2020 Rule 5 Draft (Pirates select Jose Soriano, Angels select Jose Rivera)

[Second Base]

I will say this though, if the Angels and Astros swung a trade, Soriano for Rivera....I wouldn't complain too much. I mean, I'd wonder why, but in the end, I think they both end up being relievers. Soriano being great, Rivera being good.

But the Angels probably should've kept Soriano AND drafted Rivera.

[greginpsca]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

The Angels have a chance to have three high octane relievers in Gerado Reyes, Jose Rivera and (LHP) Hector Yan to bolster the pen in 2021 in addition to Raisel Iglesias & Mike Mayers called upon late in the game. 

I even think Buttrey might be better this year as he won't get worn out in the second half of the season from overuse.

[Lazorko Saves]

1 hour ago, Fourts said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why would we leave such a valuable prospect (SP one at that) off the 40 man protection list when we only had 34 or so on the list?!?  I understand if we were at 38-40, but with 5-6 open spots, leaving him off seems bizarre....or just idiotic.  Maybe there's a valid reason for it that i'm not aware of and i'm over simplifying things.

No, it's a good question.  And one that does have an answer.  It's because putting a player on the 40-man starts means you start spending his options to send him in the minor leagues.  So if you can get Soriano through a Rule 5 draft this year, you can delay his "option clock" starting.  Which is kind of important for a pitcher who has only played at A-ball, as you don't want spend one of those three option years on a season where he's got essentially zero chance of contributing at the major league level.

Pittsburgh now cannot send him to the minor leagues in 2021 without offering him back to the Angels for $50k.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Lazorko Saves

[ScruffytheJanitor]

2 minutes ago, greginpsca said:

I even think Buttrey might be better this year as he won't get worn out in the second half of the season from overuse.

Me too. We definitely need more depth, but Iglesias-Mayers-rested Buttrey feels like a solid step forward already. I'd still like to see us get another sure thing and another "talent" play (like Luke Bard but... good), but I am cautiously optimistic we can get back to average. 

[Warfarin]

4 minutes ago, Lazorko Saves said:

No, it's a good question.  And one that does have an answer.  It's because putting a player on the 40-man starts means you start spending his options to send him in the minor leagues.  So if you can get Soriano through a Rule 5 draft this year, you can delay his "option clock" starting.  Which is kind of important for a pitcher who has only played at A-ball, as you don't want spend one of those three option years on a season where he's got essentially zero chance of contributing at the major league level.

Pittsburgh now cannot send him to the minor leagues in 2021 without offering him back to the Angels for $50k.

What Pittsburgh can do is stash him on the 60-day IL for half the season.  I believe Soriano has to spend 90 days on the active roster, but for a team as absolutely dreadful as the Pirates, it probably won't be hard for them to have him pitch in relief occasionally.  

[Warfarin]

Just now, ScruffytheJanitor said:

Me too. We definitely need more depth, but Iglesias-Mayers-rested Buttrey feels like a solid step forward already. I'd still like to see us get another sure thing and another "talent" play (like Luke Bard but... good), but I am cautiously optimistic we can get back to average. 

I think Pena is pretty solid as a reliever, so I actually like the quartet of relievers we have in Iglesias, Mayers, Pena, Buttrey.  

I am not expecting much of anything from Rivera, given he has not appeared above A ball.  I would expect him to appear in blowouts and basically be a mop-up guy as he works on his secondary pitches.

I think Reyes, though, could be a pretty good reliever for us this year, too.

[Angel Oracle]

Rivera is intriguing, with the heat (decent movement too) and rapidly improving splitter.

Is a lot though to be able to keep someone at the MLB level all season, who never pitched above A ball.

[Angel Oracle]

4 minutes ago, ScruffytheJanitor said:

Me too. We definitely need more depth, but Iglesias-Mayers-rested Buttrey feels like a solid step forward already. I'd still like to see us get another sure thing and another "talent" play (like Luke Bard but... good), but I am cautiously optimistic we can get back to average. 

