Really interesting week here in Halo Land. We had the analytics vs. old school coaching battle converge with the new boss vs. previous regime hires dynamic resulting in pitching coach Mike Maddux and two others being fired.
I think Mozeliak’s move this week means a huge organizational shake up is underfoot. For one, the new pitching coach has a two decade long relationship with Mo and utilizes the analytics Mo likes. Secondly, you don’t fire a respected coach if you plan on being in the job temporarily.
Randy Flores. I’m calling it now. Randy Flores will be the next GM of the Angels once Mo takes on the President of Baseball Operations title. Flores is one of three Cardinals execs I profiled earlier this summer and I am not the only one saying his name in the press area.
Side note, this week was the first time I actually felt normal or at home in the press area. I know where I’m going, I have pals, and the staff is getting to know me. It is still unreal to be doing this, but I no longer feel like my first day at a new school.
Speaking of Wednesday night, the full house and Angels home crowd reminded me of the good old days. Catching up with AngelsChamps and his adorable duo before the game was great. So was George Klassen.
Klassen was recalled this week after a dominant run in Salt Lake in July where he was the Pitcher of the Month for the PCL.
If the Angels are going to turn this thing around any time soon, they will need a couple of waves of young talent come to Anaheim and excel. Currently, it looks like Klassen, Joel Hurtado, and Raudi Rodriguez are the next potential wave.
I found something very interesting about Raudi Rodriguez this week. When pondering whether or not Wade Meckler is Angels long term answer as a leadoff hitter, I looked at potential platoon partners for when the Angels face a lefty. Turns out Raudi has significant reverse splits.
Pitching is going to be the key to any Angels turnaround and I think Mozeliak is getting that process started early. He needs to craft a comprehensive, Cardinals Way style program that extends from the Arizona Complex League to the Major League level. He also needs to identify potential talent on the farm and some stood out this week.
Austin Gordon does not get a lot of hype but the 6 foot 5, 210 pounder has above average control to go along with three average rated pitches (fastball, curve, slider). His fastball does not get a lot of whiffs but his secondary stuff is improving and gets more swing and miss.
Per Baseball America: Gordon is projected to have the pitchability and size to fit into the back of an MLB starting rotation, with a high-floor fallback option as a multi-inning reliever if he does not develop a dominant putaway pitch.
Not a pitcher, but how great would it be to have a solid third baseman?
Been enjoying some Bees games as well. And I love defense so much. If this Rada kid can hit at all, I can’t wait to see plays like this being made in center field. Love Trout but his defense is really bad and it is time the Angels moved him out of center for either Rada or Siri.
Back to the pitching. In what could be an interesting twist of fate, Perry Minasian was fired largely because he failed to build a bullpen. But with Ben Joyce, Luke Murphy, Samy Natera Jr. all pitching well, Perry might have handed Mo the beginnings of a good relief core.
The key is the Angels need more. More bats, more starters, more depth. And they are adding more when they can. But for right now there are no opportunities to add more. Rebuilds take time and this is the dead time.
Mo could have added more prospects at the trade deadline had he traded Reid Detmers. But he did not find a return he liked. Maybe Mo thinks that Detmers plus the new analytics can be something special. If that is the case, should the team look to extend Detmers and build around him?
If I squint, a rotation of Detmers, Kikuchi, Urena, Klassen, Grayson is not a horrible starting point. I have it on good authority at Detmers and Grayson were two pitchers upset at not being given all the data they felt would help them.
MLB Pipeline updated their Top 100 list and the Angels have two players in the top half. They also updated their organizational list and a once pitching heavy organization looks a lot more balanced.
There are several takeaways from the updated list but the main one is that the farm is improving.
From around baseball:
The Rays headed out West and kicked everybody’s butts. Would love to see them win one.
FanGraphs goes down the worm hole of putting Skubal back on the Tigers.
They also looked at which teams are best built for the playoffs.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed. I have to say attending multiple games per week as press really limits the amount of other baseball you can watch. I think the Angels are being smart in broadcasting their minor league affiliates. They will be all we can watch for a while next year.
One great thing about baseball is the friendships it can create. I’m going to a birthday party for a kid I coached last year. Our sons have remained friends and the family is great. My son is beginning to realize that while I love baseball the real reasons I have him play have little to do with the actual game.
