March 22, 2018 Page 1 of 43

Press Clips

(March 22, 2018)

March 22, 2018 Page 2 of 43

CLIPS CONTENT

FROM THE OC REGISTER (PAGE 3)

Metrolink offers options for baseball fans to avoid ‘craziness of stadium parking lots’

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (PAGE 4)

‘Just Mike’ Trout is Angels’ leader by example

FROM ANGELS.COM (PAGE 6)

Inbox: Could Shohei Ohtani start in the Minors?

FROM MLB.COM (PAGE 8)

The latest on Ohtani’s roster status

These players will shape the AL West race in ‘18

The latest on all 30 closer situations**

Best prospects bets to make Opening Day rosters**

FROM ESPN.COM (PAGE 16)

Fun-fact faceoff: Why 2018 could be monumental for Mike Trout

FROM MiLB.COM (PAGE 22)

Farm system rankings: Overall (15-1)**

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (PAGE 22)

Report: Shohei Ohtani Will Make Angels’ Opening Day Roster

FROM BLEACHER REPORT (PAGE 23)

Bold Predictions for the 2018 MLB Season**

Report: Shohei Ohtani Will Be on Angels’ Opening Day Roster Despite Shaky Spring

Controversial Roster Decisions MLB Teams Need to Make**

FROM USA TODAY (PAGE 26)

Shohei Ohtani, Angels undaunted by rocky spring: ‘He’s going to wow us,’ says Mike Trout

FROM SPORTING NEWS (PAGE 30)

Shohei Ohtani on Mike Trout, baseball cards and adjusting to MLB spring training

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (PAGE 32)

Trout, Angels brass confident Shohei Ohtani will be a star

FROM THE SPORTS DAILY (PAGE 33)

Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera are sharing similar uphill battle

FROM FANRAG SPORTS NETWORK (PAGE 36)

Heyman | Evaluating Ohtani after slow spring

FROM FAN GRAPHS (PAGE 38)

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Second Base**

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Left Field**

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Shortstop**

March 22, 2018 Page 3 of 43

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Metrolink offers options for baseball fans to avoid ‘craziness of stadium parking

lots’

By Susan Christian Goulding

The hot dogs, the peanuts, the kiss cam, the cheering, the fireworks and – oh, yes – the games.

Everything about baseball is fun. Except maybe the coming and the leaving.

Metrolink offers a solution for Angels and Dodgers enthusiasts: Take the train.

“You don’t have to pay for parking and deal with the craziness of stadium parking lots,” Metrolink

spokesman Chris Gutierre said.

That suggestion, too, goes for fans of the Inland Empire 66ers minor league team.

The Angles and the Dodgers both open their seasons March 29, the Dodgers host the Giants at home

that day, the Angels are away until their April 2 meeting with Cleveland. The 66ers pitch their first ball

April 5.

In Orange County, Metrolink drops off passengers at Anaheim’s ARTIC station, a 10-minute walk to

Angel Stadium.

San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, home of the 66ers, is also near a Metrolink station.

Those whose blood runs Dodger Blue can disembark at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and

catch a Dodgers Stadium Express Bus, operated in a partnership with L.A. Metro.

The round-trip connection is complimentary with a Dodgers ticket – the train tickets are the regular

price. Besides that, the buses arrive wrapped in a festive Dodgers display.

Watch the schedule, there are limited trains back to Orange County in the evenings, there are a few

later ones to San Bernardino.

Visitors to Angels Stadium can buy discounted train tickets through a grant awarded to Metrolink from

the Orange County Transportation Authority and other transportation agencies.

During baseball season, train tickets to Angels Stadium cost a flat rate of $7 for adults, no matter the

starting point. Seniors pay $6. Children ages 6 through 18 owe $4. Kids 5 and younger ride free.

Metrolink Angels Express service from Los Angeles and Orange counties begins April 2 to all weekday

home games that start at 7:07 p.m. During the season, Metrolink adds a Fridays-only Riverside County

round-trip to Anaheim – not part of its normal service – starting in Perris.

March 22, 2018 Page 4 of 43

The Angeles Express train will leave Anaheim within 30 minutes of the final out. In the event of extra

innings, the train will hold until 11:30 p.m. at the latest.

For more information about the Metrolink schedules, go to metrolinktrains.com.

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

‘Just Mike’ Trout is Angels’ leader by example

By Jeff Miller

He arrived for his postgame interview, one during which he would be asked to describe the sensation of

hitting a baseball 450-plus feet, looking like this:

No shoes. Floppy socks. One pant leg rolled above his calf and the other extending to the floor. The

lining in both back pockets flipped, looking like two tongues sticking out. Dirt stains everywhere,

including a smudge across his cheek.

Mike Trout was short just one snow cone.

"He's an 8-year-old, an 8-year-old having fun," teammate Andrelton Simmons said. "I honestly don't

know if he knows how good he is. He just goes out and does it."

With Trout entering the seventh season of a career that already might be worthy of baseball's Hall of

Fame, it's difficult to comprehend how talent so extraordinary can exist inside someone so ordinary.

Inside someone whose approach is so delightfully childlike that, when Major League Baseball celebrated

its players last season by allowing them to wear their nicknames on their jersey backs, Trout chose

"Kiiiiid."

"The regular-guy best player in the world," Angels third baseman Zack Cozart said. "You don't see that a

lot. He's not trying to trick anybody. He's not fake. He's just being him. That's refreshing to see from a

superstar."

In his first at-bat of the spring, teammate Luis Valbuena singled and flipped his bat, showing more

gratuitous flair after one pitch than Trout will display in total all season.

Trout has 2.49 million Twitter followers — almost three times that of the Angels official account — and

mostly what we know is that he's a big fan of the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles. His recent

dispatches have mostly been innocuous salutes to Tiger Woods.

Two years ago, in an ESPN story profiling Bryce Harper and celebrating everything from his raucous

swing to his riotous hair, Trout was characterized as "publicly charismatic as a plate of sand."

March 22, 2018 Page 5 of 43

That might have been a little generous.

"He would be a model for Bill Belichick and Nick Saban," Angels general manager Billy Eppler said. "He

does his job and he sticks to his job. And he does it better than anybody else."

Shortly after he was hired in October 2015, Eppler reached out to the Angels' two stars. He talked to

Albert Pujols for 40 minutes, discussing baseball, life, their mutual acquaintances.

Then Eppler called Trout, who was hunting at the time. The conversation was cordial but clipped,

awkward dead air dominating until, finally, Eppler surrendered after fewer than five minutes.

"Mike's just simple," Eppler said. "He's matter-of-fact."

Trout does baseball. He doesn't do nonsense.

That's why, in this story largely about his personality, Trout is barely quoted. See, he's fine talking

baseball. But he's not great talking about Mike Trout.

His old-school style — even while wearing bright Angels red — belongs in black-and-white, just like his

preferred buzz cut.

To accompany that feature on Harper, ESPN outfitted him in a tuxedo, which was a welcomed contrast

to the earlier "Body Issue," in which Harper was photographed wearing nothing but a tattoo.

When the same publication profiled Trout a few years back, he was shown on the cover in his baseball

uniform, complete with eye black.

He once was featured in GQ, a magazine that can't be any more fashion friendly. For that spread, one of

the photos had Trout posing with his pickup truck.

"He's a dude first," left fielder Justin Upton said. "That's all you can ask, for the big piece of your team to

be a part of your team at the same time."

Trout fits right in with the Angels, it mattering not one bit that he will be baseball's highest paid player

this season, a man making in excess of $34 million but with a minimum-wage ego.

There is something oddly perfect, too, about Trout sharing his uniform number with Vladimir Guerrero,

another Angels legend who was recently voted into the Hall of Fame. Not even the jersey on his back is

his alone.

A few weeks ago, representatives of the apparel company Majestic visited Tempe Diablo Stadium. They

were there to tailor each player's game uniform for the season.

After taking Trout's measurements and consulting with him on his preferences, a woman looked him in

the eyes and asked, "OK, what's your number?"

March 22, 2018 Page 6 of 43

"Twenty-seven," the six-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP said without a second

thought, clearly unfazed by the biting reality that the woman had no idea who he was.

"He's not the prototypical superstar who walks around with his shades on and acting the part most

people would act if they were in his shoes," Simmons said. "I'm not sure how he's so humble. That's a lot

of talent to deal with."

That talent this month produced a home run that cleared the batter's eye in center field, a distance so

great that the original dimensions of Tempe Diablo Stadium had to be consulted in an attempt to best

approximate the length of the prodigious blast.

Trout's thoughts on it?

"I got a good pitch," he deadpanned. "I just tried to put a good swing on it."

Hard to be more matter-of-fact than that.

Jahmai Jones just finished his first big-league spring training camp. At 20, he was the youngest player

with the Angels before recently being sent down to the minors.

He met Trout for the first time during the 2015 season, after signing and being introduced to the media

at Angel Stadium.

Trout, then the reigning American League MVP, approached Jones, extended his right hand and said,

"What's up, man, my name is Mike."

"That was it," Jones said. " … He's Mike. There's no, 'Oh, my god, it's Mike Trout!' He's just Mike."

Just Mike. That's all. Just Mike.

That's plenty.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Inbox: Could Shohei Ohtani start in the Minors?

Beat reporter Maria Guardado answers Angels fans’ questions

By Maria Guardado

Got any questions for an #Angels mailbag? Please send your queries here or to

maria.guardado@mlb.com. Thanks!

March 22, 2018 Page 7 of 43

@Ten27oh2

Do you think Mike Trout is going to put any emphasis on SBs this season? He could steal 50 if he really

wanted to.

Trout, who tends to set various goals for himself at the start of each spring, said last year that he wanted

to steal 40 bases over the 2017 campaign. He ended up stealing only 22, in part because he missed 39

games after tearing a thumb ligament while making a headfirst dive into second base on a stolen-base

attempt.

I don't think the injury will dissuade him from being active on the basepaths in 2018, as he now wears a

protective glove on his left hand when he gets on base, but he didn't make it an explicit goal again this

year and instead said he wants to improve his defense.

I still think Trout's speed will allow him to rack up quite a few stolen bases this season. He hasn't

approached 50 since 2012, when he stole 49 in his first full season with the Angels, but as you point out,

he's certainly capable of reaching the threshold.

@ChrisW1212

Do you think Ohtani will be sent to the minors if he continues to struggle the rest of spring training?

I think Shohei Ohtani will be on the Angels' Opening Day roster despite his rocky spring. While he's

currently sporting a 16.20 ERA over four starts on the mound and is 3-for-28 as a left-handed hitter, the

Angels have emphasized that their internal evaluations of Ohtani aren't being driven by those statistics.

