Ranking the 5 best starting pitchers in Angels history

The Los Angeles Angels don't have a lengthy list of great pitchers who have pitched for the franchise but they do have some special players who have done great things as members of the Angels organization.

The Angels currently have one of the best pitchers in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, who's climbing up the Angels statistical ranks as we speak. He's already top-20 in pitching bWAR despite only pitching for two full seasons! Where would he rank if he extends?

Who do you think the five best starting pitchers in Angels franchise history are right now?

5) Best starting pitchers in Angels history: Mike Witt

Coming up with only five pitchers for this list was rather tough, as there were guys that ended up being left off who I wanted to include. Mike Witt is a player who was simply too good to leave off this list.

This Anaheim native was drafted out of high school in the 1978 draft by the Angels and debuted in 1981 as a 20 year old. He finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year balloting that season after posting a 3.28 ERA in 22 appearances (21 starts).

Witt was a consistent starter in the Angels rotation in the first half of the 1980s, averaging 28 starts and 205 innings pitched with a 3.52 ERA from 1981-86. His best moment was a perfect game against the Rangers in the final game of the 1984 season. He struck out 10 and needed fewer than 100 pitches on that day.

He went 18-10 with a 2.84 ERA in 34 starts and an absurd 269 innings pitched. He was third in the AL in ERA, second in innings pitched, and fifth in strikeouts. He finished third in the AL Cy Young balloting that season, losing out to Roger Clemens. He was an all-star and finished 12th in the AL MVP balloting.

Witt spent 9.5 of his 12 seasons as an Angel and went 109-107 with a 3.76 ERA in 341 appearances (299 starts). He ranks fourth in innings pitched, strikeouts, wins, and starts. He was a true workhorse for the Halos, averaging 34 starts and 247 innings pitched from 1984-89.

He's not the flashiest name, but longevity definitely matters and Witt had 9.5 seasons of really good pitching. He was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2015, deservingly so.