Josh Hamilton - Angels - Dodgers Tale Of The Tape - Sporting News

After , the Los Angeles Angels must be considered the best team inside AL West.

But within Southern California, the particular much better query is: Are the particular Angels the very best group inside Los Angeles?

Sorry, Arte Moreno. The Los Angeles Dodgers still own the side over ones Angels. Hamilton creates the Halos crime possibly better, although a decided benefit in starting off pitching tilts this kind of comparability exclusively use the Dodgers.

Have your look:

PROJECTED LINEUPS

1B: Albert Pujols vs. Adrian Gonzalez. Close, nevertheless frame for you to Angels. Expect Pujols for you to hit much more like Pujols pre-2011 once a complete year within their fresh environment.

2B: Howie Kendrick vs. Mark Ellis. Edge for you to Angels. Kendrick, 29, is usually inside their best and possesses greater likely for any major season. Ellis, 35, is a older projected frequent upon possibly club.

SS: Erick Aybar vs. Hanley Ramirez. Edge to help Dodgers, but not simply by up to anyone d think. These two in fact have a few similarities. Both are generally 28, ought to grab related to 20 angles and possess already been regarded as outstanding defensive players. The big difference is actually power. Ramirez make twenty-four homers the following past season, although Aybar completed using eight.

3B: Alberto Callaspo vs. Luis Cruz. Edge to be able to Angels in an additional close up one. Callaspo utes have fun with slipped within 2012 even though Cruz, 28, afforded the actual Dodgers a late-season lift. Callaspo, 29, has the better vocation resume, though.

C: Chris Iannetta vs. A.J. Ellis. Edge to help Dodgers. Ellis is usually arriving off some sort of profession year in the course of which often he or she posted a .373 on-base percentage. Iannetta still hasn t brought on his potential.

LF: Mark Trumbo vs. Carl Crawford. Edge for you to Angels, for now. If Crawford income for you to his pre-Boston Red Sox form, his or her all-round game would likely overcome Trumbo s huge electricity advantage.

CF: Mike Trout vs. Matt Kemp. In earlier times two years, both have loved a moment whenever they were considered the action vertisements greatest player. But Kemp s occasion came up before he or she ended up being hurt along with previous to Trout arrived. Edge for you to Angels.

RF: Josh Hamilton vs. Andre Ethier. Ethier is definitely an superb player that has a occupation brand regarding .290/.362/.476. But he isn t Hamilton. Edge for you to Angels.

DH: Kendrys Morales vs. Skip Schumaker. No matter who your Dodgers put here, Morales would certainly support the edge. The Dodgers require your DH pertaining to 20 interleague games, like a couple biggies within Anaheim upon May 29-30.

ROTATIONS

Angels: Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton as well as Jerome Williams/Garrett Richards.

Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Josh Beckett, Chad Billingsley plus Hyun-Jin Ryu. No matter what sort of buttocks of the rotations protein shake out, this Dodgers 1-2 impact of Kershaw and also Greinke tops Weaver as well as Wilson. Kershaw in addition to Greinke, in fact, .

BULLPEN

Both clubs deal with a lot of uncertainties for making a conclusion. Neither perhaps knows who'll become their nearer with cutting open day. But if Ryan Madson (Tommy John surgery) is ready, appearing qualified to step Ernesto Frieri into your launch position hints this matchup into the Angels.

TO BE DECIDED

Both golf clubs face uncertainties above his or her bullpens. How that they resolution their outstanding questions this kind of offseason ultimately could decide which includes the actual superior squad. Three important ones:

1. Who will certainly end up inside Angels outfield?

With Hamilton, that Angels individual this kind of stored regarding outfielders which they amount to help trade one. Because righthanded power will be in short supply around the game, Trumbo would certainly deliver far more frequently compared to speedster Peter Bourjos. But that Angels might choose they will ve had always be superior away using Trumbo vertisements power as compared to Bourjos speed.

Their smartest choice would be to move Morales, ideally for proven starting up pitcher. The Angels next is able to use Trumbo at DH and choose some sort of shielding outfield that is going to be tough in order to match by using Trout as well as Hamilton flanking Bourjos.

2. Which beginner will that Dodgers trade?

With Ted Lilly, Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano to choose your personal training above, the Dodgers should offer a minimum of one rotation candidate. None involving these kind of three, however, may occur in order to bring back your gambler of impact. Not that certain is actually needed.

3. What concerning clubhouse chemistry?

After their blockbuster deal considering the Red Sox this particular beyond August, your Dodgers discovered there's more that will winning as compared with adding high-paid online players towards the roster. But going through a two-month adjustment interval continue time will need to rewarded inside 2013.

A clubhouse difficult task awaits this Angels, who certainly could pass up the particular company connected with Torii Hunter. Their dependable connected with stars no more time involves a good clear leader or even which can be more essential in comparison with you can assume any person which is actually willing as well as qualified to encounter the actual press when instances are tough.

Of course, following clinching Hamilton, that Angels aren big t considering troublesome times. They are planning on proudly owning the most beneficial roster for their division certainly the best within the American League. That still doesn t help it become the best of their individual backyard, though.