Angels In-House Starting Pitching: How Dry We Are

As it stands, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana are gone and Zack Greinke may soon be priced out of the market.

The Angels starting pitching rotation is Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Jerome Williams and ...well who? Perhaps the Angels can go in-house for a pitching solution. They are going to need to capture some magic because what is in the pipeline is not exactly something that induces confidence for spots four and five, with league-average Williams at three a mildly terrifying proposition...

Garrett Richards - his Salt Lake-inflated stats reveal little, his 10.2 H/IP was the worst of his minor league career, he didn't set Anaheim on fire when he did pitch here. He turns 25 in May so there is time, but the problem is the club needing the time to now, aka April, 2013.

Brad Mills - a Lefty starter who turns 28 in March? Don't get too excited, his ERA in Salt Lake was over a run higher than Richards (5.87 to 4.21) and he only struck out 67 batters in 109 IP. Don't hold your breath.

Barry Enright - Jerry Dipoto brought him over from his old Diamondbacks days so there is an inside track as the Angels front office is nothing if not a nest of ass-slapping cronyism. Barry had a 1.15 WHIP at Salt Lake in 8 starts after coming over to the Halo side, so there is potential. He turns 27 two days before opening day. His time may be now.

Matt Shoemaker - He pitched more innings than any Salt Lake Bee last year and turned 26 at the end of the season. He gave up 1.3 HRs per 9 IP in the Utah launching pad with a 1.5 WHIP, but only 45 walks ...ehhh, he is a year away at least. Don't give up but don't get your hopes up.

Peeking down at Arkansas... uh... well... uh... the pitcher who struck out 111 batters in 114 innings, Ariel Pena, was traded to Milwaukee for Zack Greinke. A.J. Schugel had a WHIP of 1.2, Mike Piazza had a WHIP of 1.19 and Matt Oye had a WHIP of 1.36 as starters for the Arkansas Travelers. for persepctive, John Hellweg has a WHIP of 1.37 and was part of the Greinke deal too. These are names that could show up in Anaheim if much juggling occurs in the rotation in Spring or midseason.