LA Angels: 5 Bold Predictions for the 2019 Season

With the LA Angels kicking off their 2019 season later today, it is time for some bold predictions from the staff here at Halo Hangout.

These LA Angels predictions won’t be as general as making the playoffs or Mike Trout being an MVP finalist. No, these predictions will be made of the dreams of Angels’ fans, and we’re here to tell you why these dreams can come true in 2019.

Brad Ausmus Wins Manager of the Year

By Mark Wilkens

That’s right, the award often given to the skipper who leads the biggest turnaround of the year will be given to the first year Halos’ manager. Yes, this requires many things to go right for the Angels, but the foundation is there.

The roster built by Billy Eppler is undeniably good, though probably not yet of the caliber to top both Houston and Oakland and win the American League West, but Ausmus enters the season with the tools in the toolbox to surprise doubters.

If the Baseball Gods finally smile on the health of the Angels’ roster, and major injuries are avoided, the biggest benefit Ausmus will have over the previous regime is an embrace or analytics.

While the Halos under Billy Eppler haven’t been as analytically driven, as, say, the Dodgers, the front office is forward-thinking, and was out of step with Mike Scioscia‘s attempts to beat analytics by going against the grain. Synergy between front office and field management is important, and that chemistry can only help the Angels in their quest to make the playoffs.

Like any season, 2019 is full of unknowns. The real fun begins tomorrow. But I believe not only will Brad Ausmus push the right buttons in Anaheim, but he will be recognized for doing so with AL Manager of the Year.

Matt Harvey Wins AL Comeback Player of the Year

By Ryan Falla

Matt Harvey is going to win Comeback Player of the Year for 2019. Book it. Take it to the bank, take it to your bookie, your priest, just take it everywhere. Remember that you heard it here first.

Matt Harvey will win the 2019 MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award.

All the pieces are in place; when you listen to Harvey talk about his upcoming season with the Angels he sounds like a fresh-faced kid embarking on a new career. That’s because he is embarking on a new career, at least in his mind.

Out with the old Matt Harvey, the guy who floated his era around 5 for a couple of years (2017: 6.74 ERA; 2018: 4.94 ERA). It’s time for the new Matt Harvey, the guy who still has all the talent that led him to contend for Cy Young in 2013. He still has plenty gas in the tank to fire it up as he is just entering his age 30 season.

Matt Harvey already started the climb to resurgence last year as he pitched 155 innings with the Mets and Reds. His previous seasons of 2016 and 2017 saw him pitch exactly 92.2 innings each year, so we’re already seeing him getting back in shape. He showed that there’s still plenty of Matt Harvey left to go around and he’s ready to show the world with the Angels. Matt Harvey may be the Dark Knight, but even the Batman himself had career lows.

The question isn’t “will” he win the CPoTY award, the question is how impenetrable his case will be. I’m not expecting anything near his 2015 numbers (189.1 IP, 2.27 ERA, 188 K’s), just a halfway point between that and his 2018 numbers (155 IP, 4.94 ERA, 131 K’s) will be enough to win him the award.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he pitched anywhere around 140-160 innings and maintained an ERA near the mid 3s. Just a shot in the dark; 158 IP, 3.59 ERA, 167 K’s is my “off the top of the head” predictions to his numbers.

Baseball is a storybook sport and Matt Harvey is in line for a storied season. After years of succumbing to internal vices and diminishing care for the sport it looks like Matt Harvey is taking charge of not just his career, but his life. If all that positivity, optimism, and resurging talent is translated into the regular season we are going to be in line for one hell of a storybook year.

Angels Will Be the Best Team in California

By David Rice

My bold prediction for the Angels 2019 season is that the Angels will finish with the best record in the state of California and will make the playoffs.  This may sound crazy to many fans and I totally understand your skepticism being the Angels have not had even a .500 record since 2015.

However, I think this team is different from the one that has been fielded the last few seasons by Billy Eppler and crew.  It is more well-rounded and deeper, and the team has fewer holes than it has had in years.

Another thing is that we have a few of these intangible guys who are gritty and will provide leadership. Peter Bourjos and Jonathan Lucroy for starters have that veteran presence different from that of a superstar such as Albert Pujols.

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Nothing against Albert as he is a good leader with plenty of experience which is valuable as well, but he is not a grinder like a David Eckstein or a spark plug like David Freese was.  Bourjos and Lucroy are those guys.

Another reason for this prediction is that with a happy superstar like Mike Trout, not that Trout was unhappy before, but the stability his contract extension gives him and the team is like getting the monkey off the team’s back (no pun intended Mr. Rally Monkey).

The final factor in this prediction is that the best team in the state the past few years, our Northern neighbors the LA Dodgers will be good, but not nearly as good as they have been over the past few years.  They will still make the playoffs in the NL West because other than Colorado the division is not very good. The Padres will be much improved, but are still a year or two away from really putting it together. The Giants are still a mess and the A’s will hover around the .500 mark this season.

Halos Will Have Three Players in Top 15 of MVP Voting

By Vincent Page

When the MVP talks start heating up this year, obviously Mike Trout will be a name worth mentioning. He is the favorite for the award among fans, analysts, and gamblers alike. However, my bold prediction is that two other Angels join Trout in the Top 15 MVP vote getters.

The first is Andrelton Simmons, which isn’t as bold as it seems. In the past two seasons, Simmons has amassed a total of 13.2 WAR and has been voted 8th and 15th, respectively. And now, Simmons is in line for a career year.

As we know, the defense will be there. For the offense, despite a poor Spring Training, Simmons has improved every season since coming to Anaheim. He has turned into one of the best contact hitters in baseball, rarely striking out and dominating when he gets ahead in a count (.342 batting average).

And of course, we know Simmons will provide enough highlights plays to get the nation’s attention.

As for the third candidate, last year J.D Martinez finished 4th in MVP voting as a designated hitter. The Angels just so happen to have a player who will be restricted to DH this season.

Albert Pujols. No, joking, unfortunately Pujols will be playing the field at some points to accommodate some young pitcher who is trying to hit this year. Who is this Shohei Ohtani guy anyways?

The man of many names. Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani-san. The Japanese Babe Ruth. Future-Top-15-vote-getter-in-the-2019-AL-MVP-voting. Okay, maybe the last one doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as other nicknames, but you get my point.

Do I see Ohtani replicating the .330 batting average and 130 RBI’s Martinez had last year? No, especially after he misses the first month. But for Ohtani to finish as one of the best players in the AL and as a Top 15 MVP candidate, that’s not out of the question.

Full-time DH? Focusing only on hitting? Last year, when Ohtani began hitting after it was confirmed he’d need Tommy John surgery, he went on to slash .320/.395/.653 over the final 47 games. I mean, who’s to say he can’t replicate near those numbers over 120 games this season? That’d put him in the upper echelon of hitters, and squarely in the MVP discussions.