Garrett Richards

[Docwaukee]

Didn't see him pitch.  Only saw that he didn't allow a run.  How'd he look?

[Ochocinco!]

Not Blanton

[DW711]

Didn't see him pitch.  Only saw that he didn't allow a run.  How'd he look?

 

Erratic, but effective.

 

The ump helped both pitchers

[fan_since79]

Had some control problems, but hung in there and threw some good pitches when needed.

[Tyler]

Like Tyler Chatwood.

[Season Over]

Not Blanton

 

SUCCESS 

[Second Base]

Really struggled getting ahead in the count and spotting his pitches but more than made up for it with his ability to generate weak contact and swings and misses.  

[Angelsjunky]

So you're saying it might have been a good idea to give him more starts earlier in the season so that he could have worked on ironing out his kinks and developing into a solid starter?

[EDinTUSTIN]

It would have been a good idea, but he is not a post 30 multimillionaire innings eater, so therefore he wasn't worthy.

[Scott34]

Still not on board with the long-term starter projection for Richards.  I just don't like his mechanics and the fact that he has 2 pitches.

[CardsFanVegas]

He threw a couple wild pitches.. but kept the A's from scoring.. Did his job. 

[BleedRed]

Cy Young compared to Williams/Blanton

[EDinTUSTIN]

He has some maturing as a pitcher to do, no question. However, he pitched scoreless baseball, which makes me wonder why he was pulled after the 5th. I guess he was not stretched out, or some other Scoisciaspeak excuse.

[Second Base]

Yes, I am saying it would've been a great idea for the Angels to keep him in the rotation and use the kiddy gloves this year (6 innings or 100 pitches, whatever comes first and no more than 180 innings).  When scouting Richards, he's the first I'd ever seen that had nearly flawless mechanics, threw an easy 95 and could factor in a slider, 12-6 curve and change up at will.  Once he reached the majors, obvious adjustments were needed.  Hitters didn't chase like they did in the minors, and the Angels coaching staff hamstrung him by essentially eliminating his curve, change and 4-seamer from his repertoire.   

 

They've over-simplified everything with him, which is fine for the first few outings but then you just need to let the kid develop.  They haven't so far with Richards.  But I think that'll change eventually.  Once he's moved to starter, I give it a year, two tops and he'll be back to integrating his plethora of quality pitches and be the solid #2-3-4 SP he could've been sooner. 

[mulwin444]

He has some maturing as a pitcher to do, no question. However, he pitched scoreless baseball, which makes me wonder why he was pulled after the 5th. I guess he was not stretched out, or some other Scoisciaspeak excuse.

You don't take a guy from the BP, who is used to maybe throwing an average of 20 pitches an appearance, and have him throw 90-100 pitches. That's not "Sciosciaspeak", its logical.

[Docwaukee]

Still not on board with the long-term starter projection for Richards.  I just don't like his mechanics and the fact that he has 2 pitches.

How so?  I am far from an expert, but his stuff seems pretty good and I thought he had four plus pitches.  It's does seem like he has trouble with repeating his pitches though.  Is that what you mean relative to his mechanics?  That they aren't prone to being repeatable? 

[HaloFan85]

How so?  I am far from an expert, but his stuff seems pretty good and I thought he had four plus pitches.  It's does seem like he has trouble with repeating his pitches though.  Is that what you mean relative to his mechanics?  That they aren't prone to being repeatable? 

He does have more than 2 pitches.  The last 2 years, he's been primarily fastball, sinker, slider.  He also has a curve ball and change up, but has rarely thrown them this year.  He really seems to have abandoned the change up this year for some reason.

[Jason]

He needs to command that FB more consistently first before the others will even be effective.

[WallyWorld]

I don't see any reason why he shouldn't start every 5 days from here to the end of the season. He's got the best pure stuff of anyone on the staff, now let's see if he can be a part of the rotation next year.

[nando714]

I don't see any reason why he shouldn't start every 5 days from here to the end of the season. He's got the best pure stuff of anyone on the staff, now let's see if he can be a part of the rotation next year.

I agree

[vlad27]

I don't see any reason why he shouldn't start every 5 days from here to the end of the season. He's got the best pure stuff of anyone on the staff, now let's see if he can be a part of the rotation next year.

agreed

[Scott34]

How so?  I am far from an expert, but his stuff seems pretty good and I thought he had four plus pitches.  It's does seem like he has trouble with repeating his pitches though.  Is that what you mean relative to his mechanics?  That they aren't prone to being repeatable? 

 

His fastball, cutter (which are very similar in nature) and slider make up about 91% of the pitches he throws.

 

I have no idea why he abandoned his change-up.

 

In regards to his mechanics, they are pretty much all over the place.  Take a look at his release point this season:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxg.aspx?playerid=9784&position=P&season=2013&date=0&dh=0

 

Compare to Blanton's, for example:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxg.aspx?playerid=4849&position=P&season=2013&date=0&dh=0

 

 

I prefer him to start this season for the rest of the year but I'm not ready to call him a long term starter in the big-leagues.  I like him as an 8th inning guy in the future.

[Angel Oracle]

Not being able to repeat pitches does scream out relief pitcher.

The guy was a typical Bane pick, high risk looking for high reward.

The guy had crappy numbers at UofOklahoma, very high ERA.

[Tank]

Let him start for the rest o f the year. There's nothing to lose.

[Docwaukee]

according to FG, he threw both the curve and change in addition to his FB, cutter and slider yesterday and did so during his other starts this year as well. 

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxg.aspx?playerid=9784&position=P&season=2013&date=2013-07-27&dh=0

 

here is his release point from yesterday.  pretty tight.