Parker Done Didwell

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

13 hours ago, Erstad Grit said:

Eppler showing he can find the talent. 

I'm amazed at what he has done while being handcuffed by some bad salaries. 

 

Eppler has acquired some solid arms over the last two seasons and this spring off the scrap heap.... It all obviously isn't just Epplers success as he has a pretty good group of Assistant GM's and Advisors that he put together when he first came here.....

Steve Martone Asst GM of baseball operations and manager of professional scouting means he's one of the analytical guys who puts in the stats and figures (which they can use in not only scouting of players and tendencies for games. But, also use them for player acquisitions. Assistant GM Jonathan Strangio, director of player personnel Epplers right hand and left hand....

And special assistants before his hire in Colorado Bud Black. I find it interesting that when Bud came back that Butcher was pretty much sent packing as Bud had been Sven's right hand for all of those early years on the pitching side and Butcher was Buds subordinate. (He is also solid with grooming a young pitching staff and getting the most out of aging veterans.... Which may have had a bit to do with Nolasco's success when he arrived last year. But, weve seen a drop this year in mechanics and leaving the ball up..."I could be wrong" which could also show regression after Black left he is extremely hands on), Marcel Lachemann (who also knows how to work with young arms and coax efforts out of veterans as well and is also very hands on approach). And of course Stoneman another former pitcher who acquired some arms through the years that we were able to juice along for innings.

Look at just those last three (Black, Lacheman and Stoneman).... They all have some very solid success in the arm department and getting the most out of pitchers we've acquired through the years. 

Now that also brings me back to the current operations on that side regarding the field side/day to day and pitching coach Charles Nagy he has stated that his philosophy is throwing strikes, working ahead and working quickly like most pitching coaches. However, not all of the pitchers have been doing all three on a consistent or regular basis. Or, have side stepped one or two of them at some point this year. Most notably veterans (Chavez, Nolasco, Norris) each work quickly which works (in the frame of the wording. But, you aren't supposed to rush through your mechanics and either let your arm drop or drag through the zone which allows your pitches to flatten out or miss your spots). But, also by doing that each has had issues with command within the strike zone and their mechanics which then allows the ball to miss spots and move back into the hitting zone (which are the other two portions of what Nagys philosophy is). Now on the same side notice that most of the younger guys and a few of the veterans have succeeded in those regards as most of those pitchers were talent based and had arm strength or the pitches to succeed but required a bit of tweaking to get the best out of them. Which with most young arms they work too quickly or lose focus during an at bat and pitch to pitch sequence. (Ramirez, Bridwell, Petit, Hernandez, Parker, Paredes, Meyer , Scribner and for the most part BedRock, Even Brooks Pounders looks different and has better results when he isn't pitching like his hair is on fire and he's focued). Overall, they have been able to get decent innings out of lesser talented arms like Daniel Wright.

I enjoy the pitching side obviously and the preparation and mental side of it. It's hard to obviously type it all out in thought so I hope you can understand some of it. Overall, it has worked on the pitching side with the entire group on the Field and in the Office.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

12 hours ago, ettin said:

Also the ones we don't even have like Kirby Yates for instance. I will say Ashur Tolliver just got released after some abysmal outings but Eppler and his staff certainly have a good eye for pitching talent.

Kirby Yates is having a very solid season. I watched him throw in the bully during SPT he threw hard and had a good speed difference off his slider and change. He even was hitting his spots in the bully sessions. Though when he would come in I saw the following:

He was over throwing most of the time probably trying to impress his old GM and new Bosses his fastball flattened out and became straighter the harder he tried to throw it. His slider spun like a Frisbee as he was over throwing it and he was missing up with his change up. Overall, the three kisses of death to a pitcher.

He's doing well now for the Padres! And his K's per 9 are back up to 13.3.... I've watch him pitch a couple times....He's slowed it down big time.

[Angel Oracle]

Which is a great way to build a bullpen without going crazy on cost.   If a team has the right people in place off the field, it's easier to build a solid team year in and year out.   Eppler is giving this franchise a chance to succeed on a consistent basis in the long run.

And yes, even Yates has been a revelation for the Pads.

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

On 8/13/2017 at 3:51 PM, slump dog said:

We get Heaney in September and is like FO did a good trade.

All we need in 2018 is BP,1B,3B,RF and this team is off to the races.

You mean Bull Pen, 2B/3B (depending on where Cowart ends up and LF..... Kole isn't going anywhere and is our RF'er!

We have more than enough players who can spend time at 1B.... Unless, somehow AP#5 magically retires and or they deal Cron and or trade/release Valbuena!

[Lou]

17 hours ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

Eppler has acquired some solid arms over the last two seasons and this spring off the scrap heap.... It all obviously isn't just Epplers success as he has a pretty good group of Assistant GM's and Advisors that he put together when he first came here.....

