Thread: Parmelee Down, Sam Deduno up

Originally Posted by whatever54

Anyone care to provide some history/insight into Deduno? I think the first I remember him being in the organization was this past Spring(?) and IIRC he pitched pretty well, but I don't know anything beyond that. Whatever help offered is appreciated!

Saw him pitch a couple months ago with Rochester against the IronPigs and at last Spring Training. Once a highly rated prospect of the Rockies, he was DFA'd before the 2011 season and then I think was picked up by the Padres where he pitched a tad out of the pen. 93-95 but fairly flat and wild 4-seamer, 91-92 2-seamer with decent movement, average change and a plus plus hammer curve. That last pitch is his out pitch. Once it on, and when he controls his fastball, he is practically uninhabitable. Given the Twins' tendencies, I was thinking that they will make him abandon his 4-seamer, but he was throwing it earlier this season in Rochester. Control is his big thing, but he is getting better after he came back from the DL for Rochester.

Originally Posted by adjacent

Regarding to all this roster moves, Blackburn is not listed in the 40-man roster, and in the Rochester roster is listed as "reserve". Anybody knows what it means? Is he definitely out of the 40-man?

I'm guessing he's still on the 40-man and they don't have the websites updated. The same thing happened earlier this year when Parmelee was sent down for the first time. He also probably hasn't reported yet to Rochester (they have 3 days to report) so they might just have him on their reserve roster and not activated him yet.

Originally Posted by sbknudson

That makes this kind of interesting. It means he either stays in Minnesota the rest of the season, or they have to DFA him and have him clear waivers before he can be sent back.

perhaps I'm missing something, but if that is the case, then he would have had to have been DFAd when he was sent down initially. Options last the entire year. If he was optioned out of spring training, then the option is still good for the remainder of the year.

Originally Posted by diehardtwinsfan

perhaps I'm missing something, but if that is the case, then he would have had to have been DFAd when he was sent down initially. Options last the entire year. If he was optioned out of spring training, then the option is still good for the remainder of the year.

Deduno wasn't on the 40-man roster. He was added when called up this week, so no need to option him.

Originally Posted by sbknudson

That makes this kind of interesting. It means he either stays in Minnesota the rest of the season, or they have to DFA him and have him clear waivers before he can be sent back.

Looking at the pitchers on the active roster and disabled list:

Can't be optioned due to service time (3): Pavano, Capps, Liriano.
Out of options (6): Perkins, Burton, Swarzak, Gray, Walters, Deduno.
Option left, but not going anywhere (3): Diamond, Duensing, Burnett
Options remaining (4): De Vries, Waldrop, Robertson, Fien

My opinion is that the Twins planned on naming Deduno a starter as soon as Blackburn was demoted, but they also wanted to add to the bullpen in between those two starts. Fien provides an extra bullpen arm. The only other choice was Guerra, who has since been added to the D.L. When the Twins have to scale back an arm or two all of Fien, Waldrop and Robertson can simply be sent down.

For as much flack as the team gets for leaving injured guys on the active roster and wasting roster spots, they weren't giving enough (any?) credit for this piece of roster maneuvering.

In spring training, Deduno looked like he had major league stuff but couldn't harness it. With 22 BB in 42 IP in AAA, it doesn't look like he's past that. Cross our fingers, I guess.

Thanks glunn and thylos98, it kind of sounds like it may be now or never for the 29 year old with the wicked curve. It would be nice to see him salvage his career and help the Twins out at the same time. Go Sam!