Article: The Twins Bullpen Is Set (And You’re Not Going To Love It)

[Danchat]

 

I'm far less concerned that Tonkin is on the roster as I am that Kintzler is our closer.

And to add to this, they have nobody capable of filling the closer role behind him. I don't want to see Belisle or Breslow in save situations and I don't think Molly is ready to trust Pressly or any of the other younglings.

 

Feels a lot like the Jepsen situation last season. Just because he pitched really well last year doesn't guarantee the fact that he will this time around...

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

And to think. Guys like Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances were failed starters.

 

I will throw down a bet on Tonkin at 30-1 to lead the team in saves by the end of 2017. He misses more bats than other guys in the bullpen (including Pressly and especially Kintzler) and with a new catcher and data-driven approach to pitching, maybe Tonkin has been a good pitcher all along.

[TheLeviathan]

 

And to add to this, they have nobody capable of filling the closer role behind him. I don't want to see Belisle or Breslow in save situations and I don't think Molly is ready to trust Pressly or any of the other younglings.

 

Feels a lot like the Jepsen situation last season. Just because he pitched really well last year doesn't guarantee the fact that he will this time around...

 

Ironically, Tonkin may be the best bet after Kintzler.

 

And yeah, I was trying to be nice and not trigger any PTSD with a Jepsen mention....

[sorney]

Sadly, probably the LEAST excited I have been about the start of a Twins season for a long time....Much of having to do with trotting out a lot of the same faces that brought them 100+ losses last year

[spinowner]

 

And to add to this, they have nobody capable of filling the closer role behind him. I don't want to see Belisle or Breslow in save situations and I don't think Molly is ready to trust Pressly or any of the other younglings.

 

Feels a lot like the Jepsen situation last season. Just because he pitched really well last year doesn't guarantee the fact that he will this time around...

Of the players currently on the major league roster I think Pressly would be the most likely to succeed as closer if and when Kintzler is injured or gone. But I'm guessing that Chargois is who the Twins higher-ups envision as the next closer. I think he was sent to Rochester so he can close full time and get more experience doing that before being thrust into that role in the majors.

Edited March 30, 2017 by spinowner

[tobi0040]

Asking for 30-1 odds maybe the least confident I have seen someone in a prediction in a long time. He is 1 of 7 guys on the opening day pen.

[D.C Twins]

No worries.... at least our starting pitching is....er...ah....

 

We'll you just wait until Jay gets up to the MLB THEN our bullpen will be....er...ah...umm

 

What's cookin' for the 2018 Draft!

[Blake]

 

I get where you're coming from spy... Frankly I'm frustrated that this is all they have to work with. 

Honestly, I don't envy the new FO at all. They're new with the organization and are probably still trying to find their footing both within and without the organization.

 

This is going to be tough for both management and fans. It's a wait and see. Although, anything less than a train wreck is probably a successful season.

[twinssporto]

 

Justin Haley looks like a bright spot this spring. He's big, strong, young, works fast, downward plane, stays around the zone, live arm. If Haley takes the long man role from Tonkin, that allows Tonkin to work more as a setup guy, keeping his arm fresher. 

 

Otherwise, the only reason I see to start the season with a back end of older veterans is if the Twins aim to replace them in coming months with guys like Chargois, Wimmers and whoever gets hot in Rochester or Chattanooga. 

 

Speaking of AAA and AA, take a look at their pitching rosters. Whew, there's a lot of young arm talent bubbling up! I didn't realize all these guys were now in AA...

Seven youngest pitchers on the Lookouts:

 

Fernando Romero 
Kohl Stewart 
Stephen Gonsalves
Randy Rosario
Tyler Jay
Felix Jorge
Nick Burdi

 

That's half a future pitching staff right there. Then combine that with these guys...

Four youngest pitchers on the Red Wings:

 

Jose Berrios 
Jake Reed
Mason Melotakis
J.T. Chargois

 

The future looks pretty good.

