Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards: A Work in Progress

Two weeks into the 2018 season, the Major League leader in walks issued is Los Angeles Angels pitcher Garrett Richards. As his 12 walks allowed in just 15 innings suggests, the strike zone has become as elusive as a whisper on a windy day.

With the rotation struggling to stay healthy and upright, the Los Angeles Angels need Richards to be the ace the team — and the player — they thinks he is.

First of all, it must be noted that the stuff is there. The raw material that made him so excellent in 2014 is as good as it ever was. Per Fangraphs, his fastball is averaging 96.2 MPH. MLB’s Statcast tabs Richards’ slider with the highest spin rate in the league (among starting pitchers only Luis…