They probably could trade one starter and still win the AL West, mixing and matching in the No. 5 spot as needed, and no team uses five starters in October.
But then the Angels face what could be a costly winter, with Jon Garland eligible for free agency, with Santana and maybe Weaver eligible for salary arbitration, and with negotiations for the contract extension that would keep ace John Lackey from entering a walk year next season.
This, ultimately, is the issue for Moreno: He would like a big bat, but he would prefer to buy one in free agency rather than get one by trading a pitcher, because he covets five good starters above all.
"Every day, we've got someone who has the opportunity to win," he said. "It's taken us a long time just to get to that point."
This is not to say Moreno is satisfied with winning the division and packing the house, year in and year out. This is about winning in October, with a plan that has yet to succeed in October.
The Angels have the best record in the major leagues, so they'll almost certainly have another chance to succeed this October. And then the calendar will turn to Pete Carroll, and to Kobe, and then to another big-bat season 12 months from now.
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bill.shaikin@latimes.com
