What is going on with the Twins and Trevor May?

[SwainZag]

 

I really see no reason for Milone to be in the rotation instead of May, other than because they want a lefty.  May should start, period. 

 

I too think that May should be in the rotation, but Milone has had a very nice season thus far.  Before this last start where he got knocked around he had 7 starts in a row with 2 or less ER.  No reason to take him out of the roto.  NO better candidate to lose their spot than Pelfrey.

[drjim]

 

You might want to add 1 ER and 2 Wins to your stat line.  A few more hits than I'd like to see but I would attribute that to adjusting to a new role.  All in all not a bad line at all.  I'd still rather have him out  there than Pelfrey.

 

I'm probably not going to add reliever wins to the stat line.

[Loosey]

I worry about stupid long-term things that probably don't matter much.  One of those things I was thinking about was what if May turns into a very nice #2 quality starter and has a contract year coming up in a few years.  I wonder if this type of treatment would be water under the bridge by then or if he will take it into consideration when time to re-up.

[jimbo92107]

 

Well, I don't think it is because they were showcasing anyone for a trade. I thought it was because they thought he was essentially the best person to help shore up the bullpen. At first, I thought Molitor was easing him in slowly, but now I wonder what is going on, too. 

 

Here's the thing: May is a thoughtful guy. As such, he's also seemingly very "team first" but this also seems like the sort of thing that could mess with his mind a bit. I'd much rather he be starting regularly, or being relied upon in big situations. He seems like the kind of guy that is going to drive himself a little crazy if he isn't getting some significant responsibility.

I really hope you're wrong about Trevor May letting his "demotion" get to his head. I agree that he's a thoughtful guy, and ambitious to become a better pitcher. Putting May in the pen was a nod to Mike Pelfrey's seniority and strong preference for starting.

 

At this point, given Pelfrey's decline in performance, the Twins should swap the two, moving May back into the rotation. Why that hasn't already happened is a bit of a mystery, but probably due to the team's typical tendency to act late on obvious needs. Are other teams this slow to make changes? It's very frustrating.

[GACbaseball]

I would have liked to see May demoted and have Rogers, Duffey, Achter or the other AAA usual suspects brought up to be a reliever. Keep May on a Starter's routine while giving someone else a chance to prove they are better than Boyer

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I guess I feel like you should give a guy the opportunity to bounce back. But, he didn't so whatever.

Pelf wasn't bouncing back to a 2-something ERA.  His whole career has been bouncing between 3.70 and 5-something.  We should be happy we got a half season under 4 and move forward.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

You have to be ****ing kidding right? You make major decisions based on a professional throwing a temper tantrum?

Well... yeah. of course you do. He showed emotion in April and made a passionate case for himself. He started falling off a bit after that, but you have to give the guy a a chance to rise to the occasion. You set your players up for success and let them earn their keep. That's good management.

 

This whole quit-whining-and-do-as-you're-told-you-big-dumb-millionaire mentality is pretty naive.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Well, I don't think it is because they were showcasing anyone for a trade.

Showcase, no.  But it is possible and perhaps likely that they are waiting until they find Pelfrey a home elsewhere, with a starting role as that is his preference.

 

They did the same with Correia last year, another pitcher who did not want to go to the bullpen.  They waited until August to move him, when they almost certainly could have better filled his spot earlier.

 

They've also done similarly with other veterans, keeping them until they find a taker in August or just keeping them through the end of the season, although it's generally easier with bullpen guys and bench players.  Starting players are harder to justify, likewise when they are in contention like now.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Well... yeah. of course you do. He showed emotion in April and made a passionate case for himself. He started falling off a bit after that, but you have to give the guy a a chance to rise to the occasion. You set your players up for success and let them earn their keep. That's good management.

 

This whole quit-whining-and-do-as-you're-told-you-big-dumb-millionaire mentality is pretty naive.

Sure, if you phrase it like that.  How about "we're-trying-to-win-here-so-let's-do-what's-best-for-the-team"?  Or "we-can't-find-a-trade-partner-right-now-but-we-could-really-use-you-in-our-bullpen"?

