Is Duensing Done? What to do?

[stringer bell]

Brian Duensing has been with the Twins a long time.  He served in every role on the pitching staff, except closer.  His production has ranged from so-so.  For the last couple of years, Duensing has been an adequate middle reliever.  He wasn't particularly tough of left handed hitters, but managed to get get enough hitters out so that his ERA looked decent. 

 

This year, Duensing returned in the same role and after a couple outings of early success and his first disabling injury, Brian has been flat-out bad.  Counting the runs scored against him today, Duensing has allowed five runs in his last 3.2 innings, but much worse, he has allowed nine hits, walked four and hit a batter in those 3.2 innings.  That would mean Duensing retired 11 hitters, while allowing 14 to reach.  That is bad, really bad. 

 

I like Brian Duensing and respect what he has done, but it could be that the sand is out of the hourglass.  He certainly can't be trusted in close games. 

 

 

[h2oface]

Maybe you should have titled the post Stick a fork in Duensing, he is done. That seemed to get Hunter turned around!

 

Personally, I couldn't believe he was tendered this off season... but then, Ryan signed Santana and Stauffer, too. Duensing can't even get lefty's out anymore. And he has always seemed to let in way too many inherited runners. Does he have any options left?

[Bark's Lounge]

I believe is is time to cut bait with Duensing. I very much appreciated his effort is 2009-2010. He was pretty effective, but his shine is pretty dull right now and I would be infuriated if Pressley or Tonkin were optioned out when Stauffer returns, of which I believe we should cut bait with him also.

 

Let's see what we have in the new blood.

[drivlikejehu]

He's had one good season in his career... I thought he should have been non-tendered in the off-season, and he certainly needs to go at this point.

 

Thielbar isn't amazing but he's certainly better than Duensing.

 

[Mike Sixel]

Still don't know why he was signed.

[Thrylos]

.435 BABIP before today.

 

It will pass.

[Hrbowski]

Give him some more time, and when I'm at it I should also remind y'all of how Blaine Boyer turned it around and is now our second best reliever.

[h2oface]

Boyer looks good if you don't consider the inherited runners scored, I guess. But when they tag on runs to the pitchers they relieve for, it is hardly relief.

[Boom Boom]

It might be a little premature to throw dirt on his career, but I certainly think that the Twins could stand to trade up for a new lefty specialist.

 

Duensing's got 5 walks to 4 strikeouts... andhis xFIP is almost as bad as his ERA. He certainly has not pitched well.

[drivlikejehu]

 

.435 BABIP before today.

 

It will pass.

 

FIP and xFIP normalize BABIP, so that aspect is taken out of the equation. FIP: 6.43, xFIP: 7.35

[nicksaviking]

He might be done, but it's only three innings since his return from injury and only seven innings total. If we judged the whole staff on their first seven innings, Tommy Milone would still be on the roster and the only member of the original rotation not DFA'd or optioned.

[beckmt]

I agree it is time to cut bait with Duensing. Let's start bringing up the new blood

[Brock Beauchamp]

Should have traded high.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody had to say it.

[jorgenswest]

There are 27 left handed relievers (non closers) since 2012 that have pitched at least 150 innings in the last 3+ season. Only three of them have an ERA+ of below 100. Phil Coke and Brian Duensing are on the bottom of the list with an ERA+ of 93. In the middle is Wesley Wright with an ERA+ of 117. Duensing's FIP is in the bottom 23rd and last in strike out rate. I am not sure there was ever a high.

[spinowner]

 

I agree it is time to cut bait with Duensing. Let's start bringing up the new blood

What new blood is that? We need names and reasons why.

[DocBauer]

Big fan of Duensing, always have been. After all, he's from the Big Red state and a Cornhusker. I thought bringing him back made sense. He had a nice season going in '14 until a bad fade. Seemed like a strong bounce back candidate, and he still might be. But I think he should have rehabbed more. Wonder if he has an option left to get in some work at Rochester?

 

I don't want him to be done. But right now, he just doesn't seem like the same pitcher I've seen in the past. I'm not calling for him to go, but Thielbar is younger and throws harder.

[beckmt]

 

What new blood is that? We need names and reasons why.

Thielbar to start,  Twins have some other lefty relievers or righty relievers with stuff(Oliveras) to fill in for now. 

[Mike Sixel]

Who is judging him only on this year? See the post above over his career.....it's not good. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

But then who will be the player made available in the MLB Baseball video game trade propositions?

[stringer bell]

 

Thielbar to start,  Twins have some other lefty relievers or righty relievers with stuff(Oliveras) to fill in for now. 

 

Big fan of Duensing, always have been. After all, he's from the Big Red state and a Cornhusker. I thought bringing him back made sense. He had a nice season going in '14 until a bad fade. Seemed like a strong bounce back candidate, and he still might be. But I think he should have rehabbed more. Wonder if he has an option left to get in some work at Rochester?