To give you a sense of how the Angels brass views Spring Training numbers, general manager Billy Eppler

was asked the other day if he was concerned by the results that some of his relievers had produced in

Cactus League games. Eppler responded by claiming that he couldn't even name a single Spring Training

statistic off the top of his head.

"Spring Training stats?" Eppler said. "I can't talk about Spring Training stats. I don't even know what they

are."

In your opinion, if Ohtani does not end up performing well at the plate and is ultimatelty a pitcher only,

but a good one (say, sub 3 ERA, >150 IP, more Ks than BBs), do you think the Angels will have gotten

their money's worth?

Yes, and I think the Angels would be perfectly happy with that outcome. Had he waited two years to

come over to the Majors at 25, Ohtani might have commanded a $200 million price tag, but the Angels

got him at a fraction of that cost, giving him a $2.315 million signing bonus and sending a $20 million

posting fee to his former club, the Nippon-Ham Fighters.

March 22, 2018 Page 8 of 43

Even if Ohtani is ultimately forced to abandon his two-way endeavor and focus solely on pitching, he's

still an incredible bargain for a player of his talent.

Over/Under 125 IP for Parker Bridwell this season? I understand the criticisms (low K rate), but with the

elite defense do the Angels think he can be a regular?

I think I would take the under, just because the Angels have a lot more starting options now compared

to last year and will likely shuffle a lot of guys in and out of that final rotation spot.

Bridwell has a chance to crack the Angels' starting rotation now that Andrew Heaney is expected to miss

some time with left elbow inflammation, but I think he's more likely to shuttle between the Majors and

Triple-A Salt Lake if the bulk of the club's rotation can stay healthy and be effective this year.

Does Chris Carter start the season with the big leagues or in the minors? He has looked impressive so

far.

Carter has enjoyed a nice spring, batting .306 with a 1.005 OPS and three homers over 36 Cactus League

at-bats after signing a Minor League deal, but the Angels don't seem to have a spot for him right now,

as Luis Valbuena and Albert Pujols are projected to split most of the playing time at first base. Barring an

injury to Valbuena or Pujols over the next week, I think it's unlikely Carter will make the team.

What else does David Fletcher have to do to make the team?

Fletcher has made an impression after delivering his second consecutive strong spring and remains in

the mix for the final bench opening, but I think the Angels will probably prefer to have him start in the

Minors so he can play every day and continue to develop rather than be used sporadically as a reserve

infielder in the Majors. I think he'll be with the Angels at some point this season, though.

FROM MLB.COM

The latest on Ohtani’s roster status

By Chad Thornburg

It remains to be seen how the Angels will deploy Shohei Ohtani once the regular season begins, but a

report emerged Wednesday indicating the two-way Japanese star will start at designated hitter for the

club's Opening Day matchup against the A's and make his pitching debut two days later on March 31.

Angels general manager Billy Eppler denied the report.

"That is incorrect," he told MLB.com's Maria Guardado. "We have not laid out plans for anyone at this

time."

March 22, 2018 Page 9 of 43

The Angels have yet to commit to Ohtani, one of the offseason's most coveted free agents, making the

Opening Day roster. Though that remains to be the expectation, it seemed like a certainty heading into

Spring Training, but he's struggled thus far.

At the plate, he's batting .107 (3-for-28) in 12 Cactus League games. All three of his hits have been

singles. On the mound, Ohtani's performance has been marked by inconsistency. In his last outing,

Friday against the Rockies, he was expected to throw 75 pitches over four or five innings, but instead

was tagged for seven runs and needed 50 pitches to record four outs. Including Minor League starts,

Ohtani has given up 17 runs (15 earned) on 18 hits over 8 1/3 innings (16.20 ERA) in his four

appearances on the mound this spring.

"We're not going to get into roster decisions," Scioscia said before Ohtani's last outing. "I can only say

that Shohei's talent is real. Obviously we believe in it. We anticipate him being ready to both pitch and

hit when the season starts. And we're going to work hard to reach that goal from now until we start the

season. That's what we're going to focus on."

The Angels are off Wednesday, and Ohtani is scheduled for a bullpen session Thursday prior to his next

start Saturday. He won't bat in a game again until, at the earliest, Monday against the Dodgers at

Dodger Stadium.

These players will shape the AL West race in ‘18

By Will Leitch

If you can believe it, Opening Day is only one week away, and we've previewed each division every

Wednesday. Baseball is an individual sport masquerading as a team sport, so, thus, we previewed each

division by counting down the 20 most pivotal players in the division. These aren't necessarily the best

players. They're just the ones whose 2018 performance will be most vital to their teams' success this

season, and in seasons moving forward. To keep it fair, we can only pick four players from each team.

20. A.J. Puk, Oakland A's

Perhaps you're worried by the biceps tendinitis; arms are pretty important for pitchers! But until the A's

are worried -- and they're not -- you shouldn't worry either. The A's are in the Coming Attractions phase.

And there's no better Coming Attraction than Puk.

19. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners

All right, fine, so Ichiro isn't what he once was, and the arguments that he's here in large part because of

nostalgia have some validity. But, uh, am I crazy, or does he look like the Mariners' best bet in left field?

He had 438 at-bats in Miami in 2015 before falling to 215 last season. Sure looks like Ichiro will be closer

to the 438 number than then 215 one, no? He had a .354 OBP as recently as 2016; the Mariners would

take that in a heartbeat.

March 22, 2018 Page 10 of 43

18. Tim Lincecum, Texas Rangers

I have no idea how this will work out, and you don't either. Lincecum hasn't shown up in a Spring

Training game yet, and he won't be on the Opening Day roster. But he has always been a lightning bolt.

When Lincecum eventually pitches, it'll be the biggest story in baseball. And if he's good … this whole

Texas bullpen looks a lot different. All of baseball does, really.

17. Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers

The superstar-to-be fell off a cliff last year, not only hitting .204 with no plate discipline but staying

healthy enough to do that sort of damage over 162 games. Odor just turned 24, but if he doesn't learn

how to start taking pitches, he won't be able to stay in that lineup every day for long.

16. Jonathan Lucroy, Oakland A's

In 2014, Lucroy was one of the best players in baseball and finished fourth in National League Most

Valuable Player Award voting. Since then, he has played for four teams. Lucroy struggled last season but

was an All-Star in 2016 and is essentially the perfect opportunity for the A's to pounce on a cheap one-

year asset. If Oakland surprises this year, expect Lucroy to be a big reason why.

15. Ian Kinsler, Los Angeles Angels

Kinsler is quietly one of the best second basemen of the past 20 years, and now he's vital for a franchise

he once vowed that he'd never play for. More than anything, the Angels needed a steady leadoff man

who gets on base. He had the worst year of his career in 2017. A rebound is as important for the rest of

Kinsler's career as it is for the Halos.

14. Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners

Corey's brother just turned 30 and, did you know, is (according to bWAR) the Mariners' eighth-best

player in franchise history? (He just passed Jay Buhner!) Seager is signed through 2022 and, on a team

with a ton of questions, is the one guy Seattle can always count on. He has played at least 154 games a

year every season since 2012, he's always above average both at the plate and in the field, and he

always does it without anybody really noticing. Pretty soon we're going to start asking, "Hey, when are

the Mariners gonna get Kyle Seager a postseason game?" You know, like …

13. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

Hernandez will more than likely start his 10th straight Opening Day, but is he still King Felix? He hasn't

been that Felix since 2014, but the Mariners would take a league-average starter who at least gives

them 200 innings again. For what it's worth, his strikeout rate wasn't that much below his career rates

last year. But one step at a time.

12. Stephen Piscotty, Oakland A's

For all the (justified) feel-good talk about the Cardinals trading Piscotty to the A's so he could be closer

to his ailing mother, Oakland had to give up some legitimate talent to get him, and he's actually vital to

this lineup clicking. St. Louis invested in Piscotty and wanted to build around him. If last year was a result

of Piscotty struggling because of the off-the-field issues, and he's back in a comfort spot … the A's just

got themselves a top 10 right fielder for the next half-decade.

March 22, 2018 Page 11 of 43

11. George Springer, Houston Astros

You don't think of Springer as older than Jose Altuve, but he is, which is probably why he was behind

Altuve in the contract-extension game. Eventually one of those Core Four Astros will go somewhere

else, and the best bet, eventually, is probably Springer. But he's still got two to three more years to go

win another World Series MVP.

Halftime mascot break! AL West mascots, ranked.

1. Orbit

If we ever do encounter intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, we can only hope it turns out to be as

benevolent as Orbit. Though he does sometimes get shown up in his own stadium.

2. Mariner Moose

Never forget Lil' Penny's words of warning: That Moose could be a liability.

3. Stomper

The only real problem with Stomper is that it takes about an hour to explain to your non-baseball fans

why the A's mascot is an elephant.

4. Rangers Captain

He's a horse, and his name is awkward. I do like to pretend he's Bojack Horseman, though.

5. Rally Monkey

The Angels don't officially have a mascot, so we're including the Rally Monkey out of respect for the

2002 Angels, such as Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus and Scott Spiezio.

10. Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers

There's always that one person among your group of baseball fans who can't stop obsessing about

batting average. They're still stuck in Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs land: Forgive them. Gallo hit .209 last

year, but it was an awesome .209. 41 homers -- majestic, monstrous homers. He strikes out constantly,

but who cares when you can do that? And Gallo walks too: He nearly had as many walks (75) as he did

hits (94) in 2017. That's hard to do. Maybe he makes a little more contact in 2018 and becomes a full-on

Stanton-esque superstar. Or maybe Gallo will just stay who he is and hits 40-plus homers. He's delightful

either way.

9. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels

Pujols is a first-ballot Hall of Famer no matter what. But last year he made it actively more difficult for

the Angels to make the playoffs; he's a legitimate negative-WAR player right now, and he's smack in the

middle of the lineup of a team that's going for it all this year. If Pujols could just get to his 2016 slash line

of .268/.323/.457, the Halos would be still be overpaying him, but they'd nonetheless be ecstatic. But if

last year is the new normal … the Angels and Pujols at some point are going to have to sit down and

have a very serious conversation.

March 22, 2018 Page 12 of 43

8. Khris Davis, Oakland A's

Davis is basically Gallo, except he has better contact skills and can play the outfield if you need him to.

(Though Gallo might somehow have a better arm.) Davis is also remarkably consistent: He has

essentially put together the same stat line for three consecutive seasons. If Davis played in a different

ballpark, I bet he'd hit 50 homers. And best part: The other Chris Davis is now The Other Chris Davis.

Khris Davis, he is the captain now.

7. Cole Hamels, Texas Rangers

This is probably Hamels' last season with Texas, and for all the talk of his step backward last year, even

with injuries, he was still a perfectly solid starter in his 148 innings. The Rangers need more than that,

though, and if Hamels wants another big contract, he'll need to do better that. There is no path for the

Rangers to conceivably contend that doesn't involve Hamels pitching like an ace.

