Los Angeles Angels Continue To Make Deals In The Offseason

The Los Angeles Angels are quietly rebuilding their pitching staff. They’ve signed a free agent and they’ve made a trade with the Kansas City Royals.

The Los Angeles Angels have added another pitcher to the roster this offseason. They traded for Brooks Pounders of the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Jared Ruxer. Pounders made his major league debut last season for the Royals. He took the mound in 13 games, finishing with a 2-1 record for the Royals.

His ERA in those 13 games was 9.24 in a total of 12.2 innings. Pounders was named Triple-A Omaha’s Pitcher of the Year in 2016. In the minors, he has a career ERA of 3.77 and a win-loss record of 32-33.

Pounders is a California native, born in Riverside and attending high school at Temecula Valley. He was drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in the second round of the 2009 amateur draft. Since then, he has played on handfuls of minor league teams before seeing the mound for the Royals last season.

So, how will Billy Eppler use Pounders? It’s likely that Pounders is going to be a bullpen guy. However, he could end up back in the minors for the Salt Lake Bee’s depending on if the Angels resign Jhoulys Chacin, Tim Lincecum, or even Jered Weaver to a contract.

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Thus far, there hasn’t been any real news of teams calling or reaching out to Weaver or Chacin. That doesn’t mean they will return to Anaheim either.

With Winter Meeting’s just days away, it will be interesting to see what the Angels have up their sleeve as the 2017 season beckons.

The Angels have options, there’s no reason to panic. They seem to be stocking up on pitchers to prepare for a blockbuster trade.

It’s like in chess; first, you alter your piece’s, then you strike. Billy Eppler is altering his piece’s. It may seem like these acquisitions are lackluster, but I see a bigger motive than just making the playoffs.

Next: Disarcina Hired In Bean-Town

The Winter Meetings will give us more insight into the Angels’ plans for AL West domination. The meetings will take place December 8th, Halo Hangout will have coverage and the latest.