Article: Report From The Fort: Returns And Concerns

[drjim]

 

I just published a blog on a possible schedule for stretching out Berrios.

 

Let me know your thoughts. 

 

http://twinsdaily.com/blog/877/entry-8798-too-late-idea-for-stretching-out-berrios/

 

Probably works. But what has Berrios done on the major league level that should force the Twins front office/management to create a special schedule for him to make sure he is on the opening day roster? Seems to me the risks outweigh the rewards. Pushing a young pitcher like that sets him up for failure and increases injury risk.

 

He'll get plenty of starts in the bigs. If the obsession is getting Hughes out of the rotation, Mejia and Duffey would be ahead of Berrios at this time anyways.

[Vanimal46]

 

I just published a blog on a possible schedule for stretching out Berrios.

 

Let me know your thoughts. 

 

http://twinsdaily.com/blog/877/entry-8798-too-late-idea-for-stretching-out-berrios/

 

I'm of the belief that if they really wanted Berrios to start the season in Minnesota, they would put together a schedule like this. 

The "not stretched out enough" explanation for sending down Berrios does make sense, but it's also convenient. And frankly, Sanitago has to do mostly the same schedule you're talking about to get stretched out himself. 

[nicksaviking]

 

How do you read that comment, then?

 

That Paul Molitor is summoning is inner Al Haig.

 

"As of now, I am in control here, in the Twins Club House, pending return of the Vice President of Baseball Operations and in close touch with him. If something came up, I would check with him, of course."

 

So glad you'd check with him.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I'm of the belief that if they really wanted Berrios to start the season in Minnesota, they would put together a schedule like this. 

The "not stretched out enough" explanation for sending down Berrios does make sense, but it's also convenient. And frankly, Sanitago has to do mostly the same schedule you're talking about to get stretched out himself.

 

Thanks Van! Convenient is a great word to describe their explanation. Calling it "misleading" or "b.s." always felt a little too strong and accusatory. I would have preferred they just said from the beginning that he's struggled way too much in MLB so far.

 

I liked the Santiago comparison better because of the WBC but the timelines of Berrios and Hughes matched so well. Cest la vee, I guess.

[drjim]

 

Thanks Van! Convenient is a great word to describe their explanation. Calling it "misleading" or "b.s." always felt a little too strong and accusatory. I would have preferred they just said from the beginning that he's struggled way too much in MLB so far.

I liked the Santiago comparison better because of the WBC but the timelines of Berrios and Hughes matched so well. Cest la vee, I guess.

 

Either Mejia or Duffey will start in the rotation to begin the season. If Berrios had been here from day one, getting his innings and being evaluated, he absolutely could have beat those two out. I think it was far from certain he would have went to the minors.

 

He obviously wasn't Plan A going into spring, but once May was hurt it opened up the competition.

[KirbyDome89]

Or he never was an option and the Twins used the WBC as a convenient excuse (copyright Vanimal) to avoid taking too much heat from sending him back to a level he has dominated for 2 years. 

 

 

[drjim]

Or he never was an option and the Twins used the WBC as a convenient excuse (copyright Vanimal) to avoid taking too much heat from sending him back to a level he has dominated for 2 years.

This strikes me as too clever by half. Isn't the easiest course of action just to believe Molitor and the front office?

 

I understand the disagreement, but sending Berrios is a pretty run of the mill decision that pretty much any other front office would have done. No need for a conspiracy.

[KirbyDome89]

 

This strikes me as too clever by half. Isn't the easiest course of action just to believe Molitor and the front office?

I understand the disagreement, but sending Berrios is a pretty run of the mill decision that pretty much any other front office would have done. No need for a conspiracy.

Easiest? Yes. Likeliest? I doubt it. 

 

Vanimal said it perfectly earlier; if Santiago can get stretched out to be the 3-4 starter why can't Berrios do the same thing to be the 5? I don't agree that its a run of the mill decision for a team to option their only above average pitching prospect back to AAA where he has dominated for 2 years before he throws a single pitch in camp. Add to that the state of pitching staff and it does feel a lot like an excuse to dodge some criticism. 

[drjim]

 

Easiest? Yes. Likeliest? I doubt it. 

 

Vanimal said it perfectly earlier; if Santiago can get stretched out to be the 3-4 starter why can't Berrios do the same thing to be the 5? I don't agree that its a run of the mill decision for a team to option their only above average pitching prospect back to AAA where he has dominated for 2 years before he throws a single pitch in camp. Add to that the state of pitching staff and it does feel a lot like an excuse to dodge some criticism. 

 

For starters, Santiago has multiple full seasons as a major league starter with at least some success. Berrios hasn't done a thing in the big leagues. Pushing him into this role is setting him up for failure, if not injury. He's much too valuable for that.

 

I don't think the front office or Molitor care about criticism on this issue. And yes, a young pitcher who has less than a half year of experience in the bigs with terrible performance doesn't usually crack the opening day rotation for any organization, unless they show something for a sustained time in spring training. So very run of the mill.

[KirbyDome89]

 

For starters, Santiago has multiple full seasons as a major league starter with at least some success. Berrios hasn't done a thing in the big leagues. Pushing him into this role is setting him up for failure, if not injury. He's much too valuable for that.

 

I don't think the front office or Molitor care about criticism on this issue. And yes, a young pitcher who has less than a half year of experience in the bigs with terrible performance doesn't usually crack the opening day rotation for any organization, unless they show something for a sustained time in spring training. So very run of the mill.

What you're calling pushing him into a role I would characterize as granting him an opportunity. AAA is nothing but biding time for him. 

 

Most teams with promising young arms that have dominated the highest levels of the minor leagues look to promote them to the major league team, especially when they have an awful staff to begin with. The handling of prospects by this team is anything but normal... 

[drjim]

What you're calling pushing him into a role I would characterize as granting him an opportunity. AAA is nothing but biding time for him.

 

Most teams with promising young arms that have dominated the highest levels of the minor leagues look to promote them to the major league team, especially when they have an awful staff to begin with. The handling of prospects by this team is anything but normal...

He made 14 starts in the majors last yeat. He was promoted. He got a chance. He sucked. He missed a large chunk of spring training. But he'll be back. Probably pretty quick.

[KirbyDome89]

 

He made 14 starts in the majors last yeat. He was promoted. He got a chance. He sucked. He missed a large chunk of spring training. But he'll be back. Probably pretty quick.

Yeah...14 starts....as a rookie.....

 

Rather than build off of that he is back in AAA, a level he has beaten up, and we're watching Hughes throw bp and Tyler Duffey getting shot number 3 at the rotation. If "sucked last year," was grounds for demotion then Ervin would be the only one standing....