Props to Butcher

[Wallerrrr]

Rotation looks sharp (excluding Blanton) and the pen looks much improved (it's still early).

 

The guy gets knocked a lot on here but he should get some credit...pitching was the big question going into the season and thus far its clearly been our strength. Its only 4 games in but there are a lot of positives when it comes to our pitching.

[Glen]

Indeed.

[xboom28x]

Where I look for Butcher to make his biggest contribution is when he visits the mound in the 3rd inning and gets a pitcher to settle down and get out of the inning with limited damage, most likely by mentioning a release point issue, or something of that nature.

 

Hard to quantify anything else in regards to his job

[Jason]

The pitching coach makes the biggest difference with young, inexperienced pitchers who are still learning. The halos do not have a whole lot of those on the 25 man roster.

[Brian Ilten]

Blanton is fine. If the offense shows up, we are in that game. Blame Blanton when we are losing after scoring 5 runs.

[bloodbrother]

Blanton wasn't that bad really. The pitching has just been great as a whole. Downs has been the only one who hasn't looked too good

[Brian Ilten]

Blanton wasn't that bad really. The pitching has just been great as a whole. Downs has been the only one who hasn't looked too good

And with this offense, Downs shouldn't have to be perfect.

[Mark68]

The pitching coach makes the biggest difference with young, inexperienced pitchers who are still learning. The halos do not have a whole lot of those on the 25 man roster.

Jepsen and Richards. Although it looks like Jepsen has learned something. Richards is still a work in progress.

[ineedanap]

Gotta agree with everyone on Blanton. He did fine. Its tough for a guy like that pitching in a bandbox. 

 

The 2-run HR hurt, but the others were harmless solo shots. 

 

So far, so good; all around.

[nando714]

I dont get it

Blanton looks like dog shit

But Wilson and his annual blow up, bat around inning is ok?

Ya 3 hrs arnt good but 4er in that ballpark against that line up isnt too bad for Blanton. Jury still out on Blanton

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

I dont get it

Blanton looks like dog shit

But Wilson and his annual blow up, bat around inning is ok?

Ya 3 hrs arnt good but 4er in that ballpark against that line up isnt too bad for Blanton. Jury still out on Blanton

In Blanton's first start, he only pitched 5 innings, he had a 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and .333 BAA.

In CJ Wilson's first start, he pitched 6 innings, he had a 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and .217 BAA.

 

They were both facing good offenses in hitter's ballparks. It's a very small sample size, but Wilson easily had a better start. Out of all of the Angels starters, I have the least amount of faith in Blanton. I'd rather have Richards start over Blanton.   

[nando714]

Throwing out #'s like that after one start?

Ok u got the BA. But a .10 higher whip and a inning. Come on. Both were shaky

Obviously we have more faith in CJ being our #2 id hope so.

All im saying is blanton's outing wasnt as bad as it seemed.

[Corona]

Burnett looks like a great signing. 

[Second Base]

To clarify, Blanton did NOT look fine, he got bombed, however, Blanton will be fine in Angel Stadium.  A couple of those HR's would've probably been deep fly outs in a night game at Angel Stadium.  And I think that's what Dipoto is counting on.  

 

If anything, the best thing Blanton has going for hi is the fact that we know he'll throw strikes, he's committed to improving because he cut quite a bit of weight and he had a heck of a Spring.  Those are why he's fine, that that crap performance he put up in Cincy.  

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Throwing out #'s like that after one start?

Ok u got the BA. But a .10 higher whip and a inning. Come on. Both were shaky

Obviously we have more faith in CJ being our #2 id hope so.

All im saying is blanton's outing wasnt as bad as it seemed.

Obviously it's a very small sample size. You keep saying his start wasn't that bad. Those numbers in his first start were very bad. What about his start/numbers wasn't/aren't bad? In his first start, Blanton put up the type of numbers that he's put up over the past three years.