May will stay on in the pen indefinitely after the ASG break

[nicksaviking]

 

I heard Molitor on one of his radio shows yesterday state that he'd like to get May into more high leverage situations. I'm sure Molitor and the Twins have a plan, they've probably shared it with May, but not with us peons.

 

I'd love to see May in a high leverage situation in the 8th.  After he completed innings 1 through 7.

[jokin]

 

I'd love to see May in a high leverage situation in the 8th.  After he completed innings 1 through 7.

 

 

I'd prefer either one to his current limbo role.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'd love to see May in a high leverage situation in the 8th.  After he completed innings 1 through 7.

 

that made me smile....

[laloesch]

This is all lip service by Molitor.  Terry Ryan is trying to move Pelfrey before the deadline, that is my theory.  Berrios will be up soon enough and they will need to bump one of the starters.

[howieramone2]

 

I'd prefer either one to his current limbo role.

He sits out there with the bullpen guys. He can't throw the first pitch, but is eligible to throw every one thereafter. Doesn't sound like limbo to me. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the David Ortiz situation in 2002, what # would you assign this limbo?

[jokin]

 

I actually like the job he's doing, for the most part. I think.

 

 

Yep.  I think that describes virtually every Twins fan.  And he's not in on this decision on the handling of the rotation alone. Just because no one expects perfection from the manager, doesn't mean that decisions made should be immune from scrutiny.

 

FWIW, I tracked May's pitches from yesterday, he threw 19 strikes in 24 pitches.  Of 14 FBs, 2 pitches were at 96 MPH, 10 were at 94-95 and 2 more at 93 (his season average on his FB is 92.3).  The predicted uptick has occrred.

 

 In his 3 relief appearances, with all of the accepted acknowledgements of minimal data from which to draw from, he's forcing a lot of soft contact (67% increase), LD% is a paltry 6.5%, and his pull rate has dropped from 42% to 25%.  To be sure, he isn't striking alot of guys out yet, but he hasn't walked anyone either.  His strike rate is 75%, vs. 65% as a starter.  He's clearly a work in progress out of the pen, but all signs are that it could work.  Particularly impressive was his effort on Friday night, bearing down and getting 3 pop-ups (including two vs. the Martinez's) after giving up consecutive hits-  all of his FBs that night were 94-95.

[jokin]

 

He sits out there with the bullpen guys. He can't throw the first pitch, but is eligible to throw every one thereafter. Doesn't sound like limbo to me. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the David Ortiz situation in 2002, what # would you assign this limbo?

 

When arguably your 2nd best pitcher has only been allowed to come into 3 low leverage situations?  That question isn't too tough to answer- that's Graham-like limbo.

[USAFChief]

When arguably your 2nd best pitcher has only been allowed to come into 3 low leverage situations? That question isn't too tough to answer- that's Graham-like limbo.

converting him to a late inning reliever is a process. ..one that can't be done over night.

[jokin]

 

converting him to a late inning reliever is a process. ..one that can't be done over night.

 

How about 2 weeks?

[USAFChief]

And speaking ofMay, it's my opinion he does potentially more good as a late inning reliever than a starter for this edition of the Twins.

 

The difference between what he could be in that role and the guys he would replace is bigger and more impact full than the difference between him and Pelfrey in the rotation.

[Loosey]

May seems to be taking it in stride and is just rolling with it.  I mean he did provocatively pose in front of a Bull Dozer for his teammate, so I assume he doesn't take himself or the game TOO seriously.  Hopefully, he knows that everyone else knows he is better and more deserving to be a starter than at least Pelfrey but he is better for the team in the pen right now.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Yep.  I think that describes virtually every Twins fan.  And he's not in on this decision on the handling of the rotation alone. Just because no one expects perfection from the manager, doesn't mean that decisions made should be immune from scrutiny.

 

FWIW, I tracked May's pitches from yesterday, he threw 19 strikes in 24 pitches.  Of 14 FBs, 2 pitches were at 96 MPH, 10 were at 94-95 and 2 more at 93 (his season average on his FB is 92.3).  The predicted uptick has occrred.

