Can the Los Angeles Angels challenge the Houston Astros in 2018?
The Los Angeles Angels have done all they can to build a contending team for next season, but can they keep up with the Houston Astros?
Can the Angels give the defending champion Houston Astros some competition in the American League West? Mike Trout may be the answer.
Alone, the two-time AL MVP is menacing enough. But when he is surrounded by a group of above-average players, he and his Los Angeles Angels are even more intimidating.
Los Angeles is arguably the biggest winner in the offseason thus far, as it snagged a trio of players that turned the club into a surefire contender. The front office might not be done yet, either.
Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani and shortstop Zack Cozart chose Southern California as their new home. Ian Kinsler didn’t have much of choice, but he’s likely not complaining. Now the front office will probably add another outfielder or some arms to complement the stars.
Following the World Series, it seemed that the Astros wouldn’t have much competition in the American League West. Houston triumphed over a stellar Dodgers club with a powerhouse offense.
And general manager Jeff Luhnow focused on improving the team’s weakness this offseason by bringing in relievers Hector Rondon and Joe Smith. Houston may also be eyeing a left-handed pitcher or top-tier starter, but the rest of the team looks set right now.
With Los Angeles making moves with such alacrity, some fans may have jumped the gun and dubbed the Angels as the AL West favorite. But after looking at each roster, the Astros still reign supreme.
If Los Angeles signs a competent starting pitcher, such as Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish, then that may change. But with the current squad, the Angels look like a club on the verge of a Wild Card appearance at best.
Meanwhile, the young Astros lineup continues to develop, while the starting rotation features a formidable one-two punch. They are the reigning World Series champions, and all of the players they lost had rather minimal roles in 2017.
However, when looking at each aspect of the game, does Houston still have the advantage?
Offense
As exciting as it is to think about any potential matchup between Trout and Jose Altuve, there are still other players to consider. And several of them can have as crucial of an impact as two top-10 players in the game.
Houston sported the league’s top offense, relying on the reigning AL MVP in Altuve, George Springer and some other solid players.
The lineup includes power from top to bottom, as a league-high 11 players bashed 10 or more home runs. Ten guys produced 50 or more RBIs on the season as well. And the Astros can hit for contact, with seven players hitting .280 or better.
One of the team’s most lethal – and unnoticed – weapons is their ultimate utility man Marwin Gonzalez. The do-it-all 28-year-old ranked first on the club in RBIs, third in doubles and fourth in homers despite logging just 455 at-bats.
Another promising factor is how productive the bottom of the order is. Together, whoever hit in the final three spots posted a .476 OPS, which was best in the league. In comparison, the bottom three hitters on the Angels combined for a .320 OPS and a .216 average.
Lastly, the Astros are still young and improving. Alex Bregman took a step forward but yet has tons of untapped potential. Carlos Correa, in just his third full season, ranked first among shortstops with 475 or more at-bats in average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ most significant advantage is its experience.
As a whole, Angels hitters have compiled 25 All-Star appearances, five MVP awards, and 14 Silver Slugger awards. Granted, Trout and Albert Pujols contributed most of those, but it still matters.
With Kinsler and Cozart in the infield and a full season from Trout, Ohtani and Upton should increase run support for the less-than-stellar pitching staff. But much like every year, the questions surround Trout’s supporting class.
Kinsler’s age showed in 2017, as he scraped by with a meager .236 average – a career-worst. He popped 22 home runs, which ranked in the top 10 in the league but contributed just 52 RBIs. Pujols is also fighting against time, as he boasted a -1.8 WAR even though he surpassed 100 RBIs for the 14th time in his career.
Andrelton Simmons developed his swing last year, putting together his best offensive campaign. Cozart did much of the same. Kole Calhoun is a serviceable outfielder as well. But from top to bottom, even with Trout being Trout, Houston is much more intimidating.
Advantage: Houston Astros
Starting Pitching
Los Angeles surprisingly has an abundance of starters on its roster. But compared to the rest of the league, a majority of them are mediocre.
Just one of the pitchers that accrued more than 10 starts qualified for any awards based on innings pitched – Ricky Nolasco. And while he sported a ballooned 4.96 ERA, other pitchers put up much better numbers.
The rotation is still a work in progress. Several young, inexperienced guys logged many innings because the original rotation was plagued by injuries. Ace Garrett Richards tossed just 27 2/3 innings. Three other guys penned in as starters in April – Matt Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs – accumulated only 183 1/3 innings combined.
Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton, on the other hand, threw 292 1/3 innings between the two of them. Thus, it’s clear that health might be the most prominent issue for the Angels’ pitching staff.
