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The day most Angel fans surely knew would be coming is here. Mike Napoli, along with Juan Rivera, has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Vernon Wells. 

Mike Napoli set a career high in games played and at bats for the 2010 Angels. As a part time catcher and first baseman after the injury to Kendry Morales, Napoli smashed a career high 26 homers and drove in a career high 68 runs. He also saw his on-base percentage fall to .316 and had an anemic .182/.641 OPS with runners in scoring position.

Those internal numbers, as well as not being the most defensively sound catcher in the organization, made this move inevitable. While the pitching staff enjoyed throwing to Napoli, the Angels coaching staff had concerns about Napoli’s conditioning and inability to remember pitch sequences during pitchers meetings.

With Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, and prized rookie Hank Conger all looking for at bats, it seemed clear one of them would be moved. The less said about Juan Rivera’s 2010 performance, the better. Lack of playing time and an appeared lack of desire to play makes his inclusion by subtraction.

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor at LA Angels Insider.com. Angels coverage from the locker room to the press box to the front office and everywhere in between. Featuring interviews with the players and coaches making headlines for the Angels.

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim appear to have missed their window of opportunity during the Vladimir Guerrero era by not making the World Series over his six seasons in Anaheim.

We are now seeing the ramifications of spending large and not winning. Los Angeles is left with a bloated payroll and a roster that has serious depth issues at the major and minor league level with no immediate help on the way. It’s time Tony Reagins and Arte Moreno admit the Angels have issues and change course.

With a high payroll and key Angels soon to be free agents, might it be time for the Halos to take a step back and get a franchise-changing return for a pitcher of high caliber like Jered Weaver?

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor at LA Angels Insider.com. Angels coverage from the locker room to the press box to the front office and everywhere in between. Featuring interviews with the players and coaches making headlines for the Angels.

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With Christmas approaching and Santa having decided that Carl Crawford was a better gift for the Boston Red Sox, where do the 2011 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim go from here?

While it was disappointing to lose out on a high profile free agent, not committing $142 million over seven years to a player who is not a true lead off hitter nor a true power and RBI threat, for the number three or clean up spot wasn’t the worst thing to happen to the Angels. If the front office and fans are still getting headaches thinking about Gary Matthews Jr’s contract, how would they feel watching Crawford play out the final three years of his new deal?

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Also available in our podcast section. AM830‘s Jason Brennan and OC Register writer Dan Woike discuss the Angels options for the remainder of the 2010/2011 offseason.

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor at LA Angels Insider.com. Angels coverage from the locker room to the press box to the front office and everywhere in between. Featuring interviews with the players and coaches making headlines for the Angels.

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The dominoes are starting to fall. Jayson Werth has signed a surprisingly large contract with the Washington Nationals (seven years, $126 million) leaving outfielder Carl Crawford as the number one prize on the free agent market. Crawford and his agent were already looking for a contract in the $100 million dollar range, but if Werth going to average $18 million a season what can Crawford now command?

While the Angels certainly do need to get younger and more athletic in the outfield I believe their more pressing need is fortifying the infield. It’s no secret third base was an offensive black hole for the 2010 Angels. With the free agent loss of Chone Figgins and the development failure of Brandon Wood the Halos were forced to go without a regular starter most of the season.

This is why the Angels must put Adrian Beltre at the top of their free agent shopping list.

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor at LA Angels Insider.com. Angels coverage from the locker room to the press box to the front office and everywhere in between. Featuring interviews with the players and coaches making headlines for the Angels.

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In this feature article at LA Angels Insider.com, columnist Brent Hubbard examines the career path of incumbent Angels shortstop Erick Aybar.

After posting a stellar campaign in 2009, Aybar took a step backward in his development as a big league player. The Angels are in need of a serious offensive upgrade on the diamond wherever they can get one. No job should be considered secure outside of Kendry Morales at first base and Torii Hunter in right field heading into the 2011 season.

The Angels still need a leadoff hitter and there are players around the league who could fit the bill in the No. 1 spot and at short.

As the Angels attempt to recover from a sub-par 2010, many areas will have to be improved, particularly offense. One would probably identify outfield defense, leadoff hitter, third base and front of the ‘pen as issues areas that need to be improved.

Most offseason-related stories have focused on Tampa Bay free agent Carl Crawford as the ideal fit in Anaheim. And indeed he would be. Yet Crawford has a preference for more than just In-N-Out…he has a preference not to be the leadoff hitter.

And while this writer is fully in favor of obtaining a player such as Crawford, I think he is better suited to be the No. 2 or No. 3 guy in the lineup, leaving a hole at the top of the order.

