Thread: MLB.com: Cole De Vries Thinks He Can Make This Rotation...

...and I'm not sure he's wrong.

Christina De Nicola (who I'm assuming is the backup Twins beat reporter for MLB.com) covered today's game and got some quotes from Cole De Vries about his two perfect inning, two strikeout, no walk, outing today:

"It's an open position and I'm looking at it as mine to lose," said De Vries, who has allowed just one baserunner in three Grapefruit League starts. "I'm going out there and trying to prove every day that I want it, and I'm the guy to take that last spot. That's how I'm approaching it."

De Vries didn't get the hype Deduno did last year, but his overall numbers might surprise you: 87.2 innings, 6 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 4.11 ERA. What hurt him most were home runs (1.6/9). That seems fixable. He doesn't have the most upside, but I'll take a steady back of the rotation starter at this point. For instance, Hendrick numbers in the majors: 108.2 IP, 5.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9. 5.71 ERA.

De Vries vies for spot in rotation | twinsbaseball.com: News

DeVries may not crack it out of spring training, but I would be shocked if he doesn't get at least 12+ starts for the Twins this year.

As I was saying in December, why pay for a slew of projected #4-#5 FA starters when they already had a cheap #5 under their control who looked acceptable for the spot in 2013. Could have put that #6 Pit-starter Correia money to better use on a pitcher who actually projected higher.

Diamond and Harden not getting a spot is only way Cole gets one.

Harden will not be ready until May/June at the earliest. Rest is open, Worley may have to find a third pitcher(hope he takes lessons from Bobby Cuellar), Diamond will probably not be ready for a week or two of the regular season, DeVires if he continues to pitch well, may get a shot(more of the Gardy/Anderson type than Deduno(who also is gone for two weeks)). Some will depend on if the Twins bring Gibson north.

Originally Posted by shs_59

Diamond and Harden not getting a spot is only way Cole gets one.

It's been made pretty clear in the last week that Harden has been pushed out, possibly to May at the earliest, and maybe later. Given the precautions being taken with Harden, he may never be more than relief help, but even if he does get some starts, that still leaves at least the first 2 months of the season with other medical question marks (Diamond, Pelfrey, Gibson) that gives DeVries a small window of chance for jumping in for at least some interim starts, or, if Hendriks staggers out of the gate (and I'm counting on Hendriks to make this a moot point and firmly grab the #5 spot).

Gardenhire never really liked De Vries--he nibbles at the strike zone, and the press jumped on his MN connections. I think that's why we are hearing about "stretching-out" Duensing. I believe Gardenhire vastly prefers Duensing to start as opposed to De Vries starting.

I have a feeling that everyone is going to get there chance for a start or two in April and May. Hopefully we will be in a position to reward future starts for only those that earn them.

For his first taste at the major league level, De Vries really didn't pitch that bad. He kept us in most of the games. The key will be does he make improvements in his second go round.

Harden is not going to get a rotation spot right after spring training. Pelfrey might not be ready. Cole DeVries has a chance to make the rotation. Gibson and Hendriks should make the rotation.

So the rotation is shaping up to be...
Worley
Diamond
Gibson
with Corriea, DeVries, and Hendriks fighting for the last 2 spots and Dedunno available in case.

I thought DeVries put up Tewksbury like numbers last year and has the same velocity as Marcum and Tewksbury. The other knock on DeVries other than the homeruns is that he didn't pitch deep into games. He was a 5-6 inning pitcher. But I think he could be a servicable #5 starter.

Duensing should be used situationally as a lefty specialist, he is a good reliever a BAD starter. I guess Gardenhire never learns. That's just one of the many reasons why Gardenhire should be let go.

Both Hendriks and DeVries look good this spring. I believe at least one of them could make the rotation.

