Duffey + O'Rourke Optioned, Darnell and Kintzler Reassigned

[Gagne Fan]

Announced today.......

Duffey, Darnel + O'Rourke optioned to AAA Rochester

[Vanimal46]

Well, congratulations Ricky Nolasco for making the rotation. 

[Winston Smith]

Well, congratulations Ricky Nolasco for making the rotation.

It'd be hard to say he didn't earn it with a great spring of pitching instead of being cynical and thinking it might be because of is contract!

[Rosterman]

So Tonkin made it.

[stringer bell]

 

So Tonkin made it.

I think there are three left for two spots barring a trade or trip to the DL--that would be the two non-roster relievers and Tonkin.

 

Edit:   The article on the main page says that Kintzler was sent to Rochester, as well. The four demotions are options for Duffey and O'Rourke and reassignment to Rochester for Darnell and Kintzler. That would mean that both Abad and Tonkin are on the club as of now. Barring a trade or disabling injury, that would be the 25-man roster.

[ThejacKmp]

sad to see Duffy go but there is perhaps a silver lining or five:

 

1) Duffey likely needs a third pitch to have long term success as a ML starter (there are exceptions but those usually aren't fastball, curve pitchers). AAA is a great place for him to work on making his changeup more viable.

 

2) Nolasco will have a significantly shorter leash than Duffey might have had with a strong spring. That means that if Berrios has a great first month, the Twins will have a much easier time moving Ricky to the pen/trading him and bringing up Berrios. That’s a good thing.

 

3) Unless another starter is needed, Duffy probably will be overlooked because of Berrios.  But he will be the 7th starter and we will likely see him again (pretty rare to get even four starters going the entire year). He's a very nice 7th starter.

4) Milone is likely not going to be with the Twins next year - he makes sense at $4.5 million but next year that should jump to $7 millionish and I can’t see the Twins keeping him – he’ll be dealt if he’s a back-of-the-rotation starter or he won’t be offered arbitration if he’s not. Duffey moves nicely into that spot next year even if he never gets a shot this year.  That of course assumes Nolasco will be out of the competition over the offseason which doesn't seem a bad bet. If he’s bad this year, the Twins will pen/cut him next year and if he’s a back-of-the–rotation pitcher, Pelfrey showed us that teams will take on that kind of player in the short term. Only way Nolasco is firmly in the Twins plans next year would be if he really has a very good year. Yeah, that's not happening. So longest-wait outcome for Duff is next year.

5) It does free up a bullpen spot that Nolasco would have been wasted in. Tonkin becomes your longer relief guy (a good role for him to adjust to the majors in low leverage situations) and Pressly makes the team. Pressly is a much better bullpen piece than Nolasco would have been and Tonkin gets a final chance to show he belongs.

 

Still sad to see Duff in the minors but it might help his development, shouldn't be for too long, might make it easier to bring up Berrios and improves the pen.

[stringer bell]

One edit to theJacKemp above: Tonkin was bounced back and forth last year in part because he was only a one-inning guy. If they stretch out someone, my guess is that it's Pressly, but really none of the bullpen profiles as a guy who will go more than four or five outs at maximum.

[ThejacKmp]

 

One edit to theJacKemp above: Tonkin was bounced back and forth last year in part because he was only a one-inning guy. If they stretch out someone, my guess is that it's Pressly, but really none of the bullpen profiles as a guy who will go more than four or five outs at maximum.

 

Yeah, that's why I said longer inning rather than long inning (the Swarzak four inning guy). I imagine Tonkin won't go above two innings but we might see him stretched out to that more often, especially in a game that isn't particularly close. He seems like the first guy into a game that a starter Nolasco gets shelled in.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Ugh.

 

I read on other threads about how Duffey needs some time in AAA, needs a third pitch, as if his successful stint in MLB last year means absolutely nothing.

 

Hope Terry Ryan is right about this.

[FormerMinnasotan]

I just wonder if with Duffey being optioned to Rochester if that will keep Berrios in Rochester too long. I mean from what I have read if Berrios is kept in the minors until July the Twins can use the Super 2 (I think that is what it is called) and gain even more control of Berrios. Therefore, if and when Nolasco struggles at the beginning of the season the Twins can conveniently call up Duffey instead of Berrios. I hope I am wrong, but to me Duffey will be given every advantage before Berrios will no matter how well Berrios pitches.

[h2oface]

 

It'd be hard to say he didn't earn it with a great spring of pitching instead of being cynical and thinking it might be because of is contract!

 

Great spring of pitching? A 4.05 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 14 hits given up in 13.1 innings, and he got shelled a couple times by minor leaguers as low as A and AA ball........   I wouldn't classify that as "great". Maybe I reserve great for too high of a standard. Gibson has had a really good spring, and I wouldn't even call that great. I am hoping he does well, though, and spring training is to get ready. I like wins, and as long as he is in the rotation, I can't hope he hurts the team.

[Hrbowski]

 

Great spring of pitching? A 4.05 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 14 hits given up in 13.1 innings, and he got shelled a couple times by minor leaguers as low as A and AA ball........   I wouldn't classify that as "great". Maybe I reserve great for too high of a standard. Gibson has had a really good spring, and I wouldn't even call that great. I am hoping he does well, though, and spring training is to get ready. I like wins, and as long as he is in the rotation, I can't hope he hurts the team.

Yeah, but his spring was definitely better than Duffey's.

[SwainZag]

 

Ugh.

I read on other threads about how Duffey needs some time in AAA, needs a third pitch, as if his successful stint in MLB last year means absolutely nothing.

Hope Terry Ryan is right about this.

 

How many starters out there are only 2 pitch pitchers?  I am going to assume there aren't that many at all.  It's not a myth that a starter needs 3 pitchers to be successful. Remember his sample size was only 10 starts last year, even though he did show a lot of potential.

[bird]

Let's remember that Duffey's repertoire plays markedly more variably than "two pitches". He has both a 2 and 4 seamer, throws his curve at different speeds, with different spin, maybe even from two arm slots I think. And he's not just dabbling with this change-up, he's aggressively incorporating it already, albeit with less than the intended effect so far. Lastly, if you read the latest FanGraph's interview with him, he really seems to have a handle on what he's trying to do to hitters in terms of getting them off balance, changing eye level, etc.

 

This probably means he's not long for AAA. However, the reality is that injury, and not ineffectiveness, will likely be the reason he gets the call, and injury could strike someone other than the Reviled One.

[TheLeviathan]

So more Nolasco?  Gee my spring training optimism is just bubbling over with this.....