Article: Twins Go to 'Pen Early and Often on Day 2

[Jeremy Nygaard]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?627-Twins-Add-Bullpen-Arms-(and-a-Bat)

[Thrylos]

Good stuff. I think that High School arms (and bats) are unsignable now. JC and College only next.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Yeah, you're probably right. This is usually the time to pop a $5,000 college senior infielder. I thought Pat Cantwell (Stony Brook catcher) would be a good pick for the Twins, bummed to see him go. Pretty typical to grab a catcher sometime today though. Waiting for that Puero Rican bat to go too!

[Thrylos]

I suspect that a certain SP from the U of MN is coming up soon for the Twins

[TwinsGuy55422]

Thanks for the draft updates and analysis. Good stuff. They are certainly going heavy on the pitchers.

[Seth Stohs]

Thrylos, did you track your Top 22 (+ Brown) and where and when they were drafted? Any still available?

[twinstalker]

Good job going for relief. It's a known fact that starters can never become relievers, so it's better to find those guys who even colleges don't want to start or who don't have more than one good pitch. And they have late-inning experience. Just like Capps.

[twinstalker]

Sorry, I'm cranky. And the Twins have jaded me.

[J-Dog Dungan]

Good job going for relief. It's a known fact that starters can never become relievers, so it's better to find those guys who even colleges don't want to start or who don't have more than one good pitch. And they have late-inning experience. Just like Capps.

Just like the best pitcher the Twins currently have. Who is that again? Oh yeah, its Glen Perkins, WHO WAS A STARTER coughcoughcoughcoughcough and is now a reliever who is making a killing

[Shane Wahl]

While I cannot really think of anyone at the moment who was a reliever in college and who became a starter in the bigs (not just for the Twins . . . . but in baseball . . . . someone needs to research this!), I think there might be a bit of a misunderstanding about why certain pitchers are relievers in college. First, often times college teams don't specialize their relievers nearly as much (or as stupidly, in my view) as teams have done in the majors. Relievers often come in for multiple innings at a time. Second, sometimes relievers are relievers in college simply because they are better as relievers than other pitchers on the team, but that says nothing about how they compare as starters. Purdue's best pitcher this year, by far, was Nick Wittgren. He is, by far, the only one likely to make the majors on the staff, and there is a 50/50 chance that it will be as a starter if he does make it. He was the team's closer (though that sometimes meant three innings).

 

I am not defending the strategy, but there may be something to the idea that the Twins don't want overused arms. They have obviously had some injury issues with starting college pitchers lately. They can sign these college relievers and give them a bunch of innings this year without too much worry. And they aren't generally taking any old reliever . . . they are taking hard throwers.

[drivlikejehu]

I was surprised that Deron Johnson favorably compared Melotakis' delivery to Terry Mulholland. I assumed they would try to change Melotakis' delivery-- he will never be a hard-throwing starting pitcher the way he works now. My guess is that they have no long-term starting plans for any of the college guys other than Bard.

[old nurse]

While I cannot really think of anyone at the moment who was a reliever in college and who became a starter in the bigs (not just for the Twins . . . . but in baseball . . . . someone needs to research this!), I think there might be a bit of a misunderstanding about why certain pitchers are relievers in college. First, often times college teams don't specialize their relievers nearly as much (or as stupidly, in my view) as teams have done in the majors. Relievers often come in for multiple innings at a time. Second, sometimes relievers are relievers in college simply because they are better as relievers than other pitchers on the team, but that says nothing about how they compare as starters. Purdue's best pitcher this year, by far, was Nick Wittgren. He is, by far, the only one likely to make the majors on the staff, and there is a 50/50 chance that it will be as a starter if he does make it. He was the team's closer (though that sometimes meant three innings).

 

I am not defending the strategy, but there may be something to the idea that the Twins don't want overused arms. They have obviously had some injury issues with starting college pitchers lately. They can sign these college relievers and give them a bunch of innings this year without too much worry. And they aren't generally taking any old reliever . . . they are taking hard throwers.

Not necessarily college pitchers but plenty of starters were relievers at one point in their career. Texas has Ogando and Feliz starting. Lance Lynn with the Cards is doing well as a starter. Sale with the White Sox was a reliever, now a decent starter. These are all first year starters, perhaps the league will catch on to what they do. Career wise notable for coming in from the pen was Dave Stewart, Derek Lowe and David Wells. Specifically college relievers would take a little time. The bigger question with all of these pitchers is do they have a good enough coach in the minors to teach them the third and fourth pitches they will need. These players show some skill and success at the college level. As none have that wow factor then they would have to be taught skills.