LA Angels: 5 Reasons Halos' Inactivity at Trade Deadline Will Doom Them

When the MLB non-waiver trade deadline window closed on Sunday at 4 p.m. EDT without the Los Angeles Angels making even one deal, a collective groan could be heard throughout the greater Anaheim area.

The Angels were not the only team to be inactive during the weekend—the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays were all quiet as well. In several cases, including the Angels, general managers cited the high asking prices that teams were demanding in exchange for their players.

Angels’ GM Tony Reagins said as much when talking with Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.

"We didn't match up," he said. "We had discussions that were interesting. But when you looked at what you had to give up to get what was out there, it just didn't make sense for us.

"There were teams that set their sights on a certain level of prospects and didn't really waiver from it."

Each year for the past three seasons, Reagins pulled off deadline trades, getting Mark Teixeira in ’08, Scott Kazmir in ’09 and Dan Haren and Alberto Callaspo last season.

However, with the Angels only two games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West with just over 60 games to play, a deal could not be had for Reagins and the Angels.

Whatever the reasoning for not pulling off a deal, the team’s inactivity basically means that the Angels will have to dance with the same roster that has at times struggled throughout the season to manufacture runs. Offensive deficiencies will not be acceptable going into crunch time.

There will certainly be an opportunity to pull off a waiver deal before Aug. 31 (Kazmir was snatched up in late August 2009), but the pickings may be much slimmer.

Here are five reasons why the Angels’ inability to pull off a trade at the deadline will eventually doom them in the the AL West title race and the 2011 season.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

1. Texas Rangers and Their Ability to Upgrade Bullpen

The Texas Rangers were able to add two key components to their bullpen, nabbing both Mike Adams and Koji Uehara during the weekend. The Rangers can now trot out two pitchers who can handle the seventh and eighth innings easily, giving the ball to closer Neftali Feliz in the ninth with an assurance that the Rangers’ lead has been safely held.

The Angels have Scott Downs, who has been outstanding thus far (1.49 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 19 holds). However, Hisanori Takahashi and Fernando Rodney have been inconsistent, and closer Jordan Walden is prone to blowing up at times. Walden has 24 saves and has shown great progress in taking over the closer’s role, but has blown seven saves on the season thus far.

Acquiring both Uehara and Adams clearly gives the edge to the Rangers in bullpen depth down the stretch.

2. The Angels’ Inability to Acquire a Power Bat at Third Base

There had been quite a bit of talk about the Angels’ interest in Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who led the majors with nine home runs in the month of July.

Ramirez certainly didn’t help matters much with his contradictory statements regarding whether or not he would waive his no-trade clause. Originally, Ramirez indicated he would not waive his rights before the deadline because his family wasn’t moving back to the Dominican Republic until August, when his children start school. Other reports indicated he would listen to offers presented to him and make a decision.

Whatever the case, the Angels missed an opportunity to add a huge bat to their lineup, and a bat that appears to be heating up at the right time.

3. The Angels’ Inability to Upgrade Back of Starting Rotation

The top three starting pitchers for the Los Angeles Angels—Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana—have been outstanding. Santana, who got off to a slow start, is now 6-8 with a 3.47 ERA, including his no-hitter thrown against the Cleveland Indians last Wednesday.

However, both Joel Pineiro and Tyler Chatwood have been largely inconsistent in the Nos. 4 and 5 starting roles. Options were certainly available to Reagins in terms of reliable pitchers, but prior deals that Reagins has made limited the Angels in terms of putting together an attractive enough package—which leads to our next reason…

4. The Angels’ Lack of Depth in Minor League System

When Reagins pulled off the trades in 2010 that landed both Dan Haren and Alberto Callaspo, he sent in return five prospects in all. The Angels have very few options in terms of top prospects who would be considered attractive to other teams.

Mike Trout, rated the top prospect overall by Baseball America, is untouchable, and unless Reagins were to dangle Tyler Chatwood out there as an option, the Angels are very limited in trade chip options.

5. The Angels’ Continued Lack of Production from High-Priced Starters

Between Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu, their combined salaries represent over 35 percent of the entire payroll for the Los Angeles Angels, yet their production thus far has fallen well short of expectations.

Considered the heart of the lineup, this trio will need to step it up over the next two months if the Angels are to have any chance of overtaking the Texas Rangers in the AL West.