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How the Los Angeles Angels have become the Colorado Rockies of the American League

By Noah Yingling

Mar 25, 2021; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies manger Bud Black and Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon talk before a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. They were coaches on the Angels together from 2000 through 2006. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2021; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies manger Bud Black and Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon talk before a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. They were coaches on the Angels together from 2000 through 2006. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports /
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Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels
Jul 28, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder Raimel Tapia (15) hits a single as Los Angeles Angels catcher Max Stassi (middle) looks on during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

For both the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels, they have had a hard time being a postseason caliber team.

For the Los Angeles Angels (especially being a big-market team), they have been remarkably awful in the last decade. They made it to the ALDS in 2014 where they were quickly dispatched in three games by the Kansas City Royals. The last time they made the postseason before that was in 2009. Since 2010, the Colorado Rockies made the playoffs as a Wild Card team in 2017 and 2018 but they won one (1) postseason game: the 2018 Wild Card Game. The Angels and Colorado Rockies have a massive depth and secondary talent problem.

The Angels have Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Anthony Rendon. Who else do they have that’s a good MLB player for more than a season? That’s the thing. They really don’t have one.

The Rockies had Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and Charlie Blackmon but after those three, their offense was awful and now, their offense is even worse. The team also hasn’t been a playoff contender for three years now.

Both teams tried to address issues by spending big on free agent contracts … and nearly all of them flopped.

For the Angels, it was Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Josh Hamilton, Sean Burnett, Ryan Madson, Joe Blanton, Scott Downs, Zack Cozart, and many others. For the Rockies, it was Mike Dunn, Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Bryan Shaw, Ian Desmond, Daniel Murphy, and Chris Iannetta.

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