Trevor May pulled after 3 innings

[naobermiller]

After giving up 1ER on 3 hits and 1BB to go with 3Ks, May gets pulled after 3 innings in tonight's game. He threw 47 pitches, 30 for strikes. 2 possibilities:

 

1) Injury forced him out

2) After Pino's poor start on Thursday, they treat this like a bullpen session and pull him after three innings to call him up for Tuesday's start.

 

Anyone with info?

[drjim]

It was his first start in 4 weeks, I imagine he had a pretty strict pitch count.

[naobermiller]

Hadn't considered that, but that seems extra strict though

[ashbury]

It was his first start in 4 weeks, I imagine he had a pretty strict pitch count.

 

47?

[ashbury]

After giving up 1ER on 3 hits and 1BB to go with 3Ks, May gets pulled after 3 innings in tonight's game. He threw 47 pitches, 30 for strikes. 2 possibilities:

 

1) Injury forced him out

2) After Pino's poor start on Thursday, they treat this like a bullpen session and pull him after three innings to call him up for Tuesday's start.

 

Anyone with info?

 

Here is the official word:

 

[Kwak]

Maybe they want to make sure May doesn't have an oblique injury?

[Seth Stohs]

I'd guess pitch count.

[Twins Twerp]

47 pitches...pitch count probably set @ 50

[nicksaviking]

I've never heard of a 50 pitch count for a starter. They can't be concerned that his arm can't handle more pitches, he hasn't had that long of a break. If they are concerned that his recently injured oblique can't handle more than 50, he shouldn't have been out there in the first place.

 

Knowing this club's unreasonable obsession with walks, I think we should just assume he got pulled because he issued one.

[naobermiller]

Still haven't seen any talk of an injury, so pretty safe to say we can rule that out. Ryan is playing mum about it.

 

Questions abound over whether the Twins will call upon May or Meyer to join their big-league rotation this season. The team's starting slot for Tuesday's game is open, but it's likely that Yohan Pino, Sam Deduno or Kris Johnson will take the spot vacated by Ricky Nolasco, who is not eligible to come off the disabled list until Wednesday.

On Saturday, Ryan remained mum.

"I have a feel for it," he said, "but I'm not gonna divulge it."

 

I know that it's likely not going to be May or Meyer, but it just seems weird some of the things that have happened with those two. 47 pitches in a return for May seems low for any pitch count. The day Nolasco went on the DL, Meyer out of nowhere stretched out to 99 pitches.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Maybe my memory is faulty in my old age, but I don't seem to remember the team being this strict about pitch counts in the minor leagues. I'm guessing it's their way of trying to reduce TJS risk, which if it works will do wonders for their pitching prospects, but am I right here, or am I misremembering?

[oldguy10]

Ryan in saying "I have a feel for it" and "but I'm not going to divulge it" speaks volumes about how the Minnesota Twins general manager runs the outfit. The logical conclusion is "quite poorly" I'd say. I have never heard a MLB executive frame something in such a way, added proof that Ryan is running the team off of the top of his head. But that's okay, the results show it, do they not?

[jokin]

I've never heard of a 50 pitch count for a starter. They can't be concerned that his arm can't handle more pitches, he hasn't had that long of a break.

 

If they are concerned that his recently injured oblique can't handle more than 50, he shouldn't have been out there in the first place.

 

Knowing this club's unreasonable obsession with walks, I think we should just assume he got pulled because he issued one.

 

Were you speaking tongue in cheek on an oblique injury? I'm only aware of May's "minor" calf strain.

 

To be fair though, before last night he hadn't pitched in 28 days, four weeks. The whole thing is curious though, what with being named to the Futures Game as a substitute, and supposedly AFTER his calf strain, on June 23. And then scheduled to start last Sunday for Rochester, before it was rained out. And last night, only 3 innings. One can argue that TR was playing it right down the middle and keeping all of his options open for Tuesday. (Out of all of the candidates, I think there is little doubt that Johnson is going to be one of the two starters early next week, he starts most likely on Monday, but no later than Tuesday...Meyer is set up to get Correia's next start if KC is traded).

