OC Register: Jo Adell’s start with Angels’ Triple-A team impresses Joe Maddon

[AngelsWin.com]

HOUSTON — Jo Adell is making progress in his effort to reclaim the Angels’ right field spot.

Adell hit two home runs on Monday night at Triple-A Salt Lake, giving him three in his first 22 at-bats. He has also struck out eight times.

“I’m hearing that everything we talked about, everything we’re trying to get him to, to focus on he has,” Manager Joe Maddon said on Tuesday. “It’s kind of exciting because I’m hearing really good stuff.”

Adell’s issues, of course, have been both at the plate and in the outfield. Maddon said he’s heard good things both from General Manager Perry Minasian and from veteran Jon Jay, who was working out alongside Adell at the alternate site before he was promoted to the big leagues last week.

“The bat is playing really big and he’s making a lot of wonderful adjustments on defense,” Maddon said of Adell. “He’s a really good student. He’s a great listener and a superb athlete.”

Adell’s path back to the majors has cleared somewhat since the start of the season. Dexter Fowler suffered a season-ending knee injury and then last week when Albert Pujols was designated for assignment, it removed Jared Walsh from the right field mix.

The Angels currently have Taylor Ward as their everyday right fielder, with Juan Lagares as the backup. Adell is likely the next up on the depth chart, likely to get called upon as soon as the Angels believe he’s a better option than Ward.

PITCHING SHUFFLE

The Angels on Tuesday added two fresh pitchers to give them more coverage for the bullpen, bringing up Jaime Barria and Noé Ramirez.

They replaced José Suarez, who was optioned after he threw 72 pitches on Monday, and Junior Guerra, who was placed on the injured list with a groin injury.

“I don’t anticipate it to be much longer than a normal stay (on the injured list),” Maddon said. “When his command’s off a little bit like it has been, there’s got to be a reason.”

The Angels also outrighted Felix Peña, which created a spot on the 40-man roster for Ramirez. Peña had pitched poorly in both games since returning to the majors from a hamstring injury, with decreased velocity. Peña needed to clear waivers before he could be outrighted.

MORE PUJOLS

Maddon reiterated in a podcast interview with The Athletic that the reason the Angels had to designate Pujols for assignment, rather than have some other type of end to his Angels career, is that Pujols wanted to continue playing.

“It’s one of those situations where it could have been done differently had it happened in spring training, or even last offseason,” Maddon said. “There’s different ways to go about it. And had Albert decided that he did not want to play this year, then you could have possibly avoided this completely.

“But the fact that he … wanted to play first base, then you have to make an organizational decision. And it’s difficult. It is absolutely difficult when you are faced with having to make a decision of this magnitude.”

In other Pujols news, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reported that there is interest from the Dominican Republic in Pujols playing for that country in an Olympic qualifier tournament about three weeks from now in Florida. Pujols would be eligible if he’s not on any team’s 40-man roster.

NOTES

Third baseman Anthony Rendon (knee contusion) has taken batting practice on the field each of the two days in Houston and he did some jogging on Tuesday. Rendon said it’s possible he could return when he’s eligible this weekend in Boston, but he’s not sure yet. …

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Shortstop José Iglesias (back) has been working out and remains a possibility to return to the lineup as soon as Wednesday, Maddon said. If he doesn’t, Maddon said he would “definitely” be ready to play on Friday in Boston. …

Infielder Franklin Barreto will have Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season. Barreto was competing for the utility infield spot on the Opening Day roster before going down with an elbow injury in spring training. The Angels got Barreto last year from the Oakland A’s in the Tommy La Stella trade. Barreto, 25, had just 18 plate appearances with the Angels before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last September.

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[ten ocho recon scout]

That would be cool if Pujols makes that Olympic team

Hed probably look like Ali did with the torch

[Lou]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

That would be cool if Pujols makes that Olympic team

Hed probably look like Ali did with the torch

I'm going to punch myself for laughing.

[Inside Pitch]

Yeah Joe, and Albert Pujols understood it was a meritocracy and wanted what was best for the organization.

[Lhalo]

Good to hear Rendon might play the next series in Boston. 

[T.G.]

14 hours ago, AngelsWin.com said:

 Junior Guerra, who was placed on the injured list with a groin injury.

 “When his command’s off a little bit like it has been, there’s got to be a reason.”

Yes, the reason is he sucks.

Edited May 12, 2021 by True Grich

[Angelsjunky]

I'm skeptical about Adell. I know the stats don't always adequately represent the deeper stuff, at least this early on, but I do want to see the "really good stuff" show up consistently. He went 0-4 tonight with 2 Ks and his BA is down to .231. OK, one big game and his numbers look better, but still. Meaning, I'm lukewarm until he starts raking.

That said, I'm starting to think we're going to see Adell sooner than originally thought. Unless Ward takes off, and assuming Adell starts raking, I could see the Angels calling him up, although not before giving him at least a month in AAA, and probably that long with sustained success. So maybe midseason at the earliest. But I don't think he'll be in AAA all year.

And of course we have to see how Marsh does. If he starts the season running, he might be next in line. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

The 8 Ks in 22 at bats is ugly...

[Dtwncbad]

7 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

The 8 Ks in 22 at bats is ugly...

I have never been worried about his defense long term.  You can always get by if you hit.

I am worried about the swing and miss factor.  This was a concern when he was drafted and it is still omnipresent.

This can go a number of ways:

1). The strikeout “problem” improves

2). It doesn’t improve but the strikeouts become tolerable because his actual production compensates for it

3). The strikeout problem gets worse against major league pitching without the actual production and then we have a big problem
 

I don’t subscribe to the theory that the number of strikeouts is a problem in isolation.  Is a guy that strikes out 185 times a year good or bad?  You can’t answer that question without seeing the actual production numbers.

Sometimes strikeouts prevent a player from being good and sometimes really productive player make many of their outs by strikeouts.

At this point I am not sure which of the two players above Adell will be.  But I doubt that Adell will suddenly not be a high strikeout guy.

[meat]

We're trying too hard to believe the hype with Adell. Believe your eyes. He's not anything special. I'm sure I'm not alone, but when I watched Mike Trout's 40 games in the summer of 2011(at least 15 in person)that I told my friends this may be the best all around baseball player I've ever seen. Adell will probably be a fine major leaguer, but he's not special. I have more faith in the Hunter kid.

[Stradling]

5 hours ago, meat said:

We're trying too hard to believe the hype with Adell. Believe your eyes. He's not anything special. I'm sure I'm not alone, but when I watched Mike Trout's 40 games in the summer of 2011(at least 15 in person)that I told my friends this may be the best all around baseball player I've ever seen. Adell will probably be a fine major leaguer, but he's not special. I have more faith in the Hunter kid.

I’ll go out on a limb and say Adell will have a much better and longer career than Hunter, who probably won’t get much more than a cup of coffee in the bigs as a 4th or 5th outfielder.  He’s 26.  Adell is 22.