Mark Mulder News....

[Chuck]

Mulder threw two 100-pitch sim games shortly after the New Year, then started throwing 40-pitch bullpens twice a week. "I know I'm ready."

 

[Adam]

So he is throwing a ball 180+ unique instances per week?

 

ACE!

[wopphil]

I have never heard of a guy throwing that many pitches in a simulated game.  Good to hear!

[ukyah]

it should be an interesting spring, at the least.

[nando714]

When is the "minor set back?"

[fan_since79]

For the Angels, "minor setback" equals four months on the DL.

[Blarg]

Were any of those 100 pitches strikes or was he just nibbling? AO needs to know to work on his nickname.

[Chuck]

Just to make sure his arm could stand up to the rigors of being a starting pitcher after so much time off, Mark Mulder pushed himself to new limits around mid-January, throwing a couple of 100-plus-pitch simulated games. Then he backed off, tossing 40-pitch bullpen sessions twice a week heading into Spring Training. And last Friday, he says, everything clicked for the first time.

 

“Now I know I’m ready,” Mulder said Friday morning, prior to the Angels’ first workout. “Absolutely. I’ve never thrown this much coming into a Spring Training, but I also don’t know if I’ve ever been this prepared, either, just because of everything I’ve done.”

 

Mulder, 36, last pitched in a competitive game on July 9, 2008, with the Cardinals. His last win came June 15, 2006. Shortly after that, his left shoulder – beleaguered by two major surgeries --  pretty much gave out, forcing the two-time All-Star into retirement at only 31 years old.

 

Around October, though, Mulder – a runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award with the A’s in 2001 – found a delivery that worked for him. And ever since then, he’s seen gradual improvement.

 

“Every week, I can look back and go, ‘It’s better than last week,’” said Mulder, who’s competing with Joe Blanton and Tyler Skaggs for the last spot in the Angels’ rotation.

 

“I know the way the ball is supposed to come out of my hand, I know what it’s supposed to do. I’m excited to face some hitters and see the way they react to the pitches and some of the swings that they might take. That gives me a better idea of what I’m doing.”

-- Alden

[fan_since79]

There, he said it. The ball's coming out of his hand well. Pencil him in as our #5.

[Brent Maguire]

This will be a very fun story to watch in Spring.

[nando714]

For the Angels, "minor setback" equals four months on the DL.

Exactly lol

[Blarg]

"Most prepared in my life."

YoT will be pleased.

[IEAngelsfan]

Mulder threw two 100-pitch sim games shortly after the New Year, then started throwing 40-pitch bullpens twice a week. "I know I'm ready."

According to some posters here, the only thing he's ready for is failure.

 

In all seriousness, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up the 5th starter and good one at that.

[Glen]

My nipples are blasting at this news.

[Glen]

Were any of those 100 pitches strikes or was he just nibbling? AO needs to know to work on his nickname.

"Quit mouldering outside the strike zone!"

[NJHalo]

Good news for the Angels if he EARNS that 5th spot, sending Skaggs to the minors and Blanton to the pen.

 

As long as he does not win his spot by default

[WallyWorld]

Impossible not to root for the guy, and it's a great story to follow, but godd*mn would it be a miracle if he made the team.

[wopphil]

I would love to see him earn a spot, but I am just not optimistic.  It is just too difficult to come back from so many arm problems, with so much time taken off, all while pitching at a relatively advanced age.  I don't see his arm holding up, and even if it does, the ability to control the strike zone and get hitters out is another game altogether.

 

But I sure hope to be proven wrong here.  I'd love to see him earn the last rotation spot.

[jshep]

I would love to see him earn a spot, but I am just not optimistic.  It is just too difficult to come back from so many arm problems, with so much time taken off, all while pitching at a relatively advanced age.  I don't see his arm holding up, and even if it does, the ability to control the strike zone and get hitters out is another game altogether.

 

But I sure hope to be proven wrong here.  I'd love to see him earn the last rotation spot.

 

Yeah, right.

 

I would LOVE to see him complete his comeback(just as I wanted to see Cordero do so last year), and maybe he does, but there's just too much working against him here for me to get too excited at this point.

[19HALO71]

Get it kid!!!!

[Angel Oracle]

Were any of those 100 pitches strikes or was he just nibbling? AO needs to know to work on his nickname.

Just as long as Scioscia doesn't refer to him as Marky or Muldy

[Angel Oracle]

F%&@ it, let's just start and relieve!

[Homebrewer]

The best part of this could be Blanton's release/trade. If Muldy is effective at all, and Skaggs shows enough in ST to make the big club...

Blanton isn't needed.

[tdawg87]

Blanton isn't needed regardless. I'd rather trot a leper out there.

[nate]

I would rather trot AO out there.