Record: 83-79, 3rd AL West (11 GB)
Postseason: --
Ballpark: Anaheim Stadium (aka "the Big A") (98 hits, 94 HR)
Runs scored: 656 (7tn)
Runs allowed: 683 (10th)
Pythag record: 78-84 (+5)
Recap: The Angels followed up a good 1968 campaign (85-77) that nevertheless saw them finish 6th in the AL with another decent one. They were even ever so slightly in the AL West pennant race, at least until about mid-December.
History: Breaking the normal expansion team norms, the Angels went 86-75 in their inaugural season of 1961, but then came back down to earth in '62 with 69 wins. In fact, that first year is still the high water mark for victories for this young club.
Outlook: The Angels are a mix of young and old and, given the presence of three very bad teams in the West, they should at least beat their all-time wins record in 1970. And there's always a chance they could get lucky and sneak into the ALCS... well, if the pitching staff somehow comes together.
Rotation
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+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
| first_name | last_name | w | l | Pct | Sv | era | g | gs | cg | sho | gf | ip | bfp | h | r | er | hr | sh | sf | hp | bb | ibb | so | wp | bk | Hper9 | HRper9 | BBer9 | Kper9 |
+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
| Tom | Bertan | 13 | 15 | 0.464 | 0 | 3.89 | 35 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 268.1 | 1109 | 256 | 127 | 116 | 23 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 92 | 6 | 117 | 10 | 2 | 8.6 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 |
| Dustin | Beaulieu | 14 | 12 | 0.538 | 0 | 3.64 | 32 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 210.1 | 902 | 207 | 98 | 85 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 88 | 3 | 75 | 10 | 0 | 8.9 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Aidan | Williams | 14 | 4 | 0.778 | 0 | 2.12 | 24 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 182.2 | 739 | 139 | 54 | 43 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 51 | 6 | 102 | 7 | 0 | 6.8 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 5.0 |
| Paul | Kahl | 6 | 4 | 0.600 | 0 | 3.74 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 86.2 | 367 | 77 | 41 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 8.0 | 0.4 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Jordan | Irons | 6 | 3 | 0.667 | 0 | 2.99 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 75.1 | 311 | 66 | 28 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 7.9 | 0.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| Gary | Bruno | 2 | 8 | 0.200 | 3 | 4.20 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 70.2 | 301 | 66 | 42 | 33 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 8.4 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 2.4 |
| Shunichi | Zeniya | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 0 | 4.71 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 63.0 | 266 | 71 | 36 | 33 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 10.1 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 3.6 |
| Graham | Panarello | 3 | 4 | 0.429 | 0 | 4.92 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 53.0 | 236 | 48 | 32 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 43 | 5 | 0 | 8.2 | 0.3 | 6.1 | 7.3 |
| Nigel | Jones | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | 0 | 2.86 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22.0 | 99 | 22 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 0.4 | 4.9 | 2.5 |
+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
Aidan Williams started the year in AAA Hawaii and didn't make his 1969 debut until June 10. But from there to the end of the season, few pitchers in the American League were better. Williams led the league in ERA and surely would have won the ROY except that apparently he just barely exceeded the minimums by pitching 32.2 innings over 12 games in 1968. It was still a really great year for this unlikely hero, who only hits the mid-80s with his 4-seamer but allows his defense to do his work for him. You can expect him to be the Opening Day starter over Dustin Beaulieu, who led the league in wins pitching for the Braves back in 1965 but moved twice since then. The Angels snapped him up after the Dodgers for unknown reasons released him in May of '68.
Paul Kahl was one of the league's two-way players that I kind of put the kibosh on. I say "kind of" because I used him as a left fielder to start the year and then, when he was basically replacement level, switched him over to pitching. The ERA and wins tell me he was more or less average; the peripherals tell me otherwise. He also gave up 18 steals in 21 attempts and has to be one of the worst players in the league at holding runners. Gary Bruno and Jordan Irons figure to hit spring training as the 4th and 5th starters, respectively. One notable absence above is Tom Beltran, who led the team in innings pitched but who was sent out, ironically enough, in a move intended to shore up the rest of the pitching staff.
