Angels lay groundwork at Winter Meetings

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Billy Eppler rushed out of an expansive ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on Thursday morning with a smile on his face and plans in his head.

The Angels might not have made any moves during the Winter Meetings, but the club’s energetic general manager, now in his second offseason at the helm, has laid plenty of groundwork for coming transactions.

It’s only a matter of when.

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Before the Meetings even began, the Angels had re-signed reliever Andrew Bailey, traded for left fielder Cameron Maybin and signed right-hander Jesse Chavez and outfielder Ryan LaMarre. But there’s a lot more work to be done. The club still wants a second baseman, a fourth outfielder and pitching.

“We’re engaged in a lot of conversations, texts, calls, all the above,” Eppler said. “It’s very regular.”

Eppler presented a mood of constant patience throughout the four days of these Meetings. It’s no secret that his Angels, who finished 74-88 in an injury-ravaged 2016, have some roster vacancies to fill and some question marks, particularly on the pitching side.

This week, the Angels contacted other teams about pitching, and they are expected to continue to do so. A source said versatile right-hander Bud Norris is on the club’s radar, and Eppler said this week that the Angels are …

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