Newly add bullpen having some set backs

 

Ryan Madson and Sean Burnett had some set back during Spring Training but I won't not worried because they will be good for the season. Ryan wont be ready for Opening Day but he will be a force once he comes back. As for Sean Burnett he will be ready to support Scott Downs for Opening Day. I feel like Sean was one of the biggest signing for the Angels because he is a very good reliever that could be a good set up man or a lefty specialist but he is not just a lefty specialist.

 

Article from Angels website:

 

MRI on Burnett's back reveals no damage

TEMPE, Ariz. -- An MRI on Sean Burnett's lower back didn't show any structural damage, revealing only the stiffness the Angels anticipated when he left camp early Monday.

Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said that stiffness didn't result from any specific bullpen session, just through general soreness. While with the Nationals, the lefty reliever missed a little more than a week with lower-back stiffness in the middle of March, then four games in early April.

The Angels said the tests were done as a precautionary measure and also to get a better read on Burnett's history with the condition.

"We're not anticipating anything dramatic, but we want to be sure," Dipoto said before results were revealed. "Just get a baseline image to know what we're working from with Sean. He came in and he had some back tightness. We'd rather be safe than sorry."

Madson Throws off flat ground

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Potential Angels closer Ryan Madson threw off flat ground for six minutes on Monday morning, picking up a baseball for the first time since being shut down 18 days earlier.

Madson was progressing well from Tommy John surgery, getting in four bullpen sessions prior to the start of camp. But inflammation and soreness from his Feb. 1 session got him off the mound, led to an MRI that came back clean, put him on a strengthening program for about a week and basically forced him to start from scratch.

There's still no telling when he'll get back on the mound.

"He's going to start from the beginning of his throwing program, just activating the arm," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "How long it takes, I don't know, but he won't be throwing a bullpen for a while, until he can get out there and stretch his arm out a little bit. How long that takes, I don't know. But it's not a situation where he's going to throw today and throw a bullpen in a couple days."

Opening Day is essentially out of the question for the 32-year-old right-hander, who missed all of the 2012 season with the Reds after undergoing the ligament-replacement surgery last April. If Madson can start getting into some Spring Training games by the middle of March, though, that could set him up to join the Angels' bullpen at some point in April.

It initially took Madson three months to go from tossing off flat ground to throwing a bullpen session, from September to November. It won't take that long this time. Madson believes he can play catch daily and get back on the mound by the third week, then progress toward eventually pitching in games thereafter.

"But that's just a total guess," he added.

Asked if he can still get into Spring Training games by the middle of March, which was initially the plan, Madson said: "I don't know. I really don't know the pace -- I don't know that they have it lined up. I think it's just play it by ear."(Angels)

Angels Will Introduce Ryan Madson, Tommy Hanson Joe Blanton and Sean Burnett

 

Angels will be holding a press conference tomorrow Wed Dec 11, to introduce the new set of Halo pitchers Ryan Madson, Tommy Hanson Joe Blanton and Sean Burnett. The press conference will be televised by Fox Sport West starting at 11:30am PST

Angels are Busy During the Winter Meetings

 

Once again this off season the Angels add some depth to the rotation and bullpen. Angels sign Sean Burnett to a two years $8 million with a option for a 3rd year for $4.5 million with a $500,000 buyout.

 

Burnett is 30 years old Lefty that posted a 2.76 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 176 1/3 innings while pitching for the Nationals from 2010-12, averaging 7.8 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine innings. Burnett throws sidearm, uses a heavy sinker to get a lot of ground balls -- 53.3 percent for his career -- and can also get right-handed hitters out. He had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow in the off season, but is expected to be fully healthy for Spring Training. (MLB)

 

 

The Angels did not stop with Sean Burnett because they also sign Joe Blanton to a two-year, $15 million contract with a option for a 3rd year.

 

 

Blanton is 31 years old Right Handed that went 10-13 with a 4.71 ERA in 31 games  with 30 starts for the Phillies and Dodgers in 2012. Blanton has been a inning eater but he does give up the long ball with 29 Hrs last year. (MLB)

 

I really like the Sean signing because he will help out Downs especially because Downs is getting older and he needs to be healthy. Also this will give Angels better weapons in the close games with two strong lefty that could match up very well.

 

However, I am not sure about the Joe signing because for the money I don't think he is that big of a upgrade from Jerome Williams, however, don't rule out maybe Joe was sign for a back up starter and maybe a log relieve man because he has always had a very good arm. This will allow the angels to sign one more pitcher like  Brandon McCarthy or Edwin Jackson. Personally I would want Brandon McCarthy.