10 Los Angeles Angels to Be Excited About in 2012

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are coming off of the biggest offseason in franchise history and have a myriad of reasons to be excited for 2012.

New faces will be joining old ones as the Angels try to get back to the playoffs for the first time this decade and unseat the Texas Rangers as kings of the American League West.

Here are 10 players that will help lead that charge and generate a lot of excitement in the process.

Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols is a Los Angeles Angel.

A lot of us won't truly be able to believe it until we see him in action, stepping up to the plate in an Angels uniform.

But it is true, and it is undoubtedly the most exciting thing about 2012. And 2013. And 2014. And...you get my point.

To put the addition of Pujols into perspective, consider this: Pujols hit .299 with 99 RBI and 37 home runs in 2011, his worst statistical year. Those numbers would have still led the Angels in every category, with room to spare.

Now, Pujols is moving to a more hitter-friendly ballpark than Busch Stadium. The 32-year-old first baseman may have already reached the peak of his career, but a fourth MVP award certainly isn't out of the question.

C.J. Wilson

C.J. Wilson is a Los Angeles Angel.

Okay, that one is a little easier to wrap your head around. But throw in the fact that he was the ace of the American League champion and division rival Texas Rangers, and it gets a little sweeter.

Wilson will likely hold the third spot in a rotation that includes fellow Southern California natives Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. He is essentially the third ace on the Angels' staff, and now he's moving into a park that will treat him a lot better than Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Since moving from the bullpen to the rotation in 2009, Wilson has compiled two great seasons as a starter. Last year, he set himself apart by winning 16 games, posting a 2.94 ERA and striking out over 200 batters.

Wilson can reach whatever remaining potential he has as an Angel, and that is cause for major excitement.

Jered Weaver

The ace of the staff for his third year now, Jered Weaver is in a better position than ever to win a Cy Young Award.

Weaver's 18-8 record, 2.41 ERA and 198 strikeouts last year would have won him a Cy Young Award easily had Justin Verlander not won 24 games and struck out 250. Instead, Weaver had to settle for second.

With the Angels' increased offensive firepower and no signs of a down year coming from Weaver, the 6-7 right-hander will have an easier time than ever getting to 20 wins.

A career year is foreseeable for a guy who just needs to keep doing what he is doing to become the Angels' first Cy Young Award winner since Bartolo Colon in 2005.

Jordan Walden

Closer Jordan Walden made the All-Star Game as a rookie last year and appears to be the Angels' long-term solution at the position.

After blowing a league-leading 10 saves in 2011, it wouldn't be unreasonable for Mike Scioscia to move Walden into a setup role this year. He's young and could use the experience.

But the Angels signed veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Jason Isringhausen for 2012, and they could have been brought in to mentor Walden as much as they were to throw pitches. Either one could assume the closer role if need be, but Walden performed well enough last year to keep the spot.

Walden has great talent and a fastball that has reached triple-digits in the past. With one year under his belt and the added benefit of learning from Hawkins and Isringhausen, Walden could be the elite closer Angels fans have been waiting for ever since the departure of Francisco Rodriguez.

Howie Kendrick

Second baseman Howie Kendrick always seems to be on the verge of a breakout year, and 2012 could finally be it.

Kendrick hasn't been bad in the past—he was an All-Star in 2011—but he hasn't quite lived up to his No. 1 prospect billing. Kendrick just needs more consistency, and maybe having a guy like Albert Pujols on the team can help that.

Pujols will likely be hitting third, which is right after Kendrick in the lineup. As a result, Kendrick will see more fastballs and more strikes, as pitchers try to get outs and avoid walks before Pujols comes to the plate.

Also, how could it not help to have one of the best hitters of all time in the clubhouse, available for tips and advice? Kendrick won't be the only one benefiting from this, as you will see.

Erick Aybar

With Erick Aybar, we continue the string of Albert Pujols' understudies.

Aybar took home a Gold Glove award in 2011, but he was average at best as a leadoff hitter, hitting .279 with a .322 OBP. He did have a career-high 30 steals, however, and was caught only six times—a career low since becoming a starter.

