A few days ago I read a comment from Francisco Rodriguez, who was responding to questions about his plans for 2009. The thrust of the story was Rodriguez’s desire not to be in Los Angeles next year–a rumour that Francisco basically confirmed.

At the end of the story was a line on Jose Arredondo, who’d been called up to pitch the seventh inning for The Angels. It wasn’t suggested that Arredondo would be closing next year, but the article did tab him as the Angels’s top relief prospect. (He will close; the only question is When?) Scot Shields is signed through 2010, and he’s been too good to discount as the putative successor to Rodriguez. He’s also only 32. But Arredondo could take the job. Maybe Scioscia is more comfortable using Shields as a long man/set-up guy. Maybe Scot would rather pitch the eighth. Maybe he gets hurt in the next four months.

But this Shields-shackled-to-the-eighth discussion’s a little premature. We should at least take a look at Arredondo before pushing him as a serious option for the ninth inning.

Arredondo was born March 20, 1984, in San Pedro de Macoris. He’s 6′0″, 170 pounds, and he lands with his right foot (he’s an RHP).

In 2002 Arredondo was signed as an undrafted Free Agent. He made his Rookie Ball debut in 2004, striking out 14 in 12 IP with 4 BB and 14 hits allowed. In ‘05 he moved up to AA, throwing 5 innings for Arkansas in the Texas League. Next year he was moved down to A+, where he punched out 115 in 90 IP, allowing 62 hits and walking 35. That was the second half of Arredondo’s season; the first half saw him get kicked around in AA, where his ERA hit 6.53 and his K rate dipped to 7.12/9 IP.

In ‘07 Arredondo bombed back in A Ball (6.43 ERA, 1.63 WHIP), but he recovered to go 2.52 (ERA)/1.12 (WHIP) back–once again–in AA. His hit rate dropped to 5.76/9 IP, and his K rate climbed to 10.08/9 IP.

This year (’08) Arredondo had thrown 17 IP in AAA before being called up to the majors. He’d struck out 15, he’d allowed 12 hits, and he’d walked 4. Walks have never been a problem for Jose–his career BB/9 IP is 3.09. Home runs haven’t been a problem either–his HR/9 IP is 0.72.

Arredondo throws a 94-96 mph fastball that has left-to-right action late in the zone. He has a splitter that sits at 84-86 mph, and a slider that’s 86-89 mph. His splitter is ridiculous. It kind of reminds me of Kelvim Escobar’s out pitch. I don’t see how anyone hits it. It’s got short action, dropping 6-8 inches when it hits the strike zone. It’s not like Harden’s splitter, dropping from the time it leaves his hand. With the 10 mph differential in velocity between his fastball and splitter/slider, he should be an elite late-inning reliever. And his slider looks like a splitter. It’s more of a slurve. But it’s so good that his K/9 will/should–barring injury–always be 9+.

Arredondo doesn’t really have a solid minor-league pedigreee, but he’s eerily similar to (Francisco) Rodriguez: a huge year at A+, a great 1/4 season at AA, and a great 1/4 season at AAA. And then he’s too good to keep in the minors. He also reminds me of Tony Pena. Maybe that’s the better comparison; but, physically, Arredondo is Rodriguez. He looks like Rodriguez, he has the same arm action as Rodriguez, and he lands exactly the same as Rodriguez. He’s the same height as Rodriguez, and he weighs the same as Rodriguez.

I see Arredondo being a huge 8th-inning guy, and eventually a very good closer. With Rodriguez leaving after this season, I think you’ve got to look at owning him just on the chance that something happens to Shields. It’s really the same situation as Pena and Lyon: you have to own both guys just on the chance that the guy with the lesser stuff falters. (Shields’s 2-seamer is great, but Arredondo throws smoke.)

So far Jose’s pitched 4 MLB innings; he’s allowed 4 hits, he’s struck out 4, and he’s allowed one run (a home run), leaving his ERA at 2.25. I think keeper owners should start looking at him in a few weeks. If he looks like he’s handling his promotion, then use a roster spot on him.