I guess Albert Pujols and Mike Trout aren't enough for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
A huge deal hitting the baseball world as Josh Hamilton has agreed to become an Angel. The contract is 5 years worth $125 million and one AA chip from Hamilton. In 2012 Josh batted .285 with 43 Home Runs and 128 RBI's although it was that average that dipped as the season continued.
A big signing certainly as the spending of the LA teams continues to go through the roof. For a second off season in a row, the Angels sign a big time slugger to their team. Certainly the first one worked out so well.
The move to get Hamilton, however, doesn't necessarily make them a World Series contender. Batting is great for the regular season (except last year for the Angels) but it was pitching where they need the most improvement. They were ranked 8th in the AL with a 4.02 ERA last year in pitching while they 3rd in runs in the AL. The offense is already there, even with Torii Hunter leaving the team. Keeping Zach Greinke would've been a bigger deal for the Angels.
Sure, LAA got Tommy Hanson from the Braves who had a bad year in 2012 and he might work out but there is no way that I am making them a World Series favorite based on their hitting alone. History is not on their side.
P.S. As for the Rangers, irrelevance might be their fate in 2013.
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Zach Greinke Traded to Angels
How important is getting a divisional spot over settling for a Wild Card spot nowadays in baseball? Important enough to get Zack Greinke.
The Brewers pitcher has had a good season so far going 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. The problem is that his talents are being wasted with the Brewers who are currently 14 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and are 10 games under .500. To make things worse, the team was on a 7 game losing streak entering today. So the idea for them was to the sell and Zack Greinke was their product. There were some perspective buyers but the team who got Greinke were the Angels. Looking at the Angels rotation to start the season, you would think they wouldn't need another starting pitcher. But it seems that CJ Wilson and Jared Weaver are the the only one's consistently showing up. So they traded for Zack Greinke giving the Brewers SS Jean Segura and 2 pitchers from Double-A.
The 2 Wild Card team format is no doubt at work here. The Angels are currently one of the Wild Card leaders but that would mean nothing if they lose that One-Game playoff which could easily happen to any team. Better for them to make a charge for the Division and get Zack Greinke to help you do it. The still have a very tough Rangers' team to get by and they are currently 5 games behind them entering today. Even with Greinke, I still favor Texas to take the AL West. The Angels might have to settle for a Wild Card spot anyway which means they might not make the actual playoffs and getting Zack Greinke would've meant nothing then, especially if he joins a new team during the off season.
The Brewers pitcher has had a good season so far going 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. The problem is that his talents are being wasted with the Brewers who are currently 14 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and are 10 games under .500. To make things worse, the team was on a 7 game losing streak entering today. So the idea for them was to the sell and Zack Greinke was their product. There were some perspective buyers but the team who got Greinke were the Angels. Looking at the Angels rotation to start the season, you would think they wouldn't need another starting pitcher. But it seems that CJ Wilson and Jared Weaver are the the only one's consistently showing up. So they traded for Zack Greinke giving the Brewers SS Jean Segura and 2 pitchers from Double-A.
The 2 Wild Card team format is no doubt at work here. The Angels are currently one of the Wild Card leaders but that would mean nothing if they lose that One-Game playoff which could easily happen to any team. Better for them to make a charge for the Division and get Zack Greinke to help you do it. The still have a very tough Rangers' team to get by and they are currently 5 games behind them entering today. Even with Greinke, I still favor Texas to take the AL West. The Angels might have to settle for a Wild Card spot anyway which means they might not make the actual playoffs and getting Zack Greinke would've meant nothing then, especially if he joins a new team during the off season.
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