The Los Angeles Angels have made some pretty questionable moves the last several years which has led to the nine-year drought without a playoff win.
TheLos Angeles Angelshave not won a playoff game since 2009 despite drafting one of the most talented baseball players of all-time in that very same year.
The Los Angeles Angels draftedMike Troutin the first round of that year’s draft and have been reaping the benefits ever since his first full season in the majors in 2012. You would think seven years of Trout, who is already the 89th best player all-time in terms of fWAR, would lead to some playoff success.
Nope. Nothing. The Angels have made the postseason just one time with Trout on the roster. After leading the American League in wins in 2014, the Angels were promptly swept by the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.
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This is not because of Trout. This is because of the boneheaded decisions that the front office makes in the players that it surrounds Trout with. While the Angels have had some nice success stories the last few years, the team has struck out more than it has hit a home run.
The Angels have this terrible trend of signing players that were pretty good years ago that are no longer at the same level that they once were. These moves are often touted as “low-risk, high-reward,” but with the Angels, they never work out.
The best move the team has made was acquiringAndrelton Simmonsfor virtually nothing. Simmons has progressed into a great hitter to go along with his elite defense.Thatwas a great move.
The rest, well, not so much. If you go back to theAlbert Pujolssigning, which is now hurting the team, it is clear to see the trend that the Angels have had.
From the likes of a regressing Albert Pujols andC.J. Wilsonto surprising signings likeRaul Ibanez,Jason GrilliandTim Lincecum, the Angels have done it all. Just last offseason the team brought inIan Kinsler,Zack Cozartand extendedJustin Uptonand that obviously didn’t do much.
Kinsler was a non-factor but got to win a World Series with the Boston Celtics. Cozart played less than a third of the season and was bad in the games he did play and Upton had a good season but regressed and will haunt the team in two years.
This offseason has been no different for the Angels as the team has brought inJustin Bour,Matt Harvey,Trevor CahillandJonathan Lucroy. Again, all guys that were pretty good a few seasons ago but were not great last year and were not worth the money that the Angels paid them.
Sooner or later the front office will figure it out and build a winner around Mike Trout. Right now, though, the Los Angeles Angels look clueless.
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