It feels like this writer dislikes the Angels' moves just because they're the Angels

It's hard to look at the Angels' offseason activity in a vacuum, they obviously need a lot of help to turn their franchise around. However, ESPN's David Schoenfield quite literally is supposed to be doing analysis on each individual signing throughout the winter. The underlying facet of his Angels offseason grades: bad moves because they are a bad franchise.

Angels fans understand why pundits are always scorning the team, we disparage our team more than they do. However, Perry Minasian should be lauded for coming into the offseason with a plan and enacting it better than every other team has for their team thus far. The flurry of activity is clearly additive, so the naysayers' stances are quite puzzling.

Here are Schoenfield's grades for the Angels transactions:

• Angels sign Yusei Kikuchi for 3 years, $63 million: C+
• Angels sign Travis d'Arnaud for 2 years, $12 million: C+
• Angels sign Kyle Hendricks for 1 year, $2.5 million: C
• Angels trade Griffin Canning for Jorge Soler: D (he gave the Braves a C)

Imagine giving the Angels a D-grade for acquiring a World Series winning, intimidating, and long-time productive player who fits a massive need, in exchange for a pitcher who allowed the most earned runs in the American League and ends up getting non-tendered a few weeks later? He gave the Braves a higher trade grade simply for dumping Soler's contract to a team that desperately needs his skill-set. Crazy behavior.

Kikuchi has racked up the third most fWAR from '23-'24 of the free agent starting pitchers, only trailing Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell. That's more value the last two years than Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea and all the other pitchers who will likely make more money than Kikuchi this offseason. C+ signing for the Angels according Schonfield, though! The Angels signed Kikuchi for one fewer year, slightly more AAV, and for $12 million cheaper than Schoenfield's colleague's projection.

Oh, and d'Arnaud has the second most fWAR of the free agent catchers, only trailing Kyle Higashioka, but that's a C+ too for some reason.

MLB writers saying the Angels are not acquiring the right players are flat-out wrong

Here is some of Schoenfield's "analysis."

"Hendricks and Soler are just pieces around the edges, so here's the big question: Are the Angels going to go after any of the top free agents to fill the other many remaining holes on the team?"

"While the Angels are doing stuff to improve around the edges, the parts don't exactly feel like they're fitting together in the best way possible."

"After trading Griffin Canning in the Soler deal and non-tendering the injured Patrick Sandoval, the Angels needed to fill their rotation. Kikuchi and Hendricks at least do that. Now they just need to upgrade the infield, the outfield and the bullpen."

Schoenfield is essentially repeating over-and-over that the Angels' signings and trades are bad solely because they are the Angels. Discounting the Angels for acquiring "pieces around the edges" when they have long-needed pieces around the edges is wild. Schoenfield then questions if the Angels will go after a top free agent to fit a hole, the Angels do so in signing a pitcher who finished 9th in AL Cy Young voting, then he says that they have too many holes to fill anyway for the signing to work out.

Also, his analysis of adding Kikuchi and Hendricks ending with "now improve the rest of your team" is insane. Clearly the Angels have been the most aggressive team, and as an "ESPN MLB expert" he should know that they are not done. They also did improve the infield with the Kevin Newman signing that he conveniently left out...and why do they need to further improve the outfield after acquiring Soler, Mike Trout returning from injury, and already rostering Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, and Mickey Moniak? That's both a top-heavy and deep outfield group (Matthew Lugo can also play some outfield).

The Angels are doing a lot and will continue to do more, but nothing they do will be enough in the baseball world's eyes. Angels fans can say negative things about the team, but when other people do it...it's annoying. Solely stating that a move is a no-win scenario for the Angels is unfair and out of pocket.

Critics' skepticism of Minasian's ability to form a contending team is not baseless, but how can they not appreciate the effort?

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