Los Angeles Angels: Billy Eppler receives extension
After a rocky tenure, Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler has been rewarded with an extension. Here is why Angels fans can be hopeful about this news.
The deep red of the Los Angeles Angels has often embodied mediocrity, even during the tenure of one of the brightest stars in recent memory. Mike Trout‘s career has seen precisely zero playoff victories and only a single, solitary trip in which the upstart Royals surged past the #1 seed Angels.
Multiple high-priced free agents, trade acquisitions, managers, and general managers have seen Trout play beyond the level of any of his peers. Yet, this mediocrity seems to persist.
Billy Eppler’s offseason signings were not exactly high stakes ones, yet none of them seemed to provide any value to his team. Trevor Cahill– the final one remaining- has an abysmal ERA, soaring above a staggering mark of 6. Justin Bour has spent a sizeable portion of the season in AAA, Matt Harvey and Cody Allen were quickly disposed of due to their atrocious performances.
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Despite all of this blatant negativity being hurled in the direction of Eppler and the Angels, these deals were not nearly the types of misses that set a franchise back. Yes, they held them back in 2019 and prevented a legitimate run, squandering another season of Trout’s prime.
It is troubling that not a single move was even remotely close to success, yet the Angels roster has the basis for a competitive team to be built. Thus- even though there was a lack of evidence- the Angels decided to trust in their current GM. They know the upcoming offseason will likely dictate his future, as Trout is locked up, it is time for the Angels to either go for it or draw the ire of the collective MLB community.
A few of the right deals, finding a diamond in the rough- like Hansel Robles– and the Angels will begin to compete with the likes of the A’s and Astros, while the Mariners continue to rebuild and the Rangers do whatever the Rangers do- an odd mix of rebuilding and competing that has long been unsuccessful.
Next. Brewers cut Jeffress. dark
Whatever the case may be, for better or for worse, the Los Angeles Angels have their organization in order and those being paid must successfully do their job and bring Mike Trout to the national, postseason audience.