Bullpen
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+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
| first_name | last_name | w | l | Pct | Sv | era | g | gs | cg | sho | gf | ip | bfp | h | r | er | hr | sh | sf | hp | bb | ibb | so | wp | bk | Hper9 | HRper9 | BBer9 | Kper9 |
+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
| Victor | Reyes | 4 | 5 | 0.444 | 22 | 2.31 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 85.2 | 346 | 74 | 28 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 50 | 3 | 0 | 7.8 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 |
| Mickael | Diot | 5 | 4 | 0.556 | 0 | 2.62 | 20 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 82.1 | 335 | 75 | 36 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 3 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 8.2 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.5 |
| Bong-ok | Park | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 13 | 2.61 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 72.1 | 315 | 68 | 25 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 39 | 3 | 0 | 8.5 | 0.7 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| Tanzan | Kihara | 4 | 4 | 0.500 | 1 | 3.24 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 58.1 | 240 | 62 | 21 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 9.6 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 5.2 |
| Bubba | Touchton | 2 | 1 | 0.667 | 1 | 3.70 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 48.2 | 201 | 41 | 25 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 7.6 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 5.9 |
| William | Hess | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 0 | 7.52 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 32.1 | 158 | 42 | 29 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 11.7 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 6.1 |
| Ken | Hansen | 1 | 4 | 0.200 | 0 | 7.24 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 32.1 | 154 | 43 | 29 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 12.0 | 0.3 | 5.3 | 5.8 |
| Amir | Sudler | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 2.57 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.0 | 55 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Brett | Stevens | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0 | 15.43 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 40 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21.9 | 0.0 | 6.4 | 1.3 |
| Parker | Lafler | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 4.50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.0 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15.8 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 4.5 |
| Chris | Tyree | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 5.79 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5.8 | 1.9 | 5.8 | 7.7 |
| Ed | Lagos | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 2.70 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.1 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8.1 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 10.8 |
| Gerardo | Vinueza | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 9.00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.0 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 9.0 |
+ --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------ + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ---------- + ----------- + ---------- + ---------- +
Victor Reyes spend most of the year as the team's stopper and that success led the Angels to trade him to the Braves in exchange for a couple of prospects: RP Jake Whitaker and CF David Nevarez. Neither player is particularly close to the majors. In his stead the Angels transitioned his co-closer Bong-Ok Park into their full-time guy. He rose to the occasion with 9 saves in 16 September appearances alongside a 2.84 ERA for the month. Tanzan Kihara and Bubba Touchton were the interchangeable parts in middle relief last year. Kihora throws nothing but gas - his fastball sometimes touches 99 - but both it and his curve lack movement, which in turn causes him to not miss bats as much as you'd expect, and also causes him to give up a few more dingers (6 in 58.1 IPs) than you'd like. Touchton, who is not from the South (I feel the need to point that out due to the name he prefers to go by), throws in the high 80s but somehow gets about as many Ks as Kihara does in spite of that.
Catcher
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+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| pos | first_name | last_name | g | ab | r | h | 2B | 3B | hr | rbi | bb | ibb | k | hpb | sh | sf | sb | cs | gdp | ba | obp | slg |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| C | Juan | Cavazos | 84 | 266 | 33 | 64 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 35 | 37 | 3 | 60 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.241 | 0.330 | 0.380 |
| C | Brian | Bell | 51 | 136 | 11 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 4 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.199 | 0.321 | 0.221 |
| C | Javier | Tamez | 42 | 80 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.150 | 0.293 | 0.225 |
| C | Cesar | Mexia | 21 | 46 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.109 | 0.222 | 0.152 |
| C | Ryan | Thaxton | 4 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.375 | 0.333 | 0.500 |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
Juan Cavazos spent much of last season grousing about not getting enough playing time, although reports from his camp indicate that he's OK now. He hits pretty well for a catcher but his ability to handle pitchers is suspect and he threw out just 26% of base-stealers last season. Thus, the Angels brought in Mike Perez from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for pitchers Tom Beltran, Graham Panarello, and William Hess. Perez is well-regarded across the league to win a Gold Glove when there isn't an guy there (as he did in 1967), is well known for his good mound psychology, and, in spite of hitting just .206 for his career, possesses first-rate power (he hit 27 homers for Cincy last season, albeit in a smaller park). Cavazos will probably be unhappy but... you know, let him be unhappy.
Infield
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+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| pos | first_name | last_name | g | ab | r | h | 2B | 3B | hr | rbi | bb | ibb | k | hpb | sh | sf | sb | cs | gdp | ba | obp | slg |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| 1B | Jon | Skelton | 141 | 534 | 71 | 141 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 82 | 50 | 6 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0.264 | 0.329 | 0.418 |
| 1B | Barney | Leriche | 31 | 67 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.209 | 0.308 | 0.358 |
| 1B | Brad | Burchett | 15 | 43 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.163 | 0.178 | 0.186 |
| 1B | Ryan | Pittman | 6 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.118 | 0.167 | 0.294 |
| 2B | Mauricio | Mendez | 103 | 385 | 48 | 124 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 55 | 31 | 7 | 43 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 0.322 | 0.371 | 0.473 |
| 2B | Chance | Hopka | 39 | 133 | 14 | 44 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0.331 | 0.385 | 0.429 |
| 2B | Brian | Long | 28 | 106 | 6 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.283 | 0.301 | 0.302 |
| 2B | T.J. | Dion | 14 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.273 | 0.320 | 0.273 |
| 3B | Pete | Jennings | 151 | 614 | 81 | 190 | 41 | 1 | 13 | 73 | 55 | 4 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 0.309 | 0.369 | 0.443 |
| 3B | Wayne | McSparren | 69 | 93 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.194 | 0.260 | 0.323 |
| SS | Chris | Adams | 152 | 615 | 76 | 167 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 79 | 46 | 5 | 56 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 0.272 | 0.318 | 0.387 |
| SS | Ivan | Perez | 4 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 | 0.444 | 0.375 |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
As of this writing (February 1), John Skelton turns 41 in 5 days but the old man is showing no signs of slowing down. He's been relegated to pinch-hitting and backup 1B duties for the past few years, by and large, but expansion brought with it a new opportunity to start and Skelton jumped on it, leading the Angels in HRs and RBIs. His days as a star are long, long behind him but he's a solid, dependable guy, the sort of person who leads by example rather than in actuality.
