Lester Oliveros Outrighted

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins announced following this afternoon's game that RH RP Lester Oliveros has been outrighted from the Twins roster. That puts the 40-man roster at 39. That clearly means that someone will be added to the 40-man roster to make the ball club. 

 

The obvious choice would be Blaine Boyer who has an opt-out on Monday. The same is true of Shane Robinson.

 

Mark Hambuger is another reliever still in camp that is not currently on the 40 man roster.

 

According to Twins Daily's Twitter account, Paul Molitor has said that he will announce the 5th starter and possibly other roster decisions tomorrow (Saturday). 

[Mike Sixel]

OH well......they traded for him, or he was a waiver claim, can't recall?

[woolywoolhouse]

Traded Delmon Young for him in '12.

[Mike Sixel]

Oh ya, right. Can't believe I forgot that.

[Willihammer]

Is there something extracurricular driving this move? I thought he was one of our better relief prospects.

[jokin]

 

Is there something extracurricular driving this move? I thought he was one of our better relief prospects.

 

I see success with the Pirates in his near-future.

[DJL44]

Oliveros turns 27 this year which makes him far too old to be considered a prospect. He can't make the team despite a weak bullpen and is now AAA depth.

[Danchat]

I betcha it's going to be Boyer, Hamburger, or a new arm - that's right, apparently the Twins are searching for a new arm in the bullpen: (http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Report_Twins_looking_outside_the_organization_for_bullpen_help032715)

[USAFChief]

This doesn't necessarily mean he's out of the organization, right?  

 

Just off the 40 man.

[Willihammer]

Oliveros turns 27 this year which makes him far too old to be considered a prospect. He can't make the team despite a weak bullpen and is now AAA depth.

He is getting long in the tooth for a prospect but its not clear why he wasn't able to crack the 25 from my view.

 

Coming off 12.1 k/9. 1.64 ERA. Hasn't allowed a HR in 2 years. Only Twins player to throw a 97 mph pitch, etc.

 

edit: OK he did allow 2 home runs in his MLB tryout. Before that though, none since 2012.

[Willihammer]

This doesn't necessarily mean he's out of the organization, right?  

 

Just off the 40 man.

Can you refresh me. Does outright mean he has already cleared waivers, or he will not be exposed to them at all this time?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

R.I.P. 97 mph fastball

 

What is the back story on this? You and many others had this guy highly rated.

[Thrylos]

 

He is getting long in the tooth for a prospect but its not clear why he wasn't able to crack the 25 from my view.

Coming off 12.1 k/9. 1.64 ERA. Hasn't allowed a HR in 2 years. Only Twins player to throw a 97 mph pitch, etc.

 

Missing a full season with injuries had a lot to do with this.  He did clear waivers to be outrighted, which means everyone else passed on him.   Did not see him pitch live this season, but his problem in previous seasons was that when he was hitting 97 with the 4-seamer he was wild, and when he was in the strike zone with the 2-seamer at 91-93, the command was not always there, albeit that 2-seamer occasionally being in the "impressive" category. 

I fully expect Tonkin to go off the roster, too.  Nothing to see there, his staff got considerably slower (1-2 mph) last season, was always flat and in 30 MLB innings his xFIP was 3.50 and 4.00, below average for relievers. 

 

They will need the spot for Boyer;  I also anticipate another 40-man casualty (Tonkin, Pryor, ???) for Robinson, but this does not have to happen yet.

[Thrylos]

 

 

R.I.P. 97 mph fastball

 

What is the back story on this? You and many others had this guy highly rated.

 

Read my previous post about the back story.

And as long as JR Graham makes the team (and he better, otherwise Ryan should be collecting unemployment) there will be plenty of 97 mph balls to keep the velocity warm until Meyer and Burdi and Reed and Co make it up North...

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Read my previous post about the back story.

And as long as JR Graham makes the team (and he better, otherwise Ryan should be collecting unemployment) there will be plenty of 97 mph balls to keep the velocity warm until Meyer and Burdi and Reed and Co make it up North...

 

thanks Thrylos. It's good to get a little reassurance. 

[stringer bell]

I figured that a pitcher or two would get outrighted. I was thinking Achter and Darnell. Who gets outrighted has to do with more than who is evaluated as the 40th best player on the roster. The Twins hoped that they could successfully sneak Oliveros through and they did. They may not have gotten the left handed Darnell through, the same with Achter. I hope Oliveros forces his way back into the conversation and gets another chance with the Twins. So far, he hasn't been that good in his cups of coffee with the team.

