Angels' brutal decade hides a reason for optimism under new ownership

A collective sigh could be felt throughout Orange County last week after it was announced that longtime Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno was selling the team to multi-billionaire Stan Kroenke. Fans in Anaheim had grown tired of last place finishes, and there's a lot of optimism surrounding the Angels' new ownership.

With optimism comes reality, however. Taking an organization from a perennial loser to a lasting winner won't happen overnight. While interim GM John Mozeliak has received plenty of kudos — and deservingly so — since taking over for Perry Minasian, a handful of necessary trades and some staff changes aren't going to be enough to push the Halos from the AL West basement to the penthouse.

But an interesting social media post over the holiday weekend revealed an interesting statistic, and something that was actually quite shocking. Did you know that the Angels are the 10th-winning Major League Baseball franchise this century?

Over the last 25 seasons, the Halos own a collective .513 winning percentage. That's higher than teams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, and the New York Mets. In other words, the Angels' recent history has shoved some really successful seasons into the closet and locked the door.

While it's true that Los Angeles hasn't been to the postseason since 2014, from 2002-2009, the Angels went to the playoffs six times in eight seasons. That, of course, includes the club's 2002 World Series Championship, but LA also went to the ALCS twice during that eight-year span. They also the AL West title five times during that stretch.

The Angels might not be as far away from competing as some might thing

So what, right? That doesn't really mean anything. I guess technically that's correct, but it's a reminder of how good the Angels were for nearly a decade. At the time, they had a respected manager (Mike Scioscia), some talented players (Vladimir Guerrero, Torri Hunter, and Jered Weaver), and a savvy general manager (Bil Stoneman). There's no reason to believe the Angels can't replicate that type of success once again.

Mozeliak has already reshaped LA's farm system with some astute trades at last month's deadline. The next step, once Kurt Suzuki is inevitably shown the door, will be to find the right coaching staff to lead the charge. After that, a few free agent deals and some shrewd trades during the offseason could get the Angels setup well heading into the 2027 season and beyond.

The Angels also have the luxury of playing in the AL West — a division that could very well see all five teams finish below .500. With the division itself being so pitiful, LA may be able to field a competitive team after just one offseason.

Hope springs eternal, and the fanbase has every reason to be hopeful heading into the future. If Kroenke pours enough resources into his newfound venture, the fans will almost certainly pack the stadium once again to cheer on their beloved Angels.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow