Angels 2003 Outlook
January 06, 2003
ANGELS 2003 OUTLOOK
LATEST TEAM INFO
Can the 2002 World Series Champions make it back to back? The Angles are coming off their Cinderella season and many are wondering if they can make it back to the series. There is no doubt that they have the fire power to score the runs and the staff to keep opponents runs production down. They had an element of surprise that caught many teams off guard last year and that was a huge part of their success that they are not going to have in 2003.
This off-season, many teams are making some big moves to take their team to the next level. The Angles have not made any impact moves to make step back towards the World Series. The Los Angeles Times reported Angels GM Bill Stoneman was considering moves to acquire outfield depth, saying there were "some possibilities out there". Adding a bat to the out field like Daryl Ward would allow Tim Salmon to DH more and that will keep his bat fresh. It should be in the best interest of the Angels for Stoneman to go out and get another big bat. The Angels did sign free-agent outfielder Eric Owens to a one-year contract on Dec. 30.
PROJECTED LINEUP
At this moment is does not seem that the Angles starting line up will be any different from last year. They have nine key players signed to reasonably priced contracts through at least the 2004 season, including OF's Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad, 3B Troy Glaus and C Bengie Molina. Brad Fullmer has not been resigned and he will become a free agent. As of now Shawn Wooten will take over as the DH.
1. Eckstein (2nd)
2. Erstad (CF)
3. Salmon (RF)
4. Anderson (LF)
5. Glaus (3rd)
6. Spiezio (1st)
7. Wooten (DH)
8. Molina (C)
9. Kennedy (2nd)
PROJECTED ROTATION/BULLPEN
After a great rookie season where he won nine games and game seven of the World Series, John Lackey will find himself in the 2003 rotation alongside staff ace Jarrod Washburn and Ramon Ortiz, who went 15-9 with a 3.77 ERA in the 2002 season. Kevin Appier will be expected to eat up innings again next season as he did for the Angles last year. Aaron Sele is going to be the question mark of this year’s rotation. The decision will wait until he takes the mound in spring training.
1. Washburn
2. Appier
3. Ortiz
4. Lackey
5. Sele/Callaway
Hard-throwing closer Troy Percival powers the Bullpen. He received plenty of support this season and the bullpen is going to look a lot like what you saw in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants. Ben Weber, Brendan Donnelly, Scott Schoeneweis, Scot Shields, Lou Pote, and last but not least K-Rod will be the pieces to a bullpen that was great in 2002. Francisco Rodriguez, postseason sensation, is the early favorite to win next year's Rookie of the Year award.
INJURY REPORT
Tim Salmon had knee surgery, 3B Troy Glaus had foot surgery, Darin Erstad had surgery on his wrist, and Aaron Sele was having problems with his shoulder. These are all major parts of the Angels winning the World Series. They are all expected to be fully recovered in time for spring training though Erstad may be limited at the beginning of the exhibition schedule.
2003 PREDICTION
I am going out on a limb and say that the Angels are going to end the season exactly the same way as 2002. They will finish second in the American League west, behind the Oakland A’s, and they will take home the wild card. The only difference is that I do not see the Angels making it to the World Series again in 2003.
