Potential pen candidates

[totdprods]

3 hours ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

maybe too late in 2 months to make a difference.

They're currently 3 GB from a Wild Card, and 4 GB from the division.

And I actually expect Eppler to make some move in June - but I'd be surprised if it was for Herrera or Hand. He doesn't need to overpay for an elite arm now. A quiet, solid vet where we eat the salary and/or a savvy waiver claim will probably do the trick for now.

[Warfarin]

52 minutes ago, totdprods said:

They're currently 3 GB from a Wild Card, and 4 GB from the division.

And I actually expect Eppler to make some move in June - but I'd be surprised if it was for Herrera or Hand. He doesn't need to overpay for an elite arm now. A quiet, solid vet where we eat the salary and/or a savvy waiver claim will probably do the trick for now.

Yep, and we have already finished up with the Yankees, will finish up against the Red Sox this month, already have one series finished with Cleveland, etc.

Most importantly, we have a TON of games left against Seattle.  Ground can be made up, we just have to win.

[totdprods]

We also can't really go crazy on adding to the pen without hurting our depth at the same time, since no one has options.

Any pen additions mean Anderson goes to the minors, or you DFA Alvarez, Johnson, or Bedrosian to make room. And while all of those guys have had their struggles recently, I'm not sure they're worth cutting outright - you'd have to make another move to replace them on the depth chart. 

And yes, I'm aware that we typically have a rotating last spot in the pen - currently filled by Drake but also filled by Paredes, Morris, or Pena - but even if we bump those guys out, it till puts us in a tenuous position depth-wise with every reliever being out of options. Do you acquire a bullpen arm just to lose another, even if they're more of a C-grade guy? Yeah, they're not as good, but I'm not sure we should be hemorrhaging away any depth quite yet, even if it's someone like Jim Johnson, who has been pretty effective at times.

My point is, it isn't quite as easy as you think to just go out and get another arm and stick them in to fix the pen. It dominoes off several other tangents that come with consequences too. Snagging a minor-leaguer with options off waivers may be a better move for now.

[NJHalo]

Time to bring back the big guy

https://www.news.com.au/sport/more-sports/adelaide-bites-216cm-pitcher-loek-van-mil-still-positive-despite-bleak-australian-baseball-league-form/news-story/c8e6341f3150e9b2b7af3fc2b9a5a99c

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

2 hours ago, totdprods said:

Any pen additions mean Anderson goes to the minors, or you DFA Alvarez, Johnson, or Bedrosian to make room. And while all of those guys have had their struggles recently, I'm not sure they're worth cutting outright - you'd have to make another move to replace them on the depth chart. 

I'm sure we have some prospects that are going to be blocked, and for the right closer would be worth the trade, without destroying the farm system. Every time Bedrosian comes into the game, the lead has a 50/50 chance of disappearing. I doubt anyone would be too disappointed if he were to be DFA.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Ace-Of-Diamonds

[Angel Oracle]

They still have to play 6 games in Seattle before July, iirc.    Playing them with a short bullpen is not going to be fun.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

We couldn't even beat Detroit with this bullpen. What makes anyone think we can hold on until the end of July.

[Lou]

56 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

We couldn't even beat Detroit with this bullpen. What makes anyone think we can hold on until the end of July.

our 15-7 record vs the AL West? 

[Angel Oracle]

3 minutes ago, Lou said:

our 15-7 record vs the AL West? 

True, although almost all of the games vs the Astros, A'th, and M's came before the pen started imploding over the past month.  

[Pablo]

https://www.mlb.com/news/reliever-options-at-non-waiver-trade-deadline/c-280215202

 

 

[Angel Oracle]

Hand, Herrera, and Iglesias are definitely the three that don't come with some sort of current major warts to their pitching.

Hand will require a bundle, as dominant as he is.   He does have one small wart, having walked 14 in 31.1 innings to go with his 49 Ks.    He was a mediocre pitcher for the Fish, lots of hits and walks allowed.   Upon being traded to the Padres after 2015, he was made into a fulltime reliever and has been rock solid.

Iglesias and Herrera, like Hand, are also age 28.   Both have been solid for a few years now.

With Hand and Iglesias though, how would they do having to mainly face AL batters after mainly facing NL batters for several years?

