Milone to start Thursday for Twins

[Seth Stohs]

Reports out of Boston this morning say that LHP Tommy Milone will start for the Twins on Thursday.

 

Ricky Nolasco will throw a bullpen before the game. He may go on the DL... or he may start on Saturday (with Kyle Gibson now starting on Friday).

 

Clear as mud?

[SirLoin]

So who gets sent down if Nolasco doesn't go on the DL?

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm guessing it means Tonkin isn't coming back.

 

If Santana is going down, then I suspect we have a roster move after the double header to bring back Vargas.

[Mike Sixel]

Tonkin back for today only, then gone. Then either Nolasco goes on the DL, or another RP is sent down, who has options so they can keep Stauffer?

 

Or maybe they'll go to a 2 person bench?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'm glad Milone is back. He deserves a rotation spot again after his run in Rochester.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Pressly is the only reliever with options who is likely an option for demotion at this point.

 

Milone could go back to AAA after Thursday's game, if they want.  So they could send down Pressly for Thursday, then recall Tonkin for Friday.  And then they could recall Pressly or Milone if Nolasco hits the DL (as the injury would negate the 10-day requirement).

[spinowner]

I'd rather have Milone as my long man/spot starter than Stauffer.

[stringer bell]

I've been thinking about this for awhile. It could work to have 6 starters--run three through their regular turns and rotate 2 of 3 for the fourth and fifth starter. In other words, Milone starts twice in a row and if he's not outstanding, his turn gets skipped the next time with say May or Nolasco starting after getting skipped. The same for May and Nolasco. If somebody does get hurt, then no one gets skipped. Obviously, if someone throws three straight great starts, he stays and if someone get knocked around a couple times in a row, they go to the bullpen. The point is not establishing a definite pecking order between #4,#5 and long reliever and not designating one guy as the long man. It would be especially helpful if a rainout occurs.

[Physics Guy]

 

I'd rather have Milone as my long man/spot starter than Stauffer.

I doubt you will get much argument here.

[Squirrel]

 

I'd rather have Milone as my long man/spot starter than Stauffer.

So would most, I think … except maybe the Twins.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd rather have ______________ as my long man/spot starter than Stauffer.

There you go.

[SwainZag]

 

I doubt you will get much argument here.

 

By doing that you pretty much completely kill any value Milone has. 

[DaveW]

The Twins really messed this one up. Should have DL'ed Nolasco yesterday, called up Vargas for the double header, then send down one of Vargas/Santana on Thursday and call up Milone. Instead we are going to waste that roster space on a double header day and just waste a roster space on Nolasco who will be DL'ed in a few days anyways.

[DaveW]

 

 

By doing that you pretty much completely kill any value Milone has. 

Agreed, Milone needs to be starting every 5-6 days, whether that is in AAA or MLB is the real question. The "mop up"/spot starter guy can literally be anyone.

[Craig Arko]

Is Milone under contract for next season, or is it like Pelfrey's situation?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Is Milone under contract for next season, or is it like Pelfrey's situation?

He's under team control through 2018. No contract.

[DaveW]

 

Is Milone under contract for next season, or is it like Pelfrey's situation?

Milone is under team control for 2016, 2017 and 2018.

One more reason why the Twins should be doing everything they can to find a rube to take Nolasco off our hands (even if the Twins have to eat 50-60%)

[Mike Sixel]

 

The Twins really messed this one up. Should have DL'ed Nolasco yesterday, called up Vargas for the double header, then send down one of Vargas/Santana on Thursday and call up Milone. Instead we are going to waste that roster space on a double header day and just waste a roster space on Nolasco who will be DL'ed in a few days anyways.

 

100x this. It just doesn't make sense to do what it looks like they are about to do.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I've been thinking about this for awhile. It could work to have 6 starters--run three through their regular turns and rotate 2 of 3 for the fourth and fifth starter. In other words, Milone starts twice in a row and if he's not outstanding, his turn gets skipped the next time with say May or Nolasco starting after getting skipped. The same for May and Nolasco. If somebody does get hurt, then no one gets skipped. Obviously, if someone throws three straight great starts, he stays and if someone get knocked around a couple times in a row, they go to the bullpen. The point is not establishing a definite pecking order between #4,#5 and long reliever and not designating one guy as the long man. It would be especially helpful if a rainout occurs.

They can already call someone up in case of a doubleheader.

 

This plan of yours still leaves us with 13 pitchers if they want at least 7 "real" relievers, or if they go down to 12, it's an even thinner pen than before (imagine if they only kept 6 "real" relievers, and were hesitant to use that 6th starter in relief).

 

I'd probably just have a quick DL hook for any of the current starters, like Nolasco is facing presently.  None of them are really good enough to force out there if they might be less than 100%.

[jokin]

 

100x this. It just doesn't make sense to do what it looks like they are about to do.

 

But it's moves like this that have been SOP for quite some time now.... head-scratching and maddening.  It doesn't "feel like" a logic-based, Molitor-inspired move- is this a message to Vargas?  to show he's hurting the team by not having his house in order?  Perhaps the TD sages can clarify.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Pressly first out of the pen today with a 4 run deficit in the 5th inning.  A sign that they want to use him before they send him down?

[spinowner]

The X factor in the latest roster moves is that they don't yet know about Nolasco. It's obvious that Plan A is for him to pitch Saturday and for that reason it makes sense to have Milone pitch on Thursday because that means Pelfrey, Hughes and May can pitch on regular rest next week. If Nolasco does have to be DL'ed they want to wait as long as possible before doing so.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Pressly first out of the pen today with a 4 run deficit in the 5th inning.  A sign that they want to use him before they send him down?

 

Still not a Stauffer situation? What is a Stauffer situation?

[drjim]

 

Pressly first out of the pen today with a 4 run deficit in the 5th inning.  A sign that they want to use him before they send him down?

 

I would argue more a sign they want to keep the game as close as possible for an inning or two. Pressly is the third RHP in the pecking order.

[Danchat]

If Pressly is optioned, I will be mad. He's pitching very well and absolutely deserves to stay with the Twins. Stauffer is the 8th pitcher on the bullpen that clearly doesn't need 8 players and he doesn't even have a role. I'm not going to go on a rant here, but basically DFA Stauffer for Milone, please.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I would argue more a sign they want to keep the game as close as possible for an inning or two. Pressly is the third RHP in the pecking order.

We'll see.  Pressly has been coming in to closer games now, but so did Tonkin last week.

[drjim]

 

We'll see.  Pressly has been coming in to closer games now, but so did Tonkin last week.

 

If they kept Tonkin and sent down Pressly it wouldn't be a disaster. Pressly is better, but relatively close.

 

With Boyer, Fien and Graham there isn't a dire need for both of them.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

If they kept Tonkin and sent down Pressly it wouldn't be a disaster. Pressly is better, but relatively close.

 

With Boyer, Fien and Graham there isn't a dire need for both of them.

Tonkin has to go down at the 26th man today, right?  I was speculating about Pressly going down to make room for Milone tomorrow.

[drjim]

 

Tonkin has to go down at the 26th man today, right?  I was speculating about Pressly going down to make room for Milone tomorrow.

 

OK, if that happens, that would be a disaster. I thought you meant burn through Pressly and keep Tonkin. I didn't want to conceive of something so foolish.

 

That would really, truly be the first roster move this year that I could not comprehend. (Not to say all the other moves have been right, just that there is some defense behind them)

[stringer bell]

They can option whoever they want after today. A fresh Tonkin might be more valuable than a temporarily used up Pressly.