May on DL, Chargois up

[spinowner]

From Phil Miller:

 

More back problems for Trevor May mean another major-league opportunity for J.T. Chargois.

    May was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, retroactive to Sunday, with a lower back strain, the second time he’s been sidelined by back issues this season. May spent nearly all of June on the DL after suffering back spasms.

    Chargois was called up the last time May was injured, but made only one appearance, allowing five runs and recording only two outs against the Red Sox, before the Twins needed the roster spot and sent him back to Class AAA Rochester with an ERA of 67.50. But the righthanded closer has been terrific for the Red Wings, posting a 1.80 ERA at Triple-A, with nine saves and 41 strikeouts in 35 innings.

[Dman]

Hate to see someone injured but it will be nice to see what we have in Chargois and it is best to get him experience in a lost season.

[stringer bell]

May pitched much better between DL stints. I wonder if it will be determined that bullpen duty doesn't jibe with his balky back. I confess to being all in on the "May as setup guy" early this year and I still like how his fastball plays up, but overall he's been a huge disappointment this year in the bullpen.

 

Maybe this will convince the Twins brass to stretch May out and go with him as a starter. We can only hope. Saying this, I do want to say that I don't hold out hope that May becomes to topflight starter.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Still not sure why we didn't stretch May out after his last DL stint.  We had to keep running Milone out there in a lost season?  Had to keep running Nolasco out there so he could "help" us trade Alex Meyer?

[Everyday Eddy]

Classic Twins.   Wait until it's convenient to bring a guy up rather than do it when it's the right time

[Vanimal46]

The back issues for May are troubling. I'd really want to know if it's caused from pitching multiple times a week or just a lingering issue no matter how many times he pitches. At this point, I'd say shut down May the rest of the year and let him know early this off-season he's being reconsidered for a spot in the rotation. That way he can get his rest now and get stretched out over the winter. 

[Post-Concussive Blues]

Doctor says he need a backeotomy.

[Thrylos]

Just a data point:  Before May moved to the pen, he never spent a day on the DL with back issues (had a  DL stint with a calf strain in 2014, but that was the full extend of his career's injuries)

[mikelink45]

I hate to see the injuries, but perhaps it  would be better if he had a regular routine like a starter.  Glad to see Chargois, only this time I want to see a fair trial and not a one time pressure packed appearance.

 

Now for some of the other relievers in the minors.  Do I have to hope for more injuries?

[Mike Sixel]

Ya, I am curious about the causation here......

 

Good luck to Chargois!

[spinowner]

Some pitchers are simply not cut out for pitching 3-4 times a week. Some pitchers are simply not cut out for throwing 100+ pitches every fifth day. May's stuff should play well in a late-inning role but I think it could be time to put him back in the rotation and see what happens.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Now for some of the other relievers in the minors.  Do I have to hope for more injuries?

You shouldn't.  Milone still has no real place on this team, now or going forward.  We should absolutely be looking at other pitchers in that spot, whether it's a 40-man guy like Melotakis or Mejia, or even if it's just guys like O'Rourke again or Wimmers before they can elect minor league free agency this winter.

[SwainZag]

 

You shouldn't.  Milone still has no real place on this team, now or going forward.  We should absolutely be looking at other pitchers in that spot, whether it's a 40-man guy like Melotakis or Mejia, or even if it's just guys like O'Rourke again or Wimmers before they can elect minor league free agency this winter.

 

We are only 3 weeks away from roster expansions as well.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

We are only 3 weeks away from roster expansions as well.

True, but I don't see the need to wait.  How many innings is a reliever going to see in September?  Might as well give them August too, the extra reps will probably be more valuable to the player and to the team's planning than us potentially getting out from under the last $750k on Milone's contract this season.

[lukeduke1980]

In the bullpen he's gone 'max effort' to increase his fastball from 93 to occasionally 97.  I could see that being a cause.

[SwainZag]

 

True, but I don't see the need to wait.  How many innings is a reliever going to see in September?  Might as well give them August too, the extra reps will probably be more valuable to the player and to the team's planning than us potentially getting out from under the last $750k on Milone's contract this season.

 

Oh I agree completely.  Just saying there won't be a roster crunch in 3 weeks.  I would much rather see a few live arms before then though.

[Mr. Brooks]

How many thirds of an inning does he get this time before they send him back down?

[Mike Sixel]

 

How many thirds of an inning does he get this time before they send him back down?

 

You are under the assumption they let him pitch in the next three weeks. Gotta keep Boshers (I think he has allowed at least one run every appearance since his recall) in there.....

