Article: Twins Sign Belisle: What Does This Mean?

[Platoon]

TD's minor league report of that day also conveyed the news, for those who read that site:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/30214-article-twins-minor-league-report-67-rooker-and-kirilloff-tee-off-on-opponents/

While there's lots of info on "that site" I cannot believe they have not been covering the raccoon going up the bank building. It's that type of coverage that drives me to peruse Twinkie Town, ocassionaly.

[Platoon]

Speaking of: The raccoon on the bank building and Belisle on a MLB roster. What do they have in common?

Edited June 13, 2018 by Platoon

[Brandon]

I think a few weeks is fine to see how Belisle and the Twins do before the trade deadline where there could be several bullpen jobs available and several minorleagers brought up then. Most of the AAA relievers need to work on control anyway as around 4 walks per 9 innings is too many.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Most of the AAA relievers need to work on control anyway as around 4 walks per 9 innings is too many.

Busenitz (1.9 BB/9 at Rochester) and Duffey (2.3) need to work on their control? Or we're just going to lump them in with other pitchers who do, for no apparent reason except to justify signing Belisle as our 13th pitcher?

[Rosterman]

Okay, what are the Twins doing about the offense. Mauer, Polanco and Buxton will be back. I guess that solves the need to keep Cave/LaMarre. A pitcher will probably have to go. And maybe it will be BOTH LaMarre/Cave with Grossman as the backup. That sends chills of anticipation.

 

But then we have "where to play Escobar." Of course, Mauer at DH, Sano at 1st, Escobar at 33rd. So Grossman is the bench bat with Adrianza and Wilson (until Rupp gets the call).

 

Maybe we need a veteran clubhouse guy to rally the clubhouse, the dugout, the bench. The bullpen seems to have their mentors up the wazoo at this point.

 

Anyway, the Twins are still one-up in the pitching department and the Belisle leash may be short (or a month, at the most).

 

Yes, though, it sends a message to the Duffy's at Rochester..."why not me, again" as well as the future building blocks in an overstuffed 40-man pitching roster (couldn't Slegers fill this role, will Mejia ever see the majors again...who will depart when the Twins do have to add names like Reed and Bard and Anderson to the 40-man roster?

 

Further complications when you have to shuffle the deck for Ervin Santana.

 

Oh, yes, Trevor May is out there, still working on returning. And he will return!

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Maybe this tells us that the team is trying to make a deal for a Wilson Ramos type and Busenitz, Curtis, and/or Duffy is part of the package going back. 

So these guys can't beat out Matt Belisle for the 8th bullpen spot -- but Tampa's going to insist they are included in a major trade?

 

Also, those guys aren't in MLB now and don't require Belisle to replace them on the roster even if they were dealt. Except perhaps as "depth" but it's a really weird way to address depth by adding a 13th pitcher to your roster who doesn't have options.

Edited June 13, 2018 by spycake

[Otto von Ballpark]

If they activate Mauer soon (he just started a rehab assignment for Rochester yesterday), this also means the only move they can really make is sending down LaMarre or Cave (barring another injury in the meantime). So gone is the CF platoon, and say hello to Robbie Grossman, exclusive 4th outfielder again.

[howieramone2]

 

And of course how long will they go with a 3 man bench? It must be extremely discouraging for the MiLB players to work their ass off and see the FO bring in a retread instead of them. One can be "challenged" only so often before the challenge becomes a discouragement.

If they can't take the heat, time to get out of the fire.

[nicksaviking]

 

If they can't take the heat, time to get out of the fire.

 

They haven't been given the chance to take the heat.

 

If Belisle was brought in because they needed his "leadership" that doesn't speak too well of Rodney, Reed and Duke.

[howieramone2]

 

I, too, am totally dumbfounded with this move. This is such a Terry Ryan move. Twins are loyal to a fault with players who do not deserve to be on a MLB roster, like the player we finally released, Pettit. And don't get me started on how we are keeping Grossman for no apparent reason. At some point the loyalty has to go to our minor league prospects who have proved at every level they deserve at least a shot.

 

Also agree with earlier poster who said it's the offense that needs major help. Once again we are totally baffled with 85 mph fastballs and 76 mph curves last night. Does the FO really believe Polanco and Buxton returning are going to transform us into a team that can consistently score runs?

Yes

[howieramone2]

 

They haven't been given the chance to take the heat.

 

If Belisle was brought in because they needed his "leadership" that doesn't speak too well of Rodney, Reed and Duke.

He was brought in to help us win games, just like last season where I believe he was our best pitcher after 6-15. 

[ashbury]

He was brought in to help us win games, just like last season where I believe he was our best pitcher after 6-15. 

Ha ha, those fools! Cleveland fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia," but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go into the second half of the season without Matt Belisle when post-season contention is on the line!"

 

[Platoon]

If they can't take the heat, time to get out of the fire.

It would be far easier to "get out of the fire", if you were not shackled to it. MiLB players have approximately the same amount of mobility as a turtle turned over on its back. In the corporate world, those who feel they have given their best, and for whatever reason it wasn't enough to elevate them into the executive suite, are free to move to a like company in the same industry. This at least satisfies the question most people would have. Was it me, or the orginisation? In MiLB you can't go from the Twins farm system to the White Sox. You have to abandon your career path completely.

