With the July 31st trade deadline just 4 days away, many people have speculated as to whether or not the Angels will pull the trigger on a big deal. Hold on to your seats, as I am about to blow your mind with the answer to this question.
No.
And really, why should they?
At this very moment, the Angels haven’t lost a series to an American League team since May, they are hitting everything it sight, and they’re playing better than any other team in baseball.
Think back a few months, to a time where the Angels couldn’t score more than 3 or 4 runs per game. I wrote story after story about why the Angels needed to make a trade and who they needed to bench in order to make the team better. While I was right about one roster move (benching Gary Matthews Jr. for Juan Rivera), I certainly seem to be wrong about the need for a trade.
Right now, there are a few names on the trading block that the Angels have been linked to: Mark Teixeira, Brian Fuentes, George Sherrill and perhaps one Manny Ramirez. Both hitters are very good and very capable of turning the Angels into guaranteed World Series favorites. Both relief pitchers have had solid years and are certainly capable of solidifying an already great Angels’ bullpen. But do the Angels really need any of these players? Right now, the answer is no.
If the Halos could get Teixeira (who is a lock to leave as a free agent at the end of the season) at a reasonable price, then they should snag him and stick him on the DH/outfield merry-go-round.The right price, though, is one that would not include young first baseman Casey Kotchman or top hitting prospect Brandon Wood, who is having an absolutely spectacular month of July. Since a trade for Tex would almost certainly require one or both of those players, the Angels should pass and just take a shot at signing Mark during the offseason.
My one thought on Manny Ramirez – no. His attitude would be a cancer to our clubhouse and he might cause more harm than good to the Angels.
While every team can benefit from another solid lefty in the bullpen, the asking prices for Fuentes and Sherrill seem to be extremely high, which leads me to believe the Angels will pass on both relievers. If they were to add one, I would say Fuentes would be the more ideal choice. The veteran closer from Colorado has a career ERA of 3.49, which is actually pretty good when you consider the fact that he’s spent 6+ years pitching at Coors Field. Fuentes could easily slide into the 7th/8th inning set-up role, and he could become the closer next year if Francisco Rodriguez leaves via free agency. A trade for him would almost certainly require Nick Adenhart, who is the Angels’ top pitching prospect. Owner Arte Moreno has made it clear that the team in not likely to trade top prospects, so look for the Angels to pass on him as well.
In the end, I expect the Halos to stand pat at the deadline, which is no shock to any fans out there. If the current team continues to perform like it is right now, the Angels will make a run deep into the postseason, possibly all the way to the World Series.
And that’s something that no fan can argue with.