We all wanted the Angels outfield to get an upgrade. Most of you wanted flash. Most of you wanted power. Most of you wanted substance. Most of you wanted a big name. Most of you are now disappointed, but you shouldn’t be. The Angels finally have the kind of outfield depth and versatility they haven’t had since, well, the first time Bill Stoneman was their GM.
As unsexy as Shane Victorino, David Murphy and David DeJesus might be, they combine to bring a lot to the table even though none of them individually possess any one particularly strong skill. They all have solid gap power but aren’t exactly sluggers. They all maintain decent walk rates, but none of them are what you’d call on-base machines. They are all high contact hitters, but none of them are likely to hit over .300.
I forget who said it on Twitter, but the Angels essentially solved their need to find one good starting left fielder by acquiring three fourth outfielders. That sounds derogatory, but it isn’t really.
As similar as the three are, they do have useful differences. Obviously all three are limited to platoon duty as they can’t hit same-side pitching. However, because they all coexist on the same roster, Scioscia can mix-and-match them based on matchups in order to maximize their utility. By having both Murphy and DeJesus, Scioscia can utilize a platoon at DH as well. That’s a pretty convenient thing to have if you aren’t convinced that C.J. Cron‘s one good month hitting is sustainable. If you think he can keep hitting, then you’ve got a solid left-handed bat off the bench to deploy as necessary.
It isn’t all about hitting though. For as much as Victorino has declined the last few years, he can still go and get it in the outfield and remains a legitimate threat on the basepaths. DeJesus is old, but he’s no slouch with the glove either nor is he a slug on the bases. Murphy, well, he’s fallen off some the last few years, but he’s certainly not noticeably worse in those departments than Matt Joyce had been. Besides, Murphy should be able to avoid the outfield altogether given the presence of his two fellow newcomers.
That’s where the real beauty of this is though. Murphy can play the outfield if he has to, and he might have to. Probably the biggest knock on the Victorino acquisition is that he’s only been healthy enough to play in just over 64 games since the start of 2014. DeJesus is no stranger to the DL himself. But if either gets hurt, there’s Murphy ready to step in.
These three outfielders all help cover up for each other, so it really isn’t crazy to suggest that the Angels did cobble together a new left fielder from three fourth outfielders. Depth and versatility aren’t going to blow anyone’s skirt up, but they are characteristics that are often found in teams that make deep postseason runs. Just ask the 2014 Royals.
Still, I get the impulse to pine for that big bat like CarGo or Bruce. The big issue for this year’s Angels has been the perception that their offense is a disappointment. That was true for a time, but it isn’t really anymore. As of today, the Angels boast a .312 wOBA and 104 wRC+, good for 13th and tied for 6th in baseball, respectively. That’s pretty good. In fact, the team they are tied for 6th in wRC+ with is those pesky Royals again.
It just feels like a disappointment because the Halos had a .321 wOBA and 110 wRC+ last season, making them one of the best offense in baseball in 2014. So, relatively speaking, the offense is struggling. That awful first month of the season where the Angels had a .287 wOBA and 86 wRC+ didn’t help either. They’ve been considerably better since though, especially in July where they have a .358 wOBA and 135 wRC+. This is an offense that is finally peaking and they just addressed the biggest hole in the lineup. The three new bats might only combine to be just above league average, but with a .259 wOBA and 65 wRC+ out of all the other left fielders they’ve had this season, that’s a huge upgrade despite the personnel being used to make the upgrade not being big time players. Improvement is entirely relative.
Best of all, if one of three falls on their face as so many Angel left fielders before them have in recent years, there are two other guys available to step in. The Angels have sufficiently spread their eggs out into multiple baskets, a lesson that took them a very long time to learn. But learn it they did and now they finally get to reap the benefits.
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