Herrera has that experience facing AL batters.   If they package Gordon with him, it might not take very much in prospect trade to get him.   Gordon does add to the AAV payroll, but the $8-10 million taken on for him and some $3-4 million taken on for Herrera still doesn't put them to the AAV payroll limit.   Plus they would clear $25 million next season (Kinsler, Valbuena, and Johnson) to make room for Gordon's 2019 salary of $20 million ($4 million buyout in 2020).   But can Gordon play RF effectively enough?

They would have to deal Cold Calhoun after the season, eating whatever they have to eat in 2019 salary, with Gordon in the picture.   They also would have to hope that either Adell or Marsh is ready for MLB by ST 2020.

Edit: Looking at Gordon's career Angel Stadium numbers, he hit .315 over his first 92 at bats through 2014.   But the past 3+ years, he morphed into Mr. Pop-Up Wells in hitting just .180 (8-45) here.

 

[Troll Daddy]

 

[Inside Pitch]

Joakim Soria is having a better season than his ERA shows -- he may be the easiest (cheapest get) among the "closers" that will be made available.  Personally, I'd try landing him first.

[GrittyVeterans]

3 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Joakim Soria is having a better season than his ERA shows -- he may be the easiest (cheapest get) among the "closers" that will be made available.  Personally, I'd try landing him first.

Jesus, he still pitches? Feels like he's been around forever

Edit: 11 year career, 2.88 career ERA. Damn, that's a nice career

[Angel Oracle]

Soria very recently became the ChiSox closer (6 saves so far for a bad team).   His 3.57 ERA and 1.28 WHIP so far aren’t bad, and his 28/4 Ks/BBs would be much appreciated here.

He would be a good beginning.

Send Anderson back to SLC to refine his command.

Soria, Parker, Ramirez, improving Bedrosian, Alvarez, Johnson, and Rhoades might not be a bad pen for now.   Maybe it gets them through the next 7+ weeks until the trade deadline?

[GrittyVeterans]

We need someone who can go more than an inning of work. And someone better than Noe Ramirez at it. Last year we had Petit who could pitch 2 innings on any given appearance.

Honestly I think we need a guy like that more than a true closer (although we need both).

Alvarez is a fine LOOGY, Parker is a nice setup guy. We need a closer and a swingman who can pitch more than an inning successfully

Noe, Johnson, and Bedrosian are trash. Only a matter of time before Bedrosian gets shelled again. His FIP is at 5.00, his K/9 is a career low 7.2. Fastball velocity is down 2 ticks from where it was 2 years ago. Noe can stay as a mopup guy, but the other two we should be actively looking to replace. Don't want them pitching important innings ever. Anderson has potential but needs refining. You don't give up on him yet. Unlike some of the other clowns we're running out there, he has the stuff to be a great reliever one day.

I'm just stunned at the lack of pitching depth in the upper minors. Akeel Morris and Eduardo Paredes is the best we can do? I'm really hoping by next year that changes. 

Middleton and Wood going down was a tough blow for us. At least they threw hard and could strike people out. 

[nando714]

8 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Joakim Soria is having a better season than his ERA shows -- he may be the easiest (cheapest get) among the "closers" that will be made available.  Personally, I'd try landing him first.

I’ve been bringing this guy up for a month

has a buyout at the end of the season 

also Familia from the metropolitans 

Brach (FA) Britton(FA), O’day (9m owed in 2019)

[Stradling]

For long man just go get Jesse Chavez.  He has been decent in that role this year and he would be very cheap to acquire.   He could pitch 3-4 innings to save the pen in a blow out.  He’s averaged almost two innings an appearance.  He’s struck out almost a batter an inning.  He’s given up a homer for every six innings he’s pitched.  You also don’t have to worry about how he’d fit in the clubhouse.  

[totdprods]

Chavez had a great run for us last year when he moved to the pen too. 

[Pujols4MVP]

What about John Lackey ? It'd be interesting to see what he can do from the bullpen.

[Blarg]

No it wouldn't, he's done.

[Tank]

1 hour ago, Scioscia4MVP said:

What about John Lackey ? It'd be interesting to see what he can do from the bullpen.

That would be a nice place to, uh, put him out to pasture.