[drjim]

Ryan in saying "I have a feel for it" and "but I'm not going to divulge it" speaks volumes about how the Minnesota Twins general manager runs the outfit. The logical conclusion is "quite poorly" I'd say. I have never heard a MLB executive frame something in such a way, added proof that Ryan is running the team off of the top of his head. But that's okay, the results show it, do they not?

 

It proves nothing like this at all.

[nicksaviking]

Were you speaking tongue in cheek on an oblique injury? I'm only aware of May's "minor" calf strain.

 

To be fair though, before last night he hadn't pitched in 28 days, four weeks. The whole thing is curious though, what with being named to the Futures Game as a substitute, and supposedly AFTER his calf strain, on June 23. And then scheduled to start last Sunday for Rochester, before it was rained out. And last night, only 3 innings. One can argue that TR was playing it right down the middle and keeping all of his options open for Tuesday. (Out of all of the candidates, I think there is little doubt that Johnson is going to be one of the two starters early next week, he starts most likely on Monday, but no later than Tuesday...Meyer is set up to get Correia's next start if KC is traded).

Hmm that is peculiar that I started talking about his obliques. I wonder where I got that from?

[oldguy10]

It proves nothing like this at all.

Then to me it is even more serious if his actions are premeditated. Plus very frustrating.

[drjim]

Then to me it is even more serious if his actions are premeditated. Plus very frustrating.

 

What actions?

 

He knows he is planning on calling up but isn't going to announce it until he has to in case circumstances change. Isn't that being prudent?

 

I understand criticizing the eventual choice he is going to make (Pino), but why is the process a problem?

[Oxtung]

Ryan in saying "I have a feel for it" and "but I'm not going to divulge it" speaks volumes about how the Minnesota Twins general manager runs the outfit. The logical conclusion is "quite poorly" I'd say. I have never heard a MLB executive frame something in such a way, added proof that Ryan is running the team off of the top of his head. But that's okay, the results show it, do they not?

 

Like DrJim said, I think he knows who he wants to call up but he is waiting to see if there is any last minute information that might change his mind. Seems prudent to me. The other option I guess is that he knows who he wants to call up but wants to inform that man and others within the organization first before he tells the media.

 

Either way doesn't seem "Seat of his pants" like to me.

[laloesch]

Like DrJim said, I think he knows who he wants to call up but he is waiting to see if there is any last minute information that might change his mind. Seems prudent to me. The other option I guess is that he knows who he wants to call up but wants to inform that man and others within the organization first before he tells the media.

 

Either way doesn't seem "Seat of his pants" like to me.

 

Judging how the Twins continue to trot Johnson and Pino out start after start well be lucky to see May in September. I can't believe they'd hold back his deput until he's pushing 25 years old.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Judging how the Twins continue to trot Johnson and Pino out start after start well be lucky to see May in September. I can't believe they'd hold back his deput until he's pushing 25 years old.

 

I wonder if this afternoon would have been a good day for his debut. Would only have been 3 days rest but he has a fresh arm and will be on pitch count and full of adrenaline regardless of when his debut is. I can understand the Twins wanting to wait until the last minute to determine Gibson's status though, which would not leave much time for May to fly here. Maybe next time. Sigh.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I wonder if this afternoon would have been a good day for his debut. Would only have been 3 days rest but he has a fresh arm and will be on pitch count and full of adrenaline regardless of when his debut is. I can understand the Twins wanting to wait until the last minute to determine Gibson's status though, which would not leave much time for May to fly here. Maybe next time. Sigh.

 

I quit trying to rationalize about a month ago why Meyer and May have yet to appear in MLB. Any individual game/situation can be explained somehow, but there have been so many such opportunities, there is no other conclusion to draw other than they don't want to promote them yet.

[drjim]

I quit trying to rationalize about a month ago why Meyer and May have yet to appear in MLB. Any individual game/situation can be explained somehow, but there have been so many such opportunities, there is no other conclusion to draw other than they don't want to promote them yet.

 

I have a good theory on why May hasn't pitched for the Twins in the past month...

[Seth Stohs]

I quit trying to rationalize about a month ago why Meyer and May have yet to appear in MLB. Any individual game/situation can be explained somehow, but there have been so many such opportunities, there is no other conclusion to draw other than they don't want to promote them yet.

