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Way back in Spring Training, we launched a series of over/under threads to attempt and predict the 2018 Angels individual and team results. Now that we’re a month into the season, let’s see how some of the lines are doing.
Mike Trout HR 39.5: Over
The wunderkid has crushed 10 long balls through 28 team games, on track for 58 at a rate of one every 2.8 games.
Garrett Richards 149.5 Innings Pitched: Under but Possible
Richards was shelled over the weekend and has yet to go deep into a game. He’s at 27.2, his total from last year. With an expected 20 more starts, he’ll need to average a hair over 6 innings per start to have a shot.
Kole Calhoun OPS+ 109.5: Way Under
Calhoun is on pace for the worst year of his career and currently rocking a Mathis-esque OPS+ of 16. Yep, 16.
Justin Upton bWAR 3.45: Under but Plausible
Upton has wracked up 0.5 WAR according to Baseball-Reference.com, putting him on track for about 3 WAR for the year. He’s been in a bit of an offensive funk, though, so a typical Upton hot streak could do wonders here.
Ian Kinsler OBP .333: Under
Kinsler is carring a .292 OBP in a fairly limited sample size.
Albert Pujols GIDP 22.5: Under
Pujols has hit into three double plays this year, including a really odd one that went off a pitcher’s glove. Thanks largely to fewer opportunities, Albert is below his normal rate of double plays for a year.
Angels 87.5 Wins: Over!
Yes the last couple of weeks have been brutal, but so has the schedule. The Halos have a 57% winning percentage. Prorate that out over a full 162 and the squad is on track to win 92.5 games.
And that is largely due to the fact.....
Mike Trout WAR 9.45: Over
The guy just keeps getting better. He’s already racked up 2.4 WAR according to bb-ref, which puts him on track for one of the greatest seasons in MLB history. He’s on track for 13.9 WAR. We are seeing history here, and it is not just Ohtani and it is definitely not Pujols limping to 3000 hits. We are witnessing the prime seasons of one of the greatest to every play.
Comments? Questions? Leave them below.