Angels camp preview: Key dates, position battles and 3 questions to answer
The team itself will look somewhat different as well. While it was far from a complete makeover, the Angels added some important players (Yusei Kikuchi, Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks, Yoan Moncada), and shipped some others away (Griffin Canning, Patrick Sandoval, Brandon Drury, Matt Thaiss).
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All of it is in the service of improving on a franchise-worst 99-loss season, one that deteriorated in the final two months and was punctuated by a series sweep at the hands of the White Sox, who would still go on to have the worst record in MLB history.
The good news for this team is that none of the losses carry over to this season. Spring training begins a new chance to end an MLB-long 10-year playoff drought. And as such, here are some of the most important questions facing the club over the next six weeks.
Fifth rotation spot: Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz, Chase Silseth, Sam Aldegheri, Sam Bachman, Caden Dana.
Backup infielder: Christian Moore, Tim Anderson (non-roster), J.D. Davis (non-roster), Kyren Paris
Bullpen spot(s): Kelvin Caceres, Hans Crouse, Bachman, Garrett McDaniels, Connor Brogdon (non-roster), Victor Gonzalez (non-roster), Garrett McDaniels*
*Rule 5 draft pick from the Dodgers, will have to be returned if not on the active roster all season.
This is a question with massive implications for the Angels on many levels. For one, the front office and team ownership are committed to contending this season, for better or worse, and Trout's good health is likely a prerequisite for that happening. Secondly, Trout is under contract for six more seasons. Another lost year, and his $35 million earned annually could become incredibly precarious for a franchise that has shied away from spending on bigger free-agent contracts in recent years. The Angels need Trout, not only for this year, but for their ability to compete long-term. He probably won't be peak MVP Trout ever again — such is the case when players hit their mid-30s. But they need him to play at least 130-140 games, limit his strikeouts, and be an .850-.950 OPS type of guy. The organizational depth in the outfield is also an issue. Any injury to Trout would likely force Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak into everyday roles. Both have improved in their time with the Angels, but Moniak was worth minus-0.1 WAR last year, with Adell at 0.9. Will there be enough improvement to help keep the Angels afloat? Will they be able to stay healthy themselves? Keeping Trout on the field and hitting well is effectively a necessity.
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Detmers is a critical player for the Angels. He was terrible last season, posting a 6.70 ERA in 17 starts, with a 5.54 ERA in 14 Triple-A starts. But he's important because he was a No. 10 overall pick just five years ago. He's thrown a big-league no-hitter, and he's got all the potential in the world. But what does that mean for the Angels, who clearly have lost some faith in his abilities? Or, at the very least, have decided they can't afford to let him struggle at the highest level much longer. Does Detmers still have the inside edge on earning a rotation spot to break camp? Or will Jack Kochanowicz, who was superb in his final nine starts of last season, be a better option? Then there's a whole host of wild card options, including Chase Silseth, who himself has proven he can get big-league hitters out. This is not to say the Angels have a stacked rotation, but how they work through the No. 5 starter question will be an indicator of how they value Detmers and others, and establish the pecking order of their young starting pitchers.
In a perfect world, the Angels would run out a starting infield of Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel and Moore for years to come. The first-round draft picks for the last three years will get better, and they'll be the nucleus of the next really good team in Anaheim. That's much easier said than done. There doesn't appear to be a clear starting spot for Moore, after the team signed Moncada to play third base. That effectively pushes Luis Rengifo to second base. The main wild card would be Neto, who might start this season on the IL. If that's the case, Moore's odds of making the team go up. But will he be an everyday player? Is he ready for a call-up? These are questions the Angels will have to grapple with as they evaluate him in Tempe this spring.
Pitchers and catchers report: Feb. 12
First spring game: Feb. 22 vs. Seattle
Opening day: March 27 at White Sox
(Top photo of Trout: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
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