Best bullpen in Angels history

[FabulousFabregas]

This really may be the best bullpen in Angels history/recent history, up there with 2002 and possibly even better.  To see the way those 8 guys tonight pitched a shutout against one of the best teams in baseball was just unbelievable.  I've been at the games the last 2 nights, and in each game after about the 6th inning ended I knew we would win because we had Street/Smith/the other guys ready to go.  I was even talking to a guy in the 6th or 7th tonight how it would probably be an 8 man combined shutout tonight.  Just really refreshing to have a lockdown bullpen again, and to have a fun team to watch.  There's a special feel to this team, and you guys know me, I'm a realist, but the bullpen has been the backbone to me.  Props to Dipoto for the Street/Smith/Grilli movies, and while I still think Scioscia has been a doofus in recent years, he's been shying away from some of his bad tendencies he had before, and the fact that he has a great closer now makes his 'always go to the closer' mindset work again this year.

[budice0]

Haven't felt this good about late innings since the Percival / K-Rod days. 

[Docwaukee]

Depending on the metric there can be an argument for the 2004 pen. But by war and wpa for the short period with street as the closer, the pen is essentially mike trout.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Pen has been unreal. Solid as hell and a lot of fun to watch.

Im still shaking my head at how dipoto flipped ernesto for grilli. Wow

[Angel Oracle]

The 2002 and 2004 pens didn't have this depth.

Since all 7 regulars have a sub 2.50 ERA (Grilli as a Halo), a sub 1.11 WHIP, and at least a 3.3/1.0 Ks/BBs ratio, I nominate the only true gloss for this pen.

The Magnificent Seven

Edited August 31, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

Even Sosh has marked the pen for an exclamation point.

[ten ocho recon scout]

The 02 pen was pretty deep. I think some forget weber. He was pretty solid. We all focus on percy, franky and donnelly obviously. But that pen too had a 4 inning shutdown in them night after night

[nate]

Percy Franky Donkey and Shields is probably the best.

 

This one is still damned good.

[ten ocho recon scout]

You could probably flip a coin to be honest. Then again, what that 02/04 group was able to do when mlb clubhouses were a pharmacy is pretty impressive...

[Biergott]

I still miss Weber's delivery. And unlike Sogard, he made nerds look cool

[Second Base]

2002 Percy vs 2014 Street: Percy (nostalgia)

2002 K-Rod vs 2014 Smith: K-Rod

2002 Shields vs 2014 Jepsen: Shields (length)

2002 Donnelly vs 2014 Morin: Morin

2002 Weber vs 2014 Salas: Salas.

And then just for fun, 2014 puts a Grilli on top. So by my analysis.....

2002 was better in the 7th -9th, 2014 us better in the 6th, one out matchups and is deeper. I call it a wash.

[AngelsLakersFan]

The 2002 and 2004 pens didn't have this depth.

Since all 7 regulars have a sub 2.50 ERA (Grilli as a Halo), a sub 1.11 WHIP, and at least a 3.3/1.0 Ks/BBs ratio, I nominate the only true gloss for this pen.

The Magnificent Seven

 

I duno, the 2002 pen had Scot Sheilds in the mop up roll... although I can see a lot of comparisons between him and Rasmus at this point. Obviously sample size issues, and only time will ell.

[Redondo]

Percy Franky Donkey and Shields is probably the best.

 

This one is still damned good.

 

This

[OregonLAA]

Did anyone think that Rasmus would be like this?

[AngelsLakersFan]

Did anyone think that Rasmus would be like this?

 

Hell no! He had to suck, just because of what we gave up for him.

[ten ocho recon scout]

2002 Percy vs 2014 Street: Percy (nostalgia)

2002 K-Rod vs 2014 Smith: K-Rod

2002 Shields vs 2014 Jepsen: Shields (length)

2002 Donnelly vs 2014 Morin: Morin

2002 Weber vs 2014 Salas: Salas.

And then just for fun, 2014 puts a Grilli on top. So by my analysis.....

2002 was better in the 7th -9th, 2014 us better in the 6th, one out matchups and is deeper. I call it a wash.

I disgaree scotty. Id say jepsen is more the krod this year, and they arent too far off. I think donkey was better than morin this year. And 02 shields (not 04) was more of the morin of this years team. Maybe even the salas to be fair

[gurn67]

I admit this is probably the deepest 1-7 bullpen the Angel's have had. However, let those 2002 & 2004 pen face 2014 MLB hitters in a pitchers' year, and their numbers would be downright scary. Detroit is leading the AL in OPS with .752. That would put them 10th in 2002 and 11th in 2004.

Edited August 31, 2014 by gurn67