Sickels on the Downs-Rasmus trade

[Angelsjunky]

Read all about it. I like Sickels because he nicely balances scouting with sabermetrics and seems to have no clear agendas or biases. He likes the trade for both teams and gives a bit more about Rasmus' past. Evidently he missed quite a bit of time due to injury, which is why he's still in AAA at 26, and then couldn't maintain starting without further injury, which is why he is a reliever.

 

Anyhow, I feel a bit more intrigued by Rasmus now. Relievers often peak a bit later anyhow, so 26 isn't exactly old. I don't quite see him being a major league closer but he could be a good, even very good, middle reliever, as soon as next year. My view of the trade went from "very good for the Braves, mediocre for the Angels" to "very good for the Braves, good for the Angels."

[Mark68]

Good article.

 

If the Angels keep him in the pen, he can probably max out his velocity without much risk of further injury.

[gotbeer]

But I already lit my torch and sharpened my pitchfork.  

[Angel Oracle]

Does his fastball have enough movement, and can he throw a second pitch solidly enough?

That's why I love Morin's future, balancing the fastball and change up, and don't like Frieri's closer future with having just the fastball.

[Angelsjunky]

AO, if you didn't read the article here are the relevant quotes:

 

"Cory threw in the mid-90s with a big-breaking curveball and a good changeup, but he was struck down with health problems immediately, missing all of 2007 and most of 2008 after having shoulder surgery."

 

"Although he doesn't throw as consistently hard as he did pre-injury, he has taken well to relief work and can still get up to 95 when kept within his limits. He varies speed well with his breaking ball and changeup, but the lost development time shows up in his command, which is spotty."

[Angelsjunky]

It doesn't saying anything about movement, but it sounds he's not a "one-pitch wonder" like Frieri.

[kevinb]

Injury's, sounds like the rest of our bullpen. 

[Angel Oracle]

Thanks AJ, I was finally able to open the link.    As long as he can sit on 91-93 and hit mid 90s on occasion, that plus the curve and change up should make him effective enough in relief as long as the control is there often enough. 

 

He's also an additional reason that Jepsen's days are numbered, as Jepsen is 29 and has never put together a full solid season up here.

[Docwaukee]

Last year was his first year as a full time reliever.  He hasn't logged many innings in the minors

[Homebrewer]

Butcher will have him firing BBs in no time.

[Halo4life714]

Hopefully when we have a new coaching staff next season the new pitching coach will connect with this guy and Jepsen and maybe help them out enough to figure things out.

[disarcina]

pen depth guy -- could work for us -- got something for Downs.

 

I like it.

 

even if it doesn't pan out -- we get something for Downs and this guy has a decent upside as a pen depth/ set up guy.