The best Angels WAR season by a second baseman in franchise history

Some of the best players in Los Angeles Angels history played second base. Bobby Grich is undoubtedly the best second baseman in franchise history and had a great ten-year run with the team. The Adam Kennedy trade wasn't perfect with the Angels trading Jim Edmonds away, but without him, it's very possible they don't win the 2002 World Series. Bobby Knoop's Angels career wasn't very long, but he won three Gold Gloves and was an all-star playing second base for the Angels.

Those players are all great, but none of them possess the highest single-season WAR for a second baseman in Angels history. The owner of that record is Howie Kendrick who wasn't a star, but was just consistently rock solid. He's the kind of player any team would want.

The best LA Angels WAR season from a first baseman belongs to Howie Kendrick in 2014

Year in and year out throughout Howie Kendrick's nine-year Angels career, you knew exactly what you were going to get out of him. He'd hit close to or above .300 while providing solid defense and the occasional home run. He'd steal 10-15 bags and drive in 60-70 runs each year. Kendrick wasn't the kind of player who'd win awards, but he was the perfect complimentary piece for some very good Angels teams.

Kendrick saved his best WAR season for last when he slashed .293/.347/.397 with seven home runs and 75 RBI in 157 games in 2014. He added 33 doubles, 14 stolen bases, and he had a 116 OPS+. He was hitting fourth or fifth virtually every day and a big reason why was because he hit .326 with runners in scoring position. Kendrick was consistently clutch for the Angels, helping them go 98-64 and win the AL West.

Kendrick's season was worth 6.1 bWAR, the highest mark of his career and of any Angels second baseman in a single season. While his bat was great, his glove contributed in a big way to that gaudy number as he put up 2.1 dWAR. His season was so good, in fact, that he recieved some back-half MVP votes and finished 18th in the AL balloting.

Kendrick was one of the more underrated players in Angels history as he isn't the first player you think of when looking back at the Angels players from the 2010's, but he consistently made an impact. He would've fit in nicely on this current Angels team as a versatile clutch hitter.