[DuluthFan]

 

And as long as JR Graham makes the team (and he better, otherwise Ryan should be collecting unemployment)

Graham is a Rule 5 pick, not a "draft pick". He is a player that another team thought wasn't worth protecting. He may or may not be major league ready.

 

If he doesn't make the team, so be it, the Twins have other players in the system to take his place.

 

As far as Oliveros being removed from the 40 man roster, his time at AAA will not count toward his last option being used.

[Thrylos]

 

Graham is a Rule 5 pick, not a "draft pick". He is a player that another team thought wasn't worth protecting. He may or may not be major league ready.

 

If he doesn't make the team, so be it, the Twins have other players in the system to take his place.

 

Have you seen Graham pitch? 

 

just sayin'

 

He is MLB-ready.

[Mill1634]

Looks like Rafeal Soriano is on the Twins radar. 

[Thrylos]

 

Looks like Rafeal Soriano is on the Twins radar. 

 

Everyone who gives up a HR to Ben Revere should be on any teams' (including the Twins') radar

[TheLeviathan]

I hope no one tells Alex Meyer that being 27 is enough to mean you're no longer a factor.  That isn't too far away.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I hope no one tells Alex Meyer that being 27 is enough to mean you're no longer a factor.  That isn't too far away.

truth hurts sometimes. How long are you going to pitch in the minors until you become a career minor leaguer. He's not there yet, but...

[Rosterman]

Oliveros was having a tough spring physically. He will probably end up on the DL to start the season at Rochester. For that reason alone, you got him thru waivers, and he would be a minor league free agent next year unless the Twins add him back on the 40-man, and he can use another solid year in AAA ball to see if his speed can overcome his wildness. The Twins got him for Delmon Young, removed him from the 40-man, and managed to resign him. He will still make good money as a Twins minor league guy, but may be passed-up by others.

 

Interesting the fodder on the 40-man. Stephen Pryor is probably first in line for a call up, jsut to see what he has. Achter and Tonkin could both be bypassed by everyone else in the relief area of the organization. If you cut them now, no one will probably still claim them. But at some point they might just be released. Darnell Logan is still a lefty starter candidate, although his strength would probably be in long relief. He has a longer leash, I would think, than someone like Thielbar or Thompson, both could be removed from the 40-man. Thielbar might draw some interest. People have had a chance to sign Thompson and he has ended up staying with the Twins.

 

There's still NINE pitchers clogging up space on the 40-man. From Wheeler, who is a prospect that will get a shot at the end of the year if he pitches well, to Pressley, a rule 5 holdover who has shown backend of the bullpen stuff. But, really, except for Wheeler in the future, and May and Milone in the near future, everyone else could easily be replaced by someone on the Rochester roster or in the system. And, quite frankly, if they didn't make the Twins, I see little interest in anyone else giving up a 40-man spot for any of them. Hey, we might even get Gilmartin back. Suddenly the Twins AAA and AA rosters look pretty pitcher heavy!

 

I'm glad Oliveros is still in the organization. But he may have missed his chance, as did a few others (Acheter, Tonkin, Pressly, Darnell). The jobs are there for the taking. The Twins have put out a red flag that they need bullpen arms beyond the "replacement" quality player. That they have a hard time seeing a patchwork bullpen which could include Pelfrey or Milone (and could've contained May and Meyer) says something for the pitching in camp this year.

 

Let's hope the starters can consistently go 7 innings (and they should).

 

[h2oface]

Nobody knows if somebody is ready for the show until they are given a shot. All the rest is talk.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Nobody knows if somebody is ready for the show until they are given a shot. All the rest is talk.

 

This is very true.

 

 

[nicksaviking]

I'm concerned about the contrasting rhetoric about the Twins bullpen options. From posts here, the print media and organizational comments, it would seem that at the same time the team has too many pitchers for too few spots AND doesn't have enough quality arms in the pen.

 

Good luck with that.

[jokin]

 

 I would think, than someone like Thielbar or Thompson, both could be removed from the 40-man. Thielbar might draw some interest. People have had a chance to sign Thompson and he has ended up staying with the Twins.