It's clear that Aybar is dangerous once he is on the basepaths, but he needs to get on them more often. A .279 batting average simply isn't going to cut it. That's where Pujols comes in.

Some of you may remember 2009, when Aybar hit .312 and took a major step forward at the plate under the tutelage of Bobby Abreu. Whatever has happened since then, the magic has disappeared, and Pujols is here to restore it.

Pujols knows at least as much as Abreu does about working walks and not striking out, so he can provide similar tips or maybe a different perspective on the matter to help Aybar. Also, having his bat in the lineup would presumably create a chain reaction of greatness—Kendrick will do better, and Aybar will all of a sudden have a bat behind him that resembles Abreu's from 2009.

It's the perfect storm for Aybar to get back to his 2009 levels and perhaps even surpass them.

Mark Trumbo

Mark Trumbo finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, and it might have been 120 strikeouts that cost him in the end.

Blessed with great power, Trumbo's stat line bears some resemblance to that of Mark Reynolds' or Adam Dunn's—lots of home runs and lots more strikeouts.

While his place in the lineup remains in question following the addition of Albert Pujols, he is a valuable piece of the offense and should see regular playing time.

Whether it's at third base, designated hitter or first base, Mike Scioscia would be stupid to leave his bat out of the lineup. And Scioscia is one of the best managers of the past decade, so he doesn't make many stupid decisions.

Under Pujols' tutelage, and with the experience of his rookie year under his belt, Trumbo will cut down on the strikeouts in major fashion. He could hit as high as fourth and as low as seventh, depending on how his play compares to that of Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells, Bobby Abreu and Kendrys Morales...which brings me to my next player.

Kendrys Morales

Angels fans haven't seen Kendrys Morales on the diamond since May 29, 2010.

On that day, Morales took a swing (pictured) and launched a walk-off grand slam over the outfield wall. That would be his last swing of the season, however, as he fractured his leg jumping into the celebration pile waiting for him at home plate.

Two surgeries and almost two years later, Morales is on track to rejoin the team by Opening Day. Whether he returns as the same player he was in 2009 when he had 34 home runs and 108 RBI remains to be seen, but simply seeing his name on the lineup card is cause for excitement.

Morales will likely play a lot of games at designated hitter this year as a caution to his injury, but he could fill in for Albert Pujols at first base and see time in the outfield as well.

Peter Bourjos

Peter Bourjos is coming off of his first full season, one in which he used his trademark speed to net 11 triples and 20 steals.

His value is high enough to where his name came up in trade speculation with David Wright and Ryan Zimmerman this offseason, so that alone should be enough to demonstrate what an asset he is.

2012 might not be the year when Bourjos becomes a full-fledged offensive threat, but it would be reasonable to expect him to improve upon his 2011 numbers. A year of experience should help him cut back from his 124 strikeouts last year and also raise his .271 average.

Oh, and don't be surprised if he gets to 30 steals, either.

Mike Trout

Top prospect Mike Trout may not have a spot in the lineup by Opening Day, but he could be an essential piece of the Angels' season down the stretch.

The 20-year-old outfielder has already earned comparisons to Mickey Mantle and is more of a sure thing than phenom Bryce Harper at this point.

In the 40 games Trout played at the big league level in 2011, he hit .220 with five home runs, 16 RBI and four steals. He may start 2012 at Triple-A Salt Lake just to ensure consistent playing time, but odds are that he will be called up to the Angels sooner or later.

Trout isn't someone to look out for in 2012 only. He'll be generating excitement for many years in an Angels uniform.

Honorable Mentions

The Angels simply have too many good players to leave them completely off this list, so here are some honorable mentions:

Dan Haren: Haren could be an ace on any staff, but he's the Angels' No. 2 because Jered Weaver is such a beast.

Ervin Santana: Consistency has always been the problem for Santana, who may have the highest ceiling of anyone on the Angels staff. He is, after all, the only one to throw a no-hitter.

Scott Downs: The veteran lefty was lights-out from the bullpen last year, posting a 1.34 ERA in 60 appearances.

Vernon Wells: Wells has a tendency to alternate good years and bad years. Could last year's career worst mean 2012 is going to be a career best? It's not likely, but Angels fans can at least hope for more.