That doesn’t stop with Ohtani either, who seemingly has an elbow issue – the Angels aren’t worried. Los Angeles will likely use a six-man rotation, which could be a new trend in the next few seasons.
No matter how impressive Ohtani may be, the Astros possess a more reliable crew of hurlers. And if they sign Yu Darvish, they will sport the best staff in the league, with two Cy Young winners at the helm.
Brad Peacock pieced together some masterful outings, even though he still needs to be stretched out. If he remains in the rotation, however, he is an above-average guy in the back of the rotation. Morton upped his game in 2017, posting a career-high strikeout rate and a career-low WHIP.
Houston’s starting staff pitched to a 4.03 ERA as a whole, sixth-best in the MLB. The starters sport commanding repertoires as well, as they compiled the fifth-most strikeouts in the league. The Angels’ pitchers racked up just 711 strikeouts in 871 2/3 innings altogether, ranking 22nd.
Advantage: Houston Astros
Bullpen
While Houston’s relief unit was unimpressive in 2017, it has the tools to be much better next season. Luke Gregerson fled to another team. Francisco Liriano might do the same.
Yet, the bright spots in the weak relief staff stuck around. Ken Giles and Chris Devenski were electric, ranking in the top 30 in WHIP and strikeouts. Will Harris was also reliable, while Joe Musgrove excelled when thrown in the pen.
Astros relievers ranked 17th in ERA, but in the previous two seasons, they ranked in the top 10. Considering that Rondon and Smith will likely be better than Gregerson and Liriano, they could once again rank that high in the league.
And if manager A.J. Hinch decides to keep Peacock in the pen, he will have even more weapons in his arsenal. Not many teams in the AL West can compete with it.
However, the Angels will do their best to challenge them, despite having a very inconsistent corps.
Los Angeles hasn’t been known for an elite bullpen throughout the entire decade. It ranked 11th in ERA this past season and 10th in ERA in 2011 but ranked around 15th to 18th in other years.
Since Huston Street’s downfall, the team has had an issue finding a shutdown closer, though Bud Norris did his best in 2017. Cam Bedrosian and Blake Parker also filled in, but Parker was much better.
Parker, who posted a 2.54 ERA and a .83 WHIP, will likely log most of his innings in the ninth next season. Noe Ramirez is another useful guy that Los Angeles will utilize in 2018, as he pitched well once acquired.
Lastly, some current starting pitchers can fare well in the pen. Alex Meyer didn’t impress many people during his handful of starts, but he still possesses some bite in his fastball. He can mostly become what Musgrove was for the Astros last season.
Parker Bridwell or JC Ramirez, whichever is booted from the rotation, can also become useful in the middle or late innings.
Nevertheless, Houston’s relief corps is more talented and is consistent. While 2017 was a down year, relievers can be a top 10 crew once again.
Advantage: Houston Astros
Manager
Angels manager Mike Scioscia has claimed one pennant and World Series title during his 18 seasons in Los Angeles. Hinch won his first World Series in just his third year in the Lone Star State.
The front office hired Hinch just as the franchise made its 180-turn. But it also takes a strong-willed, knowledgeable skipper to lead a team to victory.
Surprisingly, Scioscia had more success without Trout than with him. Between 2004 and 2009, the Angels won their division five times.
Hinch led the Astros to the postseason twice in the previous three years. Despite his bullpen’s inconsistency in 2017, he’s not afraid to rely on anyone in it. But he also allows starting pitchers to go deep in meaningful games. Justin Verlander’s clutch performances against the Yankees were just a few examples.
Scioscia hasn’t had many opportunities to display his managerial expertise in big games, as Los Angeles has made the postseason just once since 2010. In an era when managers that win are fired every season, it’s a surprise that he still heads the MLB club.
But the front office has seen his potential. When the Angels claimed the World Series title in 2002, it was against a Barry Bonds-led Giants squad. And Los Angeles arguably dominated that series.
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However, Scioscia could officially be on the hot seat if he doesn’t capture wins early in 2018. With a revamped offense, Los Angeles might land in the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2014 – it finished first in the league.
He’s not the most majestic pitching coach in the league, though. And with a lesser-talented pitching staff, he could struggle to keep his team in shape.
Nevertheless, managers like Bruce Bochy can make the most of even the least-imposing clubs in the leagues. Scioscia’s experience as a manager could help in many situations.
Next: The Stros' relief signings can be very fruitful
Yet, Hinch has a more talented squad and a rapport with all of the players. Scioscia has new players he must build chemistry with.
Advantage: Houston Astros