Angels Round Table Discussion: Around The Halo

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The excitement is in the air, baseball season is on our collective doorsteps. There’s something about spring time, Americans game, and the overall feel of baseball season that is second to none. For the Los Angeles Angels, this season is a means to wipe the slate clean. No one is focusing on the teams recent struggle with injuries, ultimately leading to a missed opportunity for the wild card spot last season. This season, there is hope, Manager Mike Scioscia has even compared this group of guys to the 2002 World Championship Angels team. As the season continues to approach with plenty of questions left unanswered, we’ll go around the table and answer some of the top questions heading into spring training.

Oct 4, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Michael Saunders (21) at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

After the fall of the Michael Saunders trade, who should be the starting left fielder this season?

David Rice (@calfladave22): Whoever plays the best during spring training should start. Match-ups should also play a role; so, you could have Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry alternate between match-ups not platooning. Platooning can cause a reverse affect with a situation of one player becoming more dominant throughout the season causing the other player to be less sharp in case of injuries.

Ben Cardone (@ben_cardone): Nava and Gentry should platoon. Nava has a career .787 OPS against right-handed pitching (just .586 against left-handed) and Gentry has a career .720 against left-handed pitching (.632 against right-handed). That should be a significant improvement over the awful left field production that the Angels got in 2015.

Joshua Lea (@joshualeaa): Ultimately, i would see one guy start and have a battle of positions preceding the starting job. This is a “wait and see how spring training goes” answer. I like Gentry more because of his offensive upside versus Nava. I’m not a platooning guy, i think platooning is more analytics that have overtaken all of sports. I can see where its effective but it doesn’t provide a game by game answer.

Mitch Quesada (@mitchTquesada): To be predictable, whomever plays better this spring. But that’s a boring answer and even I think it’s no fun so I’m going to say Gentry. Gentry adds a stolen base repertoire that Nava doesn’t provide. Gentry has swiped at least 13 bags four times in his career including a career-high 24 in 2013 and 20 the following season. Gentry isn’t power hitter (though neither is Nava for that matter), Gentry is slightly better at getting on base and the Angels need baserunners to open up better RBI opportunities for themselves.

Grant Avise (@WestCoastBias87): I’m not a platoon guy at all. I think part of the problem Angels catchers have had offensively the past 10 years, is that they don’t get the luxury of getting comfortable and settling into an everyday role. With that said, I say let Nava start the season as the everyday left fielder. He’s a switch hitter so he’s more versatile as the game goes on.

Christoph Ludwig (@LudwigChristoph): Nava and Gentry should form a platoon, with Nava starting against righties and Gentry starting against lefties. Nava is a switch hitter, but performs much better from the left side, hitting .281/.377/.409 for his career. Gentry performs much better against lefties, hitting .274/.354/.366 for his career against southpaws. Both are roughly league average defenders, so the team won’t suffer in that regard. The platoon should be an improvement over last season’s historically bad output, but it’s hard to see a scenario where the two combine for more than league average numbers, and even that is pushing it.

Next: Rounding out the final pitching spot

Does Hector Santiago get the final spot in the rotation or should Matt Shoemaker get the nod?

Rice: I say Santiago gets it to begin with. However, I think Tyler Skaggs should eventually take it over if he is ready coming back from injury. Although, Skaggs will be on a inning limit, i don’t see that being a factor throughout the season. I think Santiago should be back as a permanent fixture next season once Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are gone via free agency.

Cardone: 2015 was a tale of two halves for both pitchers. Santiago was great in the first half, bad in the second. Shoemaker was bad in the first half, great in the second. I think Hector’s had a slight advantage heading into spring training due to the potential he showed in his all-star season last year and Shoemaker does seems to fit that long relief role that the loser of the competition will likely occupy better. Both starters will have plenty of opportunities to prove themselves worthy of that last spot in the rotation.

Lea: I like Santiago; However, he has had some serious control issues throwing the ball. If he can show that he is capable of playing the way he played during the first half of last season, its no contest. I think Shoemaker is better suited as a fill in guy in case of injuries. With news of C.J. Wilson already sitting out a few games in spring training, its likely that both guys will have another chance to prove themselves this season.

