Here are some of the key questions the Angels hope to answer during spring training.
How is Zach Neto?
Neto established himself as the best of the Angels’ young players last season, combining some power, speed and defense at a critical up-the-middle position. However, Neto hurt his shoulder in the final week of the season, and he eventually had to have surgery in November.
At the time, General Manager Perry Minasian said Neto might miss some of the start of the season, but he had no specifics. Neto’s progress throughout spring training will be watched closely to see how close he is to returning.
If he’s not ready to start the season, the Angels will likely use Kevin Newman or Tim Anderson as their shortstop.
What is the plan for Mike Trout?
Trout played just 29 games last season, missing almost the entire season because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. The three-time American League MVP was injured in April, then suffered a setback in August. It marked the third time in the last four years that Trout has missed at least half the season.
Trout, 33, has been distraught, at times fighting back tears, when describing his frustration with the way the injuries have ruined a chunk of his prime. He got to the point where he admitted last year he was open to doing whatever the Angels believed was necessary to help him stay on the field, including a move to a corner outfield spot or DH.
The problem is, the Angels don’t have anyone else who could be an everyday center fielder. Also, they have some concern that if they move him to DH, he would take even more swings in the cage, which could still be an injury risk.
The real answer to this question will evolve over the season, but spring training will provide the first clues, starting with how much Trout works out in left or right field.
How does Reid Detmers look?
There is arguably no one in the entire organization who is more of an enigma than Detmers. The 25-year-old left-hander threw a no-hitter in his 11th major league game, and since then has had several two- or three-month stretches when he’s looked like a burgeoning ace.
He’s also had two- or three-month stretches when he’s been terrible, including one start that was so bad last season that he spent the next three months in Triple-A.
As camp begins, Detmers is probably the sixth man in a five-man rotation, having slipped behind right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. There’s plenty of room for Detmers to fight his way back up the ladder – perhaps all the way to No. 1 – if he can finally harness his stuff.
Will Year 2 under Manager Ron Washington yield better fundamentals?
Washington has a reputation for building infielders into excellent defenders. Last season, the first under Washington, players spent hours doing drills with him, refining even the most basic techniques.
It took a while for them to acclimate. At the start of the season, the defense was shaky, and it slowly improved.
The Angels also struggled learning how to effectively implement Washington’s preferred style of aggressive baserunning.
With few new faces this year, the Angels ought to start out in a much better place fundamentally than they were 12 months ago.
How much will the new facilities help?
The Angels renovated the entire spring training facility since last year, adding high-tech hitting and pitching labs, an improved weight room, and an upgraded clubhouse.
The Angels have lagged behind other organizations in technology, which hasn’t helped their development of young players. It will take more than one spring to assess whether the new facilities translate to better performance on the field, but it will be a start.