Buyers and Sellers - Angels

Never too early to take a look at teams who will be looking to trade for players (buyers) or dump salary (sellers). Today let's take a quick look at the Angels.

They are definitely buyers. At the end of the season they will be dropping about $37 million in salary (Troy Glaus $9 mil, Troy Percival $7.5 mil, Aaron Sele $8.5 mil and $12 mil owed to Kevin Appier). Of the four players - I would say that only maybe Sele would be back next year at a reduced salary.

The Angels should be in the playoff hunt all year and since they will be dropping all of the above salary - they shouldn't be too adverse to picking up a veteran player to help them make a playoff push.

The big needs are now at third (with Glaus going down) and at starting pitcher.

At third the one name you will hear bandied about by everyone is Aaron Boone who should be ready for the second half of the season. Also keep Aubrey Huff and Joe Randa in the back of you head for the Angels.

At starter - the Angels are certainly in a better position to make the Diamondbacks happy with prospects than the Yankees are for the services of Randy Johnson. The Pirates will be willing to move Kip Wells if the Angels lose out on the Big Unit.

(A Randy Johnson / Shea Hillenbrand trade from the Diamondbacks would cure both needs of the Angels and probably make them the team to beat in thr AL. Just something to consider.)

The Angels have some top rated prospects like current first baseman Casey Kotchman as well as catcher Jeff Mathis, Ervin Santana, and Dallas McPherson. Some of these guys may fit into the future plans of the Angels while others should make good trade bait.