Rotation

[Warfarin]

Let's take a moment to recognize how awesome our SP has been this month so far.  They're currently ranked #3 in WAR for the month of May in all of baseball.  Even though we're down a few guys (Shoemaker, Ramirez, Bridwell), we have our key ones healthy and productive - Ohtani, Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, Tropeano, Barria.  In addition, we have both Canning and Suarez looking fantastic in AA, and Castillo looking more than serviceable down there, too.

A weakness for pretty much all of last year, our SP is now suddenly one of our greatest strengths.  Would still be great to have an elite top of the rotation starter to accompany Ohtani, but that said, we're looking great overall I'd say.

[Angel Oracle]

A far cry from trotting out Bridwell, Chavez, NoStuffco, Scrubner, etc. in 2017

[Make Angels Great Again]

Heaney was just awesome last night for sure, best start by an Angel this year imo. Even better than Ohtani's near perfect game, because this was against the Astros and it was a tight game, and he went 8.

[Dick B Back]

Anything is better than CJ and Hector.

Seriously, the staff has been balls!

[bloodbrother]

Just keep hoping for good health because the talent has always been there with guys like Richards, Skaggs, and Heaney. Still wouldn't mind them adding another SP in the offseason, especially since we don't know what they do with regards to Richards and FA

[Angel Oracle]

Here is the cumulative work over the past 14 games (every game pitching at least into the 6th inning, no more than 3 runs in any game, averaging barely over 6 innings).

84.2 innings, ERA barely under 2.25, WHIP barely over 1.00, 84/23 Ks/BBs ratio  

[Warfarin]

14 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Here is the cumulative work over the past 14 games (every game pitching at least into the 6th inning, no more than 3 runs in any game, averaging barely over 6 innings).

84.2 innings, ERA barely under 2.25, WHIP barely over 1.00, 84/23 Ks/BBs ratio  

Here's a link to Fangraphs, with the rotation WAR highlighted for the month of May:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=sta&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2018&month=5&season1=2018&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

Trailing only the Astros and Nationals, not bad!

[BackUpTheTruck]

3 hours ago, Dick B Back said:

Anything is better than CJ and Hector.

Seriously, the staff has been balls!

Angels were right to trade for Alex Meyer IMO, I hope he is healthy next year.

[Pujols4MVP]

Skaggs, Ohtani & Heaney are a good 1-2-3 going by FIP they have been the best in the rotation.

Richards walks too many batters.Trop & Barria have mediocre strikeout to walk ratios.

Bridwell i bet won't fair too well when he's back, his 2017 was like Saunders 2008 season, it just very likely won't ever be repeated.

[Chuck]

3 hours ago, Warfarin said:

Let's take a moment to recognize how awesome our SP has been this month so far.  They're currently ranked #3 in WAR for the month of May in all of baseball.  Even though we're down a few guys (Shoemaker, Ramirez, Bridwell), we have our key ones healthy and productive - Ohtani, Richards, Skaggs, Heaney, Tropeano, Barria.  In addition, we have both Canning and Suarez looking fantastic in AA, and Castillo looking more than serviceable down there, too.

A weakness for pretty much all of last year, our SP is now suddenly one of our greatest strengths.  Would still be great to have an elite top of the rotation starter to accompany Ohtani, but that said, we're looking great overall I'd say.

Don't forget John Lamb, once a top prospect in the KC Royals org who has a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and has fanned 38 in 32 innings. Walked just 6 batters and has a solid .198 BAA. 

I can see him getting the call to be our long guy out of the pen, in addition to facing lefthanders like Alvarez. 

Lefthanded batters are hitting just .136 against the 27-year old southpaw. 

[Chuck]

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

[Taylor]

Just now, Chuckster70 said:

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

Would he suddenly be able to throw strikes in the 9th inning?

[Warfarin]

9 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Don't forget John Lamb, once a top prospect in the KC Royals org who has a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and has fanned 38 in 32 innings. Walked just 6 batters and has a solid .198 BAA. 

I can see him getting the call to be our long guy out of the pen, in addition to facing lefthanders like Alvarez. 

Lefthanded batters are hitting just .136 against the 27-year old southpaw. 

Excellent point, thanks for reminding me.  His results have been fantastic in the hitter friendly confines of the PCL.

I like Lamb as rotation depth for now, but as the season progresses, I can see him possibly being transitioned to a lefty reliever if our need for a second lefty reliever still exists.

[Dick Enberg]

6 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

Nice idea, has the stuff, but Richards has nasty control issues at times. what is it, 9 wild pitches so far this year? Plus I don't think he has the mental make up...he obviously gets rattled at times.

[Angelsjunky]

7 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Would he suddenly be able to throw strikes in the 9th inning?

And would he suddenly grow a pair?

[wopphil]

8 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

I disagree. He is too good not to be kept in the rotation. He might not be performing to expectations, but he is still good (and can be great in any given start).

[BackUpTheTruck]

2 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

I thought the same thing about Richards, but he did struggle as a reliever in years past.  If Anderson doesn't work out, it wouldn't hurt to try Richards in the pen again IMO.

[Pujols4MVP]

2 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

Since we have tremendous depth on starting pitchers, if Richards continues to shit the bed in the 5th and 6th innings after throwing a solid 4-5 frames prior to, we may want to look at him being our closer. 

His fastball, slider combo would play very well as a late inning reliever IMO. 

Perfect idea, if he only has to pitch 1 inning he's out of the game before he starts to meltdown.

[totdprods]

3 hours ago, BackUpTheTruck said:

Angels were right to trade for Alex Meyer IMO, I hope he is healthy next year.

It'd be huge if he managed to come back and even be depth. Nate Smith to a lesser degree. If Felix Pena can turn into the next JC/Bridwell, even better.

[Angel Oracle]

Solid start #15 in a row

[stormngt]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:37 PM, Chuckster70 said:

Don't forget John Lamb, once a top prospect in the KC Royals org who has a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and has fanned 38 in 32 innings. Walked just 6 batters and has a solid .198 BAA. 

I can see him getting the call to be our long guy out of the pen, in addition to facing lefthanders like Alvarez. 

Lefthanded batters are hitting just .136 against the 27-year old southpaw. 

Time is long past due for that.  Unless he is next in the depth chart for starting pitchers we need to give him a try help our bullpen problems.

[UndertheHalo]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:49 PM, wopphil said:

I disagree. He is too good not to be kept in the rotation. He might not be performing to expectations, but he is still good (and can be great in any given start).

And we’re only half way through May.  Let’s at least let Richards stretched out before we decide he shouldn’t be a starter.  He hasn’t really pitched in a long time.  It took him a while to piece it together before the injuries.  He’s getting it figured out again. 

[UndertheHalo]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:37 PM, Chuckster70 said:

Don't forget John Lamb, once a top prospect in the KC Royals org who has a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and has fanned 38 in 32 innings. Walked just 6 batters and has a solid .198 BAA. 

I can see him getting the call to be our long guy out of the pen, in addition to facing lefthanders like Alvarez. 

Lefthanded batters are hitting just .136 against the 27-year old southpaw. 

John Lamb should be up right now.  Not the garbage bin Eduardo Parades.

[Billy_Ball]

I wonder if we'll see Griffin Canning this season.  Mr. "Start a no-hitter."

[Angel Oracle]

23 minutes ago, Billy_Ball said:

I wonder if we'll see Griffin Canning this season.  Mr. "Start a no-hitter."

He could be epic pitching an inning 6-8 times in September.   They would need to be scripted, so that he doesn't constantly warm up in the pen throughout September, in order to conserve pitches thrown on the mound and in the pen.