Tonkin Optioned. Who Replaces Him? It's Meyer!

[amjgt]

I think you leave Hicks down on his rehab for one more series. Like was said above, having a PLUS defensive OF of Rosario, Buxton, Hicks, would be a lot of fun, it just doesn't work as well without a DH (Torii).

 

Once we get back to the AL, we'd have Hunter, Hicks, Buxton, Rosario, Mauer, and Vargas.

6 guys for 5 spots.

 

That seems much more reasonable that 6 guys for 4 spots in an NL park.

[James]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Polanco as a possible call up.  The Twins have called him up for a short period of time before.  It gives them another bat and MI.

[amjgt]

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Polanco as a possible call up.  The Twins have called him up for a short period of time before.  It gives them another bat and MI.

 

I agree its a possibility, but I guess I don't bring it up because I'd like for the Twins to not jerk him around.

[DocBauer]

Room anywhere for Ortiz?

[nicksaviking]

Room anywhere for Ortiz?

 

Daniel, David or Ramon?

[DocBauer]

Daniel, David or Ramon?

Danny. I mean, if it's going to be a position player, temporarily, and not Hicks, and Arcia isn't doing anything, and we don't want to promote from AA, pretty much leaves Bernier or someone young and talented who we could get our first look at and his first taste of ML coffee.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

They don't need a pitcher and they probably want to use whoever doesn't start out of Escobar and Nunez as a PH so they need another SS capable bench player. And couldn't be Santana obviously.

But they haven't shown much interest in pinch-hitting for position players, so why would they need a particular defensive replacement?  They've got a backup infielder, backup outfielder, backup catcher, and a pinch hitter (Vargas).  Under what non-emergency circumstances would they need more warm position player bodies?

 

It should be noted that in Bernier's previous 15 day stint in MLB this season, he appeared in the 8th inning of blowouts 3 times, and started once when Plouffe was attending a funeral.  That's it.  And he did not appear in either of our games in NL parks (one of which went 13 innings).

 

He's an emergency replacement at best.  I'd prefer an attempt to find a more useful player, even if it is just for a pinch-hitting or relief role.  Virtually everyone already on the roster could perform Doug Bernier's responsibilities without incident for a few innings in case on emergency.

 

Not arguing with you, mind you -- I think we all agree this would be a bad idea?  Arguing with the potential Twins call-up of Bernier.

[Willihammer]

Its gotta be a LH bat, OFer to give Torii time off. Certainly can't be Arcia so I reckon Kepler gets the call.

 

edit: or Hicks?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Danny. I mean, if it's going to be a position player, temporarily, and not Hicks, and Arcia isn't doing anything, and we don't want to promote from AA, pretty much leaves Bernier or someone young and talented who we could get our first look at and his first taste of ML coffee.

Danny Ortiz is not on the 40-man, so that's a consideration.  And as I noted above, any position player call-up is unlikely to see action in the NL parks unless it's as a pinch-hitter, and I doubt they'd want to bring up a guy for his first MLB at-bat in a key pinch-hitting situation.

 

Polanco would probably be best -- already on the 40-man, has a few games MLB experience already, could fare OK with the bat in a pinch hit spot (reasonably low K rate).  Or finally start auditioning new relievers like we should have been doing awhile ago.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Its gotta be a LH bat, OFer to give Torii time off. Certainly can't be Arcia so I reckon Kepler gets the call.

Robinson started 3 of our 4 games in NL parks already this year.  There's your OF to give Torii time off (and Torii would be available to pinch hit and possibly come into the outfield in a double switch?).

 

I'd be curious to see Kepler, especially with his low K rates, but making his MLB debut in pinch hitting situations seems like a tough assignment.

[Willihammer]

 

Robinson started 3 of our 4 games in NL parks already this year.  There's your OF to give Torii time off (and Torii would be available to pinch hit and possibly come into the outfield in a double switch?).

 

I'd be curious to see Kepler, especially with his low K rates, but making his MLB debut in pinch hitting situations seems like a tough assignment.

That's what they did last time but Robinson's probably better suited as a bench option no? Pinch runner / defensive sub. And he's not a LH bat which is where they badly need help. On deck is Lohse, Garza, ?, then 3 righthanded Reds starters.

[drjim]

 

But they haven't shown much interest in pinch-hitting for position players, so why would they need a particular defensive replacement?  They've got a backup infielder, backup outfielder, backup catcher, and a pinch hitter (Vargas).  Under what non-emergency circumstances would they need more warm position player bodies?

 

It should be noted that in Bernier's previous 15 day stint in MLB this season, he appeared in the 8th inning of blowouts 3 times, and started once when Plouffe was attending a funeral.  That's it.  And he did not appear in either of our games in NL parks (one of which went 13 innings).

