The Pitching Thus Far (through 12 games)

[Angelsjunky]

The good news: overall the bullpen numbers are solid, if not great - 3.76 ERA and a .683 OPS against. But here's the problem:

 

Save situations: 8.53 ERA in 6.1 IP

Non-save situations: 2.88 ERA in 34.1 IP

 

Now obviously the sample size is small, but the above split has accounted for a 50% save rate (2 saves, 2 blown saves).

 

The starting pitching, on the other hand, has just been bad: a 5.59 ERA and .871 OPS. To put that in context, here's a lineup of players with a career OPS of .865-.875:

 

C Joe Mauer

1B Ryan Klesko

2B Chase Utley

SS Troy Tulowitzki

3B Kevin Youkilis

OF Magglio Ordonez

OF Bobby Abreu

OF JD Drew

DH Adam Dunn

 

In other words, its as if the starts have been facing a career average season by each of those players. Ouch.

[WallyWorld]

one key issue has been the starters' inability to go deep into games.  Only Richards has made it past the 6th, and he wasn't even supposed to be in the rotation.  Our starters going longer will make the bullpen look better - less innings from the weaker pen guys.

[tomsred]

one key issue has been the starters' inability to go deep into games.  Only Richards has made it past the 6th, and he wasn't even supposed to be in the rotation.  Our starters going longer will make the bullpen look better - less innings from the weaker pen guys.

Yeah, that's a big issue.  Getting through 7 innings and occasionally eight would take a lot of heat off the weaker bullpen guys.

[Angel Oracle]

Going into the season though, Hanson was never known for pitching far enough into games.

Vargas and Blanton though have averaged about 6 1/3 innings per start in their careers.

 

Forget Blanton, it may likely be Hanson who Richards eventually replaces. 

Weaver, Wilson, Richards (lefty/righty alternating), Vargas, and Blanton is my prediction by July.

[Reveille1984]

The scary thing is that even when they aren't giving up 5+ runs a start, they still look bad.  Like CJ giving up only 1 run yesterday despite pitching like a scared child and allowing tons of baserunners, and Jered's start against Cincinnati where he was all over the place but managed to tiptoe through just enough to not get crushed.  Not to mention his fastball sitting at 85-86 mph.  Same with Richards getting hit hard although most of them were finding gloves and him getting squeezed a little bit on breaking stuff.  We're twelve games in and still haven't seen an even somewhat great pitching performance.  

 

There's not one guy on the staff that I feel confident starting a game right now, honestly.  

[LAAMike]

This is why Michael Roth could be so critical.  He can pitch the two plus innings that the starters cannot reach at this point in time.  I hope that Mike S. gives him a chance to perform without ruining his self confidence.  

[ettin]

The good news: overall the bullpen numbers are solid, if not great - 3.76 ERA and a .683 OPS against. But here's the problem:

 

Save situations: 8.53 ERA in 6.1 IP

Non-save situations: 2.88 ERA in 34.1 IP

 

Now obviously the sample size is small, but the above split has accounted for a 50% save rate (2 saves, 2 blown saves).

 

The starting pitching, on the other hand, has just been bad: a 5.59 ERA and .871 OPS. To put that in context, here's a lineup of players with a career OPS of .865-.875:

 

C Joe Mauer

1B Ryan Klesko

2B Chase Utley

SS Troy Tulowitzki

3B Kevin Youkilis

OF Magglio Ordonez

OF Bobby Abreu

OF JD Drew

DH Adam Dunn

 

In other words, its as if the starts have been facing a career average season by each of those players. Ouch.

 

I know you were trying to make a point AJ, but it is a little misleading to take a handful of starts and then compare them to a season.

[REDemption]

"The Angels' rotation is 1-5 -- Hanson has the lone win -- and none of the pitchers has an ERA under four."

 

From the Angels website. Yikes.

[WallyWorld]

There's not one guy on the staff that I feel confident starting a game right now, honestly.  

 

Same here.  Closest is probably Vargas, though I feel like he could also get absolutely lit up on any given start as well.

[bloodbrother]

"The Angels' rotation is 1-5 -- Hanson has the lone win -- and none of the pitchers has an ERA under four."

 

From the Angels website. Yikes.

 

There's more

 

Alden Gonzalez ‏@Alden_Gonzalez 4h

Two turns thru the rotation, #Angels starters have a 5.59 ERA and are 29th in strikeouts (39 in 67 2/3 innings). #Twins are 30th.

[tennischmp]

Most runs allowed in the MLB

[bloodbrother]

They don't get K's, they give up a lot of hits and a lot of HR's. Basically, they suck

[dimitrig]

They don't get K's, they give up a lot of hits and a lot of HR's. Basically, they suck

 

 

But that was part of the plan - and we would make up for it with our offense which has scored 30 runs less than Oakland so far.

[fan_since79]

Team ERA over 5, and average with RISP in the low .100's spells disaster in the major leagues.

[ELEVEN]

Team ERA over 5, and average with RISP in the low .100's spells disaster in the major leagues.

Let me be the first to welcome the Houston Astros to the American League West!