2017 Twins Report Cards

Brandon Warne · October 18, 2017

Posting them here so people can check them out. Did this series last year and it was fairly well received.

First up: Matt Belisle:

diehardtwinsfan · October 18, 2017

seems like a reasonable take. Not sure I want him back though. At that age, "that's baseball" is going to catch up to him sooner than I'd like.

yarnivek1972 · October 18, 2017

Wow. He was so bad in that June 11 game that they took a run away from the Twins to turn a 5-4 lead into an 8-4 deficit.

Brandon Warne · October 20, 2017

Wow. He was so bad in that June 11 game that they took a run away from the Twins to turn a 5-4 lead into an 8-4 deficit.

Crap.

Brandon Warne · October 20, 2017

Here's Jose Berrios -- hopefully sans typos

http://zonecoverage.com/2017/twins/2017-minnesota-twins-report-card-jose-berrios/

gunnarthor · October 20, 2017

Here's Jose Berrios -- hopefully sans typos

http://zonecoverage.com/2017/twins/2017-minnesota-twins-report-card-jose-berrios/

Nice write up on Berrios. I think he'll be a similar pitcher next year with a huge jump coming in 2019. But as long as he stays healthy, he'll be no worse than a #3. Really like this guy.

Vanimal46 · October 20, 2017

Here's Jose Berrios -- hopefully sans typos

http://zonecoverage.com/2017/twins/2017-minnesota-twins-report-card-jose-berrios/

This was a very enjoyable read. Thanks.

I didn't realize he was mixing in that many sinkers this year. From my untrained eye, I thought those were 2 seamers with good movement on it.

It's truly a pleasure watching him pitch when the fastball and curve are on that day. Next year there will still be some learning curves, so I agree with gunnarthor that he'll be a similar pitcher in 2018. I have high hopes he'll make a huge stride in 2019 and beyond.

DocBauer · October 21, 2017

Nice write up! I have to echo...echo...that I think he will improve in 2018 and excel in 2019. There just aren't many Dwight Gooden-King Felix types out there. It takes a couple years for a young pitcher to really hit his stride.

I know this sounds simplistic, but what I saw was a very determined and talented pitcher with nasty stuff who just needs some refinement. I think the change, even with mediocre improvement, is what could put him at the top of the Twins rotation.

Brandon Warne · October 26, 2017

Buddy Boshers:

http://zonecoverage.com/2017/twins/2017-minnesota-twins-report-card-buddy-boshers/

Brock Beauchamp · October 26, 2017

seems like a reasonable take. Not sure I want him back though. At that age, "that's baseball" is going to catch up to him sooner than I'd like.

Yep. You got your miles out of the guy. Thank him and move on.

Vanimal46 · October 26, 2017

Buddy Boshers:

http://zonecoverage.com/2017/twins/2017-minnesota-twins-report-card-buddy-boshers/

Another good write up. I hope the Twins aim higher with bullpen replacements, and Boshers will most likely be the odd man out if that's the case. If they do decide to bring him back, I guess I wouldn't be upset. As long as the experiment of him facing RH hitters is over.

Mike Sixel · October 26, 2017

Another good write up. I hope the Twins aim higher with bullpen replacements, and Boshers will most likely be the odd man out if that's the case. If they do decide to bring him back, I guess I wouldn't be upset. As long as the experiment of him facing RH hitters is over.

some truly brilliant managing there.....If he's back or not, meh either way. He's a LOOGY, and they can find a LOOGY.

Brandon Warne · October 26, 2017

I mean he's still on a league-minimum deal for one more year, so it really doesn't hurt to bring him back in addition to anyone they find. But I suspect they'll outright him.

diehardtwinsfan · October 26, 2017

I would... nothing against the guy, but we need better.

Thrylos · October 26, 2017

So many A's and B's, you'd think that the Twins' pitching staff was competitive this season...

Belisle is a C+ (4.03 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 0.72 WPA) WPA saves him, but what role would he have, if any with Cleveland or Houston or the Dodgers?

Berrios is a B- or so. 3.93 ERA, 3.86 FIP are not "A" material. Lots of flashes and lots of potential, but some bad moments as well. Could be an A sometime. Not now.

Boshers is a D (4.89 ERA, 5.19 FIP, -0.65 WPA) pretty horrible all around. Replacement level that should have never been in the majors.

No excuses. Pitching sucked and grades should reflect that fact.

dbminn · October 26, 2017

So many A's and B's, you'd think that the Twins' pitching staff was competitive this season...
...
No excuses. Pitching sucked and grades should reflect that fact.

Harsh assessment but I have to agree. I'd still give Berrios a B. 125 SP had at least 100 IP. By ERA (48th) and FIP (35th), Berrios ranked in the middle to lower part of the B range for that group. This group doesn't include all of the #4/#5 SP that filled out rotations. I think a B is reasonable.

I'm backing Thrylos on the others. Maybe even D- for Boshers.

Thrylos · October 26, 2017

Harsh assessment but I have to agree. I'd still give Berrios a B. 125 SP had at least 100 IP. By ERA (48th) and FIP (35th), Berrios ranked in the middle to lower part of the B range for that group. This group doesn't include all of the #4/#5 SP that filled out rotations. I think a B is reasonable.

I'm backing Thrylos on the others. Maybe even D- for Boshers.

We are splitting hair between B and B-

My logic with B- is that if Berrios got a B, A is not high enough for the pitchers that set the curve like Kersaw or Kluber or Scherzer... If those guys are at A, and pitchers like Stroman, Darvish, and deGrom are B's, Berrios should be a tad lower - Did not pitch a full season either.

Vanimal46 · October 26, 2017

People pick apart the strangest things... Keep up the good work Brandon. I actually read the write ups and don't care about an arbitrary grade at the conclusion.

Mr. Brooks · October 26, 2017

People pick apart the strangest things... Keep up the good work Brandon. I actually read the write ups and don't care about an arbitrary grade at the conclusion.

If the letter grade isn't meant to be meaningful, then why not just do the write ups and leave off the grade?

The entire premise of the series is basically the grades, I don't understand objecting to discussion of the literal premise set by the author?

Vanimal46 · October 27, 2017

If the letter grade isn't meant to be meaningful, then why not just do the write ups and leave off the grade?
The entire premise of the series is basically the grades, I don't understand objecting to discussion of the literal premise set by the author?

I haven't read in any of the articles Brandon has posted "I'm going to grade Twins' pitchers compared to every single pitcher in the MLB."

Mr. Brooks · October 27, 2017

I haven't read in any of the articles Brandon has posted "I'm going to grade Twins' pitchers compared to every single pitcher in the MLB."

That has nothing to do with my point.

The author clearly doesn't think the grades are arbitrary and/or meaningless. If he did, he would have simply done the write ups without including the grades.

I happen to agree that the grades don't need to be on a league wide curve, but again, that's besides the point.

People disagreeing with his grades don't necessarily mean they think he did a bad job. I just don't understand the need to call people out for having a different opinion.

Brandon Warne · October 28, 2017

I haven't read in any of the articles Brandon has posted "I'm going to grade Twins' pitchers compared to every single pitcher in the MLB."

It's kind of a nebulous concept, but I see it this way -- you can take the super smart classes or the dumb-dumb ones. An A for a LOOGY isn't the same as one for a starting pitcher with 200 innings.

Meh. People don't have to love it.