Kuzul

If the Kansas City Royals taught the world anything in going to the World Series in 2014 and winning the Commissioner’s Trophy in 2015, it’s that defense matters. Like, a lot.

Apparently, the Los Angeles Angels were paying very close attention.

Under the guidance of new general manager Billy Eppler, the Angels have already made two defensive-upgrading moves. A blockbuster trade with the Atlanta Braves swapped out Erick Aybar for Andrelton Simmons, modern baseball’s answer to Ozzie Smith. The Angels have also signed Geovany Soto to replace the departed Chris Iannetta behind the plate, according to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, which is another a good switch.

Now, the Angels are reportedly considering a run at another defensive upgrade. According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, star right fielder Jason Heyward is in their sights:

There are plenty of good right fielders in baseball today, but none of them play defense like Heyward. He’s a perfect blend of instincts, speed, arm strength and arm accuracy, and these things have served him very well since he broke into the majors in 2010.

Of course, Heyward is more than just his glove. He’s also a well-above-average offensive player, as he owns a .784 career OPS and has averaged 16 home runs and 14 stolen bases per year. And at 26, he’s very, very young by typical free-agent standards.

Hence why it should not be taken for granted that the Angels will actually sign him. Indications are that he’ll need close to $200 million to sign, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. For an Angels team that’s already weighed down by Albert Pujols’ 10-year, $240 million contract, that’s not an appetizing number.

But what the heck. We can say maybe. Heyward’s youth does offer some assurance that he won’t be another Pujols, after all. Besides that, bringing his glove aboard would definitely fit with what the Angels are doing.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the Angels are putting an emphasis on defense. Beyond the whole Royals copycat thing, Eppler hinted this was coming.

At Eppler’s introductory press conference, he revealed he had spoken to Angels manager Mike Scioscia about “a team that fits the ballpark it plays in,” per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. DiGiovanna took that to mean a roster focused more on pitching and defense than on offense, and that sure seems like the correct reading.

One thing the Angels have in common with the Royals is that they play in a ballpark that requires a strong defense. Per figures Cork Gaines of Business Insider compiled, Angel Stadium of Anaheim has an easily above-average amount of fair territory for its fielders to cover.

After that, you can throw in how Angels pitchers have been middle-of-the-road strikeout artists in recent seasons. The covering of said fair territory has indeed been necessary.

Fortunately for Eppler, he didn’t inherent a roster that was defensively inept. Defense was a big reason the Angels won 85 games in 2015, which put them just a game short of the Houston Astros for the American League‘s second wild card.

Ultimate Zone Rating rated the Angels as a top-10 defensive team in 2015. Defensive efficiency, found at Baseball Prospectus, put the Angels in the top five.

So, Eppler didn’t need to carry out a massive overhaul to make the Angels defense even better. He only needed to upgrade where he could. To that end, he’s already done well.

First, the two notable absences from the Angels’ 2015 roster are addition by subtraction as far as defense is concerned. One is third baseman and current free agent David Freese, whom the metrics rate as a subpar fielder. The other is Aybar, another subpar fielder, who was dealt to Atlanta in the Simmons trade.

Now, I could sit here and tell you all about the Mozart-crossed-with-Einstein level of genius that is Simmons’ defense. But meh, you can take it from his two Gold Gloves and his three straight Fielding Bible awards. Or the metrics. Or, even better, from MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez:

While Simmons is an obvious upgrade at shortstop, don’t overlook what Soto can bring behind the plate. Keith Law of ESPN.com regards him as a good framer of strikes, and Soto is also solid at blocking pitches and throwing out runners. Iannetta could handle the framing, but not so much the blocking and throwing.

With Freese and Aybar out and Simmons and Soto in, the Angels have clearly improved what was already a pretty good defense. But if the Angels aren’t yet satisfied, Heyward could very well be their guy.

And if they bring him aboard, an Angels defense that’s already really good would become downright heavenly.

Like with Simmons’ defense, there’s really no overstating just how good Heyward’s defense is. Since 2010, he leads all qualified fielders in both Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved. Again, that’s not all right fielders. That’s all fielders, period. If that doesn’t do a good enough job of stating his case, there are always his two Gold Gloves and three Fielding Bible awards.

As such, it’s not surprising to hear Morosi report that signing Heyward would cause the Angels to move Kole Calhoun from right field to left field. That would create an outfield of Calhoun in left, Mike Trout in center and Heyward in right. In a nutshell, here’s how that outfield breaks down:

• Calhoun: A 2015 Gold Glover whom the metrics also approve of.
• Trout: A 2012 Fielding Bible award winner whom the metrics arguably underrate.
• Heyward: He’s Jason Heyward.

