Twins bullpen: stick a fork in them.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

What was wrong with yesterday? He had his second best reliever out there to start the 9th.

 

Molitor isn't the best, but he isn't exactly working with top shelf talent in the pen. Only so much he can do.

I would have stretched out Duffey more.  Hadn't pitched in a few days, with an off day coming up on Monday, yet Molitor used him for only 3 batters on Sunday.  Really not sure what the plan is with Duffey anymore -- do they still seem him as a starter long-term?  Can he be asked to throw multiple innings out of the pen?

 

When Belisle is your "second best reliever" that should be reason enough to try to use Duffey more creatively, and not just make him another one-inning middle relief guy.  By pulling Duffey, we guaranteed we'd have to dip into our shaky pen for at least two more guys to finish out the game.

[drjim]

 

I would have stretched out Duffey more.  Hadn't pitched in a few days, with an off day coming up on Monday, yet Molitor used him for only 3 batters on Sunday.  Really not sure what the plan is with Duffey anymore -- do they still seem him as a starter long-term?  Can he be asked to throw multiple innings out of the pen?

 

When Belisle is your "second best reliever" that should be reason enough to try to use Duffey more creatively, and not just make him another one-inning middle relief guy.  By pulling Duffey, we guaranteed we'd have to dip into our shaky pen for at least two more guys to finish out the game.

 

This I could have gotten behind. I am a little surprised they don't use Duffey more like this

 

But man, I'm not going to think much about using Belisle over Kintzler (I know you didn't say this). There just isn't much there with Pressly in the tank.

[wsnydes]

 

This I could have gotten behind. I am a little surprised they don't use Duffey more like this

 

But man, I'm not going to think much about using Belisle over Kintzler (I know you didn't say this). There just isn't much there with Pressly in the tank.

This is something I could get behind as well.  Molitor insists on continuing to use Pressly in higher leverage situations and uses Duffy in middle inning situations.  As long as Pressly is in his funk, I think it's time to give those higher leverage situations to someone else while Pressly works through his issues.  That logical person would be Duffy in my view.

 

As for the Belisle/Kintzler thing.  I'm more bothered by the fact that Kintzler wasn't the guy out of the pen after Belisle got into trouble.  Molitor has to minimize the damage to keep the team in the game.  I don't feel that he did that at all.  I would have preferred Kintzler to start the inning, but I understand your point as well.

[Linus]

I've been meaning to post about this for a while. Mollie running relievers out there like he has an endless supply effective pitchers and then we are surprised when one of them blows an inning.

[wsnydes]

 

I've been meaning to post about this for a while. Mollie running relievers out there like he has an endless supply effective pitchers and then we are surprised when one of them blows an inning.

Or when a reliever gets worn down and ends up on the DL. 

[ashbury]

Does Pressly have an option left? (Serious question)

He has to have one. He hadn't been on a 40-man until the Twins got him via Rule-5, and he's been in the minors for part of only two seasons since then.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Yes, Pressly has an option remaining.

[Vanimal46]

If that's the case, then man, I would have used that option yesterday. See if he bounces back after 10-15 appearances in AAA. 

[drjim]

 

If that's the case, then man, I would have used that option yesterday. See if he bounces back after 10-15 appearances in AAA. 

 

I imagine they would if they had an obvious replacement.

[drjim]

Though thinking about it, maybe Pressly is the one who goes down when Berrios is recalled.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Rucinski has an option remaining too.

[Vanimal46]

 

I imagine they would if they had an obvious replacement.

 

Shaggy if he's done with his rehab. I'd also be interested in Melotakis or Burdi in AA. All in all they have 10-11 relievers on the 40 man. If some are not considered options anymore, such as Boshers, Rosario, etc. then let's get them off for someone else. 

[Shaitan]

 

This is something I could get behind as well.  Molitor insists on continuing to use Pressly in higher leverage situations and uses Duffy in middle inning situations.  As long as Pressly is in his funk, I think it's time to give those higher leverage situations to someone else while Pressly works through his issues.  That logical person would be Duffy in my view.

 

As for the Belisle/Kintzler thing.  I'm more bothered by the fact that Kintzler wasn't the guy out of the pen after Belisle got into trouble.  Molitor has to minimize the damage to keep the team in the game.  I don't feel that he did that at all.  I would have preferred Kintzler to start the inning, but I understand your point as well.

Was Kintzler available? He'd thrown a lot of pitches in his previous two outings.

 

[wsnydes]

 

Was Kintzler available? He'd thrown a lot of pitches in his previous two outings.

Fair question.  I didn't hear anybody on the telecast say that he wasn't and he didn't pitch Saturday so I assume that he was.

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

This is a disaster but to be fair, other teams wanted Belisle too so I don't think we can count that against the FO.

Other teams weren't already relying on a shaky group of relievers before adding Belisle.  Like I said, Belisle would have been a fine signing if he was the one low-upside addition to round out a pen -- problem was, he was about one of four low-upside additions to an already low-upside group here.

 

It would be like saying, hypothetically, that other teams had interest in Chris Gimenez as a backup catcher -- that wouldn't excuse us signing him to be the starter!

[TheLeviathan]

 

This is something I could get behind as well.  Molitor insists on continuing to use Pressly in higher leverage situations and uses Duffy in middle inning situations.  As long as Pressly is in his funk, I think it's time to give those higher leverage situations to someone else while Pressly works through his issues.  That logical person would be Duffy in my view.

 

As for the Belisle/Kintzler thing.  I'm more bothered by the fact that Kintzler wasn't the guy out of the pen after Belisle got into trouble.  Molitor has to minimize the damage to keep the team in the game.  I don't feel that he did that at all.  I would have preferred Kintzler to start the inning, but I understand your point as well.

 

I can't make any sense out of Duffy right now.  The team continues to talk and act like they don't want to make him a 1 inning setup guy (ala May) because he might still be a starter.  But they've had ample opportunity to put him back as a starter and chose not to.

 

I'm lost on that.

[wsnydes]

 

I can't make any sense out of Duffy right now.  The team continues to talk and act like they don't want to make him a 1 inning setup guy (ala May) because he might still be a starter.  But they've had ample opportunity to put him back as a starter and chose not to.

 

I'm lost on that.

My take on that is one of two things happened.  1)  He's succeeding in the role so they're not messing with a good thing or, 2) they've deemed the pen to the greater immediate need with few reliable options in the MLB pen and many of the would be callups on the MiLB DL.  With a couple of rotation options available in Rochester, this is the way I lean.

 

Either way, I'm glad that they're leaving him there.  I'd really hate to see another May situation, I don't think that's fair to the player at all.  I think he's a reliever whereas I feel that May is a starter.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Would be nice to leave Duffey stretched out a bit in the pen when possible, though.  No real reason to pull him after 3 batters on Sunday, for example.

[DocBauer]

My problem is not the signing or a few street arms to help out AAA. I can even excuse, quite grudgingly, but signing at least ONE high quality bullpen arm to go with Breslow and Belisle due to a number of "available" arms to sort through and a number of talented youngsters that seem painstakingly close.

 

What I can't excuse is needing help and turning to a journeyman, or 2, with poor numbers and experiences over a younger player. Rucinski over Baxendale, for instance. Really?

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

AA may have some folks that can help

I know of an American Legion team that has some arms... Just saying.