The two keys to rest of the season
One is still back in the minor leagues, the other not sure how his surgically repaired shoulder will hold up.
But, in many ways, Howie Kendrick and Kelvim Escobar hold the keys to the rest of this season for the Angels.
Kendrick, a .306 lifetime major league hitter in a mystifying slump, was sent down to Salt Lake City to regain his batting stroke. Mike Scioscia thinks that will happen. So, apparently, does GM Tony Reagins, who seems to agree with Scioscia on most matters like these.
If Kendrick hits .350 something at Salt Lake (he's started out six for 17 with four doubles), he could be recalled, placed back at second base and the rest of the infield would remain intact. Ah, but if the right-handed hitter who seemed so solid the past couple of years fails to bust out of it, if he struggles with triple-A pitching, then things get interesting.
The sense is that Scioscia would then move Chone Figgins to second base for the rest of the season and recall Brandon Wood to play third. What about Sean Rodriguez? Well, most club officials think he strikes out too often and has more holes in his swing at this point. Maybe Rodriguez proves them wrong in the next couple of weeks, but Wood is still regarded as the better prospect.
Escobar, more than anyone else, will dictate if the Angels try to make a deal before the trade deadline. "Put it this way," says Scioscia, "I'd feel very comfortable with him as our setup guy." Scioscia thinks it is pitch volume that put the latest strain on the right-hander's shoulder. If it was, he presumably could work regularly in relief without a problem. He's done it before.
But if Escobar can't, if the strain is too much, the Angels will be desperate to find somebody to pitch the eighth innings that Scot Shields used to dominate. Right now, he's trying to use a setup-by-committee approach, and although publicly Scioscia says that can work, he doesn't really believe it. And what happened Wednesday in San Francisco didn't buoy his confidence. Scioscia wants someone permanant in that role, someone he can depend on.
Reagins is making calls daily, and the name Houston Street is definitely high on his list. But other teams know the Angels are frantic about finding a setup guy, and the names they keep asking about in return are Wood, who should be untouchable, and Trevor Reckling, a left-hander who is the most polished of the club's minor league pitching prospects.
How will it all turn out? My advice to Angels' fans is to keep an eye on Kendrick at Salt Lake and watch for further reports on Escobar's rehabilitation. It seems as if both situations could still go either way.
So, too, could the rest of the 2009 season.
-- Steve Bisheff
Photo: Angels' Howie Kendrick scores on a sacrifice fly. Credit: Reinhold Matay / Associated Press
I wouldn't necessarily give up Brandon Wood for Huston Street (Though I'd like to see the Halos acquire him. There's no "O" in his name, BTW), but I'm not sure why he should be untouchable. Okay, I know why I think he should be untouchable. I know why Steve Bisheff thinks he should be untouchable. However, if he's 24 and killing the ball in AAA (and has been for two years), and it's still not enough to get him a sniff of an MLB job for the forseeable future, then what is the argument against trading him if you're Tony Reagins? If they aren't going to play him, then I think the prudent move would be to trade him while teams really want him.
Posted by: J in Vegas | June 17, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Oops! I mean there's only one "O" in Huston Street's name>
Posted by: J in Vegas | June 17, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Put Trevor Reckling into the untouchable category. He's having a stellar year in AA and could reach AAA by the end of this year (and he's 20). And with Lackey and Escobar hitting free agency this winter, and Ervin Santana's mystery elbow, the Angels need to have some young pitchers ready to go for next season. Thank goodness we have O'Sullivan, Bell, Reckling, and Walden at AA and AAA this year.
Make a trade to help the bullpen if you can but don't trade your best prospects.
Escobar should be able to help the pen. Arredondo should be back on the team at some point after finding his groove at Salt Lake. Shane Loux is also on the way back. And there's always the chance we could bring up one of our pitching prospects for the end of the season.
Posted by: Buffalo Rob | June 17, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Easy there Bisheff!
The Angels are only 2 games out of first and are looking a bit better.
The Angels need a setup man and are desperate for one, this much is true, but being so desperat that we'd even consider parting with Reckling or Wood seems unlikely.
I believe the Angels will be making a move here, but mostly B prospects will be involved. At most, Hank Conger. More than likely, Ryan Mount, Trumbo, Sweeney....
