Cory Rasmus and Grant Green Can’t Catch a Break

They’re major leaguers, getting to play games and getting paid a lot of money to do it. And yet part of me can’t help but feel just a little bad for Cory Rasmus and Grant Green. These are two players who seemingly have the skillset to help the Angels win a lot of games, and yet they’re relegated to back-up duty, non-key roles or even the dreaded assignment to AAA Salt Lake. Nothing against the fine town of Salt Lake, but it isn’t exactly where these two want to be or even belong. Let’s start with Rasmus.

Cory was a first round pick of the Atlanta Braves and is perhaps most notably known as being the younger brother of OF Colby Rasmus, who was quite hyped coming into the major leagues but has since been relegated to the quite lucrative short-term free agent game where he signs one year deals for the remainder of his career. But back to Cory, Rasmus was bitten by the injury bug immediately upon being drafted out of a Georgia high school which sounds exactly like Cam Bedrosian in every way. The difference is Rasmus rehabbed and was still effective in the rotation before being moved into relief over future health concerns. Also unlike Bedrosian, once Rasmus moved to relief, he got shelled. Things definitely weren’t looking so hot until Rasmus had it click for him in AAA in 2013. The Angels wisely traded their fading setup man Scott Downs for Rasmus at the trade deadline, and the deal was seen as a giant letdown for the Angels at the time. Rasmus was a 25-year old reliever with an iffy track record and seemed utterly replaceable.

Alas, the Angels must have seen something they like. Perhaps it was the mid-90’s fastball and solid slider, or maybe it was the 1.72 ERA in AAA. Whatever the case, this seemed like Rasmus’ shot. After a couple weeks in AAA the Angels promoted Rasmus and he wasn’t all bad in the majors. He had trouble finding the strike zone but he also showed a propensity for missing bats and limiting damage. Surely, with the state of the Angels bullpen, Rasmus would get his shot in 2014. And he did! Just not the sort of shot he or anyone else envisioned. For the majority of 2014, Rasmus was confined to the DL or pitching in middle relief in Salt Lake. His 4.18 ERA actually isn’t too bad in that league. When he was promoted to play with the big league club, Rasmus had quietly become one of the steadier arms in an unsteady bullpen. Yet still, Scioscia and company chose to only use Rasmus in mop-up or extra inning situations. 37 innings, 38 K’s, 2.68 ERA and more importantly, just 12 walks.

Rasmus had found his niche, small as it may be before disaster struck. Tyler Skaggs‘s elbow exploded in the midst of a breakout campaign. Ace and Cy Young candidate Garrett Richards went down with a gruesome knee injury and rather than promoting from within a thin farm system, the Angels instead turned to Cory Rasmus to pitch out of a starting role and lead what was essentially a bullpen game. Since it would only be a month an a half, this wasn’t seen as a huge risk, but it should still count that Rasmus took to starting surprisingly well. In six starts, Rasmus went 19 innings (just over three innings per appearance, even making it to four innings his last start) with 19 K’s, only 5 BB’s and a sparkling 2.37 ERA.

You might think this whole Rasmus starting thing might be growing some legs. Cory was never shy about the fact that he’s wanted to be a major league starting pitcher the whole time but was simply pitching in relief because that’s the only way teams would use him. When you look at him as a starter, Rasmus has the stuff to work in the middle of a rotation. Very similar to Ervin Santana, he isn’t large in stature but works with a very effective 93-96 MPH fastball, diving slider and a little used changeup that’s more of a change of pace pitch. Once the season ended, the Angels called Rasmus and let him know that they wanted him to prepare to be a major league starter this winter. Perhaps it was time for Cory’s dream to come to fruition. He had a one-year window to prove he could be a starting pitcher and would even battle for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Then Garrett Richards got healthy (thank God!). Then the Angels traded for Nick Tropeano. Then the Angels traded for Andrew Heaney. Then Jose Alvarez dazzled in Winter Ball. Then Jepsen was dealt for Matt Joyce opening up a spot in the bullpen. What was seen as a surefire battle for the fifth spot in the rotation between Rasmus and Santiago suddenly turned into a battle for the fifth spot between Santiago, Tropeano and Heaney and Rasmus on the outside looking in. Now no one is quite sure where Rasmus fits in.