 

He's an emergency replacement at best.  I'd prefer an attempt to find a more useful player, even if it is just for a pinch-hitting or relief role.  Virtually everyone already on the roster could perform Doug Bernier's responsibilities without incident for a few innings in case on emergency.

 

Not arguing with you, mind you -- I think we all agree this would be a bad idea?  Arguing with the potential Twins call-up of Bernier.

 

We are in agreement it would be a bad idea. My only thought is that whoever doesn't start at SS out of Nunez or Escobar will be either the first or second PH of the game. If that happens, there isn't a clear option of who could play SS in a bad situation. The odds of this are small indeed, but it is only a couple of games and they don't need a pitcher.

 

I personally want Meyer.

[jimbo92107]

Lottery in June, corn coming up soon... Could be Alex Meyer. The Twins have been loosening up on bringing up prospects. They brought up Buxton, and the kid is doing pretty well, certainly not a disaster. Why not Meyer? Would he be a disaster? Probably not; he's got the stuff to get guys out. Apparently has a little better control from the set. Powerful fastball, tough slider.

 

With Meyer you get more dominance than Tonkin, and possibly more innings per outing. They've run out of reasons why not to do it.

[Loosey]

I would like it to be Meyer.  I also think he would make sense as in a Bullpen Arm for a Bulpen Arm.  Also wouldn't mind Kepler.

[jimbo92107]

 

I would like it to be Meyer.  I also think he would make sense as in a Bullpen Arm for a Bulpen Arm.  Also wouldn't mind Kepler.

It does feel right to reward Der Kid with at least a cuppa coffee, but that may not happen until later this season. Maybe after the All-Star break? Max Kepler is one of the feel-good stories of this organization, along with the impressive comeback of Alex Wimmers.

[Hrbowski]

I don't think it makes sense to send a pitcher down to call up another in this scenario, this makes me think that it is going to be a bat.

[Mike Sixel]

Kepler is in the Futures game.....I'd guess he would not come up before that honor, or they wouldn't have allowed him to be added.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

I'm going to guess Arcia.

 

I expect I will be wrong.

[jimmer]

 

I don't think it makes sense to send a pitcher down to call up another in this scenario, this makes me think that it is going to be a bat.

I'm thinking Danny Santana

[drjim]

 

Kepler is in the Futures game.....I'd guess he would not come up before that honor, or they wouldn't have allowed him to be added.

 

Replacements do happen in the Futures Game, but it's a moot point, Kepler wasn't getting called up to PH for a couple of games.

[Jham]

I disagree with the notion that we don't need more pitchers in the NL parks.  It seems like we almost always bring our starters out early to get a bat into the game.  Then we rarely stretch our relievers in response.  I think we are more likely to need to scramble for outs at the end of games then to need to scramble for runs.  Considering the options, we have pitchers ready for call more likely to help us than hitters.  I'll take Nunez over Arcia to get a big hit right now.  

 

Alex Meyer should have been in the MLB pen from the beginning of the year.  He needs to be the call.

 

 

[jokin]

 

Replacements do happen in the Futures Game, but it's a moot point, Kepler wasn't getting called up to PH for a couple of games.

 

How soon we forget.

 

Although it surprised a lot of people at the time....  One year ago tomorrow, Jorge Polanco was called up for 4 games, the first 3 of which, he appeared as a pinch hitter.

[drjim]

 

How soon we forget.

 

Although it surprised a lot of people at the time....  One year ago tomorrow, Jorge Polanco was called up for 4 games, the first 3 of which, he appeared as a pinch hitter.

 

I didn't forget (though didn't realize the exact date), there's just no comparison between a middle infielder and a 1B/OF when thinking of roster construction.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

It's Meyer per team press release.

[DocBauer]

And the thud you just heard was mass fainting by the eager members of Twins Daily

[nicksaviking]

Hurrah! Finally someone in the pen who can top 95!

[jokin]

 

I didn't forget (though didn't realize the exact date), there's just no comparison between a middle infielder and a 1B/OF when thinking of roster construction.

 

 

Both would be temporary moves to give a prospect a taste, and temporarily fill a hole in the roster.

 

But moot point it is, as Meyer finally arrives in the majors!

[Squirrel]

 

It's Meyer per team press release.

Thanks for breaking the news! This is awesome!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Although it surprised a lot of people at the time....  One year ago tomorrow, Jorge Polanco was called up for 4 games, the first 3 of which, he appeared as a pinch hitter.

Didn't we have a crazy injury crunch when Polanco was first called up last year?  I think Santana, Nunez, and Plouffe were all hurt, so Escobar was starting at 3B, Florimon was back at SS, and I believe Polanco was the only other healthy infielder (other than Dozier) on the 40-man roster at that moment.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Cool news on Meyer.  I'm not a fan of the huge pen, but we don't have the pieces to make a larger bench more valuable at the moment either.