The Los Angeles Angels were one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. After entering the 2013 season with a lot of hype, they never developed into a serious contender, finishing 18 games behind the Oakland Athletics in the AL West.
Now, the effort to fix the roster begins. The pitching staff is the main area of concern after the Angels finished with a 4.23 team ERA, which ranked 24th in the majors. They are apparently seeking ways to add some pitching by moving a couple hitters.
Buster Olney of ESPN reports Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos are currently on the trade block, with Los Angeles willing to move both in order to upgrade the staff.
The Angels want pitching,and sources say they've indicated a willingness to other teams to trade Peter Bourjos or/and Mark Trumbo to get it.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 29, 2013
Trumbo, a notoriously streaky slugger, has racked up 95 home runs over the past three seasons. The hope is he'll be able to increase his on-base percentage, which is a tick below .300 for his career, as he enters his peak years to provide a little more production beyond the homers.
Injuries and a lack of a defined role have prevented Bourjos from making a major impact with the Angels. In 2011, the only season where he received a full compliment of at-bats, he hit .271 with 49 extra-base hits and 22 stolen bases.
Bourjos' season came to an early end due to a wrist injury. Other teams will obviously want to make sure he's making progress in his recovery before making any type of serious offer for him.
That said, both players should carry solid value on the trade market. Whether it's enough for the Angels to make any major improvements to their rotation or bullpen is unclear. But at the very least it's a starting point heading into the offseason.
Upgrading the pitching staff is crucial for the Angels to bounce back in 2014.
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