By the way, I'd like to apologize right now for not having Adrian Beltre on this list. Beltre is a treasure

and a gift, and he might even be glorious Trade Deadline bait this July. You cannot talk enough about

Beltre. He is truly the best.

6. Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

Verlander gets a full season with the Astros now, almost certainly the best team he's ever pitched for,

and now we get to start playing Hall of Fame games. He has two years to pitch for a team that probably

will win 100 games each season. Jay Jaffe has sketched out what Verlander needs to do. Can Verlander

get to 220 wins by the end of 2019? (That would require 32.) Can he get to 3,000 strikeouts? (He needs

584.) He'll have chances for big postseason moments. Here's your chance to make your best possible

case, Justin.

5. Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners

Speaking of which! Cano is already No. 8 on Jay Jaffe's JAWS rankings at second-base, and he'll pass

Bobby Grich this year; at that point, every second baseman with a higher JAWS number than Cano will

be in the Hall. More pressing, though, is Cano justifying that big Jay-Z contract, which still has six more

years to go. The Mariners want a playoff appearance more than any other team in the sport, and if Cano

never gets them one, no one in Seattle is going to care about his JAWS ranking.

4. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

The Angels won the big Ohtani lottery, and they're in this for the long haul, but … it would be nice if

Ohtani hadn't have been this terrible all spring, no? To remind:

Ohtani's hitting slash line this spring: .107/.219/.107. (He's 3-for-28, with three singles, three walks and

nine strikeouts.)

Ohtani's pitching line this spring: two starts, 2 2/3 innings pitched, nine runs, eight earned, 27.00 ERA.

There's still (obviously) a ton of talent there, but this sort of looks like a guy who could maybe use a few

weeks in the Minors? The Angels (obviously) won't do that … which means April could get a little rough.

March 22, 2018 Page 13 of 43

Ohtani is still their best starter and maybe one of their best hitters and (oh yeah) perhaps a budding

phenomenon. So if he wants to get started anytime soon, that'd be great.

3. Altuve, Houston Astros

Altuve has the AL MVP Award, he has the big contract, he has the spot as the face of the defending

champions and the best team in baseball. What's the next milestone? Can he hit .350? 30 homers?

Altuve was put here to make you love baseball more.

2. Carlos Correa, Houston Astros

Power. Speed. Defense. Charisma. Correa has it all, and he's only 23. You want to know what A-Rod

looked like when he was 23? He looked like Correa. When it all lands perfect for him with health, he

might own this game. It might happen this year.

1. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

This is the best team Trout has had in a few years. Last season, injury aside, was the best he has ever

been. Trout is the best player in the game, and he may set a new level of "best" in 2018. This list of his

possibilities is borderline astounding. Best. Best best best best. Now let's get Trout his first postseason

win already.

* * * * * * * * *

We finish this preview, as we will with all of them, with predictions. I apologize in advance because

these predictions are guaranteed to be correct and thus I'm a little worried I'm spoiling the season for

you.

Houston Astros: 103-59

Los Angeles Angels: 85-77

Oakland A's: 78-84

Seattle Mariners: 76-86

Texas Rangers: 70-92

The latest on all 30 closer situations**

Opening Day is a little more than a week away, and all eyes are on the remaining position battles in big

league camps. Among those battles are competitions for closer, a role that is still undefined for many

clubs.

Following is a look at where things stand for all 30 teams.

AL West

March 22, 2018 Page 14 of 43

Angels

The Angels have been noncommittal about using a designated closer this season and seem more likely

to use a committee that will include Blake Parker, Cam Bedrosian and Jim Johnson. The Angels were

fluid with their bullpen roles in 2017, and that structure will likely carry over to this season.

Next man up: Any one of those three could fill in.

Astros

Ken Giles, who saved 34 of 38 games in the regular season and struck out 83 batters in 62 2/3 innings,

enters the season as the closer despite his World Series woes. In seven playoff appearances last year,

Giles gave up 10 runs and 12 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Next man up: Chris Devenski might get the first shot, although newly added Joe Smith or Hector

Rondon could be options.

Athletics

The A's gave up two of their former closers -- Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson -- in a deal for Blake

Treinen last summer, also landing prospects Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse from Washington.

Treinen quickly became their new closer, picking up 13 saves with a 2.13 ERA in 35 appearances.

Next man up: It could be either Chris Hatcher or Liam Hendriks.

Mariners

Edwin Diaz is one of the youngest closers, as he turns 24 on Thursday, but the hard-throwing right-

hander from Puerto Rico already has racked up 52 saves in his first year and a half in that role, with 177

strikeouts in 117 2/3 innings. He tied for fourth in the AL with 34 saves in 39 opportunities last season.

Next man up: Juan Nicasio had an impressive 2017 season in the NL and might be the first to get looks.

Rangers

Alex Claudio finished last season as the Rangers' closer and has pitched well this spring, but the Rangers

love his versatility and ability to pitch multiple innings in any situation. Tim Lincecum could become the

closer once he gets some innings in the bank. The Rangers have not pursued Greg Holland, but he

remains unsigned.

Next man up: Lincecum would be interesting, but Matt Bush or Keone Kela might get the first crack if

Lincecum hasn't proven himself ready.

**Cut to only include Angels-related material.

Best prospects bets to make Opening Day rosters**

March 22, 2018 Page 15 of 43

By Jonathan Mayo and Matt Kelly

Over the course of the Grapefruit and Cactus League schedules, countless prospects get the chance to

show what they can do on a larger stage. At the very least, they can make a positive impression on the

big league staff. At most, they can nab a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Some of the best prospects in the game have been recently sent down. There is no doubt Braves

phenom Ronald Acuna, MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, will be in Atlanta sooner rather than later,

with his reassignment more about service time than anything else. No. 6 prospect Victor Robles was also

just optioned, though he struggled while Acuna soared this spring, and his move to Minor League camp

had more to do with a lack of an outfield opening with the Nationals. Keep in mind that both are just 20

years old.

The top two active pitching prospects, No. 10 Michael Kopech of the White Sox and No. 12 Walker

Buehler of the Dodgers, will also begin the year in the Minors. Kopech wasn't ever considered a

candidate to break camp with Chicago and Buehler needs time to get stretched out after getting just

four innings of work.

Of course, it's not how you start, but how you finish. Last year's American League Rookie of the

Year Aaron Judge may have made the Yankees out of Spring Training, but the NL winner, Cody Bellinger,

did not.

Here's a look at baseball's top prospects who are vying to win Opening Day roster spots, and whether

they're locks, contenders or long shots.

LOCKS

Top 100

Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH (LAA No. 1, MLB No. 1) -- Yes, he's struggled. Could some time in the Minors be

beneficial? Perhaps. But he wasn't brought in to be a Minor Leaguer. It would be a shock if he didn't

start the year on the 25-man roster.

CONTENDERS

Non-Top 100

Luke Bard, RHP (LAA No. 21) -- The Rule 5 pick's attempt to win a bullpen spot might not seem to be

going well, given his 6.10 ERA, but if you take out one outing that saw him yield five runs in one-third of

an inning, it goes down to 1.74 in his other eight outings.

David Fletcher, SS/2B (LAA No. 23) -- The Angels' sixth-round pick out of Loyola Marymount in 2015,

Fletcher has had a terrific spring (.333/.388/.444 in 45 ABs) while playing short and second in an effort

to land a utility role.

March 22, 2018 Page 16 of 43

**Cut to only include Angels-related material.

FROM ESPN.COM

Fun-fact faceoff: Why 2018 could be monumental for Mike Trout

By Sam Miller and David Schoenfield

The 2017 season was a down year for the Mike Trout fun-fact industry. He played incredibly -- through

late May, he was probably having his best season -- but a fluke thumb injury came along and spoiled his

stat-page perfection. Not only did he not challenge 50 homers or a 40/40 season (both seemed within

reach before he missed six weeks), but for the first time, he didn't lead his league in WAR, he didn't

score or drive in 100 runs, he didn't finish in the top two MVP spots. A fourth-place finish has never

been such a letdown.

But we're bullish on this year's fun-fact potential. With just a typical-for-him season, he'll pass all-time

greats on some career leaderboards, accomplish things no other player has by age 26 and separate

himself even more historically from his contemporaries. And so, in anticipation of the amazing fun facts

that await us, Sam Miller challenged David Schoenfield to a fun-fact faceoff. The rules are simple: If

Trout has a Trout-like season this year, which fun facts will he be chasing? We're going three rounds,

and Schoenfield acts first.

Round 1

David Schoenfield: We know Trout is obviously one of the best young players of all time. He already

ranks fourth among position players in career WAR through their age-26 season, tied with Alex

Rodriguez and trailing only Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle and Rogers Hornsby. Here's the catch: Trout is just

now entering his age-26 season. From 2012 to 2017, he averaged 9.1 WAR per season -- a figure that

includes his injury-shortened 2017 campaign -- and if he reaches that 9.1 figure again in 2018, he'll pass

Cobb, 64.3 to 63.2.

But that's not my first Mike Trout fun fact! That one has been widely noted. I was curious to find out

where, if Trout has another typical Trout season, his seven-year run would rank regardless of age. If he

has another 9.1 WAR season, here's what that list looks like (position players only):

Babe Ruth, 1921-1927: 72.4

Willie Mays, 1960-1966: 70.5

Ted Williams, 1940-1949: 65.9 (includes missed seasons during World War II)

March 22, 2018 Page 17 of 43

Honus Wagner, 1903 to 1909: 64.9

Rogers Hornsby, 1921 to 1927: 64.4

Mickey Mantle, 1955 to 1961: 64.1

Mike Trout, 2012 to 2018: 63.6

Barry Bonds, 1998 to 2004: 63.0

So the only players above Trout would be Mays, Mantle and four players who accumulated all or, in the

case of Williams, almost all of their value before the color barrier was broken. The only other players

with 60 WAR over seven seasons are Eddie Collins, Cobb, Lou Gehrig and Albert Pujols.

Amazingly, you could actually break Mays' career into two non-overlapping runs of 60 WAR. From 1954

to 1960, he compiled 63.0 WAR. From 1961 to 1967, 65.4 WAR. So I guess that's a Willie Mays fun fact!

Sam Miller: I'm glad you started with this one. There are two different ways to process Trout's greatness

over this first part of his career. One is to say, "Given what he's already done, he's well on his way to

someday _________." You can fill in that blank with lots of things: He's well on his way to someday

reaching the top 10 in career WAR, or to someday reaching 3,500 hits, or perhaps even to someday

challenging the all-time home run record. In other words, he has been amazing, but there's still a lot of

work to be done to have a truly historically significant career.

