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Angels’ 2017 needs: pitching, second, left
- Updated: October 3, 2016
ANAHEIM — The Angels have an important offseason ahead of them, with the club facing questions about the pitching staff and a need to improve the lineup.
The Angels were unable to reach their goals in 2016, in part because of a pitching staff ravaged by injuries and an offense that was able to set the table but didn’t have the depth of contending teams.
Pitching injuries spoil Angels’ 2016
That should make for a busy second offseason for Angels general manager Billy Eppler as he seeks to provide manager Mike Scioscia with an improved roster.
“I think that you try to improve in every area that you can, and at times, our lineup has been a little bit shallow,” Scioscia said during the final week of the season. “We’re not going to focus on one area. There’s a lot of things that we’re looking at. But, certainly, if you’re looking at just the offensive end, I think like any team, you’re always looking to get that lineup deeper to where you’re strong one through seven or eight, and not maybe one through four or five, where we’ve been a lot of times this year.”
It’s shaping up to be an eventful winter for the Angels.
Arbitration eligible: RHP Garrett Richards, OF Kole Calhoun, RHP Matt Shoemaker, RHP Cory Rasmus, OF Shane Robinson
Free agents: RHP Jered Weaver, LHP C.J. Wilson, C Geovany Soto, RHP Tim Lincecum, RHP Jhoulys Chacin, RHP Andrew Bailey, 3B Yunel Escobar (team has a $7 million option, with a $1 million buyout)
Rotation: The Angels have many questions regarding the rotation. Weaver’s future is up in the air as he enters his first offseason as a free agent after 11 seasons with the Angels. Richards has avoided Tommy John surgery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, and the Angels want him to pitch in the instructional league for piece of mind heading into the winter. Lefty Tyler Skaggs was slowed by a forearm issue in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, and his health will be monitored going forward. Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano are out until 2018 after each underwent Tommy John surgery. Shoemaker was having a great year until he took a line drive off …
