ESPN just put out its winter power rankings, and they didn’t go well for the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels dropped from a final ranking of 26th last year to 28th this year, and as David Schoenfield commented, it’s not abundantly clear what the plan might be going forward for the Angels.
This isn’t exactly news to Angels fans, but there is some good news with the hiring of rookie manager Kurt Suzuki and new pitching coach Mike Maddux. The Angels have traded for Baltimore Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez, who has top-of-the-rotation potential, and if Maddux can put together a viable bullpen out of additions like relievers Drew Pomeranz, Jordan Roman and Kirby Yates, the Halos might have a path forward back to the .500 mark.
The Angels do have some holes to fill, but there is power to spare, even after the trade of left fielder Taylor Ward to get Rodriguez. Outfield Jo Adell threatened the 40-home run mark, DH Mike Trout had 26, and so did shortstop Zach Neto. Throw in a bounce back year from catcher Logan O’Hoppe, and the Angels start to resemble a legitimate baseball team again. It's not an easy road, but it's not impossible, either, given the state of the division.
There’s a lot that would have to go right for this to happen, which is why these power rankings are so low. They’re probably a little too low, but the rank isn’t unreasonable given the reputation of this front office. The Angels have settled the disastrous contract of third baseman Anthony Rendon, however, which could give them a little more financial freedom.
The big question for the Angels going forward, of course, is whether they’ll spend any of it. Perry Minasian got caught in some bad lying when he was asked about this by reporters this week, and it sounds like the Rendon is going to be pocketed, just like the money the Angels saved via the Taylor Ward trade will be pocketed.
One explanation for this is the Skaggs trial judgment, which was suddenly settled without warning after not going owner Arte Moreno’s way for months. It’s very possible that the judgement was much larger than anyone knows, which is the reason this kind of stinginess is necessary, at least in Moreno’s eyes. And for the fan base, that means it’s all up to Suzuki and Maddux to provide a foundation to turn the Halos around.