The 2019 Rotation

[Inside Pitch]

9 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

No prob, and thanks for the heads up.

At this point, it's almost seeming like Billy should stick to the "adding depth to the rotation" strategy, given how many pitchers are getting hurt nowadays.   It seems preferable, especially now, to develop their own starters, as they will know their physical attributes, health, and tendencies best.

They already have Ohtani (2020), Skaggs, Shoe, Heaney, Barria, Pena, Canning, Suarez, Sandoval, Bridwell, and the newest acquisition Luke Farrell, plus the other starters on the farm. 

Yep.... Arms going poof all over...  The White Sox lost Michael Kopesch to TJS today.

[hangin n wangin]

I guess the positive way to look at things is that it seems like everyone now adays is going to have to get TJS at some point in their career and most of our pitchers have already gotten it out of the way.

[Lou]

6 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

I guess the positive way to look things is that it seems like everyone now adays is going to have to get TJS at some point in their career and most of our pitchers have already gotten it out of the way.

see, we're ahead of the curve. 

[Dtwncbad]

It is very obvious that the Angels need to add to the roster for the 2019 starting rotation.

The thing I am watching is what kind of pitchers they pursue.  For me, it just absolutely needs to be #2 starter or better level so that the Angels improve the TOP of the rotation.

You can add an unlimited number of back half of the rotation pitchers to a roster and you are not getting any better as a team.  If you run a #3 or #4 type out there every day, you are not going to be anything more than "competitive."

Heaney and Skaggs should not be a team's #1 and #2 if you are really trying to be a championship team.

I think the discipline is you decide Heaney and Skaggs are your #3 and #4, and commit to adding two better pitchers in front of them.  Then all the other bodies fight for #5 and provide depth for injuries.

I dont like the mindset of "Hey we have more than 5 starters so just rank them 1 through 5 and roll with it."

If there are no true front half of the rotation starters in your group of 5, you are very much at risk of being overmatched pretty much day in and day out.  And then, even if you are fortunate enough to wiggle into the playoffs, you are certainly overmatched in every game against team using legit 1-3 starters.

Aim higher for the bodies that need to be added.