Offseason addition pays the Angels coaching staff a rare compliment

After a slow start to spring training, former batting champ Tim Anderson has been heating up of late, raising his average to a respectable .275 and forcing his way into the mix for an infield spot to start the season. As reported by MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, when asked about his return to form, Anderson made one particularly intriguing comment:

" …the hitting staff is unbelievable. Just being able to talk the same language. It’s been a minute since I had that."

Tim Anderson, via MLB.com

It seems like it’s equally been a minute since anyone had anything positive to say about any Angels coach not named Ron Washington. What little discourse there has been around coaching since his arrival has been focused on his legendary infield acumen, his ability to work with young players, and who might replace him when his contract expires. The rest of the coaching staff have been largely operating in his shadow, and, to be fair, weren’t particularly highly regarded to begin with.

Anderson’s comments show that maybe there’s more going on behind the scenes than is credited. When he refers to “the hitting staff”, he most likely means hitting coach Johnny Washington and offensive coordinator Tim Laker, both of whom joined the team in 2023.

Laker came over from the Dodgers' minor league system, and had previously been hitting coach of the Mariners, while Johnny Washington was the assistant hitting coach of the Cubs, where he was credited with the resurgence of Cody Bellinger and Joc Pedersen, amongst others. In a Q&A with The Athletic shortly after his hiring, he professed his plan to look at Angels hitters on an individual basis, a marked difference from his predecessor Marcus Thames, who advocated a team-wide approach based around attacking early in counts.

There are signs that that individual approach is paying off, particularly in some of the younger players. Several have begun to show improvement at the plate, and in their own ways rather than appearing to adhere to some kind of formula. Nolan Schanuel’s swing has shortened, and his contact rate has improved as a result. Jo Adell and Zach Neto have both experimented with changes to their leg kicks or toe-taps, changing things up in different counts or game situations. Logan O’Hoppe’s main balancing act is between his time at the plate and behind it, but last year showed strong signs that he can excel at both. All of these adjustments are still frustratingly inconsistent, and rightfully drive fans crazy at times, but they’re indicative that these young developing players are doing exactly that – developing.

When it comes to the veterans, Washington’s influence is harder to see, through no fault of his own. It’s hard to know if Mike Trout is getting any better at connecting with high fastballs when he’s not on the field. But Anderson’s comments, and recent performances, are encouraging, especially coming from someone who has had both a proven track record and significant recent struggles.

In year two of the Washington tenure, both Ron and Johnny still have a long way to go to show that this team can be in any way competitive. Finding something new in their up-and-coming charges, whilst at the same time rekindling the old fire in players like Anderson is just one step on that long road.

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