The February 4, 2016 edition of Los Angeles Angels news includes the team’s ZiPS projections for 2016 getting published, Vlad Guerrero taking part in the Caribbean Series home run derby, and more…
The Story: 2016 ZiPS Projections – Los Angeles Angels
MWAH Says: The insta-response to these projections on Twitter has been a lot of “WELP” and “this looks bad”, but it really doesn’t look all that bad. (So long as you don’t compare them to the Astros’ projections, anyway). Projections aren’t meant to predict breakouts, they’re meant to provide a safe bet. And so for guys with no or little MLB playing time to go on—Ji-Man Choi, Carlos Perez, Kaleb Cowart, Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs, Nick Tropeano—the safe bet is often a projection close to zero. Yes, the ceilings are low outside of Trout, but the floors are pretty high. Also, marvel at Trout’s 9.3 WAR projection.
The Story: Vlad Guerrero wallops three dingers in Caribbean Series home run derby
MWAH Says: Big Daddy’s still got it. Think he’d be open to coming out of retirement to DH until Albert Pujols is healthy? Couldn’t possibly be any worse an option than Daniel Nava.
The Story: X-factors for each MLB club in 2016
MWAH Says: Richard Justice apparently thinks that C.J. Wilson is the crux of the Angels’ 2016 season. That if he makes 33 starts not only will the Halos win the division but they might have the best rotation in the division. No mention of the fact that Wilson probably won’t be with the club beyond April. Oh well. Even if he isn’t traded, I highly doubt Wilson will make or break their season.
The Story: AL West’s top 5 impact position players
MWAH Says: Lyle Spencer is a little more on point than his colleague, picking Yunel Escobar as a key cog in the Angels’ 2016 roster. If this team wants to succeed, they need the offense to be more than just Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun, and Albert Pujols. As the new potential leadoff guy, Escobar has a lot riding on his bat. Don’t expect him to repeat his 2015 numbers, but do hope for an above-average bat.
The Story: All 30 MLB teams’ starting rotations, ranked
MWAH Says: The Angels are slated to have the worst rotation in the American League, per these rankings. I don’t buy it. No, they don’t have a legit ace, but none of the eight guys potentially making starts this year are replacement-level players either. All of them have a good chance of being at least league average, which most teams would kill for.
The Story: How the MLB teams were built
MWAH Says: The Angels have just one player on the 40-man roster who was an international signing (by them), and that guy, Victor Alcantara, is only on the roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft. To say that the organization’s international scouting has been bad the last five years or so would be a MASSIVE understatement. It’s been catastrophic, and the two-year bar on signings created by the Roberto Baldoquin deal will only make it worse.
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