Nick Burdi

[Paul Pleiss]

Any idea when Nick Burdi will be throwing in games this spring?

 

It's my understanding he injured himself while doing some running this spring, tripped on a curb or something. I want to see his #BigVelo

[Seth Stohs]

It shouldn't be long. It happened while I was there. I believe it was the first official day of practice. I did see him in uniform the next day, though he wasn't participating in the workouts. 

 

I don't anticipate it being too long. The report I got was that he needed "a few stitches." 

[Bob Sacamento]

 I just watched Burdi throw this morning, kid was some serious gas!!  In warmups, he was throwing with Kohl Stewart, and it was the hardest I've ever seen two grown men throw in "warming up".  Austrialian Twins MiLB pitcher Josh Guyer asked me if I felt safe behind the fence while Burdi was throwing at me, "told him better than nothing", Stewart missed a few of Burdi's flamers but can't blame him.

 

Burdi later threw off the mound for about 30 pitches, Jorge Fernandez had a hell of time catching Burdi, especially his slider which is just nasty straight behind the catcher.  I took some video and will post up a link later. 

[Kwak]

Burdi is a guy who should b fast-tracked to the majors.

[Bob Sacamento]

Well he told me today that he'll be starting the season off in AA Chattanooga.  Dude seriously bathes in icy hot, real nice kid though pretty talkative, talked about his younger brother Zack who was just clocked at 100 mph while pitching at Louisville too...

[Bob Sacamento]

As promised here is Nick Burdi throwing some side session work today https://youtu.be/Dyj2sZAWaQ4 

 

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

I think starting his first full season at AA is pretty much fast track. 

[jokin]

 

I think starting his first full season at AA is pretty much fast track. 

 

There's a strong argument to be made that Burdi should have started 2014, his short season, in AA.

 

If he toils all the 2015 season in AA and AAA, it's definitely not fast enough.  There is little more that a college RP with triple digit speed can, or needs to, learn in the minors.  Get him up ASAP while there're still plenty of bullets left in his ammo pouch.

[Seth Stohs]

What is the success rate of relievers that fly through the minor league system and get to the major leagues in their first full season?

[jokin]

 

What is the success rate of relievers that fly through the minor league system and get to the major leagues in their first full season?

 

A more precise question is:  "What is the success rate for college relievers with triple digit speed, other-world K-rates, plus decent control?"

 

Throwing out his first game, his combined K/9 was 16.13 and BB/9 was 2.45, with an incredible 47% K-rate.  How many college pitchers have ever done that while reaching A+ ball in their first half season out of college?

 

If he continues at even a decent fraction of his K-rate in AA with similar control, how can he be held back?

[jokin]

In the same 2014 draft as Burdi, the Yankees drafted Jacob Lindgren in the 2nd round out of Mississippi State, and he's already reached AA in 2014.    Also unlike Burdi, he's already gotten the Spring Training invite and has performed well this spring in ST.    Many sources predict he will debut with the Yanks in 2015.    Lindgren's pedigree, at only 5'11" and mid-to-low-90s FB isn't anywhere close to what Burdi brings to the mound.

 

So what makes Lindgren a likely bullpen call-up in 2015 and Burdi not so much?

 

The Yankees tied for 1st place in RP team WAR from Fangraphs in 2014, they finished in 1st place in K/9, K% and SIERA... and 3rd place in xFIP.    (The Twins, of course, were at or near the bottom in most RP categories.    Again, what's wrong with this picture?)

 

 

 

 

  Spring Training has shown the talents of a few prospects that should be able to help out at the big league level

The team did not have a first round pick in last year’s draft, but they were able to take former Mississippi State starter/closer Jacob Lindgren with the 55th overall pick, who could be a huge steal. In 25 innings last season across four levels, he struck out a whopping 48 batters. That success has carried into big league Spring Training, as the 22-year old currently leads Yankees pitchers in strikeouts with 8 in 4 innings. The lefthander is much more effective as a reliever, where his fastball sits in the low to mid-90s as opposed to the upper 80’s as a starter. It would be unlikely for him to make the big league roster, but he has definitely held his own at this point and probably doesn’t need a whole lot of Minor League fine tuning anyways. I would be surprised if we didn’t see him in pinstripes at least at some point in 2015.