Archie Bradley would be nice.

[sportstr44]

9. Los Angeles Angels -- Jose Alberto Rivera, RHP (Astros)

Scouting Report: The Astros signed Rivera signed for $10,000 at 19—relatively older for a Latin American signing—so he didn't make his full-season debut until he was 22 in 2019. He has electric arm speed, producing a fastball that ranges from 97-102 mph with lively tailing action. He throws a split-change in the mid-80s, a pitch that progressed throughout the 2019 season to flash above-average by the end of that year. He has a hard slider in the mid-80s as well, but it's not reliable in terms of the pure quality of the pitch or his ability to hit his target. He has an aggressive, high-energy delivery that he will need to corral to repeat more often and improve his strike-throwing ability. His control will probably lead to issues in 2021, but he should be able to stick around the Angels' bullpen as a power reliever.

[Angels 1961]

Good for Jose will get major league min while recovering from TJS

[greginpsca]

20 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

I think Pena is pretty solid as a reliever, so I actually like the quartet of relievers we have in Iglesias, Mayers, Pena, Buttrey.  

I am not expecting much of anything from Rivera, given he has not appeared above A ball.  I would expect him to appear in blowouts and basically be a mop-up guy as he works on his secondary pitches.

I think Reyes, though, could be a pretty good reliever for us this year, too.

Pena, Suarez, and Sandoval could all be good multi inning pen guys. Add Barria to that group if he isn't in the rotation.

[T.G.]

Other than Johan Santana, who are the most notable Rule 5 acquisitions of all time?

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, T.G. said:

Other than Johan Santana, who are the most notable Rule 5 acquisitions of all time?

Roberto Clemente.  Josh Hamilton (ha...).

[Angels in 2030]

46 minutes ago, Lazorko Saves said:

No, it's a good question.  And one that does have an answer.  It's because putting a player on the 40-man starts means you start spending his options to send him in the minor leagues.  So if you can get Soriano through a Rule 5 draft this year, you can delay his "option clock" starting.  Which is kind of important for a pitcher who has only played at A-ball, as you don't want spend one of those three option years on a season where he's got essentially zero chance of contributing at the major league level.

Pittsburgh now cannot send him to the minor leagues in 2021 without offering him back to the Angels for $50k.

ok, now that makes sense.  They likely thought the TJ surgery would deter teams.  But seems like that actually makes him more enticing with the ability to IL him and only keep him on roster the latter half of a bad season for a loser team like Pitt. 

[Lazorko Saves]

8 minutes ago, Fourts said:

They likely thought the TJ surgery would deter teams.  But seems like that actually makes him more enticing with the ability to IL him and only keep him on roster the latter half of a bad season for a loser team like Pitt. 

Yeah, certainly the Angels were well aware the TJS situation makes him *more* likely to get picked.  But it might make him more likely to also get offered back by the Pirates, as he's likely to have some *very rough* outings against MLB hitters when he finally gets off the DL, being just back from surgery and never playing above A-ball.  We'll see.

The whole Rule 5 draft is kind of a big poker game, where you might know something about the value of your own players other teams might not know.  And where you don't really have much certainty of how other teams would value your prospects on that 40-man borderline.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Lazorko Saves

[DMVol]

7 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Other than Johan Santana, who are the most notable Rule 5 acquisitions of all time?

Stoneman picked Derrick Turnbow, who we kept for the entire year....he had one good season with the Brewers....Delino DeShields Jr was a good get by Texas (I think)....

[Warfarin]

11 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Other than Johan Santana, who are the most notable Rule 5 acquisitions of all time?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryandavis/2018/12/17/looking-back-on-the-10-greatest-rule-5-picks-of-all-time/?sh=4320749792b1

 

[Lazorko Saves]

2 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Stoneman picked Derrick Turnbow, who we kept for the entire year....he had one good season with the Brewers....Delino DeShields Jr was a good get by Texas (I think)....

