Thursday, January 01, 2009

Featured card: 2007 Topps Heritage All-Star subset Brian Fuentes #494

The Angels have signed Brian Fuentes and it obviously gives the end of the bullpen a different look - with a decidedly different type of guy. To be honest, the typical Angels' fans are likely thinking Fuentes still isn't Troy Percival, but at least he isn't Frankie [who they've had enough of]. For the Angels, it is a shorter commitment with less money for a pitcher who would seem to be as good as former closer K-Rod was in 2008 [except for the number of saves]. Less money and less years probably allows like Jose Arredondo or Kevin Jepsen to step in at some point in their careers to make a play for the eventual closer's job.

As much as he is a departure from K-Rod - Angels fans are expecting this guy to be a hammer out of the bullpen and that may not be realistic.

Fuentes was a three-time all-star [2005, 2006 and 2007], but Fuentes also lost his job midway through the 2007 season - I still remember questions about his all-star credentials during the time he struggled that season and was demoted in the Colorado Rockies' bullpen. Hopefully it was just a bump in the road and he doesn't do something like implode [blows 10-12 saves/gives up 10-15 home runs] and/or miss the rest of the season doing something stupid.

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