Confirmed
Conf
When you build a day-to-day lineup around Mike Trout, arguably the best player in baseball, you have a chance for success. However, Major League Baseball games are won by the team with the most runs on the scoreboard. When you have problems keeping the opposition from crossing the plate, it reduces your chances of winning more often than not. That was a huge problem for the Los Angeles Angels during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The Angels scored the ninth most runs in baseball. Yet, Los Angeles ranked sixth worst in ERA. Despite a respectable offensive season, the Angels landed eighth worst in run differential. It led to the Angels clumped together with a block of eight teams between 24 and 26 victories. None of these teams made the expanded playoffs.
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Game | Score | Starting Pitcher | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
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4/14 @ KC | L 1-6 |
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4/14 @ KC | L 2-3 |
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4/13 @ KC | W 10-3 |
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4/11 @ TOR | L 0-0 |
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4/10 @ TOR | L 1-15 |
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Last season was the sixth consecutive time Los Angeles failed to make the playoffs. Most of the time, it's been because of this exact reason. A large disparity in runs scored versus runs allowed. The Angels added one new starting pitcher, Jose Quintana, plus a flamboyant closer in Raisel Iglesias. But the biggest news in Southern California was the Angels making a strong offense even stronger. Los Angeles filled a hole at the hot corner, plus put more power in a powerful lineup by adding third baseman Anthony Rendon. No one doubts the Angels' ability to plate runs in 2021. However, the key for any post season contention will revolve around them keeping the other team from doing it more.