RBI in 2022. He also drew 45 walks in 235 plate appearances which is above average, as was his speed on the bases. The 20-year old stole 24 bases in 26 attempts this season. The Angels sent Blakley to the Arizona Fall League where he went on to slash .271/.397/.396 with no home runs and eight RBI across 13 games. He's also swiped three bases in four attempts.
    Here's a couple highlights of his play in the AFL this past fall.
    Blakely's play this past fall was good enough to be named to the Arizona Fall League All-Star Roster.
    Taylor Blake Ward gives us his quick scouting report and update on Werner Blakely.
    Check out our own Taylor Blake Ward's interview with Werner Blakely ahead of the Inland Empire 66er's playoff series this past September.
    Here is the complete interview transcript for the deaf, hard of hearing and quotes.
    AngelsWin.com: All right. Werner Blakely, Angels prospect. So, Werner, looking at the season as a whole, maybe not exactly what you wanted on the health perspective, but performance wise, how do you feel it went this year?
    Werner Blakely: I felt really good. You know, I’m a very hard worker, and I’m going to continue to work hard. And this year was just like a little taste of what I believe I can do. I have so much more potential, and I’m just going to keep working and keep working hard; I’m trying to reach that potential but, you know, it hurts. You know, getting hurt, it’s the stuff you can’t control, so that you don’t want. But coming out with these guys and this coaching staff and every day I’m making sure I’m getting my hands useful; I’m making sure I know what I’m doing. And the big shots and the coaching staff are just getting me engaged, and I’m, obviously, stay focused. So, it was a good time.
    AngelsWin.com: Kind of fluky injuries, too. I know the one was a hit by a pitch that, kind of, busted you up.
    Werner Blakely: Yeah, I got hit by a pitch, and then running to first base—the bases are bigger now—so the bottom of my feet skimmed the top of the bag. So, just injuries you can’t really control. But, you know, just got to continue to, you know, play the game, and in the game it happens. So, you just got to be able to bounce back from that.
    AngelsWin.com: What was the biggest developmental focus for you this year?
    Werner Blakely: Probably just getting reps, man. Like, you know, coming from the city, be trade, not playing much baseball, the biggest thing for me was just getting reps. And, unfortunately, the health reasons prevented that. But I do believe, like, when I got in there, I was able to showcase, like, what I was able to do. And, you know, I still got so much more work to go.
    AngelsWin.com: I want to come back to the Detroit thing, but defensively, do you feel that you have a home at third base?
    Werner Blakely: Yeah. I, kind of, feel like I probably should be there. And, you know, I’m bought in at third, and I’m going to try to be something special there. So, I’m bought in.
    AngelsWin.com: Now, being a part of this winning culture, a lot of you guys haven’t really had any postseason experience. And even though it’s limited this year with two sets of three games each, what do you think that having the winning culture here with the 66ers and the Angels organization, kind of, done for you as a player?
    Werner Blakely: You know what? I think, since our new GM came in here, a lot of guys bought in, like me—including me—but we all bought in to a process, man. We come here every day, and we bust our butt. And we don’t like that old stigma of the Angels not being able to win. And Perry coming in and changing that culture, that winning culture, everybody wants it. Everybody wants to win it. And I’m enforcing it here in Inland and everywhere. So, we’re trying to win here, man, and we’re trying to turn the system around. So, we’re just excited to get after it.
    AngelsWin.com: So, I want to know, how are you enforcing it?
    Werner Blakely: Ah, I just make—nobody’s bs’ing; nobody’s going to be lagging; nobody’s going to be taking days off; everybody’s getting their work in. And even when I was injured, I was still making sure I’m running sprints; I’m making sure I’m getting everything in to, you know, when I come back, to be able to help my team. And now, I’m back, and now, I’m able to help my team. So, all that work that I did when I was hurt, now it’s time to pay it off.
    AngelsWin.com: Looking at your swing from when you were in Detroit to, kind of, where it is now, not a ton of differences to the eye, to the appearance. But what do you think the biggest changes have been, kind of, overall, when you think about your swing?
    Werner Blakely: Yeah. I just—I’m really way more body aware. Like, I’m still growing into my frame right now, but I know the positions I have to get my body into to pertain that to the ball, or to field a ground ball. And, honestly, like I said, just getting reps and getting consistent, and getting those reps and staying consistent as possible. So…
    AngelsWin.com: I want to go back to Detroit. You and Cameron Maybin—now, I’m not exactly sure what it is, but it’s charity work in the inner city. Are you still doing that with Cameron?
    Werner Blakely: I am. So, that was a part of Players Alliance. And we did a fund raiser in Detroit, and a lot of people came out—or not fundraiser, but a giveaway—and we gave out a lot of bats, gloves, computers, back-to-school programs. And I’m actually starting my own nonprofit back at home in Detroit. And I’m going to start a camp when I get back in the offseason to give back to Detroit. And a lot of those guys just don’t have the opportunity, you know, to get where I’m at, to get seen, because we’re from up north. But being able to, like, get up there and get those guys exposure, that’s what we need to do.
    AngelsWin.com: You’re really proud of your city, yeah. But thanks, man.
  18. Chuck
    Leading Trading Card Company Kicks off 2022 Baseball Card Season with Annual Set

    (New York, NY, February 8, 2022) – The Topps® Company, a leader in sports and entertainment trading cards and a part of Fanatics Collectibles, today announced the launch of its annual, highly anticipated 2022 Series 1 Collection to welcome back the official start of this year’s baseball card season, and to continue its rich heritage in trading cards.
    Available starting on February 16, and boasting a brand-new bordered base card design, the 2022 Series 1 Collection features a 330-card base set including modern day stars, rookies who debuted during the 2021 season, 2021 league leaders, and team cards. Reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, who was voted card number one in the checklist by fans, is doing double duty as this year’s cover athlete, being shown both pitching and hitting on the box and pack wraps. This year, a new wave of young talent including Wander Franco, Jarren Duran and Luis Gil will receive their first Rookie Cards. Collectors can also look for autographs and game-used memorabilia cards featuring Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Fernando Tatis Jr., and more.
    Angels fans, here's what the Mike Trout card will look like. 

    Here's Topps autographed Baseball Stars card of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

    “We’re thrilled to deliver another Series 1 collection signifying the start of baseball card season.,” said David Leiner, VP of Global Sports and Entertainment at Topps. “Over the last 71 years of producing baseball cards, we have welcomed collectors and fans of all ages to our Topps family each year, and we’re proud to honor another season of baseball cards with memorable moments, rookie players and groundbreaking all-stars as we continue our commitment to bringing fans closer to their favorite athletes.”
    Within the collection, fans should also look for base card parallels sequentially numbered from 2022 all the way to unique 1/1 cards, along with insert sets including Generation NOW, Diamond Greats Die Cuts and Flashiest Fleet. Topps also honors the 35th anniversary of its iconic 1987 woodgrain design, which makes its return in 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball featuring current stars and legends of the game.  The Home Run Challenge is back for another year where collectors can rip, flip and predict which MLB Superstars will hit a homerun, all for a chance to win special cards and tickets to the 2023 MLB Home Run Derby.
    2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball will be available online at Topps.com and in local hobby shops and retailers starting February 16th. In addition, Topps will host its first-ever Series 1 Premiere Party on Tuesday, February 15 in Los Angeles, providing guests with an exclusive look at this year’s collection in celebration of its release.
    For more information on Topps collectibles and offerings, please visit Topps.com
    View the full article
  19. Chuck
    ANAHEIM – The Angels selected SS Zach Neto from Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC) as their first pick (1st round, 13th overall) in the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Angels Director, Amateur Scouting Tim McIlvaine.
    Neto, 21, finished his third year at Campbell University where he hit .407 (81/199) with 23 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 50 RBI. The shortstop paced the Big South Conference in average, hits, doubles, runs scored (65) and OPS (1.283). Neto also went 19-for-20 in stolen base attempts and struck out just 19 times in 199 at-bats for the Fighting Camels. A two-time Big South Player of the Year (2021 and 2022), Neto amassed a .403 (152/377) career average in three years with Campbell along with 40 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs and 108 RBI.
    The Miami, FL native prepped at Miami Coral Park Senior High School where he was a three-time all-district team honoree after posting a career. 407 average with 19 doubles, six triples, two home runs and 37 RBI. The Angels held the 13th overall pick in the Draft for the third time in franchise history. Neto joins threetime All-Star Frank Tanana (1971) and 10-year MLB veteran Casey Kotchman (2001) as Angels selections with the #13 pick. After selecting RHP Sam Bachman (9th overall) last year and LHP Reid Detmers (10th overall) in 2020, the Angels have drafted a position player with their initial first round pick for the first time since 2019 (SS Will Wilson – 15th overall).

