Bullish or Bear on the future of the Twins Bullpen

[DocBauer]

With apologies and respect to Willihammer, I was working on this article earlier today but didn't have time to post yet. But where he focused more on this year's pen, I really wanted to concentrate on where the Twins are headed. Hence, I decided to go ahead and post my topic thread.

 

I had made a point in another thread that since 1987, through TK and Dick Such, to Gardenhire and Anderson now, and through 2 1/2 GM's, (point made is obvious), the one thing you could always count on was a solid Twins bullpen. Even in down years in the late 90's, and the last couple seasons, the Twins, year to year, have always had a versatile and dependable pen that at worst, ranked middle of the pack.

 

We've had closers we acquired such as Reardon and Aggie and Nathan, and closers developed through the system like Every Day Eddie, Hawkins Trombley and Perkins. In fact, since 1987 to now, 27 years, the Twins have employed a solid closer, almost always with All Star credentials, with the possible exception of Matt Capps, and he was very good for us when healthy. Some of our closers began as successful setup men first. Some came the FA route, seemingly out of nowhere at times, such as Berenguer and Willis as just a couple examples. Burton came off the scrap heap for one excellent season, and one solid season. There are a slew of long and middle men, some signees, some brought up through the system, that have provided quality and dependable work for the Twins bullpen over the past 27 years. Some are names we might not even remember. Tony Fiore? Who?

 

2014 has been a fun, interesting, frustrating and disappointing season all wrapped up in one. We've been teased with a potential .500 level club that couldn't maintain, and has been a true enigma as we have enjoyed some good to truly excellent seasons overall by the likes of Hughes, Gibson, Santana, Suzuki, Plouffe and Dozier. But the sum of those and other decent parts, combined with injury and disappointing seasons has lead to yet another potential 90 loss season.

 

We have debated where Santana should play, if and when May and Meyer should be promoted, LF and CF in 2015, and if the Twins could/should/will make one more FA splash for the rotation. But for the first time in a while, I think we have to seriously look at the bullpen going forward.

 

Perkins is in his early 30's, but healthy, experienced, and still capable for another few seasons in his closer role, where limited exposure tends to keep velocity up later in a career. Fien has been a real find for the Twins and has performed at a pretty high level since day one. Personally, from my observations, I believe he is a quality 6th-7th inning guy who can occasionally pitch the 8th when needed. But not consistently, and I don't like him in the occasional closer role.

 

So where do we go from there? Burton is toast. As much as some clamor for another SP, doesn't the bullpen need another proven power arm to join Perk in the pen? I've been a Duensing supporter for some now, sometimes in the face of opposition, and have found his relief numbers and history to be very solid. But this was definitely not his best season, after a quality first half. I don't know if Thielbar can ever be anything remotely special, but despite numbers down from 2013, he's still been solid. Has Swarzak peaked as well?

 

It would appear that there were some really nice options at Rochester to come up and finish the year out, and prepare for a shot at a job next year. And I know it's a small sample size, but Tonkin, Achter, Oliveras and company have shown nothing thus far in September. I think it's naive to expect Zack Jones, Melotakis and Burdi to rise all the way to the Twin Cities out of spring training.

 

But am I wrong? Should we just forget what we've seen in September so far from the promotions? Should we be excited about what they've done this season in the minors, and their potential, along with others like Pryor, Pressly, the afore mentioned Jones, Melotakis and Burdi and be excited for what a 2015 bullpen might look like?

 

Are you bullish or bear on the 2015 bullpen? What do you see happening? What would you do?