The 2013 season brought about high expectations for Los Angeles teams.  Both the Dodgers and Angels spent the offseason spending money and signing some of the biggest free agents in the game, but it has yet to pay off.

Both teams are off to a slow start, but, more so the Angels. The Halos are 4-10 and currently sit in fourth place in the AL West, only a half game above the Houston Astros.  The Angels 2013 team salary is a grand total of $127,896,250.  Fans and analysts have considered this season a World Series or bust year for the Angels, and so far they aren’t living up to their hype.  One of their toughest competitors thus far has been the red hot Oakland A’s, who are 12-4 to start the season.  The A’s won the west in 2012 with one of the lowest budgets in Major League Baseball, and 2013 isn’t any different for them salary wise.  The green and gold’s 2013 team salary is $60, 372, 500 and they currently sit in first place above not only the Angels, but also the Texas Rangers. 

Many of the Angels key players have been in a slump to start the season.  Granted, they lost their ace, Jered Weaver, to a fractured elbow, but after his two starts this year, Weaver has a record of 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA.  Not the numbers the Angels want to see from their ace, especially when he is getting paid $16 million, part of his five-year $85 million contract. This past offseason, the Angels signed outfielder Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $133 million contract.  The slugger is due $17 million this season. He was supposed to be the piece that put the Angels above all other teams and lead them to a Western division title; but so far, his numbers have been disappointing as he’s only batting .200 with two homeruns.  No doubt, Angels fans were expecting much more from Hamilton even if it is early in the season.  The Angels also have starting pitcher C.J. Wilson, who, now with Weaver out, is the team's best pitcher.  Wilson played his first season with the Angels in 2012, after signing a five-year, $77.5 million contract.  He had an ok year in 2012 as he posted a 13-10 record with a 3.83 ERA.  So far this year, Wilson has started three games and is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA.  The ERA is definitely an area of concern for the Angels, especially when they are paying Wilson a whopping $11 million this year.  The Angels also signed first baseman Albert Pujols when they signed Wilson. Pujols signed a ten year $240 million dollar contract.  After a disappointing 2012 where he batted .285 with 30 homeruns, the Angels expect more from him in 2013.  He had a very slow start last season and this season seems to be no different as he only has two homeruns and is batting .280.  Pujols, like pretty much every member of the Angels, is due a lot of money in 2013; $16 million to be exact.  Last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, outfielder Mike Trout, had a great 2012 season, and is off to a good 2013 as he is batting .300, but only has one homerun. 

Despite signing some of the biggest names and having what should be a dangerous lineup, the Angels are still 4-10 and are struggling as a team.  The Halos were expected to compete last season and potentially win the west, but definitely make the playoffs; but they didn’t.  So, they went out and added Hamilton thinking he would push them to the top.  Granted it is still very early in the season, but they won’t get there playing the way they are so far.

Now, let's take a look at the other Los Angeles baseball team, the Dodgers. The Dodgers, like the Angels, have spent a lot of money on players with the expectations of winning a championship.  Their biggest rival?  The defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants who have a team salary of $136, 042, 112.  The Dodgers have had a spending spree thanks to their new ownership, former NBA star, Magic Johnson.  The Dodger’s total team salary for 2013 is $220, 395, 196; the highest team salary in all of baseball. 

The Dodgers are currently in fourth place in the NL West with a 7-7 record.  Not bad, but not where they were expecting, or hoping to be at this point. 

Last August, the Dodgers acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Carl Crawford, pitcher Josh Beckett, as well as utility man Nick Punto from the Boston Red Sox and took on more than a quarter of a billion dollars in salary.  The trade was made in an effort to boost their roster and make the playoffs, but they missed out on the postseason as the Giants won the division and they didn’t secure a wildcard spot.

Gonzalez played in 36 games with the Dodgers lasts season and batted .297 with three homeruns. So far this season, he is batting .373 with two homeruns and is due $21 million this year.  Crawford didn’t play with the Dodgers last season due to injury, but is off to a good start this season as he is batting .392 with one homerun.  He is due $20 million this year.  Beckett started in seven games for the Dodgers last season, he went 2-3 with a good ERA of 2.93, but finished the season with a 4.65 ERA in combination with his Boston starts.  This year, Beckett is due $15.75 million, and is 0-2 with a 3.26 ERA.  None of these players have lived up to the expectations of the Dodgers and their fans.  The trade brought high expectations, but so far the Dodgers have not delivered.

The Dodgers also acquired shortstop Hanley Ramirez from the Miami Marlins last July. In 2012 he batted .271 with 10 homeruns with LA, but has yet to play in a game this year due to injury.  He had surgery on his thumb in March and is expected to be back mid-May, but Ramirez has said he should be back even sooner than expected.  He is due $15.5 million this year and can be a very important key to the Dodgers when he’s able to return.

This past offseason the Dodgers also acquired pitcher Zack Greinke who signed a six-year, $159 million contract.  This year he is due $19 million and was off to a great start as he is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two starts.  Unfortunately, for the Dodgers and their fans, Greinke broke his collarbone in the bench-clearing brawl against the San Diego Padres.  Greinke is expected to miss two months, which will hurt the Dodgers as he is one of the top pitchers in the game, and one of the best on the team.

Both Los Angeles teams have gone out, got statistically great players, and signed them to multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts: So why are they having such a lack of success?  The A’s have one of the cheapest salaries in all of baseball, yet they are in first place and are one of the best teams as of late.  Signing contracts like these players have, comes with some added pressure.  Both Los Angeles teams enter the season with high expectations, and so far, aren’t living up to them.  The Dodgers are in a better position than the Angels as they are at .500, but the Angels are in a tough division and have a lot of catching up to do.  That being said, it is baseball, and anything can happen.