    The Halos 40-man roster currently features nine players who were first round selections, including five who were first round picks by the Angels: Jo Adell (10th overall by Angels – 2017), Archie Bradley (7th overall by D-backs – 2011), Reid Detmers (10th overall by Angels – 2020), Michael Lorenzen (38th overall by Reds – 2013), Anthony Rendon (6th overall by Nationals – 2011), Matt Thaiss (16th overall by Angels – 2016), Touki Toussaint (16th overall by D-backs – 2014), Mike Trout (25th overall by Angels – 2009) and Taylor Ward (26th overall by Angels – 2015).
    The Angels will make eight selections tomorrow in rounds 3-10 and will have 10 selections on Tuesday to conclude the Draft.

    --@ANGELS--
  20. Chuck
    Much like the Angels’ major league offense awakening as May turned into June, the same can be said for many of the Angels’ farmhands. The last two weeks saw a number of Angels’ position players, new and old, put up big numbers, and several Angels’ pitchers found themselves moving up to new teams following strong spring starts. 
    --Position Players--
    1) Matt Thaiss – C/DH/1B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    So far, no Angels’ minor league position has done more to definitively place themselves atop one of these lists than what Matt Thaiss has done. Alternating between catcher and DH over the last two weeks – with one appearance at 1B – Thaiss has put his well-balanced offensive profile on display, showing strong contact (14 hits in 10 games), discipline (6 walks to 9 strikeouts), and power (four doubles, two triples, five home runs), good for a .359/.457/.949/1.405 slash, while also driving in runs (13), stealing a base, and throwing out three baserunners – his first in his pro career since converting back to catcher. Despite this, there isn’t a clear path to Anaheim at the moment for Thaiss, and it’s likely in his (and the Angels) best interest that he continues getting reps behind the plate at SLC, as well as regular playing time. Should the Angels find themselves buyer, Thaiss’ versatility, ability behind the plate, offensive profile, and MLB-readiness could make him an attractive deadline option – or an easy promotion should they part ways with Kurt Suzuki at some point.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .327/.435/.655/1.090 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 8 HR, 24 RBI, 18 BB, 34 K in 30 G/131 PA, 33% CS%
     
    2) Luis Rengifo – SS/2B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Following right behind Thaiss, Rengifo has also put his varied skill set on display of late. Like Thaiss, Rengifo has demonstrated strong contact skills (17 hits in 10 games), discipline (3 walks to 8 strikeouts), and power, equating Jo Adell’s output over the last two weeks; two double, two triples, and four home runs, giving Rengifo a .395/.435/.814/1.249 slash in June. Settling in as the everday SS in SLC leads one to believe the Angels might see him as the everyday SS starting in 2022, or perhaps sooner if they find themselves taking offers for Jose Iglesias as the summer trade deadline nears. Much like Thaiss, Rengifo could find himself mentioned in trade talks should the Angels wind up buyers.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .302/.371/.519/.890 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 12 BB, 21 K, 7-11 in SB attempts in 33 G/143 PA
     
    3) Jo Adell – OF, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Adell shifted over to CF for the first time this season, drawing six starts in the last ten games while also seeing time in the corners, leading one to believe the Angels might be prepping him to get a look while Trout is on the IL, and Adell’s recent performance at the plate has done nothing to quiet those whispers; relying primarily on his plus-plus power, Adell has slugged.791 in June so far, adding 2 doubles, 2 triples to his 2021 campaign, as well 4 more HR to his minor league lead of 15. Plate discipline remains elusive however as Adell hasn’t drawn a walk since May 20th, but he has trimmed his strikeouts to something tolerable – 14 in 10 games. Still, Adell remains one of the more imposing sources of prospect power and his athleticism could cause the Angels to look past the swing-and-miss issues and give him another shot to contribute sooner rather than later.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .277/.325/.667/.991 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 15 HR, 30 RBI, 6 BB, 50 K, 3-4 in SB attempts in 32 G/151 PA
     
    4) Izzy Wilson – RF/LF, Rocket City, AA:
    Who? You’re forgiven if the Angels’ minor league signing of former Braves prospect Isranel ‘Izzy’ Wilson didn’t catch your eye this past winter, but the 6’3”, lefty-swinging hyper-toolsy outfielder who drew occasional comps to Christian Pache and Ronald Acuna Jr. has turned a corner since June began. Wilson’s .406/.472/.906/1.378 slash puts him behind Matt Thaiss for second-highest OPS since June 1, largely in part to the five home runs he added, giving him 10 on the season, right behind Jo Adell for most on the Angels farm. Wilson also demonstrated decent discipline (4 BB, 10 K) and overcome a slow start to show improved contact as well (13 hits in 36 PA), and oh yeah, he swiped four bases as well. The Saint Maarten native is showing all the characteristics of a late-blooming prospect, given he’s still on 23 and playing in a competitive league against older players. Definitely one to watch.
    2021 (RCT, AA): .224/.325/.514/.839 with 1 doubles, 10 HR, 19 RBI, 15 BB, 42 K, 8-11 in SB attempts in 31 G/123 PA
     
