Angels In The Outfield.

The Los Angeles Angels in 2010 fell off the map and failed to win another American League West Division Title and despite having a bad year in 2010, this year in 2011 they are going to look to try to win back their division title. In the offseason of 2009 the Angels lost a key pitcher that won the Angles 5 AL West Division titles and a World Series back in 2002 in John Lackey and that might have been the main reason they didn't win anything in 2010. But in the offseason this year they might have found something to win back this division.



In 2010 the Angles pitching staff wasn't all that bad and it wasn't all that great either but somehow they figured a way to win ball games. I think this year the Angels have the most underrated pitching staff in the AL; they have 3 starting pitchers that could be aces on any other teams in baseball. After the lost of ace pitcher John Lackey they replaced him with new ace Jered Weaver who did a great job filling in this role. Weaver in 2010 led the league in strikeouts with 233 and pitched 224.1 innings. Now his numbers might not be all that great but I think when everything is said and done he might be the last guy smiling.

He throws a good live fastball and knows how to control this off-speed breaking pitches, Weaver in 2010 posted a 3.01 ERA, with 13 wins, 12 losses, and like I said before he threw 233 strikeouts. Next is long time pitcher who has been with the Angles his whole career as in Ervin Santana. Now Santana in his career has gone through a few bumps but in 2010 he really turned it on and when he's on he's on. I think if his team can get back into that winning momentum then I think that could help him in the long run. Santana is another guy who throws a good fastball in the mid 90's and has some really good breaking pitches. Now he can either be used as a number one or two starting pitcher in a rotation and in 2010 Santana posted a 3.92 ERA, with 17 wins, 10 losses, and 169 strikeouts. Third guy in this rotation is the guy they picked up during the trade deadline in Dan Haren who came over from the D-Backs last year. Now Haren when he came over didn't do as well as everyone thought he would after being used to pitching in this division years ago pitching for the Oakland A's a few years back. But when Haren is on top of his game he is lights out on the mound and I think with a full season with the Angels he will do just fine.

Haren when he joined the Angels he went 5 and 4, with 69 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.87 and Haren's overall record for the 2010 season looked like this - 3.91 ERA, 12 wins, 12 losses, and 216 strikeouts. The Angles number four starter is a guy who really hasn't proved that he all he can be in Joel Pineiro. Pineiro is one of those guys who will give you a good outing and the next outing won't even last a good 6 innings. Now if he can get his head put on right I think he can win close to 15 games in 2011 like he did in 2009 with the Cardinals. Pineiro is a not a bad pitcher nonetheless and gives the Angles good innings but just has to learn how to keep that same momentum every time he takes the mound. In 2010 Pineiro posted a 3.84 ERA, with 10 wins, 7 losses, and 92 strikeouts. The number five hole in the Angels pitching staff is really up for grabs in pitchers Hisanori Takahashi and Scott Kazmir. Now Takahashi in 2010 really had a good year stepping in for Kazmir who was injured in 2010. Takahashi in 2010 had a 3.61 ERA, 10 wins, 6 losses, and 114 strikeouts. As for Kazmir through his whole career he really has never pulled it together and his career has really reached that point where people know he isn’t going to be a good pitcher someday. Kazmir is only 27 years old and he still has some time to turn things around but if he hasn't done it before than I think he will never get it done. Kazmir has also been battling injures throughout his career and that is also a big reason why he has never pulled it together. In 2010 Kazmir had a 5.94 ERA, 9 wins, 15 losses, and 93 strikeouts.



As for the Angles bullpen it really isn't the best in the AL and as we know good bullpens save a lot of close games and the Angels are going to need a few guys in the pen to step up. But name that do come to mind are new closer Scott Downs who came over from the Blue Jays, set-up man Kevin Jepsen, and Jordan Walden. I start off with Scott Downs who has never been a closer in his career so it's going to fun to see how this plays out, it could either go good or a bad and the Angles hope it goes a good way.

