As attention begins to shift towards the upcoming baseball season, there may not be another team with as much attention as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Their headline hitters alone will draw plenty of attention.
This offseason, the Angels added top free agent Josh Hamilton to a lineup that already includes last year’s top free agent, Albert Pujols and reigning Rookie of the Year Mike Trout. Hamilton and Pujols have previously won MVP awards, and Trout, in addition to winning Rookie of the Year, finished second in MVP voting last season.
With a dynamic lineup that includes this trio and other top hitters and a talented roster of pitchers, the Angles have to be the early World Series favorite. While a number of factors, including whether Pujols can avoid a slump like he endured early last season, will determine whether the Angels ultimately live up to lofty expectations, this has to be one of the most talented baseball teams assembled in recent memory.
Adding to the drama will be Hamilton, who has had personal struggles with drug addiction in the past, and his entry into the big city life of Los Angeles. Whether or not the Angels go the route of the Lakers as an underperforming super team or if they can play up to their potential, will be one of the great stories of the MLB season.
Follow Cole Muzio on Twitter @ColeMuzio