So, yeah. Looks pretty good. And because all three of these guys are in their prime, there wouldn’t be any real threat of a defensive drop-off on any of their parts.

They’d definitely get their chances to show off. As noted earlier, this outfield would be playing in a huge home ballpark and behind a pitching staff that doesn’t strike many batters out. To boot, Angels pitchers also have a habit of getting batted balls in the air. Since 2013, no pitching staff has racked up ground balls at a lower rate than the Angels.

Mind you, we’re pretending more than assuming here. The Angels may want Heyward, but there’s a pretty big difference between wanting a guy and paying a guy. There’s no guarantee that the Angels’ interest will lead to a contract offer.

But Angels fans darn well should be excited by the idea.

This offseason has already seen the Angels take a good defensive team and cut off some dead weight (Freese and Aybar) while adding one solid defender (Soto) and one elite defender (Simmons). If Heyward is next, the Angels’ outfield would consist of the right guys in the right place at the right time. What was already a very good defense would become arguably the best defense in MLB.

In 2015, a very good defense helped get the Angels to within a win of a playoff spot. If they really do make their defense that much better, you could only assume that better things would be in store.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted/linked.

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Catchers generally get plenty of chances to prove themselves in Major League Baseball, and veteran backstop Geovany Soto now has a new lease on life after agreeing to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in free agency.

The American League West club announced on Tuesday that Soto agreed to terms on a one-year deal. According to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, the “deal is worth $2.8 [million].”

Soto was a rookie phenom back in 2008 as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He hit .285 with 23 home runs and 86 RBI, he was named to the National League All-Star team, and he won the NL Rookie of the Year award as well.     

Since that spectacular season, however, he hasn’t come close to replicating that type of production at the plate.

The past few years have been especially difficult for Soto as he has dealt with injuries and struggled to stay on the field. He appeared in just 24 games in 2014 after tearing the meniscus in his right knee and suffering various other ailments as well.

After spending parts of three campaigns with the Texas Rangers, Soto was traded to the Oakland Athletics in August 2014. He subsequently signed with the Chicago White Sox prior to the 2015 season, producing a .219 batting average, nine home runs and 21 RBI in 78 games.

While Soto’s durability and offensive shortcomings are definite question marks, he has seemingly improved significantly in terms of his defensive play in recent years.

Although the sample size was small in 2014, Soto threw out 43 percent of baserunners who attempted to steal on him, which was a career high. That number dipped to just 30 percent last season, but he has shown a penchant for handling pitching staffs well.

It probably wouldn’t be wise to rely on Soto as a full-time catcher at this juncture; however, he could thrive in a lesser role. Backup catchers are hugely important in the big leagues since the starters need to stay fresh, and Soto can help immensely in that regard.

The Angels needed to find another catcher after Chris Iannetta signed his own one-year deal with the division rival Seattle Mariners on Monday, per Greg Johns of MLB.com. 

While it’s entirely possible that Soto will have to fight through injuries once again in 2016, the investment it took to land him was fairly negligible. Soto is essentially a lottery ticket based on what he was able to accomplish in the past, and signing him was a risk worth taking.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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The first big shot of the 2015 MLB offseason has been fired, and the Los Angeles Angels pulled the trigger.

The bullet, to stretch the analogy, is Andrelton Simmons, the slickest-fielding shortstop in the game and now a member of the Halos after Los Angeles and the Atlanta Braves swung a landscape-shifting five-player trade Thursday.

The Braves will get shortstop Erick Aybar and a pair of minor leaguers—left-hander Sean Newcomb and right-hander Chris Ellis, per the Angels’ official Twitter feed:

Los Angeles will also send $2.5 million to Atlanta, per ESPN.com, and get back minor league catcher Jose Briceno.

That’s a nice haul for the Braves, who net a capable veteran middle infielder and former All-Star in Aybar, plus two of the Angels’ top four prospects in Newcomb and Ellis, as rated by Baseball America. Newcomb, in particular, is an intriguing get, as MLB.com ranks him the No. 19 prospect in the game.

Granted, Simmons is under contract through 2020. More than anything, though, this move signals unequivocally that the Angels are in win-now mode.

Even before the trade, the Halos’ farm system was among the thinnest in either league. Shipping out Newcomb leaves the shelves even barer in L.A., but the return is significant.

Yes, Simmons missed out on a third straight Gold Glove when the San Francisco Giants‘ Brandon Crawford took home the hardware Wednesday. However, Simmons was the best defensive shortstop by both ultimate zone rating (UZR) and defensive runs saved (DRS), per FanGraphs.

