The Angels’ offseason search for pitching help led them to Jose Quintana and Alex Cobb in the rotation, as well as Raisel Iglesias, Tony Watson, Steve Cishek, Alex Claudio, Junior Guerra and Aaron Slegers in the bullpen. That’s a considerable amount of turnover on its own, but right-hander Jake Odorizzi revealed during last night’s broadcast that the Halos made a strong run at him in free agency as well. The Angels, according to Odorizzi, “were one of the teams that talked to us pretty much from start to finish” (Twitter link via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times). Odorizzi, of course, went on to sign with the division-rival Astros, pushing them right up against the luxury-tax threshold and prompting them to cut Cishek loose from a minor league deal he’d signed with Houston — despite a solid spring effort. Cishek latched on with the Halos on a big league deal and has been solid thus far through his first seven relief appearances. Odorizzi has struggled a bit after signing late, but the fact that he’s punched out 11 of the 36 hitters he’s faced (30.6%) and walked just three (8.3%) is encouraging.
Some more notes on the Halos…
- Manager Joe Maddon said after last night’s game that he expects injured outfielder Juan Lagares and catcher Max Stassi to rejoin the club this weekend (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Lagares has been out since April 11 due to a calf strain, while Stassi hit the IL two days later owing to a thumb injury. Maddon added that he expects third baseman Anthony Rendon, out since the 11th himself due to a groin strain, to return to the club early next week during the Angels’ series against the Rangers. The 30-year-old Rendon has been nothing short of brilliant since signing his seven-year deal; in 60 games as an Angel, he’s slashed a hearty .286/.413/.482 with 10 homers, 11 doubles, a triple, 43 walks and just 38 strikeouts through 269 plate appearances.
- Rookie right-hander Chris Rodriguez is expected to remain in the bullpen for the 2021 season, writes MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, but his early work has reinforced the organization’s belief that he can be an impact starter in the future. “He’s a strike-thrower and he can get quick outs by challenging hitters with that fastball and force them to beat it into the ground,” says Maddon of Rodriguez. “You can see him becoming a frontline starter. It gives me a lot to think about now that I’ve seen it.” Rodriguez has indeed been impressive thus far. The 22-year-old has held opponents to four runs on eight hits and six walks in 10 1/3 innings while racking up 14 strikeouts. The command could obviously stand to improve, but Rodriguez is also boasting a whopping 64% ground-ball rate thanks to his power sinker. Hitters have seemingly had a tough time reading the ball out of his hand, too, as evidenced by a 23.4% called-strike rate that ranks fifth among all pitchers (min. 10 innings pitched). Maddon noted that Rodriguez could eventually see late-inning work this year, though for the time being he’s providing ample value in a multi-inning role.
The Angel bullpen has been pretty bad and the worst part is almost everyone comes into a situation with runners on base and allows them to score. Hope and prayer was no way to build a bullpen.
I realize building a pen is a short term gamble, but depending on the waiver wire and minor league contracts is not the approach a team that expects to contend should have taken. If you can’t get the ball to Iglesias, what’s the point?
This is spot on
So far this season I have basically only watched the Angels, Padres, Dodgers and Dbacks. As a result, I don’t have much perspective on inherited runners scoring across all of MLB, but I agree with Halo11Fan in that Angels RP appear to be allowing a high percentage of inherited runners to score.
Can someone recommend a good source for inherited runners scoring by team? I would be interested to know what is “average” and how well the Angels stack up. I fear they may be well below league average.
Baseball reference. Look at pitchers pages. It takes a little digging.
I just read on the MLB app that Angels relievers have allowed 17/33 inherited runners to score thus far in 2021. Nearly 52%… ouch.
@Angels&. I sleep really well when the Angels win, poorly when they Lose and really poorly when their bullpen blows a game. After ten years of a pathetic bullpen, it’s a miracle I’m alive.
Heaney was awesome. The bullpen was somewhat less than awesome. Blowing two two run leads, I’d say the bullpen was somewhat less than awful.
You are absolutely correct that the Angel bullpen has been a weakness, but to be fair, if we looked at that list of names that the team signed during the offseason, many of us would have said that the bullpen should at least be decent. All of the bullpen arms except maybe Slegers are established pros. Sure, some of them were “rebound” candidates, but the Angels didn’t exactly put a bunch of AAAA fodder in the pen.
Now… having said that, your premise is still very valid. The Angels tried to go the cheap route. They waited out the market, cobbled together others teams’ rejects or second and third tier free agents, and crossed their fingers. For a big market club with a long playoff drought and able to spend some cash, that’s disappointing at best.
That has been Artie’s thing for years now. Spend big on position players and go on the cheap for Starters and relief pitchers. He is wasting the best player in the game by shopping at the 99 cent store for pitchers.
What starter was he suppose to go big on? If you include Ohtani, three times he got the number one pitcher on the market.
I never blame an owner for going big on free agent pitchers. I do blame him for trying to build a pen with flyers and rejects.
Wow, Odorizzi sure likes to talk! Last week he was talking like the Mets left him at the altar. He talks better than he throws.
