Twins send slumping fan favorite Willians Astudillo down to minors

[rickybeathard]

http://www.startribune.com/slumping-astudillo-sent-to-rochester/511001072/

 

“But after Friday’s 6-3 victory over the Tigers, with a seven-man bullpen beginning to show signs of wear, the Twins finally decided that they needed the slump-ridden Astudillo’s roster spot. The popular catcher, who earlier in the evening struck out twice for the first time in his career, was informed he is being sent down to Class AAA Rochester.”

 

 

Even though he has been slumping recently, I'm pretty bummed about this. Wonder how likely it is that he makes it back?

[diehardtwinsfan]

not surprised to be honest. ML pitching figured out that he will still swing at pitches out of the zone. I get him being a great contact hitter, but you have to lay off pitches that aren't strikes in order to get better ones...

 

as for the pitcher, I wonder who. Rochester doesn't exactly have a stable of great RP options. Wonder if Littell or Stewart come up as RPs...

[Otto von Ballpark]

as for the pitcher, I wonder who. Rochester doesn't exactly have a stable of great RP options. Wonder if Littell or Stewart come up as RPs...

Littell can't come back yet, it has only been 6 days since he was optioned.

 

Stewart just started for Rochester yesterday, so he also seems unlikely.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Littell can't come back yet, it has only been 6 days since he was optioned.

Stewart just started for Rochester yesterday, so he also seems unlikely.

 

I saw that in another thread.... to be honest, no one at Rochester is really deserving... Thorpe maybe as a pen option, but he hasn't exactly pitched well either? I'm wondering if they don't DFA someone and add a guy from AA.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The only 40 man, potential AAA pen callup today would seem to be Hildenberger. (Vasquez is hurt, and Romero and Moya pitched more yesterday and haven't been sharp either, although neither has Hildy.)

 

They still have Torreyes as an obvious DFA candidate, so they absolutely could add a non-40-man guy.

[AZTwin]

I wonder if he was fatigued. You could tell he wasn’t in his form. Early in the season when he was hot, he had his bat corked ready to pop in his pre-pitch stance. Lately it has been dropping down further as if he’s holding it lazier. Understand he goes to a batting stance afterwards so it shouldn’t matter but something I picked up on. Wonder if it impacts his batting stance afterwords or is at least a tell he’s fatigued

[TFRazor]

 

Even though he has been slumping recently, I'm pretty bummed about this. Wonder how likely it is that he makes it back?

I think he'll be back. It's hard to keep a good turtle down.

[h2oface]

Mark me as one that is happy he is being sent down. I mean seriously....his OBP is a meager .273, his slugging .357, and his OPS .630. It is just ridiculous to have him on the active roster! The only thing that kept him here, I hope, for the last weeks, was Garver's absence. He is a novelty player. I get that. And many think he is cute. I guess. But if he can't hit for high average, he is a liability. He plays several positions, but is not a ringer at any. This was overdue. It wouldn't hurt for him to get in shape, either. Cute for Astudillo, but a liabilty for Sano? It is always a liability for an athlete to not be in athletic shape.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

http://www.startribune.com/slumping-astudillo-sent-to-rochester/511001072/

the Twins finally decided that they needed the slump-ridden Astudillo’s roster spot. The popular catcher, who earlier in the evening struck out twice for the first time in his career, was informed he is being sent down to Class AAA Rochester.

 

Say it ain't so, Astudillo.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Free Jake Reed. 

[Strato Guy]

Maybe the Turtle needed to go back down, but I just hate 8 man bullpens!  The Twins starters are doing a good job getting innings, more than most teams. I do not see the sense having relief pitchers almost always throw just one inning. Last night was a good example. Morin could have been used for two innings, but especially Harper could have went two. I saw no reason to take him out. He was pitching lights out! Every time you put in a new pitcher, there is always the possibility that they will have an off day and be ineffective.

[akmanak]

Twins are bottom feeding yet again at a AAA level. We dont have anyone decent in AAA. They need to pukk the trigger on a trade.

[notoriousgod71]

We don't need another pitcher that has no business playing in this league. I don't even care that Astudillo is getting sent down but there is no logic to having a 13 man pitching staff. None.

 

The guys we have now can't get anyone out and our bullpen has thrown the least amount of innings in MLB. They should cut to 11, not increase to 13.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Free Jake Reed. 

 

any other year, I'd be OK with this, but he hasn't been very good this season either.

[operation mindcrime]

Even though he has been slumping recently, I'm pretty bummed about this. Wonder how likely it is that he makes it back?

