September Callups/Kepler

[Loosey]

Maybe someone has already asked this, maybe this is a dumb question but I am going to ask it anyways.  With the team vying for a playoff spot and starting pitching being as spotty as it has been, why haven't the Twins brought up every 40 man arm they have?  They just played 2 extra inning games and a double header.  Wouldn't it be in the teams best interest to have as many arms available as it can for situations like this.  Where is Meyer, Where is Darnell, where is anyone.  Even bench spots for pinch hitting and running, why didn't Arcia get called up?  I would rather have him pinch hitting than giving Hermann at bats from time to time.  Don't they want as many options as they could possibly have in times like this?

 

Does anyone know the reasoning behind not bringing them all up?

[Shane Wahl]

I would have thought Mark Hamburger would have been added.

[DocBauer]

 

I would have thought Mark Hamburger would have been added.

This would have been a strong choice! 

 

At this point, wouldn't Pat Dean by a smart call up? Has he been dormant too long to make his addition effective? I don't believe he's on the 40, but with all the injuries and now Darnell and his illness, I think there's a real need to add someone for the final 2 week push. 

 

Things are getting a might thin in the rotation!

[Danchat]

The Twins just called up Max Kepler, fresh off a Southern League title.

 

I'm excited to see this kid play. Hopefully he can be the one pinch hitting instead of Santana in late games...

 

Source: Mike Berardino and Derek Wetmore

[SwainZag]

As per @DerekWetmore on Twitter.

 

@DerekWetmore

After the Lookouts wrapped up a Southern League title, league MVP Max Kepler has been called up to the Twins, team announces.

 

 

I can probably speak for the majority of this board to see him play!

[sane]

Twins call up Southern League Champion and Player of the Year, Max Kepler, to join the Major League squad!

[glunn]

Maybe he can replace Santana as the preferred pinch hitter?

[SwainZag]

 

Maybe he can replace Santana as the preferred pinch hitter?

 

Can you believe he has pinch hit 9 times this season?  A healthy 0-9 in those 9 AB.

[stringer bell]

Beat me to it, Swain! Good to see. He homered again today.

 

[bluechipper]

The three opposing starters for Cleveland are all right handed. Does Max get any starts in RF?

[SwainZag]

 

The Twins just called up Max Kepler, fresh off a Southern League title.

 

I'm excited to see this kid play. Hopefully he can be the one pinch hitting instead of Santana in late games...

 

Source: Mike Berardino and Derek Wetmore

 

Oops didn't see you posted it here before I made a thread.  But great news!

[stringer bell]

I doubt Kepler gets any starts until the Twins fate is determined.

[sane]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/minnesota-twins

 

Twins call up Southern League Champion and Player of the Year, Max Kepler, to join the Major League squad!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

At this point, wouldn't Pat Dean by a smart call up? Has he been dormant too long to make his addition effective? I don't believe he's on the 40, but with all the injuries and now Darnell and his illness, I think there's a real need to add someone for the final 2 week push.

I don't think Dean is much of a prospect, but I don't think he's the type of player you'd bother adding to the 40-man just to have another warm body while planning to remove him 2-4 weeks later. A Hamburger or Bowden, who are going to be FA anyway, would make more sense.

 

Of course, what would make the most sense would be to call up Meyer and Thompson, since they are already on the 40-man.

[bluechipper]

 

I doubt Kepler gets any starts until the Twins fate is determined.

You're probably right on that, especially with Torii playing well lately.

[sane]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/minnesota-twins

 

You're probably right on that, especially with Torii playing well lately.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/minnesota-twins

[SwainZag]

 

Beat me to it, Swain! Good to see. He homered again today.

 

Lol I about jumped out of my seat when I logged on to Twitter and saw it on the top of my feed.  

[Halsey Hall]

I'm happy for Max.  Great kid, great year and great opportunity. 

[Mike Sixel]

Congrats to him. Looking forward to him playing a lot next year.

[twinsnorth49]

Great news, he definitely deserves it, I hope he's gets a chance to make an impact.

 

Too bad it wasn't a touch earlier, I would've liked to have seen him play in person.

[DocBauer]

I don't think Dean is much of a prospect, but I don't think he's the type of player you'd bother adding to the 40-man just to have another warm body while planning to remove him 2-4 weeks later. A Hamburger or Bowden, who are going to be FA anyway, would make more sense.

 

Of course, what would make the most sense would be to call up Meyer and Thompson, since they are already on the 40-man.

Granted Dean may be somewhat marginal, but he shows elements of control, had a successful season, and I'm just talking about an arm who might be able to get us through 5 innings with some success. Injuries have given us Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard of late.

 

Totally agree on Meyer. A start? I don't know. But surely help for the pen at this point.

[Shane Wahl]

Yay!

[DocBauer]

He deserves it. I maintain that next to Buxton, he is probably the best OVERALL talent in the organization. Hitting, position player-wise. All due respect to the stud-muffin Sano, I did say "overall" talent.

 

Debate the future all you will, Hunter has meant a lot to THIS season. And he's gotten hot again late, something he seemed to do last year as well. And it's pretty tough to take a hot bat out of the lineup. But it would be a shame if Kepler was only brought up for a courtesy AB or two. Surely there's got to be room somewhere over the next couple of weeks for at least a bit more.

[DocBauer]

<~~~~~~~~grown man jumping up and down!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Granted Dean may be somewhat marginal, but he shows elements of control, had a successful season, and I'm just talking about an arm who might be able to get us through 5 innings with some success. Injuries have given us Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard of late.

Totally agree on Meyer. A start? I don't know. But surely help for the pen at this point.

For all their faults, I think our current starting 5 are all probably more likely to "get us through 5 innings with some success" than Pat Dean. Our starting rotation hasn't been great, but they haven't been that bad either, especially now that Milone is on the shelf.  The 2012-2013 Twins called up guys like Dean to start; the 2015 club, not so much.

 

Outside of injecting Berrios, where our staff really could have benefited is having more options available for relief, particularly long relief (extra innings or Milone's early exits).  So we could afford to pull struggling pitchers (starters or relievers) and have some alternatives to Achter. That's why it's so odd that Meyer and Thompson (and more importantly, Thompson's 40-man spot) have been sitting at home this whole time, especially with Darnell sick (and Perkins/Graham out and even May apparently limited).  They took an already thin staff and basically just added Achter and Tonkin to it for the September playoff drive.

[James]

Good thing I have tickets for Thursday. I might get to see him play!

[DaveW]

Should have been called up 3 weeks ago. Better late they never, though if he was called up 3 weeks ago this team likely would only been 1 or 2 games out instead of 3.
 

Dude is on FIRE lately, I think he absolutely should get the start either tomorrow or Wed. 3 games back in the WC race at this point, nothing to lose, everything to gain.