Angel management used to be very forthcoming with fans in the past. Whether it was real or imagined we fans always felt as if we understood the direction the team was going. That could mean something non-baseball related, like the clubs desire to improve our experience in the stadium, to the intricacies of player movement.
When the club signed Mark Teixeira the risks were spelled out to fans. Where Teixeira was plan A, Kendry Morales was plan B. It was clear, it was spelled out it was, and it remains a good way to do business.
Entering this offseason we knew the Angels had decisions to make; Figgins, Oliver, Lackey, and Guerrero were key among them. Does the club re-sign them or let them go? If the club opts to let them go then where is the replacement? In years past the Angels seemed transparent in regards to answering that question. Not so this year.
Figgins has flown north, Lackey has left for Boston, and Guerrero is going away. It's difficult, of course, to proclaim a certain player as a replacement for another without the benefit of a trade, but as the dust settles on those moves, we start to see the Angels plan B's.
Figgins was a catalyst for the Angels and a link to the 2002 world championship team. His speed, hitting, and enthusiasm will be missed. With Erik Aybar and Maicer Izturis cut from the same mold, and Brandon Wood out of options and chomping at the bit, the club seems able to withstand this loss.
Figgins out; Wood in.
Lackey, like Figgins, was a catalyst and a link to the 2002 team. He was a competitor that should thrive in Boston and will be missed in Anaheim. Some will say, as many reported on the day of the trade, that Scott Kazmir is, essentially, plan B. I see Kazmir more as the replacement (regretting the use of that word but I can't think of anything more appropriate) for Nick Adenhart in the rotation. As of this posting, all we have to take Lackey's spot would be journeymen or rookies.
Lackey out; Trevor Bell, Sean O'Sullivan or Matt Palmer in.
I will miss Vladimir Guerrero most of all. There are few players in MLB that I stop whatever I'm doing just to watch them take their hacks. Guerrero is one of them. Man, that guy can hack. "From his nose to his toes" is how Rex Hudler used to describe his swing. When he made solid contact...well, it was fun to watch. As fun as watching Vlady swing, watching him run was painful. It was time to let Big Daddy go.
Guerrero out; Matsui in.
Darren Oliver proved to be not only a solid and reliable reliever for the Angels in 2009, but he was also, by all accounts, a great clubhouse presence as well. The Angels made no secret of their desire to bring him back. He was plan A. Instead of sharing a plan B with everyone, they pursued Oliver, only to see him end up in Texas. I was quick to point out how disappointing that loss was. I'm happy to say that my confidence that was shaken after that loss has been restored.
Oliver out; Fernando Rodney in.
Rodney will not only replace Oliver in the bullpen, but he should light a fire under closer Brian Fuentes as well. The Angels have a long history of having lock-down, clearly defined No. 1 relievers; from Donnie Moore, to Mark Clear, Bryan Harvey, Lee Smith, Troy Percival, and Frankie Rodriquez. The Angels don't do closer controversies. 2010 might be different.
I still would like to see a starting pitcher come to Anaheim but the team seems to be rounding into shape. Here are the projected starters so far.
1B: Morales
2B: Kendrick
SS: Aybar
3B: Wood
LF: Rivera
CF: Hunter
RF: Abreu
DH: Matsui
C: Napoli/Mathis
SP: Saunders (L)
SP: Kazmir (L)
SP: Weaver (R)
SP: Santana (R)
SP: ?
RP: Fuentes (R)
RP: Rodney (R)
Will that team be enough to win the seemingly much-improved AL West? Is the team done reloading? We will see, but at least for the time being, order is restored.
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