3 Angels spring training overreactions after first week of action

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The Los Angeles Angels' start to spring training has been dominated by chatter rather than on-the-field play. Mike Trout was forced to address trade speculation, which shouldn't have even been an issue. Then Anthony Rendon told everyone that baseball wasn't his top priority, as if it was some kind of secret.

But the Angels have played some actual spring games since arriving in Tempe a little over a week ago. And while the spirits among the Angels fanbase are rather low after watching the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, jet off to the Los Angeles Dodgers, there are still overreactions aplenty after watching the Halos begin their Cactus League schedule.

Every fanbase has a few wild ideas after watching their favorite team during the first week of spring games. What are some of the best overreactions from Angels fans as the month of February comes to a close?

3 LA Angels spring training overreactions after first week of action

Anthony Rendon's comments are no big deal

Anthony Rendon did what Anthony Rendon does. Upon arriving at the Angels spring training complex, Rendon decided to open his mouth and speak about his priorities. According to Rendon, baseball is not at the top of that list.

No one should crush a guy for saying that his faith and family take precedence over playing baseball. But Rendon referred to playing baseball as a job. And while there is some truth to that, for the best players in the game, baseball should be more than a job. It should be a passion; something they pursue with vigor and tenacity. Rendon doesn't fit that mold.

Rendon can say whatever he wants to the media, and quite frankly, it doesn't really matter what the Angels fanbase thinks of him. But the guys in that clubhouse heard the same thing that the rest of us did. He doesn't think baseball is a top priority.

Those other 25 guys in the Angels clubhouse know that Rendon has no intention of putting his blood, sweat, and tears into the game because he's not invested. Rendon is free to have his opinion, but to say that it's no big deal doesn't take into account how his attitude affects the rest of players on the Los Angeles Angels roster. This story may go away, but the effects will linger throughout the season.

The LA Angels should go all-in on Blake Snell

The Angels starting rotation definitely took a hit when Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angels Dodgers. Now, one of the best pitchers in the game, despite the fact he's not pitching this season, will not be suiting up for the Halos this season.

That does allow the Angels to go back to a traditional five-man rotation. The quintet of Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning, and Chase Silseth are the leading candidates for the Angels starting rotation at the moment.

But Blake Snell is still a free agent and has been linked to the Angels as recently as this past week. And while Snell should remain on the Angels' radar until he's signed by the Halos or another team, there's no reason to go all-in on the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.

That may sound like foolish advice, given the five pitchers LA is looking to run out in 2024, but Snell is still on the open market for a reason. Another Scott Boras client, Cody Bellinger, recently took a short-term contract with the Chicago Cubs after failing to get the type of deal he was looking for.

The market for these talented, yet flawed, star players is coming down. Given that LA is likely competing for fourth place in the AL West during the upcoming season, is it really worth it to go all-in on Snell? If the Angels are able to snare the southpaw on a team-friendly, short-term contract, that may be worth it. But the Halos have no need to shove all their chips to the middle of the table for a pitcher who led the league in walks last season.

LA Angels prospect Nelson Rada is going to be a superstar

There is a lot to like about young Angels prospect Nelson Rada. Signed as an international free agent in 2022, Rada is turning heads in Angels camp this spring after receiving a non-roster invite earlier this offseason.

Nolan Schanuel is the Angels' only Top 100 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, but Rada will likely enter that conversation; if not by midseason, he'll be there heading into the 2024-25 offseason. Though LA's farm system is not highly thought of, Rada could help to change that narrative during the upcoming season.

But before everyone jumps on the Nelson Rada bandwagon and crowns the 18-year-old as the savior of the Angels franchise, it's wise to take a step back and allow this young outfield prospect to develop. While many scouts see Rada as a potential starter, and even a potential star, he's barely played professional baseball.

The Angels have made a habit lately of accelerating the development of highly-touted prospects. Angels fans have seen it with the aforementioned Schanuel, as well as shortstop Zach Neto. It looks like the Halos are trying to slow it down a bit with Kyren Paris, and hopefully the club takes the same approach with Rada.

While Rada looks the part, everyone should pump the brakes before giving the young prospect more expectations than he can handle. With that in mind, LA needs to allow young prospects like Rada to prove themselves in the minors for more than a month or two before calling them up to the big leagues.

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