    5) Jeremiah Jackson – SS, Inland Empire, A:
    Another Angel happy to see May come to an end, Jeremiah Jackson has once again lit up pitching, posting a robust .351/.442/.676/1.118 slash over the last two weeks – buoyed by an unsustainable .550 BABIP. That said, two of the primary concerns for Jackson – whether his light-tower power would translate after a historic showing in the Pioneer League and if he could improve his plate discipline – are seemingly being addressed, as Jackson mashed four doubles, a triple, and two homers over his last ten games, as well as drawing six walks to 15 strikeouts, perfectly respectable for a middle-of-the-order run producer. Jackson added 13 RBI over the last two weeks, giving him 34 on the season, good for 3rd atop the MILB RBI leaderboards. Jackson collected the Low-A West Player of the Week as well. With the strong performances of Paris, Jackson, and Rengifo, the Angels SS depth on the farm looks to be in good shape for the short and long-term future.
    2021 (IE, AA): .231/.319/.463/.782 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 17 BB, 50 K, 7-9 in SB attempts in 32 G/141 PA
    Honorable mention, hitters:
    Braxton Martinez (1B, IE A): .357/.500/.690/1.190 with 5 2B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 8 K in 12 G/54 PA – age (27) kept him from the Top 5 this time
    Preston Palmeiro (1B/LF/2B, SLC AAA): .292/.370/.625/.995 with 2 2B, 2 HR – benefitting from hitter-friendly parks, or did Rafael’s son find something?
    Scott Schebler (OF, SLC AAA): .325/.372/.600/.972 with 5 2B, 2 HR – just keeps on hitting
    Dalton Pompey (OF, RCT AA): .303/.361/.576/.937 with 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 4 K in 9 G/36 PA – former Top 100 prospect off to strong start at AA
    Mitch Nay (3B, RCT AA): .257/.422/.514/.937 with 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 BB, 7 K in 11 G/45 PA – former first rounder keeps slugging, getting on-base
    Michael Stefanic (2B/3B, SLC AAA): .229/.325/.514/.839 with 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 8 K – AAA parks adding some HRs to Stefanic’s game
    Gavin Cecchini (2B/SS, RCT AA): .267/.313/.511/.824 with 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 7 K – another former 1st rounder hitting well in AA
    Torii Hunter, Jr. (OF, RCT AA): .276/.344/.483/.827 with 3 2B, HR, 3 BB – evolving into a solid 4th OF option
    --Pitchers--
    1) Ryan Smith - LHP, Tri-City, A+:
    Following another dominating performance at Low-A Inland Empire (6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K on June 3rd), southpaw Ryan Smith was the next IE SP to earn a promotion to Hi-A Tri-City, and didn’t miss a step, spinning another strong, nearly unblemished 6 inning start, surrendering zero runs, two hits, one walk, and striking out 9. All told, Smith’s 12 IP of 0.75 ERA ball, with a BAA of .100 and 2 BB to 16 K earns him the top pitching placement on this edition. At 5’11””” and drafted in the 18thRound out of Princeton, Smith is an interesting arm to watch as he advances – more a pitcher than a thrower, he’s balanced, competitive, cerebral approach could make him a strong dark-horse SP prospect if this continues now that he’s facing more age-appropriate competition. 
    2021 (IE A/TC A+): 1.34 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, .139 BAA, 3 HR allowed, 8 BB, 53 K across 33.2 IP in 6 G/5 GS
    2) Davis Daniel - RHP, Tri-City, A+:
    Yet to hit a bump this season, righty Davis Daniel might be making a case for being the Angels’ second-best SP prospect Reid Detmers, at least if weighing the candidates by MLB-readiness. Daniel added two more starts to his first pro season, which is also the same number of hits he allowed – only two across 12 IP, along with zero runs, four walks, and 16 strikeouts. Daniel’s strong play earned him the High-A West Pitcher of the Week, and a promotion to AA Rocket City, behind recent fellow righty Aaron Hernandez, could be in the near future. At age 24, there’s a reasonable chance Daniel pitches his way onto the MLB staff by end of the year, especially if the Halos wind up sellers and move multiple arms from the rotation and bullpen.
    2021 (TC A+): 2.35 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, .171 BAA, 1 HR allowed, 16 BB, 41 K across 30.2 IP in 6 G/6 GS
    3) Kyle Tyler - RHP, Rocket City, AA:
    Steady as ever, Rocket City righty Kyle Tyler maintained his strong season over his last three starts, despite one of them being lackluster. That start was bookended with two gems: an 8 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 7 K performance against Chattanooga and a 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K showing against Tennessee, giving Tyler 17.2 IP of 1.53 ERA ball, allowing a .161 BAA and 5 BB to 15 K. Fangraphs recently noted that Tyler’s velocity has ticked up a few miles since ’19, now hitting 92-95 with some carry, improving his chances at moving into the MLB depth charts as at least an up-and-down spot starter. Perhaps a move to relief could spike the velocity even further…
    2021 (RCT AA): 2.08 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .199 BAA, 3 HR allowed, 12 BB, 38 K across 39 IP in 7 G/7 GS
    4) Jaime Barria - RHP, Salt Lake City AAA:
    His performance is sort of the pitching equivalent to Matt Thaiss or Luis Rengifo; not good enough yet to crack the big-league club, but impressive despite the park conditions. Posting a 0.90 ERA and .176 across two starts on a Salt Lake staff is noteworthy even if it didn’t come with eye-opening peripherals, but that’s Jaime Barria. Not flashy, not dominant, but durable and effective. Due to roster shuffling, Barria has only made 6 appearances on the season between SLC and Anaheim, but his inability to crack a faulty Angels staff could garner some interest if the Angels pursue rental help at the deadline. Cheap, durable pitching under control always has some demand, and if Barria can’t find it here, the Angels might be better served seeing what they can get for him. Additionally, he could find himself a late-summer fixture in Anaheim should the Angels sell.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): 3.20 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 23 H 4 HR allowed, 2 BB, 11 K across 19.2 IP in 4 G/4 GS
    5) Jack Dashwood - LHP, Inland Empire:
    Perhaps overlooked by some of the more dazzling performances by Inland Empire arms such as Brent Killam, Ryan Smith, and Jose Salvador is the efforts so far by 6’6” lefty Jack Dashwood. The 23 year old, a 12th rounder from the 2019 draft, has been versatile as he’s been effective. Over the last two weeks, Dashwood has made three appearances – one start and twice as a multi-inning reliever – adding 11.1 IP of 0.79 ERA ball to his first pro season. But what’s more notable is what Dashwood hasn’t allowed – a walk. Across seven games on the year, Dashwood has now thrown 26 IP while striking out 35 and walking zero Tally in 21 hits allowed, and Dashwood’s WHIP stands at a shiny 0.81. With some fellow southpaws promoted to Tri-City in Killam and Smith, there’s a chance Dashwood picks up more appearances now as a starter, where he could continue in their footsteps. 
    2021 (IE, A): 2.77 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, .214 BAA, 2 HR allowed, 0 BB, 35 K across 26 IP in 7 G/2 GS
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Reid Detmers (LHP, RCT AA): 11 IP, 0.82 ERA, .179 BAA, 3 BB, 16 K in 2 G/2 GS – a hard luck bump from the Top 5, but wanted to get some new names in, and this performance is to be expected from Detmers now
    Aaron Hernandez (RHP, TC A+/RCT AA): 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, .167 BAA, 7 BB, 12 K in 2 G/2 GS– earned first AA start
    Jake Faria (RHP, SLC, AAA): 11.1 IP, 3.18 ERA, .200 BAA, 6 BB, 17 K in 2 G/2 GS– strong strikeout numbers and a recent stinginess allowing runs could earn him a spot in Anaheim
    Dakota Donovan (RHP, IE A): 5.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, .227 BAA, 5 H, 3 BB, 11 K in 4 G
    Tim Peterson (RHP, SLC AAA): 5.1 IP, 1.69 ERA, .118 BA, 0 BB, 7 K in 4 G – great relief numbers to in AAA so far 
    AJ Ramos (RHP, SLC AAA): 4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, .176 BAA, 2 BB, 7 K in 4 G – one-time closer providing strong relief in AAA as well 
    Connor Higgins (LHP, RCT AA): 4 IP, 2.25 ERA, .294 BAA, 3 BB, 4 K in 4 G
    Adam Seminaris (LHP, IE A): 6.1 IP, 4.26 ERA, .280 BAA, 0 BB, 10 K in 2 G/1 GS – strong return to action from ’20 draftee
     
  21. Chuck
    SHOHEI OHTANI NAMED 2021 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
    First unanimous A.L. MVP since Mike Trout in 2014
    ANAHEIM – Angels RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani today was named the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). It marks the first career A.L. MVP award for Ohtani, who previously won the 2016 Most Valuable Player Award in Nippon Professional Baseball’s Pacific League.
    Ohtani garnered all 30 first place votes for a total of 420 points in the balloting process, 151 points ahead of second place finisher Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays (269 points). Ohtani becomes just the 19th unanimous winner of a BBWAA MVP Award (11th in A.L. history) and the first since Bryce Harper won N.L. MVP honors in 2015. He becomes the second Japanese-born player to receive MVP honors in the Major Leagues, joining Ichiro Suzuki (2001). Additionally, he is just the third starting pitcher to win A.L. MVP in the last 50 years, following Roger Clemens (1986) and Justin Verlander (2011).
    The 27-year-old captures the Angels sixth MVP award in franchise history, following Don Baylor (1979), Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Mike Trout (2014, 2016 & 2019). The Angels are the first team to win four MVP awards in an eight-year span since San Francisco won five straight with Jeff Kent (2000) and Barry Bonds (2001-04) and the first A.L. team since the Texas Rangers with Juan González (1996, 1998), Iván Rodríguez (1999) and Alex Rodriguez (2003).
    As a hitter, Ohtani ranked in the Top 10 in the American League in triples (8; 1st), extra-base hits (80; 2nd), slugging (.592; 2nd), OPS (.965; 2nd), home runs (46; 3rd), walks (96; 3rd), total bases (318; T4th), stolen bases (26; 5th), OBP (.372; 5th) and runs scored (103; 8th). On the mound, he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA (130.1 IP – 46 ER) and 156 strikeouts in 23 starts, while holding opponents to a .207 average (98/473). He led the Majors with a 9.1 bWAR and became the first player in MLB history to record 10+ HR as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season.
    This summer, Ohtani became the first MLB player to ever be selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player and started the game as both the A.L. starting pitcher and designated hitter. Additionally, he was named the American League Player of the Month for both June and July, becoming the first player to win consecutive A.L. Player of the Month Awards since Josh Hamilton (April/May 2012).
    THE HITTER - Ranked in Top 10 in the American League in triples (8; 1st), extra-base hits (80; 2 nd), slugging (.592; 2nd), OPS (.965; 2nd), home runs (46; 3rd), walks (96; 3rd), total bases (318; T4 th), stolen bases (26; 5 th), OBP (.372; 5 th) and runs scored (103; 8th). One of two players in American League history with 45+ HR and 25+ SB in a season, joining Jose Canseco (1998). One of six players in American League history with 45+ HR and 8+ triples in a season, joining Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx and Jim Rice. Led the Majors with 25 home runs with a 110+ MPH exit velocity. Established new single-season home run record for a Japanese-born player (previously 31 by Hideki Matsui in 2004)
    THE PITCHER - Opponents batted .087 (11/127) against his splitter; lowest batting average for any pitch in the Majors (min. 110 PA)  Allowed two-or-fewer runs in 17 of 23 starts…Took seven no-decisions in starts with 5+ IP and two-or-fewer runs allowed. Led American League with a .818 winning percentage, ranked third with a .207 opponent batting average, was fifth with 10.77 strikeouts per nine innings and ranked 10th with a 28.9% swing and miss rate (min. 125 IP). Was one of four A.L. starting pitchers to reach 100+ MPH with at least 11 pitches this season. Went 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA (78.1 IP – 17 ER) and 93 strikeouts in 13 home starts
    TWO-WAY - Made 14 pitching starts while also holding at least a share of the Major League home run lead o First pitcher to make multiple pitching starts in a season while leading Majors in home runs since Babe Ruth (1919).  First player in MLB history to record 10+ HR as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season. First player in MLB history with 20+ stolen bases and 10+ pitching appearances in the same season. Batted for himself in 20 of 23 pitching starts; first pitcher ever to hit for himself 3+ times in games where a DH is available
    ALL-STAR - First MLB player to ever be selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player. Started the All-Star Game as both the A.L. starting pitcher and starting DH o Earned the win for the A.L. after working a perfect 1st inning. Competed in the Home Run Derby and totaled 28 home runs, including six 500+ ft. HR (most in the Statcast era)
    AWARDS - American League Most Valuable Player. Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award. Silver Slugger Award. Players Choice Awards: Player of the Year & A.L. Outstanding Player. Sporting News MLB Player of the Year, Baseball America MLB Player of the Year & Baseball Digest MLB Player of the Year. Two-time American League Player of the Month – June & July. Two-time American League Player of the Week – June 14 – June 20 & June 28 - July 4. ESPY Award – Best MLB Player. TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People in the World. Angels Most Valuable Player & Nick Adenhart Award

