Bullpen options

[Schad]

We did add another pretty good arm, though; Matt West throws 95 and has good minor league splits, but needed a go-to offspeed pitch. Another decent option who might emerge from Spring Training as a middle reliever.

[Lateral Quicks]

Yep, another live arm in West. Converted infielder form the looks of it. He and Guilmet are solid bargain-bin pickups with a legitimate shot to crack the bullpen if Delabar isn't right and we don't pick up more a more established reliever. I'm all for the cheap live arm approach, but I'd also feel better if we had at least one RHP in the 'pen with a decent track record of success. I guess some might argue that's Estrada or Redmond, but that's a stretch.

[Schad]

Yep, another live arm in West. Converted infielder form the looks of it. He and Guilmet are solid bargain-bin pickups with a legitimate shot to crack the bullpen if Delabar isn't right and we don't pick up more a more established reliever. I'm all for the cheap live arm approach, but I'd also feel better if we had at least one RHP in the 'pen with a decent track record of success. I guess some might argue that's Estrada or Redmond, but that's a stretch.

Definitely; still need a couple solid-to-good established relievers, but the depth looks far better than at the beginning of last season. Someone goes down injured/implodes, we might actually have decent options for a change.

[SharoneWright]

Sorry, haven't looked...... When did West convert to SP? Did he rise quickly in the minors??

[Schad]

Sorry, haven't looked...... When did West convert to SP? Did he rise quickly in the minors??

Converted to pitching prior to the 2011 season. Injured his elbow in 2012 during Spring Training, missed most of the season, came back briefly, sucked, had Tommy John (as he perhaps should have previously), effectively missed all of 2013. Pitched pretty well in the minors last year, considering that he i) was coming off major injury, ii) really doesn't have much pitching experience period, entering 2014 with about 60 IP in the minors, and iii) spent most of the year with Round Rock in the extreme conditions of the PCL. Really wouldn't be a surprise to see him turn into an effective medium-to-high leverage reliever, though the usual caveats of who the **** knows apply.

[SharoneWright]

wow. thanks.

i liked what i had read about his stuff.. didn't realize he'd been through so much turmoil with such limited action. but i'm longer on talent than i am on track-record. if he's got the arm, let it fly.