Joe Maddon Will Make Waves
There is a new sheriff in town and his name is Joe Maddon. Maddon has departed from the Chicago Cubs after breaking a century-long championship drought. That is one of the tallest tasks you can tackle at the major league level. He is now the Angels new manager. Maddon has proven to be one of the better managers in today’s game, but he still has a lot to prove in the city of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Angels have a ton of talent on their roster but just cannot seem to get it together when they need to. Having the best player in the world does not get you far in this team driven game. The Angels have some big-name players surrounding Mike Trout, and hopefully this year they can beat the Houston Astros for the AL West title.
Joe Maddon is not only one of the best managers in all of baseball, but he is also one of the most enjoyable to watch. He had made a lot of eye-popping moves in Chicago. He created situations where pitchers played the outfield so they could pitch again. Maddon knows the rule book like the back of his hand and it will be exciting to see what he can do with all of his new tools out in Los Angeles.
Mickey Callaway needs to make a difference
Mickey Callaway was known as a very good pitching coach during his time with the Cleveland Indians. They made a run to the World Series but just fell short to Maddon and his Cubbies. The 2016 Cleveland Indians had a ton of success with their pitching and middle reliever Andrew Miller proved to be an important part of their postseason success. The Indians also had the very talented Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer.
Callaway worked well under Terry Francona who is also a well-respected manager in the league. The Angels have a similar formula for Callaway in his return to the Angels. He is surrounded by talent and will be lead by one of the better managers in the game. Callaway will have some weapons to play with this year highlighted by the two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Callaway is looking to have a bounce-back year after two rough seasons as the New York Mets manager. Ohtani is looking to take his talent to the next level and help the Angels make a statement in the AL West. His focus is to ensure that the phenom can maintain his “impeccable routines throughout the day.” Something that Callaway believes is crucial to being successful in the majors, especially as a two-way player.
Mickey Callaway can also help his new club improve their pitching, which has been weak in previous years. Keynan Middleton is back from Tommy John surgery after missing most of the last two seasons. He can create a solid bullpen with Ty Buttrey and Hansel Robles. The addition of Julio Teheran could be another positive spark for the Angels. A move from the NL to the AL and entirely new coaching staff should do wonders for Teheran.
Conclusion
The Los Angeles Angels are now looking to make a huge jump this year into the winning side of baseball. They now have a new leader in Joe Maddon, a new pitching coach in Mickey Callaway, and an MVP runner up in Anthony Rendon. These three guys will make a huge impact for the club which will make for an exciting season in Anaheim. Don’t forget about the three-headed monster Middleton-Buttrey-Robles that are set to close out games. The Halos have the pieces in place to make a strong run at an expanded playoff picture. Plus they have the right man pulling the strings.
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