The 2010s: The Angels’ all-decade team but only one Mike Trout allowed, please

OK, I’ll admit it. When my editors approached me as part of The Athletic Los Angeles’ series honoring the best of the past decade and asked me to put together the best Angels’ team of the 2010s, I tried to cheat.

I mean, think about it. It’s the pipe dream of “Why don’t the Angels just build the team out of Mike Trout?” that has sparked many a random simulation in MLB The Show or sparked conversations on the game’s best player and his ability to impact a game.

Plus, given that the franchise’s last postseason victory came in a game started by John Lackey in 2009 (Trout had just wrapped up his season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels in short-season A-ball), it’s not as if there were a bevy of playoff heroes to choose from.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the Angels of the 2010s have included many a great individual seasons, as you’ll see, but it’s hard to get past the organization’s narrative of the decade just being, in large placard letters, “MIKE TROUT WAS GREAT.”

And, well, he was. Which is why the toughest part of this entire exercise wasn’t searching Wins Above Replacement leaderboards or spending uncomfortable amounts of time on Baseball Reference franchise pages. It was determining the Trout season of the decade.

Each player (and manager) was selected on the basis of one individual season. It didn’t have to be the best year, but performance was undoubtedly a factor. Also, players could not be picked more than once (though I make one non-Trout exception).

These are the single-season performances that defined the decade for the Angels.

Manager: 2014 Mike Scioscia

The case: 98-64 (Pythagorean W-L: 96-66), won AL West, lost ALDS to Kansas City (3-0)

It’s hard to really have another choice here. Scioscia managed all but one season of the 2010s and was an icon in Anaheim during his 19 years at the helm. The 2014 season was where the Angels peaked this decade. They finished with the best record in baseball at 98-64 despite playing in a competitive AL West, earning their lone postseason berth during that span.

Catcher: 2017 Martín Maldonado

The case: 1.6 bWAR, 3.1 fWAR, 138 G (471 PA), .221/.276/.368, 14 HR, 72 wRC+, Gold Glove

The club acquired Maldonado, to that point largely a backup, from Milwaukee for almost nothing. He turned himself into the epitome of what clubs look for defensively from a modern catcher. His strong arm (hence the “Machete” nickname) helped him nab 39 percent of potential base stealers in 2017 which, along with his 21.6 Framing Runs, nabbed him his first Gold Glove.

First base: 2012 Albert Pujols

The case: 4.8 bWAR, 3.3 fWAR, 154 G (670 PA), .285/.343/.516, 30 HR, 133 wRC+, 17th in AL MVP voting

Pujols’ start in an Angels uniform — after signing a 10-year, $240 million deal in December 2011 — was a bad one. His first month of 2012 saw him post just a .570 OPS and not hit a single homer, but he rebounded to have a May-September that looked … like a normal Pujols season? Well, normal for what Pujols was able to do in St. Louis, at the very least.

Here was Pujols’ OPS by month that season:

Month	OPS
March/April	.570
May	.800
June	.977
July	1.071
August	1.027
Sept/Oct	.735

This was as superstar-like as Pujols has been for the Angels in his first eight seasons in Anaheim, and it was enough to push the club within four games of a postseason berth. It also marked the last time for a while that injuries didn’t play a significant concern for Pujols in Anaheim. He would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery after the season, just part of a stretch of lower-body ailments that would beset Pujols’ time with the Angels.

Second base: 2014 Howie Kendrick

The case: 5.4 bWAR, 4.6 fWAR, 157 G (674 PA), .293/.347/.397, 7 HR, 114 wRC+, 18th in AL MVP voting

I chose 2014 as much for the greatness Kendrick was able to produce on the field, but also because it was a goodbye. That 2014 team marked Kendrick’s fourth trip to the postseason, but his first as a core member of the organization. It would also be his last, with the Angels trading him to the Dodgers for Andrew Heaney later that winter. This was arguably Kendrick’s best season with the Angels, but it definitely was his swan song and the end of a journey for a fan favorite.

Shortstop: 2017 Andrelton Simmons

The case: 7.0 bWAR, 5.0 fWAR, 158 G (589 PA), .278/.331/.421, 14 HR, 102 wRC+, 8th in AL MVP voting, 2017 Gold Glove (then-third overall, first with Angels)

I will say this as a neutral observer: There are few things I enjoy more about this job than the simple joy of watching Andrelton Simmons play shortstop. His style and ability, a blend of freak athleticism and technicality, are incredible to watch. Simmons is a transcendent player in the sport, but his 2017 season might be his masterpiece for his seeming ability to put it all together.

Third base: 2019 David Fletcher

The case: 3.8 bWAR, 3.4 fWAR, 154 G (653 PA), .290/.350/.384, 6 HR, 99 wRC+

Let’s face it, the Angels haven’t exactly been bolstered by elite third-base play over the course of this decade. Yes, Fletcher started less than half his games at third base this year, so this might be cheating (that said, he played there more than any other position).

But to honor Fletcher’s 2019 season is largely a credit to the style of player he’s been and how quickly he’s emerged. His skill set — a versatile defensive player with an above-average glove at five different spots, and one of the best bat-to-ball hitters in the sport — is unique, and it took him just a matter of two seasons to turn himself into a 4-win player (his 2-win rookie campaign is nothing to sneeze at, either).

Outfield: 2012 Mike Trout

The case: 10.5 bWAR, 10.1 fWAR, 139 G (639 PA), .326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 167 wRC+, 2012 AL Rookie of the Year, 2nd in AL MVP voting (behind Miguel Cabrera), AL Silver Slugger (then-first), AL All-Star (then-first)

How do you pick the Mike Trout season? Well, for one, you have to pick a season that at the very least has the chance to be the best of the bunch. That eliminates 2011, which for all the hype and hoopla and brief flashes of what was to come, was the only time Trout appeared mortal. For context, he posted a .672 OPS (89 OPS+) in 40 games and still managed to be a productive player, with 0.5 bWAR accumulated during that span. So it was respectable, but 2011 is out.

This also rules out 2017, which in spite of his torrid pace when he was on the field (then-career bests in OPS, strikeout rate, walk rate, OPS+, wRC+, etc.) is disqualified in part because he only played in 114 games. It’s also Trout’s only full season in which he fell outside of the top two in AL MVP voting. So that one’s out.

The 2013 season was a strong Trout year, sure. But in many ways, it was a 2012 redux. All the arguments for the 2012 season (more on that later) apply to 2013, except without as much vigor.

Trout won his first AL MVP award in 2014, and in unanimous fashion, no less. This should be the season, you’d think, especially with the Angels winning 98 games, the most in baseball, and Trout reaching the postseason for the first time. This was the best Angels team they’ve managed to put around him. But, you look at it closer and … I just can’t put it there.

It’s Trout’s worst full season in terms of WAR (7.6 bWAR, 8.3 fWAR), and was the first year his defense took a bit of a step back. He led the league in strikeouts and didn’t steal as often. And while he was the best player in the sport, the gap wasn’t as wide as it’s been in the past. So, reluctantly, I’ll throw that one out.

In 2016, Trout’s patience at the plate took a jump. He closed off another perceived weakness in his approach, walking nearly as often as he struck out. His defense remained strong. He stole 30 bases for the first time since his sophomore season. At the end of it, he won his second AL MVP award. But is it the year that defined his decade? Not a chance.

Trout’s best offensive season has to be 2018 — a combination of elite plate discipline and the continued harnessing of his power. He came within one big swing of 40 home runs for what would have been the second time in his career. On a per-at-bat rate, he hasn’t been better. Off the field, he showed growth and the ability to battle adversity following the passing of his brother-in-law, Aaron Cox. This one’s definitely a finalist.

So too is Trout’s 2019 season, a year that started by inking the richest contract in baseball history — a 12-year, $426.5 million extension that secured he’ll make a run at another decade of dominance in an Angels uniform. His offensive growth continued, including a leap in power that resulted in a career high in home runs (45). In the face of the tragic loss of Tyler Skaggs, Trout took a valued leadership role both behind the scenes and publicly. Trout himself called this his best season.

But this isn’t about figuring out Mike Trout’s best season. It’s looking for the Mike Trout season.

That is 2012.

When I look back at this decade, one of the defining stories I’ll remember most is that 2012 AL MVP race, one that was only competitive because Trout, at age 21, was called up for good on April 28 and then proceeded to immediately be the best player in the sport and not by a slim margin. Think about it. Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown that year, a feat that hadn’t been done in decades. It was, historically, a feat of hitting in its purest form.

Except … Mike Trout was a better hitter on a per-at-bat basis when it comes to OPS+ (Cabrera 164, Trout 168) and wRC+ (Cabrera 166, Trout 167) … and fielding (Trout almost immediately was among the best defensive center fielders in baseball, with impeccable routes and the athleticism to cover a ridiculous amount of ground) … and he stole 49 bases. In a span of just 139 games, he accumulated 10.5 bWAR. That is still a career high, matched only by a 2016 campaign in which he played 159 games. This is when Mike Trout became MIKE TROUT.

My final Trout season rankings of the decade:

2012
2019
2018
2016
2014
2013
2015
2017
2011

Outfield: 2012 Torii Hunter

The case: 5.4 bWAR, 4.7 fWAR, 140 (584 PA), .313/.365/.451, 16 HR, 131 wRC+

Much of Hunter’s 2012 season was spent with a then-rookie Mike Trout under his wing. His leadership and veteran presence made an impact as much as his play on the field, and man, Hunter could play a great right field in his later days. That, plus his best offensive campaign in an Angels uniform, makes this a fairly easy pick.

Outfield: 2011 Peter Bourjos

The case: 4.9 bWAR, 4.3 fWAR, 147 G (552 PA), .271/.327/.438, 12 HR, 114 wRC+

Remember when Peter Bourjos was a borderline five-win player? So much speed, such great defense and a fun style of play. Angels fans had dreams of a future outfield with Bourjos sharing time with an in-his-prime Trout. They got that this past season, albeit just for a month or so.

Designated hitter: 2018 Shohei Ohtani

The case: 2.7 bWAR, 2.8 fWAR, 104 G (367 PA), .285/.361/.564, 22 HR, 151 wRC+, 2018 AL Rookie of the Year

Do something that hadn’t been done in a century, smash several records in the process and become a trend-setter in the sport, all as a rookie? Ohtani’s 2018 is a slam dunk pick.

Starting pitcher: 2011 Jered Weaver

The case: 6.9 bWAR, 5.4 fWAR, 33 GS, 235.2 IP, 4 CG (2 SO), 18-8, 2.41 ERA, 156 ERA+, 3.20 FIP, 198 K, 56 BB, 2nd in 2011 AL Cy Young voting (behind Justin Verlander), 2011 AL All-Star

Remember when there was a legitimate, albeit brief, moment in which Weaver inserted himself into the conversation as one of the best pitchers on the planet? From 2010 to 2012, he had a 2.97 ERA, a 141 ERA+ and a 3.31 FIP. That’s wild, and it was fun to watch. Yes, by picking the 2011 season and not 2012, I’m removing his no-hitter, but this still feels like his peak.

Starting pitcher: 2018 Shohei Ohtani

The case: 2.7 bWAR, 1.0 fWAR (pitching), 10 GS, 51.2 IP, 4-2, 3.31 ERA, 127 ERA+, 3.57 FIP, 63 K, 22 BB, 2018 AL Rookie of the Year

OK, I cheated and put a player on here twice. But in my defense, Ohtani’s accomplishments during that 2018 season are based on his ability to both hit and pitch, so I’ll honor both. Plus, the start in the video below might be the most electrifying single-person pitching performance of any Angels game this decade — and it came in a week where he produced an entire Win Above Replacement of value alone.

Starting pitcher: 2011 Dan Haren

The case: 4.1 bWAR, 5.9 fWAR, 35 G (34 GS), 238.1 IP, 16-10, 3.17 ERA, 119 ERA+, 2.98 FIP, 192 K, 33 BB, 7th in 2011 AL Cy Young voting

Haren came to the Angels for a hefty haul — the package would include two members of the Angels’ esteemed 2009 draft class in Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin — but he certainly produced during his time in Anaheim, particularly during his first full season with the club. A memory that’s interesting: the 2012 Angels had Trout in his rookie season, plus Weaver, Haren and Zack Greinke in their rotation for their stretch run, and missed the postseason.

Starting pitcher: 2014 Garrett Richards

The case: 4.4 bWAR, 4.3 fWAR, 26 GS, 168.2 IP, 13-4, 2.61 ERA, 138 ERA+, 2.60 FIP, 164 K, 51 BB

It’s pretty safe to argue that, save for perhaps Ohtani, no Angels pitcher this decade regularly flashed better raw stuff than Richards. That 2014 season, up until his gruesome left knee injury at Fenway Park, was at the peak of his powers. It marked his first full season as a starter, a season that is now filled with “what ifs” in terms of what a healthy Richards could’ve done in that postseason.

Starting pitcher: 2014 Matt Shoemaker

The case: 2.4 bWAR, 2.1 fWAR, 27 G (20 GS), 136 IP, 16-4, 3.04 ERA, 118 ERA+, 3.26 FIP, 124 K, 24 BB, 2nd in 2014 AL Rookie of the Year voting (behind José Abreu)

Shoemaker’s out-of-nowhere 2014 was only highlighted by the journey that got him there. It took the right-hander six years to go from undrafted to rotation savior, and it was a brilliant surprise for a club that finished with the best record in baseball.

Closer: 2019 Hansel Robles

The case: 2.6 bWAR, 1.8 fWAR, 71 G, 72.2 IP, 23 SV, 2.48 ERA, 184 ERA+, 2.88 FIP, 75 K, 16 BB

First of all, Robles objectively has the best entrance video and music of any Angels pitcher this decade. But the oddities and quirks that make Robles a fan favorite — the pointing to the sky, his “Caballo Blanco” nickname — all overshadowed Robles, the pitcher, until this past season when a tweak to his pitch mix and renewed confidence sparked a run as one of the most effective relievers in baseball.