Garrett Richards in 2018

[angelfan2018]

There hasn't been an update in a while but it sounds like the nerve issue may keep him out for all of 2017 or we may see him in September, who knows...

With that being said, Garrett's entering his last year of arbitration next year and will be a FA in 2019.  I assume he's due at least 7-8 million next year.  Will the Angels Non-Tender him?  I know he's Trout's roommate and injuries happen, but what can we really expect from him moving forward?

[Troll Daddy]

Hoping he can pitch this season ... if all goes well then trade him in the off season. 

 

[Jobu]

You don't save much with a non-tender and certainly not enough to replace his talent on the open market. 

[totdprods]

The nerve thing seems to be an issue that could resolve itself in short order, but there's an indefinite amount of time in which it could happen. 

I imagine best case scenario is he returns sometime in August or September and likely works in a limited role, and then they go into '18 with him at least in the fold as depth or a pen option, depending on how strong they feel he is. Now, if he does wind up being out all year, it definitely starts putting not only his contract but I imagine his career in a little bit of jeopardy, and tough as it is, if he doesn't throw again in '17 he should probably be non-tendered. 

They could always reach out and try and sign him to a lesser deal or a minor league deal, but committing $7-8m for a guy with a partially torn UCL, a nerve condition, and two games over two years isn't worth it anymore. 

[Ohtaniland]

[nando714]

Keep him on the cheap and see if he has anything left

if we don't he will go to Houston and win the cy young 

[nando714]

And he should have gave the tommy john last year. He should have got this over with and focused on recovery

but of course the bright minds of the angels medical/ training staff thought they were medical geniuses injected him with stem cells. 

[totdprods]

I thought the nerve issue was completely separate from his UCL injury....

[Dtwncbad]

An organization committed to winning would plan on Richards being no more than a #3.  If you plan a roster relying on Richards as a 1 or a 2 at this point, you are begging for failure.

If you have a legit 1 and 2, then IF (big if) Richards gets dialed in you have something that could do some damage.

This team needs top end starting pitching to have any chance.

No quantity of Tropeanos makes a dangerous postseason team.

[DMVol]

6 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

An organization committed to winning would plan on Richards being no more than a #3.  If you plan a roster relying on Richards as a 1 or a 2 at this point, you are begging for failure..

I don't think you can plan a roster relying on Richards period at this point....until he shows he's healthy, you better have the D word (depth) where he is concerned.....

[nando714]

18 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

An organization committed to winning would plan on Richards being no more than a #3.  If you plan a roster relying on Richards as a 1 or a 2 at this point, you are begging for failure.

If you have a legit 1 and 2, then IF (big if) Richards gets dialed in you have something that could do some damage.

This team needs top end starting pitching to have any chance.

No quantity of Tropeanos makes a dangerous postseason team.

The angels have nothing to lose if they want to keep him around. He hasn't done anything in 2 and a half years by next season 

[zenmaster]

I honestly wonder if he'll ever pitch for a longer period of time again. 

[DMVol]

On 6/5/2017 at 3:15 PM, Dtwncbad said:

.....No quantity of Tropeanos makes a dangerous postseason team.

Some truth to that....but a rotation of Tropeanos, pitching like he did in 2015 and 2016 before he got hurt, would keep you in the playoff hunt...and right now that has some appeal to me....

[Troll Daddy]

1 hour ago, nando714 said:

And he should have gave the tommy john last year. He should have got this over with and focused on recovery

but of course the bright minds of the angels medical/ training staff thought they were medical geniuses injected him with stem cells. 

You can put the onus on Richard's. His body his decision ...

[California Cajun]

I think the health of Richards and Skaggs will determine whether the Angels will reload or rebuild.  

I give Billy Eppler props for trying to keep the team going while waiting on the verdict.

[Dtwncbad]

36 minutes ago, nando714 said:

The angels have nothing to lose if they want to keep him around. He hasn't done anything in 2 and a half years by next season 

I agree but I am fearful the Angels will convince themselves that a "healthy" Richards means they don't "need" another top of the rotation pitcher.

