YOUR OPINION of FEASIBLE rotation/bullpen makeup for rest of season

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

Okay, I see lots of discussion of who should be up or down, or in and out of the rotation and pen. Many have made some very good points on here. I would like to see how exactly you guys would construct our rotation and pen for the rest of the the season. You must use current players in the system, assuming no trades.  Feel free to give explanations for your roster makeup. 

 

Feel free to use Nolasco, if he's ever healthy. Feel free to use Berrios in any fashion. You're the GM and Manager here. Have fun. 11 or 12 pitchers...its up to you.

 

SP:
#1.) Hughes 

 

#2.) Santana

 

#3.) Gibson

 

#4.) Milone- Not sure he keeps it up, but he's earned it. Nice having at least 1 lefty. Not a long leash though.

 

#5.)  Roggers/Duffey/Pelfrey/(Nolaso)-  (Pelfrey)- Can earn his way back. (Nolasco)- Can earn way back if healthy AND successful.

 

Next in line: Duffey/Rogers/Pelfrey/Nolasco

 

 

Bullpen: 6 or 7 spots:
9th.) Perkins

 

8th.) May- Been striking guys out as a SP, so why wouldn't he flourish here. If he is going to be in the pen, let it be in a meaningful role at least. Could be Wade Davis-esque.

 

6th-7th.) Berrios- Gets him to the bigs quicker to get his feet wet. Limits his innings. Can strike guys out. 

 

6th-7th.) Meyer-- start him out in the 6th inning or earlier, or in low leverage games later. Let him earn his way into the later innings, but could pass Berrios and May.

 

MR (1 or 2 of) Theilbar/Pressly/Fien/Tonkin/Graham/O’Rourke/Oliveros/Achter/(Nolasco)---

 

Probably revolving, but let them battle it out. No long leashes of past success, but pay close attention to the numbers; i.e; No buying into unsustainable Boyer or Thompson guys who are getting lucky. Pay attention to the peripherals weekly and bi-weekly, then reassess. 

 

LR.) Pelfrey/Roggers/Duffey/(Nolasco)--- Clock has struck midnight for the Pelfrey smoke and mirrors story. His contract and skill set fit this role though, and could earn his way back into the #5 spot. Nolasco is hurt, and I would make him earn his way back into a meaningful role. Roggers and Duffey apply here, as this role should be our next in line for the #5 spot role. 

 

 

Further explanations:

 

Rotation....

 

I know there is a chance we go out and get someone for the rotation, but thought this would be a more productive look at what have, and what we might need to do.

 

The top #3 SP spots I think have been earned past and present.

 

The #4 and #5 spots I think are open for competition, but put Milone in for now due to his recent success and being a left hander. #5 spot I think one of Duffey and or Roggers 

 

I am not opposed to Berrios in the #4 or #5 spot, if he comes up and succeeds in the bullpen late innings situation. His innings would be reduced and would allow him to finish the whole season. But, If only if he is dominating in the pen, are in contention, and the other #4 and #5 option don't work out. 

 

Not opposed to putting May back in the rotation either, with the same assumptions above. I just think that he would give us a legit setup man and be much lick Wade Davis. Using him as a long reliever or sending him down would be a waste of one of our best talents.

 

Pelfrey could earn his way back in the rotation, and Nolasco could too, but they would need to deserve it off of recent success.

 

Hope that one of Duffey or Roggers sticks and does decent enough.

 

 

 

Bullpen.....

 

The closer role is entrenched and the only thing we can count on currently. We are set, unless he implodes or gets hurt.

 

I personally value getting your best talent in the bigs in any way possible, and K% in the pen. The Cardinals have had good success here. Putting your best prospects in the pen early in high leverage gets their feet wet, keeps your pen cheap, limits their innings, and allows you to better work with them on adjustments. 

 

With the above in mind, I like May, Meyer, and Berrios in the 6th-8th innings. They can get us strikeouts. It gets them all in the bigs. It allows the pitching coaches to work with them. It limits their innings. And, we don't need to make it permanent. We are trying to compete. They should all be in the bigs right now, and they should not be pitching in long relief or low leverage. Let them fly.

 

I think the middle relief final one or two spots should be given to whomever is the most dominant in the past two weeks to month, and keep reassessing. No more Boyers or Thompsons. 

 

Don't worry about losing lesser like arms Boyer or Thompson.

 

Long Relief would be a good spot for Pelfrey, or whomever is next in line to start. This could Duffey, Roggers, Nolasco, or Milone. 

 

 

 

Just my thoughts, and they are likely to change over time with new information. But, with what we know right now, this is what I would try, if I was trying to win now, while keeping the future in mind.

 

Your turn.

 

 

 

[CwK]

Go hard after Jason Frasor. Just DFA'd by Royals.

[jimmer]

 

Go hard after Jason Frasor. Just DFA'd by Royals.

Less than 7Ks per 9 IP and almost 6 BB per 9 IP. WHIP of 1.671.

Not sure how he's done with inherited runs, but it'd be interesting to find out.

