Email a copy of 'Minor Moves: Martinez, Erbe, Liz, Olmsted' to a friend
Loading ...
By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Minor Moves: Martinez, Erbe, Liz, Olmsted' to a friend
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
hide arrows scroll to top
Mac McDonald
I’m sure this applies to every team, but gosh it is upsetting how many pitching prospects the Os have had fail in the last 5 years.
RyÅnWKrol
Just shows the reality of relying (perhaps) a bit too much on their youth.
Mac McDonald
Makes me think that you’re better off using these prospects as currency when they are valued so high and trade for legit starters rather than try and develop them…
Rally Weimaraner
Id applaud the Angels MiLB depth signing but they need MLB depth
RyÅnWKrol
That’s the whole point. Most of their minor league signings have been players with major league experience, and in doing so they’re trying to create MLB depth. There seems to be this misconception that if you have a weak farm system then you don’t or won’t have depth. That’s not always the case. With the amount of minor league signings the Angels have made, they have put themselves in a position to where they can create a very deep bench, as well as create a much deeper bullpen that last season. Then, there’s the starting rotation. The Angels still have Wade LeBlanc on a minor league deal. He can be an emergency swing man and/or starter at AAA. Chris Volstad was also signed for that role, but he left for Korea. And Mark Mulder’s signing need not be rehashed. Matt Shoemaker is decent enough. The Angels will have a couple of pitchers in AAA to tap into in an emergency. And they’re no better or worse than most pitchers teams have on stand by at AAA. Just about every team but the A’s has these issues. The Tigers have Verlander, Scherzer, Sanchez, and… Smyly and Porcello… Whoopee. They should’ve kept Fister. So while I do agree that the Angels need MLB depth, all these minor league signings are for the purpose of creating that depth.
RyÅnWKrol
By signing all of these minor league deals, they’re not only filling holes in the minors, but also attempting to create that depth. Players like Pena, Tracy, LeBlanc, Stewart, Boesch, McDonald, etc., etc. allows them to possibly bypass having a weak farm system, at least for 2014.
The question then becomes whether or not these players accept their minor league assignments and/or opt out.
Not too long ago, a buddy of mine pointed out that sometimes the deepest teams are not just those with strong farm systems, but also teams that get lucky and don’t have their veteran non-roster invitees leave.
I had a few minor questions/contradictions for that. But I still found that to be an interesting thought.
RyÅnWKrol
Angels also signed LHP Shakiro Pina.
Rally Weimaraner
Thats good, not sure who our LOOGY will be with Burnett out to start the season.
RyÅnWKrol
Boshers and/or Maronde. Wade LeBlanc is also still in camp and is not doing too bad at all. I think fans forgot about him, and the fact that he could be a decent emergency swing man/starter on stand by at AAA. Or he can make the big club in place of Blanton.