LA Angels News: Ron Washington’s culture-shifting move, big spring training TV news
Angels' spring training has officially begun! Here is the latest from the early days of camp.
The Los Angeles Angels enter spring training this year with a lot to sort out and a ton to prove. Losing Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers was a blow without question, but there is still a lot of talent on this Angels' roster with Mike Trout hopefully leading the way.
What the Angels are hoping will happen is an entire change in the team's outlook this season under new manager Ron Washington. Washington has been lauded for his motivational skills during his time with the Rangers and Braves, and for a group that could sit around and feel sorry for themselves, Washington is the perfect guy at the helm to make them believe that they can overachieve in 2024.
That whole process starts with spring training, and Wash is going to have some help in camp with former players Albert Pujols, Vladimir Guerrero, David Eckstein, Tim Salmon, and even Mark Gubicza expected to be at spring training passing advice along and giving Washington extra sets of eyes around camp.
LA Angels News: Angels hold first spring workout way earlier than usual
Part of the culture that Washington is trying to instill this spring with the Angels is having an insurmountable work ethic. Usually the first couple days of spring training are for getting physicals and opening interviews done and little else. However, things are very different under Wash, as he had the guys who have reported to camp already immediately do a workout on the first day of camp.
The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with numerous young players who were already in camp taking part and Logan O'Hoppe and Patrick Sandoval going on record as being big fans of the changes thus far. We'll see if that translates to more wins in 2024, but it does seem like Angels camp is off to a great start.
LA Angels News: Most spring training games will be televised in 2024
The good news kept coming for Angels fans, as the team announced that most spring training games will be televised on Bally Sports West this year. The 30-game slate is very welcome to those that are starved for baseball content, although the road games during three split-squad days sadly won't get any TV time.
Most of the spring training games in Arizona will feature a rotating cast of familiar faces providing play-by-play and commentary. When LA returns towards the end of spring training, Mark Gubicza and Wayne Randazzo will be handling the calls for the TV broadcast of the "Freeway Series" exhibition games.