I look forward to those pursuits. But I think even if, at the age of 27, his career suddenly veers into

oblivion, it shouldn't cheapen what he already has done -- because, as you show, what he already has

done is one of the greatest peaks in history. One of the 10 greatest -- probably one of the six greatest --

and considering he has done it in his first six (soon to be seven) seasons, it's even more impressive. A kid

born in 1960 turned 40 before he ever got to see anybody play baseball as well as Mike Trout does. (And

even that was ambiguous because it was Barry Bonds.) These six years have been truly historically

significant, no matter what happens after them. Don't forget that.

Now, though, for a second, let's assume the worst happens after them. Let's assume Trout plays this

season and reaches his (relatively conservative) ZiPS projection: 650 plate appearances, 39 homers,

.290/.421/.590, around 8.0 WAR. And then, after that, for mysterious reasons, he turns into Tony

Womack.

You remember Womack. His rookie season came when he was 27, the age Trout will be in 2019. He stole

a bunch of bases, played a ton of games but was otherwise barely there. In fact, since 1981, nobody has

had more plate appearances from age 27 on while producing five or fewer wins above replacement.

Womack batted more than 5,000 times from 27 on, and the whole time, he was basically as good as the

minor league free agent you stash in Triple-A. He hit 36 homers. He slugged .357. He was worth 2.0

WAR. He finally ran out of jobs at age 36.

March 22, 2018 Page 18 of 43

If Mike Trout, at age 27, became Tony Womack -- let's even say without the steals! -- and spent his final

decade of play as one of the league's worst every-day hitters, he'd end up with these final career stats:

.287/.360/.452, 2,544 runs + RBIs, 1,064 BBs + HBPs, 792 extra-base hits, 65.2 WAR

Trout could spend more than half his career as Tony Womack, be forced into retirement at 36, and his

most comparable player would still be a Hall of Famer!

Ron Santo: .277/.362/.464, 2,469 runs + RBIs, 1,146 BBs + HBPs, 774 extra-base hits, 70.4 WAR.

Round 2

Schoenfield: Ah, Tony Womack, a good reminder of something Mike Trout has never done (and

Womack has): played in a World Series. He even delivered that crucial broken-bat double off Mariano

Rivera in the ninth inning of Game 7 that tied the score. Some pundits will argue Trout can't be

compared to the all-time greats until he performs in the postseason (he went 1-for-12 in his lone

appearance in 2012), but it's not fair to criticize Trout simply because he hasn't had teammates as good

as Tony Womack's in 2001. Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Rod Carew and Ernie Banks never played in a

World Series and that hasn't diminished their legacies.

The teammates idea brings me to this: The career record Trout is most likely to break is Rickey

Henderson's mark for runs scored. Runs are important, so that's a good record! Henderson scored 2,295

runs. Trout is at 692. Henderson was at 586 at the same age but had monster totals of 146 and 130 the

next two seasons and would top 100 runs seven more times after that. Trout has averaged 112 runs per

season over his first six seasons; if he averages that through age 35, he's at 1,812 runs, putting him

within shouting distance of Henderson.

Here's the thing, however: If Trout had better teammates, he'd have a lot more runs. You score runs by

four primary factors: how often you get on base, how often you drive yourself in with a home run, your

ability to run the bases and the quality of hitters following you in the lineup. Trout excels at the first

three, but the past three seasons, the Angels have ranked 11th, 10th and 12th in the AL in runs.

Here's a little study. I looked at the percentage of runs scored per time on base (hit, walk, HBP, reached

on error) for Trout, Henderson, Alex Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell in their careers:

Rodriguez: 42.5 percent

Henderson: 41.7 percent

Trout: 40.3 percent

Bagwell: 38.4 percent

If Trout had scored runs at the same rate as A-Rod, he'd have 729 runs instead of 692. But remember,

that's A-Rod's career rate, which includes old, slow and bad-hip A-Rod. He had much higher rates earlier

in his career. Henderson has the stolen bases, of course, but Trout has the higher career OBP and more

power than Henderson.

March 22, 2018 Page 19 of 43

I included Bagwell because he's the only player since 1950 to score 150 runs in a season -- 152 in 2000.

That year, he scored 48.7 percent of the time he got on base. That's pretty good. Charlie Blackmon led

the majors with 137 runs in 2017 and scored 46.1 percent of the time. With RBI machine Don Mattingly

behind him, Rickey scored 52 percent of the time in 1985.

Trout has had just one season in his career with a figure approaching those rates. In his rookie season of

2012, he scored 129 runs in 139 games, scoring 49.2 percent of the time he got on. That was Albert

Pujols' first -- and best -- season with the Angels, and Torii Hunter had a big year, hitting .312 and driving

in Trout 26 times. But look at his other seasons:

2012: 49.2

2013: 34.1

2014: 42.1

2015: 37.1

2016: 39.7

2017: 40.2

So that's my second Mike Trout fun fact: Even though he has never had a Mattingly or Ken Griffey Jr.

or Nolan Arenado to help him out, he might still break Henderson's record. And maybe a 150-run season

is possible (go Justin Upton!).

Miller: Oh, that's a good one. I think a lot about which record Trout is most likely to break -- if any, since

his signature skill is well-roundedness. Through age 25, he's somewhere between fourth and 10th on a

bunch of through-that-age leaderboards -- walks and extra-base hits (fourth in each), homers and times

on base (fifth in each), total bases (seventh) and runs (ninth), but he's usually ahead of the eventual

record-holder's pace. Runs is a great bet. It'll probably be runs.

I'm going simple with my second attempt. I'm never not amazed at how fast Trout is climbing certain

career leaderboards -- not through-that-age leaderboards, but full-on career leaders. At first, he was just

passing various Angels in franchise record books, but now he's doing despicable things to actual legends'

places in history. So, if he has a typical-for-him (I'll agree with you on 9.1 WAR) season this year, he will

pass the following Hall of Famers in career WAR:

Joe Medwick, Luis Aparicio, Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon, Hank Greenberg, Willie Stargell, Mike Piazza, Yogi

Berra, Zack Wheat, Harmon Killebrew, Jake Beckley, Jackie Robinson, Home Run Baker, Jesse Burkett,

Lou Boudreau, Sliding Billy Hamilton, Richie Ashburn, Billy Williams and Dave Winfield; and pitchers Red

Ruffing, Eppa Rixey, Jim Bunning, Joe McGinnity, Hal Newhouser, Rube Waddell, Don Drysdale, Juan

Marichal, Dazzy Vance, Dennis Eckersley, Ed Walsh and Mickey Welch.

He'll pass Ichiro Suzuki this year, and Sammy Sosa and Gary Sheffield and Todd Helton and Mark

McGwire and Bobby Abreu. A 9.2 WAR season ties him with Willie McCovey, and 9.3 ties him with Andre

Dawson. (Keep in mind, he's already ahead of a bunch of Hall of Famers, such as George Sisler and Tony

Perez and Ralph Kiner and Orlando Cepeda.) He'll turn 27 in August!

March 22, 2018 Page 20 of 43

In win probability added -- an offense-only counting stat that includes clutchness -- he'll pass Adrian

Gonzalez, Carlos Beltran and Wade Boggs this year. (He'll be fourth among all active players! He's 26!) If

he wins the MVP award, he'll pass Alex Rodriguez and move into 10th place all time in MVP shares. (If he

finishes only second, he'll pass Mike Schmidt and Frank Robinson and Thomas to move into 11th.) If he

wins the award, he'll have more MVP shares than Derek Jeter and Henderson combined, more than

David Ortiz and Cal Ripken Jr. combined. He already has more black ink -- meaning, statistical categories

that he led the league in -- than Bagwell, Griffey, Ortiz or Thomas, and with a typical year this year, he'll

pass Sosa and Duke Snider. He'll pass Mattingly in career home runs this year. These are things he won't

even need a Tony Womack career to accomplish. He'll have done an awful lot of things.

Round 3

Schoenfield: Have we accurately expressed Trout's dominance yet? I hope we have. But if you're still

hesitant about comparing him to Mays or Mantle or Bonds or Ruth because you believe players of

yesterday were of unmatched brilliance, here's another variation: Trout's dominance over his peers puts

him on another level of greatness.

Using a seven-year period for cumulative WAR and that same 2018 projection for Trout, his WAR from

2012 to 2018 comes in at 63.6. The No. 2 position player in that period will likely be Josh Donaldson at

an estimated 44.4 WAR (assuming 6.5 WAR for 2018). There are 18 other players who have accumulated

55 or more WAR over seven seasons. Leaving aside Ted Williams (whose stretch was interrupted by

World War II) and using each player's best seven-year stretch, here are the gaps of at least 10 WAR

between the top players:

NO. 1 YEARS WAR NO. 2 WAR SPREAD

Mike Trout 2012-18 63.6 Josh Donaldson 44.4 19.2

Honus Wagner 1903-09 64.9 Nap Lajoie 51.6 13.3

Willie Mays 1960-66 70.5 Hank Aaron 57.4 13.1

Joe Morgan 1971-77 59.1 Rod Carew 46.6 12.5

Albert Pujols 2003-09 61.6 Alex Rodriguez 50.1 11.5

Mike Schmidt 1974-80 57.1 George Brett 45.7 11.4

Ruth was an unmatched force, but Rogers Hornsby was doing similar things at the same time. Gehrig

was great, but he had Ruth in the same lineup. Cobb and Eddie Collins had the same dominant stretch

from 1909 to 1915, with Tris Speaker right on their heels. Stan Musial was great, but Jackie Robinson

wasn't far behind. Mantle had Mays. Young Bonds had Griffey, and old Bonds had A-Rod. In other

words, those players all had a legitimate rival for "best player in the game."

Trout? He towers over everyone. He has no rival. Maybe you think this is some quirk of history. It could

be, although I don't believe that's the case. If anything, the game is deeper with better and more

March 22, 2018 Page 21 of 43

talented athletes than ever before and Trout still manages to crush his peers with his all-around

brilliance. Here's another way to look at it: If you take the top seven players in WAR in 2017 -- Jose

Altuve, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Joey Votto, Nolan Arenado, Andrelton Simmons and Jose

Ramirez -- their combined WAR adds up 52.7. Trout could miss the entire 2018 season and his seven-

year total would still be higher than that group's combined total.

Miller: Well, speaking of "towering over his peers" ...

My last one is a little complicated, and I'm not sure I'll land it. But here goes: If Mike Trout has a typical

Mike Trout year this year, there's a pretty good chance he'll be more valuable than all the players

drafted ahead of him combined are this season. Even more incredibly, he still has a shot at being more

valuable in his career than all of them combined.

