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SWR DFA'D By Toronto - Should We pick Him Up For the BP?


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In an interesting and perhaps ironic twist, Toronto just designated SWR for assignment. Since going to Toronto, SWR has pitched 10 innings in three appearances, 2 3 inning appearances and one 4 inning appearance. His line is 4 hits, 7 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Whip of 1.10, FIP of 4.20. Middle/long relief only, no saves or save opportunities. He did finish one game so that suggests he was the mop up guy in a blowout.

So here's the question - Do you pick SWR up on waivers to return to Minnesota? We won't get a chance to get him as a free agent because Toronto can assign him to AAA; he doesn't have previous DFAs or enough time to refuse the assignment. To get him, we either have to trade probably using the ubiquitous "cash considerations" or claim him on waivers.

I say YES! Let's get him back and see if we can fix him in the bullpen. We make space by waving Taylor Rogers, putting him on the IL, or allowing him to retire with a nice press conference and sendoff ceremony. He is cooked. SWR was it good pitcher as recently as last year. This all assumes he's willing to go into the Bullpen. The recent DFA's by both the Twins and the Blue Jays does make me wonder if there is an attitude issue like "I'm a starter, not a reliever", but I have no information to support that. I say we grab him.

5 Comments


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Western SD Fan

Posted (edited)

I'm not sure he currently fits on the Twins right now.  Seems crazy considering we are down nearly an entire rotation's worth of pitchers (Lopez, Ober, Abel, Festa).  If you look at SWR's appearances in Toronto, his days between appearances were 8 and 7 days respectively.  You just can't have a bullpen guy sit there that long between appearances waiting for the right opportunity to have him pitch.  During that time, the Toronto bullpen was run ragged and with Cease and Bieber coming back, they just didn't need him anymore.

I also watched his appearance against Boston.  The line was 0 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, and 1 K.  It would have been worse, but the Jays made two great defensive plays behind him saving him from having a worse line.  The Twins are not even in the same country (pun intended) as the Blue Jays when it comes to the defense necessary to make SWR a viable option.

Paredes has been able to get deeper into games with each start.  I don't think he will be a future starter, but he is currently better than SWR.  Preilipp has been improving and getting more comfortable going more than 4 innings and is closer to being the future than SWR.  Having pitchers with the ability to go more than one inning is a must in today's game.  Having a pitcher that you need to pitch 3-4 innings to get any use out of him and then down for 4-5 days is unsustainable for a bullpen.  If you want a spot to fix someone in the bullpen, I'd rather have Rojas.  SWR would also have to be added to the 26-man roster even though I think SWR's issues would be better fixed in St. Paul. 

I have no problems getting rid of Taylor Rogers.  I think that may be the next move made when they feel Rojas has built back up in St. Paul.  I was very against getting rid of him in the first place when, at the time, they had no plan.  I believe they now have a plan going forward and SWR just doesn't fit anymore.  SWR will find a home somewhere that desperately needs a starter (Mets) and, with a lost season, will be willing to see what they can get from him.

Edited by Western SD Fan
LA Vikes Fan

Posted

I guess I have a different role in mind for him. I agree that having a guy in the BP who is only used for 3 plus innings and then who has to wait 4-6 days between outings isn't very useful. My thought would be to see if he can be a 2 inning middle guy pitching every 3rd day. He could be a bridge guy between our short starters Paredes and Preilipp and the late inning bullpen guys by covering the 5th and 6th or 6th and 7th innings. We could use those appearances to try to get him back on track to be a starter again next year. It would be better to have him work things out in AAA but with no options I doubt any team will get that chance. I think its worth a host and frankly, I don't see any better options in AAA with Funderburk and Raya now up.    

Mike Sixel

Posted

There must be something else going on with him that isn't being discussed? I'd stick him in the bullpen right now, but he's not coming back. 

gil4

Posted

Don't we usually have coaches throw batting practice?

 

Oh, bullpen.  Pass.

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