Fantasy Baseball: 2015 Los Angeles Angels Fantasy Outlook

Mar 30, 2015; Peoria, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols (5) at bat against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Spring Training is in full swing (pun intended), and the regular season is right around the corner. That means that our fantasy drafts are as well.

2015 Los Angeles Angels Projected Starting Lineup:

C: Chris Iannetta (.252, 7HR, 43RBI, 3SB in 108 games)
1B: Albert Pujols (.272, 28HR, 105RBI, 5SB)
2B: Johnny Giavotella (.216, 1HR, 5RBI, 0SB in 12 games with Kansas City)
SS: Erick Aybar (.278, 7HR, 68RBI, 16SB)
3B: David Freese (.260, 10HR, 55RBI, 1SB)
LF: Josh Hamilton (.263, 10HR, 44RBI, 3SB in 89 games)
CF: Mike Trout (.287, 36HR, 111RBI, 16SB)
RF: Kole Calhoun (.272, 17HR, 58RBI, 5SB)
DH: Matt Joyce (.254, 9HR, 52RBI, 2SB with Tampa)

Iannetta is a solid guy to have around in deep or two catcher leagues, but he won’t do much for you in standard formats. Even as an injury replacement, you can probably do better.

Pujols no longer has the power that he once did, but he is still putting up good numbers. It pales in comparison to the years in his prime, but he can still be a good value in the seventh or eighth round of your draft. Let’s face it: 100 RBI is still 100 RBI, and his run production is still going strong.

Giavotella will have to hit to keep his job. Rockies transplant Josh Rutledge (.269, 4HR, 33RBI in 105 games) is an intriguing hitter, but has had a poor spring and isn’t as good defensively. Prospect Alex Yarbrough hit .285 at AA last year, and appears close to breaking into the major leagues. Rutledge has the most fantasy value of the three, but he is only worth a look in deep leagues unless he takes the job and starts flashing some of the power he showed with the Rockies in 2012 and 2013.

Aybar isn’t flashy, but he can provide you with good counting stats and a good average. That makes him worth drafting in the later rounds of standard leagues if you choose to wait on a shortstop.

Freese struggled badly in the first half of last season, and never fully recovered. He will be 32 in April and may never be able to hit .290 again or hit 20 home runs. He is likely holding down the fort until Kyle Kubitza is summoned from the minors. That will happen quickly if Freese starts like he did last year. Freese is worth a shot in deep leagues if you play two 3B’s or need a CI.

There is likely a suspension heading Josh Hamilton’s way, which could open the door for Collin Cowgill (.250, 5HR, 21RBI in 260 at bats) or Daniel Robertson (.271, 0HR, 21RBI in 70 games with Texas) in left field. Neither will help you out much in fantasy. The other option is for the Angels to use Joyce in left and use C.J. Cron (.256, 11HR, 37RBI in 79 games) at DH. That is the scenario that plays out better for fantasy players, but Joyce is a liability in the field.

If that is what happens, Cron becomes a sneaky last round pick in standard leagues. He has good power, but won’t help your average. Joyce is better left for leagues that play five outfielders or have more than 12 teams. Just be aware that he will sit against most left handed pitchers.

Trout, the reigning AL MVP, is the consensus first pick in all standard drafts. I have yet to see anyone else go first. Trout isn’t running nearly as much as he did in 2012 and 2013, but the Angels don’t need him to either. That makes him marginally less valuable, but are you really going to complain if he drives in 100, hits 35 homers, and flirts with a batting title? I didn’t think so.

Calhoun made the most of his playing time last year and bolted down the right field job. He will provide double digit homers and steals, but asking for 20 or each could be a little much. I think he is currently being overvalued in some drafts, and I wouldn’t take him before the tenth round no matter what his ESPN ranking says.

Next: How Does The Rotation Look?

Mar 26, 2015; Mesa, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver (36) on the mound during a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

2015 Los Angeles Angels Projected Starting Rotation:

Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 ERA, 169K)
Garrett Richards (13-4, 2.61 ERA, 164K)
C.J. Wilson (13-10, 4.51 ERA, 151K)
Matt Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04 ERA, 124K)
Hector Santiago (6-9, 3.75 ERA, 108K)
Andrew Heaney (0-3, 5.83 ERA, 20K in five starts)
Huston Street (2-2, 1.37 ERA, 57K, 41/44 saves)

Weaver had statistically his worst season since 2009 last year, but he was still very good. While this may be the normal now that he is out of his prime at age 33, he can still put up numbers worthy of the middle of your fantasy rotation.

Richards will likely begin the season on the DL, but if you saw the horrific injury that he suffered last year, it’s a minor miracle that he is back at all. Will that affect him going forward? If not, he could wind up as the ace of the staff. That makes him worth gambling on in the middle rounds.

Wilson had his worst season since 2008, and it has a lot of fantasy owners staying away from him this year. It’s hard to blame them. He is 35 years old, after all. That said, he is only one year removed from arguably his best season in 2013, and could have something left in the tank. That makes him worth taking a chance on later in leagues of 12 or more teams.

Shoemaker came literally out of nowhere last year. His career minor league ERA is 4.52! The most obvious question is: can he do it again? I doubt it. Why? He is 29 years old, and has really only pitched one season in the majors. Combine that with his minor league track record and sub-par spring, and I am not buying in. There is a regression in store, and it could be a severe one.

Santiago is a solid pitcher, but doesn’t excel in any one area. He puts up average numbers across the board, which can still help you in deep leagues.

There is an outside chance that the organization’s top prospect in Andrew Heaney could take the fifth starter’s job. He will begin the season at AAA since the Angels won’t need a fifth starter until around tax day, but once he comes up, he could be up for good. Those of you in deep leagues can take a shot on him. He has the stuff to be a strong major league pitcher. He has dominated at every level of the minors.

Huston Street is not an elite strikeout guy, but he still gets one per inning, and he was dominant in 2014. Spending a full season with the Angels will get him plenty of save opportunities. He could contend for the major league lead in saves, and is a good pick after the top three closers are gone. The only thing that the “elite” closers do better is rack up strikeouts. Street’s ERA could be better, and he will still get his share of K’s.

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR as our team by team previews continue!

Next: Is Bryce Harper A Top Ten Outfielder?

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