Who starts game 163

[zchrz]

There is still a lot of fighting left to do but should the Twins manage to get into the wild card game who would you feel the most confident in taking the mound for the win or go home game?

 

Phil Hughes - The staff "ace" to start the season, Hughes is currently out with an injury but should be back to get a couple starts under his belt.  This year has been a big step backwards for him overall with decreased velocity and an undesirable spot among the league leaders in hits and home runs allowed.  However he could be fresher coming back from his break and can throw some dominating games when his stuff is there.

 

Kyle Gibson - He looked awesome through the first half of the year and was able to completely dominate opponents at times, however he has struggled with consistency in the 2nd half and looks to be wearing down.

 

Mike Pelfry - He was a major surprise early in the year posting some great numbers and games after finding another tick or two on his velocity and adding a nasty split finger, though his success was not really backed by his advanced statistics and appeared by the eye test to be somewhat luck driven.  The second half has been a different story where he has been a coin flip to go 7 or not make it through 3. 

 

Tommy Milone - He hasn't thrown a ton of innings but has been a pretty effective back of the rotation starter when he has taken the mound.  His numbers are better than his advanced statistics would tell but he generally doesn't get shelled.  The soft tossing lefty isn't the most formidable guy to throw out there but has maybe been the most consistent of whats available.

 

JO Berrios - The dark horse rookie who is still sitting in AAA, he has had a very impressive year and looks to be a very bright spot in the Twins future but has yet to be called up and has already thrown more innings than ever previously before.  This would be an incredibly bold move and the The Twins probably will not hang their season on the shoulders of a guy who will have at the best 30 or so mlb innings under his belt if he even gets promoted. 

 

 

The Twins as usual lack an ace and it makes this decision tough because every guy has some major question marks.  I personally would have felt the most confident in Trevor May getting the spot but he is currently in the bullpen and appears to be staying there.  Of the available guys I think Phil Hughes gets the call and everyone hopes he can turn in a 2014 Phil Hughes game.

 

Out of the possible opponents the Twins organizational kryptonite, the New York Yankees, seems to be the most likely which would mean facing Mashiro Tanaka and the curse that has haunted the team for my entire lifetime of getting bounced by the Bronx.

 

[Vanimal46]

If Berrios gets the call up, I would go with the element of surprise and make him the starter. Hope he can go 5-6 innings, and play matchups the rest of the way. Every pitcher is available for that game, including starters coming out of the pen. 

[bluechipper]

This is pretty sad, but I'd probably prefer having Tommy Milone on the mound in a must win game. He at least seems to have the right mindset for that situation. I thin Kyle Gibson might have the most talent (besides Berrios), but I'm afraid he might have a panic attack on a big stage like that.

[James]

How about another dark horse candidate:  Tyler Duffey. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

It might be whoever is in line for the start.  Not sure this race is going to be easy enough for us to juggle our rotation.

[70charger]

Wow, when you lay it out like that, how are we in playoff contention?

[SwainZag]

 

It might be whoever is in line for the start.  Not sure this race is going to be easy enough for us to juggle our rotation.

 

 I agree with you here, if they make that game they more than likely are fighting down to the last day of the season and it will be whoever is rested.

[BeenHazy]

by definition, a game 163 means that all the games leading up to it are every bit as important.

 

a wildcard game might not be played until Tuesday or even Wednesday, so then they may have options.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Minor nit-pick: the wild card game is not "game 163" in that it is not officially part of the regular season, but rather the postseason.  A tiebreaker game would technically be "game 163", though.

 

It's still pretty far away, and there are off days left and Hughes' return to consider in addition to Berrios, but for the sake of looking, it would be Gibson in line to take the start right now (assuming no skips or re-arranging).

There is a day off scheduled before the wild card game, so the next starter (currently Pelfrey) could take it on regular rest too (especially if we had to play a tiebreaker game 163 on that off day, to determine who advances to the wild card game).

[James]

 

Wow, when you lay it out like that, how are we in playoff contention?

http://totallyfailinglondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/smoke-mirrors-effusion-1.jpg

 

Just kidding... sort of.  There is a lot of talent on this team.  It seems like someone is always picking up the team.  I really don't know who should start if it comes down to that.  It probably will be whoever is in line next.

 

Hopefully, Hughes comes back and starts pitching well again, but I'd almost have Gibson, Pelfrey (eek) or Duffey pitch that game.  It's probably going to be at Yankee stadium, so I'd want the guy that is most likely to induce a ton of ground balls.  

[Craig Arko]

Well, first don't be too sure there won't be a game 163 to decide who makes it to the Wild Card game. Things may be that close.

 

But for the WC itself; if it's in NY I'd go with the lefty Milone, and if it's Toronto one of the groundballers (either Gibson or Pelfrey). I would not want Hughes with so many gopher balls served for this one.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

by definition, a game 163 means that all the games leading up to it are every bit as important.

See my post above -- the original poster actually meant "wild card game."