 

I assume you mean other than... 1.) Because May was hurt and 2.) Meyer doesn't throw many strikes?

[TheLeviathan]

I assume you mean other than... 1.) Because May was hurt and 2.) Meyer doesn't throw many strikes?

 

I'm curious though....why does one flaw like that hold back our pitchers but not our hitters? I'm not necessarily saying this is a problem, but Arcia is up and his strikeout rates have always been an issue. Hicks' splits have always been an issue and that didn't stop us from sinking hundreds of futile at-bats into him. I could mention Florimon, Pinto's defense, etc. It just seems that if there is an aspect of a hitter's game askew we don't seem to mind calling them up.

 

But one thing with a pitcher and we drag our feet. Why the difference?

[Beezer07]

I'm curious though....why does one flaw like that hold back our pitchers but not our hitters? I'm not necessarily saying this is a problem, but Arcia is up and his strikeout rates have always been an issue. Hicks' splits have always been an issue and that didn't stop us from sinking hundreds of futile at-bats into him. I could mention Florimon, Pinto's defense, etc. It just seems that if there is an aspect of a hitter's game askew we don't seem to mind calling them up.

 

But one thing with a pitcher and we drag our feet. Why the difference?

 

My only thought is that you need far more hitters per game than pitchers per game. Sometimes (read: the last three seasons for the Twins) you need a guy who can just fill space in the lineup and be 1 of 9 guys, whereas you only need 1 SP for each game. No idea if this is why, just a guess.

[gil4]

Hmm that is peculiar that I started talking about his obliques. I wonder where I got that from?

 

I missed the memo - are oblique strains the new bilateral leg weakness? It doesn't sound like they will be nearly as much fun.

[TheLeviathan]

My only thought is that you need far more hitters per game than pitchers per game. Sometimes (read: the last three seasons for the Twins) you need a guy who can just fill space in the lineup and be 1 of 9 guys, whereas you only need 1 SP for each game. No idea if this is why, just a guess.

 

I hope you're wrong and players aren't being called up just to plug gaps whether they are ready or not. Seems like a poor way to develop guys.

 

For the record, I'm honestly curious what people think on that. I'm not bashing the FO, I just don't understand that stark contrast in handling of prospects.

[Boom Boom]

I'm curious though....why does one flaw like that hold back our pitchers but not our hitters? I'm not necessarily saying this is a problem, but Arcia is up and his strikeout rates have always been an issue. Hicks' splits have always been an issue and that didn't stop us from sinking hundreds of futile at-bats into him. I could mention Florimon, Pinto's defense, etc. It just seems that if there is an aspect of a hitter's game askew we don't seem to mind calling them up.

 

But one thing with a pitcher and we drag our feet. Why the difference?

 

It's really a numbers game in my opinion. The Twins had several AAA starters besides Meyer and May that have had good years (Pino, Johnson, and Darnell). That's not so much the case with the position players.

 

If there were more older non-prospect position players doing well at AAA the Twins probably would have had them up in front of Hicks and Pinto, for example. I believe they always prefer to keep a guy in the minors until they have absolutely no option but to call them up.

 

I don't always agree with that strategy, but I've seen a lot of Terry Ryan's general managing and that seems to be a recurring theme.

[TheLeviathan]

It's really a numbers game in my opinion. The Twins had several AAA starters besides Meyer and May that have had good years (Pino, Johnson, and Darnell). That's not so much the case with the position players.

 

That reason MIGHT explain this one (not sure I buy it) but it doesn't explain Gibson last year.

[jokin]

I assume you mean other than... 1.) Because May was hurt

 

 

and 2.) Meyer doesn't throw many strikes?

 

Rochester SP Strike%

 

May 63.9%

Pino 63.9%

Meyer 62.2%

Darnell 61.7%

Johnson 61.2%

 

Meyer 10.1% K/9 (leads the International League)

Meyer 26.2% K% (leads the International League)

 

http://minorleaguecentral.com/leaderboard?lid[]=117&y=2014&split=200&amod=%3C=&age=99&time=60&q=&ymod==&dyear=99&rmod==&round=99&type=pitcher&type=pitcher&table=8