    Statements from Mike Trout, Joe Maddon and Perry Minasian:
    Angels OF Mike Trout – “Shohei’s season was nothing short of electric. At times, I felt like I was back in Little League. To watch a player throw eight innings, hit a home run, steal a base and then go play right field was incredible. What impresses me the most about him though, is the way he carries himself both on and off the field. With so much on his plate daily, he still manages to do it with a smile. Congratulations Shohei!”
    Angels Manager Joe Maddon – “Shohei came to the States to play among the best on both sides of the ball and he accomplished that mission on the highest level. Knowing him, this award is going to serve as motivation to exceed his previous accomplishments. I cannot wait to watch how his game helps push us to our goal of playing in the last game of the season and winning it. Congratulations to Shohei and his entire family on this special honor.”
    Angels General Manager Perry Minasian – “Shohei had an outstanding season and his talent speaks for itself. It was a privilege watching him on the field on a daily basis, as well as seeing his commitment to improving his craft. He is a great teammate, works incredibly hard on every aspect of the game and this award is very well deserved.”
  22. Chuck
    Photo by: Javier Sanchez/Rocket City Trash Pandas
    By Chuck Richter, AngelsWin.com
    November 24th, 2022
    Kolton Ingram pitched in 50 games for the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas in 2022 and went 6-2 with a 2.67 ERA, 0.92 WHIP while striking out 73 batters.  He led all of Double-A qualified relief pitchers in holds with 13. The former Detroit Tigers 37th-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft turned 26-years-old in October and after his solid season in Double-A the Angels rewarded him by protecting Ingram from the rule-5 draft, adding the southpaw to their 40-man roster. 
    Ingram throws a 92-95 MPH fastball with a slider that gives left-handed batters fits where they batted just .141 against him, fanning 34 in 19IP against lefties. Ingram also has a changeup but he primarily throws that against right-handed batters. 
    In the spring of 2018 at Columbus State University working as the starter against Lander, Kolton Ingram pitched 8 scoreless innings, giving up just 1 hit, two walks and struck out 15. 

    Check out our interview with LHP relief pitching prospect Kolton Ingram below. 
    Here is the complete interview transcript for the deaf, hard of hearing and quotes.
    AngelsWin.com: Chuck Richter, from AngelsWin.com. We’ve got Kolton Ingram. Kolton, how’re you doing?
    Kolton Ingram: Pretty good.
    AngelsWin.com: Real quick, for starters, what has it been like to be a part of this Trash Panda team this year and the playoff run that you guys are on?
    Kolton Ingram: It’s been unbelieve. Just getting to play here in the atmosphere every day, and then the group of guys that we’re with, it’s been really special.
    AngelsWin.com: That’s awesome. So, last checked, I think you lead the league in holds and games appeared in. That’s pretty special; that’s awesome. And I also noticed that lefthanded hitters are batting really low, in the 100’s, off you, too. What do you attack hitters with? What’s your repertoire?
    Kolton Ingram: Just fastball, slider, changeup. I don’t really throw the changeup to lefties as much; slider heavy with the lefties. And then just really focusing on getting ahead. Once I’m ahead, you know, there’s a good chance of soft contact or striking somebody out.
    AngelsWin.com: What’s your fastball velo?
    Kolton Ingram: Anywhere from 92 to 95.
    AngelsWin.com: Okay, awesome. Okay, what will Angel fans come to learn about you, the player and the person?
    Kolton Ingram: I would say my work ethic. I, kind of, strive for perfection—
    AngelsWin.com: There you go.
    Kolton Ingram: —and it, kind of, eats at me sometimes. But—just I come out here every day with a routine, and making sure that I get my work done, so that when I am pitching in the game, that, you know, I’m trying to get them all out.
    AngelsWin.com: On the routine end, are you left to your own devices in terms of routine, workout, diet? Or does the organization put something together for you?
    Kolton Ingram: Well, they have people put in place to help you along that road. I feel like, at this level, you, kind of, have your own routine of what you do in the off-season. Everybody’s, kind of, different on nutrition. And, as far as stretching and mobility and strength training and all that, everybody usually has a pretty good idea for themselves. Like I said, there’s people here that, if you have questions and, you know, need some help sometimes, they’re there for you.
    AngelsWin.com: Who’s impressed you the most as a teammate and toughest out as an opponent?
    Kolton Ingram: I would say either Aaron Hernandez or Jack Dashwood. Both of them were starters in previous years. And then, for them to, you know, kind of, go back into a relieving role and long relieving roles—like, as a starter from college turned reliever in pro ball, that’s hard to do. It’s hard to change that mentality. So, what they’ve done this year, has been, you know, incredible. And sometimes they’ve may even spot starts. So, just to flip back into that starting role, when asked, it has been really huge for this team.
    Hardest outs? I would say have been probably Elly De La Cruz for the Lookouts—
    AngelsWin.com: I hear that name quite a bit, yeah. [laugh]
    Kolton Ingram: —Yeah, he’s a pretty tough out, intimidating for sure—
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] Yeah, I was going to say. What is he, 6’6” or something and—yeah.
    Kolton Ingram: Yeah, he’s a pretty big guy.
    AngelsWin.com: And he runs like the wind, too. It’s crazy. [laugh]
    Kolton Ingram: Yeah. And then I would say I hate facing that entire Smokey’s lineup. So, take your pick out of that lineup. But they’re really good; they’re a really good hitting team; they’re tough to strike out. So…
    AngelsWin.com: It’s going to be a battle in that first round, huh?
    Kolton Ingram: Oh, yeah. It’s going to be fun—
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah, that’ll be awesome.
    Kolton Ingram: —I’m excited.
    AngelsWin.com: What do you think you need to work on to reach your full potential to make it to the big leagues someday?
    Kolton Ingram: I would honestly say, getting my slider in the zone at little bit more often. And then really attacking that upper third with my fastball, and just making sure I’m commanding that. Because what I’ve found that I’ve run into trouble, is when that fastball starts to leak down a little bit, and that’s, kind of, where I get hit. So, if I can stay up in that upper-[unintelligible 00:03:44] quadrant, I’ll be fine.
    AngelsWin.com: Good. When did you actually first commit to playing baseball?
    Kolton Ingram: When I was about four, five years old. And then I think I realized that that’s what I wanted to do, sometime around my senior year of high school. I played other sports, so, kind of, found my sport.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. Favorite team growing up? Player?
    Kolton Ingram: The Braves.
    AngelsWin.com: The Braves, okay.
    Kolton Ingram: So, I was a big John Smoltz guy, and I grew up a huge—I was probably 25 minutes south of Turner Field. So, I was always going to games. And John Smoltz—I wore 29 growing up—that’s my idol. So…
    AngelsWin.com: That’s great; awesome. Who’s the one major league hitter that you would like to face and strike out?
    Kolton Ingram: As a Brave’s fan, I’d love to face Freddie Freeman—
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] There you go. Okay.
    Kolton Ingram: —and now that he’s with the Dodgers—
    AngelsWin.com: Especially. [laugh]
    Kolton Ingram: Yeah. Now, he’s with the Dodgers, and I’m with the Angels, I think that’d be really cool.
    AngelsWin.com: That would be cool.
    Kolton Ingram: That’d be a ball I’d put up in my thing for sure.
    AngelsWin.com: That’s awesome. Okay, Lightning Round real quick. Favorite movie?
    Kolton Ingram: Favorite movie…
    AngelsWin.com: Or baseball movie?
    Kolton Ingram: [The] Sandlot, for sure, my baseball movies. I’m not really sure. I’d probably say something in the Marvel Universe. So, like, Avengers. Or I’m a big Marvel nerd, so…
    AngelsWin.com: Okay. Favorite song or artist?
    Kolton Ingram: I’m a big J. Cole fan. So, I love J. Cole. I love Future; my walk-out song is Solo by Future. So, that’s one of my favorite songs.
    AngelsWin.com: Nice. Okay. Favorite video game?
    Kolton Ingram: Probably Zelda. Zelda.
    AngelsWin.com: That’s an old-school game, yeah.
    Kolton Ingram: I’m a big Zelda guy.
    AngelsWin.com: What’s a perfect day look like for you away from baseball?
    Kolton Ingram: Go on a hike; I love being outdoors. Whenever I’m away from baseball, it’s, kind of, just, “How can I get outside today without playing baseball.” So…
    AngelsWin.com: Awesome. Well, Kolton, thank you so much for your time today.
    Kolton Ingram: Yeah, man; for sure.
    AngelsWin.com: Appreciate you.
  23. Chuck
    Torii Hunter may be one of the most beloved former Angels in the history of their franchise so we wanted to pull some of our greatest hits from our old Blog into one column to reminisce a true fan favorite. 
    Let's start off with David Saltzer's piece, titled - Torii Hunter, my favorite Angel followed by Coral Marshall's Torii Hunter: A True All-Star. David Saltzer catches up with Torii Hunter in an interview (video) while he was promoting the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams and finally Brian Waller wraps it up in his All Good Things Must Come to an End article on Hunter. 
    Enjoy some of our finest through the years on one of our favorite all-time Angels. 
    Torii Hunter, My Favorite Angel

