Nick

Adenhart

Adenhart improved to 5-1 with a 3.21 ERA, 40 H and 45/14 K/BB in 47 2/3 IP since moving up to the California League. There are few better pitching prospects currently in the minors.

Adenhart, the Angels’ best pitching prospect now that Jered Weaver is in the majors, was 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA, 84 H and 99/26 K/BB in 106 innings for low Single-A Cedar Rapids.

Adenhart, one of the best pitching prospect in the low minors, is 10-2 with a 1.95 ERA, 84 H and 99/26 K/BB in 106 innings. That he’s just 19 seems to be the only thing keeping him in the Midwest League right now. The Angels could begin to push him next year.

Adenhart was looked at as a potential first-round pick last year, but after it was revealed he’d need Tommy John surgery, he slipped to the 14th round. He could become another very good prospect in a deep Angels farm system.

Adenhart cruised through his first month in Double-A, going 3-1 with a 0.80 ERA. However, he has a 9.37 ERA in four starts so far this month. There no longer appears to be much chance of him jumping to the majors in the second half of the season.

They also invited RHP Nick Adenhart, RHP Stephen Marek, RHP Darren O’Day, RHP Kasey Olenberger, RHP Fernando Rodriguez, RHP Rafael Rodriguez, RHP Alex Serrano, RHP Matt Wilhite, C Hank Conger, C Anel De Los Santos, C Tim Duff, 2B Ryan Mount, 2B Adam Pavkovich, SS P.J. Phillips, 3B Freddy Sandoval, SS Hainley Statia, 2B Nate Sutton and OF Peter Bourjos to spring training. There’s no one in either list with a realistic chance of breaking camp with the team. As deep as the Angels’ outfield is, Brown and Hermansen should have picked other teams to sign with.

With the wind howling out to center, Adenhart got nine outs on the ground and three more via the K. All signs point to him being the Angels’ fourth or fifth starter to open the year.

Adenhart turned a 3-0 lead over to the usually trustworthy Angels pen in the seventh, but Scot Shields, Brian Fuentes and some shaky defense combined to let him down. Jose Arredondo was also charged with two runs thanks to some pretty awful usage -- he was allowed to come back out for the eighth after throwing a scoreless seventh, only to be pulled in favor of Shields after giving up a pair of singles. Three runs ended up scoring then, followed by three more in the ninth against Fuentes. Adenhart, who struck out five and walked three, has made a pretty good case for an early pickup in AL-only leagues.

A local news station, NBC25, has confirmed the report. According to TMZ: “Cops say someone driving a minivan blew through a red light, causing the Mitsubishi that Adenhart was riding in to hit a light pole. Three people were killed in the crash, including Nick.” The van driver reportedly fled the scene before eventually being apprehended, and has been charged with felony hit-and-run. The identities of the other victims have not been revealed, but TMZ’s report that it included a member of the Angels was incorrect. Adenhart pitched six outstanding scoreless innings Wednesday night in only his fourth major league start.