The FO should have brought the best relievers they have in AA/AAA north and dumped everyone else in the bullpen.  The one's that perform you keep, the others that don't send them down.  I've never understood the whole bullpen mess the Twins find themselves in. With some of the talent we have in AA/AAA why we don't promote more of them is insane.  These are relief pitchers!  All we ask is to throw 1 inning well!

 

Out of 15 relievers in the minor league system you would think 3 (20%) of them could pitch well or at least better than the crew they are bringing north right now.  It could also build some great chemistry within that group of players.  So much of this game is mental and if you have a bunch of fearless 20 somethings throwing everyday it could really build into something special.  

 

I guess I'll just ask my doctor to up my prescription of high blood pressure pills to get me through the end of these games.

Edited March 30, 2017 by twinssporto

[S.]

It must be nice being a fan of a team that has more than 1 pitcher on the entire staff who is above average.

 

[John Kelsey]

 

Sadly, probably the LEAST excited I have been about the start of a Twins season for a long time....Much of having to do with trotting out a lot of the same faces that brought them 100+ losses last year

 

You get to watch Byron Buxton play baseball every day. That alone has me very excited.

[jimbo92107]

 

The FO should have brought the best relievers they have in AA/AAA north and dumped everyone else in the bullpen.  The one's that perform you keep, the others that don't send them down.  I've never understood the whole bullpen mess the Twins find themselves in. With some of the talent we have in AA/AAA why we don't promote more of them is insane.  These are relief pitchers!  All we ask is to throw 1 inning well!

 

Out of 15 relievers in the minor league system you would think 3 (20%) of them could pitch well or at least better than the crew they are bringing north right now.  It could also build some great chemistry within that group of players.  So much of this game is mental and if you have a bunch of fearless 20 somethings throwing everyday it could really build into something special.  

 

I guess I'll just ask my doctor to up my prescription of high blood pressure pills to get me through the end of these games.

Bear in mind also that the minor league pitchers I listed were the YOUNGEST on the AA and AAA pitching staffs. Assuming some of the older minor leaguers are more than filler, some of those guys...

 

AAA older guys:
Yohan Pino P R R 6' 2" 190 12-26-1983 Active No
Nick Greenwood P R L 6' 1" 180 09-28-1987 Active No
Buddy Boshers P L L 6' 3" 205 05-09-1988 Active Yes
Nick Tepesch P R R 6' 4" 240 10-12-1988 Active No
Alex Wimmers P L R 6' 2" 215 11-01-1988 Active No
Seth Rosin P R R 6' 6" 265 11-02-1988 Active No
Matt Tracy P L L 6' 3" 215 11-26-1988 Active No
Drew Rucinski P R R 6' 2" 190 12-30-1988 Active No
Nik Turley P L L 6' 4" 195 09-11-1989 Active No
David Hurlbut P L L 6' 3" 221 11-24-1989 Active No
Jason Wheeler P L L 6' 6" 255 10-27-1990 Active No

 

and AA older guys:

Raul Fernandez P R R 6' 2" 180 06-22-1990 Active No
Luke Bard P R R 6' 3" 202 11-13-1990 Active No
Zack Jones P R R 6' 1" 195 12-04-1990 Active No
Trevor Hildenberger P R R 6' 2" 211 12-15-1990 Active No
Todd Van Steensel P R R 6' 1" 215 01-14-1991 Active No
Mason Melotakis P R L 6' 2" 220 06-28-1991 Active Yes
Brandon Peterson P R R 6' 1" 190 09-23-1991 Active No
Ryan Eades P R R 6' 2" 200 12-15-1991 Active No
Paul LeBlanc P R R 6' 4" 185 03-07-1992 Active No
Aaron Slegers P R R 6' 10" 245 09-04-1992 Active No

 

...some of these guys could be pitching on the Twins instead of the 30-something retreads the team is using now. 

 

What are they, chopped liver? Cubed beef? Beef chuck for chili? Chicken fried steak? Chorizo? Bacon ends? Dang, now I'm getting hungry...

