OC Register: Dylan Bundy pitches Angels to victory in debut with new team

[AngelsWin.com]

OAKLAND — The last time Angels fans saw Dylan Bundy pitching for their team was back in spring training – what seems like ages ago now – and he was sailing through his outings in the Cactus League.

More than four months later, with the games now counting, Bundy took the first step toward showing spring was not a fluke.

The right-hander gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings in a 4-1 victory over the Oakland A’s on Saturday, an impressive debut for a pitcher whose acquisition was not well received by all Angels fans.

Bundy came from the Baltimore Orioles with a career 4.67 ERA, numbers that belied his one-time status as a top prospect. The Angels had hoped that Bundy, still just 27, could still have a breakthrough, especially getting out of the hitter-friendly ballparks of the American League East.

In his first start with the Angels, Bundy rather easily dispatched a solid A’s lineup.

He retired the first eight hitters. The A’s didn’t get anyone into scoring position until the fifth, when Robbie Grossman stole second after he was hit by a pitch. Bundy didn’t allow an extra-base hit until Stephen Piscotty’s double that chased him out of the game in the seventh.

Bundy struck out seven and walked none. He threw 90 pitches. Bundy left with no runs on the board, but Keynan Middleton allowed a single to drive in the only run.

When Middleton entered, he had a four-run lead, thanks mostly to one big inning against Sean Manaea.

The A’s left-hander was breezing until Justin Upton drilled a homer just off the top of the left-field fence in the fourth.

In the fifth, Taylor Ward and Max Stassi singled. Andrelton Simmons pulled a double down the left-field line to drive in one, and David Fletcher doubled off the left-field fence to knock in two more.

Those were all the runs the Angels got, and the bullpen made the lead hold up. Ty Buttrey, who blew an eighth-inning one-run lead on Friday, worked a scoreless eighth.

Hansel Robles, who was charged with the winning runs in the 10th a night earlier, worked a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.

More to come on this story.

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[Angels 1961]

Who picked Bundy to have break out season under Callaway?

[bloodbrother]

Bundy has a lower ERA and more K's than Gerrit Cole this season

[Stradling]

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but Bundy has a horrific fastball, but his “secondary” pitches are both above average.  I read an article saying his fastball was the second worst pitch in all of baseball last year.  The belief was if he changed the percentage of usage of his pitches he could find real success.  Here’s to hoping that is the case.  IF it is and that is a huge if, then Eppler deserves huge props for finding this opportunity.  Oh and he doesn’t even have to be an Ace or a #2, he just has to be a reliable mid rotation starter. 

[Stradling]

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself”

Immediately gets ahead of himself.  

[tdawg87]

7 minutes ago, Stradling said:

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself”

Immediately gets ahead of himself.  

You're such and idiot Stand.

[bloodbrother]

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but Bundy has a horrific fastball, but his “secondary” pitches are both above average.  I read an article saying his fastball was the second worst pitch in all of baseball last year.  The belief was if he changed the percentage of usage of his pitches he could find real success.  Here’s to hoping that is the case.  IF it is and that is a huge if, then Eppler deserves huge props for finding this opportunity.  Oh and he doesn’t even have to be an Ace or a #2, he just has to be a reliable mid rotation starter. 

So far today was a good trend.

 

[Inside Pitch]

13 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but Bundy has a horrific fastball, but his “secondary” pitches are both above average.  I read an article saying his fastball was the second worst pitch in all of baseball last year.  The belief was if he changed the percentage of usage of his pitches he could find real success.  Here’s to hoping that is the case.  IF it is and that is a huge if, then Eppler deserves huge props for finding this opportunity.  Oh and he doesn’t even have to be an Ace or a #2, he just has to be a reliable mid rotation starter. 

Him and Teheran both needed to move off their FBs and go with the other stuff...   Looks like Bundy has bought into it -- really hoping we get to see if Teheran has as well.   That was as solid a debut as we have seen in a long time.

[Pancake Bear]

Both Heaney and Bundy looking good to start off the year against a presumptive playoff team that a few brave predictions even picked for division winner. Too early for big predictions, but a very solid start. 

[Vlad27Trout27]

46 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but Bundy has a horrific fastball, but his “secondary” pitches are both above average.  I read an article saying his fastball was the second worst pitch in all of baseball last year.  The belief was if he changed the percentage of usage of his pitches he could find real success.  Here’s to hoping that is the case.  IF it is and that is a huge if, then Eppler deserves huge props for finding this opportunity.  Oh and he doesn’t even have to be an Ace or a #2, he just has to be a reliable mid rotation starter. 

i think it's just his command with his Fastball is bad. he missed up and middle of the plate today quite a bit. But, the offspeed will be key.

[Angels 1961]

Bundy was pitching in and for Baltimore. In AL west bigger ballparks plus pitching coach will give halo fans a CY of relief when he is on the mound.

[Lazorko Saves]

Agree he needs to pitch off his secondary stuff.  It could be he's finally beginning to realize that.  Remember he was a 4th overall pick with a 95-97 fastball before TJS.  That mindset of "I'm a power pitcher" is hard for young guys to let go of.

Not having seen much of him before, the thing I'm most impressed by is how both that 80-82 slider and 74-76 curveball look the same coming out of his hand.  Both have a 12-6 break.  Hard for hitters to distinguish those pitches out of his hand.  Changeup is decent also, with a lot of arm-side movement.  A good keep-em-honest pitch to use here and there the second time thru a lineup.

I like it so far.

 

[Chuck]

Great stuff on Bundy guys.

[Jeff Fletcher]

5 hours ago, Angels 1961 said:

Bundy was pitching in and for Baltimore. In AL west bigger ballparks plus pitching coach will give halo fans a CY of relief when he is on the mound.

Something of a tangent, but my early understanding is the new Texas park plays pretty big. The old one definitely did not. So that makes the division even more pitcher friendly. The Angels also go there twice, so that’s 6 or 7 games out of 60.

Theyll play 3 at Coors Field and 4 at Houston, but basically every other game is in a pitchers park. 

[Chuck]

Highlights from today! 

[ukyah]

nice. i didn't enjoy seeing the angels be the joke of opening day.

[Warfarin]

Great start by Bundy.  Not pitching in the ALE with the hitters' parks and stacked offenses should definitely help him, as should having a pithing coach who will (hopefully) help improve his pitch sequencing and utilization.

His FB is mediocre at best, but if he can utilize his strong secondaries as he did yesterday, then we've got ourselves a very solid mid-rotation starter, if not better.

[Angels 1961]

23 of 49 pitches taken by Oakland hitters called strikes, Max Stassi top pitch framer should get some credit.