For a second to last place in the Blue Jays last year Downs didn't pitch all that bad as a set-up man where he posted a 2.64 ERA, 26 HLD, and had 48 strikeouts. Let’s hope he can do the same thing with the Angles and evenbetter. Next is set-up man in Kevin Jepsen, who could also be the Angles closer as well but I still think he will be used as a set-up man in the 7th or 8th inning. The reason I think he will stay there is because I think the Angles don't want to mess with his head and keep his mind set on as being the set-up man. In 2010 he posted a 3.97 ERA, 27 HLD, and had 61 strikeouts. Last guy is young kid Jordan Walden who is only 23 years old (Rookie) and really doesn't know what his role will be yet, middle relief or set-up guy. Either one I think he will get better has he goes along and understands the game more. At 23 years old he still has a lot to learn and last season he did okay when he was used posting a 2.35 ERA, 6 HLD, and struck out 23 batters.



Now the Angles line-up in 2011 has gotten somewhat better, it will definitely be better than the 2010 line-up with adding outfielder Veron Wells who was traded by the Blue Jays during the offseason. Now that Wells is part of this team I think he will do great things knowing he has a chance to reach the postseason for the first time in this big league career. Wells has speed and a lot pop in his bat. Wells was definitely a nice pick up for the Angels, another good power bat in the line-up is just what they need.

With the Blue Jays in 2010 he batted .273, hit 31 home runs, and drove in 88 RBI's, expect a lot better numbers in 2011 now that he is with a winning team. Next is shortstop in Erick Aybar who has been battling knee injuries and is not 100% yet ready to go and I think the only way this team will be good is if he gets on base and makes things happen. He is their speed man on the bases and they need him to be healthy this year. When Aybar played in 2010 he batted .253, hit 5 home runs, drove in 29 RBI's and stole 22 bases. Next is a guy they are happy to have back in first baseman Kendry Morales who as we all remember broke his ankle after celebrating a walk-off home run. He would miss the whole 2010 season after starting off pretty hot in the beginning of the season. They will be happy to put him in the 5th or 6th hole in the line-up. When Morales played before he broke his ankle he batted .290, hit 11 home runs, and drove 39 RBI's. Over at second base they have a kid who they really think will step it up in 2011 is Howard Kendrick who really replaced that 5th hole last year after Morales went down. Now Kendrick has been around this game for a few years and this year like I said the Angles expect him to have a lot better year considering he had a pretty good year in 2010. Now his numbers have dropped a little bit in his average but expect him to do a lot better. In 2010 he batted .279, hit 10 home runs, and drove in 75 RBI's. Next is DH and outfielder in Bobby Abreu who really had a good year in 2010, his average wasn't all that great but he still came through when they needed him to and brought power in the line-up they needed. In 2011 it’s clear that he will be used as a DH now that he getting a little bit older and isn't really able to move that well in the outfield. Abreu in 2010 hit .255, hit 20 home runs, and drove in 78 RBI's. Next is rookie outfielder in Peter Bourjos who the Angles really don't know where they will put him. In 2010 he did play a little bit of right field but he is too fast to be playing right field, he is more like a center or left fielder but whatever they use him for he will be a huge impact. As a hitter he has a little bit of pop in his bat and it's going to be fun to watch this kid hit and see how well he does at this level playing full season with the Angles. In 2010 when he was called up he batted .204, hit 6 home runs, and drove in 15 RBI's. Last player on this list who has been in this game for 14 going on 15 year is long time veteran outfielder Torii Hunter,

now Hunter joined the Angles in 2008 and has been the leader of this team ever since. He is a great teacher in the club house and is a good impact player. Now he has gotten a lot older at the age of 35 but still shows that he knows how to play this game. The last two years have really been the best years in his career; it seems like as he gets older he gets better. Now the Angles don't know if he will be used as a left, center, or right fielder but where ever he plays he will do the best he can and give it his all. In 2010 he really proved that he's not ready to step down yet as he batted .281, hit 23 home runs, and drove in 90 RBI's.



So the Angles in 2011 look like they could win another division title but they are still missing a few keys, either way I think this will be a tight race all the way through in 2011 season as the Rangers and A's have gotten better. But if you were to ask me I think the Angles will win this division, but it won't come easy I'll usurer you that. For once the 2011 American League West will be fun to watch this year.