Angels sign Mark Mulder to minor league deal

[Mark68]

29 other MLB teams passed on Mulder so I guess we win the offseason........

 

 

Again....

Not true. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Phillies were interested.

[19HALO71]

Comeback player of the year!!!

[Stradling]

Way to keep it positive Hamiltown. 29 other teams didn't necessarily pass on him. Maybe we gave him the best chance to start. Maybe we gave him the biggest incentive based contract. Maybe he likes So Cal. Maybe he wanted to play with Albert again. A bunch of teams passed on Trout in the draft, he must suck.

[Stradling]

I have no idea if he pitches for the Angels this year or if he does whether or not he will really contribute in a positive way. What I do know is this is a zero risk contract, so why the hell not.

[ukyah]

hamiltown could ruin an orgasm. jeez, dude. go back and look at the inital reports of his workout. several teams sent scouts and several teams were interested in giving him the minor league deal that he sought. the angels signed him to a contract that could be worth 6 million and our pitching staff sucks, that's probably why he's an angel and not reflective of a lack of interest.

Edited January 3, 2014 by ukyah

[eaterfan]

Aren't almost all FAs who sign passed up by the other 29 teams at the price they sign for?

[Ohtaniland]

I just think that 2005 was a long time ago and that other MLB teams thought it would be better at this point for Mulder to prove himself in the Minors first. A MLB season is a long grind and he hasn't pitched competitively for five years, he's been playing golf. That's all I'm saying.

 

Joe Blanton had a 3.53 ERA in 2005

Albert Pujols hit .330 / 41hrs / 117rbi's in 2005

 

Mark Mulder is three years older than both of them but OK, I'm good with it. Move on.

[YouthofToday]

I'm surprised he didn't sign with the Marlins and didn't demand the CERA King catch his games.

[ukyah]

I just think that 2005 was a long time ago and that other MLB teams thought it would be better at this point for Mulder to prove himself in the Minors first. A MLB season is a long grind and he hasn't pitched competitively for five years, he's been playing golf. That's all I'm saying.

 

Joe Blanton had a 3.53 ERA in 2005

Albert Pujols hit .330 / 41hrs / 117rbi's in 2005

 

Mark Mulder is three years older than both of them but OK, I'm good with it. Move on.

 

 

that makes sense, but i think you may have missed that he signed a minor league deal with a spring invite with us. he signed with us because he knows we have no depth. if he's going to get a shot in a major league rotation he knows it's with the angels.

[Ohtaniland]

that makes sense, but i think you may have missed that he signed a minor league deal with a spring invite with us. he signed with us because he knows we have no depth. if he's going to get a shot in a major league rotation he knows it's with the angels.

 

He is invited to the Angels spring training camp so he won't be spending any legit time in the Minors except for practice squad tune-ups. If he doesn't make the opening day squad, he will re-retire. Again, I'm good with it but he's a project and I don't like the fact that he will take away live pitching opportunities from the youngsters. It's a cute story though.    

[Jeff Fletcher]

He is invited to the Angels spring training camp so he won't be spending any legit time in the Minors except for practice squad tune-ups. If he doesn't make the opening day squad, he will re-retire. Again, I'm good with it but he's a project and I don't like the fact that he will take away live pitching opportunities from the youngsters. It's a cute story though.

There are no shortage of innings to be pitched in spring training. Hes not taking anything from anyone.

[Gil]

Again, I'm good with it but he's a project and I don't like the fact that he will take away live pitching opportunities from the youngsters.   

Wait, we have youngsters?!

[Ohtaniland]

I guess I'm just not getting all the fascination with 36 year old Mark Mulder. 

 

His lifetime ERA in Seattle is 4.30

His lifetime ERA in Houston is 5.73

His lifetime ERA in Texas is 6.08

His lifetime ERA in Anaheim is 4.58

 

And all this happened before he turned 28.

 

But like I said, I'm good with it. Let's see how it plays out. 

 

[Brent Maguire]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/good-luck-mark-mulder-youll-need-it/

[Chimi]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/good-luck-mark-mulder-youll-need-it/

I saw the title and thought it was an article about Butcher being his pitching coach.

[YouthofToday]

I guess I'm just not getting all the fascination with 36 year old Mark Mulder.

His lifetime ERA in Seattle is 4.30

His lifetime ERA in Houston is 5.73

His lifetime ERA in Texas is 6.08

His lifetime ERA in Anaheim is 4.58

And all this happened before he turned 28.

But like I said, I'm good with it. Let's see how it plays out.

You know those stats have 0 predictive value, right? Did their lineups stay time locked as if it were a Doctor Who episode?

[Ohtaniland]

You know those stats have 0 predictive value, right? Did their lineups stay time locked as if it were a Doctor Who episode?

You mean that he could actually pitch worse than that?

[Stradling]

Claude, I completely understand you hating moves where the team spends a ton of money on guys like Hamilton or Pujols. Having a problem with this signing wreaks of being a failo. It is a zero risk move.

[Inside Pitch]

You mean that he could actually pitch worse than that?

Absolutely.  Tanaka could always tank, Garza's arm can fall off -- the difference is Mulder is a near zero-risk, possible upside move.   If they did nothing else other than sign Maholm and Capuano between now and ST, I'd be happy with their possible rotation options.

 

Weaver

Wilson

Richards

Maholm

Mulder

Capuano

Skaggs

Santiago

 

That's more depth and possible options than the Angels have had in eons.

[Chimi]

Absolutely. Tanaka could always tank, Garza's arm can fall off -- the difference is Mulder is a near zero-risk, possible upside move. If they did nothing else other than sign Maholm and Capuano between now and ST, I'd be happy with their possible rotation options.

Weaver

Wilson

Richards

Maholm

Mulder

Capuano

Skaggs

Santiago

That's more depth and possible options than the Angels have had in eons.

That's a lot of lefties to be throwing out there.

[tdawg87]

I agree that depth is good, but I don't think I need to bring out the clean peanut metaphor again.

[Inside Pitch]

That's a lot of lefties to be throwing out there.

 

Remember when we had the best pen in baseball and it was all righties?

 

I think that whole left/right thing gets overstated.  Its worth looking at their splits to see if they can be effective though.

[Inside Pitch]

I agree that depth is good, but I don't think I need to bring out the clean peanut metaphor again.

 

 

If the choice is between a lot of depth or Matt Garza at 5/90, I'd rather have the depth.

[Brent Maguire]

If the choice is between a lot of depth or Matt Garza at 5/90, I'd rather have the depth.

This x1000

I really want no part of Garza unless his price is significantly cheaper than we all expect.

[Ohtaniland]

Absolutely. Tanaka could always tank, Garza's arm can fall off -- the difference is Mulder is a near zero-risk, possible upside move. If they did nothing else other than sign Maholm and Capuano between now and ST, I'd be happy with their possible rotation options.

Weaver

Wilson

Richards

Maholm

Mulder

Capuano

Skaggs

Santiago

That's more depth and possible options than the Angels have had in eons.

Well everybody knows that since last spring training we've seen 54 different pitchers take the mound for our Angels. Yes 54, but we can go ahead and throw Mulder, Maholm and Capuano on top of the pile.