Article: Spring Training Storylines: Pitchers And Catchers

[jimmer]

 

Yeah, it's a bad idea to even look at the April schedule and try to sort a rotation when your favorite team plays outdoors in Minneapolis.

It's why I don't even think of going to Twins home games till June :-)

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

It's why I don't even think of going to Twins home games till June :-)

I'll go but only to day games and will only sit in specific parts of the stadium where I'm either close to a heat source or in the sun.

[gocgo]

 

Assuming 4 starters in regular rotation, we'd need a 5th starter on April 11, 24, 29, and May 4.  Basically "skipped" twice in that span, the first week and the third week (around the Puerto Rico trip).

 

Depending on how they did it, they could skip them on their next off day May 9th too, but you would need them by May 14th again.

 

The DL is only 10 days now, so that helps, but I don't see them pushing Berrios, Mejia, etc. Early last season they were skipping the 5th guy a bit (Mejia?) but the other 4 spots were veterans (Ervin, Santiago, Hughes, and Gibson).

Yeah, I totally agree on not pushing them early which is another reason that I think they will have the additional BP spot to get an extra inning here and there and maybe limiting the starters pitch count to even less than 100.

[yarnivek1972]

Right, Berrios struggled mightily in the majors even with sparkly AAA stats. So Romero and Gonsalves are different and do well in the majors with no AAA experience to think of?

 

I don't think some realize how huge of an ask it is to jump from AA to MLB as a pitcher.

Brad Radke did it. Granted, on a team that was not planning to contend. But he remains the most successful starting pitcher to come up through the system in the last 30 years. Maybe 40. By far.

[twinssporto]

 

Right, Berrios struggled mightily in the majors even with sparkly AAA stats. So Romero and Gonsalves are different and do well in the majors with no AAA experience to think of?

I don't think some realize how huge of an ask it is to jump from AA to MLB as a pitcher.

I agree its a big jump.  It would be great to see some long-term stats on how pitchers do jumping from AA to Majors.  I'm sure the analytic guys in MLB have some of that data.  

 

I personally think you are going to see players spending less time in the minors as these "new baseball" people mix up the status quo thats been going on for the last 50+ years.  Not saying its right or wrong but this new generation seems more willing to break with tradition occasionally.

[mikelink45]

I know that we have all obsessed over the pitchers, but one more thing jumps out - Garver does not need another year of full time minor league service.  This is not a young man and he has done what he needs to do in the minors.  He will not start here, at least let him gain service time in the majors. 

[Oxtung]

 

I know that we have all obsessed over the pitchers, but one more thing jumps out - Garver does not need another year of full time minor league service.  This is not a young man and he has done what he needs to do in the minors.  He will not start here, at least let him gain service time in the majors. 

 

I agree. He's already 27; if the Twins believe he isn't ready to be a backup catcher when he's entering his prime then see what you can get for him on the trade market. We've gotten surprisingly good returns on backup catchers.

[rdehring]

Read a post on the Twins site about Hughes.  Seems that he is feeling normal and not expecting any problems this spring.  Expect the Twins know more about how he is doing than we do.  Maybe they are hearing good things and counting on him a lot more than all of us.

Edited February 15, 2018 by rdehring

[yarnivek1972]

Read a post on the Twins site about Hughes. Seems that he is feeling normal and not expecting any problems this spring. Expect the Twins know more about how he is doing than we do. Maybe they are hearing good things and counting on him a lot more than all of us.

One might expect that. Not sure I am willing to accept what they say at face value.

[USAFChief]

Read a post on the Twins site about Hughes.  Seems that he is feeling normal and not expecting any problems this spring.  Expect the Twins know more about how he is doing than we do.  Maybe they are hearing good things and counting on him a lot more than all of us.

But is he in the best shape of his life?

[jimmer]

 

By the way, one down in the pitching free agent pool. Jamie Garcia has signed with Toronto. 

And Cashner.  Someone picked Cashner in the thread where people are guessing who and when.

[ashbury]

But is he in the best shape of his life?

It's Spring Training. That* is a given, for every veteran trying to re-establish himself.

 

^{* _{the choice of phrase}}

[Vanimal46]

Over/under 2.5 "feeling great!" stories about Hughes from Twins beat writers in March?

[ChrisKnutson]

Despite all the worry over the rotation, I'd still be skeptical of our bullpen. Addison Reed was the only signing I liked, and besides him I've been pretty disappointed with the signings of Duke and Rodney.

 

I'm worried Duke will be just as effective or worse of a lefty than Buddy Boshers was, in that case why not sing young lefties (with upside) Robbie Ross and Kevin Seigrist to minor league deals (unlike Sanchez and Duke).

 

And for more assurance it wouldn't hurt to sign Sueng-Hwang Oh to a 1 year deal, in case Rodney disappoints.

[USAFChief]

 

Over/under 2.5 "feeling great!" stories about Hughes from Twins beat writers in March?

yes.

[Shaitan]

The most important thing for any bullpen is to get 6 inning starts.