And he’s always passed the eyeball test with flying colors.

Simmons brings less to the table offensively. But, when paired with his leather, his .265/.321/.338 2015 slash line still makes him one of the more valuable middle infielders in baseball. And he’s just two years removed from a 17-home run season, so there is at least potential for power.

This move alone won’t fix all the Angels’ problems. There are many reasons they finished a disappointing third place in the American League West and missed the playoffs, including an offense that scored the second-fewest runs in the Junior Circuit after the All-Star break.

Aside from reigning and perhaps soon-to-be two-time AL MVP Mike Trout, the lineup is littered with question marks. But by moving boldly to grab Simmons, Los Angeles signaled it will be a player this winter.

CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman laid out the club’s current, uneasy state of affairs and its offseason road map:

They have money and plenty of holes, thanks to free agency and option rejections, not to mention a history of the occasional contract whopper, often spurred by their anxious owner Arte Moreno. The Angels are pretty well set with their pitching, but they are practically barren at left field, third base and catcher, and could possibly consider reinforcements at second base, as well.

To that end, Heyman reports, the Angels have been linked to first baseman Chris Davis, who led the majors with 47 home runs last season and could ease Albert Pujols’ transition to full-time designated hitter. And Heyman tossed out other names, including outfielders Alex Gordon and Jason Heyward, who would continue the defensive trend set by Simmons. Heyman also floated second baseman Daniel Murphy as a potential fit.

Basically, expect the Angels to pop up early and often in rumors and to be in on essentially every top-tier free-agent hitter.

They likely won’t have the pieces to swing another megadeal after raiding the cupboard to get Simmons. Clearly, though, Moreno and company are prepared to do what it takes to wrestle division supremacy away from the upstart Lone Star State twosome of the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.

For his part, Simmons sounded an optimistic note Thursday and reiterated the win-now theme, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times:

Of course, trying to win now and actually doing so aren’t one and the same. If the Angels lose out on the big boppers such as Davis and enter next season with a still-shaky offense, it’s possible this deal will wind up a net loss. Superlative as Simmons’ glove is, Los Angeles already had the seventh-best defense in baseball, per FanGraphs.

The Angels need thump, plain and simple.

But if the Halos do ink a basher or two, this will be the moment they signaled their intent: We’re in all the way.

The Angels just fired the first big shot of the 2015 offseason. Now, they have to make sure it isn’t their last.

All statistics current as of Nov. 12 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons is one of the smoothest fielders in the game and possesses a productive bat. But his time in Atlanta has run out, as he is reportedly on his way to the Los Angeles Angels.

Continue for updates.

Simmons Traded to Angels

Thursday, Nov. 12

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reported the move. According to the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman, the Braves received top pitching prospects Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, along with shortstop Erick Aybar and “about” $3 million. 

Buster Olney of ESPN.com, citing sources, previously reported the Angels were “among the teams” talking to Atlanta regarding Simmons, adding that Erick Aybar is under contract for only one more season.

Rockies Did Not Pursue Simmons

Thursday, Nov. 12

Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reported the Colorado Rockies were not involved in trade discussions for Simmons.

Braves Asked for Top Starter from Mets

Thursday, Nov. 12

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported New York inquired on Simmons, only to be told it would take either Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom in return. Sherman added there was “no way” the Mets would meet those demands. 

Dodgers Had Interest in Simmons

Thursday, Nov. 12

Sherman reported on the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ interest, adding that talks are at “very early stages.”

Padres Expressed Interest in Simmons

Wednesday, Nov. 11 

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Dennis Lin, the San Diego Padres called the Braves about Simmons but were nowhere near a deal.

Simmons Has Developed Into One of Baseball’s Best Defensive Players

The 26-year-old batted .265 with four home runs and 44 RBI in 2015, but it’s his play in the field that has left the biggest mark. On Wednesday, he was named the 2015 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for all position players, according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

O’Brien delved into Simmons’ fielding prowess:

Simmons, widely regarded as the best defensive shortstop since Ozzie Smith and Omar Vizquel, has won the Fielding Bible and Wilson awards as the majors’ best shortstop in all three of his full major league seasons. He had won consecutive National League shortstop Gold Gloves before the surprising announcement Tuesday that the San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford had edged him out for this year’s award.

