Five New Year’s Resolutions For The LA Angels for 2017

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Starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) gives a thumbs up as he leaves the field after he was hit in the head off by a ball off the bat of Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

#4. No major injuries to the starting rotation.

Within a month after the 2016 season began, the Angels lost their top two starting pitchers for the season due to UCL Tears to their pitching elbows. Andrew Heaney went down in the second game of the season with a torn UCL in his left arm. less than a month later staff ace Garrett Richards went down with the same injury. Both of these injuries ended their respective seasons and put the starting rotation into a tailspin they were never able to full recover from.

By the end of the 2016 season the only pitcher who started the season in the rotation that was left at the end of the season was Jered Weaver. Hector Santiago had been traded for Ricky Nolasco, and Matt Shoemaker went on the disabled list in August after suffering a skull fracture being hit in the head by a line drive. Nick Tropeano who replaced Heaney in the rotation and pitched well going 3-2 with a 3.56 ERA also suffered a torn UCL and won’t be back until 2018 due to Tommy John Surgery.

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So with Richards on target to be back to start the 2017 season as well as Shoemaker the 2017 staff should be much improved. Ricky Nolasco will also be back for his first full season with the Angels as well as a healthy Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs came back in late July from 2014 Tommy John Surgery and made it through the rest of 2016 healthy with mixed results.

The only question mark is who will be the fifth starter when the season begins. The Angels have a plethora of options with 6’9 Alex Meyer who was acquired in the Hector Santiago trade last season. The team also acquired for Oakland A’s pitcher Jesse Chavez who could be the long man in the bullpen or the fifth starter for the Angels. Daniel Nelson, Nate Smith, converted reliever J.C. Ramirez, or even bringing back free agent Jered Weaver are all possibilities for the 5th starter job.

So for my 4th resolution for the Angels I would like to see the top four starters stay healthy for the full season and hopefully all of them will pitch to their potential as well.