LA Angels: 3 former LAA players team should bring back this offseason

The LA Angels have the chance at a really special season next year if they make the right moves.

Not every productive move is a big-time splash signing, however. Many are, but there are also other factors that play into getting the most out of a Major League budget.

Moreno is going to have the chance to make some smaller signings to go along with the big ones, and there are a couple of former free agents he should go to. There’s a big name out there too, though.

No. 3 former LA Angels player the team should bring back this offseason: Tony Watson

The LA Angels traded Tony Watson at the deadline this year, and got some young arms to develop. He was having a down year with us, so we sent him to San Francisco, giving himself the chance to get right, and we got some value in return.

He certainly did get himself right, as he posted a sub-3 ERA and a 0.781 WHIP with the Giants since the trade. He’s a free agent at the conclusion of this season, and should at least be considered.

There’s downside to this, so Perry Minasian will have to be very careful about making a move here. Perhaps the Halos were a bad spot for him, and a factor in why he struggled in his first 36 games here.

If we do our research and negotiate with him, and find that not to be true, he’d be a cheap option to give us some much-needed bullpen help.

No. 1 former LA Angels player the team should bring back this offseason: Zack Greinke

If the LA Angels can manage to not need to overpay for Zack Greinke, they should look into him.

I know these past two seasons haven’t been particularly Ace-like, but he’s still one of the more trusted arms in the American League. While he shouldn’t be the first starter the Halos target, he should be someone they look into at some point in the offseason.

Sure, he’s about to be 38. He should not be looked at as a long-term option.

The Angels have plenty of young starting arms in the organization that are preparing to be on the Angels’ rotation in the near future, though. We don’t necessarily need guys that will be here for five or six years in free agency.

It would be nice, but by that logic we shouldn’t go after Max Scherzer either, which would be a poor take.

Greinke is still productive, posting a 4.12 ERA these past couple years while only walking 1.7 batters per nine innings and recording a 1.160 WHIP.

We need the superstar pitchers, but we also need other quality and durable ones to fill out the rest of our new rotation. Greinke can be one of those guys.

If the price is right for any of these three guys, we should look into them. It may not all work out, but they’re at least worth looking at.