Angels learning why rotation depth is vital
When the Angels are at full strength, their top four starters are right-handers Lackey, Escobar, Jon Garland and Jered Weaver. Lefty Joe Saunders and righty Ervin Santana are Nos. 5 and 6, not necessarily in that order, and righty Dustin Moseley is No. 7.
Not bad. The problem is, Saunders, Santana and Moseley now comprise three-fifths of the rotation. And Moseley, a competent spot starter last season, is coming off surgery to repair the ulnar nerve in his elbow and has thrown only three innings this spring.
See how quickly depth diminishes?
One more injury, and the Angels will be down to Nick Adenhart and Nick Green, two prospects who have yet to pitch above Class AA, and Kasey Olenberger, who turns 30 on March 18 and has yet to reach the majors.
Perhaps first-year general manager Tony Reagins should have added another starter upon learning of Escobar's renewed shoulder trouble in early February. Second-tier free agents such as Steve Trachsel, Sidney Ponson and — ahem — Bartolo Colon still were available. But Reagins probably thought he was sufficiently protected.
His off-season trade of shortstop Orlando Cabrera for Garland added another established veteran to the rotation, and his refusal to include Santana along with Adenhart in a deal for third baseman Miguel Cabrera kept his collection of younger starters intact.
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| No. 2 starter Kelvim Escobar is out until mid-May. (Jim Rogash / Getty Images) |
Those decisions look better by the day, even though the Angels remain unsettled at shortstop and would benefit from another slugger in their lineup. But now Reagins needs to at least explore the addition of another starter.
Two of the remaining free agents, Jeff Weaver and Horacio Ramirez, are ill-suited for the American League. David Wells, though, might be intriguing on a short-term basis. And the trade market should intensify in the next two weeks.
The starters who are or could be available include the Brewers' Claudio Vargas, Chris Capuano and David Bush; the Cubs' Jason Marquis and Sean Marshall; the Dodgers' Hong-Chih Kuo, the Padres' Justin Germano; the Indians' Cliff Lee; and the Reds' Matt Belisle.
Another option for Reagins is to wait, see how quickly Lackey and Escobar recover and become more active, if necessary, before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. The danger in such a strategy is that the Angels quickly could be playing from behind — their April schedule is more difficult than the Mariners'.
The teams face each other six times and the Angels also play eight games against the Red Sox, Tigers and Indians before April 27. The Mariners, meanwhile, face the Orioles seven times in that span, and their other opponents are the Rangers, Rays, Royals and A's.
Could this be a repeat of 2001, when the Mariners locked up the division with a 20-4 start? It's doubtful, because these M's aren't nearly as good. Still, the Mariners' opening day rotation currently looks much stronger than the Angels' — an important consideration as Reagins ponders his next move.
When in doubt, add a pitcher. Words to live by for any GM.
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