Richards to the Rotation -- Now

[YouthofToday]

This season is lost. We need to win at a 105 win pace to reach 90 wins. That ain't happening.

It is now evaluation time. Richards must be in the rotation ROS to see if he is a future starter. We need clarity on this cat.

It is time. He needs more reps to work out his delivery. This is harder to do in the pen than as a starter.

[HALOS23]

100% agree. While i still think this season is not lost, i think it's time we find out about Richards. He's a starter and for Mike to be dickin around with him out of the pen while pitching a journeyman like Jerome is just stupid. Garrett has to develop and out of the pen ain't it man. Scoscia has screwed this up royally. 

[Chuck]

I think it's time for Jerome to go back to the bullpen and make this switch after the break. Probably needs a break from starting. Richards has pitched much better of late.

But just like Jerome Williams, Garrett Richards, Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas, and CJ Wilson all had rough patches this season out of rotation.

[jshep]

I'm probably towards the bottom of the pile in regards to confidence that Richards is anything to get excited about, but even I agree.

[YouthofToday]

I'm not advocating for Williams to get demoted.

I am merely stating the only rationale, non delusional reasons to not have Richards in the rotation are 1) club thinks he will never be a starter or 2) the team has a reasonable chance of making the postseason.

After the Greinke disaster I'm not entirely convinced the organization is rationale about their ability to go deep into the playoffs...

[mtangelsfan]

Richards is not pitching well.

[rageous]

Richards is not pitching well.

Still pitched tons better than Jerome.

Jerome got behind almost every single hitter and was missing on so many pitches.

[tj_]

I think it's time for Jerome to go back to the bullpen and make this switch after the break. Probably needs a break from starting. Richards has pitched much better of late.

But just like Jerome Williams, Garrett Richards, Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas, and CJ Wilson all had rough patches this season out of rotation.

You forgot Jered Weaver!!

[Troll Daddy]

Move and leave Richards in the rotation for the rest of the season, even if he ends up with a 7+ ERA. Place the Poo Hole on the 60 day DL with no option for a 2013 return. Shut this thing down now with 2014 in sight.

[Troll Daddy]

Fool. LMAO

[red321]

At this point Richards can't do worse than Blanton or Williams (even if some folks seem to want to kiss Williams ass for reasons outside of his shitty performance). I imagine they stretched him out a little tonight. Wouldn't be surprised to see them send him down during the break to get a start or two and then he comes back in the rotation.

[Angel Oracle]

Hanson to the pen and Richards in the rotation and LEAVE HIM THERE! No more Feliz/Ogando treatment (back and forth), just STOP it!

Weaver, Wilson, Vargas, Richards, Blanton by August and leave it that way! Except to reinsert Williams if someone gets DL'd

[stormngt]

I think it's time for Jerome to go back to the bullpen and make this switch after the break. Probably needs a break from starting. Richards has pitched much better of late.

But just like Jerome Williams, Garrett Richards, Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas, and CJ Wilson all had rough patches this season out of rotation.

 

You are very correct.  All of the pitchers have gone through rough starts.  

[Second Base]

I know most people aren' as bullish on Richards as I am, but he's really been mishandled as a prospect upon reaching the Angels.  When he was in AA, I watched him gain more confidence in his change up and 12-6 curve to the point where they were both plus offerings that complimented his plus fastball and plus slider.  I mean this kid has front of the rotation written all over him.  But his command is elusive and the team hasn't given him the consistent starts to develop it.  

 

They also told him to just focus on the fastball and slider upon arriving.  While this is fine for his first couple of appearances in the majors, it doesn't work as an every day starter.  Richards should've been in the rotation from opening day on.  The idea that Dipoto brought in Blanton and Hanson to go ahead of him and that Scioscia's slotted Williams ahead of him is just mystifying.  Then to advise him to take away half of his arsenal, which was part of what made him so good was a complete failure on the management staff.   

 

When they actually did have him start, he was the best starter on the staff.  It was Scioscia's complete idiocy in sending him out for the 8th inning after he was over 100 pitches and had 7 dominant innings that totally messed up his actual stat line.  And he did this twice to Richards.  It really isn't that difficult, send him out there for 6-7 innings or 100 pitches, whatever comes first and leave him in the rotation, that's it. 