 

 

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

A more precise question is:  "What is the success rate for college relievers with triple digit speed, other-world K-rates, plus decent control?"

 

Throwing out his first game, his combined K/9 was 16.13 and BB/9 was 2.45, with an incredible 47% K-rate.  How many college pitchers have ever done that while reaching A+ ball in their first half season out of college?

 

If he continues at even a decent fraction of his K-rate in AA with similar control, how can he be held back?

 

That is a fair question... Let me know what you find. 

 

And, if he keeps that K-rate up in AA, it won't take too long at all.

[Platoon]

Jokin writes: So what makes Lindgren a likely bullpen call-up in 2015 and Burdi not so much?

 

The answer: Maybe it's the name? Oh, I didn't mean the name on the back of his uniform, I meant the name on the front!

[Seth Stohs]

Oh.

[Thrylos]

 

I think starting his first full season at AA is pretty much fast track. 

 

Nope.  Fast track would had meant a ST invite (for Reed as well).  Burdi is the best RHRP the Twins have in any level in the organization.  Shame he was not given a chance to make the team. 

[Kwak]

What is the success rate of relievers that fly through the minor league system and get to the major leagues in their first full season?

That's why teams have "options" on players. If a turn at the majors doesn't work--back he goes to the minors "to work on things". Added bonus, the player has some real experience at the majors and knows "what needs to be fixed". A more important bonus--when they succeed the team has actually been improved.

[Seth Stohs]

Personal opinion, I'm pretty sure there is a lot more to why Burdi wasn't invited to big league camp. Bigger picture things. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Personal opinion, I'm pretty sure there is a lot more to why Burdi wasn't invited to big league camp. Bigger picture things. 

 

Like what? There was talk before the draft that other teams might even have him in the majors last year......

[amjgt]

I think most of us would agree that he has a very strong chance to pitch in the majors this year, right?

 

I guess I find it odd that that type of player wasn't invited to Major League camp, regardless of whether you bring him up to start the year.

[jokin]

 

Like what? There was talk before the draft that other teams might even have him in the majors last year......

 

"Bigger picture things" like "waiting his turn" in favor of the pile of RPs in the upper minors that must be sorted through (ie, ST invite promises made to others)?

 

Is there something implied in this phrase, re, his character or maturity level, that held the Twins back?

 

is there an undisclosed mechanical issue or a lingering illness/injury that the Twins wanted to address first before throwing him into the big-boy pitcher-pile?

 

There was some genuine surprise expressed that Burdi wasn't taken in the 1st round, and as you said, Mike, there was talk that he was major-league-ready going into the draft in 2014.  More typical Twins head-scratching stuff, with their apparent "real reason" still not available for public consumption.

 

I really hope the big picture doesn't come down to economics, but I gotta think his agent isn't a happy camper.

[Halsey Hall]

Burdi threw a live bp today.  He's got some heat.  I talked to him after and mentioned his brother, and asked if he had any others.  He's got an older one that plays division 1 football for Western Michigan. 

[Paul Pleiss]

Burdi not getting an invite to big league spring training is not a surpise. If he does well in AA and doesn't get a chance to perform with the Twins sometime this season I'll be surprised, but let's wait for that not to happen before we crucify the organization.

[h2oface]

Burdi and Reed should have had a spring training invite. KC had Finnegan pitching in the World Series! College World Series to World Series. Good for KC!

[Paul Pleiss]

And Finnegan was recently optioned down to AA, the same place Burdi will be starting his season.

[jokin]

 

Burdi not getting an invite to big league spring training is not a surpise. If he does well in AA and doesn't get a chance to perform with the Twins sometime this season I'll be surprised, but let's wait for that not to happen before we crucify the organization.

 

I don't think anyone is calling for a crucifixion.  But, I see nothing wrong with questioning what secret "big picture issues" kept Burdi from getting the ST invite.  So far, there have not been sufficient reasons given.  My guess for the Twins' reticence in inviting Burdi, might also be related to the long, long season he had last year and the Twins being cautious with Burdi's very special arm-  I can buy this to some extent.

