LA Angels Mock Trade: Acquiring Aaron Altherr From Philadelphia

As the offseason ramps up for the LA Angels, the trade talk and free agent signings will be the main focus. The Angels have a left field problem. The editor’s at “Halo Hangout” and “That ball is outta here” have a mock trade.

The LA Angels are actively shopping for a decent outfielder to play the left position during this offseason. We as fans love the idea of playing GM and making a deal that could change the dynamic of the team for the better.

One thing the Angels are in need of is a savvy left fielder who can hit the ball. Last season, the Angels adopted a platooning system with Daniel Nava and Craig Gentry. That has since been abandoned with Nava and Gentry cut during the season.

While the Angels have a variety of players playing in the outfield, they do not have a clear-cut starter. The idea in this trade scenario is to give up starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker in exchange for outfielder Aaron Altherr.

Altherr is young and can play multiple outfield positions. However, he plays the left field in most situations. Offensively he has a .202 BA and an OBP of .304. Those number would indicate that he could be valuable on both sides of the ball.

Altherr currently has a $500,000 deal, the same as Shoemaker. However, with Shoemaker eligible for arbitration, the Angels have to move him quickly. This move is a risk for the Angels. Most people will argue that the Angels are too thin to move Shoemaker with a gamble like this.

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Normally, that notion is correct. However, the Angels have extra money to sign a pitcher capable of making an impact on the starting rotation. The Angels must find key players to help them on both sides of the ball. Altherr can do that, and the Angels will have to give up a good pitcher (which the Phillies need) to do so.

Shoemaker’s absence would be noticeable for the Angels. The Angels would have to scramble to sign a worthy free agent to solidify that final roster spot. Keep in mind this is a mock trade. Shoemaker has not been traded to the Phillies.

Throughout the offseason, there will be several trade ideas and roster moves that the Angels could make. This is a fun way to play “Moneyball” and see if your ideas are workable. As a result, fans begin to kick around ideas and ways to improve the team while saving money. This mock trade does both for the Angels and Phillies.

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The Angels will shop around some players with other teams and see if a deal can be done. While it’s unclear what their offseason intentions will be, the Angels are going to have to do something. We really have yet to see GM Billy Eppler do some serious wheelin’ and dealin’. Here’s hoping that this offseason will be a drastic improvement.