 

There's still NINE pitchers clogging up space on the 40-man. From Wheeler, who is a prospect that will get a shot at the end of the year if he pitches well, to Pressley, a rule 5 holdover who has shown backend of the bullpen stuff. But, really, except for Wheeler in the future, and May and Milone in the near future, everyone else could easily be replaced by someone on the Rochester roster or in the system. And, quite frankly, if they didn't make the Twins, I see little interest in anyone else giving up a 40-man spot for any of them.                                                                          Hey, we might even get Gilmartin back. Suddenly the Twins AAA and AA rosters look pretty pitcher heavy!

 

 

 

Actually, it's looking more and more possible that Gilmartin makes the Mets squad in a relief role, at least to start the season, anyway.  I honestly don't get the Twins thinking on protecting some of these other pitching "prospects" on the 40-man, in favor of a LHP who actually has  some decent stuff, and if healthy, a reasonable chance to get guys out.   Seriously, as you suggest, they could expose any number of these guys like Oliveros, and it's not likely anyone is going to bite, and yet the Mets, no dummies, with already one of the better Pens in baseball, were more than happy to take a chance on drafting Gilmartin as a Rule 5.  

 

The Mets were especially proactive, apparently in the knowledge that,  since Gilmartin continued on his dominating career minor league lefty splits record, with more outstanding splits against LHB in 2014- (combined AA and AAA.... and note his BB/9, I thought the Twins loved pitchers who don't give up walks!)-

 

2014 vs. LHB- K/9 9.96 BB/9  0.81  FIP 1.26  SIERA 1.83  WHIP 0.77  OPS .454

 

Decent LHPs are in very short supply.  Did anyone check if Ryan O'Rourke still has a pulse? A real head scratcher on why the Twins tend to think so little of the Strikeout.... perhaps they were, and still are confident that Gilmartin bounces back to Minnesota.  With basically NO apparent viable options for the third LH in the bullpen, it seems like a pretty needless gamble.

 

 

 

So out of this pack of underwhelming relievers, Sandy’s words not mine, here comes Sean Gilmartin who has squarely placed himself in front of the pack after a few very solid appearances.

After facing the Yankees on Sunday and tossing 1 2/3 hitless innings, Gilmartin did it again on Wednesday, facing and retiring four batters including three lefthanded hitters; Gilmartin struck out Stephen Drew and Brett Gardner, and got Didi Gregorius to pop out.

“For me,  that’s back to back very good outings for Sean Gilmartin. He’s throwing his breaking balls for strikes. He’s got the lefties, he can pitch them in. He’s used his changeup. He’s pitched very well. Right now, again, it’s still wide open.”

Gilmartin has picked up the pace and has drastically improved his chances of earning a bullpen spot.

 

[nicksaviking]

Good for Gilmartin, and good for the Mets. The guy is back in the NL where he has a chance. I'm 100% through with 89 mph junkballers; I dont care which hand they throw with. The Twins pitching staff needs to a big fat injection of red-hot, bat-missing, pants-crappin', plate-crowding-repellent velocity. There's no room any longer for guys like Gilmartin.

[jokin]

 

Good for Gilmartin, and good for the Mets. The guy is back in the NL where he has a chance. I'm 100% through with 89 mph junkballers; I dont care which hand they throw with. The Twins pitching staff needs to a big fat injection of red-hot, bat-missing, pants-crappin', plate-crowding-repellent velocity. There's no room any longer for guys like Gilmartin.

 

Uhh, except for the fact..... the Twins decided to make more room and stick with guys with an inferior track record and pedigree (Gilmartin was a former Braves 1st Rd pick)...  ex-NL guy Aaron Thompson with inferior splits, and ex-Indy Leaguer T-Bar- who for all intents and purposes, looks like he's finally turned into a pumpkin?

 

Who's the flame-thorwing LHP you propose the Twins should acquire/promote?

[nicksaviking]

Uhh, except for the fact..... the Twins decided to make more room and stick with guys with an inferior track record and pedigree (Gilmartin was a former Braves 1st Rd pick)...  ex-NL guy Aaron Thompson with inferior splits, and ex-Indy Leaguer T-Bar- who for all intents and purposes, looks like he's finally turned into a pumpkin?

 

Who's the flame-thorwing LHP you propose the Twins should acquire/promote?

If you thought I was implying the Twins were getting the proper personnel for a modern bullpen, I appoligize, I meant quite the opposite. They seem to be getting all the wrong fits for a lock down pen. At least above A ball.