[YouthofToday]

I know most people aren' as bullish on Richards as I am, but he's really been mishandled as a prospect upon reaching the Angels. When he was in AA, I watched him gain more confidence in his change up and 12-6 curve to the point where they were both plus offerings that complimented his plus fastball and plus slider. I mean this kid has front of the rotation written all over him. But his command is elusive and the team hasn't given him the consistent starts to develop it.

They also told him to just focus on the fastball and slider upon arriving. While this is fine for his first couple of appearances in the majors, it doesn't work as an every day starter. Richards should've been in the rotation from opening day on. The idea that Dipoto brought in Blanton and Hanson to go ahead of him and that Scioscia's slotted Williams ahead of him is just mystifying. Then to advise him to take away half of his arsenal, which was part of what made him so good was a complete failure on the management staff.

When they actually did have him start, he was the best starter on the staff. It was Scioscia's complete idiocy in sending him out for the 8th inning after he was over 100 pitches and had 7 dominant innings that totally messed up his actual stat line. And he did this twice to Richards. It really isn't that difficult, send him out there for 6-7 innings or 100 pitches, whatever comes first and leave him in the rotation, that's it.

Totally agree. Another piece of evidence the organizational culture is perhaps more reactionary than responsive. Big problem.

[MacNasty]

Gotta agree on Richards to the rotation.  Williams is a capable #5 starter at times, but lately he's been so bad this team needs to make a move.  They can't afford to keep being in the hole right away when he's on the mound.

[Troll Daddy]

It's all about winning right now ... it's not about developing a young pitcher. Williams has had success in the past and many of you here were on his bandwagon. He does seem to be regressing ... maybe they will make a change. I wouldn't put it past them to pickup a SP before the trade deadline.

 

I only want Richards if they feel he can be successful NOW.

[monkeywithahalo]

Ironically,Williams has been so bad of late that Richards has been able to get stretched out. He threw 60 pitches last night and with the All-Star break they could have him throw a 75-pitch simulated game and be on track to start in Jerome's slot after the break. The question is if it is worth it with? With Hanson and Vargas due back soon, Richards would get like three starts and go back to the pen. They've jerked with his role so much already that I am not sure they would want to do that to him again.

[Brent Maguire]

I agree with this. Jerome is going through a rough stretch so give Richards a few starts and see what happens.

[tomsred]

Then how are they ever going to know if Jerome will ever be fit to start again?

[TroutAdell]

Guys like Jerome Williams grow on trees. When you have a pitcher like Richards with plus stuff you need to let him pitch, that means start every five days not out of the pen. Williams and Hansen will be gone next season no need to roll them out to start. Just because you think ahead doesn't mean you give up on the season. I still say the best move now is to replace Butcher(I know it won't happen).

[YouthofToday]

I don't know enough to have an opinion on Butcher. I do know a pitching coach certainly couldn't make me a competent MLB pitcher. The issue is probably more a lack of talent than Butcher's teaching and Zen skills.

Only an idiot would trade any decent prospects or valuable assets to make a run this year. We are too far back, with the worst farm system in baseball, to sacrifice needed future assets.

[Angel Oracle]

Do not buy!

After tonight's loss, season finally OVER!

10 freaking 4

[Second Base]

The season isn't over, but yes, you're correct in that they shouldn't buy.  Simple enough, this was supposed to be a super-team as assembled in the offseason.  If you can't win with Trout, Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo, Kendrick and Aybar on offense and a finally competent bullpen, it doesn't mean you go trade for a SP with 70 games left in the season in which you're trailing a playoff spot by 7 games.  

 

It isn't as if the Angels need to go into rebuild mode or anything.  They just need to see how this season plays out and address the obvious flaws in the team in the offseason.  Honestly, if this team wants to win next year, they'll need to drop Hanson, Blanton and Williams, slot Richards in as the 5th starter and spend the necessary money or trade the necessary prospects to bring in two legitimate front/middle of the rotation starters.

 

Obviously this will result in a payroll north of 150 million, but that's honestly what it's going to take. 

[MacNasty]

There is another way, and it's cutting bait on this season to add to future depth.  That is something Moreno might not want to hear.  But, that is also why teams have GMs.

 

Are the Angels there yet?  Maybe not.  But, they're very, very close to being out of it.  Reading that line and dealing with Arte's unhappiness with the wisdom of cutting bait is Dipoto's job.