If there is anybody that can match the Los Angeles Angels need and thirst for starting pitching, the Miami Marlins are the team. With Mark Trumbo as a movable piece, MLB Trade Rumors around the league speculate that the Angels and Marlins have complimentary parts.
The price for Trumbo is young pitching. As a matter of fact, any pitching would help the Angels at this point. Their rotation was useless. That may be a strong word, but with Jered Weaver missing about nine starts this season and winning only 11 games this season, C.J. Wilson did not have another fellow starter to anchor the Angels rotation.
Tommy Hanson made 13 starts, going 4-3 with a 5.42 ERA. Garrett Richards went 7-8 with a 4.16 ERA, while Joe Blanton, clearly at the end of his career in the big leagues, went 2-14 with a 6.04 ERA. It took the Angels 20 starts to find out he was useless. Jason Vargas was decent, going 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA, while Jerome Williams made 25 starts, finishing with a 4.57 ERA.
As you can see, the Angels need pitching badly. It is no use having veteran hitters and a lineup that can stack up runs if the team has no pitching. The Angels' bullpen is also a problem, but their main focus should be their starting rotation.
Here is where the Marlins come to play. The talk around town is rebuilding and Giancarlo Stanton as their main guy. The Marlins have amazing young arms, though their numbers are not that eye popping. They finished tied 13th with the Kansas City Royals with a 3.87 ERA, but they finished with 38 wins as a team, the second fewest only to the Houston Astros. Thanks to their ball park, the Marlins starting staff allowed the sixth fewest home runs in baseball, totaling 90.
So who could the Marlins offer? Haha, no not Jose Fernandez, he looks like a franchise player. However, Justin Turner had decent numbers throughout the season. He finished 2013 with a 3-8 record and a 3.74 ERA. Sepember was a rough month, but he had 15 starts where he allowed three or fewer runs. Had he played for any other team, but the Marlins, he could have easily been 10-5 instead of finishing with a record under .500.
What's the problem?
Two things jump out when looking at this trade rumor and its probability.
Trumbo can hit bombs. He has averaged 30 home runs in the last three seasons. With that being said, the immediate reaction is "Oh! His home run totals will decrease in Marlins Park. Who would want to play there anyways.
False. Marlins Park does feature a vast outfield, but this will only matter if Trumbo is trying to get the ball to the right-field gap and centerfield. The corners are pretty similar. In fact, Marlins Park has a closer fence in left field than Angels Park. The right field fence down the line is also relatively closer, but Trumbo would have to be extremely late with his swing and still supply power if he wants to go opposite field at Marlins Park.
Secondly, Turner is the perfect match for a No. 2 starter in the big leagues. He is only 22 years old and will have enough time to mature. He already showed great poise with the Marlins in his third season in the majors.
Acquiring Trumbo would truly be a problem for other N.L. East rivals as both Stanton and the right hander will provide a ton of power in the middle of the Marlins' lineup.