Posted by: Scotty Allen | June 18, 2009 at 01:56 AM
On top of which, Escobar's shoulder just isn't up to pitching. It's amazing he's made it back this far. He just can't pitch without it getting sore. He will need to retire.
Kendrick is currently batting .286 in AAA SLC. He's not overwhelmed, yet he's showing that there are apparent holes in his game. Had he not been rushed to the bigs, I think this could have been avoided.
If the Rocks really want Wood or Reckling, then there are relievers other than Street. Latroy Hawkins, John Grabow, Justin Masterson, Manny Delcarmen....
Posted by: Scotty Allen | June 18, 2009 at 02:30 AM
Kendrick has too many problems to warrant bringing him back at all. Forgetting how many outs there are, forgetting to make a tag at 2nd on a throw in from left, sliding into 2nd on a hit and run base hit, over-running 2nd base and getting picked off, joking around on the last at-bat of an 11-1 loss... Too many to list.
And his swing is so one-dimensional he can't hit anything that doesn't go right down the middle of the plate. I don't think it's a coincidence that our win streak started when he left. Izzy should be at 2b the rest of the year, better clutch hitter, .395 career with bases loaded vs Howie's .148. Kendrick's the one who should be traded, if he has any value left.
Figgy won't be moved to 2nd and Wood won't be on the team till Sept call-ups. When we can't re-sign Figgins, Wood starts at 3b next year.
Posted by: Fred Fredrix | June 18, 2009 at 09:09 AM
I hate to be pessimistic about Escobar but he has been on the DL the last two seasons. If he he is healthy, he is unstoppable. I hope he can stay healthy and help us as our set-up man. Hopefully Jepsen will get better but the Angels need to put him in games that are out of reach to take the pressure off him. If he still performs poorly, bring back Arredondo. Speier has been pitching better but not sure well enough to be a set-up man.
I am happy with Rivera's production with power and average. He's doing really well. Abreu hasn't been so powerful but he's an RBI machine and clutch hitter. If Vlad can get his power stroke back, our offense will go to the next level.
Posted by: Scott C. Worden | June 18, 2009 at 09:57 AM
"... a left-hander who is the most polished of the club's minor league pitching prospects."
-- Today's Kiss of Death
Posted by: Grandpa | June 18, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Well, there will be plenty of relief pitchers on the market during the deadline season. So, if Huston Street does not come to Anaheim, then I'm sure somebody will. With the glut of relievers available I'm sure it won't be terribly expensive, either.
That said, I still don't see why they don't trade Wood while he has some value to get an impact bat to help the offense. Just as one example, I imagine WAS will be putting almost everyone on their roster on the block this season, so why not shop Wood to them? I mean Wood has no position in the Halos lineup this year or next (I assume they will try to retain Figgins. They have no other leadoff options. Save the Willits takes.), at which point he'll be 25 and a career minor-leaguer.
I'm being a bit sarcastic here because I'd like to see Wood get some regular PT so he can develop as an MLB hitter. However, if he's not really in their plans they should trade him while his value is high (well, I assume it is). Package him with perhaps Morales and a top pitching prospect (the Angels seem to have lots of those lying around), and maybe they can get Adam Dunn and a veteran reliever.
Posted by: J in Vegas | June 18, 2009 at 01:21 PM
More than just a set-up guy is needed in that bullpen. The only other guy who has been reliable so far is Darren Oliver. The rest of the bullpen has been big time scary. If Escobar can come back and do well then things should improve greatly but if not, then just a set-up man won't help at all. Also, lets see what happens after inter league play ends and the Angels have to go back to facing quality pitchers. The win over Lincecum was a nice thing but there are a lot of games left going against some of the top teams in the AL.
Posted by: Brian C. | June 18, 2009 at 06:27 PM
I would still prefer Rodriquez at second rather than Howie. Howie has become uncoachable and Sean's defense is much better.Plus he's got pop. He could be the next Kinsler.
Lets use Howie as trade bait ,while you can still get something for him.
Posted by: Tom S | June 19, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Thanks for deleting my comment for no good reason. You know, the one that said Rivera is a big key to the second half, right before he hit that game winning eighth inning HR. Let me at least give you a reason to delete this one: YOU SUCK!
Posted by: aztronut | June 22, 2009 at 01:33 AM