Angels should sell in major way
The Los Angeles Angels are not going to contend in 2016.
Los Angeles has not been a true contender for some time, despite that 98-win season in 2014. Even that year, the starting rotation was more smoke and mirrors than anything else, leading to a sweep in the American League Division Series at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.
With the news on Friday morning that stud ace Garrett Richards will be undergoing Tommy John surgery – putting him out for all of this season and perhaps most if not all of next – the Angels are simply going to struggle. Jered Weaver is the best of the bunch on the hill, and he barely hits 83 MPH with a fastball.
The rest of the staff leaves plenty to be desired. Hector Santiago is solid, but C.J. Wilson is cooked, Matt Shoemaker has been sent down and Andrew Heaney is not developing at the pace former general manager Jerry DiPoto expected when he traded for him.
Offensively, folks love to fixate on Mike Trout, but he can only do so much. Trout is arguably the ebst player in baseball, but he is surrounded by mediocrity and age. If the Angels are smart, they start selling off pieces at the Aug. 1 MLB Trade Deadline.
Los Angeles has pieces to trade including third baseman/shortstop Yunel Escobar and outfielder Kole Calhoun, two players who could fetch some decent psrospects. If closer Huston Street can get back healthy, he would be another piece to move come late July. If the Angels can get anybody to touch Albert Pujols and his asinine contract which includes $25 million this year before escalating by $1 million per season through 2020, they should jump at the chance.
Wilson and Weaver are both free agents after this season as well. Both could bring back a middling prospect or two should they have decent first halves. Joe Smith is a valuable right-handed reliever who could also bring back a return.
So with all these passable players, why should Los Angeles deal like crazy? Because the Angels ahve arguably the worst farm system of any team in the last 15 years. The Angels don’t have any legitimate prospects. The team is old and expensive and not going anywhere. If the brass is ever going to unload and try to restock the system, now is the time. Los Angeles has the geography and the pockets to bring in free agents, but the farm system is in serious trouble.
Trout is an all-time player. The Angels have to understand that by punting on 2016, the team could be in much better shape to contend for the majority of Trout’s prime. If that’s not the ultimate goal of general manager Billy Eppler, he has no business running the show.