[Han Joelo]

Comments I've seen on this site in the past:

 

Busenitz had a flat fastball/shaky peripherals; the league will catch up to him.  He's Slamma-ing AAA pitching.

 

Moya gets by on a deception.

 

My own observation:  Curtiss has shaky control that gets exacerbated under the limelight.  Shoot, last night he wilted against the Yankees...affilitate.

 

Duffey is what he is.  He'll be good, he'll be bad.  Sometimes happy, sometimes sad.  Right now he's mad.

 

Bard is the Matt Belisle of the young turks--couldn't cut it in a contenders pen.

 

Listen, I don't actually dislike any of these guys, and I think they all deserve a(nother) shot. They may be more talented than Belisle, but I'm not convinced they'll perform better.  At any rate, this seems like a move driven by or done on the behalf of Molitor.  If that is the case, it will be a mark in his ledger, one way or the other.

[Platoon]

 

 

Ha ha, those fools! Cleveland fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia," but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go into the second half of the season without Matt Belisle when post-season contention is on the line.

>>>>>>>>>>>Think of the trade value once everyone catches on to this. Belisle will be our way forward to a catcher who can catch a baseball. Belisle for Realmuto even up. (Though the FO will have to deal with some harsh critiscm for giving away Belisle)

Edited June 13, 2018 by ashburyjohn

[Otto von Ballpark]

If we don't like any of our AAA relievers -- why do we have so many of them on our 40-man roster? Why didn't we sign Belisle this winter? I guess by waiting, I think Cleveland is on the hook for Belisle's modest salary above the league minimum... so, savings!

 

Although that still would have been the case had we signed him less than a month ago, when he was a free agent for 8 days after Cleveland let him go the first time...

[yarnivek1972]

If the Twins are selling, they should go all in.

Rodney, Reed, Magil, Presley, Lynn, Ororizzi, Dozier, Escobar.

Why half arse it.

They have replacements for all of them.

You can’t trade players no one wants. As I said, Reed and Rodney are likely at the top of teams want lists. Relievers usually are.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

If they can't take the heat, time to get out of the fire.

Duffey has thrown 6 scoreless innings across 4 games in MLB since the last time Belisle was a free agent. Was that him showing he was unable to take the heat?

[howieramone2]

 

Ha ha, those fools! Cleveland fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia," but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go into the second half of the season without Matt Belisle when post-season contention is on the line!"

 

According to current board standards, the Indians haven't accomplished anything since 1948.

[NotTorii]

Man, sooooo - Twins!!!

[Tomj14]

 

You can’t trade players no one wants. As I said, Reed and Rodney are likely at the top of teams want lists. Relievers usually are.

Every guy I mentioned would return something, sure that something is probably a mid tier prospect that as Twins fans we will over hype and claim to be the future and be unwilling to trade because we are still two years away from really contending. In a few years if will be questionable that they deserve a 40 man roster spot and again as Twins fans will be waiting for our next mid tier prospects to bring us to the promise land.

[Mike Sixel]

If we don't like any of our AAA relievers -- why do we have so many of them on our 40-man roster? Why didn't we sign Belisle this winter? I guess by waiting, I think Cleveland is on the hook for Belisle's modest salary above the league minimum... so, savings!

 

Although that still would have been the case had we signed him less than a month ago, when he was a free agent for 8 days after Cleveland let him go the first time...

This. The 40 man can't be a restraint to moving guys up if the front office refuses to promote guys in the 40 man because they aren't good enough.

 

I hate this move. So many teams are getting younger, this team just keeps getting older.

 

Leadership? Mentor? This team is filled with veterans.

[Blackjack]

 

Speaking of: The raccoon on the bank building and Belisle on a MLB roster. What do they have in common?

Soon to be roadkill?

[USAFChief]

According to current board standards, the Indians haven't accomplished anything since 1948.

Nor our favorite team since 1991, amiright?

[Platoon]

Soon to be roadkill?

. That might be the winner......

[Platoon]

Nor our favorite team since 1991, amiright?

Normally I don't do math, but does this make us over twice as successful?

[USAFChief]

Normally I don't do math, but does this make us over twice as successful?

You should go back to not doing math.

[Platoon]

You should go back to not doing math.

You rose to the bait........ You never disappoint.

[gagu]

I think we all sometimes make too much out of relatively common minor mid-season transactions. Maybe they're playing a hunch with the important Cleveland series coming up the weekend. Articles have been written recently about Molitor´s over-use of his bullpen stalwarts, four of the fifty MLB relievers with 30 or more appearances are Twins, plus Rogers with 27 and Rodney with 24. Maybe he hopes to use Belisle as a veteran crutch to help give the others a break if only for a short time. Who knows? There are so many nuances involved in a long season and a 40-man roster. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

Falvine really hasn’t had the chance to select and develop potential relievers yet. They inherited all the players at A ball and above.

The only reliever that made his MLB debut during Falvine’s tenure that has done well is Hildenberger, and he had a rough start to this year. To the point that many were calling for him to be sent to AAA. No one else has done well enough to hold a spot. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the system’s supposed surplus of relievers.

Part of that is giving some of those minor league relief arms an actual chance, even if that chance results in failure. 

 

Busenitz has thrown all of 4 innings this year, and Curtiss has logged 2/3 of an inning. It's hard to earn anything with limited amount of work.