Should The Angels Call Up Caden Dana?
The Los Angeles Angels are a team that is impossible to figure out this year. If someone says they have figured them out, that person is lying. The Angels can go into New York and beat the Yankees when they are on fire. However, they can get swept by the Toronto Blue Jays and almost get no-hit.
It is beyond frustrating as a fan. But it also leaves some questions about what the team should do.
The Angels have top pitching prospect Caden Dana dominating in the minors. Should they call him up now with the way the team is struggling?
Let's look at some of the arguments to be made.
1. Returns From Garcia and Estevez Trades
The Angels have already called up some of the prospects received in their recent trades of Luis Garcia and Carlos Estevez. Niko Kavadas and Ryan Zeferjahn just got called up in the past week.
They are solid prospects, but they are not on Caden Dana’s level.
Admittedly, however, hitting has been a much bigger need than starting pitching for the Angels. And Kavadas supplied just that, hitting a home run as his first career hit in the majors.
2. Caden Dana's Stats
Whatever you believe about Angels owner Arte Moreno, he loves money and putting people in seats. Caden Dana would do that.
He showed some promise in spring training, but his numbers at Rocket City have been stupendous.
In over 20 starts, he has 147 strikeouts along with a 2.52 ERA. So, do you send him up to Triple-A Salt Lake or send him straight to Anaheim? Chase Silseth did well under that format, but not many other pitching prospects have been up from any level of note to the Angels other than Silseth.
3. Reid Detmers Concern
Pitcher Reid Detmers, the last one to have been thought to have ace level stuff in the Angels' system, has fallen off a cliff from last year. Dana would be the best option in my opinion for the Angels even with the Detmers outcome.
Dana has better pitches and talent as a whole, however. I understand the similar circumstances though. We should know in the next week as the roster expands a bit.