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Los Angeles Angels 2017 Team Preview

By Anthony Sosa

Sep 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) gets a high five from first baseman C.J. Cron (24) and right fielder Kole Calhoun (56) after a solo home run in the fourth of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) gets a high five from first baseman C.J. Cron (24) and right fielder Kole Calhoun (56) after a solo home run in the fourth of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) gets a high five from first baseman C.J. Cron (24) and right fielder Kole Calhoun (56) after a solo home run in the fourth of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) gets a high five from first baseman C.J. Cron (24) and right fielder Kole Calhoun (56) after a solo home run in the fourth of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Here at Call to the Pen during the month of March, we’ll dive into a team preview of all 30 MLB clubs. We’ll tackle each team’s key acquisitions, the players they lost, an overall structure of the team and a prediction on how the team will do this season. The first team up is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The 2016 Los Angeles Angels finished fourth in the AL West with a 74-88 record. An injury-plagued season killed any chance for the Angels to compete.

They lost three-fifths of their starting rotation in 2016 to arm injuries. First baseman C.J. Cron suffered a broken hand and shortstop Andrelton Simmons tore a ligament in his thumb. Nothing went the Angels way in 2016. Relief pitchers Cam Bedrosian and Huston Street also battled injuries.

Pitcher’s Andrew Heaney, Nick Tropeano and Garrett Richards all suffered tears in their UCLs. Heaney and Tropeano underwent Tommy John surgery. Richards decided to go with stem-cell therapy. C.J. Wilson dealt with a shoulder issue all season and didn’t step foot on the mound one time.

Despite the injuries, there were still some bright spots during the Angels’ 2016 season. Angels’ pitcher Matt Shoemaker shined for a majority of the season. After a rough April, the Angels sent Shoemaker back to AAA. When recalled, he pitched better than anyone else in the rotation until he suffered a head injury in September (line drive causing a fractured skull).

Another positive was the emergence of Bedrosian. After two rough seasons, Bedrosian dominated in 2016. In 40.1 innings pitched, he struck out 51 batters with an eye-popping 1.12 ERA. Both in June and July, Bedrosian didn’t allow a single run to score (24 appearances).

And of course, Mike Trout reemerged as AL MVP. The 25-year-old earned his second MVP award with this stat line: .315/.441/.550, 29 home runs, 100 RBI, 123 runs and 30 steals. Year in and year out the center fielder produces for his club.

In the offseason, the Angels locked up their underrated right fielder Kole Calhoun. The two sides agreed to a three-year, $26 million deal that includes a team option for the fourth year.

Let’s take a look at the other deals and acquisitions the team made in the offseason.

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