The Other Los Angeles Team

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2007 Record: 94-68 (AL West Division Winners)
2008 Prediction: 1st in AL West


In

• Torii Hunter (MIN) - signed to a 5 year, $90 million contract - 11/21/07
  
• Jon Garland (CHW) - acquired for Orlando Cabrera - 11/19/07
  
• Ben Johnson (NYM) - signed to a minor league contract - 1/8/08
  

Out

• Orlando Cabrera (CHW) - traded for Jon Garland - 11/19/07
• Dallas McPherson (FLA) - signed to a 1 year contract - 1/31/08
  

Remaining Free Agents

• Bartolo Colon

Projected Opening Day Starters
C - Mike Napoli
1B - Casey Kotchman
2B - Howie Kendrick
3B - Chone Figgins
SS - Erik Aybar/Maicer Izturis
LF - Gary Matthews Jr.
CF - Torii Hunter
RF - Vladimir Guerrero
DH - Garret Anderson

Projected Opening Day Rotation
John Lackey
Kelvim Escobar
Jon Garland
Jered Weaver
Ervin Santana

Projected Opening Day Closer
Francisco Rodriguez

Improvements: Signing Hunter was a surprise to some in the baseball world. Now the Angels have themselves a talented, but crowded outfield - which may not be a bad thing. An outfield of Guerrero, Hunter, Matthews (right-to-left) will allow Anderson to be a full-time designated hitter, taking the pressure off of his many injured body parts. Garland gives the Angels another solid starter in their already superior rotation. And while they had to give up their starting shortstop, top prospect Brandon Wood should get some ample playing time in 2008.
Lack of improvement: To be completely honest, the Angels, in my opinion, have nothing else to be improved upon. If the catching duo of Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis can have themselves a decent season, the Angels will have all the makings of a winning team - a team that resembles their 2002 squad.
Keys to Success: The rotation has a lot of good names on paper. But in 2007, some of these arms started to ware down as the season came to an end, and in order for the Halos to continue their dominance the AL West, starters like Lackey and Escobar will have to perform at their maximum from April to September. Fortunately for the Angels, however, their pitching staff is quite possibly the deepest in the Major Leagues, so if any of these pitchers should go down with an injury, a replacement will not be hard to find.