Simmons has the range to make any grounder look like a possible out and a cannon of an arm to gun down even the speediest of runners. MLB on Twitter highlighted one of his finest plays in the field:

With the kind of play Simmons has shown over his first four seasons, the Braves might be getting a few more offers for their shortstop. While it might be difficult dealing one of the team’s brightest stars, getting multiple assets may address more glaring problems within the Braves roster. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The new Los Angeles Angels front office is working with a former adversary, as the American League West team has hired Eric Chavez. 

According to Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area, Chavez will work as a special assistant to new Angels general manager Billy Eppler. 

Stiglich noted there is a built-in connection between Eppler and Chavez. The pair were together with the New York Yankees in 2011-12 when Chavez was still playing and Eppler was the team’s scouting director in 2011 before being promoted to assistant general manager under Brian Cashman in 2012. 

Chavez also worked as a special assistant for the Yankees last season. At the time, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, he was a special assignment scout, and “some teams viewed him as a potential hitting coach” if he wants to do that. 

Per Stiglich, Chavez was also able to do commentary on 20 games for the Oakland Athletics last year, even though he worked for the Yankees, but “it’s unknown if his new role would still allow him to continue any broadcasting.”

He knows the American League West as well as anyone, having played 13 years in Oakland from 1998-2010. He was one of the best third basemen in baseball at his peak, winning six consecutive Gold Glove awards from 2001-06 and hitting at least 25 homers in six straight seasons from 2000-05. 

The Angels fell short of expectations in 2015, missing the playoffs by one game, and need to take bold chances if they hope to compete for a championship.

Chavez may not have a significant role under Eppler, but his voice clearly means something to the new general manager, and that is valuable in a pressure-filled job. 

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A year removed from winning an AL West title, the Los Angeles Angels are making changes to their coaching staff. 

According to the Los Angeles Times‘ Bill Shaikin, the team announced late Tuesday night it has fired pitching coach Mike Butcher and hitting coach Don Baylor. 

MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez relayed a statement from general manager Billy Eppler on the shakeup: 

Eppler said manager Mike Scioscia was involved in the decision, noting “It feels very much like we’re in lock step,” according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. 

Butcher has been a staple of Mike Scioscia’s staff since getting hired prior to the 2007 season, while Baylor was brought aboard after the 2013 season ended. 

The Angels competed for a playoff spot in a heated AL West race with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, but Scioscia’s squad ultimately fell three games short and missed out on back-to-back postseason appearances. 

As a team, the Angels ranked 27th in MLB in batting average (.246) while pushing just 621 runs across the plate. The team’s average also ranked as as the worst in the AL. By comparison, L.A. graded out as the A.L.’s third-most efficient team at the plate (.259 average) en route to winning an AL West crown in 2014. 

L.A.’s pitching staff finished a respectable No. 6 overall in the AL with a 3.94 ERA, but some late-season struggles ultimately doomed Butcher. Following the All-Star break, Los Angeles posted a cumulative ERA of 4.29, which would have ranked as the third-worst mark in the AL had it spanned the entirety of the regular season. 

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller offered his take on the firings within the context of a disappointing campaign: 

Baylor and Butcher are out of the picture, but the Angels have a tremendous amount of talent on a roster that includes Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar and Huston Street. 

The coaches Scioscia brings aboard will have plenty of pieces to work with, but it will be up to the new faces to maximize those players’ abilities as the Angels seek to make recent disappointments a distant memory. 

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Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia has decided to return to the team next season, choosing to forgo the opt-out clause in his contract, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.

“I’m coming back,” Scioscia simply said, per Fletcher.   

The longtime manager signed a 10-year contract extension with the team in 2009, though he can opt out of the deal at any point, per JB Blanchard of the Chicago Sun Times.

Scioscia, 56, has spent 16 seasons as the manager of the Angels, compiling a 1,416-1,176 record and leading the team to a World Series title in 2002. He’s also led the Angels to the playoffs seven times and was the American League Manager of the Year in 2002 and 2009, though the Angels have reached the postseason just once in the last six years. 

With a talented roster led by one of the game’s biggest superstars in Mike Trout and a new general manager coming in, Billy Eppler, another failure to reach the postseason won’t be viewed favorably by the front office or fans. While Scioscia’s track record speaks for itself, missing the postseason next year may take his future with the Angels out of his hands.  

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The Los Angeles Angels’ 2015 season came to an end Sunday when they lost to the Texas Rangers, and they immediately turned their attention to the future in the aftermath.

The first order of business for the offseason is to establish a new general manager, and late Sunday the team named Billy Eppler to the vacant position.