    By David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    August 4th, 2010
    Years from now, Angels fans might look back on August 3rd, 2010 as the day the Peter Bourjos era began. He is a speedy, dynamic, defensively gifted outfielder who may become an integral part of the Angels’ future. But for me, I’ll remember the day as the day Torii Hunter became my favorite Angel player on the team.
    No one likes getting older. When I close my eyes, I don’t picture myself as the person I am standing in front of the mirror. I picture myself as the person I was in my prime, about 10 years ago—the guy with the full head of hair, who could bench a lot more, and who weighed a bit less.
    I’m just a few years older than Torii, so it’s not too hard for me to relate to the aging process. While my prime may have been a lot better than I am today, it never will come close to the athleticism that Torii had in his prime. Heck, my prime couldn’t touch his worst. So, it must be much harder for Torii to witness the inevitable toll that time takes on us all.
    When Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove winner in centerfield to agreed to move to right field so that Peter Bourjos could take over center, it took a lot of humility on his part. Torii said "I didn't sleep for three, four days. I prayed about it, thought about it . . . I think we need to do something different.”
    I’m sure that this decision didn’t come over easy for Torii. He’s a highly skilled, highly paid, and highly liked player. He’s vocal about what he thinks the team needs in order to win. He is the team’s de facto captain. He didn’t need to make this move. And yet, he did it. Rather than fighting it, he embraced it. In an era of mega-egos, Torii, the face of the franchise, owned the decision to take a back seat to the kid. "This is my decision. This isn't their decision." By stepping aside, he made the team better and gave the team its best shot to win.
    As an Angels fan, I want to see the best players on the field playing their hardest every day. I want to see the players playing with passion—running out every play as if it were their only chance to win a spot on the field. I want the players playing selflessly, not selfishly. But more importantly, I want to see the Angels win. I want to see the players doing whatever it takes to win it all—even if it comes at the expense of their individual goals.
    "I could say I want to go for that 10th Gold Glove . . . But sometimes you've got to slap pride in the face and all that individual stuff – the Gold Glove stuff – you can let that go . . . All I care about is winning, I need a ring. I've been to the playoffs seven times and haven't won anything. I haven't been to the World Series yet, not even to lose . . . If this makes the team better, I'm going to do it."
    With those words and with his actions on the field, Torii showed me that his passion to win is as great as my passion to see the Angels win. He wants to win a ring as badly as I want to see them win another championship. He willingly put aside his personal goals to see the team win some bigger goals. As a fan, I couldn’t be more grateful to have him as a player.
    Baseball teaches a lot of life lessons. Sometimes it says in order to win you have to swing for the fence and hit a home run—the ultimate individual achievement. But other times, it also says, in order to be a winner, you sometimes have to lay down a sacrifice. Over the years, I’ve seen Torii hit a lot of homers but I can’t recall ever seeing him lay down a bunt—until today. By moving aside for Bourjos, Torii laid down a perfect sacrifice for the team.
    Ever since Tim Salmon retired, I’ve been asked by many people “who is my current favorite player on the team?” And, while there are plenty of good players to like, I haven’t had a clear favorite until now. Today I’m proud to say that Torii Hunter is my favorite current Angels player. He is the ultimate and rare champion—one who plays with a selfless passion to win.
    Torri Hunter: A True All-Star

    By Coral Marshall - Angelswin.com Columnist
    May 18th, 2009
    For someone who has won the Gold Glove for eight consecutive seasons, Torii Hunter is a guy who doesn't get much credit when it comes to the All-Star Game. Sure, a career .273 batting average with about 25 home runs a year are not the numbers one expects from an All-Star outfielder (think Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle or Ted Williams). Instead, Hunter's overall numbers are more akin to former Angel Fred Lynn, an All-Star who didn't make it to the game for the last seven seasons of his career. (He too averaged 25 homers a year and a .283 batting average, only .010 higher than Torii's.)
    But the All-Star Game isn't about comparing the past with the present; it is about electing who is most deserving in the early months of a season to a game that not only celebrates the players who have done the best so far, but also determines which league gets home field advantage in the World Series. This should not be about fans only electing big name players, or players from their favorite team, yet it inevitably comes down to that; evidenced by the fact that fans are not allowed to vote for pitchers, perhaps even more telling is the election of David Ortiz to play first base when games are in National League parks and designated hitters are not used. But fans of the game of baseball should instead vote for the players who will give them the best game possible, especially since each team is required to have at least one player represented on the roster.
    If the Angels are to have only one player on this roster, Torii Hunter is most deserving this season. This isn't to say that Mike Napoli and others have not stepped up to the plate metaphorically, but rather that Hunter has exceeded all expectations in Vladimir Guerrero's absence. While Napoli, Gary Matthews Jr., Bobby Abreu, Juan Rivera and the rest of the team have really come through in the trying times the Angels have faced with this season's injuries, Hunter has displayed the fielding and batting expertise necessary to hold the team together, which does not even include his clubhouse presence — which one can deduce from player interviews keeps everyone in good spirits.
    Instead of making the All-Star Game a who's who of baseball, fans should work to honor those who have made a difference on the field and carried their team to this point in the season. Torri Hunter has become a prime example of this. His defense is unmatched, as shown by the aforementioned Gold Gloves, and not to mention his almost nightly appearance on baseball highlight reels. And to be honest, the numbers don't lie — Hunter has a perfect fielding percentage so far this year; that means no errors.
    His offense has been impressive so far this season, too. Before Sunday's game, the Angels had a total of 27 home runs this season, of which Hunter had hit 9; that's one-third of the total for the team. (Is anyone else reminded of Babe Ruth in the 1920s by that kind of percentage?) His total ranks him No. 10 in the AL. His at-bats-per-homer ratio is an impressive No. 10 in the league, as well. With 14-plus position players in a game like the All-Star Game, where players are likely to only get one or two at bats for the entire game, this is a highly important statistic. The fewer at bats, on average, it takes for a player to hit a home run the more likely in any game (let alone a game that they will more than likely not bat the minimum three times) they are to do so, increasing the odds of scoring at one time rather than having to put together a rally. While his batting average may not have him on any leader boards before Sunday's game, he was batting .317 this season (an entire .029 points higher than his highest single season average), and more importantly his .611 Slugging Percentage ranks him ninth in the American League, while his 1.012 On-Base Plus Slugging percentage puts him at eighth.
    Hunter has not only stood out amongst the Halos this year, but amongst the entire league. Who knows, with these numbers, maybe by the end of the season this will become a petition for an MVP instead of an All-Star Game bid.
    Promoting the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams, AngelsWin.com got a chance to interview 9-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter.
    August 2nd, 2011
    All Good Things Must Come to an End

    By Brian Waller - AngelsWin.com Columnist
    Nov 6th, 2012
    All good things must come to an end, and it appears as though fan favorite Torii Hunter’s days in a Halo’s uniform have come to an end; with the door only slightly cracked for the mayor of “Toriitown” to return. After signing a 5 year $90-million deal with the Angels on November 22, 2007 Hunter seemed like the perfect fit for the team. Sure his contract was a little on the pricey side and sure he didn’t appear on paper as the “impact” player the team had been seeking the previous season or so but none the less the marriage seemed perfect; it was consummated at a Del Taco after all.

