Locked On Angels - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Angels

Billy Eppler went to work this offseason to put the finishing touches on what everyone hopes will be a roster playing into October. Now, we get to sit back and watch it all unfold as we make our predictions for the 2018 Major League Baseball season. Can anyone take out the perceived top 4 teams in the American League and truly contend for the pennant? Moreover, can anyone unseat the Astros from their lofty perch atop the MLB summit? In the National league, is this finally the year the Nationals break through and win a postseason series before the impending free agency of Bryce Harper? Will the Cubs make it four straight trips to the NLCS?  All of that and more in our pre-Opening Day special episode here on Locked On Angels! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Much maligned Albert Pujols holds the key to the Halo offense take a big step forward in production as a team this season. Even a mild improvement could manifest a massive upgrade and turn the Angels' offense from above average to elite. After an offseason full of training and without any sort of surgery or rehab, Albert Pujols looks primed and in the best shape he's ever been in as an Angel. With the improved physique, can Pujols go back to producing as a true cleanup slugger? Is a 2-3 WAR season really possible for a guy entering his age-38 season?  Afterwards, the Tuesday Down on the Farm report provides updates on Kevin Maitan and his ability to stay at shortstop through his development, plus a look into the excitement surrounding big-time outfield prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell. Garrett Richards officially has the ball for Opening Day and we cannot be more excited for baseball. Tune in to share the Angels fever! Don't forget to follow the show on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just 3 days left until Opening Day in Oakland, and while there are many questions that will be answered over the summer, certain players and their success or failure will have a greater impact than others on the Angels franchise this season. Today, we take a look at the key to the starting rotation, Garrett Richards. Though the Angels' front office touts the depth in the rotation at the top of the organization, few pitchers in the mix possess the talent and ceiling of Garrett Richards. With a nasty fastball and slider combination, as well as further use of a devastating curveball, Richards' potential in 2018 seems to be at a career-high. However, the right-hander has only made 12 starts in two seasons, further proving that perhaps the greatest ability is availability.  Later in the show, Studs & Duds of the weekend are revealed, focusing on the torrid finish to spring by Zack Cozart at the plate and the continued struggles of a few bullpen arms expected to make the Opening Day roster. All of this, plus thoughts on Scott Kingery's groundbreaking extension with the Phillies. Tune in to start your week! Don't forget to follow the show on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. and be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Less than a week until Opening Day, and the Angels' roster picture continues to become clearer by the day as each corresponding move is made.  Nick Tropeano, Parker Bridwell, and David Fletcher will all be sent down to Salt Lake, which leaves plenty of questions surrounding the roster in Anaheim to start the season. Will Jefry Marte make the squad? If he does, where will he earn his at-bats? Will Andrew Heaney be able to avoid the disabled list in April? How will the starting rotation shake up? Oh, right, and Shohei Ohtani will definitely be on the big league roster. All that, plus your question in the Friday Mailbag! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that Shohei Ohtani has been all but confirmed to begin the season with the big league club, it's time to speculate as to what the rest of the roster will look like with one week until Opening Day. Almost all of the position player spots are locked in. The bulk of roster questions lie in the makeup of the starting rotation and bullpen to begin the season. Does Andrew Heaney begin the year on the disabled list? Will Parker Bridwell crack the bullpen? What will Billy Eppler do with Noe Ramirez, Luke Bard, and every other name competing for a bullpen spot? Thursday also means the weekly Gear Grinder, where this time we rant on how responsible franchises account for injuries well ahead of time, making it an expectation instead of a reaction. Tune in to find out more! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alright, so Alex Cobb was a pipe dream, and question marks still plague the Angels' entire pitching staff. But going into 2018, this team is seen as a contender, and that is quite awesome. Sometimes, as sports fans, we get spoiled with successful eras of our favorite organizations and forget just how hard it is to sustain excellence in professional sports. Sustained success is the exception to the rule, to be sure. As Angels fans, the optimism heading into this regular season feels fresh, as if the entire franchise has been reborn. Meaningful September baseball is all we can ask for as baseball fans. Later in the show, we continue with our Wild West Wednesday segments, this time previewing the Seattle Mariners. Can Dee Gordon get it done in center field? Are Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz still hitters to be feared at the plate? The same question can be asked of Felix Hernandez on the mound. This Mariners team seemingly packs little punch, and we discuss on the episode. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. Subscribe to us on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play, and leave us an awesome review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So close to breaking spring camp fully healthy, the Angels suffered their first injury setback of 2018, with Andrew Heaney being shut down from his next spring start with elbow inflammation. Bill Eppler spoke highly of the team's rotation depth during the offseason, and it appears that that depth will be tested in the early portion of the season. Given the struggles of Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Skaggs this spring, as well as the injury history of the rest of the rotation, there are legitimate concerns about the pitching staff moving forward. Could this be the time for the Halos to make a move for outside help, such as Alex Cobb? The slow moving free agent market is now creeping into late March, and perhaps the former Rays' right-hander can be had at quite the deal. Surely Eppler will perform his due diligence, as Cobb would be a tremendous fit for a very questionable starting rotation. Lastly in the show, we go Down on the Farm, and provide an update on what top prospects to watch during the final week of Cactus League action. Can David Fletcher stay sizzling at the plate and make the Opening Day roster? Tune in and find out! Do not forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A tough outing for Shohei Ohtani brings us more questions than answers as to how the young right-hander will perform this season, leading many to believe he is not ready for big league baseball quite yet. After the 7-run barrage at the hands of the Rockies, we digest the information we have on Ohtani, and speculate as to whether or not the Angels should start him in Salt Lake in AAA to start the season.  