Here's how I figure. There were 23 players picked before him. (Plus his former teammate Randal

Grichuk, but you shouldn't count Randal Grichuk.) So far, the 23 of them are winning the race. Trout has

55.2 career WAR; the 23 players deemed better than him have 97.4 WAR.

But baseball is a game of attrition. While Trout is arguably reaching his prime, a lot of his draft class has

already gotten hurt, peaked and descended, or even retired. Few of those 23 players are still adding

significant value.

In fact, only seven had positive WARs in the majors last year. Four others appeared in the majors with

negative WARs. (Nine are retired or pitching in independent leagues, and the final three are bouncing

around as minor league veterans.) The 11 who appeared in the majors project this year to be worth ...

10 WAR. Just enough to edge a typical Mike Trout year. But not enough to edge an excellent Mike Trout

year, and heavily dependent on the health of Stephen Strasburg.

Whether the 23 will hold off Trout for the long term likewise depends on Strasburg and A.J. Pollock. My

guess is Trout will end up around 140 career WAR -- behind Hank Aaron but ahead of Tris Speaker, sixth

all time among position players. If he does, the 23 need to add another 43 WAR. Right now, with

Strasburg healthy and dominating, that looks like an easy ask. But pitchers are fragile and their peaks

sometimes fleeting. Strasburg's most similar pitchers through age 28 include those who were stars well

into their late 30s (Roy Halladay, David Cone) and those who added almost nothing after 28 (Tim

Lincecum, Matt Morris). The median outcome of his comps is around 15 additional WAR.

I don't think Trout will catch the 23. Even if Strasburg or Pollock doesn't significantly expand the lead,

one of Mike Leake, Shelby Miller, Mike Minor or Kyle Gibson will have an unexpectedly long and

effective career tail. There are too many players still active for Trout to dodge them all. But even by

Trout's age-26 season, almost half of his draft peers have gone dark. It's extremely likely he'll eventually

outlast the rest -- that after his final rival has retired, he'll still be putting up three, six, maybe even nine

wins a season.

Fun fact: He's really good.

March 22, 2018 Page 22 of 43

FROM MiLB.COM

Farm system rankings: Overall (15-1)**

Braves, Padres, White Sox duke it out for top spot in 2018 ranks

By Sam Dykstra

With Spring Training winding down and the 2018 season almost upon us, MiLB.com has looked at the

state of all 30 farm systems and ranked them, according to certain changing criterion with each edition.

After looking at position player prospects (30-21, 20-11, 10-1), pitching prospects (30-21, 20-11, 10-1)

and 21-and-under talent, this edition focuses on the overall talent in each system. Overall rankings 30-

16 can be found at that link. Here are the overall rankings, 15-1:

9. Los Angeles Angels

Position players: 10th Pitchers: 9th

Look, the organization that signed No. 1 overall prospect Shohei Ohtani was going to get a big boost in

the rankings no matter what, and 12 months ago, no farm system needed a bigger boost than the

Halos'. But to say this is driven only by the right-hander/designated hitter would be disingenuous. The

Angels are particularly close in the outfield, with 2017 No. 10 overall pick Jo Adell (No. 62) and Jahmai

Jones (No. 93) representing them in MLB.com's top 100, and Brandon Marsh not far behind after

showing off multiple tools at Rookie-level Orem. Michael Hermosillo, a 2013 28th-round pick, also has

made himself into a Major League option, thanks to his plus speed. There's a decent stable of arms with

right-handers Chris Rodriguez, Jaime Barria and Griffin Canning working on sticking as starters.

Also, Kevin Maitan's stock may be down some, but after becoming a free agent because of the Braves'

international signings scandal, MLB.com's No. 87 prospect brings big upside to his second system. It's

time to stop thinking about the Angels farm as barren and it's time to buy stock in it because even after

Ohtani graduates, lots of talent will remain.

**Cut to only include Angels-related material.

FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Report: Shohei Ohtani Will Make Angels’ Opening Day Roster

By Charlottle Carroll

March 22, 2018 Page 23 of 43

Shohei Ohtani will make the Angels' Opening Day 25-man roster despite his shaky spring, reports USA

Today Sports' Bob Nightengale.

Opening Day is March 29, and the Angels play the Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum.

Ohtani is tentatively scheduled to pitch the third game of the season, March 31. He is also scheduled to

be on the opening day lineup as the team's starting DH, according to Nightengale.

The 23-year-old has allowed 15 earned runs and 18 hits in 8 1/3 innings this spring. He's also struggled at

the plate, hitting only three singles in 28 at-bats.

Ohtani is entering his first Major League season surrounded by tons of hype after signing with the

Angels in December.

FROM BLEACHER REPORT

Bold Predictions for the 2018 MLB Season**

By Zachary D. Rymer

If Major League Baseball's 100-plus years of history tell us anything, it's that anything can happen

throughout the course of a season.

So, what the heck? Might as well get bold with some predictions for what will happen in 2018.

Ahead are 15 predictions—10 for individual players and five for teams. Some of them are bolder than

others, but all have one thing in common: They're probably more likely not to come true than they are

to come true...and yet, they're all within the realm of possibility.

At any rate, it's on with the show.

Mike Trout's Next Trick: Leading MLB in Homers

If Stanton and Judge do indeed take a step back in the dinger department, it will be that much easier for

Mike Trout to add something new to his nigh endless list of accomplishments.

MLB home run champion.

This might seem like a stretch given that the Los Angeles Angels superstar peaked at 41 homers in 2015.

But hitting for power is arguably the best of Trout's many talents, and it hasn't yet achieved its full

potential.

March 22, 2018 Page 24 of 43

If Trout hadn't missed roughly six weeks with a thumb injury last season, he could have ridden a career-

best power output to a new career high in home runs. He went yard in 6.5 percent of his plate

appearances. For perspective, 43-homer slugger Khris Davis was at 6.6 percent.

Knowing that last year's injury was an anomaly on an otherwise squeaky-clean injury track record, it's

hard to name reasons why Trout can't pick up where he left off. He has elite raw power as well as

a flawless approach and a knack for getting the ball in the air.

Something like 45 or 50 homers is doable. That should be enough to top all other sluggers. It should also

help Trout earn his third American League MVP...but that's hardly a bold prediction at this point.

Shohei Ohtani Will Get Sent to the Minor Leagues

Alas, 2018 won't be so kind to the Angels' other ubertalented player.

Everything that was said about Shohei Ohtani during his winter courtship with MLB teams made him

sound like an impossible talent. Triple-digit heater? Check. Powerful bat? Another check. Fast legs? Still

another check.

Nowadays, it sure seems like "impossible" is the operative word.

Ohtani has had a terrible spring training on the mound and at the plate, giving up 17 runs in four

appearances (counting two unofficial side games) and going just 3-for-28.

Obviously, spring training isn't the most telling proving ground. It's also only fair to note that Ohtani's

electric stuff and solid plate discipline are two reasons for optimism.

However, he's also struggled with his fastball command and with hitting breaking balls. This drives home

the reality that the 23-year-old isn't a finished product like, say, Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Yu Darvish

and Masahiro Tanaka were when they came over from Japan.

Since the Angels are looking to contend in 2018, they can't afford to wait for Ohtani to iron out his kinks

in the majors. He'll need some time in the minors and likely sooner rather than later.

**Article edited to include only Angels-related material.

Report: Shohei Ohtani Will Be on Angels’ Opening Day Roster Despite Shaky

Spring

By Adam Wells

March 22, 2018 Page 25 of 43

Despite a rough spring, Shohei Ohtani will reportedly be on the Los Angeles Angels' 25-man roster when

they open the regular season on March 29.

Two high-ranking Angels executives told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that Ohtani is currently scheduled

to be the team's designated hitter in the season opener against the Oakland Athletics and that he will

take the mound for his first start in the third game of the season.

Per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Angels general manager Billy Eppler said last week

Ohtani wasn't guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster.

"It's too early to make a judgment right now," he said. "I know there's an inherent human desire to want

to know. We're intellectually curious. But often times, you have to allow things to develop a little bit

before getting to that point of trying to figure something out."

Ohtani is entering his first MLB season with more hype than any prospect since Bryce Harper was called

up by the Washington Nationals in 2012.

The Japanese star, who signed with the Angels in December, is ranked as the top overall prospect in

2018 by MLB.com. With 15 earned runs allowed in 8.1 innings pitched and a .107 batting average (3-for-

28), he's struggled on both sides of the ball this spring.

Ohtani's next scheduled start this spring will come on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Controversial Roster Decisions MLB Teams Need to Make**

By Zachary D. Rymer

Opening Day of the 2018 Major League Baseball season is close. So close, in fact, that teams really don't

have many roster decisions left to make.

Some of them, however, are tough calls that are going to be controversial either way.

That's where we have some thoughts. Ahead is a look at seven roster conundrums that offer plenty of

room for debate. Our goal is to come down on one side of the debate and explain why it's the right

move for each of the teams in question.

Let's get to it.

Los Angeles Angels: Send Shohei Ohtani to the Minor Leagues

Right now, the Los Angeles Angels' plan for Shohei Ohtani appears to be the same as it's always been:

start him in the majors and wait for him to become MLB's first two-way star since Babe Ruth.

March 22, 2018 Page 26 of 43

Citing two Angels executives, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Wednesday: "Ohtani will be on

the Angels’ opening-day roster."

Here's a better idea: Send him to the minor leagues. At least for the start of the season.

The 23-year-old's spring training numbers resemble neither the 2.52 ERA nor the .859 OPS he authored

in five seasons of Nippon Professional Baseball. He's allowed 17 runs in four pitching appearances, only

two of which were official Cactus League games. At the plate, he's 3-for-28 with nine strikeouts.

To be fair, it is possible to downplay Ohtani's struggles. And yet, it's also impossible to ignore the signs

that he's not ready to be a major league star.

On the mound, he needs to work on finding a consistent release point, mainly for the sake of improving

his fastball command. At the plate, he needs more exposure to good breaking stuff. As one scout

told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports: "He's basically like a high school hitter because he's never seen a good

curveball."

While the Angels could let Ohtani figure things out in the majors, two things should preclude them from

doing so: the fact that they're trying to contend and the reality that they have enough depth to live

without him until he's ready.

If time in the minors provides him with the proper experience and, by extension, a confidence boost,

they'll be glad they sent him there.

**Article edited to include only Angels-related material.

FROM USA TODAY

Shohei Ohtani, Angels undaunted by rocky spring: ‘He’s going to wow us,’ says

Mike Trout

By Bob Nightengale

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. - The dozens of reporters who stake out the Los Angeles Angels’ parking lot each

morning, awaiting Shohei Ohtani’s arrival, staring at him while he dresses, dissecting every movement

on the field, and asking him to evaluate his performance each game, aren’t around this evening.

