Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher took readers’ questions as the Angels get ready for the last month and a half of the season, beginning with the start Tuesday of a three-game road series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
I’m back and ready to answer your #Angels questions. Ask here, or on the Facebook page. https://t.co/czTTq9LTnY
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) August 20, 2018
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Q: What do you see in the future for the Angels starting rotation? Anyone in the upcoming free-agency class that they may go after? Any added stress or urgency since (Mike) Trout is another year closer to free agency himself?
A: That’s a lot of questions. I believe they will go after some pitching, but I couldn’t tell you who. As for Trout, if he’s going to sign an extension, I’d expect it to happen in the next 12 months, but that’s just my gut feeling. They certainly aren’t going to be taking any years off to rebuild. But I also don’t see them mortgaging their farm to win at all costs within two years. In other words, status quo.
Q: The Angels are obviously on a player youth movement. … Call-ups like Ward, Fletcher, and others have impacted the team. … Any chance the Angels call up top prospects when September comes around?
A: I think José Suarez might be the best prospect who could debut in September. Maybe also Luis Rengifo. Guys like (Matt) Thaiss and (Griffin) Canning don’t need to be added to the 40-man roster this year, so I think they’re less likely to come up.
Q: Do you see the Angels slowing (Shohei) Ohtani’s pitching progression at some point this season in preparation for a stronger, healthier 2019 season?
A: I think they mostly want to see if he is healthy. If they get to where he’s proved that by throwing 80-90 pitches in a game, they might then shut him down. But it will be almost the end of the season before he gets there anyway.
Q: Scioscia doesn’t seem that high on Jaime Barria – any truth to that or a reason why he never throws more than about 80 pitches?
A: He’s been up to 98 and threw 92 in two of his last four. I think they are just being careful with a 21-year-old. Also, he’s had a few games in which he’s worked around a lot of trouble, so they might feel he’s done even if he’s allowed only 2-3 runs.
Q: Do you know of any fun interaction stories with the guys? Obviously, I am an Ohtani fan but seeing a pic of Ohtani and Barria watching TV together, or reading Ohtani and your son like to play video games together, gives us as fans nice insight to the players.
A: They all have a really good time shooting at this toy basketball hoop in the clubhouse. Blake Parker seems to be the main video game guy. He’ll play with anyone. I think everyone gets along pretty well, as far as I can tell.
Q: Do we trade Trout by the 2019 trade deadline before we can’t get anything for him? I seriously doubt he’s going to be an Angel after his contract expires in 2020. I see him going to Philly, who is loaded with young talent and close to home.
A: I don’t think the Angels are going to trade Trout. I think they’ll keep trying to re-sign him, and if they can’t they’ll keep him through the end of his contract anyway.
Q: How do the Angels fix the medical issues with their pitchers?
A: Get different pitchers, probably. I don’t think anything they are doing is causing them to get injured once they put on an Angels uniform.
Q: Thanks. Is it just that we have a crop of pitchers who have prior med issues? Issues with conditioning?
A: Because their farm system wasn’t producing pitchers, they took a bunch with previous arm issues (Ramírez, Wood, Bridwell, Ohtani). Heaney, Shoemaker each had one big injury. Skaggs had one big one and he’s been nagged by a bunch of little ones. Richards has thrown 98 for 10 years.
Q: I’ve lost faith in Shoey. Why are they having Ohtani throw instead of just healing over offseason and restart in (spring training)?
A: Because the doctors say he’s healed enough to throw now. The only way to find out if his arm can handle 100 mph fastballs is to throw them. Better to find out now than in the spring.
Q: While it appears Scioscia is not coming back next year, do you think they will hire a new manager from within (Ebel, Paul, Ausmus) or go outside the organization?
A: Could go either way. I’d currently put Josh Paul as the favorite, simply because he has history with Billy Eppler and Eppler hired him to be the bench coach.
Q: Do you think that Eppler has learned his lesson in regards to bullpen? Has he learned it is better to invest in the bullpen with good/proven arms instead of throwing together a bullpen of “what ifs” and hoping it succeeds?
A: Their bullpen hasn’t been as bad as you think. The main problems are they’ve been overworked (because of the lack of innings from the starters) and had too little margin for error (because of the inconsistent offense). I think they need to spend their money and resources on those problems first.
Q: What are the chances Billy Eppler goes after high-level pitching in the offseason, like an ace?
A: That depends who you consider an “ace.” I think they will go after pitchers. I don’t see them signing Clayton Kershaw (if he opts out).
Q: Hear anything on when Trout will be back, a time frame?
A: I believe they’re expecting him back this weekend.
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