[Platoon]

May was very clear the very first time he was injured as a reliever, that the relief regimen did not allow the stiffness he experienced to dissipate. He claimed that as a starter the every fifth day rotation allowed him to recoup. Due to his relatively candid dislike for his "demotion" to the pen, I think a lot of people, including possibly the Twins considered it either overstated, or complete BS. Maybe it's time to consider it could be true!

[h2oface]

May has a glass back? Seems he needs to figure out some specific exercises for it regardless of whether he continues to pitch out of the pen or starts. Never having been impressed with May.... I would be happy if they just moved on from him all together.

 

It seems that folks like to leave out the inherited runs that Chargois' relief gave up when discussing his one and only appearance in the show. I think there were 3 on with two outs, and he didn't get the chance to finish the inning. I will have to look it up, though.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Still not sure why we didn't stretch May out after his last DL stint.

Don't ask questions like that, it'll only lead to brain sprain.

[h2oface]

It seems that folks like to leave out the inherited runs that Chargois' relief gave up when discussing his one and only appearance in the show. I think there were 3 on with two outs, and he didn't get the chance to finish the inning. I will have to look it up, though.

Yup. Kintzler came in with the score 13-4 in the 9th, bases loaded with two outs, and gave up a two run single on a first pitch meatball in support of the rookies' debut. Chargois did let the first 3 cross the plate, though.

[SwainZag]

 

Yup. Kintzler came in with the score 13-4 in the 9th, bases loaded with two outs, and gave up a two run single on a first pitch meatball in support of the rookies' debut. Chargois did let the first 3 cross the plate, though.

 

And left the bases loaded with his last 3 batters reaching via HBP, Walk, Walk with a wild pitch thrown in there.  

 

Either way, I'll chalk it up to nerves and facing the best offense in baseball.  Looking forward to seeing him out there again.

[HitInAPinch]

A back is a back.  I believe May when he says that it wasn't an issue when he was a starter.  Enough time between appearances "resolved" the lower-back issue.  I also believe that if he is brought back as a starter, in the course of a full season as a starter, he'll have the same lower-back issue. Exercise of the core-area muscle could can help that.   However, I've known a few people with lower-back issues.  It just doesn't go away.

[Platoon]

A back is a back.  I believe May when he says that it wasn't an issue when he was a starter.  Enough time between appearances "resolved" the lower-back issue.  I also believe that if he is brought back as a starter, in the course of a full season as a starter, he'll have the same lower-back issue. Exercise of the core-area muscle could can help that.   However, I've known a few people with lower-back issues.  It just doesn't go away.

You're right, a bad back doesn't go away. I have had one far longer than I haven't. But if you have one, you also know certain things aggravate it, and are to be avoided. And also a minor tweak can be babied for a few days and disappear. I dertainly don't know what Mays back issues consist of, but it's become apparent that the grind of RP does not sit well with his back, so it's time to see if something else does, because this just ain't working.

[h2oface]

And left the bases loaded with his last 3 batters reaching via HBP, Walk, Walk with a wild pitch thrown in there.

 

Either way, I'll chalk it up to nerves and facing the best offense in baseball. Looking forward to seeing him out there again.

I think I covered the bases loaded part. The walks were pinched (standard rookie hazing by umpire) and the wild pitch was catchable.... yes, he was struggling, but there was more to the story than the traditional stat line was the point.

[Brock Beauchamp]

You're right, a bad back doesn't go away. I have had one far longer than I haven't. But if you have one, you also know certain things aggravate it, and are to be avoided. And also a minor tweak can be babied for a few days and disappear. I dertainly don't know what Mays back issues consist of, but it's become apparent that the grind of RP does not sit well with his back, so it's time to see if something else does, because this just ain't working.

I have an idea. It's a crazy idea but it just might work.

 

What you do is actually increase Trevor's workload but do it sporadically.

 

Like maybe once a week, or maybe even a bit more often than that. But not much more often.

 

I'll say maybe every 4-6 days or so.

 

It's crazy but it just might work.

[Vanimal46]

Back injuries suck in general. Hot take I know. Once had a herniated disc in my back from over swinging in golf, and I never knew how crippling back injuries were before that.

 

Wouldn't wish a back injury on my worst enemy. Feel better soon May!

[spinowner]

 

I have an idea. It's a crazy idea but it just might work.

What you do is actually increase Trevor's workload but do it sporadically.

Like maybe once a week, or maybe even a bit more often than that. But not much more often.

I'll say maybe every 4-6 days or so.

It's crazy but it just might work.

I think this idea is worth exploring. I think a goal for his workload would be in the neighborhood of 100 pitches plus warmups.

[TheLeviathan]

The guy was basically an iron man for years as a starter, we move him to the bullpen (with limited prep) and he's falling apart.

 

Maybe it's time to undo the mistake we made in the middle there.  You know, the one many of us hated from the get go.