It’s a promotional event, set up by an autograph trading card company, Panini America, which holds his

rights in that space. If you want to talk to Ohtani, provided a rare one-on-one interview, you have 15

minutes to get your questions in while sitting in a private room in the back of a swanky resort.

Now, granted a limited peek, you find out he has no hobby except for those occasional golf outings with

teammate Blake Wood, where on a good day, he may shoot 100. He loved meeting teammates Mike

March 22, 2018 Page 27 of 43

Trout and Albert Pujols, but his lifelong idol is Ichiro Suzuki. He would treasure the experience of facing

him, and even bat against him, if Suzuki is serious about taking the mound.

The worst moment of camp was when Trout, pitcher Andrew Heaney and himself lost to his own

interpreter, trainer and staff member in a 3-on-3 pickup basketball game. His favorite evening? A night

golfing event set up by Trout. He couldn’t understand why most of the Angels’ morning meetings

resembled a stand-up comedy show led by manager Mike Scioscia, and now he gets the humor, finds

them hysterically funny.

That’s it. Nothing deep. He doesn’t share why he picked the Angels over his other six finalists. He won’t

detail his decision to forgo a potential $200 million package by waiting two more years in Japan instead

of playing for the minimum $545,000 this season. And forget any idea he’ll disclose anything about his

personal life, or even if he plans to get a driver’s license after never bothering with one in Japan.

Ohtani arrived seven weeks ago as baseball’s greatest mystery, a 23-year-old Japanese player trying to

become the first player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to be a starting pitcher and an everyday player.

He’ll leave spring training camp this weekend shrouded in the same mystery, with rival teams and

scouts doubting whether he can even handle either one, predicting that his spring training struggles will

leave him in the minors to open the season.

Ohtani does not speak English and barely understands a few words, but as he listens to the scathing

criticism, he breaks into a grin, nods his head, and in Japanese would love to shout out to the world:

Mattari Suru Hito.

Loose translation: “Chill out, people.’’

Well, we’ve got a secret for you:

Ohtani isn’t going anywhere.

Ohtani will be on the Angels’ opening-day roster, two high-ranking Angels executives told USA TODAY

Sports on the condition of anonymity since no roster decisions need to be revealed until March 29. He’s

tentatively scheduled to pitch their third game of the season, March 31, against the Athletics at Oakland

Coliseum. He also is scheduled to be in their opening-day lineup as their starting DH.

Ohtani’s roster spot will come in spite of his unsightly 16.20 ERA in two spring-training games, an

exhibition against the Tijuana Toros and one minor-league game - yielding 15 earned runs and 18 hits in

8 1/3 innings. He has been worse at the plate, hitting .111 with three singles in 28 at-bats, snapping a 0-

for-14 skid on Tuesday with a single to left field.

His struggles have been the talk of all of baseball, with many of those same teams who coveted him now

wondering if he can even make it.

March 22, 2018 Page 28 of 43

It’s enough to make his agent scream, Ohtani to shrug and roll his eyes, and the Angels to vigorously

defend him.

“He understands,’’ Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter, tells USA TODAY Sports. “He realizes how much

attention he’s getting. That’s why they’re looking at the spring training stats.

“But it doesn’t bother him. He’s going to keep doing the same thing.

“Really, it is not bothering him.’’

Unless Ohtani is the best actor since Leonardo DiCaprio, the Angels are convinced he is unfazed. He

looks the same on the mound whether he’s striking out D.J. LeMahieu on a 98-mph fastball or watching

Nolan Arrenado homer over the left-field fence.

Even at the plate, where he puts on a daily show in batting practice with the most power on the team,

he hasn’t broken a bat in frustration, let alone cursed in anger at any of his nine strikeouts.

“He’s not panicking, not at all,’’ Angels GM Billy Eppler says. “From a GM or a manager standpoint, that’s

comforting.

“When your players are calm, you’re calm, too.’’

Says Angels hitting coach Eric Hinske: “I know the results aren’t there, and his timing is off, but the kid is

super positive. He hasn’t lost any of that swag. Once the lights turn, and the third deck shows up, he

should show what he’s all about.’’

Pitching coach Charles Nagy says: “He’s healthy, the ball is coming out of his hand just fine, and he

hasn’t missed a turn. Look, I never had the best spring training either. I had my ass handed to me a lot.

But I knew I’d be ready when the season starts, just like Shohei will.’’

Still, the Angels aren’t going to lie to you, there is concern. They see the long, slow swing with his hands

high in the air, power pitchers who are dominating him, and those unsettling him with inside fastballs.

They see the inconsistency of his breaking pitches while on the mound, noticing that when he gets into

trouble, he tends to throw softer than harder as if he questions his arsenal.

As they remind themselves each morning in their staff meetings, it is only spring training. It’s the same

spring training where 17 years ago Ichiro Suzuki was a struggling rookie hearing the same scouting

criticism, and Seattle Mariners manager Lou Piniella questioning whether he would ever hit. The same

spring training where the Milwaukee Brewers wondered if they should release Nori Aoki. The same

spring where the Los Angeles Dodgers doubted whether Hideo Nomo could be successful at the big-

league level.

March 22, 2018 Page 29 of 43

Now, here we are again, playing meaningless exhibition games, and rival scouts are questioning Ohtani’s

ability, wondering whether the Babe Ruth of Japan will become the Ryan Leaf of baseball, an all-time

flop.

“There are always going to be doubters,’’ says agent Nez Balelo of Creative Artists Agency. “The head

scratcher for me is the organizations and scouts that are doubting him now, that didn’t get him, are the

same teams and scouts four months ago telling me he is the next chosen one."

The Angels still believe, saying they will back their own words with actions. Ohtani, 6-foot-4, 204

pounds, is remaining in the starting rotation, and will pitch once every six or seven days. He will

available to be their starting DH three times a week, skipping the days before and after he pitches.

And there is zero talk of telling Ohtani the workload will be too much, forcing him to strictly focus on

pitching and give up hitting.

“You don’t recruit the No. 1 quarterback in the United States to go play at the University of Alabama,’’

says Eppler, “and then have him show up and say, “Yeah, you’re working with the defense now.’ You just

don’t do that.

“We’ve seen the ability. We’ve seen the track record. We believe that the NTP is the closest of all

leagues to Major League Baseball as you can get, and he dominated that league.

“Just like with any player, you give them the opportunity before addressing something.’’

While it has been easy to chastise Ohtani’s performance this spring, many of the scouts who evaluated

him in Japan believe he’ll be a star. Sure, maybe he’ll have to give up the hitting one day, particularly

with his right pitching hand exposed while batting left handed, but with his arsenal of pitches (95-98

mph fastball, devastating slider, sharp curveball, and split-finger), he could be a perennial All-Star on the

mound.

“I don’t like a lot of the negative things being said assessed on his performance here,’’ said one veteran

scout who watched him in Japan, speaking on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to

publicly discuss scouting reports. “It’s so unfair. He’s young. He’s had zero opportunity to transition.

There so many different things here with the mound, the dirt, the size of the ball, the lack of humidity

here in Arizona.

“I don’t know whether he’ll hit over here, but I know he can pitch, and he’s going to be a great one.’’

The world will be watching. The Angels, who had 185 media members attend Ohtani’s introductory

spring-training press conference, will have about 50 to 65 Japanese reporters covering him on an

everyday basis. His first appearance against Ichiro Suzuki - the earliest showdown could be May 4-6 in

Seattle - will be a global broadcast event.

March 22, 2018 Page 30 of 43

“I’m looking forward to it,’’ Ohtani said, “but I still need to make the team and earn my playing time. If

one day I’m able to be on the same field as him, that will make me very happy.

“Someone my age, 23, facing Ichiro, that would be a great experience.’’

And if Ohtani lives up to the hype, the Angels will suddenly possess a multi-national star along with the

greatest player on the planet.

“It’s going to be a pretty crazy year for sure,’’ says Trout, the two-time MVP. “He just gives off these

great vibes. I know it’s going to be tough on him doing both things, but I think he’s going to wow us.

“Really, I think he’ll wow everyone.’’

The warm-act may have been tough on the ears, and, of course, the eyes, but in a week, Shohei Time

starts for real.

“This is everything I always wanted,’’ Ohtani says. “Hopefully, I can make people happy.’’

FROM SPORTING NEWS

Shohei Ohtani on Mike Trout, baseball cards and adjusting to MLB spring

training

By Ryan Fagan

All eyes have been on Shohei Ohtani this spring, as the baseball star from Japan tries to make the jump

to Major League Baseball.

Ohtani is attempting something that’s never really been done before. We’ve seen stars from Japan come

over and make immediate impacts in MLB — Ichiro Suzuki and Hideo Nomo headline a long, long list —

but Ohtani is younger than those players, and he’s attempting to play dual roles as a hitter and pitcher.

It’s an ambitious goal, and his on-field results have been mixed to this point of the spring.

The Ohtani hype, as you know, has been significant. A massive media throng has followed his every

move. The Angels have added major sponsors. Merchandise has been created and is selling like crazy.

And, of course, the collectables market has joined the fray, too.

Ohtani signed an autograph deal with Panini, and those signed cards will be included in all of Panini’s

licensed offerings this year. If you want to track them down, they’re available at pretty much any hobby

shop, and also at Target, Walmart and iCollectPanini.com.

March 22, 2018 Page 31 of 43

As part of his agreement with Panini, Ohtani did a round of media interviews, including with Sporting

News. I spoke with him on the phone Tuesday evening, and a portion of that interview is below. Ohtani’s

personal interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, served as translator, and the responses here have been lightly

edited for clarity.

SPORTING NEWS: I hear you’re actually opening packs of cards as we speak. What’s the best one you’ve

pulled so far?

OHTANI: (laughs) I got three Mike Trouts.

SN: Excellent. So what have you learned about Mike since you arrived at Angels’ camp?

OHTANI: Even though he’s a huge name, he’s very down to earth. He tries to welcome me, make me

feel welcome. Can’t say anything bad about him. He’s been really great for me.

SN: Watching him play up close this spring, are you as amazed as the rest of us with how good he is at

this sport?

OHTANI: Of course, watching him play is very exciting. He looks a lot better watching him in person than

on TV. You can really kind of feel how good he is, see all his skills and tools.

SN: Tell me about this Panini deal.

OHTANI: I’m really excited to announce the relationship with Panini, so that I can ensure my fans can

collect my autographed rookie baseball cards across Panini’s 2018 baseball products.

SN: Who’s the teammate who makes you laugh the most?

OHTANI: There are a lot of funny guys on the team. It’s hard to pick just one, but if I could pick a couple,

it would be Martin Maldonado and Kole Calhoun. They’re really funny. It feels like the position players

are a little bit funnier than the pitchers.

