Los Angeles Angels: Evaluating the team's ceiling in 2018

The Los Angeles Angels have made many additions, but how far can this team really go this season?

Can you smell that? It’s a familiar smell, I’m sure you can put your finger on it. Baseball is back, baby.

The Los Angeles Angels have had a very eventful offseason filled with excitement from start to finish. However, that excitement is going to turn into expectations as pitchers and catchers report and Spring Training arrives.

It is now time to take a look at this team and ask a few questions, with the most important being: is this a World Series caliber team? But before doing that, let’s take a look at the team that Billy Eppler and company have assembled for the 2018 season.

The Arms

The Angels are going with a 6-man rotation and it will most likely consist of Shohei Ohtani, Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney and one of Nick Tropeano, Parker Bridwell, and potentially Jaime Barria. The largest question mark for the Angels rotation, and maybe in general, is the health of the pitching staff.

Every potential member of the rotation, outside of Barria and Bridwell, spent time on the DL last season. J.C. Ramirez and Alex Meyer also suffered major injuries and are still recovering. Ramirez is throwing off a mound but Meyer is going to miss all of 2018 with a torn labrum.

That being said, the Angels apparently have their eyes on Jake Odorizzi and guys like Jake Arrieta and Lance Lynn are still free agents, so don’t count the Angels out on acquiring one more starter.

In the bullpen, Bud Norris and Yusmeiro Petit left the team in free agency, but the Los Angeles Angels acquired Jim Johnson this offseason. Blake Parker and Cam Bedrosian are also in the back-end of the bullpen.

Keynan Middleton and Eduardo Paredes will likely be returning and will be used in the 6th and 7th innings. Jose Alvarez will be the resident lefty and might be joined by Ian Krol if the Angels are pleased with Krol’s performance in Spring Training. Guys like Noe Ramirez and Blake Wood will also be vying for a spot in the pen this spring. Tony Watson and Greg Holland are FA options as well.

So what’s the deal?

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The Los Angeles Angels possess plenty of talented arms, but the question of health might hold them back. Tropeano is coming off Tommy John surgery and will definitely have a light workload. Richards, Skaggs, and Heaney are entering the new season healthy for the first time since 2016.

Ohtani is entering his first pro season with questions about his ankle and his elbow. Matt Shoemaker missed most of 2017 with nerve issues in his arm. If all goes well, the Los Angeles Angels will get about 130 to 140 innings from every pitcher, with Ohtani and Richards being a lethal 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

Skaggs and Heaney can finally tap into the potential they possess and Shoemaker will capture some of that 2014 magic he had. In a more pessimistic approach, Ohtani will struggle to adjust, Richards and Shoemaker will struggle in coming back from their injuries to full workloads and Skaggs and Heaney will continue to scuffle.

Pitching Predictions

It is unfair to expect Ohtani to come in and be Cy Young material in his first year, but as I said before, I’m expecting about 13 or 14 wins and a mid-3 ERA from Ohtani, which is great considering it will be his rookie year and he’s in a 6 man rotation. I expect around the same from Richards assuming he’s fully healthy and prepared (he had 1 fWAR in only 27 innings last season, which is fantastic).

Skaggs and Heaney will probably be pushing ERAs into the 4 range, and my money is on Heaney performing better. Shoemaker will most likely perform in the same range as well, with the potential to do better if he can bring his walks down (8.6 BB%, up from 4.5% in 2016). As for the 6th member, I’m going with Parker Bridwell. Nick Tropeano is going to need some seasoning, so he’ll probably start the season in AAA. I’m not convinced Jaime Barria is ready just yet, so he too will be in AAA.

The Bats

So the Los Angeles Angels have Mike Trout. I could really end the discussion there, but I shall continue. The team managed to resign Justin Upton to a five-year deal and fill a hole in LF that has been there since the days of Garret Anderson. Kole Calhoun’s bat should bounce back, but even then in 2017, he put up 2.2 fWAR. This might be the most talented outfield in Angels history, and that’s saying something.

In the infield, the Angels picked up Ian Kinsler in a trade and signed Zack Cozart to hopefully plug the holes at 2B and 3B. Andrelton Simmons is Andrelton Simmons, if he can repeat his production from 2017 I’ll dance every night.

CJ Cron, Luis Valbuena and Albert Pujols will be rotating out at first base, with Albert spending most his time at DH. Ohtani will be hitting from time to time as well and he sure has a sweet swing. Martin Maldonado returns as the starting catcher, with Rene Rivera and Carlos Perez vying for the backup position.

There aren’t nearly as many questions when it comes to the hitters on the team. Cozart trying out a new position is going to be interesting, but there shouldn’t be many problems there. Ohtani being a two-way player is going to be the big storyline this season, with the health of Albert Pujols also being of high interest.

Overall, this team has a solid lineup the entire way through, and a great defense up the middle. Heading into 2017, the team had Mike Trout and not much else and went 80-82. The Los Angeles Angels have improved the lineup greatly, so as long as they perform as expected, there should be no problems in 2018.

Final Verdict

This team just needs to pray to the baseball gods that the pitchers stay healthy. This team’s hopes at a playoff run hinge on that one thing. If it all goes horribly wrong like it did in 2016 and 2017, then expect another finish below .500.

However, I like to be optimistic, so let’s assume the Los Angeles Angels do stay healthy. I have no problem seeing this team win 86 to 89 games, even with the Astros in the division. I want to believe they are a lock for a wild-card spot, but the Twins and Mariners might mess with that prediction.

Next: Four fringe roster players on the Angels

And besides, it is baseball after all. You just never know what you might get.

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Los Angeles Angels: Evaluating the team’s ceiling in 2018

By Esai Leanos | Feb 14, 2018