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Friday, December 17, 2004

NOT MISSING MUCH
Here are three minor league pitchers, and their totals in the minors. Age is of April 1, 2005:

AGE   IP  K/BF  BB/BF  HR/BF  H/BF   ERA

24 389 .225 .152 .011 .192 5.00
24 451 .187 .100 .013 .209 3.69
26 631 .151 .067 .025 .255 4.58
So that middle guy seems okay. A few more walks than you would want, but he's generally fine. You'd keep that guy around, see what could happen. He's not blowing you away, but he's worth a look.

The top guy: kind of intriguing, obviously unhittable, but with little clue of where the ball is going. Seems like he has some talent you can harness.

That last guy ... what's his deal? Hasn't really succeeded much, just about the only thing he can do is keep the ball in the strike zone -- where it pretty much gets bashed around. He's 26, can't be a whole lot left there, right?

I'm sure you've guessed that the top pitcher is Bobby Jenks, and you may have guessed that the bottom guy is Chris Bootcheck. You may not have guessed that the middle pitcher is Tim Bittner.

Now, let's take what we know about Jenks' injuries out for a moment. Looking at their performances, if you had to keep two of those guys, which one is out of luck? Pretty obvious, right? Bootcheck is the oldest and the least appealing.

But, as you know, the Angels voted Bobby Jenks off the island, and now he will toil in the Chicago White Sox organization. This leads me to believe that the Angels have zero confidence in Jenks coming back from his injury. They've been very patient with him, so it doesn't seem likely that his status as a purported headcase is the source of his dismissal. It must be that they feel he will never be ripe physically.

Still, it's sad to see Jenks go, and I wish him the best. But, on the bright side, the Rockies picked up Alfredo Amezaga, the biggest challenge to Coors Field since Kirt Manwaring. Remember, it was the Rockies whence Legs Figgins came to the Angels in a minor-league exchange for Super Sucker Kimera Bartee. So: Figgins no, Bartee and Amezaga yes. That mile-high air must do wonders for your player evaluation abilities ...

Comments:
Jenks' departure is sad, but I'm not sure they could have kept him. There's no way he was out of options, having never been called up before, but somebody had to be voted off the island...
 
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