Baring injury we'll probably see him in September!

[Nine of twelve]

Between Gonzalez and Adrianza we can cover 6 defensive positions. Kepler and even Rosario can back up Buxton in CF. So the only place where this will have some impact is that Garver won't be DH'ing and now that Cruz is healthy that's not a big issue. If Astudillo gets himself going at Rochester he can always come back up if there's an injury. He'll be up in September and it wouldn't surprise me to see him on the postseason roster since one less pitcher would be needed because of the 4-man starting rotation.

[jorgenswest]

Astudillo has major league skill. With his ability to make contact he can improve his approach. He should be very selective early knowing he can get behind and fight back with contact. Sometimes it takes some failure to be able to take a step forward. I think he will back better.

[ashbury]

Hackimer, maybe? He's only been at AA a month, but he is about to turn 25 and maybe the brain trust wants to move him along a little. Sam Clay and Adam Bray are both a little older and with similar AA stats, so it could be any of them.

 

Between injuries and ineffectiveness, so many other candidates for promotion have ruled themselves out.

[hybridbear]

I completely agree that he needs to go to AAA to work on being more selective at when he swings. Mauer wasn't afraid to hit with 2 strikes because of his ability to make contact. Astudillo also should have no fear with 2 strikes, but he almost never gets to a 2 strike count.

Astudillo has major league skill. With his ability to make contact he can improve his approach. He should be very selective early knowing he can get behind and fight back with contact. Sometimes it takes some failure to be able to take a step forward. I think he will back better.

I hope he does this. He needs to learn to be more selective to succeed. His contact abilities are exceptional, now he just needs to learn to make better contact.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I completely agree that he needs to go to AAA to work on being more selective at when he swings. Mauer wasn't afraid to hit with 2 strikes because of his ability to make contact. Astudillo also should have no fear with 2 strikes, but he almost never gets to a 2 strike count.

I hope he does this. He needs to learn to be more selective to succeed. His contact abilities are exceptional, now he just needs to learn to make better contact.

 

I'd argue he's got to learn to take, even if it's ball 4. He's not getting nearly enough strikes. Start getting some walks and force pitchers to throw you pitches you can hit... he may be a great contact hitter, but it's pretty clear he's not a good bad ball hitter.

[ChrisKnutson]

While I’m predicting it’s either gonna be Hildy or Romero that gets the call, don’t forget about Alcala’s triple digit heater, nor his improved control.

[strumdatjaguar]

Two thoughts:

1.  Maybe Twins will add with an impending trade and they are clearing space on the roster. 

2.  I feel sorry for the person who put in the "winning bid" on the La Tortuga package during the auction for the Twins Community Fund the other night.  Maybe the Twins will lfy the "winner" to Rochester, New York.

[KGB]

Seems like an overreaction to him striking out twice last night.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm guessing they are doing this to help him reset.

 

I'd guess Romero is the call, but I hope I get a pleasant surprise.

[Shaitan]

 

I completely agree that he needs to go to AAA to work on being more selective at when he swings. Mauer wasn't afraid to hit with 2 strikes because of his ability to make contact. Astudillo also should have no fear with 2 strikes, but he almost never gets to a 2 strike count.

I hope he does this. He needs to learn to be more selective to succeed. His contact abilities are exceptional, now he just needs to learn to make better contact.

 

As a complete non-expert, I think a lack of fear might be his undoing. 

[In My La Z boy]

 

Seems like an overreaction to him striking out twice last night.

Garver needs to play as often as possible - the turtle was a luxury - not so much now that he has been scouted and figured out. He'll make the adjustments down in Rochester and be back. I'd reach down to Pensacola - that is where our best relief pitchers are right now. We have about 6 weeks to figure out who can be helpful from the minors (if anyone?) before we pull the trigger on some reinforcements.

[Vanimal46]

I'm guessing they are doing this to help him reset.

 

I'd guess Romero is the call, but I hope I get a pleasant surprise.

Romero's last few outings don't sound promising... Perhaps the Aussie Lewis Thorpe gets the call. That would be a pleasant surprise!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Seems like an overreaction to him striking out twice last night.

I think it probably had more to do with his .443 OPS over the past month.

[twins_89]

Not a surprise that Astudillo go sent down, he's had a sub .500 OPS since he came off the IL and hasn't been making hard contact. My guess on who gets called up is Alcala (with Torreyes waived).

[Vanimal46]

 

I liked watching him pitch in spring training. Good luck!