MLB ’16 Comeback Candidates: Los Angeles Angels

In this installment of Comeback Candidates, we examine the Los Angeles Angels, led by the longest-tenured manager in the game in Mike Scioscia. The Angels won the 2002 World Series but seem to have been perennial underachievers ever since. Coming off a 98-win season in 2014, the Halos came back to earth somewhat last year. They were alive for a wild card berth on the season’s final day, but fell just short. Can L.A. get back over the hump in 2016?

The Lowdown

The Angels made a strong push at the very end, but ultimately their 85-77 record was not good enough to qualify for the playoffs. Mike Trout delivered another MVP-caliber season, but the supporting cast didn’t quite provide enough of a complement. Albert Pujols hit 40 home runs, but only batted .244, and the team ranked 26th in baseball in on-base percentage. The pitching was average, especially the 18th-ranked bullpen. The Angels made a few moves this offseason, though not the big splash we’re accustomed to seeing from free-spending owner Arte Moreno. The most notable transaction involved two infielders: Yunel Escobar, who was dealt to the Angels from the Nationals in exchange for reliever Trevor Gott, and Andrelton Simmons, who was traded over from the Braves for Erick Aybar in a four-player deal.

Reasons for Hope

Trout is always front-and-center with Los Angeles, but the team needs its “other” guys to produce at a higher level. Kole Calhoun earned a Gold Glove and hit 23 home runs, and Pujols showed he still has plenty of power. The hope is that Garrett Richards is even better more than a full year removed from the gruesome knee injury that ended his 2014 campaign early. A healthy Jered Weaver will be key, as well. As for the bullpen, Joe Smith is still a solid bridge man to closer Huston Street. The Angels are still too reliant on star power, but they have enough of it to be in the thick of things in the American League West.

Reasons for Doubt

Depth proved to be an issue last year. The team made a flurry of moves at the trade deadline to fill a gaping hole in left field, but none of those players will return in 2016. The hope is that the likes of Trout, Pujols, Calhoun, and Escobar can carry the offensive load, but there are big question marks at certain positions and also within the pitching staff. The bullpen is strong at the back end, but there is a mish-mosh getting to the late-inning guys.

Will they or won’t they?

The AL West is suddenly a rugged division. The Angels won five division titles in six year span from 2004-2009, but have won only one since then. With the young and talented Houston Astros poised to take another step forward and the Texas Rangers restocked and reloaded, the Angels may be left out in the cold once again in 2016.