Mauricio Mendez hit really well when he played but the young Venezuelan missed 58 games last year with a quad strain he suffered in July and a sore shoulder in mid-September that prematurely ended his season. He'll enter into spring training battling for that starting position with former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Chance Hopka, acquired by the Angels last May in exchange for 2B TJ Dion. Hopka had lost his starting role there and had reportedly demanded a trade before being shipped out, so it's hard to say how he'll take losing out to Mendez should that occur.
If John Skelton is the heart and soul of this team, Pete Jennings is the "straw that stirs the drink". Jennings, who was the 7th overall pick back in 1964 for the San Francisco Giants, does what good hitters do in a stadium like the Big A. Which is to say, he plays to the dimensions. Jennings led the AL in doubles last year with 41 and broke .300 for the second time in his five year career. He doesn't really have the hands to play 3rd for too long into the future but, you know, first base will probably be opening up soon...
Chris Adams is kind of the prototypical scrappy shortstop. He made the 2nd All Star Game of his career and showed some nice bat control hitting in the 2 hole for most of the season. He's not anywhere near the level of an Oniji Handa with the glove but it's fine. He's fine.
Outfield
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------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| pos | first_name | last_name | g | ab | r | h | 2B | 3B | hr | rbi | bb | ibb | k | hpb | sh | sf | sb | cs | gdp | ba | obp | slg |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
| LF | Paul | Kahl | 100 | 346 | 33 | 84 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 47 | 27 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 0.243 | 0.293 | 0.361 |
| LF | Alvin | Romero | 53 | 199 | 30 | 75 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 0.377 | 0.396 | 0.513 |
| LF | Mark | Cartwright | 36 | 86 | 11 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0.279 | 0.289 | 0.360 |
| LF | Mike | LaChance | 27 | 46 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.239 | 0.294 | 0.370 |
| LF | Scott | Stuart | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.182 | 0.250 | 0.182 |
| CF | Norm | Hodge | 154 | 649 | 92 | 168 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 42 | 55 | 6 | 125 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 24 | 4 | 0.259 | 0.317 | 0.341 |
| CF | Jim | Coleman | 8 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.182 | 0.208 | 0.227 |
| RF | Jon | Berry | 75 | 273 | 29 | 64 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 26 | 1 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0.234 | 0.308 | 0.315 |
| RF | Chris | Tyree | 88 | 254 | 32 | 79 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 0.311 | 0.345 | 0.433 |
| RF | Jon | Baldwin | 41 | 132 | 17 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 32 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.227 | 0.373 | 0.341 |
| RF | Josh | Pierce | 11 | 33 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.394 | 0.459 | 0.576 |
+ -------- + --------------- + -------------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + ------ + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + -------- + -------- +
You can see Paul Kahl's numbers for themselves. They're not... terrible, and after a season in which he OPS+ed 139 (.269 with 11 HRs and 53 RBI) maybe he deserved a bit more time in the field but dammit, this is 1970 and we don't do two-way players and I think he's probably more beneficial to this team as a pitcher. Also, the team acquired Nelson Vargas in the Mike Perez trade, and there's little question this man can hit. Vargas slashed 327/395/446 in 379 at-bats in a very strong rookie season with Cincy last year and it's a shame that he didn't finish in the running for ROY. His slated backup / 4th OFer Alvin Romero, had a huge 2nd half last year after starting the campaign out in AAA Hawaii. He's a guy who has to find a spot somewhere.
Norm Hodge kiiind of is to CF what Oniji Handa is to SS. I mean, nobody is as good as Handa so I'll just stop making that comparison, but Hodge won his 5th straight Gold Glove last year and shows no signs of stopping. My one question is the lack of All-Star appearances. Come on, game. The fans want to see the best outfielder in the business. He's not even that bad of a hitter, although by OPS+ last year was the 2nd worst season of his career.
Chris Tyree was penciled in as the starting RF, quite frankly, because I didn't look at Alvin Romero's pedigree hard enough. Both Tyree and Romero are former 2nd overall picks, so it seems only fitting that they're battling it out for a job now. If Romero wins, I'll need to move Vargas over to RF, but Tyree is not a slouch himself with the bat so it'll be close.