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Pearly Gates: An Angels Blog
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Thursday, June 03, 2004

Charub check-up: Relievers

It's been awhile since we last took a tour around the Angel's minor league system. What better time then just a few days before the draft?

Speaking of the draft, Angelsbaseball.com has a draft preview up. It's no secret that the Angels don't buy into many of the theories laid out in Moneyball- and I've made my peace with that- but some of these quotes from Scouting director Eddie Bane really worry me. He made it quite clear that the Angels are looking for "toolsy" players- preferably outfielders. "Toolsy"- is there any worse word in the English language? Hey Seattle, you're going to have some company down there in fourth place in three-to-four years.

Ok, back to the current Minor League talent. Let's start with what has become one of the big club's most glaring needs in recent days, relief pitching:
The AAA Salt Lake Stingers have a pair of possible late-relief aces in Matt Hensley and Dusty Bergman. Hensley, a right hander, had a cup of coffee with the big club earlier in the season. It's easy to why he's grabbed management's attention. He's put up a 1.59 ERA in 28.1 IP with a 32/6 K/BB ratio. Bergman may be making a case to be the lone lefty in the Angels pen, as he's put up a 2.73 ERA in 33 IP. Steve Andrade currently leads the club in saves (4) and has 17 K's in just 13 IP.

The only name who pops out down in AA Arkansas is Jon Rouwenhorst, who has collected an ERA of 2.93 in 30 IP with a K/BB ratio of 27/8. Tim Bittner, the left-hander who came over in the Schoeneweis deal, has managed an impressive 3.43 ERA with 5 wins in 65 IP. Bittner has been used exclusively in a starter's role, but he best projects as a middle reliever.

Over in High-A Rancho Cucamonga relief pitching looks to be scarce. Right-hander Richard Thompson is putting up the best numbers, with a 4.82 ERA and 31/16 K/BB in 28 IP. Maybe that's why the team has been in a nose-dive as of late. Meanwhile, in Low-A Cedar Rapids, closer Bob Zimmerman has been a star. He leads the club with 7 saves and has a 2.05 ERA in 26.1 IP. His K/BB is equally as fantastic, at 37/9.

Top-five relief prospects:

  1. LHP Tim Bittner (AA)
  2. RHP Matt Hensley (AAA)
  3. LHP Dusty Bergman (AAA)
  4. RHP Steve Andrade (AAA)
  5. RHP Bob Zimmerman (A)
That's it for the relievers. I'll go over the starters tomorrow.

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