[Rosterman]

I pretty much agree that May should be taking a regular rotation as a starter at Rochester. We should've brought up someone else to do what he is doing, or give a looksee at Rogers in the bullpen at the least. We have Darnell, Achter, the return of Tonkin. We could look at Duffy. Hell, for all that May ash done, Hamburger could've been given anotehr round in the majors for for the heck-of-it. Makes no sense not to use him more than they are. What is the ignorance of roles to be played by Graham and May.

[Loosey]

 

Showcase, no.  But it is possible and perhaps likely that they are waiting until they find Pelfrey a home elsewhere, with a starting role as that is his preference.

 

They did the same with Correia last year, another pitcher who did not want to go to the bullpen.  They waited until August to move him, when they almost certainly could have better filled his spot earlier.

 

They've also done similarly with other veterans, keeping them until they find a taker in August or just keeping them through the end of the season, although it's generally easier with bullpen guys and bench players.  Starting players are harder to justify, likewise when they are in contention like now.

In prior years when the Twins kept guys more deserving of positions in lesser role they weren't contending.  This year they actually are contending at least for a Wild Card spot.  And they aren't a great team either, so they do not have much room for error.  Tossing out Pelfrey every 5 games when he is pitching poorly weakens their chances of winning each time out vs the other options and therefore diminishes their playoff chances.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Sure, if you phrase it like that.  How about "we're-trying-to-win-here-so-let's-do-what's-best-for-the-team"?  Or "we-can't-find-a-trade-partner-right-now-but-we-could-really-use-you-in-our-bullpen"?

100% agree. I was just saying that they put May in the pen probably because he'd be more receptive to that change. Pelf wanted his shot, he got it, and now he's demonstrated that he's not capable. That's all. Go team.

[Loosey]

Again, last night the usage of May was very strange.  In the 8th in tie game they go to Fien and Duensing who blew a tie game.  Then finally once they were down 4 runs they ran May out there who threw two pitches and and got his guy on a lazy fly ball. 

 

Now, if I recall, May was at one point a starting pitcher for this team.  So I think it is safe to assume he can handle a work load of greater than two pitches.  The Twins eventually go on to tie the game in bottom half of the inning.  Why not run May back out there in the 9th to hold the tie game?  In my opinion May and Perkins are the two best pitchers in the bullpen right now.  So, they use one of them (May) for only 2 pitches and the other (Perkins) in the 9th and he gets hit hard and eventually loses the game.  But what if Perkins pitches a clean 9th and the Twins go down 1,2,3 in the bottom?  Who pitches the 10th?  Boyer and Graham are the only arms left in there.  I personally would rather ride May a few innings and then go on to Perk if needed later. 

 

Did anyone else have this same thought process?  Or am I missing something.

[DaveW]

I have a hard time faulting putting Perkins in, in that situation, but you are spot on correct, they should have just left May in for an inning or two at that point, or better yet, don't bring him in down 4 runs in the first place! Save your 2nd best RP option for something a little more high leverage.

[Loosey]

I have a hard time faulting putting Perkins in, in that situation, but you are spot on correct, they should have just left May in for an inning or two at that point, or better yet, don't bring him in down 4 runs in the first place! Save your 2nd best RP option for something a little more high leverage.

I'm not faulting putting in Perkins either.  I just think from a bullpen management perspective it would have made sense to save Perkins and let May pitch more than 2 pitches.  Also agree with not waiting until down 4 runs.

[Loosey]

So, Milone is on the DL and bring up Duffey to to start on not May.  In fact, May wasn't even one of three guys they discussed to replace Milone.

 

Again, I don't get the thinking.   I understand he isn't "stretched out" yet. But you would think May could go a good 5 innings next week and work toward getting stretched out.  Who is to say Duffey won't struggle and only 3 innings? 

 

I like Duffey but I would like to see him in the Pen for now and May starting instead since we know what we have in him.

[drjim]

I think May was considered but:

 

 

For a quick turnaround I can accept that, but if it goes past two games it is really bad roster management.

