LA Angels have some good pieces for 2020, but need to fill holes

Right Field – This is an interesting position for the Angels.  On one hand you have a team leader and one of the longest-tenured players on the team in Kole Calhoun, who is having a career year for the most part (home runs and RBIs).  Calhoun’s batting average hovers around the .240 mark this season and his defense is second-to-none, but with a club-option coming and a hefty price to exercise it (14 million dollars) the question Is Kole Calhoun worth it?  This is a loaded question and in my opinion he is not worth 14 million dollars with the team in dire need of pitching.  The Angels could decline the option and negotiate a deal for less money if Kole would be onboard with this.  Which he Ishtar as he loves playing for the Angels and in Southern California.

“I love it here. I can’t imagine playing for another team,” said Calhoun in a July interview. “This is where I grew up.  I met my wife and got married here. I had my kids here. I’d love to finish my career here.”

The thing that makes this situation murky is the fact that the Angels top prospect Jo Adell is knocking at the door to the majors.  Another top five prospect Brandon Marsh is getting closer to the majors as well.  With Mike Trout and Justin Upton signed to multi-year deals which would keep them both in Anaheim through 2022 and ( 2030 for Trout) there is only one spot for Adell or Marsh to fight over which is right field.  Marsh will probably not be ready until 2021, but Adell could be ready early next season which makes Calhoun possibly expendable.

In my opinion you keep Calhoun for one more season and call-up Adell when he is ready to contribute and not rush him.  I don’t know if you keep Calhoun after next year though just because of the log-jam that it would create in an already crowded outfield.

Brian Goodwin is also in the right field mix and could be a cheaper option to use as a placeholder in right until Adell is ready.  Goodwin has done an excellent job as a part-time starter and a 4th outfielder.  This is the option I think the Angels might take instead of bringing back Kole Calhoun.

Grade – B+