Angels Pitching Depth entering 2021 compared to entering 2020.

[BTH]

In 2021, the Angels pitching depth (of players attending Spring Training) figures to look something like this entering Spring Training:

SP: Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Griffin Canning, Jose Quintana, Alex Cobb, Shohei Ohtani, Jaime Barria, Patrick Sandoval, Jose Suarez, Dillon Peters, Thomas Pannone, Jake Faria, Packy Naughton, Chris Rodriguez, and Reid Detmers.

RP: Raisel Iglesias, Mike Mayers, Felix Pena, Ty Buttrey, Alex Claudio, Javy Guerra, Jose Alberto Rivera, Aaron Slegers, Gerardo Reyes, Jose Quijada, Kyle Keller, Luke Bard, Ben Rowen, Jake Reed, and Brendan McCurry.

 

In 2020, the Angels pitching depth (of players who attended Summer Camp) looked something like this entering Summer Camp:

SP: Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Griffin Canning, Julio Teheran, Matt Andriese, Shohei Ohtani, Jaime Barria, Felix Pena,  Patrick Sandoval, Dillon Peters, Jose Suarez, and Hector Yan.

RP: Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey, Keynan Middleton, Cam Bedrosian, Noe Ramirez, Justin Anderson, Ryan Buchter, Jacob Barnes, Mike Mayers, Hoby Milner, Jose Quijada, Luke Bard, Kyle Keller, Taylor Cole, Parker Markel, Neil Ramirez, and Jose Rodriguez

 

In my view, the SP depth looks deeper but the RP depth seems thinner. Thoughts?

[Torridd]

I agree that the starting pitching is better and, to be honest, that wouldn't be hard. However, I think the RP is better too because we have more experience in Iglesias, Claudio, and Slegers. 

[jsnpritchett]

I might be in the minority, but I'm still a little concerned about Mayer's ability to replicate (or at least come close) to 2020.  I know he added a cut fastball prior to last year that certainly helped him improve--but when anyone (especially a reliever, since they have the most year-to-year volatility of any position) improves by SUCH a degree, I tend to take a wait-and-see position for the next season. 

Between my skepticism on Mayers and Buttrey's collapse from the 2019 All Star break through last season, I'd definitely like to see them sign one more reliever who's more stable/proven.

[BTH]

10 minutes ago, Torridd said:

I agree that the starting pitching is better and, to be honest, that wouldn't be hard. However, I think the RP is better too because we have more experience in Iglesias, Claudio, and Slegers. 

I think the RP at the top of the depth chart is better, for the reasons you said, but I think the bottom end of the RP depth is lacking (especially in MLB experience).

[BTH]

7 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I might be in the minority, but I'm still a little concerned about Mayer's ability to replicate (or at least come close) to 2020.  I know he added a cut fastball prior to last year that certainly helped him improve--but when anyone (especially a reliever, since they have the most year-to-year volatility of any position) improves by SUCH a degree, I tend to take a wait-and-see position for the next season. 

Between my skepticism on Mayers and Buttrey's collapse from the 2019 All Star break through last season, I'd definitely like to see them sign one more reliever who's more stable/proven.

Yeah, and we just saw last season how easily relievers can collapse. Robles, Buttrey, and Middleton looked like a solid trio entering the season and they were all horrible. Mayers, Buttrey, and Pena could easily collapse, leaving the Angels in a similar situation as last season.

Adding another proven reliever gives them a higher floor in case some relievers collapse and can also give them a higher ceiling if some relievers don't collapse.

[jsnpritchett]

12 minutes ago, Torridd said:

I agree that the starting pitching is better and, to be honest, that wouldn't be hard. However, I think the RP is better too because we have more experience in Iglesias, Claudio, and Slegers. 

Slegers is 28 years old and has only pitched 58 IP in the majors.  Claudio is certainly experienced, but Slegers has fewer innings coming into this season than Middleton, Anderson, and a few others had coming into last season.

[Angels 1961]

38 minutes ago, Torridd said:

I agree that the starting pitching is better and, to be honest, that wouldn't be hard. However, I think the RP is better too because we have more experience in Iglesias, Claudio, and Slegers. 

I like Pena in pen and still think 1 more piece coming but feel pen has improved. Rotation is deeper and I hope Barria ends up in rotation. Ohtani will be wildcard.

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, jsnpritchett said:

I might be in the minority, but I'm still a little concerned about Mayer's ability to replicate (or at least come close) to 2020.  I know he added a cut fastball prior to last year that certainly helped him improve--but when anyone (especially a reliever, since they have the most year-to-year volatility of any position) improves by SUCH a degree, I tend to take a wait-and-see position for the next season. 

Between my skepticism on Mayers and Buttrey's collapse from the 2019 All Star break through last season, I'd definitely like to see them sign one more reliever who's more stable/proven.

I don't think Mayers is necessarily likely to collapse, but relievers are an unusually volatile type and I'd personally feel more comfortable with another good arm (like Rosenthal) to add depth. 

[Angelsjunky]

You could also do it this way...stripped of players on both rosters, so we can highlight the differences.

Just looking at the rotation:

2021: Jose Quintana, Alex Cobb, Thomas Pannone, Jake Faria, Packy Naughton, Chris Rodriguez, and Reid Detmers (also: Jhonathan Diaz, Oliver Ortega).

2020: Julio Teheran, Matt Andriese (also: Luke Bard, JC Ramirez)

For the life of me I can't figure out who the Salt Lake rotation was supposed to be last year, before Covid took away the minor league season. Sandoval, Suarez, Bard, Peters...who else?

On the major league team the difference is Quintana/Cobb instead of Teheran/Misc starters. So that's a solid depth upgrade. But Minasian has also added some minor league vets in McNaughton, Faria, Diaz and Pannone, plus prospects like Detmers, Rodriguez and even Ortega and Yan are closer to the majors. So it would seem that he's not only deepened the major league rotation itself, but the upper minors.

Now guys like Faria, Diaz and Pannone aren't anything to be excited about - but they all do have some major league experience, and are really only there in an emergency. Plus, last year there was no one like Detmers or Rodriguez potentially a dozen or so starts from being major league ready. And I think both Sandoval and Suarez will be very hungry to get another chance.

I think Ortega is a sleeper, that he could end up on the big league club this year and be a valuable swing man going forward.

 

[totdprods]

I’m extremely wary of the bullpen depth currently. Actually feel okay about the rotation. 

[BTH]

12 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

For the life of me I can't figure out who the Salt Lake rotation was supposed to be last year, before Covid took away the minor league season. Sandoval, Suarez, Bard, Peters...who else?

Bard isn't even a starter.

The Salt Lake rotation was mainly going to be organizational pitchers who ended up getting released after the pandemic or after the 2020 season.

Matt Ball, Adrian DeHorta, JC Ramirez, Jake Thompson, Jose Rodriguez.