[Mike Sixel]

Every time the Twins make a bad decision, there is an excuse. Never the right time to trade. May should be in the bullpen. Suzuki should be signed .........how about just admitting they are wrong sometimes. How about the press, press the Twins, instead of being their PR arm?

[jimmer]

When talking about who to put in Milone's spot the Twins said Duffey, Berrios and Rodgers were considered.  No mention of May.  Hard to say they actually considered him when they don't mention him as someone they considered.  Rhett is giving an excuse why, but not saying he was considered.

[jimmer]

If May can be a quality #3 starter, to me that's more valuable than a bullpen arm.  And I think a quality #3 pitcher is his floor.

[drivlikejehu]

I love all the reasons people on here just make up out of thin air to justify their frequent mistakes, when its usually the same reason - the Twins have a broken front office.

[drjim]

Every time the Twins make a bad decision, there is an excuse. Never the right time to trade. May should be in the bullpen. Suzuki should be signed .........how about just admitting they are wrong sometimes. How about the press, press the Twins, instead of being their PR arm?

In Bollingers's defense his job is basically pr for the team.

[drjim]

If May can be a quality #3 starter, to me that's more valuable than a bullpen arm. And I think a quality #3 pitcher is his floor.

I agree with this

[Mike Sixel]

I was talking in general. When has this press ever questioned Ryan seriously? He is some kind of idol to them.

[ashbury]

I love all the reasons people on here just make up out of thin air to justify their frequent mistakes, when its usually the same reason - the Twins have a broken front office.

If we're talking about the current decision to bring up a guy from AAA, I'm not sure it's mainly the front office. Surely it's Molitor's choice among the various options. He's clearly got his views about May.

 

Or at least, if I were a MLB manager, and my team was where we are in the wild card race and about to face one of our main competitors for the spot, I would be livid to the point of tendering my resignation if I were told "no, you can't have the starter you want, who you temporarily stashed in the bullpen, to face Toronto, instead I'm bringing up this guy from AAA for you to use."

[jimmer]

Who is on the 25 man roster and the 40 man roster is, in the end, the decision of the GM.  The manager gives input, certainly (some more than others depending on the GM and the Manager)but the GM makes the call.  Then the manager deals with how to manage the 25 man roster given to him.

 

Though I'm sure when it comes to jerking around starters, he consults with the GM :-)

[ashbury]

Who is on the 25 man roster and the 40 man roster is, in the end, the decision of the GM.  The manager gives input, certainly (some more than others depending on the GM and the Manager)but the GM makes the call.  Then the manager deals with how to manage the 25 man roster given to him.

 

Though I'm sure when it comes to jerking around starters, he consults with the GM :-)

Perhaps, in a vacuum. And if they're DLing Milone, then the GM will bring *someone* up from AAA.

 

But this isn't what I said.

 

Given a 25-man roster, the manager chooses the starting pitcher.

 

If TR informs him, "I'm bringing up Duffey for the Toronto series", Molitor can say "fine, I'm still starting May." Or he can, as he did, say "I'm starting Duffey". We shouldn't make this into a FO decision.

[jimmer]

 

 

 

Given a 25-man roster, the manager chooses the starting pitcher.

 

If TR informs him, "I'm bringing up Duffey for the Toronto series", Molitor can say "fine, I'm still starting May." Or he can, as he did, say "I'm starting Duffey". We shouldn't make this into a FO decision.

I agree.  The FO definitely SHOULDN'T be making that decision.

[drjim]

 

I agree.  The FO definitely SHOULDN'T be making that decision.

 

I actually disagree, the FO should be making the decisions on which pitchers are starters and which are relievers. They shouldn't necessarily micro manage day to day and game by game decisions, but that is big picture enough that the FO should make the final decision.

[drivlikejehu]

Hasn't it already been established this year that the final roster decisions are coming from the front office? I didn't realize that was even a question.

 

I like Duffey, but how much has Molitor even seen him this year? Clearly Molitor and Ryan are on the same page about May, I don't question that aspect.