The Los Angeles Angels are off to a terrific start to open the 2022 MLB season. They currently sit atop the AL West and have matched up well with their AL West rivals. But it is still early and the Angels still need to prove they can maintain consistency as the season rolls on. The team has some question marks as well.

Today, we are looking at 2 overreactions after 2 weeks of the Angels 2022 season. One optimistic, and one pessimistic. These will be concerns that might be too early to worry about and hopeful thoughts that may not be realistic this early in the year. At the same time, they are worthy of discussion.

Without further ado, let's get right into it.

2 Angels 2022 Early Season Overreactions

Pessimistic Overreaction: Pitching will be the Angels' Downfall Once Again

It is easy to look at the Angels pitching statistics and immediately overreact. They currently rank near the bottom of the entire league in ERA and home runs allowed. The Angels 4.15 ERA is 23rd in baseball and their 17 home runs allowed are 29th in the MLB.

Shohei Ohtani recently posted a brilliant start. But he labored prior to that outing. Ohtani has surrendered 7 earned runs in 14.1 innings pitched which is good for a 4.40 ERA. Obviously, that number is not ideal. But, Ohtani is too good of a pitcher not to figure it out.

The Angels had extremely high hopes for young Reid Detmers to open the 2022 campaign. But his ERA currently sits at over 8 through his first two outings. He does have a scheduled start against the lackluster Orioles which could lead to a much-improved ERA. But there is no question that Detmers has labored so far.

Archie Bradley and Mike Mayers have both underwhelmed out of the bullpen as well. The Angels bullpen was drastically improved during the offseason and the team is hopeful that Bradley and Mayers can be a vital part of it's success.

So will the Angels' pitching be their downfall once again? Or is this simply an overreaction?

The answer is yes, it is an overreaction. But the question is still warranted. After all, this is a team that has failed to make the postseason since 2014 and pitching has been the main issue.

Los Angeles features a good enough offense to get the job done. Personally, I like the pitching staff now. Ohtani, Detmers, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Lorenzen, and Patrick Sandoval are all extremely capable pitchers in the rotation. The bullpen is led by Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Tepera. This is a relief core that can certainly hold their own.

Final verdict: Overreaction.

Optimistic Overreaction: The Angels have the Best Lineup in Baseball!

The Angels lineup is known for featuring two of the best hitters in the league in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Jomboy Media's Trevor Plouffe even recently compared the duo to Shaq and Kobe. While that may be an over exaggeration, the point stands. Trout and Ohtani are a force to be reckoned with in this lineup.

However, the Angels lineup has an argument for best in baseball. They currently rank within the top 10 in batting average, runs, OBP, and slugging percentage. Additionally, the Angels lead all of baseball in home runs.

Anthony Rendon and Jared Walsh are the next biggest names in this batting order. Young outfielder Brandon Marsh has hit the ball well also. Jack Mayfield and Tyler Wade have been surprisingly excellent depth options for the team.

So is this Angels lineup the best in baseball?

Final verdict: Overreaction. However, that isn't a knock on the Angels. It is more a product of the fact that they happen to be playing baseball at the same time as the Dodgers, who feature arguably the deepest batting order of all-time. Nonetheless, the Angels have a top 5 lineup in the league.