He’s clearly the fourth man in line for the fifth starter spot. But then there’s a middle relief spot open, where he’d be in a dogfight with Mike Morin, Vinnie Pestano and Fernando Salas. The Angels themselves have said Rasmus won’t be sent to AAA this year. They want him to work out as a starter but haven’t ruled out sending him to the bullpen. This is fine, but even if he’s sent to the bullpen, he’d likely be working in extended relief, and the Angels already have Nick Tropeano, Hector Santiago and Cesar Ramos suited for this role.

So I ask the question, why do they hate Cory Rasmus?

Now onto Grant Green. Green’s a former top prospect that has flat out hit at every level of the minors. The problem with Grant has always been the fielding. Sure, he was a fine shotstop at USC, but once in the minors it was revealed that he was passable at best and really belonged elsewhere on the diamond. So the A’s (who drafted him) tried him in CF and saw disaster. They tried him in LF and saw awkwardness. They tried him at 2B and found discomfort. They tried him at 3B and found a raw defender. Soon, they tried him on the trade market and found a taker in the Angels for Alberto Callaspo.

Green came to the Angels and hit .333 in six games in AAA before Kendrick went down with a calf injury. So the Angels put him at 2B and he hit .280 in the major leagues. Not bad at all, there was no defense to speak of, but it could’ve been much worse. He wouldn’t take Kendrick’s job but he also showed that someday he could if Kendrick was ever traded. Then the Angels worked him out all winter long at third base. There was an opening and Alfredo Griffin himself said Green was ready to give third a legitimate shot in 2014. Then the Angels traded for David Freese. Fine, Green and Alfredo Griffin then went back to work to improve his footwork and throwing motions at shortstop so that he could be the utility infielder for the Angels. Green improved in all areas and even opened some eyes in Spring Training with his play at shortstop and second base. But the Angels were in need of clubhouse leadership, and thus John MacDonald stepped in. Green was left in AAA again, a level at which he’d never hit lower than .326. There really wasn’t anything left to prove, and yet he was still being stashed by a seemingly unappreciative team.

Then in May, Josh Hamilton got hurt (surprise, surprise) and instead of turning to Collin Cowgill or Efren Navarro, the Angels instead turned to Grant Green. Green practiced in LF for a couple of games in AAA before being promoted. Green started six games in LF, hit .361 and even made a highlight reel catch as well as all the routine plays as well. Grant’s reward for all of this? A demotion to the bench to cool off hit hot bat in favor of the more left-handed Efren Navarro. Green’s bat cooled off and was eventually sent to AAA for his trouble. When David Freese was injured, we still didn’t see Green back with the Angels at third base. They instead went with journeyman John McDonald. Late in the season, they buried Green even further on the depth chart by trading for Gordon Beckham.

But then things seemed to turn around for Grant Green. The Angels traded Howie Kendrick for pitching prospect Andrew Heaney, seemingly opening second base up for Grant Green to take over. And then within an hour, they buried him on the depth chart again by acquiring Josh Rutledge. Days later, they picked up Taylor Featherston in the Rule 5 Draft. Then they traded for Johnny Giavotella. LF Josh Hamilton needed shoulder surgery which would open up LF again, but the Angels had already traded for Matt Joyce.

The Angels are saying it’s an open competition at second base, but let’s be honest. They just traded their best relief pitching prospect in Jairo Diaz for Josh Rutledge. Do you think they would’ve done that just to make him ride the bench or hang out in AAA? The chances of Grant Green playing every day with the Angels look very slim right now, and yet they’re the best he’s ever seen.

So why do the Angels hate Grant Green? He’s hit for them, played every position they’ve asked him to and has the athleticism to eventually be a fine defender. Why won’t they just pick a spot for him and let him play there?  Obviously I’m being facetious when I say the Angels hate any player.  But it is clear that these two specific players have proven capable and have earned their shot, only to be further buried on the depth chart.  Let’s hope the Angels learn to utilize these two rather than losing them only to witness success in another uniform.