SN: What have you learned this spring about what you need to do to have success in the majors?

OHTANI: First of all, when I came here I tried not to change anything, just tried to keep everything the

same as my days in Japan. And if that doesn’t work out, obviously there are going to be some

adjustments I need to make here. I’m starting to learn those adjustments and trying to work on that

right now.

SN: Do you talk with Mike Scioscia every day? What do you guys talk about?

OHTANI: We talk every day. We see each other and say hi every morning. He’ll ask how I’m feeling and

I’ll tell him how I feel. And he talks with me during the meetings, too.

SN: How would you assess your spring so far?

March 22, 2018 Page 32 of 43

OHTANI: Playing-wise, I’m learning new things every day. I’m trying to learn from the mistakes I made

the previous day. Just trying to improve every day. My body feels good. Nothing hurts, no injuries. That’s

all I can ask for right now.

SN: Tell me about your hit last night, off the lefty. I know the Angels have talked about that as a focus.

OHTANI: That was just a coincidence. Honestly, righty or lefty, it doesn’t really matter to me. When you

look at my stats in Japan, I hit them pretty evenly. So a base hit off a lefty doesn’t mean much more than

a righty.

SN: On the mound this spring, you’ve had a lot of strikeouts and a lot of walks. Is that just a process of

trying to refine everything right now?

OHTANI: I’m in the process of trying to address the ball, the mound, the whole environment and the

new culture. I didn’t really expect to be able to address all that fully within a month or two. I’m trying to

use the season to try to get adjusted as quick as possible, in the most efficient way. That’s what my goal

is.

SN: What has been your favorite day of the spring?

OHTANI: Mike Trout set up a night golf game for the team. They used glow-in-the-dark golf balls, and

they set up glow sticks around the fairways and the greens. That was fun stuff.

SN: That sounds like fun. How’s your golf game?

OHTANI: (laughs) Not too good.

SN: I’m the same way. What’s the best part of your game, with the driver off the tee or around the

green?

OHTANI: Most of all, I hit the ball really far.

SN: Is there something you’ve missed about Japan while you’ve been in Arizona this spring?

OHTANI: (laughs) Mainly, speaking the language to everybody else.

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS

Trout, Angels brass confident Shohei Ohtani will be a star

The doubters are out in force for Shohei Ohtani but Mike Trout and his Los Angeles Angels team-mates

are confident the Japanese star can perform in MLB.

March 22, 2018 Page 33 of 43

Ohtani, who is considered favorite by many to win the American League Rookie of the Year, has played

far from that level in spring training.

The Angels recruit is batting .107 with three hits in 28 at-bats and allowing eight earned runs in 2.6

innings pitched (27.00 ERA).

His team-mates and coaches though are far from concerned, and Angels star Trout is excited to see

what he can do.

"It's going to be a pretty crazy year for sure," the two-time MVP Trout told USA Today Sports. "He just

gives off these great vibes. I know it's going to be tough on him doing both things, but I think he’s going

to wow us. Really, I think he'll wow everyone."

Angels hitting coach Eric Hinski is also far from concerned about Ohtani.

"I know the results aren't there, and his timing is off, but the kid is super positive. He hasn't lost any of

that swag," he said. "Once the lights turn, and the third deck shows up, he should show what he's all

about."

Ohtani has severely struggled on the mound. His 27.00 ERA does not even include a rough outing against

a Mexican League team, but Angels pitching coach Charles Nagy said he will be okay.

"He's healthy, the ball is coming out of his hand just fine, and he hasn't missed a turn," Nagy said. "Look,

I never had the best spring training either. I had my ass handed to me a lot. But I knew I'd be ready when

the season starts, just like Shohei will."

Ohtani hit 95-98 mph with his fastball last time out and ran into some bad luck against the Colorado

Rockies, so the numbers could take a turn pretty quickly if he gets a break his next time out.

"He's not panicking, not at all," Angels general manager Billy Eppler said. "From a GM or a manager

standpoint, that's comforting."

FROM THE SPORTS DAILY

Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera are sharing similar uphill battle

By Matt Musico

When talking about baseball’s best right-handed hitters since the turn of the century, it’d be criminal to

not have Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols be the first two names to roll off your tongue.

March 22, 2018 Page 34 of 43

If using wRC+ as the barometer, these two future Hall of Famers are just about identical — Miggy has a

149 wRC+ in 9,530 plate appearances and Pujols has a 148 wRC+ in 11,188 plate appearances. And while

those numbers rank fifth and sixth overall when looking at the leaderboard since 2000, they’re the only

ones to produce like that for more than 2,000 career games.

Sure, Pujols has collected more home runs (614), RBI (1,918), and runs scored (1,723) than Cabrera (462,

1,613, and 1,371, respectively), but there are a number of other statistics that look rather similar to one

another. They each have an identical 11.2% walk rate, their career ISOs aren’t far apart (.256 for Pujols,

.236 for Cabrera), and judging by their triple slash, OPS, and wOBA, it’d be hard to decipher which

player’s stats you’re looking at when doing a blind comparison.

Player Avg. OBP Slug% OPS wOBA

Albert Pujols .305 .386 .561 .947 .396

Miguel Cabrera .317 .395 .553 .948 .400

Their past performance and reputation will seemingly have these two connected forever, but the

similarities continue when looking toward 2018 and beyond. It’s just a different kind of comparison

they’re not used to.

The Contracts

The sterling track record these two sluggers have formed over the course of their careers have made

them awfully wealthy, ya know. It’s also come in the form of a long-term commitment that will

effectively take them to the end of their playing days, which we’ll continue seeing less of moving

forward.

Pujols is preparing to enter the seventh season of a 10-year, $240 million contract he signed with the Los

Angeles Angels. This has him on L.A.’s payroll through 2021, which will be his age-41 campaign. If that

wasn’t already bad enough from the team’s perspective, this deal is also backloaded — Pujols has been

making $20-plus million since 2014, but is set to make $27 million this year, a number that will increase

each season by $1 million until he hits the $30 million plateau in his final year.

As for Miggy, he agreed to an 8-year, $248 million extension with the Detroit Tigers back in 2014, which

didn’t even start until 2016. So, he’s on Detroit’s payroll until at least 2023, with 2018 being the first of

six straight seasons where he’ll earn at least $30 million.

The past production prior to signing these enormous deals could justify such a significant commitment

for what will be the downturn of their respective careers. At the moment, though, there’s an uphill

March 22, 2018 Page 35 of 43

climb for both Pujols and Cabrera to provide even a fraction of value to make this investment

worthwhile.

The Injuries

When looking at it on the surface, Pujols has stayed on the field rather consistently for Los Angeles.

After all, he’s appeared in at least 149 games in five of the six years he’s been with the team. While

that’s good and what any team would prefer from a player in which they’re so deeply tied to financially,

he hasn’t been fully healthy most of the time.

He’s spent many of the last few offseasons rehabbing from some kind of surgery, with the most recent

operation being in December of 2016 to repair his right plantar fascia. His status for Opening Day in

2017 was up in the air, but he was able to suit up for the Angels. It just didn’t go well at all (which we’ll

get to).

Miggy has also been rather consistent with regard to taking the field every single day, and despite

appearing in at least 148 games 12 times in the last 14 years, the two occasions where he didn’t reach

that threshold has happened in the last three years.

Detroit’s first baseman was limited to 119 games in 2015 because of a calf strain and back problems,

while a groin strain and continued back issues plagued him in 2017. Back injuries are typically tricky to

deal with, and depending on the severity, it can impact a player for the remainder of their career — just

ask David Wrightabout that. Cabrera was dealing with two herniated disks in his lower back last season,

which clearly hindered his on-field play.

Declining Performance

If we take a look at Pujols’ traditional counting stats, he’s remained pretty consistent. According

to Grand National, he has hit at least 23 homers while collecting 95-plus RBI each year since 2014. When

we look at some advanced stats, though, the Machine has been on the decline for a while.

After posting 2.8 fWAR in 2014, that number has dropped each season, culminating in a -2.0 mark last

year that was easily the lowest number among qualified hitters. His wRC+ has also taken a similar dive,

with his 78 wRC+ from 2017 marking the first time that number has fallen below 100, breaking a streak

of 16 straight seasons above the century mark.

Cabrera’s decline has been much more sudden — after posting a career-high 7.5 fWAR in 2013, he was

still worth 5.1, 4.3, and 4.8 wins each of the three seasons that followed before his career-low -0.2 mark

last year. Not counting 2003, which was a rookie campaign that included just 87 games played, Cabrera’s

wRC+ never fell below 129 for 13 straight years — until 2017, when that number settled in at 91.

The counting stats have always been there for Miggy, but his struggles and time on the disabled list last

year led to just 16 homers and 60 RBI, which haven’t been that low since he was a rookie.

March 22, 2018 Page 36 of 43

Trying to Turn Things Around

At this point, it’s pretty clear that Pujols and Cabrera have been traveling parallel paths throughout their

careers. They’re both inner-circle Hall of Famers and the best right-handed hitters of this generation, but

they’re also dealing with the wrong kind of trifecta right now — advancing age, a growing injury history,

and declining performance.

When we add in their mammoth contracts, it’s the kind of uphill battle we typically don’t see ending

well for the players involved. But if there’s one small silver lining we can find through all this, it’s their

respective batted-ball profiles from 2017.

Here’s how the line-drive rate (LD%), ground-ball rate (GB%), fly-ball rate (FB%), and hard-hit rate

(Hard%) compare to one another.

Player LD% GB% FB% Hard%

Albert Pujols 18.5% 43.5% 38.1% 35.1%

Miguel Cabrera 27.3% 39.8% 32.9% 42.5%

Most of these rates don’t look drastically different from their career numbers, and in Miggy’s case, his

line-drive rate and hard-hit rate landed among the league leaders.

The days of these two being among the game’s a elite hitters may very well be over, but if they can stay

healthy, the potential to remain somewhat productive for just a little bit longer is there (at least, more

than they were last year). It’s not going to be easy, but it’s certainly not impossible.

After an entire career of being mentioned in the same breath, Pujols and Cabrera probably wouldn’t

mind sharing one last similarity — ending their respective careers better than most expect them to.

FROM FANRAG SPORTS NETWORK

Heyman | Evaluating Ohtani after slow spring

By Jon Heyman

Shohei Ohtani has some very neat numbers, but not good ones.

He was 2-for-his-first-20 at-bats (now 3-for-27), and he’d allowed 15 runs while getting 25 outs in his

first four starts. So that isn’t exactly matching the hype.

March 22, 2018 Page 37 of 43

Few put too much credence in spring training numbers, and a vast majority of scouts still seem to

believe Ohtani will become a star. In fact, that seems to be the prevailing opinion.

