Los Angeles Angels: 4 former players make Hall of Fame ballot

The 2021 baseball Hall of Fame ballot is out, with some former LA Angels making the cut.

Did you think election season ended after November 3rd? If so, you are mistaken.

With the news of the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot release on Monday, it’s once again time for the members of the BBWAA to vote on the next group of baseball immortals.

The candidates for potential induction include holdovers from last year such as Barry Bonds, former Angel Bobby Abreu, Omar Vizquel, Curt Schilling and many others.

Though the Angels are poorly represented in the group of players returning to the ballot for further Hall consideration, they’re decently represented among ballot newcomers for 2021.

Perhaps the names Dan Haren, LaTroy Hawkins, Torii Hunter and Shane Victorino ring a bell? For Angels fans, some of these former players may resonate more than others.

Each of these players’ respective tenures with the Halos varied in length and productivity. Let’s re-evaluate their careers in red and white and their Hall of Fame prospects.

Dan Haren

Dan Haren spent 13 seasons in the major leagues, playing for eight different teams. Three of those seasons were spent with the Angels between 2010 and 2012.

As a reliable mid-rotation option behind then-team ace Jered Weaver, Haren won 33 games in 78 total starts for Los Angeles, posting a 3.52 ERA in 509.1 total innings pitched. His 3.51 FIP and 1.14 WHIP during that same span indicated he pitched as well as his stats indicate.

The Halos failed to make the playoffs during Haren’s brief tenure in red and white, falling below .500 in 2010 before rebounding in 2011 and 2012. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say the team wasted three quality seasons of Haren’s career before he would sign with the Washington Nationals in free agency prior to the 2013 season.

Ultimately, Haren was solid but unspectacular during his time as an Angel, as he was for most of his career. This would make his Hall of Fame chances relatively slim for 2021.

Torii Hunter

Angels fans will surely recognize this name.

Outfielder Torii Hunter spent four years with the Halos between 2008 and 2012, making two All-Star teams and helping lead the Angels to consecutive AL West division titles in 2008 and 2009.

Signing with Los Angeles as a free agent prior to the 2008 season from the Minnesota Twins, Hunter’s career in red and white was fruitful, racking up an .814 OPS and 122 OPS+. He flashed his power tool often, smashing 105 home runs while driving in 432 RBIs as a potent middle of the order bat in the Angels lineup.

His defense in the outfield also proved valuable during his Halos tenure, winning consecutive Gold Gloves with the team in 2008 and 2009.

Hunter’s career in Los Angeles was surely memorable, but he became expendable following the 2012 season due to the emergence of someone named Mike Trout. Hunter would sign with the Detroit Tigers prior to the 2013 season.

Given the breadth of his accomplishments and length of his career, Hunter could be a legitimate candidate for the Hall of Fame at some point. With other more established names currently on the ballot, however, Hunter’s potential enshrinement could be put on hold for now.

That said, if Hunter does get into the Hall of Fame, it’s quite possible he could choose to have his plaque display an Angels cap.

Shane Victorino

Out of the players mentioned on this list, outfielder Shane Victorino had the shortest and least memorable tenure as an Angel.

Los Angeles acquired the former World Champion with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox in a 2015 midseason trade with the latter.

In just 38 games as a Halo, Victorino hit a mere .214 with a .577 OPS and 65 OPS+ across 98 plate appearances. The Angels would miss the playoffs in 2015 and Victorino moved on after the season.

The 12-year outfielder’s two World Series rings look nice on his resume, but a career average of .275 with a .765 OPS and 102 OPS+ are rather middling figures, therefore rendering Victorino’s Hall of Fame chances pretty moot.