Article: Twins Minor League Report (6/29): Strong Starting Pitching and Burdi's Debut

[Steve Lein]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php/3171-Twins-Minor-League-Report-(6-29)-Strong-Starting-Pitching-and-Burdi-s-Debut

[drock2190]

Nick Burdi...

 

Bringing back the memories of Shooter Hunt

[Seth Stohs]

One game, people... worry if this happens his next 2-3 times out.

 

In college, he walked like 10 in 37 innings. He should be just fine.

 

Here is the more exciting, bright side:

 

Also, be sure to "Like" the Twins Daily facebook page where I posted a bunch of pictures throughout the weekend. Some even turned out well.

 

https://www.facebook.com/TwinsDaily

[bradpolian]

Great game in Cedar Rapids, too bad Burdi was wild, he throws so hard... You could see it right away

[Yossarian]

Seth, was Burdi wild like Ankiel-wild, or just missing? What was his ball-strike ratio, please?

[Steven Buhr]

Seth, was Burdi wild like Ankiel-wild, or just missing? What was his ball-strike ratio, please?

 

He didn't hit the mascot, if that's what you're asking, so not Nuke LaLoosh wild.

 

But he wasn't really close on many pitches either. He threw just 5 strikes to the four hitters he walked.

 

Really not too concerned he's another Ankiel, though. When he finds at least enough control to make hitters swing and umpires give him the benefit of the doubt on corners, he will be a challenge to get around on.

[TRex]

One game, people... worry if this happens his next 2-3 times out.

 

In college, he walked like 10 in 37 innings. He should be just fine.

 

Here is the more exciting, bright side:

 

Also, be sure to "Like" the Twins Daily facebook page where I posted a bunch of pictures throughout the weekend. Some even turned out well.

 

https://www.facebook.com/TwinsDaily

 

Were these pitch velocities from the CR park gun, or were you looking at a scouting gun?

[Mike Sixel]

I'm not worried about Burdi. He's either going to be good, or not. But one outing means nothing at all, imo.

[Lakeside]

He didn't hit the mascot, if that's what you're asking, so not Nuke LaLoosh wild.

 

But he wasn't really close on many pitches either. He threw just 5 strikes to the four hitters he walked.

 

Really not too concerned he's another Ankiel, though. When he finds at least enough control to make hitters swing and umpires give him the benefit of the doubt on corners, he will be a challenge to get around on.

 

While Burdi ultimately has to prove himself, I question the field management of using Burdi in this situaton. A Save-like situation (up 4-0 I believe) for his first professional inning after joining a team in the middle of it's season.

 

Many managers would give this type of player an inning in a mop-up role sometime before bringing him in in a somewhat pressure situation for his debut.

 

After 30 years of coaching experience. . . just my thoughts.

[jokin]

He didn't hit the mascot, if that's what you're asking, so not Nuke LaLoosh wild.

 

But he wasn't really close on many pitches either. He threw just 5 strikes to the four hitters he walked.

 

Really not too concerned he's another Ankiel, though. When he finds at least enough control to make hitters swing and umpires give him the benefit of the doubt on corners, he will be a challenge to get around on.

 

I can't believe this is a point of speculation. Burdi just last week pitched with the exact same stuff and exhibited command and control while on national television, numerous times, in pressure situations. He didn't just completely fall off the rails and become Alex Wimmers in his first professional appearance just one short week later. Can we let this play out and give the kid and the coaching staff an inkling of a chance- until at least the end of August? Again, he threw his out pitch, his slider, only twice in 21 pitches.

[Seth Stohs]

Were these pitch velocities from the CR park gun, or were you looking at a scouting gun?

 

it was the stadium gun plus 2 miles per hour.

[Steven Buhr]

it was the stadium gun plus 2 miles per hour.

 

For the record, I sat behind the Kernels pitchers charting pitches today (Monday) and we talked some about the difference between the scoreboard and their radar gun readings.

 

They confirmed Burdi's first pitch was 99 on Sunday and that he was anywhere from 96-98 for the most part after that. So Seth, your "scoreboard +2" numbers were apparently pretty accurate.