 

Edit, I THINK it's 5 in 26 appearances.

[TheLeviathan]

I got as far as the fifth spot in your rotation and I got very confused.

 

Roggers?

[jorgenswest]

I think the Twins need to plan in shorter slots. Right now they are set with 12 pitchers through the all star break. They need to continue to reassess. Hopefully May gets back in the rotation and they take a look at a few Rochester options before trading prospects for relievers. I hope we see Achter, Meyer and Tonkin again. They might look at Rogers as a LOOGY. I don't think Atchison is a solution.

 

Seems likely that the Royals will find a trade partner for Fraser outside of Detroit and Minnesota.

[John Kelsey]

Rotation-

Hughes

Santana

May

Gibson

Milone

 

Bullpen-

Perkins

Fien

Boyer

Pelfrey

Achter

Graham

Rogers

 

[Danchat]

Taylor Rogers isn't ready to take over a spot in the rotation. Goodness, no! I bet May will be back as a starter eventually.

 

My bullpen would be:
Perkins

Fien

Boyer

Graham

Thielbar (for Thompson)

Rogers (for Deunsing)

Pelfrey (May returns to the rotation)

Achter (Pressly comes back when healthy)

[nicksaviking]

May out of the rotation is a cowardly move. Why can't this team learn from its past? They win when they go with youth. Pelfrey turned into a pumpkin already, it's too late to get much value from him, this is not an audition for other teams, it's simply veteran appeasement.

[nicksaviking]

Oh, and my bullpen is Perkins and Pressly when healthy, Tonkin, Achter, Oliveros, Meyer and Duffey. With Jose Berrios, Cole Johnson, Alex Wimmers, Jake Reed, DJ Baxendale, Ryan O'Rourke and Zack Jones next in line should any of the above fail to strike out a batter should they find themselves on the mound with a man on third and less than two outs.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

I got as far as the fifth spot in your rotation and I got very confused.

 

Roggers?

I wrote it on an iPhone, and have a friend with he last name of Roggers. Must have kept autocorrecting to that due to prior use. At least that is what I will role with. Even with out that, it was probably still confusing. Just thought added context with the decisions would make it more entertaining. Maybe it just muddied up the post and made it hard to read though.

 

For some reason I am not allowed to edit my first post. 

[TheLeviathan]

Why would Rogers be in the rotation under any circumstance but, like, 4 injuries?

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

Liked what I saw out of May in the pen tonight. Wonder if they'll run him out there for another inning.

[drjim]

Just read that Duensing now has 8 straight scoreless ip, 5 k/1 bb. Maybe too early to nail his coffin? Might explain why the Twins stuck by him when he was scuffling so bad.

 

But might be time to option Thompson out and give someone else a crack.

[drjim]

And the first shoe drops

 

[drjim]

O'Rourke's era certainly isn't sexy, but 22 ks in 13.2 ip, including 18 ks in 30 pa by lefties.

[jimbo92107]

I'd send down Thompson, who looks tired. Replace him with Taylor Rogers. Replace Pressly while he's hurt with Tyler Duffy. Otherwise the pitching staff looks pretty good the way it is at the moment.

 

I'd keep an eye on Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios. Jose could contribute early, and Meyer could come on late, but I'm not betting on Meyer to suddenly develop command. He's a long-term project. He may be 29 or 30 before he's really ready to dominate.

[Twodogs]

 

I'd send down Thompson, who looks tired. Replace him with Taylor Rogers. Replace Pressly while he's hurt with Tyler Duffy. Otherwise the pitching staff looks pretty good the way it is at the moment.

 

I'd keep an eye on Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios. Jose could contribute early, and Meyer could come on late, but I'm not betting on Meyer to suddenly develop command. He's a long-term project. He may be 29 or 30 before he's really ready to dominate.

Wasn't Randy Johnson a little bit older when he finally figured out his command issues?

[Twodogs]

Starters

Hughes

Gibson

Milone

Santana

Pelfrey.  I'd give him 1 or 2 more starts depending on how the first one goes.  If it is lights out, I'd give him one more and it would need to be lights out again.  If not then May would take his place

 

Bullpen

Perkins

May/Pelfrey, the bullpen is really void of options.  I think Pelf could strike people out if only for an inning.

Fien

Pressley once he is better

Graham

Duensing

Meyer

 

[DaveW]

Rotation:

Santana

Hughes

Gibson

Milone

May/Pelf

 

Bullpen:

Perkins (closer)

Papelbon (8th inning guy)

May/Pelfrey (7th inning and high leverage 3 inning type)

ORourke LOOGY

Fien 6th/7th inning type

Boyer/duensing cut one and keep one.

 

Trade someone for the rights to Graham and stash him.

 

No need to have 7 guys in the pen, would rather have an extra bench bat considering guys like Santana, Suzuki, Hermann will be seeing at bats.

[jimmer]

 

Wasn't Randy Johnson a little bit older when he finally figured out his command issues?

