LA Angels Series Preview: Nowhere to go but up vs Rangers

Leave the past in the past

It’s time to leave the past in the past and let the future reign supreme. How can the Angels accomplish this? Easy, they’ve already started! Just like they dumped Justin Bour earlier this month the Angels will continue to need to cut the fat out of their roster. It’s easier said than done because you can’t get rid of failing players without suitable backups, but I can promise you those backups are closer than anyone can expect.

Canning isn’t going to be the last MLB ready prospect to surprise the Angels organization and fans alike. The Angels have Jose Suarez itching for his turn at cracking the starting rotation; in his 19.1 IP with Triple A he’s amassed a 1.89 ERA in what is looking like a breakout season for the young stud.

LA Times Angels beat writer Maria Torres has been impressed with Canning.

Shohei Ohtani had high praise for #Angels rookie starter Griffin Canning, who nearly matched one of Ohtani’s records in this 6-3 win over the Royals.https://t.co/RrvK2zTDjl
— Maria Torres (@maria_torres3) May 19, 2019

It’s going to take a lot of patience from Angel fans and the organization alike, but this team that the Angels are fielding really is not the true Angels squad. This is simply a transitional year; everything that’s happening now is a holdover until 2020. I’m not justifying the questionable decisions in staffing the starting rotation, I’m only pointing out the fact that a lot of the work put into the team prior to the 2019 season was simply to hold the team over until 2020.

2020 is when the prospects will be running the team, it won’t be like this year where we’re watching them get their feet wet and become acclimated to the big league life. 2020 will be the year these prospects truly shine as MLB’ers of their own. Jared Walsh will be smacking HR’s left and right, Luis Rengifo will solidify his role as one of the best leadoff men in baseball, Matt Thaiss will be peppering the walls with his line-shot ability. There is really nowhere to go but up from here, and on that note the limits of what the Angels can achieve on the strength of their youth is almost limitless.

We just have to get through these next few months, once that happens we’ll be able to really sit back and enjoy the team that is supposed to be, not the team that is.

Schedule