Anaheim Angels 2005 Season Preview

By Charles Curtis 

The offseason in SoCal began not with a bang, but with a perplexed query: "We're getting a name change?" We knew that Halos owner Arte Moreno was going to open up the checkbook again this winter, but we never expected him to overhaul the team this way. Nonetheless, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim begin this season looking very much like last year's AL West winners, but underneath that gleaming new team moniker and same old Rally Monkey is a real powerhouse with some great new additions.

After barely beating out the Oakland A's and Texas Rangers for the AL West crown, David "Big Papi" Ortiz came and helped the BoSox beat the Halos in the first round of the playoffs on the way to the World Series crown. But we still saw a team with nowhere to go but up. Apparently, their front office saw things the same way and continued to add to a team that starts with AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero. Vlad the Impaler had another fantastic year, batting .337, driving in 126 runs and ranked third in the American League with a .989 OPS. He even stole 15 bases for a team that led the AL in swipes. Last year, he was surrounded by Troy Glaus, who was injured for most of the year and Jose Guillen, who drove in 104 runs but was benched a the end of the year for conduct detrimental to the team. This year, GM Bill Stoneman added Steve Finley in one of the best deals of the offseason (getting Finley for just seven mil a year is a steal). Stoneman then got rid of popular but lately-ineffective shortstop David Eckstein and replaced him with Orlando Cabrera, who showed that he is still one of the better shortstops in the game both defensively and at the plate. Those two moves will make the Angels better in the field, but more importantly, it shores up a couple of the spots vacated by the departed Glaus, Guillen and Eckstein.

But will Vlad have to carry the offense all by himself this season? Only he and Guillen drove in over 100 runs in 2003. If the health of the Angels improves from last year, he may have some help on the way. Garrett Anderson, one of baseball's most consistent hitters in the past ten years (he hit .301 last year even after missing around 50 games due to injury), could return to form. The Angels are also hoping that Darren Erstad can stay healthy and try to show at least try to reach some of his stats from 2000. The real strength of this team's lineup will come from its speed and youth. Chone Figgins, the Man Who Can Play Anywhere, will return as the Halos' second baseman. Dallas McPherson and Casey Kotchman both had inauspicious starts to their careers last year, but a few games in The Show hopefully gave them the experience to work their way into the lineup and make a difference. It may take a while for the Angels to adjust to a revamped squad, but there's a combination of mashers and speedsters who could support Vlad to give him yet another stellar year at the plate.

As with any playoff contender, the X-factor for this team will be its pitching. Though the Angels finished fourth in the AL in ERA, their rotation wasn't impressive at all. Staff ace Bartolo Colon did win 18 games, but his 5.01 ERA showed how much he struggled at times. Kelvim Escobar finished with 191 Ks but also had an 11-12 record. Jarrod Washburn and John Lackey won a combined 25 games, but also failed to return to their World Series form. The Angels did improve on the back end, signing Paul Byrd to replace new Cincinnati Red Ramon Ortiz. Though Byrd suffered through only 19 starts last year, he won 15 games with the Phillies and 17 a couple of years ago with the Kansas City Royals. If that Byrd shows up, he'll be a nice addition to complement a starting rotation that can hopefully step up more than they did last season.

Los Angeles' strength lies in their bullpen as Francisco Rodriguez, arguably the best middle reliever in the game, takes over for departed aging closer Troy Percival. Brendan Donnelly, who finished the season with an even 3.00 ERA, will probably be their eighth-inning man with former closer Esteban Yan and strong middle reliever Scot Shields bringing up the rear.

Even with the ridiculous new name, the Angels come into the season as odds-on favorites in the AL West with the Oakland As and Texas Rangers depending on pitching staffs with too many question marks. The Halos also have one of the best managers in Mike Scioscia, who can make a decision like suspending Guillen without remorse and still lead a team to the playoffs. All of those factors could lead the Angels farther than the first round this year. By then, Arte Moreno may rename them The First Round of the Playoffs of the American League of Major League Baseball.