Gone Fishin'

By: Peyton Schultze

As the Angels head into the 2019 regular season, it’s time for the Halos to finally back up their face of the franchise with a strong supporting cast.

Mike Trout never stops. Year after year, it has been nothing but the same old thing for himself and the rest of the Angels. Increasing his OPS. Consistently leading the league in OBP. Striking out less. Finding his power stroke to provide more pop. Stealing more bases. Being a top-4 MVP candidate in each of his first 7 full seasons. For the 7-time All Star, Mike Trout has found ways to amaze Angel fans and baseball enthusiasts around the country by finding ways to top his own performance each year with his rare mix of power, size, speed, and athleticism. And as all the great ones throughout the years baseball have found, there is always something to improve on, especially in the ever-evolving game of modern day baseball full of launch angles and sabermetrics. For Trout, finding this inner greatness to be the best has not been a problem throughout his still-young professional career. However, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, finding their own inner greatness to build a championship contender around the best player of the generation has been a lingering issue with very few solutions. As the 2018 Winter Meetings currently take place in Las Vegas, the Angels have a fresh face with manager, Brad Ausmus, at the helm and new confidence going into 2019. But will the Angels be able to build a solid roster to truly contend in the American League this upcoming season and finally surround Trout with marquee players ready to win now?

As the Angels approach 2019, can they finally build a roster ready to contend around the magnificent Trout?

Coming off an 80-82 season and finishing 4th in a very competitive AL West, the Angels transition into the offseason seeking a makeover to contend in the American League. After a disappointing, yet somewhat interesting, year featuring the outstanding and exciting play of international superstar, Shohei Ohtani, the Angels are looking forward to bolstering a very limited pitching staff and improve in several positions around the diamond. Solidified spots on the roster already include players such as Trout, Justin Upton, Albert Pujols, and Andrelton Simmons. After that, who is actually a valuable starter? Sure, players such as Zack Cozart and David Fletcher are useful players that certainly deserve to be included on the 2019 rosters. And 2018 showed the emergence of solid, young pitchers such as Jaime Barria and Andrew Heaney, both of whom are simply no more than #3 starters on a potential championship team.

Which leads to how the Angels can improve this currently limited roster. With free agent starters such as Dallas Keuchel and J.A. Happ freely sitting in the free agent market, the Angels must go after one (or both) of these starters to form a solid rotation worthy of contending for a playoff spot. Take one of these starters and the Angels can begin to form a formidable starting rotation that can at least be viewed as average. However, the Halos could also pursue one of the Indians’ starters being made available by general manager, Mike Chernoff. Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, two of the better starters in the American League, would certainly be a welcome addition to a team in need of a true ace. Both are capable of filling that role, and while the Angels do not pose one of the best farm systems in Major League Baseball, it has certainly improved over the past few seasons with the additions of potential stars in the farm system such as Jo Adell and Jahmai Jones that could be used as assets in a trade for one of the starters. It will be key for the Angels to dramatically change their starting rotation for the 2019 season if they want to please Trout and make a run towards his would-be only second postseason appearance.

Brad Ausmus has the tall task of replacing former Angels’ manager, Mike Scioscia, for the next three seasons.

After former manager, Mike Scioscia, called it quits with the Angels following his 18th season in Anaheim, the Angels replaced their managerial vacancy with former big league catcher, Brad Ausmus. Formerly managing the Detroit Tigers following the departure of Jim Leyland, Ausmus had a mixed tenure in Detroit. With a roster that was relatively poor for several years, Ausmus did not find himself extended following the 2017 season and instead found himself in Anaheim for 2018 as a special consultant in the front office. Now being promoted to manager of the Halos, the Angels expect big things under Ausmus, similar to how the Angels were able to be competitive, and even capture a World Series title in 2002, under Scioscia’s tenure. Now, with a roster that is bound to change before the regular season, Ausmus has a second opportunity to prove himself to be a capable manager worthy of leading a team to a championship. Although Scioscia was an all-time manager for the Angels, it seemed just about time for both sides to mutually split apart on good terms after one of the longest tenures in Major League Baseball history. So now, the Angels find themselves in a new era, led by Ausmus, in which they will look to once again compete with the ultimate powers of the American League and search for their second championship in franchise history, this time with the outstanding Trout.

Yet, they are not there yet. Not even close. As the Dodgers have proven over the last two seasons, winning a championship is the hardest thing to accomplish in baseball. However, the Angels must find a way to get back into the yearly playoff conversation, maybe even with a player such as Bryce Harper or Manny Machado coming to Anaheim this offseason. Although it could be a longshot, the Angels are certainly a dark-horse contender in the race for one of the marquee players due to their willingness and aggressiveness in the past to spend money on big-name free agents. In fact, if the Angels were to acquire someone like Harper, for example, their suddenly imposing lineup could be a major problem for teams around the league:

1. SS Simmons

2. 2B Fletcher

3. CF Trout

4. RF Harper

5. LF Upton

6. 1B Pujols

7. DH Ohtani

8. 3B Cozart

9. C Arcia

It remains to be seen if someone like Pujols would be willing to take on a full-time role once again at first base, especially in the late stages of his career. And it also remains to be seen if Ohtani will be able to recover from Tommy John surgery in the offseason to be able to hit whatsoever in the 2019 season. Nevertheless, if the Angels were to acquire a talent such as Harper or Machado, the Angel lineup could be as deadly as it has ever been in the Mike Trout-era. Look for the Angels to be on the prowl over the next few weeks in conversations with some of the game’s finest available on the open market.

Expect the Angels to be aggressive this offseason to try to build a roster capable of making the playoffs with Trout.

Whatever direction the Angels go in this offseason, it is expected that they will attempt to surround Trout with talent to compete for an AL pennant. Last offseason was bold by acquiring players such as Cozart, Ohtani, and Ian Kinsler in an attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Whatever the case may be, this offseason may be the complete breaking point for Trout’s future in Anaheim with the Angels if they can acquire some roster help to go with the superstar capabilities of Trout. Get some players and compete for an AL West title and the Angels may have convinced Trout to sign an extension to avoid free agency in the coming years. Whiff, however, again on free agents and miss the playoffs for a 5th straight year and the Angels may very well find themselves fishing for answers once again next year. These are dangerous and unclear times for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and it will take the entire organization to rally together a new group of solid players this offseason to please the otherworldly talents of Mike Trout for the near and far futures.