 

 In his 3 relief appearances, with all of the accepted acknowledgements of minimal data from which to draw from, he's forcing a lot of soft contact (67% increase), LD% is a paltry 6.5%, and his pull rate has dropped from 42% to 25%.  To be sure, he isn't striking alot of guys out yet, but he hasn't walked anyone either.  His strike rate is 75%, vs. 65% as a starter.  He's clearly a work in progress out of the pen, but all signs are that it could work.  Particularly impressive was his effort on Friday night, bearing down and getting 3 pop-ups (including two vs. the Martinez's) after giving up consecutive hits-  all of his FBs that night were 94-95.

Great data, jokin.

 

For this team at this moment, May probably has more impact in the pen than in the rotation.

 

(Of course the same might have been true if the names May and Pelfrey had been switched, but still.)

[Mike Sixel]

If Pelfrey doesn't revert to the last version.....May might be better in the bull pen, if, you know, they actually use him in high leverage situations......but I'm not convinced.

 

I'd rather have my better pitchers pitching more innings......but I would be ok with him as the top RP out of the pen not named Perkins. but if he's not that guy in the 'pen, then I'd want him in the rotation for sure.

[Loosey]

 

This is all lip service by Molitor.  Terry Ryan is trying to move Pelfrey before the deadline, that is my theory.  Berrios will be up soon enough and they will need to bump one of the starters.

If Pelfrey is traded and Berrios is brought up I think for this season anyways Berrios would be moved to the pen for a number of reasons and May back to the rotation.  I don't think they would throw Berrios right into the starting rotation when they have a guy like May available who has been there and has been successful as recently as this season.  Berrios in the pen building up to higher leverage situations over the course of the next 2 1/2 months would a fantastic situation for all involved.  Twins get an improvement at starter (May v. Pelfrey), a young electric arm in the Pen who is also future piece of the pitching staff getting his feet wet.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

How about 2 weeks?

 

Who the heck knows.  That decision is something that May and Molitor come to together.  Not sure it's fair to anyone for you or I to set those expectations.

[jokin]

 

Who the heck knows.  That decision is something that May and Molitor come to together.  Not sure it's fair to anyone for you or I to set those expectations.

 

I'm not setting any expectations, I just want to find better answers in the pen than the current status quo, ASAP.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'm not setting any expectations, I just want to find better answers in the pen than the current status quo, ASAP.

 

Huh, I thought you were making the decisions now, dangit.

[nicksaviking]

 

The difference between what he could be in that role and the guys he would replace is bigger and more impact full than the difference between him and Pelfrey in the rotation.

 

I agree since the number 1 trait I'd look for in a bullpen arm is the ability to strike a guy out.  The rest of the rotation doesn't bring that to the table.

 

Still, it's hard to swallow as I viewed May as one of the best, if not the best starter going forward for this team and the difference between a good reliever and even a below average starter is still usually more than 70 innings.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

This is all lip service by Molitor.  Terry Ryan is trying to move Pelfrey before the deadline, that is my theory.  Berrios will be up soon enough and they will need to bump one of the starters.

I like Berrios, but I would be surprised if he's up as a regular starter in 2015.  He took a little time to adapt to AA last year, and it looks like he is doing similarly at AAA, and he has so few career innings, I don't think they want to rely on him starting through September (and hopefully October).

[nicksaviking]

I like Berrios, but I would be surprised if he's up as a regular starter in 2015. He took a little time to adapt to AA last year, and it looks like he is doing similarly at AAA, and he has so few career innings, I don't think they want to rely on him starting through September (and hopefully October).

I'm not saying he should be promoted, but doesn't his initial struggles at each level indicate there likely will be a MLB struggle too? Will there ever be an opportune time for him or any rookie pitcher to work out his kinks if your team's goal is to win now?

[Brock Beauchamp]

And speaking ofMay, it's my opinion he does potentially more good as a late inning reliever than a starter for this edition of the Twins.

 

The difference between what he could be in that role and the guys he would replace is bigger and more impact full than the difference between him and Pelfrey in the rotation.

Yep. I wouldn't have moved May out of the rotation but this is a real possibility. The guys May replaces in the bullpen are so much worse (and pitch in so many high leverage situations) than Mike Pelfrey.

 

But the Twins need to use May in that fashion or it's a moot point.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I'm not saying he should be promoted, but doesn't his initial struggles at each level indicate there likely will be a MLB struggle too? Will there ever be an opportune time for him or any rookie pitcher to work out his kinks if your team's goal is to win now?