 

If there is actually a game 163 tiebreaker, that will almost certainly be whoever is on regular rest.  There's still a chance that we could have time to re-arrange things for the wild card game, though, if game 163 is unnecessary.

 

In any case, Hughes and Berrios give us some interesting options to arrange things well in advance.

[Mike Sixel]

Bullpen game, even if that bullpen is Berrios, Milone, Pelfrey, Gibson for 1-2 innings each before the real bullpen.

 

A one game playoff begs for a bullpen approach, or a super quick hook. Third time through the order, nearly every pitcher drops off like a cliff. Second time just a bit......so, bullpen game.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I get the quick hook, but I wouldn't want to make it a bullpen game.  Just getting 3-4 effective innings out of guy (or two) could be huge, especially if the game stays close late or goes into extras.  There should be someone in this starting group trustworthy enough on regular rest to try that.

[TheLeviathan]

How much fun would it be to see Berrios dominate the Yankees and bury that curse once and for all?

[Willihammer]

There are only 36 games left so I think if everyone stays on schedule it would be Gibson's turn. They do finish out the season 13 games in 13 days but would have one off day before the wild card game so Pelfrey could be an option too as his spot is after Gibson's.

[SwainZag]

 

Well, first don't be too sure there won't be a game 163 to decide who makes it to the Wild Card game. Things may be that close.

 

But for the WC itself; if it's in NY I'd go with the lefty Milone, and if it's Toronto one of the groundballers (either Gibson or Pelfrey). I would not want Hughes with so many gopher balls served for this one.

 

Hughes at Yankee Stadium.......presented by Brad Radke

 

https://youtu.be/f2b8R6P7WBU

 

I Still can't believe he agreed to be in that commercial like that.

[Winston Smith]

Nolasco should be well rested!

[jimbo92107]

 

How about another dark horse candidate:  Tyler Duffey. 

Shock the world with Bender's mind-bending curve ball. Only if he promises to throw it at least 51 percent of the time, including first pitch and strikeout pitch. By the time DickBert finish deciding to call it a curve or a slider, the game will be over.

[nicksaviking]

 

There are only 36 games left so I think if everyone stays on schedule it would be Gibson's turn.

 

And after wathcing him pitch lately, he'd be my last choice of the listed options plus Duffey.  He's looking tired.

[arkyvaughan]

As much fun as it would to have Berrios pitch I'm convinced we won't see him in the majors this year

The Twins are going to cap his innings and his season will be over after another 2-3 starts

[kab21]

Berrios really won't be an option by then.  Innings limits aren't a concern now but if he finishes out the year in the rotation then he will be pushing 200 IP by then.  My preference would be that he is the Carlos Martinez/David Price option out of the bullpen at that time.

[spinowner]

 

Minor nit-pick: the wild card game is not "game 163" in that it is not officially part of the regular season, but rather the postseason.  A tiebreaker game would technically be "game 163", though.

 

It's still pretty far away, and there are off days left and Hughes' return to consider in addition to Berrios, but for the sake of looking, it would be Gibson in line to take the start right now (assuming no skips or re-arranging).

There is a day off scheduled before the wild card game, so the next starter (currently Pelfrey) could take it on regular rest too (especially if we had to play a tiebreaker game 163 on that off day, to determine who advances to the wild card game).

I don't consider this a nit-pick. I think we should all use proper terminology. In MLB, the postseason is the correct terminology for the games played to narrow the ten-team field down to the World Champion.

A playoff is the game or games required to break a tie after 162 games and playoff games are part of the regular season. This game is often referred to as game 163 because it's the 163rd game of the regular season for those teams. Also, playoff games are played only if one of the teams that are tied needs to be eliminated from the postseason. For example, if the Blue Jays and the Yankees finish the season tied for first place in the East Division with a record good enough to qualify for a wild card berth, then tiebreakers are used to determine who is division champion and who is the wild card team. 

[bluechipper]

 

This is pretty sad, but I'd probably prefer having Tommy Milone on the mound in a must win game. He at least seems to have the right mindset for that situation. I thin Kyle Gibson might have the most talent (besides Berrios), but I'm afraid he might have a panic attack on a big stage like that.

After tonight's game, maybe I should switch my choice.

[howeda7]

It is amazing that this question is so hard to answer for a potential play-off team. Gibson for me, if he turns it around even a little between now and then.

[Bark's Lounge]

The fact that this thread is being posted to and taken seriously - is somewhat surprising - which is a good thing. #optimism.

[T.C.]

Trevor May.  Get what you can out of him, hopefully 3 solid innings then mix and match your way to the 7th where you can use Jepsen and Perk for the final 9 outs. I know we don't have a very solid bullpen but we also don't have an "Ace"

[DocBauer]

Is Blackburn still available?

[nytwinsfan]

I don't know who should start, but Trevor May should be pitching at least 2 or 3 innings during the game, that's for sure.

Sorry, T.C., just noticed your post above. I agree, except I might save him to start pitching during a high leverage situation.

[Thrylos]

a. That's not game 163 and

b. There are bigger fish to fry before the Twins get in the Wild Card game in the post-season than that