Angels top hitters in Spring Training
This spring has been quite the interesting one for the Angels so far. Despite adding one of the best hitters in baseball this off-season in Josh Hamilton to share the field with the legendary Albert Pujols and the young phenom Mike Trout the Angels have only won 1 out of their 10 plus games this spring training? Does this spell certain doom for the Angels?
Certainly not. The Angels have one of the worst farm systems in baseball, and in Spring Training it’s mostly minor leaguer’s getting work in and showing what they can do. This would certainly explain the Angels inability to win a game despite the star studded roster, they simply chose to forgo the route of stabilizing the minor league system in favor of bulking up the major league team. Despite the Angels having a paltry record this spring they are more than prepared for the season.
Just look at the fantastic springs their major league regulars are having.
Mike Trout is more than ready to start the season after putting up a once-in-a-generation season. In 12 Spring Training AB’s Trout has scored 6 runs and walked 4 times as well as maintain a 400+BA and 500+OBP. Last Spring Training Mike Trout was sidelined due to illness, and he still dominated the major leagues. Imagine what kind of a season Trout will have after dominating Spring Training. Scary stuff….
The Angels favorite disappointment Howie Kendrick is putting up a hopeful spring this year. Despite disappointing massively in 2012 after a promising breakthrough year in 2011 Kendrick has shown this spring that the past is easily forgotten. Kendrick is one of few Angels to hit a home run this spring, tallying up one bomb in 12 at-bat’s. Kendrick has the highest BA, OBP, and OPS out of all Angel regulars this spring. Seeing him do so well in preparation for the season inspires a lot of hope, which in turn is sure to inspire even more disappointment from Kendrick.a once-in-a-lifetime season last year. In 12 Spring Training at-bat’s Trout has scored 6 runs, walked 4 times as well as maintain a .400+ BA and 500+OBP.
The Angels big ticket Josh Hamilton has only played in 3 games this spring, getting a total of 7 at-bat’s so far, though he has has strong AB’s in nearly every single one. Josh Hamilton is one of the other few Angels to have a home run this spring, which netted him 2 RBI’s. More time for Hamilton will only mean a stronger Hamilton come Opening Day, and a strong Josh Hamilton is a terrifying Josh Hamilton (to other teams that is).
One of the most surprising performers this spring is the Angels young catcher Hank Conger, who is trying to (and will) win the Angels backup catcher job. For a long while Hank Conger was talked up to be the Angels catcher of the future, but year after year of failing to crack through the club has taken much of the teams confidence in his ability to stick. Conger, in turn, has made sure to show the Angels what he’s all about. Conger has tallied together a ridiculous 8 RBI’s and 1 HR this spring, leading the team in RBI’s with Vernon Wells just behind at 6.
Speaking of Vernon Wells, it looks like he wants to let everyone know that he isn’t really the horrible player he’s been since joining the Angels. Vernon Wells leads the team in HR’s this spring with 2 while posting up strong a strong BA and OBP. He’s shown the power the Angels have desired from him the past few years, if he can carry it to the regular season he will make himself quite a valuable backup outfielder. Maybe then will he not be so hated by Angel fans across the states.
Well there you have it, out of 30+ Spring Training invitees those are the only Angel regulars to appear in the Top 10 (excluding Albert Pujols since he has not participated in a spring game as of yet). That’s not to say that every other Angels regular is bombing this Spring, there are just a boatload of young and over performing minor league invitees. Hopefully in a few years we’ll be seeing them back in Spring Training, only as major league regular
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