Oh, certainly -- I just meant that he probably has a bit more adjusting to do at AAA before the jump.  Ten runs in his first 10 innings there this year.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

And speaking ofMay, it's my opinion he does potentially more good as a late inning reliever than a starter for this edition of the Twins.

The difference between what he could be in that role and the guys he would replace is bigger and more impact full than the difference between him and Pelfrey in the rotation.

But couldn't Pelfrey also be better than those other guys in the pen?  The full equation could be

 

(May - Pelfrey) + (Pelfrey - reliever) > (Pelfrey - May, which is presumably a negative number) + (May - reliever)

 

Given that Pelfrey's peripherals are the most tenuous of our starters, I am not sure why this wouldn't be the case.  I'd move the guy who is most likely to start scuffling in his current role, rather than move his presumed replacement with the hope that I can move him back quickly if/when the starter scuffles.

[Mike Sixel]

 

But couldn't Pelfrey also be better than those other guys in the pen?  The full equation could be

 

(May - Pelfrey) + (Pelfrey - reliever) > (Pelfrey - May, which is presumably a negative number) + (May - reliever)

 

Given that Pelfrey's peripherals are the most tenuous of our starters, I am not sure why this wouldn't be the case.  I'd move the guy who is most likely to start scuffling in his current role, rather than move his presumed replacement with the hope that I can move him back quickly if/when the starter scuffles.

 

I agree with your math, but the Twins' don't. Ergo, as long as May is in the pen, use him in the most crucial spots, otherwise they are just wasting a roster spot, imo.

[Steve Lein]

 

May's seemingly had an innings cap of 150 IP since 2011. i wonder if he's still at that limit of 150 or if they could have stretched it out more to 175? Either way that's my theory for stashing him in the bullpen for now... to save his innings for a playoff push. However, it's ridiculous to not have a plan for him while he's in the pen. Why not give him a shot as a 7th-8th inning reliever??

 

You're looking at it wrong. 150 IP is a very good mark for a full season in the minors, and basically an indicator a pitcher is ready for a full MLB workload as a starter if he's good enough. May has done that four times already in his career. He has nothing to prove in a workload capable sense. There were a total of only 12 pitchers in AAA last year who threw 150+ innings, 14 in AA, 2 in A+, and none over even 100+ in A-. 150 IP is a very high water mark for a minor league starter, especially one still considered a "prospect."

 

May has been a workhorse throughout his pro career, and there shouldn't be any worries about his workload.

 

Edit: I notice now I'm far late to this party... q; )

[jokin]

 

You're looking at it wrong. 150 IP is a very good mark for a full season in the minors, and basically an indicator a pitcher is ready for a full MLB workload as a starter if he's good enough. May has done that four times already in his career. He has nothing to prove in a workload capable sense. There were a total of only 12 pitchers in AAA last year who threw 150+ innings, 14 in AA, 2 in A+, and none over even 100+ in A-. 150 IP is a very high water mark for a minor league starter, especially one still considered a "prospect."

 

May has been a workhorse throughout his pro career, and there shouldn't be any worries about his workload.

 

Edit: I notice now I'm far late to this party... q; )

 

No worries, Steve.  That's still some very solid, well-researched and much-appreciated information.  More confirmation that May doesn't necessarily require the fragile flower treatment.  Molitor speaks as if he well-knows this, but doesn't want to take any chances on messing up May's long-term career prospects by asking too much of him, such as to appear in high leverage situations.  Caution when enacting a poorly conceived plan is actually a good thing in this case, but I think May would quickly adapt to being the set-up guy should it come to that.  It won't though, the "plan" and "role" going forward in the short run for May certainly appears to be as the "at the ready" #6 starter- either here or in Rochester.  The sooner he's back in the rotation, the better.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

And Perk is perfect in saves... In response to things to be excited about...

[jokin]

 

And Perk is perfect in saves... In response to things to be excited about...

 

 

Yep.  His stuff has faded a bit, not quite as filthy fast on the FB (down 1.5 MPH), and much more of a fly ball pitcher.  But there's little doubt about the outcome when it's time to close out a lead.