Ryan Anderson Relief Squad:THE RETURN

I kind of fell away from completing this with all my traveling. But, I have sometime and wanted to finish it up.

You can see the previous posts here and here and actually if you haven’t noticed I’ve also created a tab for referencing all of the “Ryan Anderson Relief Squad” articles under the “The Minors” tab. The tab name itself is stupid … I just really couldn’t think of anything better and was just trying to make some thing useful for the site.

As a reminder the purpose of this team is to point out individuals within the Mariners organization that have posted impressive numbers that have gone unnoticed. They have achieved some cool little thing that I noticed and though “Hey, if X, X, X and X all went well for them they could be a major league player”.

Not all of these guys are prospects and in a few cases there is a 90% chance are future organization guys. But hey, you never know and they have produced something useful in the past to be here. Now again instead of just going with the obvious prospects I have my own little choices.

Anyways, without further ado here is the Bullpen Members for the epic “Ryan Anderson Relief Squad”

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LHRP – Edward Paredes

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Edward Parades is a dirty engima that might confuse a few people on why he’s here. Paredes is a master against left handed hitters. His slider has nasty two plane break coming from the left side but from what is most commonly written about him he has no real change-up that can effectively get hitters out from the right side.

Last year in AA he pitched in 34 IP and struck out 35. His splits at West Tennessee last year made it obvious that he could potentially help the club. FIP 1.21 vLHB and a 14/1 K/BB ratio. However his 15/21 K/BB ratio a long with his 4.01 FIP suggest that he really needs that change-up to work for him to be an effective reliever.

After his promotion to Tacoma Paredes showed signs of struggling against all hitters, right and left, but he can down right dominate lefties and even with some of his bad appearances early this spring I suspect once he gets settled in and make adjustments he’ll be just fine…. against left handers.

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RHRP – Willy Kesler

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I always feel bad for willy. He was one of the first of the 2010 draftees to really embrace the Seattle Mariner blogsphere and fans via social media. Ironically if you do a search for Willy Kesler on twitter the only options that come up are Willy Kesler or Charlie Sheen. True Story.

But, despite his fixture within twitter Willy seems often to be forgotten for his on the field accomplishments. He made a speedy recovery from Tommy John surgery that happened in 2008 and was back pitching within 10 month for 2009 but experienced more injury delays that side tracked him in his Junior year. Back for his senior year in 2010 at New Mexico he struck out 97 and walked 25 in 100 1/3 innings as a starter.

After the draft it seems the Mariners wanted to protect his arm a bit as Willy was converted to a relief/closer for everett where pitched another 30 innings and struck out 33 while walking only 10.

Obviously he has some swing-and-miss stuff. From what I understand he can touch 94-95 but sits in the low 90’s. A 23 year-old in Low-A he has a bit of an advantage on some of the younger hitters. Which has already displayed this year with 9 strike outs and 0 walks in 7 innings of relief.  I don’t know if he’ll spend much time in Clinton but I’d like to see the Mariners give him an opportunity at High Desert this year.

Take a look at Boydwonder’s blog to see his written interview from last year. There is also the youtube video of him while with the Everett Aquasox.

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LHRP – Brian Moran

0.9470.00.710.314.50

2010

21AA13.502.043112.5000.04.54.51.00

2011

22AA15.636.11411442.8422.85.75.71.003 Seasons2.99102.19434221131.1340.21.99.95.14

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Moran is basically a better version of Edward Paredes. Dominate against hitters out of the pen during his time with the University of North Carolina he has continued to be very good in the low minors and is testing his stuff against against AA pitching this year.

Moran ran 14.50 K/BB (!) ratio in 25 innings last year being just absloutely dominating at times. Good control and great deception of a high 80’s/low 90s fastball. I had him touching 91 twice on Monday night when I saw him.

I didn’t see much of a breaking ball and from what I’ve heard it’s inconsistent a long with a change-up. Obviously it must be better than what Paredes is sporting these days as he has less of a split against RHB (3.37 FIP in 26.3 IP at low-A and 3.28 FIP in 20 IP with High-A).

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RHRP Stephen Penney

Year

Age

Tm

Lev

ERA

IP

H

ER

BB

SO

BF

WHIP

HR/9

BB/9

SO/9

SO/BB

21

Rk

4.60

29.1

38

15

4

22

131

1.432

0.0

1.2

6.85.502009222 TeamsA+-A4.2565.283318492821.3860.41.16.76.13

2009

22

Clinton

A3.3826.231102171141.2380.30.75.78.50

2009

22

High Desert

A+4.8539.052216321681.4870.51.47.45.33

2010

23

High Desert

A+3.5366.166269642751.1311.11.28.77.11

2011

24

Jackson

AA5.406.210426351.800

0.02.78.13.004 Seasons4.07168.019776231417231.3100.61.27.66.13

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Let’s start off on a negative note Penney is terrible with inherited runners. He’s the type of guy you never ever ever allow baby sit your kids. But, if he were to have one of his own. He’d most likely be a fine father. Likewise with baseball. You really don’t want this guy coming in and relieving you in the middle of a jam. But he’s pretty good with his own messes.

He runs an awesome 50%+ ground balls and then 20%+ he strikes out. Pretty much he takes care of business posting a Left on base (LOB) % of 73% in 66 innings pitched.

He runs average/good velocity off the fastball and then as some good off-speed stuff to go with it. He could turn into a decent middle reliever.

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Setup Man – Chris Kirkland

4.0045.0462012511961.2891.02.410.24.25

2010

24

Clinton

A2.1937.027910411511.0000.52.410.04.10

2010

24

High Desert

A+12.388.01911210452.6253.42.211.25.00

2011

25

High Desert

A+12.006.011856362.6673.07.59.01.204 Seasons4.60164.115484691707291.3570.93.89.32.46

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I like Chris Kirkland and I don’t know why. I think it’s primarily because he strikes people out. Don’t get me wrong he walks a few people and at his age he really shouldn’t have much problem with these younger hitters.

But, he’s one of the guys I know the least about and I’m pretty much relying on strikeout and swing-and-miss numbers. Which are still rather impressive.

He did a question and answer thing with the Everett Aquasox last off-season and you can take a gander here.

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Closer – Tyler Blandford

1.08.38.71.04

2011

23

Clinton

A9.644.28545252.5711.97.79.61.252 Seasons4.5531.2321629311511.9261.18.28.81.07

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I really, really want Tyler Blandford to get healthy. The guy has such a cannon for an arm. He has touched as high as 97 and as “straight” as I’ve read that it is that’s something to catch up too. His slider, while inconsistent has flashed above average and if he can figure out how to throw a change-up or a splitter, something that dives away from the left handed hitter, he could be a potential closer.

That said he has little to no command. His mechanics are not very good and ultimately could lead to even more problems down the road. He already has had arm surgery twice (once in college and again in 2010) and while he has “amazing” stuff. He really needs to get straighten out.

I think the Mariners did the right thing with trying to see if he could start. With his stuff even if he couldn’t hold up beyond the 6th or 7th inning he could have still have been very effective and useful.

Now that he’s returned from the injury they are doing the smart thing and using him from the bullpen. This will control his innings and could hopefully give him a better chance and reaching the major leagues.

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