Felix Pena

[mulwin444]

Eppler acquired him from the Cubs after they put him on waivers for cash/PTBN in OCT.  He's done a hell of a job:

Since being promoted in mid-June as a starter this season:

4.02 ERA 47 IP 41 H 21 ER 21 BB 45 K 1.319 WHIP

After taking out his meltdown start against Seattle:

2.73 ERA 46.2 IP 35 H 14 ER 19 BB 44 K 1.174 WHIP

Road starts: 

1.34 ERA 20.2 IP 13 H 3 ER 11 BB 18 K 1.188 WHIP (Starts Baltimore, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and San Diego)

 

[GrittyVeterans]

He’s in contention for a swing man role next year out of the pen but he’s not a guy I want in the rotation next year

[mulwin444]

36 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

He’s in contention for a swing man role next year out of the pen but he’s not a guy I want in the rotation next year

Just looking at the set rotation spots, we have Ohtani, Skaggs, Heaney, Tropeano, and Barria,  This, of course, if optimistically assuming relative good health for Ohtani, Skaggs, Heaney and Tropeano, and just working with what's on the 40 man roster right now.  On top of that, you have Meyer supposedly returning and Shoemaker in the mix somewhere.

Lots of uncertainty.  If Ontani is healthy enough to be in the rotation next season, you are likely going to see a return of the 6-man rotation...I think he's your 6th man at this point.

[DMVol]

If he gets through the rest of the season with just the one clunker start vs Seattle, he's in the mix for more than a swing man role...he's been solid, a real find, like Bridwell and Ramirez last year.

[Angel Oracle]

Meyer and Shoe should never, eeever start again.

Relief pitching is their future, not durable enough to pitch 160-180 innings per season.

[Angel Oracle]

11 minutes ago, DMVol said:

If he gets through the rest of the season with just the one clunker start vs Seattle, he's in the mix for more than a swing man role...he's been solid, a real find, like Bridwell and Ramirez last year.

And much better stuff than Bridwell 

[DMVol]

8 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

And much better stuff than Bridwell 

Bridwell was a bit of a fluke....

 

[UndertheHalo]

Pena is a useful depth arm and he’s definitely done a decent job for the Angels.  It definitely could be worse for the Angels all things considered.  

I would hope that next year the Angels aren’t forced to depend on him as a rotation regular though.  I mean, hopefully he continues to improve as a starter and proves that sentiment wrong, but hat doesn’t seem likely. 

[tdawg87]

So when's his TJ surgery scheduled?

[failos]

The bullpen really only needs a couple more dependable arms, but, I’ve liked Eppler’s handling of the BP (except for Deck and Paredes). Parker needs to go though.

BP is a crapshoot really, but I like our chances if Anderson can become a dependable closer. 

[Angel Oracle]

Will Parker prove to be a decent trade chip in the next two weeks? 

[happybat4]

21 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Will Parker prove to be a decent trade chip in the next two weeks? 

No. He would have to been traded before the deadline. With his salary and arbitration control nearly every team would put a waiver claim on him. 

[Angel Oracle]

18 minutes ago, happybat4 said:

No. He would have to been traded before the deadline. With his salary and arbitration control nearly every team would put a waiver claim on him. 

Even if the team with first dibs can offer a decent/solid enough trade deal?

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

Meyer and Shoe should never, eeever start again.

Relief pitching is their future, not durable enough to pitch 160-180 innings per season.

I don’t know that you can really say Shoemaker isn’t durable. He has had one injury. It just happens to be an injury that took them a long time to discover and treat correctly. It’s been the doctors who have had the problem, not him. It’s not like he keeps getting different injuries. 

[Angel Oracle]

The durability (milb and mlb innings combined) was admittedly there in 2011-2014 (between 162 and 189 innings each season), then only 141 innings in 2015, back to 166 innings in 2016, and then just 86 innings total since April 2017.    Was the injury one he's had since early 2017?   If so, how does it take so long to diagnose? 

The concern is, doesn't throwing too many splitters affect the forearm/elbow?    Isn't he at risk, if pitching 180 innings a season going forward, in throwing a lot of splitters?

[tdawg87]

3 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

The durability (milb and mlb innings combined) was admittedly there in 2011-2014 (between 162 and 189 innings each season), then only 141 innings in 2015, back to 166 innings in 2016, and then just 86 innings total since April 2017.    Was the injury one he's had since early 2017?   If so, how does it take so long to diagnose? 

The concern is, doesn't throwing too many splitters affect the forearm/elbow?    Isn't he at risk, if pitching 180 innings a season going forward, in throwing a lot of splitters?

I'm guessing Shoemaker is a starting pitcher until he isn't. Meyer clearly doesn't have the arm to start going forward but I doubt the Angels want to lose two SP to the bullpen. If Shoe can pitch 5-6 innings then that's what he's going to do. 

[mulwin444]

11 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I don’t know that you can really say Shoemaker isn’t durable. He has had one injury. It just happens to be an injury that took them a long time to discover and treat correctly. It’s been the doctors who have had the problem, not him. It’s not like he keeps getting different injuries. 

Would you happen to have any updates on his recovery?  I just see some vague "no timetable for his return" after his BP sessions on Monday Aug 6th

[happybat4]

25 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Even if the team with first dibs can offer a decent/solid enough trade deal?

They would have gotten more before the deadline. Might as well wait until the off-season or just keep him next year. It's not like we have a bunch of good relievers to trade. Rene Rivera and Johnson are the only players who might be traded. 

[greginpsca]

4 hours ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I don’t know that you can really say Shoemaker isn’t durable. He has had one injury. It just happens to be an injury that took them a long time to discover and treat correctly. It’s been the doctors who have had the problem, not him. It’s not like he keeps getting different injuries. 

I still worry about the surgery he had after getting hit in the head in 16. He really hasn't pitched for any length since that injury because of the forearm injury. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

6 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

The durability (milb and mlb innings combined) was admittedly there in 2011-2014 (between 162 and 189 innings each season), then only 141 innings in 2015, back to 166 innings in 2016, and then just 86 innings total since April 2017.    Was the injury one he's had since early 2017?   If so, how does it take so long to diagnose? 

The concern is, doesn't throwing too many splitters affect the forearm/elbow?    Isn't he at risk, if pitching 180 innings a season going forward, in throwing a lot of splitters?

Yes. He says it’s been the same thing all along and it wasn’t treated properly the first time. 

As for his rehab, he’s thrown an up-down bullpen so he’ll probably be some kind of simulated game in the next couple days. 

I expect him to pitch in September.