Of all the intriguing subjects when the Halos ST opens in 4 days for P's and C's

[Angel Oracle]

Mark Mulder has to be story #1.

The fact that he's getting up towards 90mph with a solid breaking pitch and newer change up that breaks in on lefties and away on righties, one begins to wonder if he will be indeed the story of ST and maybe the comeback story of MLB for the past decade.

One caveat is that even if he does return, the innings will have to be watched since he hasn't pitched for quite a while.

But that does make him a perfect candidate for the utility role, with maybe 100-120 innings tops as a goal in 2014.

[laagamer]

I think 200 IP for a guy who hasn't pitched in 6 years is a little much.

 

That's if he makes the team at all. 

[JAHV76]

I thought it would be whether Brian moon's the camera or not?

[Eric]

If Mulder makes it out of Spring Training and onto the Angels Opening Day Roster, I'll buy a beer for any Angelswin.com member that shows up at a local Vegas watering hole (probably Aces and Ales) during his first regular season start (good during the first week of April only, no Opening Day Roster DL stints qualify).

Edited February 9, 2014 by Eric

[Splint7438]

I have had a feeling since we signed him that this would be a move that makes us happy. I don't expect a Cy Young award but a SP that doesn't scare us to run out there in the 4 slot would be great.

[Blarg]

If Mulder makes it out of Spring Training and onto the Angels Opening Day Roster, I'll buy a beer for any Angelswin.com member that shows up at a local Vegas watering hole (probably Aces and Ales) during his first regular season start (good during the first week of April only, no Opening Day Roster DL stints qualify).

I have the feeling they will slot him in a long relief role so he can get innings in and be available to spot start should the need arise. I just don't see him jumping into a five man rotation after such a long layoff.

[LAAMike]

AO ,where is the information about his velocity and control coming from or is just conjecture?  I hope that Mulder is anywhere near what you stated. 

[disarcina]

If he could make it out of Spring Training NOT on the DL and on the roster as a long relief/ spot starter guy -- I'd call that a win.

 

If he could possibly make 10-15 starts the first half of the season -- that would be a success -- even if he got shut down with arm fatigue by July 1.......which could happen.

 

again, if he is hitting 90 mph in work outs -- this is a guy who really has not pitched since '06 -- expecting a full MLB season out of him as even a 5h starter rotation guy is asking a lot...too much,

[ukyah]

muscle memory folks. if he's healthy, then he's got as good a chance as any to make this team.

[jshep]

He'll definitely be an interesting story to follow and I'll hope he makes it back at some point this year, but I don't think he really has any business making the team out of ST barring injuries.

Edited February 9, 2014 by jshep

[laagamer]

I have had a feeling since we signed him that this would be a move that makes us happy. I don't expect a Cy Young award but a SP that doesn't scare us to run out there in the 4 slot would be great.

The idea of him starting scares the heck out of me.

 

If we can't find someone better than a 36yr old retiree, we got freaking problems brother. 

[SoWhat]

Skaggs is the most intriguing guy to me.

I have high hopes for him. If they can lengthen his stride and have him finish his pitches instead of finishing so upright, I think he'll be back to form.

[Jeff Fletcher]

Don't think Mulder or the Angels are interested in him being a reliever.

If he's looks good but he's the no 6 starter he'll probably go to AAA for a few weeks or a month and see what happens.

I actually think he has a chance to make the opening day rotation.

36 is not that old. And if he's healthy, as he says, there's no reason to think he can't pitch.

[laagamer]

Don't think Mulder or the Angels are interested in him being a reliever.

If he's looks good but he's the no 6 starter he'll probably go to AAA for a few weeks or a month and see what happens.

I actually think he has a chance to make the opening day rotation.

36 is not that old. And if he's healthy, as he says, there's no reason to think he can't pitch.

Except for the fact that he hasn't pitched in six years and he's 36. 

 

You know, just that. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

If Mulder makes it out of Spring Training and onto the Angels Opening Day Roster, I'll buy a beer for any Angelswin.com member that shows up at a local Vegas watering hole (probably Aces and Ales) during his first regular season start (good during the first week of April only, no Opening Day Roster DL stints qualify).

 

I may take you up on that. You said the two magic words: Free beer.

[Jeff Fletcher]

I don't think Mulder "forgot how to pitch" in those years. The problem was he wasn't healthy and that messed up his mechanics to compensate.

Now he's healthy. Now his mechanics are fixed, at least based on how he feels and what the ball is telling him.

I'm not guaranteeing he makes it back. Just saying he's got a real shot.

[Angel Oracle]

AO ,where is the information about his velocity and control coming from or is just conjecture? I hope that Mulder is anywhere near what you stated.

One of the local sports talk shows mentioned his velocity hitting 88-89, that his breaking pitch looked solid, and his change up intriguing.

[Brent Maguire]

I'll be interested in the young starters, Mulder and some of the young bullpen arms. I'd love to see Alvarez or Morin make the team out of spring.

[ukyah]

muscle memory folks. if he's healthy, then he's got as good a chance as any to make this team.

 

 

Don't think Mulder or the Angels are interested in him being a reliever.

If he's looks good but he's the no 6 starter he'll probably go to AAA for a few weeks or a month and see what happens.

I actually think he has a chance to make the opening day rotation.

36 is not that old. And if he's healthy, as he says, there's no reason to think he can't pitch.

 

 

I don't think Mulder "forgot how to pitch" in those years. The problem was he wasn't healthy and that messed up his mechanics to compensate.