Later, the Studs and Duds of the weekend are highlighted, notably with Zack Cozart and Kole Calhoun looking primed and ready to go for Opening Day. Lastly, an update on where some roster battles stand with less than one week of baseball in Arizona left. Tune in! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You made it to the last day of the week, and we bring you a heavy dose of mailbag questions for Friday's episode. Blake Parker has looked shaky at best, can he rebound in time for Opening Day? Will the Angels sneak in and make a roster move before the season starts? If so, which players make the most sense? When will we see Jo Adell in Anaheim? All of these questions and more in today's episode, including the finale of our ongoing series on why the Angels will miss the postseason in 2018. Tune in! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gear Grinder Thursday comes out with a vengeance today, as Major League Baseball released brand new pace-of-play changes and initiatives for Minor League Baseball this season. Chief among them? Extra innings beginning with a runner on second base. The baseball world immediately exploded with how this is appalling and is in fact, not baseball. If this were a rule change for the Major League level, this would be a perfectly rational response. But in the minors? Where teams routinely change their names to popular food items such as Tacos and Cheesesteaks or give away bobbleheads of obscure celebrities? It's perfect. In the minors, developing young prospects should not have to exceed pitch counts or pitch without proper rest between appearances to win a Single-A game in July. 20 year olds do not need to be taking their 9th at-bat of the night around midnight with an 8-hour bus ride to the next city looming. Guys who are learning the game and learning what it takes to be a professional baseball player are not ready. You don't run 3 miles a day for 4 weeks and immediately sign up for a marathon. Take a listen and at least digest the other side of the argument. Would this rule be ok at the Major League level? Absolutely not, I'm there with you. But in the minors? Why the heck not. Be sure to subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play, and follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We continue on with our reason why the Angels will miss the postseason in 2018, this time examining the question marks surrounding the bullpen. Blake Parker returns from a stellar 2017 season, but can he put it all together this summer? Keynan Middleton has flashed promise, but consistency is key. Jim Johnson comes off his struggles the past few seasons, and Cam Bedrosian must fight off injury concerns that derailed his 2017. And those are the guys who are all expected to log heavy innings for the Halo bullpen this summer. Our Wild West Wednesday today examines the Oakland Athletics, who many are overlooking heading into 2018. With Matt Olson and Matt Chapman coming off very surprising and productive seasons, the A's are primed as a dark horse candidate to possibly contend for the final playoff spot in the American League. Crazy? Maybe not as much as you think... Lastly, we conclude with Shohei Ohtani once again. Is there even the slightest chance he begins the season in the minor leagues? Tune in and find out! Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, we ran through reason for optimism and why the Halos will make the playoffs. This week, the pessimist's view, examining why the club will miss the postseason. While a six man rotation may keep every pitcher in the rotation fresh and injure-free, the health history of the squad says otherwise. Garrett Richards has made 12 starts in two seasons. Shohei Ohtani is coming off an injury-plagued season of his own. Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs have shown promise, but lengthy disabled list stints and surgeries have stunted that enthusiasm.  Question marks surround the rotation, creating a huge chasm of potential for the entire club this season.  Tuesday also means a trip Down on the Farm, examining the top prospects at Angels camp in Tempe, updating everyone on the progress of Matt Thaiss, Rymer Liriano, and David Fletcher. Lastly, everyone needs to breathe and leave Shohei Ohtani alone. Tune in and find out why! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Another week of the show kicks off with a phenomenal guest, Taylor Ward of 247 Sports, sharing his thoughts on spring baseball so far, and what to expect come Opening Day. Shohei Ohtani begins the conversation, as do most chats with guests, before delving into the battles deciding final roster spots in the organizations. There might be something brewing in the outfield, as Chris Young continues to miss time. Ward even brings a newer name to the conversation to keep an eye on for the final infield spot on the roster. Later this week, we'll bring you 4 reasons why the Angels will not make the 2018 postseason, also known as our glass half-empty approach after last week's episodes. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once thought to be a perfect fit in Anaheim, Mike Moustakas returns to Kansas City for 2018 after a lackluster offseason for many high profile free agents. Why did he never gain serious consideration from the Angels? The finale of our 5 part series on why the Angels will make the playoffs this season finishes up as well. While question marks remain, the Halos' lineup packs a ton of potential for the upcoming summer, especially at problem positions from the past few seasons. Mailbag Friday returns and we answer your questions live on the show. With Chris Young still out, is the 4th outfield spot up for grabs? Is Colin Walsh a legitimate candidate to crack the 25 man roster? Find out and listen in! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our postseason optimism series continues, as the Angels are slated to have arguably the best defense in baseball. With the new additions entering the fray, this group has an opportunity to be truly special. Justin Upton joins Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun in a very athletic outfield, while Andrelton Simmons leads an elite infield into 2018. Given the struggles of the pitching rotation in years past, the confidence and trust that this unit can bring to the hurlers can be inherently valuable. The Gear Grinder also returns for this episode, examining some of the ill effects of advanced analytics and numbers in today's game. Have we truly lost sight of everything that players can bring off the field? Garrett Richards looks primed and ready to perform as true ace this season, and he potentially holds the key to a very intriguing season for the Angels. Tune in and find out why! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices