Countdown to Opening Day: #19 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Pirates, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, biggest spring training question and top prospect.

PROJECTED LINEUP

SS Erick Aybar

2B Howie Kendrick

RF Torii Hunter

1B Kendry Morales

LF Vernon Wells

DH Bobby Abreu

3B Alberto Callaspo

C Jeff Mathis

CF Peter Bourjos

PROJECTED ROTATION

Jered Weaver

Dan Haren

Ervin Santana

Scott Kazmir

Joel Pineiro

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Fernando Rodney
Set-up - Scott Downs

Top Prospect - Mike Trout (OF)

Breakout

Howie Kendrick - A one time a top prospect in the organization, the second basemen battled injuries early in his career, but people always said he could win a batting title. He hit .279 in his first healthy season in the bigs and I can see him approaching .300 this year, if not putting his name in the batting title race. 

Bust

Bobby Abreu - While Kendrick and Peter Bourjos will improve and Kendry Morales will rebound from his broken leg, Abreu will continue to become a shadow of his old self. Abreu will still be able to get timely hits and draw his walks, but the days of .300 average and 20/20 are gone for this 37 year old.

Biggest Spring Training Question

Offseason woes - The Angels were rumored to have a legit chance to sign every big time free agent this season from Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Adrian Beltre and Rafael Soriano. So after missing out on all of them and settling for Vernon Wells and his giant contract the Angels' fans are concerned. They want to know if they have enough offense and enough stability in the back end of the bullpen to return to first place in the West.

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 80-82

Wish Morales and the Halos luck, just don't tell them to break a leg

PROJECTED FINISH: 1st in the American League West

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
 

Check back tomorrow for the Los Angeles Dodgers