A very expensive league average pitcher.
@ Buckner;
Agree with you on Odorizzi.
MLBTR article yesterday pointed out how disappointing he’s been for the Astros to begin the season (2 games started, 4 innings, 15.75 ERA, -0.4 WAR).
The Twins have an excellent pitching coach. They needed pitching, yet elected to go with JA Happ over him – non exactly a world beater. Odorizzi needs to stop basting in the publicity he got from MLBTR and others when he was one of the last veterans that couldn’t get a contract. He’s now being paid to pitch. He’d best take advantage of the Astros world-class pitching coaches, because it sure looks like he might be washed up as a starter (Twins are not dumb) unless he makes some major changes post haste (not to worry though – the Yankees can always take him on as an expensive so-so set-up guy).
@Halo11Fan – I thought you hated the Iglesias acquisition? Now you are begging for the bullpen to get him the ball? It’s a long season and the Angels have quite a bit of talent in their bullpen and more money to spend if they decide they need to make some improvements. Seattle’s bullpen has been lights out this year, after being the worst bullpen in baseball last season. The point being, the season is still very young and things will start coming around to ‘normal’ by late May or early June.
as far as i know he did not hate iqlecias trade. that was a good trade. every other pitching acquisition was horrendous.
No. I didn’t hate it. Why did you write that? The worst I thought of the deal was they could have gotten Bradley as well.
And my point has always been the Angels can not throw away games trying to figure out who they can depend on. I’ve written that at least a dozen times. I’m sorry I was right.
Hard to believe there are people who read my posts who don’t know that.
Here is my most negative comment on the Iglesias deal.
“I’d rather have Bradley than Iglesias and Bradley was going to make millions less. The Reds should have signed him the traded both to the Angels and kept their 900 thousand.
Now that would have been a good deal for both teams.”
Here was my first comment on Iglesias.
“So what Reds closer wasn’t an adventure every time out?
Fans think a closers are automatic. They are not. They allow base-runners and they blow saves.
The Angel fans felt the same way about K-Rod and Percival.
Looking at Iglesias. In 2018, he came into the game with a lead 34 times, the Reds won 33 of those games. In 2017 30 times, the Reds won 28 of those games. In 2020 12 times, the Reds won 10 times
The biggest obstacle closers have is unrealistic expectations.”
I think you need to go back and look at some box scores. Their bullpen has been putting up zeroes all season long. When your rotation can’t get through the 6th inning and keeps leaving with runners on base, of course that’s going to eventually result in runs. There’s a reason earned runs are charged to pitcher who let those runners on base. Most bullpens are made with waiver wire and minor league contracts. No team can afford a bullpen full of star relievers unless they came from the team’s own farm system.
Lol. They have a mediocre ERA and I listed their inherited runners numbers. You need to look at the data.
Yeah Ryan. The bullpen has been great. Sledges has allowed every single inherited runner to score. He’s only pitched 7 innings. Is he tired already?
All’s quiet on the Angels’ front.
seems like using a young injury prone SP in the pen and then easing them into the rotation is becoming more common
The Twins did something similar with Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano. I think the success of this approach is as variable as anything else regarding pitchers. Sometimes ya never know.
The Angels did that with Chuck Finley. They are doing it with Rodriguez. I don’t mind the approach.
Worked well with Sale. Failed miserably with Smyly and Finnegan. Chapman never did move to the rotation. Varying results.
LOL
This crew of relievers unfortunately not gonna cut it for our Halos, but it was a decent effort by Perry given the situation he came into. It’d be nice to see the Angels get in the trade market this season, not usually their style, but Perry needs to make a big trade or signing for pitching. He seems like a guy who can be here for the long haul unlike Reagins, DiPoto, or Eppler. Just my opinion
IMO it doesn’t really matter who is the GM as long as Artie owns the team. He hasn’t a clue on how to build a winning baseball team. Look at the Dodgers compared to the Angels. The Dodgers have 7 average to above average starting pitchers on their roster right now and their farm system is one of the best in the league. The Angels are just the opposite in that they have a couple of average starters and the rest are below average and their farm system is weak except for a few good young players.
Tuna, I thought it was a terrible effort Claudio, who can’t get RH batters out, was their big free agent signing.
Believe me Halo11Fan I was fired up after the weak off-season signings, but once I chilled out a little bit and realized there wasnt much to be had for RPs or SPs, I felt like Perry pretty much just worked with what he had coming in off a weird ass COVID season. I agree with you the Claudio signing was lame, so was bringing back Noe Ramirez. Watson and Cishek sort of burnt out. It’s a sloppy crew, but I’ve just got a better feeling about Perry and the direction of the ball club than I had in years past with other GMs. Eppler was more concerned about looking slick with his dorky sunglasses, DiPoto didn’t fit Scioscia’s vibe, and Reagins was just B-A-D. For the record, I didn’t and still don’t hate DiPoto. Guy is always scheming
I feel it isn’t the best start for the pen…but they are mostly veteran pitching so they will hopefully rebound. And looking forward to what C Rod can do. He was a starter and if he has a decent healthy season they should stretch him back out as a starting pitcher during the off season and next Spring. Definitely worth the look.