[Seth Stohs]

I only do that because you guys told me that's the case... but it definitely seems accurate. Either way, he was throwing really hard.

[h2oface]

It's only one game. I guess Burdi will fit right in.

Certainly an attitude that the mother team has become one to use. And the relief coming in and giving up 3 inherited runs fits right in too.

[Steven Buhr]

I only do that because you guys told me that's the case... but it definitely seems accurate. Either way, he was throwing really hard.

 

Sorry, Seth, I didn't mean to make it sound like you just made up the +2 mph thing. Yes, that's sort of the local unofficial assumption and I use it as well when I report or Tweet pitch speeds from CR.

 

Interestingly, however, I sat behind a couple of radar guns during Monday afternoon's game and the variances from the scoreboard were all over the place. The most frequent difference between gun and scoreboard was +2 mph, with +1 mph also being frequent. There would be a rare occurance when the readings matched exactly, but there were probably just as many instances where the readings were +3 and even +4 mph. (For some reason, for example, the gap widened to +3 an even a couple of +4s for Todd Van Steensel's fastball.)

[nicksaviking]

While Burdi ultimately has to prove himself, I question the field management of using Burdi in this situaton. A Save-like situation (up 4-0 I believe) for his first professional inning after joining a team in the middle of it's season.

 

Many managers would give this type of player an inning in a mop-up role sometime before bringing him in in a somewhat pressure situation for his debut.

 

After 30 years of coaching experience. . . just my thoughts.

 

Many managers (perhaps dictated by higher ups) would have had him pitch an inning or two at the start of the game just because they wanted to make sure he got to pitch. It seems to me the Twins have done this many times, though mostly with rehab assigments. Not that I care much about the decision or the results.

 

But what's up with E-ton? Even if the weathermen in Tennessee are terrible, couldn't the umps just look up? It started raining four outs later after the first pitch! They must really think highly of their concession food if they were just trying to keep the fans in the gate to make some extra cash.

[Steven Buhr]

While Burdi ultimately has to prove himself, I question the field management of using Burdi in this situaton. A Save-like situation (up 4-0 I believe) for his first professional inning after joining a team in the middle of it's season.

 

Many managers would give this type of player an inning in a mop-up role sometime before bringing him in in a somewhat pressure situation for his debut.

 

After 30 years of coaching experience. . . just my thoughts.

 

This is a guy who was coming off being the closer for a team in the College World Series, in front of crowds much bigger than what there was in CR and you think putting him in to begin the 8th inning of a game you're leading 4-0 is too much pressure?

 

Honestly, if you're a manager waiting for a late game situation with a run differential greater than four runs, you may not see him for a couple of weeks. He didn't pitch in either of the first two games with his new club and he was given a pretty mild assignment on Sunday.

[Lakeside]

This is a guy who was coming off being the closer for a team in the College World Series, in front of crowds much bigger than what there was in CR and you think putting him in to begin the 8th inning of a game you're leading 4-0 is too much pressure?

 

Honestly, if you're a manager waiting for a late game situation with a run differential greater than four runs, you may not see him for a couple of weeks. He didn't pitch in either of the first two games with his new club and he was given a pretty mild assignment on Sunday.

 

Don't want to argue with you. . . just my opinion. . but I've been there with this type of situaton.

 

Consider Burdi does not know his teammates, he's 21 years old, wanting to impress, has never pitched in pro ball, etc. I understand he closed in the CWS, but every experience is new for these kids.

 

What you are trying to do, IMO, in this type of situation is build poise and confidence in your first outing. You see this many times, all the way from the American Legion level to the Major League level.

 

A game when they are trailing is a great time to break in a new pitcher with a new squad. Putting in a new pitcher in this situation (save) can hinder the development in poise and confidence. I'm guessing that he will come back and pitch fine as the Ankiels, Wimmers, Hunts of the world are the exceptions not the rule.

 

Just saying that my way would have been different. . . not that it is always better, just different.

[Steven Buhr]

We'll agree to disagree. But for the record, a 4-0 game in the 8th is not a save situation, though even if it had been, I wouldn't have considered that an inappropriate use of this player. This is big boy baseball, even if it's minor leagues. He's a professional now.