Turnbow is interesting because he clearly wasn't MLB ready, and the Angels essentially played with a 24-man roster all year to keep him.  He only threw 38 innings all year in only very low leverage situations and I'm sure the Phillies were thinking the Angels have got to offer him back any day now all through 2000.

But the Angels did keep him on the roster all year for 2000, and then could send him back to the minors in 2001.  Which they did, but then the arm injuries started.  He barely played the next two seasons in the minors for the Angels, spending most of the time on the DL.  But the time he was fully healthy, the Angels had waived him at the end of 2004 and the Brewers claimed him.

[eligrba]

Taylor Featherston!!

 

How quickly we forget.

[Lazorko Saves]

1 minute ago, Lazorko Saves said:

He only threw 38 innings all year in only very low leverage situations

Was curious how "low leverage" Turnbow's appearances were as I had remembered them, so checked his 2000 game log page at:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=turnbde01&t=p&year=2000

24 appearances, 19 of which the Angels were down by 4 or more runs. 3 appearances where the Angels led by 4 or more.  1 appearance in a tie.  1 appearance with a 2 run lead.

That is *really* hiding a guy on a roster for a whole year.

[T.G.]

23 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryandavis/2018/12/17/looking-back-on-the-10-greatest-rule-5-picks-of-all-time/?sh=4320749792b1

 

That was interesting. Thanks.

[Lou]

15 minutes ago, eligrba said:

Taylor Featherston!!

 

How quickly we forget.

Baby Jetes was wasted here. Right, @jsnpritchett?

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

3 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

The Angels have a chance to have three high octane relievers in Gerado Reyes, Jose Rivera and (LHP) Hector Yan to bolster the pen in 2021 in addition to Raisel Iglesias & Mike Mayers called upon late in the game. 

Yan, is far from high octane. He was throwing 87-89mph last season during SPT. He is a left handed slinger through his mechanics and that doesn't usually add velo but movement and arm slot for deception. If I can find the videos, I will upload them. He reminds me more of Gary Lucas/Scott Bailes/Mike Myers/Andy Hassler/Sid Fernandez than Adonis Chapman. He comes 3/4 quarters to a fraction above sidearm arm slot.

[rafibomb]

Quote

Rivera is yet another pitching prospect who had been developed by the Astros as a hybrid starter but is likely to end up as a multi-inning reliever. His effortful delivery and long arm action are better suited for shorter stints and compromise his ability to control and command his pitches. That’s probably his best chance at sticking on the Angels’ big league roster.

https://www.mlb.com/prospects/astros/jose-alberto-rivera-673277

I am not sure if this is a coincidence but with Rivera, that is now 5 relievers that are capable of pitching 2 innings out of the pen: Iglesias, Pena, Mayers, Buttrey and now Rivera. Pena and Rivera are the only ones capable of going more than 2 innings.

Edited December 10, 2020 by rafibomb

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

45 minutes ago, Lazorko Saves said:

Was curious how "low leverage" Turnbow's appearances were as I had remembered them, so checked his 2000 game log page at:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=turnbde01&t=p&year=2000

24 appearances, 19 of which the Angels were down by 4 or more runs. 3 appearances where the Angels led by 4 or more.  1 appearance in a tie.  1 appearance with a 2 run lead.

That is *really* hiding a guy on a roster for a whole year.

Yeah, he was usually the last guy sitting out there in the bullpen some nights! then he would warm up early in the game and then go back and sit down. (in game throwing program) he would even warm up as if he was going to be the closer probably to pump some adrenaline. We had season seats from 76-96. Disney wanted to move us to the RF Pavillion and my dad told them to pound sand. We went to split his job season seats and had them for another 5 years. Of course shut them down at the start of 2002.

Also, we had another Rule-5 Guy for us who pitched decent in 1980! He was 4th in Wins for us~

Freddie Martinez 7-9 / 4.50 ERA we got him from the Mets!