Could Garrett Richards Be the Los Angeles Angels' No. 5 Starter?

Every Friday I will take time to answer a select number of questions that I have received over the course of the week. Feel free to post your questions in the comments section, send them to me via email, or shoot them my way on Twitter (@GoldenSombrero).

Q: What about Garrett Richards? It looks like he will be the fifth starter for the Halos. Lot of hype has been around him since last year.

—Ron T.

A: Anytime a pitching prospect jumps from Double-A to the major leagues, there’s inevitably going to be considerable hype that follows him.

As was the case with Garret Richards last season—the Angels’ No. 6 prospect—who was called up to Anaheim after posting a 12-2 record with a 3.15 ERA and 103/40 K/BB over 143 innings at Double-A Arkansas.

He ultimately appeared in seven games for the Angels (including three starts) and registered an 0-2 record, 5.79 ERA and 9/7 K/BB ratio over 14 innings.

Richards’ plus two-seam fastball works in the mid-90s with good sink and run to the arm side.  He also throws a four-seam heater, which has a double-plus ceiling and has been clocked in the upper-90s.

Last season, however, Richards made strides in becoming more of a pitcher than a thrower, as he became less concerned about his velocity and more adept to getting outs.

He deviated from a previous reliance on his over-the-top breaker and began to incorporate a plus slider into his arsenal, which showed excellent tilt and depth.  He’ll still occasionally work in a fading changeup, although it lags behind his other pitches.

In order to be successful as the Halos’ fifth starter in 2012, the 6’3”, 215-pound right-hander will have to be more consistent with his delivery, as he has a tendency to close himself off and throw across his body.  In the past, the limitations of such a delivery have led to spotty command of his fastball, as well as the flattening-out of his slider—which needs to be his out pitch.

Richards will also need to trust his changeup this season, a pitch that’s absolutely vital at the major league level.  Now I’m not saying that he has to have pinpoint control of the pitch or generate a swing-and-miss every time it’s thrown.  Rather, a hint of consistency will give hitters a different look and prevent them from sitting on either a fastball or slider.

In my opinion, veteran right-hander Jerome Williams will more than likely win the battle for the final spot in the Angels’ rotation, meaning that Richards will begin the 2012 season as Triple-A.

It’s not that I think he wouldn't be at least moderately successful with the Angels right out of the gate.  But some extra seasoning at Triple-A to refine his mechanics and get a feel for the changeup will pay considerable dividends for years to come.

Be patient. He's still only 24 years old and has the upside of a No. 2 starter.