What Trout is doing is amazing... But it's occurring in a "black box". Without team success it's sorta one-man vs. the world and no matter how great he is the world is going to win. He's an enhanced version of Ernie Banks and what Banks went through in his career with the cubs.
We have some blue chip talent in the minors finally (Jo Adell may be a top-5 MLB prospect after this season, check him out, Mike). We also have Ohtani and Andrelton. We have a solid pitching staff, but horrid pen. Most blown leads in baseball by bullpen. Middleton going down did us no favors. Still, we have nice starting pitching, but we do lack a true top of the rotation starter. Richards isn't that guy, he might have a year or two of sub 3.00 ERA in the future, but it will be an outlier not the norm. We traded our future ace (Newcomb) for Simba.
Also, HOU will be raking this division for the next two-three years, conservatively, that leaves us playing WC win-and-in games against NY or BOS or whoever is the flavor de jour that year (SEA/TOR/whoever). This doesn't bode well for keeping Trout. He has to preserve his legacy and win. With that said, as mentioned, we have several high-end prospects, and an owner willing to spend. If he doesn't eat Pujols contract, Trout is gone, unless we hit it outta the park on virtually all of our top 5 prospects. We're thinking Eppler will be given the green light on Arenado and Kershaw. Cozart will slide into super-utility, and gah-willing, Fletcher sticks at 2nd.
So many holes, but we do have a hell of a GM. Arte
needs to eat Pujols' contract, have I mentioned that? Eppler needs to be given carte blanche and build a contender. Fire Sosh and build the team around his vision as he has already started to do. Every effort must be made to get Trout to the postseason in his final two years before FA. He loves playing here, but no Great (unless your Barry Sanders) wants to play for a loser their whole career.
I'll follow Trout wherever he goes. Even if he becomes a Yankee or a Ranger, I will still die-hard root for him. I'm praying the Angels fix it. They owe it to him.