4 LA Angels players who proved their Spring Training was a fluke

1 of 4

Spring Training is a time for everyone to overreact about players on their favorite teams in both positive and negative ways. Fans of the Los Angeles Angels should know all too well that wins and losses in Spring Training mean absolutely nothing when looking at the regular season.

For the second consecutive year, the Halos won the Cactus League. We a player like Mickey Moniak have a monster spring and to see it translate to the regular season has been awesome. Unfortunately, that can't be said for everyone.

While Moniak is an example of a player who performed well in both Spring Training and the regular season, there're plenty of Angels who performed admirably in the spring and have struggled in the regular season or the other way around. That's why it's important to not put much stock into Spring Training statistics.

1) LA Angels reliever Carlos Estevez went from a pitcher who could not throw a strike to one of the best closers in baseball

The Angels signed Carlos Estevez to a two-year deal to take over as the team's primary closer. Estevez pitched well for the Rockies, particularly away from Coors Field, but had never been a primary closer before.

Seeing Estevez struggle as mightily as he did in Spring Training raised red flags for everyone. The right-hander allowed nine runs in 7.2 innings of work. The most alarming thing that came with Estevez's performance was the walks. He issued 10 free passes, an astonishingly high number for a guy who never had horrific control.

The Angels were working with him to throw the ball up in the zone more so he was experimenting, but the results were not what anyone was hoping for.

Clearly Estevez has shown that these struggles were a fluke, as he's been dominant as the closer for the Angels this season. Estevez has a 1.74 ERA in 32 appearances and he's converted each of his 19 save opportunities thus far.

Estevez not only has proven to be a reliable reliever, he has a serious case at an all-star spot. He's been that good.

2) LA Angels infielder Luis Rengifo looked great in Spring Training but has looked lost ever since

Mickey Moniak got all of the attention, but Luis Rengifo was arguably the best hitter the Angels had in Spring Training.

The switch-hitter slashed .405/.425/.811 with four home runs and seven RBI. He missed some time away from the team participating in the World Baseball Classic for Team Venezuela, but when Rengifo was with the Angels he swung a very hot bat.

Unfortunately, things have not translated over to the regular season at all. Rengifo is slashing .203/.288/.291 with four home runs and 20 RBI.

Rengifo took a huge step forward last season, hitting 17 home runs and being one of the few bright spots this team had to offer. This season, he's looked like a shell of not only that player, but the player who tore the cover off the ball in Spring Training.

Of course, nobody expected Rengifo to be a .400 hitter, but with how great he looked following a successful 2022 fans expected more than what the Angels have gotten from him. His poor offensive production combined with some mental lapses have made him a tough watch in 2023.

3) LA Angels reliever Matt Moore allowed more home runs in Spring Training than he has in the regular season

Matt Moore was yet another high-priced reliever brought in by Perry Minasian coming off a career year. Moore was dominant for the division rival Rangers but signed pretty late with the Angels and struggled in his first Spring Training with the club.

Moore made nine appearances and allowed nine runs on 12 hits in 8.2 innings of work. Not exactly the best introduction to a new fan base desperate for a shutdown late-inning reliever.

Fortunately, Moore showed the fans that his Spring Training numbers meant nothing as when healthy, he's been dominant at the back-end of the Angels bullpen.

In his 22 appearances, Moore has a 1.44 ERA in 25 innings of work. He's recorded 12 holds without blowing a save, and has taken only one loss on the season. Moore has been lights out late in games alongside Estevez.

Moore has been a guy Phil Nevin could use in just about any situation. He's proven to be capable against righties and lefties, and he's been capable early and late in games.

Guys like Ryan Tepera and Aaron Loup pitched pretty well in Spring Training but struggled in the regular season. Estevez and Moore struggled and have been outstanding.

4) LA Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson's 1.35 Spring Training ERA feels like a distant memory

Moore and Estevez were the big bullpen signings, while Tyler Anderson was the big rotation addition. Anderson was coming off of a career year pitching for the Dodgers and was hoping to be the quality innings eater this rotation needed.

Anderson made three starts in Spring Training and looked great, posting a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched. His WHIP was under 1.000 and he held opponents to a .159 average. Unfortunately, this has not carried over to the regular season.

Anderson has been anything but quality, posting a 5.64 ERA in his first 13 starts as an Angel. His WHIP sits at 1.587, his walks have shot up, his strikeouts have taken a massive dip, and he just doesn't look anything like the same guy who was so dominant last season.

I don't think anyone, including Perry Minasian, expected Anderson to be the all-star caliber pitcher he was last season, but after a great spring, I think we all expected him to slot in very nicely in the middle of the rotation. That's been very far from the case.

With another couple of years left on his deal after this season let's hope Anderson turns things around. Maybe a rough Spring Training will do the trick.

manual

Home / LA Angels News