Four Man Rotation for Playoffs

[Shane Wahl]

I am writing a blog post about blueprints for the rest of 2015. Anyway, it got me thinking about that miracle scenario where the Twins make the playoffs. Usually the thinking is that this means the team sticks with veterans and whatnot. Probably not in this scenario this year, for the most part though. Anyway, which of the following four pitchers would you want in a playoff series right now (assuming health and sustainable performance based off what they are currently doing, though give Meyer a tiny break and assume that Santana doesn't regress too much):

Hughes

Gibson

Pelfrey

May

Nolasco

Santana

Milone

Meyer

Rogers

Berrios

Wheeler

Duffey/Dean/Other (non-FA)

 

Please no FAs because that gets out of control speculative.

[gunnarthor]

I love the optimism.  Hughes, Gibson, Santana, May.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

If somehow we make the playoffs, I think this question will have answered itself!

 

The more interesting question at that point, if we had to play a tiebreaker or wild card game, is who would start that one game...

[Boom Boom]

Part of Santana's suspension is that he is ineligible for playoff rosters this season.

[Shane Wahl]

Well, I am using answers to figure out who really should be in the rotation at the end of year, pretty much regardless of whether the Twins actually make the playoffs. Being contenders instead of pretenders is going to mean having legitimate pitching for the playoffs. And that is going to exclude a number of the above pitchers.

[Shane Wahl]

 

Part of Santana's suspension is that he is ineligible for playoff rosters this season.

 

That part of it totally slipped my mind (probably because it was a ridiculous thought).

[DaveW]

 

Part of Santana's suspension is that he is ineligible for playoff rosters this season.

What? That can't be right.

[Shane Wahl]

(And I realize that trades out of the bullpen could affect this too . . . some of these guys might be good on a playoff roster to come in and strike a guy out . . .).

[DaveW]

If the Twins make the playoffs that means two of Berrios, Santana, Meyer will have to step up to becomes studs this season. So, if they make the playoffs I would guess the rotation would be some combo of these four:

 

Hughes, Santana, (Berrios/Meyer), Gibson

[DaveW]

 

 

 

The more interesting question at that point, if we had to play a tiebreaker or wild card game, is who would start that one game...

Chances are whoever the best pitcher who was on 3-4 day rest. A tiebreaker means that game 162 you aren't going to "hold" any one back, and a one game wild card likely means you had to play until game 161 or 162 anyways.

[Shane Wahl]

For the record, I think I go Hughes-Gibson-May-Berrios for the playoffs, with Meyer and Rogers in the bullpen for strikeout potential).

[DaveW]

 

For the record, I think I go Hughes-Gibson-May-Berrios for the playoffs, with Meyer and Rogers in the bullpen for strikeout potential).

Santana isn't ineligible for the playoffs FYI

[Shane Wahl]

 

 

What? That can't be right.

I thought somebody had this penalty too. Maybe it isn't Santana.

[Shane Wahl]

 

 

Santana isn't ineligible for the playoffs FYI

 

Yeah, that would change things. I like having Berrios as a wildcard in there. There seems to be a history of young pitchers taking control in the playoffs over the years. And the Twins have really been ill-equipped every year for them in terms of the pitching staff.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Call it the "Melky Cabrera rule".  I think it is new with the increased penalties (going for 50 to 80 games for a first violation).

 

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3755744.shtml

 

 

Santana tested positive for Stanozolol, a steroid. MLB rules call for an 80-game suspension on the first violation. He is also ineligible for the postseason, if the Twins happen to make it.

 

[DaveW]

 

Call it the "Melky Cabrera rule".  I think it is new with the increased penalties (going for 50 to 80 games for a first violation).

 

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3755744.shtml

That is such garbage.

[Loosey]

If the Twins miraculously make the playoffs I say change absolutely nothing and ride whatever luck/miracle they had going during the season right into the ground in the playoffs.

[ashbury]

If somehow we make the playoffs, I think this question will have answered itself!

 

The more interesting question at that point, if we had to play a tiebreaker or wild card game, is who would start that one game...

If it's a win-or-go-home scenario it's because the team was fighting and scratching right down to the final day. So you don't have the luxury of setting anything up by holding someone back a few days. Whoever's turn it is in the rotation, gets the nod.

[Otto von Ballpark]

If it's a win-or-go-home scenario it's because the team was fighting and scratching right down to the final day. So you don't have the luxury of setting anything up by holding someone back a few days. Whoever's turn it is in the rotation, gets the nod.

Not necessarily, the new wild card game guarantees a win or go home game, no tie required. In fact, Pittsburgh took a lot of heat last year for not holding back Gerrit Cole to start the wild card game.

 

Also, if two other teams tie, they would have to break it before they play you, giving you an extra day or two.

[amjgt]

Hughes, Gibson, Nolasco, May

[Andrew]

A rotation of Hughes/Gibson/Nolasco/May likely won't get us anywhere in the playoffs.

I would like to see one of Meyer/Berrios/Rogers to come up and dominate and maybe a trade to get one of Hamels/Kazmir as a lefty ace

[ashbury]

So we're only two front-line/dominating starters away from making noise in the post-season? Sweet.

[Dantes929]

 

A rotation of Hughes/Gibson/Nolasco/May likely won't get us anywhere in the playoffs.
I would like to see one of Meyer/Berrios/Rogers to come up and dominate and maybe a trade to get one of Hamels/Kazmir as a lefty ace

 

I've never quite understood this.   A rotation of ERA's of 2.9, 4.01 and 4.37 probably isn't going to get you very far especially if every reliever has an ERA above 3.98,  but still got the 87 team all the way.    If we get to the playoffs it won't because we have only beaten the bottom 3 of every other team's rotations.   We've beaten Kazmir, Sale, Sanchez, Liriano and others and played other aces and #2 guys  tough.   Hughes, Santana, Gibson and May are not considered aces but have pitched like them on occasion.  Even Milone has thrown shutouts.    Getting hot at the right time is all that matters. 

 

[Brandon Warne]

Hughes, May and Gibson for me in that order. I'm only going three-man in this entirely premature exercise.

[JB_Iowa]

Think this goes here as well as anywhere:

 

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 5m5 minutes ago 
Ervin Santana would be ineligible to pitch in postseason, according to what #MNTwins have been told.

[John Kelsey]

Pelfrey, Nolasco, pray for rain. 

[blairpaul715]

 

Call it the "Melky Cabrera rule".  I think it is new with the increased penalties (going for 50 to 80 games for a first violation).

 

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3755744.shtml

That is an absolute stupid rule, if you are going to do that, then make him or anyone suspended , be it for the last 80 games.