[Brent Maguire]

At this point, the Angels should be treating Richards as a wild card in the rotation and act as if he's not a member of the rotation moving forward. This will force the Angels hand in making moves to beef up the rotation. In my opinion, they need to sign a starter next offseason who will stabilize the rotation next year. Someone like Marco Estrada will give you #3/4 starter production but he'll give you quality innings, which the Angels desperately need.

My biggest worry is the Angels roll into 2018 depending on 4 pitchers with injury concerns: Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, Tropeano. Realistically, only 1 of those guys will give you the production you expect, 1 will give you innings while underperforming a tad and the other 2 will be more or less wild cards. If the Angels sign Estrada, you'll have some rotation depth: Estrada-Shoemaker-Richards-Heaney-Skaggs-Tropeano-Ramirez-Meyer-Smith is 9 deep in rotation depth, with 4 of the pitchers being unknowns as far as what they'll give you innings wise and production wise. If the team plans on competing next year and the years after, they need to go outside the organization to find another starter. 

[nando714]

43 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

I agree but I am fearful the Angels will convince themselves that a "healthy" Richards means they don't "need" another top of the rotation pitcher.

The true ace guys out there in FA are Arrieta, Darvish,  Tanaka if he opts out.

[Troll Daddy]

15 minutes ago, nando714 said:

The true ace guys out there in FA are Arrieta, Darvish,  Tanaka if he opts out.

Will sign Darvish to a mega deal ... then like all other ex-Rangers he will be a bust.

[totdprods]

None of the ace guys make me feel comfortable. Estrada, Cobb, Chatwood, Tillman, Garcia, Lynn....any of those guys will probably give you more bang for the buck. Pineda is the closest thing to a TORP arm that I'd be willing to gamble on.

Someone like Estrada would be great. We need healthy, durable, solid arms to chew up innings at the back end as badly as we need a #1-2 type.

[Troll Daddy]

It's hard do believe the Angels don't have a legit Ace. Let's not gamble on Richard's being that guy in 2018. 

[Dtwncbad]

5 hours ago, totdprods said:

None of the ace guys make me feel comfortable. Estrada, Cobb, Chatwood, Tillman, Garcia, Lynn....any of those guys will probably give you more bang for the buck. Pineda is the closest thing to a TORP arm that I'd be willing to gamble on.

Someone like Estrada would be great. We need healthy, durable, solid arms to chew up innings at the back end as badly as we need a #1-2 type.

I literally could not disagree more.  My whole life I have watched teams try to shore up a rotation by adding "depth" at the back and either it doesn't work or they sneak into the playoffs and they are grossly overmatched 1 thru 3 in the postseason and they get blown out.

This team is desperately in need of two front line starters, with the likes of Richards, Skaggs, and Heaney as depth behind them.

You could even have this season's pathetic offense and that rotation might get to the postseason.

[GrittyVeterans]

They definitely need an ace. They definitely have the money to sign one this offseason. We have Hamilton coming off the books, along with Weaver and Wilson's money being gone (hasn't been replaced yet really)

The question will come down to what it always comes down to with this team: Can they identify the right pitcher to make a run at and will that pitcher be able to stay healthy? Obviously right now we are all very cynical and will all say no to that but what is the other option.

Getting 2 front line starters this offseason is a pipe dream. I can't envision Eppler wanting to do that when the offense has been this bad. He's probably going to bring in a bat this offseason to help Trout out.

I will say that Heaney doesn't have nearly the injury history that Richards and Skaggs do and the success rate of TJ is very good, so getting him back next year could be huge.

[Stradling]

9 hours ago, totdprods said:

I thought the nerve issue was completely separate from his UCL injury....

It is.  

[Stradling]

7 hours ago, Dtwncbad said:

I agree but I am fearful the Angels will convince themselves that a "healthy" Richards means they don't "need" another top of the rotation pitcher.

They have no way to acquire a top of the rotation pitcher.  They have to pray for health.