Molitor is a mediocre manager

[Platoon]

The Twins bullpen is reflective of the Twins. Safe decisions are best decisions. Sometimes you MUST have a SO, not just rely on a well placed ground ball or short fly ball. As for Graham, he has not been half bad. He isn't Wade Davis, but Wade Davis wasn't always Wade Davis! (If you don't get that PM Brian, he will explain!)

[tobi0040]

Molitor has Perkins.  Unfortunately over the course of 162 games we will be either ahead of behind a run or two more often than he can pitch.  We ran against a team with three shut down caliber guys to our 1.

 

Achter has a 2.15 ERA with 38K in 37 IP.  Tonkin has 27K in 18 IP and a 2.04 ERA. And we have way better LOOGY optins than Duensing.  These guys are not Herrera, Holland, or Davis.  But they are not Thompson, Duensing, etc, either.

 

This is on the GM.

[drjim]

 

Molitor has Perkins.  Unfortunately over the course of 162 games we will be either ahead of behind a run or two more often than he can pitch.  We ran against a team with three shut down caliber guys to our 1.

 

Achter has a 2.15 ERA with 38K in 37 IP.  Tonkin has 27K in 18 IP and a 2.04 ERA. And we have way better LOOGY optins than Duensing.  These guys are not Herrera, Holland, or Davis.  But they are not Thompson, Duensing, etc, either.

 

This is on the GM.

 

Are you sure? Tonkin has had a few chances, not done a whole lot.

 

Again, doesn't mean he isn't worthy of another chance or that Achter/Rogers/Thielbar shouldn't get another chances either compared to the slop currently being used.

[twinsnorth49]

many Asian food buffets :-)

Those might actually be the worst. Any Asian people here to confirm that?

[Linus]

 

Are you sure? Tonkin has had a few chances, not done a whole lot.

 

Again, doesn't mean he isn't worthy of another chance or that Achter/Rogers/Thielbar shouldn't get another chances either compared to the slop currently being used.

This.  Tonkin has a relatively straight 94 hour fastball and a slider he can't control.  Unless he is so dang nervous when he is in the big leagues I don't see him as somebody that is going to solve our problems.

 

I understand why TR is giving guys a chance but we are getting desperate here.  I'd consider Achter now and Oliveros when he is off the DL and ready.  The other thing I would do is start using May as my 3rd most important reliever behind Perkins and Fein.

[tobi0040]

 

This.  Tonkin has a relatively straight 94 hour fastball and a slider he can't control.  Unless he is so dang nervous when he is in the big leagues I don't see him as somebody that is going to solve our problems.

 

I understand why TR is giving guys a chance but we are getting desperate here.  I'd consider Achter now and Oliveros when he is off the DL and ready.  The other thing I would do is start using May as my 3rd most important reliever behind Perkins and Fein.

 

Control issues don't seem to be an issue for Tonkin.  2.3 BB per 9 in the minors and 3.0 in the big's.

[Linus]

 

Control issues don't seem to be an issue for Tonkin.  2.3 BB per 9 in the minors and 3.0 in the big's.

MLB hitters sit on his fastball and in this day and age, 94 isn't anything special.  I hope I'm wrong but I don't see the kind of stuff that is going to solve our BP problems.

[drjim]

 

MLB hitters sit on his fastball and in this day and age, 94 isn't anything special.  I hope I'm wrong but I don't see the kind of stuff that is going to solve our BP problems.

 

It won't. In reality it is pretty much Meyer (or May) at the moment and possibly Berrios/Jay late in the year. They are the only ones that really move the needle.

 

Could make a couple of moves with Rogers or Thielbar as well, but won't move the needle all that much (which of course doesn't mean it is pointless to try).

[jimmer]

'Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.'

[zenser]

I have zero faith in Thompson, Boyer, and Duensing and about as much in Graham and Fein.  I get "hiding" Graham and I doubt Fein is going anywhere but I see three job openings that are up for grabs and no one wants to take them and run with them. 

[USAFChief]

 

It won't. In reality it is pretty much Meyer (or May) at the moment and possibly Berrios/Jay late in the year. They are the only ones that really move the needle.

 

Could make a couple of moves with Rogers or Thielbar as well, but won't move the needle all that much (which of course doesn't mean it is pointless to try).

Rogers at least has some history of being tough on minor league LH hitters.

 

There's some logic to seeing if that could translate to the majors. 

 

Of course, to do that, someone would have to decide the big league bullpen is more important than the Rochester rotation.  

[tobi0040]

 

I have zero faith in Thompson, Boyer, and Duensing and about as much in Graham and Fein.  I get "hiding" Graham and I doubt Fein is going anywhere but I see three job openings that are up for grabs and no one wants to take them and run with them. 

