(Photo Credit: Yardbarker.com)

It’s not terribly often that a title can really be all that needs to be said, but in this case it pretty much does. I’m sure it’s possible not everyone stayed up to watch the massacre that was Scott Kazmir throwing batting practice to the A’s last night, so if you didn’t I’ll give you a quick summary:

Kazmir threw 103 pitches over 5 innings, giving up 11 hits and 13 runs, all earned. He struck out 2, which is one fewer than the number of home runs he gave up last night.

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Unfortunately, the major story of the Angels’ off-season was the subtractions from a team that already was unable to make it past the Yankees in the ALCS. Players like Jose Arredondo and Dustin Moseley are not significant losses, but their departure is also not going to do much to help a bullpen that last year ranked 11th in the AL in ERA and 6th in FIP. On top of that, the man who may’ve been the rock of that pen, leading it in innings pitched, tied for 1st in ERA, and 3rd in FIP has departed as well. It wouldn’t be fair to say the Angels bullpen has been decimated by these moves (Moseley wasn’t terribly effective, and Arredondo is on the shelf this season with Tommy John surgery), but losing Oliver definitely hurts a group that was already far removed from their dominant ways only a few years ago.

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