The Angels have signed right-hander AJ Ramos to a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports (via Twitter). The contract contains an invitation to the Halos’ big league Spring Training camp.
Ramos first signed with the Angels on another minors contract just prior to Opening Day 2021, and the righty finally cracked the big league roster and appeared in four games over the final week of the regular season. Between his 4 2/3 innings with Anaheim last year and 2 2/3 innings with the Rockies in 2020, it at least represents some foothold back in the Show for Ramos after he missed most of the 2018 season and all of the 2019 season recovering from shoulder surgery.
Prior to that injury, Ramos was a standout member of the Marlins bullpen from 2013-16, posting a 2.62 ERA over 278 1/3 innings in those four seasons. Ramos served as the team’s closer in the last two of those years, racking up 72 saves and earning an All-Star nod in 2016.
Ramos wasn’t great at in the minors last season, with a 5.26 ERA and 10.6% walk rate over 53 frames for Triple-A Salt Lake. However, clearly the Angels liked enough of what they saw (perhaps in the form of a 31% strikeout rate) to bring Ramos back for another run in Spring Training, at the no-risk cost of a minor league contract. Even if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, the Halos might again keep Ramos around as Triple-A depth.
A pitcher who’s had health issues, on the Angels? What are the odds?
I mean, he did throw 56 innings last year between AAA and the big leagues
Hopefully he gets to lockdown at least one save to get his career total to 100 finally.
Pitching problems solved. Thanks Artie.
He’s just pitching fodder for triple A.
Good move. I’m happy with the STI.
Why not take a chance
Why not take a chance?
Because you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. It was obvious to me the Angels signed Guerra last year promising him a spot. Which meant they didn’t go out and get a badly needed RP.
If this is just an invite, it’s not a big deal. If this a promise of a spot and thus not getting another RP, then it’s a problem.
Why would they promise him a spot this year when they didn’t last year? Especially considering that even with all of the pitching problems they Angels had last year, they didn’t even call him up until the last week of the season.
They can reserve a spot for him. But I would say with this pitcher it is unlikely.
But Angel fans were saying the same thing about Guerra last year. They didn’t see it and they were wrong. Guerra was a minor league contract in name only. This is different.
The Angels need another RP, and this “minor league” signing likely won’t prevent The Angels from adding another pitcher.
If anything I think he will be at triple-A and if he is healthy and pitching well will be someone they can call up for short term and not use up some ones options, The new rules cut back the number of options. The angels have much more choices this year already to fill out the pitching staff. The upper minors is an area with no depth what so ever.
This isn’t like last year, I have no problem with the move. This actually is nice depth.
The Angels are one man short, there are no old projects that are taking up spots, the young pitchers have options. They are not at risk of losing players. The only player without options, who is on the bubble is Jose Quijada.
It’s a completely different situation than last year. Last year the Angels painted themselves into a corner and it was an error a GM should not have made.
It seems like almost every pitcher available has had health issues, and it seems that there is a very high coordination between health issues and velocity. As velocity has gone up, injuries have gone up. MLB teams see higher velocity as more successful, so that is what players have responded with.
1975 Red Sox
– innings pitched –
Tiant – 311.1
Lee – 282.1
Cleveland – 211.1
Drago – 175.2
Moret – 173.1
These World Series attending guys, on average did not throw as hard as they do now, but were able to throw a lot more innings.
1) it was 4-man rotation era.
2) Tiant (age 34) and maybe the others, probably lost a MPH or two off their career best velocity by 1975.
I’ve been waiting 100 days for this?
This stuff scares me. A bullpen only has so many slots, the Angels still need another RP.
Is in an invitation to camp? Or is it like Guerra’s contact last year where they invited him, but it was pretty much a guaranteed spot.
ryan tepera would be a good addition setting up for iglesias.
No Rodon, but we got Ramos!!! PERFECT!!
rodon is an one year wonder with lots of health risks. angels sure don’t need him. especially at the price he is asking for.
They need two quality starters. They have allowed everyone that matters to be signed. If they trade for Castillo and Montero– fine. But this feels like what the Angels do every year. Sign a rehab project and cross their fingers he wins some games. Moreno exposed himself going against raising of the tax threshold. Why wouldn’t he want more room if he intended on signing what we need?
no matter what rodon is a total waste of money and a roster spot. there are still good starting pitchers. let’s wait and see if the f/a has some senses and skills to nab a good one. and we need the pen improved more than the rotation does. we will see.
Rodon was one of the best pitchers in the game, and there were others they should have been in on. They lost their second best starter last year and replaced him with Thor– but the guy hasn’t pitched in two years, so who knows what he is. Lorenzen isn’t a starter, he’s a bullpen guy. They need two real starters or they will be toast. Look at the rotations they’ll go against– we are a 4th place club right now. No shortstop, no backup catcher, and Adell is not ready to be an everyday starter, but if you trade him for pitching then they need another bat. And you’re right about the pen… they have a lot of needs to fill. Why are we never ahead of the curve– always playing catch-up?
The Angels need a shortstop and a relief pitcher.
As it stands, Canning and Detmers are going to start in AAA.
Barria and Suarez are out of options. For some strange reason, the Angels used their starting pitcher bullet on Lorenzen.
The Angels are unlikely to add a starting pitcher.
You better hope you’re wrong. Maddon, Trout, Ohtani and GM all voiced the need to add experienced arms just before the lockout. They are reportedly in on trades for an A’s starter and Castillo. If that’s true and it happens they’ll be in great shape. But if this is it and they plan on adding a triple-A catcher as a backup, and are going to let a utility guy play short, and not ad any starters I will not pay to see a game this season. Enough already of not making the playoffs. And now there is an extra slot and we still aren’t good enough with this team.
I covered it all in the Lorenzen thread.
I don’t want them to trade, they don’t have much to give.
Once they signed Lorenzen, that was their bullet. They need a shortstop and RP.
What are they doing!?!?! They are not signing Rodon? Are you kidding me? How exactly have they upgraded their starting staff or bullpen?
You better hope you’re wrong. Maddon, Trout, Ohtani and GM all voiced the need to add experienced arms just before the lockout. They are reportedly in on trades for an A’s starter and Castillo. If that’s true and it happens they’ll be in great shape. But if this is it and they plan on adding a triple-A catcher as a backup, and are going to let a utility guy play short– I will not pay to see a game this season. Enough already of not making the playoffs. And now there is an extra slot and we still aren’t good enough with this team.
AAAA bullpen depth if he makes it out of spring training.
So much for the fury of acquisitions after the lock out.
Beyond a shortstop, I didn’t think the Angels would be part of this fury. I think they need a bullpen guy, but after last season, I don’t have much confidence in Perry.
If a starting pitcher falls to them, they may catch one, but I doubt they’ll reach for one. And if Perry trades Canning, Detmers, Marsh or Adell for one, then he’s removed all doubt that last years stupidity wasn’t a one time thing.