[jokin]

 

And Finnegan was recently optioned down to AA, the same place Burdi will be starting his season.

 

It's no secret that the Twins Bullpen staff is in desperate need of more Strikeout arms.    Is the only active addition by the Twins of Tim Stauffer sufficient to meeting that need?    Of course not.

 

I go back to the Yankees, even with the best team K/9 rate of all relief corps in 2014, they are still pushing Jacob Lindgren in Spring Training.    As I posted previously, exact same age/2nd rd. pick college profile as Burdi, with far lesser stuff, has appeared in 7 ST games, with 6.1 IP, 9 Ks, 0.00 ERA.  Lindgren is still a long shot to make the team out of camp, but he's gained valuable experience working with the big club players and coaches- no doubt placing him on the call-up short list.   This is experience that Burdi could also have benefitted from having.  

 

http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/112541524/rapid-rise-brings-yankees-prospect-jacob-lindgren-close-to-major-league-goal

[Seth Stohs]

 

Burdi and Reed should have had a spring training invite. KC had Finnegan pitching in the World Series! College World Series to World Series. Good for KC!

 

That's right... the Royals were in the playoffs last year. That obviously alters the thinking. However, they planned (not sure what they are doing now) to have him work as a starter too, so that was why they planned to move him back down. 

[Kwak]

 

I don't think anyone is calling for a crucifixion.  But, I see nothing wrong with questioning what secret "big picture issues" kept Burdi from getting the ST invite.  So far, there have not been sufficient reasons given.  My guess for the Twins' reticence in inviting Burdi, might also be related to the long, long season he had last year and the Twins being cautious with Burdi's very special arm-  I can buy this to some extent.

"Big Picture Issues"--1) Burdi was never going to be placed on the Active Roster for Opening Day; 2) "WIN NOW"; and 3) "We trust veterans" more in order to "WIN NOW", and they need the innings. I could have included "service time" delay for "control issues", but that is unnecessary due to the above three reasons.

 

The $85MM Plan might have included Burdi at Spring Camp (but would have necessitated the manditory service time delay).  But the revised Plan (which added $21MM) said NO to Burdi. Every poster's new bullpen friend (Stauffer) will take that roster spot that might have been used for Burdi.

[jokin]

 

"Big Picture Issues"--1) Burdi was never going to be placed on the Active Roster for Opening Day; 2) "WIN NOW"; and 3) "We trust veterans" more in order to "WIN NOW", and they need the innings. I could have included "service time" delay for "control issues", but that is unnecessary due to the above three reasons.

 

The $85MM Plan might have included Burdi at Spring Camp (but would have necessitated the manditory service time delay).  But the revised Plan (which added $21MM) said NO to Burdi. Every poster's new bullpen friend (Stauffer) will take that roster spot that might have been used for Burdi.

 

Yep.  But while we all knew that Burdi was never going to make the roster out of ST, it still doesn't explain why he didn't get the ST invite-  there are 28 guys that have thrown innings for the Twins in ST-  3 very sketchy vets-  Stauffer, Boyer, Ledezma- plus Graham- have come in from outside the system- that's 2 guys out of 4, for sure at this point on the roster, plus Boyer still might nose someone out of a roster spot, as well.  

 

I really dislike the Twins' "Big Picture Issues,"  if it's strictly limited to the above.

[TRex]

 

Yep.  But while we all knew that Burdi was never going to make the roster out of ST, it still doesn't explain why he didn't get the ST invite-  there are 28 guys that have thrown innings for the Twins in ST-  3 very sketchy vets-  Stauffer, Boyer, Ledezma- plus Graham- have come in from outside the system- that's 2 guys out of 4, for sure at this point on the roster, plus Boyer still might nose someone out of a roster spot, as well.  

 

I really dislike the Twins' "Big Picture Issues,"  if it's strictly limited to the above.

This is going to sound wrong, especially because I am very high on Burdi, but...

 

If he walks the first 4 LumberKings he faces, can you imagine how much pressure he would put on himself to make the club out of spring training? I don't care how many times you tell him... making an MLB team, like dating a beautiful woman, is a dream that leaves everyone (even 100mph speedballers) saying:

 

SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE?