Angels had a shot at Guerrero Jr.

But the All-Star first baseman never got the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps

- BILL SHAIKIN COLUMNIST

ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. spent much of his childhood running through the Angels clubhouse with his free-swinging father.

This isa brutal October for the Angels, and not just because they are defendants before a jury that must determine whether the team is guilty of negligence or ignorance that contributed to the death of one of its players.

On the field, baseball's longest postseason drought extended to 11 years. They just hired their fourth manager in five years and gave him aone-year contract, which makes him a lame duck before he ever manages a game. Kevin Pillar, who played for the Angels last year, said on “Foul Territory” this week the team is “very, very far behind” in clubhouse facilities and amenities.

“It’s a big selling point to get players,” Pillar said.

In Toronto, the starting pitcher for Game 1 of the World Series Friday against the Dodgers: rookie Trey Yesavage, drafted last year from East Carolina University. The Angels, who have failed in developing pitching and have based their rebuilding strategy on drafting polished college players and rushing them to the major leagues, passed on Yesavage.

The Dodgers’ best hitter, Shohei Ohtani, offered the Angels and other teams the same $700-million, heavily-deferred deal he ultimately signed with the Dodgers. The Angels, who had employed him for the previous six years, passed on that offer.