Steve Martone Asst GM of baseball operations and manager of professional scouting means he's one of the analytical guys who puts in the stats and figures (which they can use in not only scouting of players and tendencies for games. But, also use them for player acquisitions. Assistant GM Jonathan Strangio, director of player personnel Epplers right hand and left hand....

And special assistants before his hire in Colorado Bud Black. I find it interesting that when Bud came back that Butcher was pretty much sent packing as Bud had been Sven's right hand for all of those early years on the pitching side and Butcher was Buds subordinate. (He is also solid with grooming a young pitching staff and getting the most out of aging veterans.... Which may have had a bit to do with Nolasco's success when he arrived last year. But, weve seen a drop this year in mechanics and leaving the ball up..."I could be wrong" which could also show regression after Black left he is extremely hands on), Marcel Lachemann (who also knows how to work with young arms and coax efforts out of veterans as well and is also very hands on approach). And of course Stoneman another former pitcher who acquired some arms through the years that we were able to juice along for innings.

Look at just those last three (Black, Lacheman and Stoneman).... They all have some very solid success in the arm department and getting the most out of pitchers we've acquired through the years. 

Now that also brings me back to the current operations on that side regarding the field side/day to day and pitching coach Charles Nagy he has stated that his philosophy is throwing strikes, working ahead and working quickly like most pitching coaches. However, not all of the pitchers have been doing all three on a consistent or regular basis. Or, have side stepped one or two of them at some point this year. Most notably veterans (Chavez, Nolasco, Norris) each work quickly which works (in the frame of the wording. But, you aren't supposed to rush through your mechanics and either let your arm drop or drag through the zone which allows your pitches to flatten out or miss your spots). But, also by doing that each has had issues with command within the strike zone and their mechanics which then allows the ball to miss spots and move back into the hitting zone (which are the other two portions of what Nagys philosophy is). Now on the same side notice that most of the younger guys and a few of the veterans have succeeded in those regards as most of those pitchers were talent based and had arm strength or the pitches to succeed but required a bit of tweaking to get the best out of them. Which with most young arms they work too quickly or lose focus during an at bat and pitch to pitch sequence. (Ramirez, Bridwell, Petit, Hernandez, Parker, Paredes, Meyer , Scribner and for the most part BedRock, Even Brooks Pounders looks different and has better results when he isn't pitching like his hair is on fire and he's focued). Overall, they have been able to get decent innings out of lesser talented arms like Daniel Wright.

I enjoy the pitching side obviously and the preparation and mental side of it. It's hard to obviously type it all out in thought so I hope you can understand some of it. Overall, it has worked on the pitching side with the entire group on the Field and in the Office.

This is a great post 

[Chuck]

Three Up, Three Down: Parker Bridwell Takes The Lead

August 15, 2017 By Kyle Glaser

Parker Bridwell | RHP | Angels

Who leads all rookies in ERA this season? That would be Bridwell, the Orioles No. 21 prospect who was sold to the Angels for an undisclosed sum in April. The 26-year-old righthander has gone 7-1, 2.88 to propel the Angels into the second wild-card spot, and keep the rotation solvent despite major injuries to Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs. Bridwell has done it by primarily drawing weak contact off his hard stuff with movement. He primarily uses a 93-96 mph fastball and 90-93 mph cutter to set up his out pitches, a 92-95 mph sinker and 81-85 mph slider that batters are hitting sub-.215 against, per Brooks Baseball.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/three-up-three-down-parker-bridwell-takes-the-lead/#eiU7egq7UR4jP2HU.97

 

[Angel Oracle]

With his stuff, how the heck was he only the 21st rated prospect in the O's system?     Buried in depth chart?   Command wasn't there while in their system?    Previous injuries? 

[Chuck]

10 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

With his stuff, how the heck was he only the 21st rated prospect in the O's system?     Buried in depth chart?   Command wasn't there while in their system?    Previous injuries? 

Because sports pundits, minor league analysts/writers and scouts are wrong sometimes. 

In fact, they're wrong more times than they're right if you had to do the math and look at the %'s. 

Why do you think there have been so many 1st round busts over the years and why there are also those selected late who have become all stars in the big leagues.

[Angel Oracle]

Good points Chuck, but like with Shoe bursting onto the scene in 2014 after a so-so minors career, this one also takes one by total surprise.   Pleasant surprises of course, and Eppler seems adept at finding them.  

[totdprods]

I love how Eppler and Co. keep flipping the table on pitchers. 

They're taking relievers and turning them into starters, taking starters and turning them into relievers, finding cast-offs and having them learn new pitches or completely change their approach based on an overlooked pitch. And it's extending all the way down to the lower levels of the minors too.

[Tank]

On 8/14/2017 at 7:26 AM, Lou said:

He (Nolasco) has to pitch 202.1 innings this year for that to happen. He's currently at 134 

so you're saying there's a chance!

let's run him out there every third day and see what happens.