    From afar, I think we all could agree that Hunter was and is the type of player that any fan would love to have on their team. The former 1st round pick of the 1993 amateur draft spent 9 full seasons in Minnesota where he made two All-Star appearances and compiled 192 home runs, 711 rbi’s, swiped 126 bases all while hitting .271 with a .793 OPS. Perhaps Hunter’s most impressive attribute on the field was not his offense, but what he did defensively. In those same 9 seasons with the Twins, Hunter racked up 7 Gold Glove awards and proved himself to be one of the best defenders in Major League Baseball.
    As an Angel fan I can honestly say I was pleased with the signing at the time and figured he would be a great addition to the team both offensively and defensively. What I didn’t take into consideration however was the impact Hunter would have on the Angels’ clubhouse as well as the Southern California community. Through the years Hunter has contributed to many charities including his own, the “Torii Hunter Project Education” Initiative, which provides college scholarships to students in California, Arkansas, Nevada and Minnesota. Hunter is also very involved in a partnership with Major League Baseball to help maintain and improve baseball diamonds in inner cities as well as the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the “Big Brother” program. In 2009 Hunter was acknowledged for his hard work in the community and charitable services when he was presented with the Branch Rickey Award; an honor bestowed upon those in the MLB that go above in beyond in the community and who show excellence in charity work.
    Hunter became something the Angels hadn’t had since Tim Salmon retired; a face of the franchise. Hunter became the voice of the clubhouse, someone who from afar, seemed to put the team on his shoulders when needed and handled the media when things got rough. He was the cheerleader in the off season reaching out to players to sign with the Angels; players like Carl Crawford, C.J. Wilson, etc. As a fan it was both enjoyable and refreshing to see a player so passionate about his team he would take to Twitter and other media outlets to entice free agents to done Angels red; even though it didn’t always work out.  Hunter’s leadership qualities really became apparent when he voluntarily moved from center field to right field in 2011 to make room for a speedy Peter Bourjos and eventually Mike Trout. Rather than show bitterness and shun the up and coming players, Hunter took his years of knowledge and helped teach the youngsters because he knew it was best for the team. When you really take a step back and realize that a player who had won nine consecutive gold gloves in center field during his career made such an unselfish move you really appreciate just what type of player and person Hunter is.
    Hunter would go on to become a solid contributor to the Halos on the field. He won his 8th and 9th Gold Glove awards while with the Angels and also won the only Silver Slugger award of his career in 2009 (thus far). Hunter made the All-Star team twice; most notably in 2010 when the All-Star game was hosted at the “Big A”. Although injury prevented Hunter from participating in the All-Star game it still gave the fans a tremendous sense of pride having one of their own and the face of the franchise voted in to the annual summer classic. Hunter would go on to hit 105 hr, 432 rbi’s, steal 60 bases and hit .286 with an .814 OPS during his 5 year stint in Anaheim; numbers that are not necessarily “eye popping” but again, his value cannot be measured in mere stats.
    Watching a fan favorite change teams is never easy, it’s all most like a break up of sorts with the Angels telling Torii “it’s not you….it’s me”. Although both sides may appear to part ways amicably there always will be lingering feelings due to just how intermingled the two were due to Hunter being the face of the franchise. We all have our favorite “Torii moments” and although it is easy to get wrapped up and attached to players we do need to realize it is a business. Hunter has intangibles that can’t be given a stat and won’t show up on the back of a baseball card; how important those intangibles are remains to be seen. The Halos will most likely find out in 2013 what life is like without Hunter and hopefully the dollars saved are worth his absence and will be put to good use.
  24. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop (@Angelsjunky), AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Introduction
    Before the season began, I predicted that the Angels would go 91-71, with a good chance of earning a wildcard berth. At the time, I doubted my own prediction - as @Dochalo half-jokingly remarked, he and I did the same thing every year: Wrote a long, stat-heavy post that showed how the Angels could be better than expected. And they never were.
    But this year seems different - and more so, I'm starting to believe. Not only my own prediction, but that this is a very good club.
    Before getting into that, I'm going to take a stroll down memory lane, to provide the context from which the current team arose. If you're not interested in all that, just skip to Part 2.
    1: A History of Mediocrity and Disappointment
    As a four-decade Angels fan, I'm used to the unsavory but familiar mix of mediocrity and disappointment. Except for a single, shining year in 2002, Angels history has been characterized by it. In fact, one of my first memories of fandom was my father telling me that the Angels lost to the Brewers in 1982 playoffs; I was outside playing ball--kids actually played outside back then--and I remember kicking it in frustration, but then quickly moving on to something else. While my fandom goes back to around 1980, I only really started following the team closely in 1987; I would have before then, but lived overseas for the previous two years, so in the pre-internet days, wasn't really able to follow them (so I thankfully missed the '86 postseason).
    Now consider my first fifteen years of serious fandom, 1987-2001. The first five years of that period was one of the worst, with the Angels signing a smorgasbord of declining former stars as free agents, and never really amounting to much, even though they had a core of young homegrown players in Wally Joyner, Devon White, Jack Howell, Mark McLemore, Mike Witt, Chuck Finley, Kirk McCaskill, Jim Abbott, etc. They did win 91 games in 1989, but other than that the teams of 1987-94 were par for the course for Angels: mediocre, through and through.
    1995 was the original "magical season." The Angels were playing good ball, 39-30 at the All-Star Break, and then went on an absolute tear, winning 17 of their first 20 games after the break, and 25-8 over 33. On August 15, they were 64-38, 10.5 games ahead in the AL West.
    It was an exciting team, with many young players - including that great outfield of Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds, and Garret Anderson, and fueled by veteran spark-plug Tony Phillips. Again: 64-38, 10.5 games ahead in 1st place. They then proceeded to win only 9 of the next 37 games, somehow managing to fall into 2nd place. But as bad as that was, to add insult to injury, they went on a five-game winning streak to finish the season, tying the Mariners for 1st place and forcing a one-game playoff. What commenced was my personal worst day in franchise history. They had to face Randy Johnson and, through six innings, were only losing 1-0. Then, in the worst moment of the worst day, Luis Sojo comes up to bat against Mark Langston with the bases loaded. Sojo hits a broken bat ground ball that got by JT Snow at first base, bounced around in the benches along the wall - everyone scored, including Sojo (it is ruled a double). If you want to re-live this improbable play, here it is:
    Again, this was the low-point of my Angels fandom - not simply because they lost, but because it was the culmination and reversal of a "magical year" that turned sour. And after that, for the next six years, the Angels reverted to mediocrity, winning between 70 and 85 games each season (sound familiar?).
    And then 2002 happened - and that was an actual magical season. One of my favorite elements of that season but barely gets a mention when it comes up in conversation, is that the Athletics were also having a magical season, including a 20-game win streak in August and September. But the Angels were also white-hot, and only lost a few more games. But even so, the Angels began to fade in the last two weeks, going 5-8, and the Athletics took the division. But the Angels earned a wildcard berth.
    After losing the first game of the Division Series to the Yankees, it looked like the Angels would go quietly. Top of the 8th in game two, and the Angels are down 5-4...it wasn't looking good. But then the Angels scored 3 runs in the 8th, including two solo shots by Anderson and Glaus, and Troy Percival closed it out. The Angels took the next two games and the series, and then dispatched the Twins handily in the AL Championship series, 4 games to 1, going to their first World Series.
    The first four games were a back-and-forth, the Angels winning games 2 and 3. But then the Giants blew them out in game 5, 16-4. One problem is that the Angels simply couldn't get Barry Bonds out: he hit an absurd .471/.700/.1.294 in the Series. So through five games, the Angels are down 3 games to 2.
    If that Luis Sojo at-bat in 1995 was my worst moment in franchise history, the 7th and 8th innings of game six were my best. Down 5-0 in the bottom of the 7th and, well, you know the rest. Actually, you can watch the whole game on Youtube, but if you want to just watch the 7th and on, start at 2:02:22 (or if you want to see Bonds strikeout, start at 1:58:45). 
    I actually watched that game in a Northern California retreat center, surrounded by Giants fans. I left the room after the Giants went up 5-0, unable to bear the cheering of the NoCalers. Then, driving home, I turned on the radio and the Angels had two men on based in the 7th, and the rest is history, and the names Scott Spiezio, Darin Erstad, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, and others will be forever carved into Angels history.
