Angels Rumors: former Yankees lefty on LAA's radar as they try to fill out bullpen

The Angels have several positional groups that could use enhancements if they are to actually contend next season, and the current iteration of their bullpen objectively needs the most reinforcements. When baseball writers discuss which teams could use upgrades, they always include the Angels as needing improvements in the infield, outfield, rotation, and bullpen. So, yes, every position group other than the catchers. While the infield, outfield, and rotation look like they will remain intact, the Angels are seemingly right on the precipice of upgrading their bullpen. A report came out that they are interested in Tim Hill as pitchers and catchers are set to arrive at spring training in two weeks.

This "drawing interest from the Angels" report comes from the guy who brought you the still unverified "Pete Alonso met with the Angels" scoop. Pat Ragazzo covers the Mets and Yankees for SI and Angels fans sure are hoping both of these reports are accurate. Hill does not have a whole lot of fame, even in the baseball world, but he is an entertaining pitcher in that he is incredibly unique. He has a -20° arm angle and used turbo sinkers (in movement, not velocity) last season with the White Sox and Yankees to generate a groundball% and barrel%s that ranked in the 100th percentile of pitchers. On the entire opposite side of the spectrum, his whiff% and strikeout% were in the 1st percentile. His fastball velocity was in the 3rd.

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic: "The Los Angeles Angels, exploring all areas of improvement, have told at least one agent they have two or three bullpen spots to fill." Hill could easily supplant Hans Crouse and José Suarez on the roster, and Brock Burke, Ryan Zeferjahn, and José Quijada as the Angels' set-up man. Hill has by far the most major league experience of that group. While Zeferjahn is, in theory, the best option given his high velocity and above average stuff+ grade, he only has 17 innings under his belt. Burke was fantastic pick up, but even he only did it in a small sample size of 20.1 innings for the Halos. Quijada only has 28.1 innings thrown the past two seasons, and has command issues to deal with as well. A set-up committee of Hill, Burke, Zeferjahn, and Quijada is not the most ideal scenario for a team who is hoping to end MLB's longest playoff drought, but beggars can't be choosers.

Tim Hill is most definitely an upgrade for the Angels, and he could be enticed by the proposition of pitching in high-leverage roles as a bona fide back-end reliever. That same proposition goes for the Rockies, but everybody knows pitchers suffer greatly at that altitude. If Hill were to join the Mets, Yankees, Diamondbacks, or the Dodgers, he could ring chase but he would not necessarily boost his stock on the open market next offseason.

While there may be mutual interest between the Yankees and Hill (per Ragazzo), the soon-to-be 35-year-old might view the Angels as a better situation if he wants to bring in escalating pay checks in the future. With the Angels, Hill could prove that he is an arm managers can rely on in tenuous situations late in games. If he can succeed as a set-up man with the Angels, he could earn himself a pay upgrade after his presumptive one-year deal ends.

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