How many Randy Johnson type pitchers have there been? He's like inner circle HOF. The list of people who didn't figure out their command issues later is miles longer.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Just read that Duensing now has 8 straight scoreless ip, 5 k/1 bb. Maybe too early to nail his coffin? Might explain why the Twins stuck by him when he was scuffling so bad.

 

But might be time to option Thompson out and give someone else a crack.

 

20 innings on the year, negative WAR still.....and, he had negative WAR last year. Taylor Rogers should have been brought up to be the LOOGY, but at least they are trying something different.

 

Rotation:
Santana
Hughes
Gibson
Milone
May

(Pelfrey, Berrios, Rogers in reserve)

 

Bullpen:
Perkins
Pelfrey
Rogers LOOGY (and probably good enough against righties)
Fien
Achter

Unsure, but they've drafted a ton of RP from colleges, you'd think 1 would be ready by now

[Twodogs]

 

How many Randy Johnson type pitchers have there been? He's like inner circle HOF. The list of people who didn't figure out their command issues later is miles longer.

All I was saying is that Meyer is really tall like Johnson, it might make it a little more difficult to gain control when they throw so hard that all.

[DocBauer]

Basically, two months before rosters expand and any lists become somewhat moot. But keeping things in house...which is what I think the Twins should do at this point...

 

May needs to be in the rotation. Period. You want to keep him out for a start, a little breather, to keep him as strong as possible for the end of the year, and give Pelfrey one more shot, OK, I may not like it but I get it. But there is a great article at Twinkietown recently that shows May is just about the best rookie SP in the majors this season. Pelfrey or Milone needs to move. Now at least, Milone is pitching the best of the two, gives the Twins a lefty, is younger, and may be part of the future, or at least near future. Pelfrey is almost certainly gone after this season. Time to think short AND long term with May.

 

Perkins, Fien and Graham are all locks. Four spots open. Seems to me Thompson could be as good or better than O'Rourke as a LOOGY. But at the time of their swap, it seemed like Thompson couldn't get anyone out, including lefties. At some point, Rogers has to be given a shot.

 

Pressly has pitched well enough to possibly hold a spot. But he's out right now. I won't dismiss what Boyer has done, but he just isn't the same effective reliever he was the first couple of months.

 

Perkins

Fien

Graham

 

2 of Duensing, Rogers, Thompson, O'Rourke. (Thielbar and Darnell look see's in September assuming one doesn't get hot before then) I doubt Duensing is going to lose his spot. To be fair, he's been pitching better as of late. And I don't think he's back next year. But he's probably a lock for now, though I'd rather see open auditions for 2 LHRP spots.

 

Wouldn't you be short sighted or borderline stupid not to give Duffey a shot at this point? Fien, Graham, Duffey and Pressly when healthy from the right side.

[SwainZag]

 

20 innings on the year, negative WAR still.....and, he had negative WAR last year. Taylor Rogers should have been brought up to be the LOOGY, but at least they are trying something different.

 

Rotation:
Santana
Hughes
Gibson
Milone
May

(Pelfrey, Berrios, Rogers in reserve)

 

Bullpen:
Perkins
Pelfrey
Rogers LOOGY (and probably good enough against righties)
Fien
Achter

Unsure, but they've drafted a ton of RP from colleges, you'd think 1 would be ready by now

 

Now it's 9 scoreless innings in a row, giving up 2 hits, 1 BB and 6K and not mention he is getting a much higher groundball percentage than he was.  Duensing was never the LOOGY.  I'm really pulling for O'Rouke to nail that position down though.

[jun]

 

I think the Twins need to plan in shorter slots. Right now they are set with 12 pitchers through the all star break. They need to continue to reassess. Hopefully May gets back in the rotation and they take a look at a few Rochester options before trading prospects for relievers. I hope we see Achter, Meyer and Tonkin again. They might look at Rogers as a LOOGY. I don't think Atchison is a solution.

 

Seems likely that the Royals will find a trade partner for Fraser outside of Detroit and Minnesota.

No more Tonkin, I think we have seen enough of him this season.

[Brock Beauchamp]

There are so many different directions one can take the rotation and bullpen (primarily the pen) that I don't care about the details as much as I care that changes are made.

 

But I know one thing for certain: if May isn't pitching high leverage innings in the bullpen, he needs to be back in the rotation after the ASB. If you want to give him a breather so he's stronger for the stretch run, I can deal with that. I'm not in the clubhouse so I don't know Trevor's mindset and how he feels going to the mound every fifth day.

 

But if you're not going to put him in the rotation following the ASB, he needs to be pitching in a lot of 1-2 run games with runners on base. Anything else is a waste of his immense talent.

 

If I see Trevor enter a 6-2 game in the fifth inning after the break, my head will explode.

[clank2000]

Not seeing a lot of love for Oliveros in this thread.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Not seeing a lot of love for Oliveros in this thread.

I thought Oliveros should have been called up in May.

 

Instead, the Twins started him in Rochester for a few games and then he got suspended.

 

Huzzah.