The position is open because Jerry Dipoto stepped down in July and was recently named the general manager of the Seattle Mariners. Buster Olney of ESPN suggested the Angels have had their eyes on Eppler for some time:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports said the team potentially delayed the announcement of Eppler as the new general manager because of the chance it could have faced the New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card Game. Eppler was New York’s assistant general manager.

The Yankees hired Eppler in 2004, when he was a scout for the Colorado Rockies. He worked his way up the organizational ranks and became the assistant general manager following the 2011 campaign, although he interviewed for the Angels’ position in 2011 before it was given to Dipoto.

Charlie Wilmoth of MLBTradeRumors.com discussed what lies ahead for the new man in charge in Los Angeles:

Eppler will inherit a situation in Los Angeles that is in some ways envious and some ways not. Tension between Dipoto and manager Mike Scioscia led to Dipoto’s departure, and the fact that Scioscia remained while Dipoto left suggests that Eppler will have to find a way to work with Scioscia, regardless of any differences that might arise. Owner Arte Moreno has a reputation for being heavily involved with baseball decisions. Also, the Angels don’t have a particularly strong farm system.

On the other hand, the Angels won 85 games this season and have a relatively strong talent base led by one of the one or two best players in baseball in Mike Trout. That’s a rare starting point for an incoming GM. Eppler will also have access to a big budget, as Moreno has rarely been shy about spending on top-tier free agents.

The ability to spend on top-notch talent is critical for a team like the Angels, which narrowly missed the playoffs this season and could be a piece or two away from championship contention. However, the farm system could take on more importance for Eppler as he settles into his new position.

Baseball America‘s John Manuel ranked the Angels farm system as only the 28th-best in baseball coming into the season.

While adding a marquee name or two from a free-agent class that will likely include All-Stars such as David Price, Johnny Cueto and others would be critical for Los Angeles’ immediate World Series chances, the farm-system ranking is alarming.

Eppler’s ability to bring in promising young players and replenish the entire organization from top to bottom could define his tenure.

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The Los Angeles Angels are in desperate need of healthy pitching depth for the season’s stretch run, and they added some Monday in the form of veteran Mat Latos.

The team announced it signed the right-hander to a major league contract and placed catcher Rafael Lopez on the 60-day disabled list.

The Angels are three games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West and 0.5 games behind the Houston Astros for the final wild-card spot. If Latos pitches for his new team as it chases a playoff berth in the season’s final week, it will mark his American League debut after he played for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports noted the Angels have a “serious pitching deficit due to injuries.” Jered Weaver and Matt Shoemaker are suffering from nagging injuries, while Huston Street and Joe Smith are both likely done for the regular season. Perhaps Latos can provide critical innings in some form for Los Angeles following Monday’s move.

Those innings will not come in the postseason, though. Sports Illustrated noted Latos will not be eligible to pitch in the playoffs, should the Angels qualify.

Latos started the season for the Marlins and struggled on the way to a 4.48 ERA in 16 starts. The Dodgers acquired him at the trade deadline, but things got worse when he tallied a 6.66 ERA in 24.1 innings of work. Latos last appeared in a game Sept. 15 as a reliever for the Dodgers, and the team eventually released him after designating him for assignment.

Latos is not far removed from five straight seasons with a sub-3.50 ERA from 2010 to 2014. He was at his best in 2010, when he notched a 2.92 ERA and 189 strikeouts for the Padres, but he was a reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter for most of his career until this season.

He is only 27 years old and likely has years of baseball ahead of him. Perhaps a change of scenery and the chance to help his new team reach the postseason will invigorate Latos in crunch time.

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Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Huston Street was forced to leave Saturday’s game against the Seattle Mariners with a groin injury that will likely end his 2015 campaign.

Continue for updates.

Street Ruled Out for Regular Season

Sunday, Sept. 27

Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported Street was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left-groin strain and that he is hopeful he’d be available for the playoffs if the Angels make it.

Los Angeles hasn’t been eliminated from postseason contention yet, but Street’s injury could hamper the team’s quest to pull off the improbable.

Entering Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Mariners, Street led the American League in saves with 40, and the team’s next-best option is rookie Trevor Gott.

On Sept. 21, an MRI confirmed that setup man Joe Smith had suffered a sprained ankle, per MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, and Smith only started playing catch again Saturday.

Scioscia is unsure whether Smith will be able to return, per the Orange County Register:

The chances of him getting back and pitching might be there, although there is a lot that has to happen before he’s out there pitching in a game. You are going to have to get him on the mound and see how he does. See how he recovers. He’s not at that point yet. There is more healing that has to take place.

Given the perceived severity of Street’s injury, Los Angeles is in deep trouble as it heads down the regular season’s home stretch.

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