Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Angels let the 2011 trade deadline go by without making a move.
Frustratingly, the powers of the American League were hard at work making the road to the pennant as difficult as possible.
The Red Sox picked up Mike Aviles, the Rangers nabbed Mike Adams to reinforce their weak bullpen and the Angels did nothing.
With the Halos in the midst of a bitter race for the 2011 AL West championship, they appeared to be clear buyers by the time July 31 finally rolled along.
Instead of making a splash, the club stayed put. Mike Scioscia, Tony Reagins and company must believe the club is fine the way it is, so we won’t be seeing any new faces in the Anaheim clubhouse.
But while the Angels look a couple of steps behind formidable Texas and Boston, the current situation may not necessarily be a bad thing.
It could, in fact, be an indicator that the Angels are sacrificing the present for the future. The team has showcased quite a bit of young talent this season, including rookie studs Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos. We even caught a glimpse of future Angels mainstay Mike Trout, who belted an impressive homer during his short stint as a major-leaguer. And who can forget rooks Hank Conger and Tyler Chatwood, who have shown flashes of sheer brilliance?
The young veterans get some love, too; Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver, and Dan Haren have been absolute rocks for the 59-50 Angels.
The front office is showing plenty of faith in its young players by staying put before the deadline. It’s an acknowledgement that the Angels’ success is due in large part to their efforts. In fact, it’s an indicator that when these players further develop, they’ll be a force in the American League.
The youngsters are certainly carrying their weight, better than overpaid veterans Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells, who have languished for the majority of 2011.
One of the most endearing things about Scioscia’s Angels is the club’s heavy reliance on home-grown talent, and this year’s iteration does little to dispel that notion. Fans are gearing up to watch the Angels’ youth movement develop into true major league stars. If things go the way Scioscia and Reagins expect them to go, we’ll be in for a treat here at the Big A.
It may not mean a trip to the playoffs in 2011, but with the way the team is contending thus far, the Angels look capable of playing deep into October in the next couple of years.
And heck, if they can pull it off this year, that’d be great, too.
