Article: Nolasco Stuck In No Man's Land

[troyhobbs]

 

You forgot Gibson.

 

So that leaves one spot for Milone, May, Duffey and Berrios. All four of which are better starting options at this point then Santana or Nolasco.

He also left out Alex Meyer who has taken a big step back this year but could potentially get it back together by next season

[DaveW]

 

He also left out Alex Meyer who has taken a big step back this year but could potentially get it back together by next season

Meyer still has hope, but he shouldn't be counted on to being an asset for 2016, Milone, Duffey, Berrios, and May all should be IMO

[howieramone2]

 

I did think about bringing up the idea of shifting Nolasco to the bullpen, but it seems like a longshot since he's made 1 relief appearance in the last 7 years and has never gained much experience in the role. Could still happen though.

 

Hughes to the bullpen is an interesting idea, as he was an absolutely dominant reliever for the Yankees back in '09. But I suspect he'll get quite a bit more leash as a starter based on his 2015 season and his contract.

I suspect he'll get quite a bit more leash since he's 26-18 since joining our favorite team.

[laloesch]

I don't care what the Twins have to do, get rid of this clown.  Trade him for future considerations, include other prospects to sweeten the deal, eat half his salary whatever.  They have to get rid of this guy. 

 

There is absolutely no reason to Ricky Nolasco in the rotation next season or 2017 other than contract status.  The future is now, it's time dump these non productive starters even if we have to eat significant salary. 

 

Oh by the way, I hope the league owners insist on adding a contract  escape clause for players caught doping.  Santana has taken Terry Ryan to the cleaners and is laughing all the way to the bank.  

 

The Twins don't need Nolasco, Pelfrey or Santana.  Get rid of these guys and let the kids pitch.  Wht a difference when you ACTUALLY HAVE talent (Duffey, May, Berrios, etc.)  instead of expesive as beens and low velocity AAAA'ers.  

Edited August 26, 2015 by laloesch

[jimbo92107]

Trying to categorize all the Twins starters...

 

Expensive Veterans with Issues

Hughes (back, velocity down)

Pelfrey (can't hold runners)

Nolasco (arm, ankle)

...

Santana (PEDs) <-- not an ongoing problem

 

Young Guys with Upside

Gibson (sinker baller, low K)

May (keeps improving wherever you put him)

DuffEy, aka Extra E, Bender, Dr. Hook

Berrios (future staff ace)

 

Talented Prospects with Control Problems

Meyer

Burdi

 

Unlikely Starters

Milone

 

The scene at Spring Training could be very interesting if all these guys are still around. Hughes and Nolasco both will have to prove that they are physically able to perform at a winning level.

The four young starters will have to show that they can get guys out without walking people.

Burdi and Meyer will have to stop walking people or remain stuck in the minors another year.

 

The one guy that seems least likely to stick around as a starter is Tommy Milone. He's stacked up against a lot of talent. Maybe he becomes Deunsing's replacement?

 

To me it seems like Nolasco could be competing on equal ground with Phil Hughes, who has a slight edge from a great 2014, but now appears to be losing his essential velocity. Nolasco's ability (when healthy) to pepper the zone from different angles with many different pitches might be more effective than Hughes's aggressive attack of the zone, but with less zip on the heater.

 

A better option for the building Twins might be during the off season to unload all the veteran starters except Santana, in an effort to acquire prospects, but especially a catcher that can platoon with Suzuki. I'm not all in for trading for shortstops. Danny Santana could still pan out, and Polanco could, too.

 

The other issue is improving the bull pen, which the Twins already did with Cotts and Jepsen. I could see possibly swapping Pelfrey and May next season, tho it's more likely that Pelfrey will continue to insist on starting, thus wind up somewhere else.

 

Another puzzle is JR Graham. He's not really a bull pen guy, is he. Also wondering about Ryan Pressley. Going forward, a possible starter?

[Mike Sixel]

Cotts is a FA, I believe, after this year. Burdi is never going to be a starter.....

[Shaitan]

What kind of prospect do people still think Milone can acquire? Sam Fuld again. No disrepect to Milone, but I think the market on his is pretty well defined at this point.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

What kind of prospect do people still think Milone can acquire? Sam Fuld again. No disrepect to Milone, but I think the market on his is pretty well defined at this point.

I don't think that's true at all. Beane vastly overpaid for Fuld and most of us felt that way at the time. The performance of each player since the trade has cemented that feeling. Fuld has been a replacement level player for the A's. Milone has been better than that for the Twins.

 

It was a bad trade by Beane, doubly so after the A's collapsed and didn't even make the ALDS last season.

[kab21]

Why does Berrios need to get shut down soon?  That makes no sense.  He pitched 160 innings last year and is at 155 this year.  Most likely he was denied winter ball because they want him available for the full MLB season next year and don't want him getting 2+ months of winter ball added on.  I am not sure I would have him finish the MLB season but he should be able to pitch 180 innings this year unless he looks fatigued.

 

Milone at 5-ish M in arbitration isn't bringing back anything interesting.  Make him the swingman RP'er/SP'er depth next season if he can't win a rotation spot.

[puckstopper1]

 

When Nolasco is written about, "quality peripherals" invariably are mentioned. Fact is, Nolasco is not a "useful starter". He never seems to get the results the peripherals suggest he is capable of, and it was a bad signing, unless you are conditioned to accept that a win one lose one pitcher with a 4-5 ERA is useful. Santana, Nolasco, Pelfrey, and even the Hughes extension (when he had 2 years left on his contract) was misguided, in my opinion, at the time and now. I am so tired of mediocre free agents being signed. 

H20 - From what I recall, Santana, Nolasco for sure, and possibly Pelfrey were "top 10 starting pitching free-agents" when each of them hit the market.  I'm not arguing the fact that these signings have not turned out as well as hoped, but the Twins needed starting pitching and these were some of the best available in free agency.  Thus I don't blame the F.O. - at least they tried.

[kab21]

Only one person really mentioned this but Nolasco's good FIP this season is misleading.  His xFIP was 4.01 because he was really lucky with HR's.  And he has continually underperformed his xFIP by 0.7 ERA throughout his career.  This was the one glaring issue in signing him but the hope was that perhaps his results were finally matching his stuff (peripherals).  The injuries certainly haven't helped him though and he will get every chance to make the team in the spring but he is an unlikely candidate to make the rotation partly due to the depth the Twins have now.

[stringer bell]

To me, the Nolasco thing is much like Pelfrey, but with a much higher price tag. Like Pelfrey, Nolasco hasn't been right physically in his two years with the Twins. Like Pelfrey, he is perceived as standing in front of younger, cheaper, better options. Like Pelfrey, he hasn't had enough success in a Twins uniform for many fans to believe there is still quality in his right arm.

 

It is probably nothing, but during spring training, Nolasco seemed to be the guy who wouldn't be conforming with what ever drill the pitchers were doing. His on-field demeanor has always non-plussed me as well. However, I've seen just enough of the "good Ricky" that I believe there is value there.

 

While the Twins have obvious weak spots in their position players, starting pitching always has to be a high priority. Nolasco can be part of the solution.