    2002-09 is sometimes called the Golden Age of Angels baseball, for obvious reasons: it was, by far, their most successful period. Not only did they win the World Series in 2002, but then reached the playoffs in five of six years, from 2004-09. But as great as that era was, it was marred by continual disappointment in the playoffs, illustrated by their 4-17 record in playoff games during that span.
    The Angels came back down to earth in 2010, going 80-82. In response, what commenced over the next few years--as the Angels failed to get back to the postseason--was a series of panic moves that disastrously hampered the franchise for the next decade, starting with the head-scratching trade for Vernon Wells in January of 2011, then the massive contracts to Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Despite the arrival of the franchise's best player ever, Mike Trout, the 2010s felt like a return to the mediocrity of the 1990s: one playoff appearance, but a 3-0 exit, and mostly teams that were a few games above or below .500.
    Perhaps the biggest factor in the team's mediocrity was the almost comical rash of injuries to the young pitching staff in the 2014-16 period. A talented young group, all of them disappointed - and GMs Jerry Dipoto and Billy Eppler couldn't find the pieces to make up for it.
    Fast forward to last year. It was supposed to be different: Not only did they have a new GM in Perry Minasian, who had, at least, the air of confidence, but they had two superstars in Trout and Rendon, plus the ever-promising Shohei Ohtani. But injuries to Trout and Rendon yielded another disappointing year, the Angels finishing 77-85. Yet there were glimmers of hope - Ohtani's massive breakout, Walsh's emergence as another plus hitter, and the arrival of top prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell in the majors. So before the 2022 season, I wrote yet another post or two, pointing out how this year could be different. Again. For realz, this time!
    2. The 2022 Team
    When I scan over the 2022 team, it is easy to justify my pre-season prediction: it is a team with no major weaknesses. But it isn't a perfect team, and behind the pretty facade there are a few points of concern, which can be illustrated by contrasting them with the team's strengths:
    The starting rotation looks very good but beyond the 1-5 starters, there's a steep drop-off, with an assortment of guys with limited upside, question marks and/or little major league experience. The lineup is explosive but rather top-heavy and a bit weak in the last third or so. The bullpen is vastly improved but still a little soft around the edges. The defense is surprisingly good but largely dependent on a guy who is hitting .176. In other words, and this is the key point: behind the first line of players, there's questionable depth. There is some depth, but it is mostly minor league filler, with no top prospects waiting in the wings.
    We're only 32 games into the season, with no major injuries to any key players (unless you count David Fletcher). It is likely that someone gets injured at some point, but as traumatized as we are, it is worth noting that some teams escape seasons without any major injuries to their best players. It can happen!
    All that said, at this moment in time, 91-71 looks conservative. Or rather, I think it is actually realistic - it accounts for the team's talent and some possible injuries to come. The implication being that if the Angels escape the season relatively unscathed, they could win more than that.
    In other words, whereas to start the year I thought 91-71 was on the optimistic side of the range of likely outcomes, now I see it more as an over/under, or even a baseline. The team is 21-11, a .656 winning percentage; to finish 91-71, they need to go 70-60, a .538 winning percentage, which is an 87-win pace over a full year. With this team's talent, they'd have to face significant adversity to not play the rest of the season at that pace.
    Meaning, 91-71 is the number below which--by season's end--meant the Angels faced significant challenges, above which meant they had just a normal amount of mild to moderate injuries.
    As Billy Beane once said, in paraphrase, you use the first third of the season to see what you have, the next third to get what you need, and the last third to cruise into the postseason. The Angels are still seeing what they have - and there's another 22 games before the first third is done. But if we look at the team, what do they seem to have?
    A dynamic offense, with power, patience and speed. They lead the majors with 44 HR and a 127 wRC+, way ahead of the Yankees at 118, and are 8th in walk rate at 9.7%, and 5th in SB with 19. An overall strong pitching staff, 8th in ERA with 3.39, with the starters 9th with a 3.35 and relievers 14th with 3.45. A good defense which, despite being only 16th in Def Runs at -5.7, looks much better than that with the eyeball test. But three potential cracks in the facade:
    Despite an 8th best ERA, the pitching staff has a 16th best 3.79 FIP, meaning they could come back down to earth and be more of an average staff over the course of the full season. A huge portion of that team 127 wRC+ is due to Trout's 245 and Ward's 244, both of whom will inevitably come down to earth. That said, others are rising: Walsh is now at 137, Marsh holding steady at 127, Ohtani at 126, and even the struggling Rendon is at 108. Meaning, Trout/Ward performing at non-Bondsian levels could be balanced by other players improving. The ever-looming possibility of injury, whether to one of the Big Three hitters--Trout, Ward, Ohtani--or to one of the starters. As said, while the depth behind the regulars isn't terrible, there's still a significant drop-off, especially when you consider replacing Trout at-bats with Adell at-bats, or Ohtani starts with Junk starts. 3. Summing Up: Some Remaining Questions
    Injury aside, what are the question marks, as the team currently stands?
    The Middle Infield: 2B/SS remains the soft underbelly of the lineup. Everyone wants Andrew Velazquez to hit enough to justify him being the everyday shortstop due to his stellar defense, but he's still hitting just .176 with a 52 wRC+. That said, he's got 5 hits in his last 14 at-bats, hitting .357 over his last four games. With his defense and speed, he doesn't need to be Barry Larkin - he just needs to be Mario Mendoza and hit about .200 or so. As for 2B, the Angels have added Luis Rengifo to the mix, and so far, so good. With David Fletcher out for a couple months--a blessing in disguise--they still need to figure out who among Rengifo, Wade, Duffy, and perhaps Mayfield, will be Velazquez's partner (assuming AV can hold down the job). And there's also Michael Stefanic to consider. But again, with the rest of the lineup as good as it is, they simply need adequate offense from 2B/SS; defense being the priority, especially at SS.
    4th Outfielder: Trout and Ward are locks, and Marsh has been playing well enough and Adell poor enough that the Angels couldn't justify platooning them, so Marsh is the everyday leftfielder. With those three, a good 4th outfielder seems a luxury, but they'll want a defense-first guy they can bring in, thus the promotion of Aaron Whitefield and the signing of Juan Lagares to a minor league contract. They've also got Magneuris Sierra, Dillon Thomas, and Monte Harrison in AAA. If any of the starting three get injured, Adell will get another look (and he just walked 4 times in a AAA game!). Meaning, all they really need right now is a guy who can play good defense, and not embarrass himself in the occasional emergency start.
    6th/depth starters: Jose Suarez lost his job in the rotation, at least for the time being, but given his success last year in the bullpen, the Angels might audition other pitchers to fill his role and bring Suarez back up as a reliever, especially given that Griffin Canning should be back in a few weeks. Jhonathan Diaz, Davis Daniel, Janson Junk and Kenny Rosenberg look like adequate depth pieces, but probably not players you want in a playoff-bound rotation. The wildcard is injured Chris Rodriguez, but one would think that whenever he returns, the Angels will baby him. 2021 draftees Sam Bachman, Ky Bush, and Chase Silseth could also factor in by season's end, but probably only if the Angels fall out of contention, and are more considerations for 2023 and beyond.
    Back-end of the bullpen: The bullpen is the best its been in years, led by veterans Iglesias, Tepera, and Loup, but also solid contributions by Herget, Ortega, and Barria, and improving performance from Bradley. That's probably enough, but the Angels will still rotate different guys through the remaining spots, with Barraclough the most recent experiment.
    Bench configuration: The bench configuration will largely be determined by how the middle infield pans out - whether Velazquez holds onto his starting job, and if anyone emerges as the regular second baseman. There are lots of possible configurations, from a more tradition starting pair at SS/2B to a continual platoon, involving some or all of Velazquez, Wade, Duffy, Mayfield, Rengifo, Stefanic, and eventually Fletcher. Moving over to catcher, the stellar performance of Chad Wallach, filling in for Kurt Suzuki, has to turn Joe Maddon's head. While it is hard to see Maddon releasing the veteran Suzuki, Wallach has a few more games to try to convince him. Anyhow, this is one area in which the Angels really could use a bolster - someone who can provide plus hitting playing multiple positions (Ahh, Chris Taylor, if only...).
    To end this, it is almost concerning that there's nothing really to be concerned about. Or rather, the biggest concern remains possible injury, and the questionable depth behind the everyday players. But this is a talent-laden team, and despite the depth concerns, can take some bumps before imploding.