As one rival manager put it, “All the scouts who saw him in Japan can’t be wrong, can they?”

Though, a detractor or two is popping up. One NL scout says he believes succeeding at both pitching

and hitting simultaneously is basically impossible.

“You can’t do both,” that scout said.

That scout went on to say that Ohtani looks “overmatched” at the plate due to the fact he’s not used to

the type of power breaking balls he’ll see in the majors.

“He’s not ready to hit in the big leagues – not significantly,” anyway.

Even that scout believes Ohtani has top-of-the-rotation potential, though he hasn’t really shown that yet

this spring.

“I don’t think he has really been able to focus on pitching … The issue right now is everything going on

around him – the circus that has been this spring.”

That scout said that in his opinion, Ohtani should go to the minors for “two or three weeks,” and that

he’d come back and be ready to be a mid-rotation starter. That scout also opined that the allowances

the Angels are making aren’t worth it – including going to a six-man rotation and having even a

rejuvenated Albert Pujols play the field more often.

“To compensate for all that,” the scout opined, “he’d have to be a No. 1-type starter.”

This scout still is in the minority, and it’s hard to see the Angels changing course. They haven’t said

whether they’d consider starting him in the minors, though they aren’t ruling that out.

“In regard to Ohtani, and any of our players in camp, we are not concerned with spring training

statistics,” Angels GM Billy Eppler said. “We don’t make roster announcements on any personnel until

their specific spring training schedule and work progressions are completed.”

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that Ohtani will start with the big club, DHing in the opener in

Oakland and starting Game 3, but Eppler denied that any official decision had been made. It’s hard,

though, to imagine he won’t start in the majors – a big photo is already up for him at the stadium, Bill

Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times noted – as the Angels have made a lot of accommodations for him, and

his track record suggests major success.

There is concern among some Angels people, but not from Ohtani himself, writes Dylan Hernandez of

the Los Angeles Times. That may be the best sign of all.

March 22, 2018 Page 38 of 43

FROM FAN GRAPHS

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Second Base**

By Meg Rowley

Throughout the week, we’re publishing our positional power ranking series. If you’re unfamiliar with the

process or concept, Jeff explained the series on Monday. Today, I’ll be addressing second base. What

fun!

Every position has its theme. You have the bright young things who play shortstop, the fly-ball

revolutionaries occupying first base, the catchers who aren’t Buster Posey.

Second base has, in the past, been defined by the veterans at the top, but these rankings portend

change in the form of young upstarts. Jose Altuve wrested the top of the rankings from Robinson

Cano last year and has only widened the gap between himself and his keystone compatriots; he’s

projected to be more than a win better than second place Brian Dozier. And as mentioned, the middle

and bottom bits of the rankings feature names like Ozzie Albies, Ketel Marte, Yoan Moncada, and Luis

Urias, all of whom could outperform their projections and shift their teams’ positions.

Calling it a “youth movement” is too strong; perhaps it might be better described as an “infusion.” Last

year, just two of the top-10 players played the whole season while under the age of 30; this year it’s

four. An infusion, indeed.

9. Angels

March 22, 2018 Page 39 of 43

Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR

Ian Kinsler 595 .258 .317 .413 .314 -2.2 0.3 6.5 2.7

Kaleb Cowart 70 .233 .294 .359 .283 -2.1 0.1 -0.0 0.1

Nolan Fontana 35 .200 .298 .300 .269 -1.4 -0.0 0.1 -0.0

Total 700 .253 .314 .402 .308 -5.7 0.3 6.6 2.8

Last year, the Angels were ranked 28th on this list -- and, boy, did they deserve it. Danny Espinosa was

the Opening Day starter; he was released on July 20th, before earning releases from two other clubs

more before the season was done. Cliff Pennington played 87 games, which seems impossible to me, as

I could have sworn he started a modestly successful chain of shoes stores in 2015. The 2017 season

wasn’t good, which is why Billy Eppler traded two middling prospects for Ian Kinsler.

Kinsler’s 2017 campaign wasn’t as successful as his 2016, when he posted a 123 wRC+ on his way to a

career-best 5.7 WAR, but there’s evidence to suggest he got a bit unlucky. He sported a .244 BABIP, a

low he hasn’t otherwise come close to matching since his time with the Rangers. He walked more and

struck out less than he had in 2016, and hit the ball hard more often than at any other point in his career

(37%). And he did all this while providing good defense up the middle. Shohei Ohtani was the marquee

acquisition of the offseason for the Angels, but should they make the playoffs, I suspect we’ll be talking

a lot about some of the good-but-not-great pieces Eppler placed around his superstars. Good-but-not-

great can take you places. Like from 28th to ninth.

Beyond Kinsler, Kaleb Cowart and Nolan Fontana are on the Angels roster, though I hear they’re

exploring possible franchising options in Cliff Pennington’s burgeoning shoe concern. It’s always good to

have a backup.

**Cut to only include Angels-related material.

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Left Field**

By Roger Cormier

The phrase “out of left field” is typically used to describe the emergence of something strange and

unexpected into our lives. Apparently, the expression came from Chicago. There was a mental hospital

near left field of the West Side Grounds where the Cubbies used to play up until the early 20th century.

March 22, 2018 Page 40 of 43

Sometimes Cubs fans at the ballpark could hear the patients of the hospital scream. That’s some wild,

wild stuff.

It’s also probably baloney.

What follows is the opposite of baloney. What follows is the post containing the left-field portion of our

positional power rankings. Which is fortunate, because we’re out of baloney. Have a scrumptious graph

instead:

It’s finally here. The promise: fulfilled. You asked for it and you got it.

The Marlins Takeover.

Yep, the top three depth charts here each contain a member of the 2017 Miami Marlins outfield.

Including Ichiro and Derek Dietrich, five out of 30 teams can make this claim. That’s good for 16.7% of

baseball. Always be specific with your wishes, kiddos.

7. Angels

Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR

Justin Upton 630 .245 .327 .471 .338 10.4 1.0 -1.0 2.5

March 22, 2018 Page 41 of 43

Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR

Chris Young 63 .232 .309 .406 .308 -0.5 -0.1 -0.4 0.1

Jabari Blash 7 .210 .320 .425 .322 0.0 -0.0 -0.0 0.0

Total 700 .243 .325 .465 .335 9.9 1.0 -1.4 2.6

Justin Upton and the Angels, his fifth team, agreed to a five-year contract extension at the very

beginning of last offseason. It was a smart move for Upton. He's projected to end 2018 with 2.5 wins

above replacement, exactly half of his output in 2017 with the Tigers and Angels. I don't know if the 30-

year-old knew that at the time or anticipated how the rest of the offseason around baseball was going

to go. I do know he is better at baseball than I ever will be. His brother Melvin ended up signing a minor-

league deal with Cleveland. Everybody knows he's the better brother at baseball now, and Justin does

not have to feel guilty about it. Justin turns to his left most nights and sees Mike Trout ready to back him

up. He went from the rebuilding Detroit to the right-there Angels. If Shohei Ohtani pops, he's got a good

view of it. Life is just fine for Justin.

Chris Young is still hanging in there. Good for him. So is Jabari Blash. Blash was traded from the Padres

to the Yankees in December for Chase Headley, Bryan Mitchell, and money, then dealt to the Angels for

a player to be named later. Will Jabari ever play for a team in the flyover states? Only time will tell.

**Cut to only include Angels-related material.

2018 Positional Power Rankings: Shortstop**

By Rian Watt

Hello! This is a post in the series called “Positional Power Rankings,” which started on Monday with Jeff

Sullivan’s introduction and continues today with my thoughts on the league’s shortstops. If you’d prefer

to read other people’s thoughts on other positions, you can navigate to those thoughts using the widget

above.

We’ve been talking about a golden age of shortstops for a few years now. Scanning through this list, I

don’t see any particular reason to stop the chatter. Some players are fading a little, but Manny

Machado is a shortstop again this year, after spending much of his big-league career at third; J.P.

Crawford and Gleyber Torres are emerging, and the guys at the top of the list are projected to be just as

good or better than they were last year. This is a special time to care about the middle of the infield, and

March 22, 2018 Page 42 of 43

the folks ranked in the middle of this list this year could easily have ranked near the top a decade ago. In

some cases, like Troy Tulowitzki‘s, they literally did. Anyway, here’s the chart you’ve been looking for:

I see five tiers here, though you might see something different. There’s the first four guys, who are

superstars even outside of their positions. Then there’s the next five guys, who are very,very good and

who almost any team in baseball would have been thrilled to have manning the position a few years

ago. Then there’s a group of guys who aren’t quite that good, but who are perfectly solid and might

manage to bump up into the second tier if things break right, then a group of folks who aren’t that good

now and probably won’t be that good later, either, and then the Royals and the Marlins.

I’m not going to tell you where I think the third group ends and the fourth group starts because some of

you will just get mad at me, and also because it’s a fluid line and these are just projections, anyway.

They’re going to be wrong, and they’re not really tuned to distinguish that well between a 1.5-win guy

and a 2.5-win guy. Anyway. Enough of the preamble. On to the list!

5. Angels

Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR

Andrelton Simmons 644 .271 .321 .389 .307 -6.1 -0.3 15.8 3.8

Zack Cozart 28 .256 .322 .424 .319 0.0 -0.0 0.5 0.2

March 22, 2018 Page 43 of 43

Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR

Nolan Fontana 28 .200 .298 .300 .269 -1.2 -0.0 0.1 0.0

Total 700 .268 .320 .387 .306 -7.2 -0.4 16.4 4.0

Poor Zack Cozart. He was a shortstop for the Reds, then signed with the Angels in full expectation of

playing second base. You don't just bump Andrelton Simmons from his position, after all. But then Billy

Eppler went and traded for Ian Kinsler, who sure as shootin' can't play third base, and that meant that

Mr. Cozart got to make another trip to Dick's Sporting Goods and pick up a glove that'll work at the hot

corner.

I mention all of this because, if Andrelton Simmons is healthy, there's no reason Cozart would even need

to get 28 plate appearances at the position. And if Simmons keeps trying to pull the ball, which he did

last year 45.3% of the time to great effect, it won't just be because Simmons also does the thing I

mentioned about Manny Machado where he makes you stand up in your seat and shout. It'll be because

he hits 12-18 home runs for a third time in his career, and that's not nothing.

I can hear some of you raising your eyebrows at that, and charging to Simmons' player page to verify

that he has, in fact, hit 12-18 home runs twice before. I promise that he has -- both times in years during

which he pulled the ball more than 40% of the time. It makes him vulnerable to some pitches outside,

yes, but the attendant increase in value is tremendous. Last year, Simmons was worth nearly five wins.

And not all because of his defense! Watch out for this Angels club, I think.