LA Angels’ offseason deserves a quick timeout for applause

The offseason is in full-swing and the rumor mill is churning out content. However, it is necessary to take a quick pause in order to laud the Angels for their offseason to this point. The Angels are far-and-away the most active team so far, and have no plans of slowing down.

Everybody expected the Angels to turn their roster around. It's normal for organizations to purge the non-productive players off the 40-man in exchange for higher upside options when they are coming off 99-loss seasons. The Angels are no strangers to this reality, given that they have the longest current playoff drought in MLB. They run through players at an absurd pace, especially at third base where their $245,000,000 man is hardly ever seen on the field.

Pundits have long pointed to the Angels' failure at building around their stars, and their GMs needing to shop smarter during the offseason. The Angels are one of the higher valued franchises in baseball, but have not exactly operated in that manner in recent years (especially considering their top investments have not been able to stay on the field). Well, Arte Moreno is opening his wallet and letting Perry Minasian enact his plan to finally turn the franchise around.

The plan? Bring in experienced players, acquire high-caliber pitching, power bats, and depth. The result so far? Signing/trading for Jorge Soler, Yusei Kikuchi, Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Newman, Kyle Hendricks, Scott Kingery, and Ryan Noda. They are not done either.

Despite plenty of pundits guffawing at the idea that those players could usher in a new era, these additions will undoubtedly pay dividends moving forward. The Angels' position players' average age last year was 27.3-years-old, one of the youngest groups in franchise history. Soler and d'Arnaud specifically, as Minasian knows first-hand, are players who are fantastic in the clubhouse and provide steady leadership that the Angels desperately need. Will their on-field production turn heads? It could. However, their off-field tone-setting was valued higher by the Angels than the majority of other teams coming off an organizational nadir. The team will continue to rush their top prospects to the bigs (looking at you, Christian Moore), and needs guys who can boost their confidence in the dugout and locker room. Zach Neto, Logan O'Hoppe, and Nolan Schanuel will be the biggest beneficiaries in this regard. Perhaps Jo Adell as well.

Giving the Angels their flowers for turning naysayers into admirers

Angels' pitchers' average age was on the older side, but they have plenty of guys who need guidance from Kikuchi and Hendricks. Reid Detmers, who could be on the outside looking in by Opening Day, could earn a spot in the rotation by copying Kikuchi's arsenal and approach. Hendricks was given $2.5 million with no incentives for his off-field tutelage, rather than on-field production. José Soriano, Jack Kochanowicz, Ben Joyce, and Caden Dana will be taking diligent notes from Kikuchi and Hendricks soon.

It should be noted that the Angels are both retaining and bolstering their coaching staff. They are investing in technological developments, renovating their facilities, prioritizing continuity, and putting their money where their mouth is in terms of competitive roster building. They are going for balance -- blending a new and old-school approach to player development, while rostering highly-touted youngsters and savvy veterans. They have all the makings of a breakthrough season if they can have injury luck on their side for the first time in a while.

Angels fans are used to suppressing their hopes for a winning season, and could still be doing so despite the rampant activity. However, it's still possible to maintain your low expectations and applaud the team's activity to this point. Kudos, Mr. Minasian.

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