OC Register: Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway likes what he’s seen from Jaime Barria, Patrick Sandoval

[AngelsWin.com]

Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway was encouraged by what he saw at the end of the season from two of the younger potential starters, Jaime Barria and Patrick Sandoval.

Barria, 24, had a 3.62 ERA in 32-1/3 innings this season, rebounding to more of what he showed when he posted a 3.41 ERA as a rookie in 2018. Barria struggled in 2019 and it caused many to write off 2018, in which his peripherals were questionable.

“I think at times, probably coming into this season, you could look back a couple years ago and maybe he just had some luck on his side,” Callaway said. “I don’t think anybody has that feeling any more, because he is doing it all over again.”

Callaway pointed out that Barria knows how to pitch, not just throw, and that he’s also seen his fastball velocity increase, from 91.3 in 2018 to 92.1 in 2020.

Sandoval, 23, tested positive for COVID-19 in June and then started the season poorly, earning a trip back to Long Beach. Since returning, the Angels have used him for extended outings out of the bullpen, and he’s allowed four earned runs in 11-1/3 innings, with 15 strikeouts and one walk.

“He’s such a high energy, high effort delivery guy that this role suits him pretty well,” Callaway said. “He’s able to just go out there and kind of let it eat and not really worry about trying to be too fine because he knows he doesn’t have to go through the through the lineup a few times. And I think that benefits him at this point. I think he can still, obviously be a very effective starter for us moving forward and I think this bullpen experience might help him a little bit in that starting role next year.”

INNINGS IN 2021?

While most teams normally try to avoid having pitchers make significant jumps in innings from one year to the next, obviously all of baseball is going to be facing that question going into 2021, after an abbreviated 2020.

Callaway said that the Angels hope that the work their pitchers did during the shutdown in April, May and June will help them be prepared for next season.

“(Dylan) Bundy’s probably thrown 180 innings this year, because he continued to throw for four-plus innings while the COVID shutdown was going on,” Callaway said. “I think that most of our guys did a pretty good job of continuing to stay stretched out. Even though they might only have 50 innings or whatever, it’s actually more than that. So we’re going to be prepared for those guys going into next year.”

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AN EXTRA BUBBLE

Because the Angels were alive for the postseason, the players were not allowed to return to their Southern California homes or be with their families on the off day between Wednesday’s game in San Diego and the start of Friday’s series at Dodger Stadium.

They instead went to a hotel, where they will remain throughout the series against the Dodgers.

“We’re bubbled,” Manager Joe Maddon said.

Maddon said he’s been pleased overall with the way MLB and his team have handled the COVID-19 protocols.

“There are times that our personal liberties are being challenged and sometimes it gets annoying and aggravating, honestly,” Maddon said, “but it’s for the betterment of the group and to this point it’s worked.”

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