Angels Official Website: Bridwell flashes potential as confidence grows

[AngelsWin.com]

The Angels didn't know what to expect when they acquired Parker Bridwell from the Orioles in exchange for cash considerations back in April.

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[wopphil]

I know it's a small sample size, and the advanced metrics suggest he has been lucky, but he appears to have established himself as a legit rotation option. Even if he is only a back of the rotation guy, there is huge value in that if he can stay healthy.

[totdprods]

Love the attitude. The confidence and mental makeup he's showing is making me a believer.

[Second Base]

Bridwell has entrenched himself as a back of the rotation option going into next year. Assuming health, our shoe-ins will be...

Richards, Heaney, Shoemaker.

For the last two spots, we have Skaggs, Tropeano, Meyer, Bridwell, Ramirez and Smith.

Given that Ramirez projects better in the bullpen and Skaggs has the most experience, we'll see one slot go to him. The final slot will be between Meyer, Bridwell, Tropeano and Smith. Meyer has the most upside, Bridwell has the best major leaguer performance, Tropeano has the most experience and Smith has the best minor league numbers.

My guess is that since Tropeano and Smith are coming off injury, they'll let them shake the rust off in the minors, which leaves Meyer and Bridwell. I think they chase upside in Meyer.

So Richards, Heaney, Shoe, Skaggs and Meyer. Tons of upside there. That group can dominate. But I think we'd also enter the season knowing full well that every single member of that rotation has missed extensive time due to injury, so there's a pretty good chance Bridwell, Tropeano, Smith and Ramirez will all receive multiple opportunities.

 

[ettin]

I particularly like his presence on the mound, it is sort of Weaver-esque in a way, plus I really love his pitch efficiency (along with J.C. Ramirez) he will be quite useful as a #5 starter that doesn't tax the bullpen often.

[stormngt]

2 hours ago, wopphil said:

I know it's a small sample size, and the advanced metrics suggest he has been lucky, but he appears to have established himself as a legit rotation option. Even if he is only a back of the rotation guy, there is huge value in that if he can stay healthy.

How does tge advance metric suggest he is lucky?  How does that work.  His ERA is low.  I bieve his strikeout to ealk ratio is good.  I am curious how they factor luck?

[wopphil]

32 minutes ago, stormngt said:

How does tge advance metric suggest he is lucky?  How does that work.  His ERA is low.  I bieve his strikeout to ealk ratio is good.  I am curious how they factor luck?

He isn't striking out many batters, is giving up lots of hits, and is giving up tons of homeruns.

[JustATroutFan]

59 minutes ago, wopphil said:

He isn't striking out many batters, is giving up lots of hits, and is giving up tons of homeruns.

FIP, also known as, Fielder's Independent Pitching.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

2 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Bridwell has entrenched himself as a back of the rotation option going into next year. Assuming health, our shoe-ins will be...

Richards, Heaney, Shoemaker.

I wouldn't slot Heaney above Skaggs. I'd like to see Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, Meyer, Bridwell, Shoemaker, Tropeano, and Ramirez. We should be able to keep 5 of healthy at the same time. Honestly I think Meyer and Bridwell both have more potential than Shoemaker. It's still to be seen if they can live up to it.

[totdprods]

6 hours ago, wopphil said:

He isn't striking out many batters, is giving up lots of hits, and is giving up tons of homeruns.

This is why I was concerned too but after watching his last few starts, I'm seeing that the numbers don't tell the whole story Also, his H9 is skewed from his one relief appearance where he gave up 7 hits in 3 innings.

He only had one game where he gave up an an acceptable amount of walks, 

He is giving up a lot of home runs, but, especially the last few starts, and in four of his starts, he's given up fewer hits than innings pitched. He had one game again where he was pounded for 11 hits. Six of the home runs he's allowed (of 9 total) were solo shots - and a few of those both came later in the game and with a lead. Bridwell knows he isn't a strikeout guy - he is at his best pounding the zone, getting ahead, pitching to contact, and he seems self-aware enough of that strategy. 

He's going to risk a solo HR here or there if it helps him get a handful of quick outs, and he's really repeated that strategy three starts in a row now against good teams.

He's going to have that occasional outing where BAbip works against him and he gives up ten hits in 5 innings instead of getting a couple double plays or soft contact, and his K numbers aren't going to be crazy high (except for the occasional game where the opponent just watches everything go by) and he will give up a few more solo HRs than will look right, but he's really looking solid out there.

 

 

[DMVol]

9 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Bridwell has entrenched himself as a back of the rotation option going into next year. Assuming health, our shoe-ins will be...

Richards, Heaney, Shoemaker.