I like Rodriguez. Watson has been great. The problem is with building a pen this way is the takes weeks to figure out who to use where. And in the process they throw away a lot of ball games.
League average at inherited base runners scoring is 36%. Not counting Rowen and Iglesias, The Angels have one pitcher lower than that. The team total is 50%, and that’s with Rowen and Iglesias going 3 for 3. The Angels don’t know who to turn to with men on base.
Ah the Angels: Worst ratio of talent to wins in the history of baseball, or just top ten?
Really? Do you follow baseball history? Obviously not.
Not history but the last 10 years sure
The Phillies are up there. The Angels did have the best record in baseball I. 2014. And they are underachievers.
But baseball history? Wow.
don’t worry. arte will still make make a lot of money regardless.
Vision a lot of these owners don’t make money on individual seasons. Most are so diversified they don’t care to be honest. Would most people know the name “Arte Moreno” if he didn’t own the Angels? No. It’s about ego and other business ventures and anyone who’s in it for the money, ie Frank McCourt, is quickly pushed out.
The Angels tried building a new bullpen in the last days of spring training adding Cishek, Watson, and Noe Ramirez to the group but are getting the same lack luster results. It’s interesting that Odorizzi says the Angels were in from start to finish but they mustn’t have made even a semi-decent offer since he signed so late with the Astros. Arte will not invest in pitching. He’ll sign aging slugger after aging slugger to big money deals but will nickle and dime together a pitching staff
Arte has invested in pitching. Why do you people say he hasn’t?
The last pitcher I can remember, outside of Othani, is CJ Wilson and that was 5 years ago.
More than five years ago. But who were they suppose to sign? Strasburg ? Corbin?
What you are saying is the Angels seldom go all in on starting pitching. That’s fine. But that’s a far cry from nickel and dimming it. Few teams go all in on starting pitching. And almost no one does it successfully.
So you said he has invested, but then leave them comment stating he hasn’t for more than 5 years.
I would have expected them to land one of Cole or Bauer the last two years for sure. They are in win now with a pretty good lineup.
Below are just a hand full of guys they could have signed for money.
Keuchel, Ryu, Britton, Lynn, Darvish, Hand, Pomeranz.
You can’t land all of them, but any of these guys would have helped.
What starting pitcher was he suppose to get? Of this staff, the only starting pitcher drafted by this team is Canning. That’s hardly nickel and diming.
It’s not a bad staff.
As far as starters, Ryu was very expensive, Darvish was so expensive the Cubs dumped his salary and Keuchel had a hard time finding a job for his asking price.
And those are your handpicked starters. As for RPs. That’s a different story.
Keuchel ERA this year, 5.68. Lynn is on the IL and cost Dinning. I certainly don’t blame anyone for not signing Ryu to 4 years 80 million.
Rendon Brilliant!??
Sub par in my opinion
Hmmm… ops+ of 147 last year and 117 so far this year with a slowish start for him. What do you want from him?
The Angels don’t have anyone to play third or hit behind Trout. Rendon led the Angels in WAR last year. I not only like the move, I love the move. A short IL stay not only doesn’t change my opinion, it enforces it.
In recent years, the Angels have not drafted and developed pitchers well. And they have had some bad luck with guys like Richards, Skaggs, Shoemaker, etc. As a result, after failed attempts to sign SP of Cole’s or Bauer’s ilk, they typically cobbled a staff together with the likes of Cahill, Harvey, Terhan, Cobb, Quintana, etc.
Personally, I’m not a fan of signing exhorbinately high priced SP coming off career years so I’m happy the Angels missed on Cole and Bauer. Signing’s like those should be the final piece to a rotation. Not the starting point.
In my opinion, the Angels need to draft and develop pitchers better than they have in recent years. They need more guys like Canning, Rodriguez, Detmers and Sandoval bubbling up thru the system knowing injuries and ineffectiveness will cut the number substantially. Once the rotation is largely filled with low cost, controllable SP, than the Angels can add an ace, if necessary.
Next years staff may include some combination of Ohtani, Canning, Rodriguez, Detmers, Sandoval and Barria. Add a Marquez or a Castillo and the Angels may be getting close.
Who are they trading to “add a Marquez or a Castillo”? Adell? Marsh? Neither are enough on their own so some of those arms my have to go as well
Rsox, Marquez and Castillo are just examples. I’m not sure if the Angels match up with the Rox or Reds. And the Angels may choose to sign a SP in free agency. But in answer to your question, any package would probably start with Marsh or Adell. To acquire a pitcher of Marquez’s or Castillo’s caliber, the Angels are going to have to give up some talent.
I’m not worried about the starting pitching.
Cobb couldn’t find the strike zone after not pitching for ten days.
I’m worried about the bullpen. Most of the games the Angels have won and lost can be placed at the feet of the bullpen.
I believe now as I have for the last five months, If the pen pitches well, or even average, the Angels will make the playoffs.
#Angels & NL West
I liked your post.