I don't want him to be done. But right now, he just doesn't seem like the same pitcher I've seen in the past. I'm not calling for him to go, but Thielbar is younger and throws harder.

But Doc, Thielbar may be younger, but he does not throw as hard as Duensing.  Duensing tops out at 92-93, while I haven't seen a Thielbar pitch exceed 90.

[Rosterman]

You would've hoped that Duensing ahd value last summer, but there seemed to be no takers. With the need for lefties in the bulllpen, you could argue that the Twins did right signing him, although he seemed to be a situational lefty last year (what happened to the potential long man). 

 

Again, another player the Twins have $$$ invested in. They have too many such players and too many such dollars.

 

Will be interesting to see how it works out.

[ashbury]

Maybe you should have titled the post Stick a fork in Duensing, he is done.

Came for this, leaving satisfied.

[Willihammer]

Duen. Stick a fork in him.

[jimbo92107]

I've liked Duensing since they drafted him, but with the Twins I think his days are numbered. It's not even that he's so terrible or irredeemable; it's more that they now have better options in AAA and AA. Guys that are younger, cheaper, and have really live arms.

 

Start with Theilbar and Oliveros, if you want good regular relievers. Or you could bring up Alex Meyer, and let him get some innings in as a reliever, just for exposure. If I ask myself honestly who I'd prefer right now to get a few outs, it would be Thielbar. Longer term, Oliveros. Adventure time: Meyer.

[diehardtwinsfan]

.435 BABIP before today.

 

It will pass.

I know we like to say that this is somewhat luck driven, and there may be a component to it, but if he's getting hit hard, I'd expect that BABIP to be pretty high. You put a guy like you or me up there, I'm guessing that BABIP would be even higher. It's possible that Duensing may turn things around, but that will be an adjustment on his end that suddenly drops that BABIP as hitters won't be able to square up on him anymore. It's also possible, he no longer has what's needed to make that adjustment. I'd say he's probably got another month at most, but I'd really like to see what someone else can do. There's lots of really nice relief prospects that deserve a shot.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

There are 27 left handed relievers (non closers) since 2012 that have pitched at least 150 innings in the last 3+ season. Only three of them have an ERA+ of below 100. Phil Coke and Brian Duensing are on the bottom of the list with an ERA+ of 93. In the middle is Wesley Wright with an ERA+ of 117. Duensing's FIP is in the bottom 23rd and last in strike out rate. I am not sure there was ever a high.

That doesn't sound right.  Are you including Duensing's 2012 innings as a starter or something?

 

According to Fangraphs, for relief-only innings from 2012-2015, Duensing is at a 94 ERA- (note the minus) for this time period, which is above league average of 100 (lower is better).  (And that improves to 90 if you remove 2015.)  Not sure where that ranks among LHP, Fangraphs doesn't appear to have a filter for that.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=150&type=1&season=2014&month=0&season1=2012&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=14,d

 

Still probably not great, as relievers average about a 93 ERA- during this time period, but not terrible either.  Fien is at 91, Swarzak at 90 (remember, only relief innings).

[Halsey Hall]

One day during spring training each year some oil company, maybe vavaline, sets up a display.  They have a wheel you spin and win prizes like t-shirts, seat cushions, hats, oil etc and a few special prizes.  This year the special prizes were an autographed baseball.  A friend won that and got a Duensing signed ball.  He immediately sent it home with me to try to get the signature off.  Magic eraser works wonders and the next day I gave him back a clean ball.  He went and got someone else to sign it.  That was the beginning of the end for Duensing. 

[jorgenswest]

That doesn't sound right. Are you including Duensing's 2012 innings as a starter or something?

 

According to Fangraphs, for relief-only innings from 2012-2015, Duensing is at a 94 ERA- (note the minus) for this time period, which is above league average of 100 (lower is better). (And that improves to 90 if you remove 2015.) Not sure where that ranks among LHP, Fangraphs doesn't appear to have a filter for that.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=150&type=1&season=2014&month=0&season1=2012&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=14,d

 

Still probably not great, as relievers average about a 93 ERA- during this time period, but not terrible either. Fien is at 91, Swarzak at 90 (remember, only relief innings).

All innings were included. Relief only is a better slant.

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/DpNqW

 

Lefty relievers over last three years.

http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/JfMJg

[gil4]

 

Maybe you should have titled the post Stick a fork in Duensing, he is done. That seemed to get Hunter turned around!

 

Personally, I couldn't believe he was tendered this off season...

 

Agree X2

[gil4]

 

But Doc, Thielbar may be younger, but he does not throw as hard as Duensing.  Duensing tops out at 92-93, while I haven't seen a Thielbar pitch exceed 90.

 

Didn't Thielbar have an unexplained drop in velocity sometime last year and fall apart shortly thereafter? I hate to say it, but he might be more done than Duensing.