[HitInAPinch]

So, Tonkin and Haley are in.  Seems like being on the 40 man roster was something of an influence on the decision.  Tonkin is 27.  Last opportunity?  Let's see if the Twins use him in a Juan Berenguer - type role.  He just never seemed to be a real "pressure guy" to me.  Haley, I don't know anything about him, other than the afore mentioned 40 man roster.

 

So, what happens to Tyler Jay now?  And it sounds like they'll need to clear space for both ByungHo Park [definitely] and Chris Gimenez [maybe, maybe not].

[Penthang]

As truly depressing as this bullpen is I am curious about the possibility that Falvey might be shielding some of the younger arms from Molitors bullpen ineptness? I know he didn't have much to work with last year but so often I was left scratching my head at they way he used the bullpen. Could Falvey be holding back the best young arms until he has the chance to fire Molitor? I'm trying to be hopeful here because this sure looks like a bullpen that Ryan would put together.

[DaveW]

Re: molitor, it still blows my mind that the new GM and FO were FORCED to retain a manager who is coming off a 103 loss season and has done zero as a major league manager to make us think he is even average or good.

[theBOMisthebomb]

I know he was roughed up and the spring training numbers were awful... still why not give Chargois a shot?

[spinowner]

 

I know he was roughed up and the spring training numbers were awful... still why not give Chargois a shot?

Instead of being the last man in the Twins' pen I think it's better to have him close full time at Rochester. He'll get more meaningful work in that way.

[mazeville]

Looking at that bullpen and thinking that maybe I should rethink my personal projections that the Twins will win 75-80 games.

 

Boy I sure hope the new regime is just taking stock of the organization, etc., because from here it sure doesn't look like they're doing things all that differently from the previous one. 

[Blackjack]

Patience guys. I think the Twins are going with the best arms and most experienced guys right now in order to avoid another 0-9 start. That set the tone for a very bad season. The guys in AAA/AA are a quick phone call away. Patience.

[Mike Sixel]

 

As truly depressing as this bullpen is I am curious about the possibility that Falvey might be shielding some of the younger arms from Molitors bullpen ineptness? I know he didn't have much to work with last year but so often I was left scratching my head at they way he used the bullpen. Could Falvey be holding back the best young arms until he has the chance to fire Molitor? I'm trying to be hopeful here because this sure looks like a bullpen that Ryan would put together.

 

the "young" arms are 25-27 years old. They are literally losing velocity today.

[d-mac]

The more things change the more they stay the same. *Sigh*

[beckmt]

 

Patience guys. I think the Twins are going with the best arms and most experienced guys right now in order to avoid another 0-9 start. That set the tone for a very bad season. The guys in AAA/AA are a quick phone call away. Patience.

This pitching staff could bury us so fast, it is not funny.  I sort of agree these are Molitor's guys and if they fail, Falvey and Levine can go to Jim Pohlad and tell him that they gave Molitor his guys and he failed.  If this is a plan it is a good one.  If the plan is to compete , this plan looks doomed to failure.

[drjim]

 

This pitching staff could bury us so fast, it is not funny.  I sort of agree these are Molitor's guys and if they fail, Falvey and Levine can go to Jim Pohlad and tell him that they gave Molitor his guys and he failed.  If this is a plan it is a good one.  If the plan is to compete , this plan looks doomed to failure.

 

No chance Molitor wants Haley. Beyond that, not really many other options.

[specialiststeve]

Wow - I better not look up as the sky is clearly falling.....

 

Poor understanding of where we are at as a team and what are needs were/are in the relieving area. We need arms that can throw strikes and has the experience of getting guys out. Which  is  what we have. Not sexy but hopefully effective.

 

Take a look at the roster of teams that are successful and you will see veteran bullpen guys that have been there and done that. Sprinkle in a couple of guys that are up and coming and put in low leverage positions and that is what we have.

 

I am fine with this area and think the club did what was best to try to actually win games.... that is the point of playing isn't it?