The short leash and rookies

[Doomtints]

 

I went back and watched the bottom of the 1st through 3rd innings of Thursday's game to see what I was missing about Dietrich Enns.

 

First, he's definitely a soft-throwing control lefty, which we've seen several times in recent memory, starting with Scott Diamond, going to Andrew Albers, Tommy Milone and Hector Santiago. None of them lasted very long.

 

Second, he knows how to pitch. He was spotting a down-plane fastball low in the zone. Velocity was around 90 mph. 

 

Third, his curve ball was a disaster waiting to happen. It had a big, fat hump in the middle, the kind of trajectory that would make Kirby Puckett pay a man to throw his curve ball. I believe Puckett called that kind of curve "a gift from God." If Enns doesn't shave that hump, throw it lower and control the depth better, he'll get killed.

 

Fourth, he does have a change up, which I saw him use to get a whiff on one guy. He should use it more often. He absolutely must use it, especially against righties, who are salivating as they sit on that hanging curve. 

 

It is barely possible that Dietrich Enns could survive in the majors. He must spot his fastball with great accuracy low in the zone. He must throw his curve with less hang. He must throw his change up more often, especially against righties. If he could develop a fourth pitch, that would help, too. Maybe most important, he has to learn to pitch like Bartolo Colon, varying speeds, placements, mixing his pitches, and staying away from the middle. A soft-throwing lefty has to be a real artist, or he'll get slaughtered by all those right handed batters. 

 

Good analysis as always.

 

I could buy into it that his curve & change, which require more concentration/control to throw effectively than hurling fastballs, could have been "off" due to the nervousness of his first start.  

 

The fact that he was called up suggests he will, eventually, get plenty of time to prove himself. 

[Doomtints]

 

Actually, I like that Molitor went from an 89mph lefty to a 95mph righty.

 

Also, he was replaced when Pina came to the plate, who is hitting lefties 100 points higher than righties this season.

 

Yeah, that's how you do it when the opposition starts teeing off.

[Riverbrian]

 

Actually, I like that Molitor went from an 89mph lefty to a 95mph righty.

 

Also, he was replaced when Pina came to the plate, who is hitting lefties 100 points higher than righties this season.

 

I don't have a problem with Busenitz myself. II would have considered using him. I'm counting on him to develop into something. 

 

I just don't think that he has earned Molitor's full trust yet and I only base that on his usage... not any inside knowledge. 

 

If Molitor has doubts about him and his previous actions suggest that he does. Bases loaded One Out with the tying run at the plate was not the moment to go with him. 

 

I could be wrong... Maybe Molly trusts him big time despite how he has been used. 

 

I would went with out of the box thinking and gone with one of my 7th or 8th high leverage guys because it was a high leverage situation. 

 

Unfairly of course... I'm trying to judge Molitor on how I think he thinks. 

 

 

[bird]

 

This was a horrible decision, unless it was a game 7 of a post-season series or the last game of the season.  For 2 reasons:

 

-Enns had gas in his tank. He threw 50 pitches, he was good for another 50 or so.  He was throwing strikes (70% of them) and allowed only 1 earned run into the third inning and the Twins had a 6-2 lead.  This is not a message you want to send to a young pitcher.  He needs to learn how to get out of those jams in the major league.   He was ahead 6-2 and the Twins' win expectation was 74% when he was taken out.  Santana has been in similar situations and was not taken out.  So has Santiago, so has Hughes.  Cannot tread your pitchers differently.  That gives the wrong message

 

- You have another series starting the next day.  You are up 6-2 with a 74% win probability.  You cannot afford to burn your pen that is not that good to begin with.  If Gibby pitches a dud today, the Twins do not have the options they should have in the pen, and the whole series gets jeopardized. 

 

You play to win series at this point of the season, not single games.

 

Really? A horrible decision?

 

I was watching the game. Enns had become pathetic. A fifth grade soccer player could see that. Even Molitor saw it.  I suppose if I was peering down at some meaningless and completely irrelevant statistics instead of watching the guy pitch, I might have been in favor of letting the guy stay in to give up a bunch of runs.

 

The message I want my manager to send to his young pitchers is that you'll get yanked when you need to get yanked, period. We save our hugs for after the games.

 

I have no clue what this fairness doctrine is that motivated you to bring up Santana, Santiago or Hughes. Is there some Advanced Fairness Metric out there now? I want a manager who can see what's happening and make a call. I sure hope we never have some guy managing the club who looks down at some statistic instead of asking his catcher, observing himself, and pulling a guy who's about to get rocked.

 

BTW, if Gibby pitches a dud not only does the manager have numerous fresh arms, but he's got yesterday's win in his back pocket. WIn the game, win the series. Win-win.

[Mr. Brooks]

Yeah the guy suddenly couldn't get anyone out, and Mollie is trying to win the game.

 

No problem pulling him there.

[drjim]

Fear not, confirmed he'll get another start.

[Dave The Dastardly]

 

He's a slopballinhlg lefty who was in a massive jam going through the order a second time. What result would you expect keeping him in?

Enns may make it as a reliever, but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see him again in a Twins uniform. There's a reason he was the marginal 40 guy thrown into the trade.

So why did we want him?

[Doomtints]

 

So why did we want him?

 

Yeah. That was harsh and unwarranted after 1 appearance...

[jimbo92107]

 

Good analysis as always.

 

I could buy into it that his curve & change, which require more concentration/control to throw effectively than hurling fastballs, could have been "off" due to the nervousness of his first start.  

 

The fact that he was called up suggests he will, eventually, get plenty of time to prove himself. 

True, nervousness probably had him a little uptight, which tends to reduce the easy wrist action and such. What I think I saw in just a few innings was a possible back rotation starter, somewhere between a Tommy Milone and a Scott Diamond. If Enns can improve his change up and reduce the hang on that curve, his command otherwise might play fairly well at this level. 

[drjim]

So why did we want him?

I suspect he was going to be dfa'ed by the Yankees to make room for Garcia and the Twins had extra 40 man slots so they took the depth.

[drjim]

And it now turns out he'll make another start. I'm not especially convinced Gonsalves will be effective over multiple starts, but if they alternative is Enns, why the bleep not...

[gman]

Maybe it was as simple as Moliter and Allen had a game plan on what to do if and when the rookie pitcher had an implosion in his first major league start. Not beyond the realm of probability. 

[DJSim22]

 

There is no way Enns should have been allowed to face another batter in that situation. What if he give up a grand slam to the next batter and the game is tied? All the momentum is gone and who knows how the game ends up. The bullpen was rested and ready to give 6+ plus innings of relief. We are all about winning ballgames right now! He can have another start in 5 days to evaluate again. Molitor seems to have a good feel for the team right now so I have condfidence in his decision making at this point. Go Twins!

 

Perhaps you are right.  My questioning Molitor was using up a pen that had been doing well.  I guess I was fully expecting the next few starts to go 5 innings or less and the bullpen to get used up blowing a game or two. 

[curt1965]

Skipping to the end of this thread, but I'm asking why in the hell Gonsalves isn't up? (Garver, too)

Since when do we not suit up our best 25??

[Jham]

Perhaps you are right. My questioning Molitor was using up a pen that had been doing well. I guess I was fully expecting the next few starts to go 5 innings or less and the bullpen to get used up blowing a game or two.

Like some sort of prophecy... hopefully there isn't a compounding problem like after that Astros series. Santana better pack a lunch today!