I like DeVries better than all the guys vying for a rotation spot not named Worley, Diamond, or Gibson! Add to that the fact that is would be silly for the Twins to start Gibson in the rotation out of ST and DeVries would be my 3rd starter. This is what is so distressing to me about the additions of Correia and Pelfrey. Just because those guys have proven themselves at the major league level doesn't mean that they are necessarily better right now than DeVries or Deduno. I haven't liked what I've seen from Hendriks thus far in his major league career because he seems too in love with the sinker low and away. If Hendriks can do a better job of changing speeds I think he could be good but until he does I expect him to look consistently over matched.

Last year was the perfect storm, with the entire rotation going down. Could it be this year is the opposite? If so, we probably had in house options better than the off season signings. But to much pitching is never a bad thing. TR had to get some arms in camp. So far, so good, with about 3 weeks left, as far as injuries go. We could possibly make it to the season with no injuries. And that will make it real interesting for Gardy.

Diamond will be in the rotation but we won't need him for a couple of weeks the way the schedule is set up. I'd start the season with Gibson in the rotation, granted his innings will be limited, but why not start the season with him with a 0-0 record, than bring him up later when we trail in the standings. Worley, Corriea and Pelfrey should round it out. That leaves no room for Hendriks, DeVries or Duduno. If any of those 3 have a very solid spring, TR has to make the call. I like DeVries attitude, why not view it as his job to lose. Hendriks probably feels the same way. And in the long run I think Dedunno will have a better career than either of those two. Hopefully the decisions aren't make any easier with injuries. AAA should have a very nice rotation this year.

Right Now the only locks for the rotation are Worley and Correia. Pelfrey has looked good and if he doesn't have any setbacks he should make it. Diamond hasn't thrown a pitch yet and he may end up starting the season on the DL/EST for rehab assignment for the first 2 weeks of the season.

I almost guarantee that Gibson will start in Rochester unless he has to fill in for Pelfrey. That leaves De Vries and Hendricks as the last 2 starters coming out of ST.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

He doesn't have the most upside, but I'll take a steady back of the rotation starter at this point.

If no one else shows they are worthy of the spot, DeVries can have it if earned, but considering the situation the team is in, at this point I 100% take upside over another back of the rotation starter.

Originally Posted by SweetOne69

Right Now the only locks for the rotation are Worley and Correia. Pelfrey has looked good and if he doesn't have any setbacks he should make it. Diamond hasn't thrown a pitch yet and he may end up starting the season on the DL/EST for rehab assignment for the first 2 weeks of the season.

I almost guarantee that Gibson will start in Rochester unless he has to fill in for Pelfrey. That leaves De Vries and Hendricks as the last 2 starters coming out of ST.

Why do you guarantee Gibson starting at Rochester? And if he has to fill in for Pelfrey, why not fill in for DeVries or Hendriks also?

Diamond
Worley
Correia
Hendriks
DeVries/Pelfrey

would work for me out of the gate.

Originally Posted by DJ Smith

Why do you guarantee Gibson starting at Rochester? And if he has to fill in for Pelfrey, why not fill in for DeVries or Hendriks also?

I guarantee he starts in Rochester because it is easier to have him start while limiting his innings in Rochester than in Minnesota. In MN if they take him out after 4-5 innings it taxes and puts a burden on the BP.

I have him only starting in MN as a replacement for Pelfrey as that would be a temporary appointment. He would get sent down once Pelfrey or Diamond is ready to go. And De Vries would probably get sent down once the other is ready.

Neither Hendricks nor De Vries has anything to prove in AAA. Hendricks needs the chance to show that he can be a MLB pitcher and De Vries needs the chance to show that 2012 wasn't a fluke.

I believe that right now that De Vries is the 6th man in the rotation. He is going to be the 1st man called up to fill in due to injury or ineptness.

I'm not a fan of posting bald numbers without looking at trends. DeVries fooled some hitters early, but as AL hitters learned his ways, he started getting hit pretty hard. On the other hand, Hendriks was starstruck early and only really pitched well in the last of three stints in the majors last year. When he did, he was clearly better than DeVries. The trends indicate that Hendriks is on his way up and DeVries is on his way down. I wouldn't pay too close of attention to the small samples we have of their major league careers.