DEFENSIVE WHIZ: The Angels’ most exciting change was made at shortstop, where the club traded veteran starter Erick Aybar and its top two minor-league prospects to acquire Andrelton Simmons from Atlanta. Simmons’ static offense in recent years has tempered enthusiasm about his ceiling, but he remains among the best defensive players in baseball, with athleticism and smarts that could transform the way Los Angeles plays the game.
BORN ON THIRD: The Angels declined to write a big free-agent check to David Freese in the offseason, instead giving up promising young reliever Trevor Gott in a deal for veteran third baseman Yunel Escobar. The Angels are the fifth team in six seasons for the inconsistent Cuban hitter, who batted .314 with 56 RBIs in Washington last year. Third base has been an underperforming position for Los Angeles for several years, and Escobar is the latest to get a shot at fixing it.
OUT OF LEFT FIELD: Still smarting from paying Josh Hamilton over $100 million for two terrible seasons, Moreno decided not to empty his wallet for Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Yoenis Cespedes or another top free-agent outfielder, even though the Angels’ left fielders had the worst production in the majors last season. Eppler’s current solution is a platoon patch with veterans Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava, who both struggled last year with other teams. The position could remain a major problem for a sputtering offense.
NIGHTMARE WEAVER: Jered Weaver has been a stalwart in the rotation since 2006, but the right-hander is coming off the worst season of his career at 7-12 with a 4.64 ERA. Weaver’s fastball velocity has declined in recent years, and he thrived only occasionally last season with deception and location. Scioscia remains confident his longtime ace can still get outs, but unless Weaver regains some measure of his formerly dominant form, this could be a costly farewell: Weaver will make $20 million this summer in the final year of his contract.
ALL ABOUT TROUT: The Angels’ middling offseason keeps much of the burden for their success on the shoulders of Trout, who will reach the back half of his 20s this summer without a postseason victory in his transcendent career. Trout posted a career-best .991 OPS last year in his fourth consecutive MVP-caliber season, but the Angels have yet to put together a roster good enough to boost him to October success. The center fielder’s burden could be even bigger in April if Albert Pujols is slow to return from offseason foot surgery, but Trout seems capable of handling anything.