Quesada: I like Santiago. He was solid last season and provided a real breath of fresh air for a starting rotation that struggled throughout the year. I really enjoy watching Shoemaker pitch but his inconsistency could end up hurting the team. I actually think it unwise to move him to the bullpen to start the season. I would rather see him at the Triple-A level, getting starts and letting his arm continue to build strength working long innings because I would not be surprised to see him make a few spot starts for the Halos this season. If he just sits in the bullpen and gets cold, his arm will forget how to pitch the innings the Angels will need him for as the season progresses.

Avise: In any other rotation Santiago is probably a 3 or 4 starter. Just so happens that in this rotation the all-star pitcher is fighting for that 5th spot. I think that the 5th spot is his to lose right now. I think Shoemaker comes out of the bullpen and that benefits him. He was plagued by that one bad inning all last season so if Shoemaker comes out and only pitches 1 or 2 innings and doesn’t have to worry about going 5+ innings he will be consistently effective. Either way if Santiago struggles early in the season Shoemaker can be swapped out. I like that they are a lefty righty option too.

Ludwig: I think Santiago earns the final spot in the rotation, with Shoemaker getting a spot as a long reliever in the bullpen. As we’ve seen, Santiago has all-star potential at his best, while Shoemaker, predictably, regressed significantly from his stellar 2014 season, with his FIP in 2015 ballooning from 3.26 to 4.59. Ultimately, Santiago is the better pitcher and deserves the final spot.

Next: Does the Machine still produce?

Oct 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) watches his two run home run clear the fences against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Can Albert Pujols still produce at this stage of his career?

Rice: I still think the “Machine” can produce. I think he will have another strong year at the plate in regards to home runs and RBI’s and the batting should come back up to the .270 range.

Cardone: Yes. The vintage 1.100+ OPS Albert of old is gone, but his 2015 performance is evidence that he still has some gas left in the tank. His age-35 season saw him slug 40 home runs and remain a force batting behind Trout. As long as he stays relatively healthy, he’ll produce.

Lea: Sure, he had 40 homeruns last season. But, injuries and a lengthy career have taken it’s toll on him. I think he’s got maybe 2-3 years left as a slugger. After which, he’ll likely take a back seat and become a DH no matter how much he opposes the idea.

Quesada: Absolutely. The machine just replaced a faulty body part (his leg and no, not literally) meaning he will be healthy whenever he is able to return to the team and, more importantly, his mindset is in the right place. It’s at this stage in the career that we hear athletes say that their body just isn’t with them anymore, or their body just can’t handle it. Pujols has instead insisted that if he’s on the field he knows he can perform and he will have confidence knowing that last year he hit 40 round-trippers for the first time since 2010. If he feels he can produce, I have no reason not to believe him.

Avise: I don’t think Albert produces power numbers like he did last season hitting 40 bombs and driving in 95. However, I’d love nothing more than for him to prove me wrong. I do believe the Angels are better defensively with Pujols at first but I think he is more valuable to the team with his bat at DH. C.J. Cron his good enough at first for me.

Ludwig: That depends on how you define “produce”. The Machine hit 40 homers and drove in 95 runs last season, which, on their face, are good numbers. But his batting average plummeted to .244 and his OBP did the same, coming in at a paltry .307. Ultimately, he was worth only 6 runs above a league average player. There are also questions surrounding his health, as he underwent offseason foot surgery, and he’s another year older, at age 36. Baseball Reference projects him to hit .252/.312/.457 with 28 homers and 84 RBIs. He’ll be a slightly above average player, but counting on him to put up All-Star numbers is out of the question.

Next: Areas of concern

Sep 29, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter C.J. Cron (24), right fielder Kole Calhoun (56), and left fielder Collin Cowgill (7) celebrate after the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Angels defeated the Athletics 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

What is the one area of concern the Angels must address heading into spring training?

Rice: I think the Angels need to find a consistent lead-off hitter and a consistent left fielder as well. It would be nice if they could kill two birds with one stone such as a Dexter Fowler. I’d like to see a line-up with a lead-off man Cole Calhoun 2, Mike Trout 3, Pujols 4, Cron 5, Yunel Escobar 6, Andrelton Simmons 7, Carlos Perez 8, Nava/Gentry 9.

Cardone: The bullpen is a reasonable area of concern in 2016. It was below league average in nearly all categories in 2015 and didn’t do anything to improve in the offseason. Huston Street and Joe Smith are only getting older, and for the second straight offseason the front office traded away a live, young arm (Kevin Jepsen, Trevor Gott) for a hitter. Al Alburquerque was a nice addition, but won’t be much of a game changer out of the ‘pen.

