Trading Fuentes

Trading Fuentes

Trading Fuentes, last season's major league saves leader, for a minor leaguer and sitting 10 games behind Texas with only 33 games to play might lead some to believe the club has turned the page on this season and is looking toward 2011. "Not at all," Angels jerseys general manager Tony Reagins said. "What it means is that cheap Fernando Rodney jersey will pitch in the ninth inning with a lot more regularity than before." Rodney had 37 saves with Detroit last season, and six saves this season when replacing an injured Fuentes in April. "If we don't have a guy like cheap Fernando Rodney jersey, you could make that argument," Angels jerseys manager Mike Scioscia said when asked if the club was looking ahead to next year. "But we think the bullpen will be as strong as we've seen." Before giving up three meaningless runs in a blowout loss to the Rays jerseys on Tuesday, Fuentes had been pitching well, giving up only one run in his previous 20 appearances dating to June 22, and converting 17 of his last 18 save opportunities. The Angels jerseys, though, felt it was a good time to give a boost to their minor league system, considering the hits it's taken this year in the trades to acquire Dan Haren and Alberto Callaspo. For Haren, the Angels jerseys gave up major league starting pitcher Joe Saunders and minor league pitchers Rafael Rodriguez, cheap Patrick Corbin jersey and cheap Tyler Skaggs jersey. For Callaspo, the Angels jerseys gave up pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, currently in the starting rotation in Kansas City, and minor league pitcher cheap baseball jerseys cheap Will Smith jersey. "Through the waiver process a lot of things came into play," Reagins said. "Minnesota filed a claim for Brian and we saw it as an opportunity to get a good player for Brian. We feel we accomplished that. It was an opportunity to improve our minor league system." Fuentes, who was 4 1 with a 3.52 ERA and 23 saves in 27 opportunities this season to go with his major league high 48 saves last season, took the news in stride and said he enjoyed his time with the Angels jerseys, but he did hesitate when asked if he felt appreciated by the fans. "I don't know," he said. "It's funny, it felt like I was pitching on the road quite a bit here. I came in to a lot of boos, but the fans here come out in droves, and they're here to be entertained, and they're going through my frustrations and success. "I had a lot more success than failure, but I came up short a few times, and I'm sure some fans were disappointed."