    One final note. I was inspired to write this after last night's remarkable game, which had an almost mythic quality that I haven't experienced with the Angels in many years - even since 2002 (I know, I shouldn't have). In a way, it joins my personal list of best franchise moments: if game 6 of the 2002 World Series is the best postseason moment, this is in the running for the best among regular season games. Watching the joyful camaraderie of the team upon Detmers completing his improbable no-hitter, as well as the offensive barrage and even the crazy left-handed HR by Rendon - it was the stuff of legends.
    But even if reality sets in and it ends up being a great moment in merely a good year, this is a talent-laden team, and one that--at the least--should remain a blast to watch for the rest of the year.
  25. Chuck
    By @Dochalo, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    The Angels are a good team.  Probably the best team fielded in 5 years. 
    They could have been better.  
    It would have taken money though. Probably a decent chunk more money.  The Angels opening day payroll is projected around 189 million.  That's pretty good.  Good enough for other teams to be jealous. Double or at least a lot more than that of some other really good teams.
    Here's a fun article:
    https://thecardinalnation.com/ranking-major-league-baseball-teams-financial-strength/
    First of all the caveats.  I have no idea if their numbers are totally accurate and it's some dude from a site called 'the cardinal nation'.  I know how I feel about all things cardinal related.  But I thought it was an interesting look.  But we've had this discussion.  Financial people smarter than I have made their valid points etc.  
    But here's my point.  It doesn't matter if other teams are figuring out how to be more efficient in terms of talent relative to the opportunity that the Angels have right this second.  Yes it matters for long term viability and success.  But not for 2022 and maybe even 2023 and 2024.  The team is clearly in reasonable if not very good financial shape.  
    So let's digress for a second and I promise I'll come back to the actual topic.  The Angels have the highest percentage of non-arb and non pre arb players.  Hmm, I wonder why that is.  Why does it always feel we are limited on a yearly and that there's always the sentiment of 'well, wait till that guys off the books'?  So I'll provide the obvious answer to my own semi-rhetorical question.  We just haven't drafted and developed all that well.   That's catastrophic for many reasons but it does impact this years team and how we're gonna get back on topic.  Sort of.  
    The other way to make your team better than spending is to trade for really good players.  But you have to have some players that are going to be really good in the future to do that.  And let's talk about that for a second.  Trades are really really hard.  More difficult than throwing a truck of money at a guy to convince him to play here.  You need scratch.  Dinero.  Moolah.   Greenbacks.  (in terms of trade capital of course).  And with all due respect ( @Lou )to @totdprods, no one wants Jordyn Adams for a really good player.  And no one is going to properly value Arol Vera or Denzer Guzman because they haven't done much yet.   And if you do have a couple good players that are in line to contribute then you can't part with those guys.  Every phone call Perry took as it relates to a trade was Detmers, Adell and Marsh.  Oh My!  And the answer was always going to be and should be no!   So you're either stuck with accepting lesser value or damaging the absolute core of your major league club.  SO NO TRADES! (yet). 
    Which leads us back to spending to make this work.   So there's an important question to ask about that.  Do you have a window?  Some might contend that it's a small, frosted glass one looking out from your shower but I think it's a bit bigger and more clear than that.  This is already long enough without getting into that having to do with some young guys and the ages of a few key player and how long it might take for the next wave etc.  But it's there more right now than it's been for awhile.  That's good enough for me.  
    So why am I optimistic yet disappointed? (finally right?)
    Let's break it down by position:
    C 
    Optimistic - Max Stassi of course.   That extension is great.  Locking him up for the foreseeable future.  He won't be confused with an elite C and at 31, there's some age concerns for a 3+ year deal, but he's not being paid like and elite guy by any means.  He's a good receiver and handles the staff well.  A better hitter than I ever expected and even if he tapers off a bit, he's only being paid a few mil more than most backups these days.  
    Disappointed - Are you kidding me Perry?  Kurt Suzuki?  I know it's a pretty small thing but great teams care about small things.   They missed a win here.  Easily.  And I'll never be convinced what he does off the diamond makes up for his poor on field play.  And it really wouldn't have cost much to do better.  And extra 2m to get Manny Pina.  Less than what they're paying Suzuki to get someone better.  
    INF
    Optimistic - Rendon is back healthy.  Excited to see Walsh take a step forward.  Fingers crossed, rabbits foot, horseshoes all ready to help Fletcher get back to form.    Matt Duffy is a decent depth piece.  Wishing and hoping and dreaming still on Rengifo.  Davis can repeat last year?  Stefanic can rake.  Mayfield become a late bloomer?  He's got so pop and plays really good defense.  Wade and Velazquez can pick it and they can run.  So a lot of unproven depth with some upside that likely requires timing get these guys optimized.   Finally, I'm just gonna assume they've fixed whatever plagued what should have been a decent defense last year.  
    Disappointed - Walsh can hit lefties.  They might have figured out Fletcher.  And they'll likely play him at a position that doesn't maximize is defensive value.  And waiver pickups plus minor league depth for a team looking to make the postseason?  C'mon.  You can do better Perry.  You should have done better.  Not Correa or Semian or Seager better, but at least Villar better for 6m.  Switch hitter that could have spelled Walsh if he still struggles.  Can play 3b if Rendon gets hurt.  A starter in the MIF if Fletch fails again or even if he doesn't.  They were a decent depth piece away from making thing acceptable and giving everyone a fair amount more comfort.  
    OF
    Optimistic - Trout.  I could probably stop there but I pumped about watching Adell and Marsh.  Adell looked really good.  Marsh is gonna quietly be valuable.  People might get a bit frustrated with him at times but the contribution will be there.  Don't sleep on Taylor Ward.  He's becoming a better defender with increased reps and he's a better hitter than he gets credit for.  And he can run.  Rojas and Fletcher and Walsh and maybe even Lorenzen can get thrown out there in a pinch if needed.  And Rojas can hit.  And there's a bit of low ceiling depth in AAA in Martinez, Cabbage, Thomas and Sierra.  
    Disappointed - not much other than I'm sad to see Upton go because he seems like such a good dude.  Not sure the timing was perfect, but his best days were behind him.  Probably even his palatable days.   A little concerned about Marsh and Adell not continuing their progress.  But not enough to go out and sign another OFer.  So no spend here.    
    SP
    Optimistic - Thor looks great.  Detmers looks great.  So much more like the successful guy in the minor last year as opposed to the nervous rookie last year.  Lorenzen looks capable of handling a starters role.  Suarez and Sandoval ready for the next level.  Bachman moves quick.  There's some depth in Junk, Barria, Daniel, Smith, Diaz.  
    Disappointed - Health, depth, and attrition.  The first one is just a given but relates to depth.  And even if they all do well, you're back to having significant needs again or doling out a big time contract for Thor and/or the additional value that you've enabled Lorenzen to obtain if he succeeds.   Outside of Bachman, there still no high ceiling depth until Rodriguez comes back and hopefully Canning can heal quick.  A year or two from now, I think I'll feel a lot better.  But I'd have spent on one more stable piece.  Even if it were underwhelming to some who have pined for that TOR arm.  Cost would have been in the 10-20m range.  Deal with the good problem of having too many SP should it ever occur like Santa riding a unicorn during a Martian eclipse.  
    RP
    Optimistic - best pen on paper we've had in a long time (get it?).  Dare I say it's almost good enough to save Joe from himself?  And there's a ton of depth with some potential fast risers.  There's like 20 guys who could fill out the AAA pen.  Seriously.  And then all the A+ and AA college guys we just draft.  
    Disappointed - They overspent.  Almost 95m on the pen for the next 2-4 years.  About 30m for 2022 alone.  Again, I'm certainly not complaining on Iglesias or even Loup for that matter.  But there are a ton of arms in the system that can be here pretty quick and smart GM's figure out how not to spend on the pen.  It's not that I don't love a good pen it's just that I see money better spent elsewhere.  Especially when you have the depth we do now.  
    DH 
    Optimistic - Ohtani.  How cool is it that the collectively bargained to make sure that Ohatni gets as much mlb face time as possible.  Just thought he deserved his own category.   
    Disappointed - nope
    Was going to add a coaching category but I'll leave it alone.  Bottom line is that another 10-20 could have made a difference and I think would have been worth it for this team.  Basically, Robbie Ray + Villar - Tepera = an additional 5-6 wins.   It's a good team that's a bit more thin in certain areas than I'd like and that easily could have been addressed.  But I am glad they didn't do anything drastic or desperate.  Which I was frankly a bit worried about going into the off season.  
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