Lea: This will sound cliche, but injuries have to be the major concern here. Last season, the Angels won 85 games with Wilson and Pujols for a majority of the season with Weaver also being in and out of the lineup. I think in order for this team to make a legitimate run for the post season they have to be healthy.

Quesada: Some of their stars are getting older — just ask Pujols, Weaver, Wilson and Street among many others. There aren’t many more chances for this team to make a big push as a unit. Pretty soon, Trout, Garrett Richards, and Calhoun will be playing with a bunch of who-are-those-guys prospects, many of which are still far underdeveloped. The Angels experiment of building around Trout through free agency failed miserably (minus the 2014 season), and now that those players are aging and doing it quickly, the team has to face the reality that they are maybe three years removed from putting one of the worst farm systems in the league on the field at Angel Stadium.

Avise: Left field is clearly their biggest glaring issue and will be all season. Lead off too. I’d love to see a true lead off hitter come our way as well but I’m not holding my breath. I don’t hate how they look at any other position. I’m a big Johnny Giavotella supporter but if the Angels can work out a deal to bring David Freese back and move Escobar to 2nd, I think that makes them better all around too.

Ludwig: Their two biggest concerns in the offseason, leftfield and second base, went unaddressed this offseason (unless you count signing Nava and Gentry, which I don’t). Now, their biggest concern has to be the lack of a leadoff hitter. The spot might have to go to Escobar or Nava by default, because they’re the only players on this team besides Trout that get on base at an above average clip (career .350 OBP for Escobar, .358 for Nava). However, they both lack the speed you would expect from a typical leadoff hitter (career high stolen bases in a season for Escobar: 6, 4 for Nava). Nava had a dreadful 2015, and Escobar is expected to regress this season after his fluky good season with the Nationals (.347 BABIP vs. career .306), so it appears that the lead-off spot might again be a huge problem for this team.

Next: Is the division within reach?

Sep 18, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Angels 2014 AL West Championship banner at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

The AL West looks tough once again, can the Angels make a run at the division?

Rice: The Angels have a lot of strengths and weaknesses. If they can have a few players step-up they could make a good run for the division. If not, it could be a long year.

Cardone: Sure they can. 12 out of ESPN’s 17 baseball analysts picked the Angels to finish last in their division in 2002. Anything’s possible in baseball, especially when you have Mike Trout.

Lea: It’s possible, if they can stay healthy. The problem has been the bats. The Angels have always had excellent pitching and decent batters (aside from Trout and Pujols). However, if Pujols hits another 40 HRs and looks good going down the stretch, its a definite possibility.

Quesada: I don’t think this is going to be the Angels year. The team just has too many holes and their competition in the division doesn’t. The Astros should have won the AL West last season and I don’t expect them to back off now. The Rangers won it last year and will have Yu Darvish back so they will be even more competitive than they were. The Mariners are hungry after have a forgettable 2015 and I highly doubt the A’s will lose 94 games again this year. If there’s a silver lining it’s that the Halos were a division-best 44-32 against the AL West and went exactly .500 against everyone else in the AL. Another year like that could make them competitive, but I just don’t see them making a strong push for the title.

Avise: Spring training just started and that means everyone has a shot. The Astros and Rangers should be contenders again and for years to come but I’m not willing to say that a team with lots of solid pitching and Mike Trout don’t have a chance. The beautiful thing about baseball is any team can beat anyone on any given day. Trout is the catalyst of the team. If he doesn’t go ice cold in August the Angels win probably win the division and Trout is the MVP again. In my opinion he still was but that’s up for debate right now. I would not be surprised to see the Angels take the west.

Ludwig: I don’t think so. The Astros are loaded with talent and have to be considered the favorite, and the Rangers are improved and will get a full season of Cole Hamels with Yu Darvish returning midseason. The Angels have a lot of questions (Jered Weaver, CJ Wilson, bullpen, leadoff hitter) and places where they have answers, but those answers aren’t satisfying (leftfield, second base, catcher). If Weaver and Wilson bounce back to help form a solid rotation that can carry what is likely to be a pretty poor offense, they might contend for the second wild card position.

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