For the last two spots, we have Skaggs, Tropeano, Meyer, Bridwell, Ramirez and Smith.

Given that Ramirez projects better in the bullpen and Skaggs has the most experience, we'll see one slot go to him. The final slot will be between Meyer, Bridwell, Tropeano and Smith. Meyer has the most upside, Bridwell has the best major leaguer performance, Tropeano has the most experience and Smith has the best minor league numbers.

My guess is that since Tropeano and Smith are coming off injury, they'll let them shake the rust off in the minors, which leaves Meyer and Bridwell. I think they chase upside in Meyer.

So Richards, Heaney, Shoe, Skaggs and Meyer. Tons of upside there. That group can dominate. But I think we'd also enter the season knowing full well that every single member of that rotation has missed extensive time due to injury, so there's a pretty good chance Bridwell, Tropeano, Smith and Ramirez will all receive multiple opportunities.

 

Let's see how the rest of the season plays out before we project too much...tons of things can change the narrative....Ramirez struggles badly in his first inning...to me, he projects better as a starter rather than the pen....Bridwell may fall apart...or he may not....Skaggs may get hurt again...or not....

[eligrba]

Bridwell has been a pleasant surprise.  I am glad Eppler found him.  Whether he is lucky or good, he has kept the Angels in games against some very difficult lineups.  I think that is all anyone can ask from a pitcher.

[stormngt]

9 hours ago, wopphil said:

He isn't striking out many batters, is giving up lots of hits, and is giving up tons of homeruns.

And to think his era is down to 3.08 with all those home runs.

9 HRs in 46+ innings pitched does seem like a lot.  1.29 Whip i sm.not sure what is considered bad or not.  I know 1.0 is good.

Walking 12 batters while striking out 30 is better than 2 to 1 ratio.  I was told tgat is a good ratio.

I guess opponents batting average being higher than both Cavez and Ramirez is a bit of concern.  

I do not know how to get get all the advanced statistics or how to read them but his numbers to aopear to be a wuslity pitcher

  Maybe not a #1 or #2 but he appears to.be the best pitcher on the staff at this moment.

[nando714]

Our SP staff will be that much deeper when we sign 1 of Arrieta or Darvish 

[totdprods]

You can always cherry-pick stats, but with his sample size still so small, it's important to keep in mind how much a bad performance can skew numbers:

Bridwell '17 (all games started): 8.6 H9, 2.5 BB9, 1.9 HR9, 6.1 K9, 3.35 ERA
Bridwell '17 (minus wildest GS): 9.2 H9, 1.7 BB9, 1.9 HR9, 6.2 K9, 3.32 ERA
Bridwell '17 (minus worst GS): 7.3 H9, 2.7 BB9, 1.7 HR9, 6.6 K9, 2.68 ERA
Bridwell '17 (last three starts):  7.0 H9, 3.0 BB9, 1.1 HR9, 9.4 K9, 1.86 ERA

The last line also shows how much good performances can skew those trends. 

He had one relief appearance where he gave up 7 hits in 3.2 IP, and one start where he gave up 11 hits in 5 innings. He also had one game where he walked 5. When you only have 40 something innings under your belt, performances that extreme will change those 9-inning trends significantly. 

He's been literally almost perfect the last three starts until late in the game. He's tiring a bit and learning on the fly, so you'll see his stats affected when he runs out of gas or doesn't adapt quickly enough, but from watching his last few games I'm very confident he has what it takes to develop into a solid starter.

[arch stanton]

He's taken the ball against the Yankees and Red Sox twice each and we won all 4 of those games. That's a stat I like

[Glen]

46 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

He's taken the ball against the Yankees and Red Sox twice each and we won all 4 of those games. That's a stat I like

 

Wins are a terrible metric, but it's nice to see a pither not intimidated by those two teams.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

I like the kid! He's shown plenty of nad and attacks the hitters. Doesn't care who he's pitching against. He could be another diamond for the future! 3-4-5 guy...

 

I guess he's underrated around here cause we are used to our starters throwing 90+ pitches in 4-5 innings..... 

[Dick B Back]

37 minutes ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

I like the kid! He's shown plenty of nad and attacks the hitters. Doesn't care who he's pitching against. He could be another diamond for the future! 3-4-5 guy...

 

I guess he's underrated around here cause we are used to our starters throwing 90+ pitches in 4-5 innings..... 

With the departures of Wilson and Santiago, the 90+ pitches in less than 5 complete has not been as much of a problem.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

2 minutes ago, Dick B Back said:

With the departures of Wilson and Santiago, the 90+ pitches in less than 5 complete has not been as much of a problem.

I guess you don't watch Nolasco, Chavez or previously Meyers starts?.... Ok, maybe, 6 innings.....