Erick Aybar was supposed to be the solution. Coming off a great 2009, he was expected to transition seamlessly to the top of the order, replacing the departed Chone Figgins.

It didn’t work out that way.

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LA Angels Insider.com is pleased to feature Angels’ rookie reliever Michael Kohn as a guest blogger.

My path to the Big Leagues was different than most. For most of my college career, I played shortstop having always been a position player.  But things changed during my senior year at College of Charleston.

At practice one day, I asked my coach if I could take the mound and throw a few pitches.  They thought I was joking at first but then figured they’d give me a shot.  After throwing about 10 fastballs, they walked over and asked me when was the last time a radar gun had clocked me. I told them I was around 86mph during my sophomore year of high school.

The coaches laughed telling me that I had just thrown 95mph. From that point forward, I was a pitcher going on to throw 11 innings as the closer during my senior year.

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You can also listen to Kohn talk about his rookie year and the post-season with AM830’s Roger Lodge in our Interview Archive section.

Michael Kohn is a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In his first season in the Majors he appeared in 24 games posting a 2-0, 2.11 ERA record with 20 strikeouts in 21 innings.

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Josh Hamilton homered twice against the Yankees, putting the Texas Rangers one win away from the World Series.

Listen to Josh talk about the Rangers, Vladimir Guerrero, Nolan Ryan, his faith and off-the-field battles in this interview with LA Angels Insider.com’s Jeff Biggs, recorded just before the 2010 All-Star Break.

Josh Hamilton has carried his monster 2010 season (.359 32 Home Runs 100 Runs Batted In .633 slugging percentage) into his first career post season.

The American League Most Valuable Player candidate has his team on the verge of their first World Series appearance in franchise history.

The Rangers, lead by team president, former Angels great Nolan Ryan beat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games to reach the American League Championship Series.

Former Angel great Vladimir Guerrero, is on the cusp of reaching the World Series for the first time in his career, despite making the postseason with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in five of the six seasons he played for the franchise. In 846 games with the Angels, Guerrero batted .319 with 173 home runs.

Click here to listen to LA Angels Insider.com’s Interview Archive Section for Josh Hamilton – Podcast.

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In this audio feature we have audio of Angels first baseman Kendry Morales addressing his season ending ankle break. Angels manager Mike Scioscia also talked with AM830’s Jason Brennan and LA Angels Insider.com’s Eric Denton about the playing time of Mark Trumbo and Hank Conger.

Kendry Morales met with the media this afternoon to talk about his injury and the status of his rehabilitation. Speaking through his translator Morales was in good spirits while going over the injury and his process going forward for next season.

Speaking with Mike Scioscia before the game he said that Mark Trumbo “will get his playing time”, but right now they are still evaluating the players who have been with the club this season.

Scioscia was also very impressed with the defense Hank Conger has shown behind the plate in his appearances. Scioscia’s comments about Conger came into play last night as the rookie caught a complete game shutout on Tuesday night from Ervin Santana.

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Angels catching prospect Hank Conger had a tremendous first start on Sept 15th. Not only did the rookie come through with a big two-RBI opposite field single (his first MLB hit) in the first inning, but he caught a gem. Jered Weaver (7 IP) and Matt Palmer combined on the shutout, which was exactly what Mike Scioscia was looking for out of Conger.

Conger worked well again on Friday night with Dan Haren (7 IP, 3 H, 10 K). More behind the plate performances will open some eyes on the management side of the organization. The Angels believe in Conger’s ability, but at age 22 it’s not out of the question that a return to Triple-A next season is in order. It’s up to Conger to force the issue heading into spring training.

Brandon Wood belted a 427-foot home run off Dan Wheeler on Friday night to give the Angels the edge they needed to defeat the first place Rays, 4-3. That had to feel good for Wood. Mired in a 3-for-43 slump with no home runs or RBI since June 27, Wood finally delivered the big hit the Angels were counting on from him all season.

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor for LA Angels Insider.com

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Most fans believe that games in September for a non-contending team should be designated for the rookies that get called up from the minors, not the veterans of a ball club. This is not the case. And in the Angels position they need to evaluate their current crop of veterans much more closely than Hank Conger or Mark Trumbo.

For Tony Reagins and Mike Scioscia they are going to have to figure out just exactly what they want returning in 2011. With every Angels’ offensive numbers down they will have to judge if a lot of their players had peak years in 2009 or if they played down in 2010.

The Angels pitching looks solid headed into 2011 but the front office has a lot of important decisions to make regarding the offensive make up of the ballclub.

While Angel fans may not like watching the same players continue to get starts this month, be assured there is a method to the madness. These September evaluations will give the Angels a jump start on their offseason moves.

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Eric Denton is the head writer and content editor for LA Angels Insider.com

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