Now he's healthy. Now his mechanics are fixed, at least based on how he feels and what the ball is telling him.

I'm not guaranteeing he makes it back. Just saying he's got a real shot.

 

 

 

i totally agree, which is why i quoted myself. it's much easier for control pitchers to jump back on the mound. spring training will tell us what we need to know. if he's throwing 89-91 consistently, then we'll know that his arm has enough juice in it still and ST will give him the opportunity to knock that 6 years of rust off of his control.

 

like i said, if his arm is healthy, then he has as much chance as anybody to make this team.

[Second Base]

The reason why the Angels signed him is because they think he has a real shot and jumping into the rotation at some point, but there are a ton of factors at play.  

 

How will Mark's command be?  How will his velocity look?  How will his body respond as he's pressed into baseball shape and begins using muscles that he hasn't used consistently in a few years?  How do the other Angels starters look compared to Mulder?  Is he willing to accept an assignment to AAA?  If so, how long is he willing to stick it out in AAA?

 

A LOT has to go right for Mark to break into the Angels rotation.  Not only does his velocity need to stay consistently in the high 80's, he may even need to add a couple mph on it.  He's not only going to need to throw strikes, but since he's clearly not going to overpower anyone, he'll need to have excellent command.  He's going to need to remain limber and REALLY take care of his body, because at age 36 he won't be able to do some things he was able to do even at 30, let alone 25.  He'll need one of the Angels current five to either get injured or be ineffective and he'll need to outperform Blanton and Shoemaker.  If that doesn't happen immediately, and quite frankly most Angels fans shouldn't be rooting for that to happen, he's going to need to be patient and live the minor league life for a while, which at his age isn't exactly a glorious thing to be doing. 

[Docwaukee]

Mulder has always been a smoke and mirrors type.  When he was going good, he outperformed his peripherals.  In other words, he got by with command/sequencing/weak contact.  He fastball lived in the high 80's.  He was never really a pure stuff type. 

 

I just can't imagine that the teams scouting him were basing interest solely on his velocity.  If that were the case, they would even need to actually see him pitch.  He was signed because there had to be some semblance of him being able to do what he was able to do when he was healthy and that is command his pitches. 

 

Frankly, I'd love to see him in the opening day rotation because that would mean he is able to put the ball where he wants.  It also means he takes the place of the guy many of us have been hoping the team gets - that cheap vet. 

 

It would take the pressure off Skaggs so he would have some time to get things right if need be. 

 

If he does make the team, his age and layoff make it very unlikely that he would stick all year, but 10-12 solid starts would certainly take the edge off the rest of the young guys.  As AJ pointed out in another thread, if you get 60 starts from two guys, there are another 100 from the remaining 3 spots.  If Mulder and Shoemaker give you 25 of reasonable 4/5 quality, then it leaves 25 each for Richards, Skaggs, and Santiago.  If Mulder is there at the beginning, it saves those other guys for the end. 

 

I still think we need one more guy. 

[ukyah]

it seems to me that most here have a pretty good grip on what the expectations/hopes are for mulder.

[Angel Oracle]

Blanton needs to shave the goatee, maybe it's bad luck for him.

Overs/unders on Scioscia saying the ball is coming out of his hand well?

I say 3rd day of ST.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[nikkachez]

I know he wants to start, but if Mulder can pitch in the long relief role, I think he could end up being one of the best moves me made this off-season. 

[Jim]

The reason why the Angels signed him is because they think he has a real shot and jumping into the rotation at some point, but there are a ton of factors at play.  

 

How will Mark's command be?  How will his velocity look?  How will his body respond as he's pressed into baseball shape and begins using muscles that he hasn't used consistently in a few years?  How do the other Angels starters look compared to Mulder?  Is he willing to accept an assignment to AAA?  If so, how long is he willing to stick it out in AAA?

 

A LOT has to go right for Mark to break into the Angels rotation.  Not only does his velocity need to stay consistently in the high 80's, he may even need to add a couple mph on it.  He's not only going to need to throw strikes, but since he's clearly not going to overpower anyone, he'll need to have excellent command.  He's going to need to remain limber and REALLY take care of his body, because at age 36 he won't be able to do some things he was able to do even at 30, let alone 25.  He'll need one of the Angels current five to either get injured or be ineffective and he'll need to outperform Blanton and Shoemaker.  If that doesn't happen immediately, and quite frankly most Angels fans shouldn't be rooting for that to happen, he's going to need to be patient and live the minor league life for a while, which at his age isn't exactly a glorious thing to be doing. 

How will his body respond as he's pressed into baseball shape and begins using muscles that he hasn't used consistently in a few years?

 

I would think the Angels have an idea of what Mark's recovery regimen consisted of, or at least one would hope. I would also assume that Mark would have connected himself with an agency that specializes in this type of recovery. 

 

Is he willing to accept an assignment to AAA?  If so, how long is he willing to stick it out in AAA?

 

This is the real question in my opinion, and depending on his willingness to go the distance should answer many other questions as well. If Mark truly believes in his recovery and thinks he has an honest shot at a fruitful return, he should have no problem taking a AAA assignment. If anything, he should have already accepted that the move would be more likely than not. After showing himself to be a legit recovery candidate, and having the mlb experience he has, it should only experience a short stint in the minors. A trip through the minors seems to me to be the journey he needs, and will take, even if he pitches well in ST. 

Edited February 10, 2014 by Jim