 

I don’t understand why we need to hide Graham.  He is better than most of the pen.

 

Overall his ERA is 3.09, xFIP is 4.06.  7.2 K per BB, 2.8 K per BB ratio.

 

5 of the 12 ER he has given up were in one game.  By my math, his ERA would be 1.90 in the other 20 appearances.

 

Let's start by hiding Thompson and Duensing somewhere like a Mexican league.  Then re-evaluate who should join them in a few weeks.

[drjim]

 

Rogers at least has some history of being tough on minor league LH hitters.

 

There's some logic to seeing if that could translate to the majors. 

 

Of course, to do that, someone would have to decide the big league bullpen is more important than the Rochester rotation.  

 

Or more realistically, that Rogers will be a LOOGY in the future and not a starter. I'm not sure the Twins have made that decision (nor should they).

[Willihammer]

Phil Hughes moved to the pen in the Yankees 2009 World Series run. Literally every member of the Cardinals rotation has logged innings in relief (except Lackey). It should not be such an agonizing decision to move your next best starter into a relief role for temporary bullpen help. Its a team game, move him to the pen if it will help.

 

At this point, it can't hurt to try.

[Willihammer]

And for the love of Christ, Molitor, don't bench May in a time game because you're afraid of hurting Casey Fien's feelings.
 

edit: Boyer.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Excelent point! A lot of "food" of mediocre quality, but reliably filling!

and yet at the dog**** buffet I always leave hungry and don't want anymore

[DaveW]

Now THATS how you manage a game and a bullpen

[blairpaul715]

 

Now THATS how you manage a game and a bullpen

I thought it was a good plan, but I am kind of surprised you are not mad that Perkins didnt go 2 innings. Would you have felt different if May gives up a run there?

[drjim]

 

I thought it was a good plan, but I am kind of surprised you are not mad that Perkins didnt go 2 innings. Would you have felt different if May gives up a run there?

 

Of course he does. That's the beauty of baseball.

[Mike Sixel]

Not a fan of PR for Sano at all.......

[DaveW]

Not a fan of PR for Sano at all.......

Why? Sano isn't slow but he isn't as fast as Nunez (I'm a bit surprised they didn't put in Robinson instead) but oh well.

 

At that point you need speed on the base paths who can be a threat to steal and will surely score on a double (or single if he does steal)

 

I have no issue with that move whatsoever at this stage in Sanos career. Now later if he is hitting 40 HR a year and a .900 OPS....then maybe I think twice before PR for such a beast at the plate.

[stringer bell]

Molitor has already done this three times. I get that the runner is precious and advancing an extra base can be crucial. I don't think it is about foot speed, Sano is fast enough, but he is inexperienced at this level. The thing that bugs me is that an inferior hitter might come up in a game situation because they ran for Sano in the eighth or ninth inning.

[TheLeviathan]

The difference in foot speed between Sano and Nunez wasn't worth taking his bat out.

[Mike Sixel]

 

The difference in foot speed between Sano and Nunez wasn't worth taking his bat out.

 

This. I understand the move, I just don't believe it is a high value move.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I thought it was a good plan, but I am kind of surprised you are not mad that Perkins didnt go 2 innings. Would you have felt different if May gives up a run there?

I wouldn't. The idea was sound and that's what matters. In baseball, good ideas often don't work but that doesn't mean you trash the idea because it failed once.

[John Kelsey]

It would have looked pretty good if they would have gotten a base hit after Nunez stole second. 

[SwainZag]

 

It would have looked pretty good if they would have gotten a base hit after Nunez stole second. 

 

And it would have looked pretty dumb id Nunez would have doubled and Sano had to be held up at 3rd base.

[DaveW]

I personally wouldnt have done it, but i don't think it was the "wrong" move and certainly understand why he did it.

 

Ditto with Perkins and only one inning, he got out of the inning in like 8 pitches, I would have let him go more, but with May coming in I guess I understand the logic.

[Willihammer]

Is Nunez even faster than Sano?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Is Nunez even faster than Sano?

Does Sano's helmet fly off when he runs?  

 

Nunez had 30 SB per 162 games in the minors (26 in the majors), versus Sano's 12.  Of course, Sano had a lot more XBH (but he also had significantly more walks, so he probably was on first base roughly the same amount).

 

I am sure Nunez is faster, but I don't think Sano is a slouch when it comes to speed, at this point in his career.  If we really need a SB and think we can get it (and indeed Nunez did get it last night, albeit late in the AB), I guess the substitution is OK, but otherwise, I think I would stick with Sano in a tie game -- the marginal gains on other baserunning advancements are probably low.