Twins Notebook 8/2: Tyler Clippard to Open Bullpen Game

[Tom Froemming]

We found out postgame last night that Rocco Baldelli was pushing veteran starter Homer Bailey back and instead planning on going with a bullpen game. Tyler Clippard will be the opener, a role he served in three times last season with Cleveland.UPDATE

We have a roster move:

 

 

LAST NIGHT’S GAME RECAP

Twins 3, Cleveland 0: Miguel Sanó Hits Pair of Bombas, Kenta Maeda Pitches 6 Shutout Innings

 

TODAY

Twins vs. Cleveland, 1:10 pm CT

Betting Lines: MIN -1.5, -115, 9.0 O/U

 

Twins: Tyler Clippard, RHP

2020: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

 

Taking a look at the bullpen chart, I have to suspect Devin Smeltzer will be the “primary pitcher” for the Twins today. He gave up 13 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings pitched against Cleveland last season.

 

Download attachment: Bullpen.png

 

Cleveland: Aaron Civale, RHP

Last outing: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 100 pitches

 

Download attachment: Civale.png

Info via Baseball Savant

 

Civale has made quite the early impression in his career, pitching to a 2.40 ERA and 1.07 WHIP over his first 63 2/3 innings. A decent chunk of that success has come against the Twins, who he held to two earned runs over 11 innings pitched last year, a 1.64 ERA.

 

LINEUP

 

NEWS & NOTES

— Check out this fun Cody Stashak fact:

 

 

— Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain announced yesterday he was opting out of the remainder of the 2020 season. The Brewers were supposed to be hosting St. Louis this weekend before the Cardinals had multiple COVID-19 cases.

 

— Marlins received approval to resume play on Tuesday. They’ll face the Orioles in Baltimore, though Miami will be designated as the home team for two games of the four-game series. The Phillies will be returning to action Monday against the Yankees in New York. Both the Marlins and Phillies last played a week ago, July 26.

 

— White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson was placed on the Injured List due to a strained groin.

 

— Craig Kimbrel, who has a 7.77 ERA in 25 total games pitched since signing with the Cubs, may be removed from the closer role, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

 

— Old friend and former 2020 Twins Summer Camp great Jhoulys Chacin was DFA’d by the Braves.

 

AROUND THE AL CENTRAL

CHW 11, KCR 5

DET: Postponed, rain

 

1. MIN 6-2 (+20)

2. DET 5-3 (-6)

3. CLE 5-4 (+3)

4. CHW 4-4 (-2)

5. KCR 3-6 (-7)

 

SEE ALSO

Twins Bullpen: Ready When Needed

Which 3 Twins Have Started the Strongest?

Reviewing a Week of Twins Quotes

Getting to Starters Early Will Be Imperative for the Minnesota Twins

 

Click here to view the article

[beckmt]

hoping it is anyone but Smeltzer, Maybe Thorpe or Alcala.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Interesting. They are really taking it slow with the starting rotation. Depth in bullpen certainly helps. Have to assume Smeltzer and Thorpe will each get multiple innings.

 

“Old friend” Jhoulys...funny.

 

Also, Bremer and Smalley commented on how Stashak never walked anyone about 10 seconds before he issued his walk yesterday. There’s no one in the stands—guys, he can hear you, so knock off the jinxes!

[70charger]

I don’t have a good feeling about a bullpen game. Homer Bailey seemed great last time out. What’s going on?

[mikelink45]

NO - I hate openers.  We just had a posting about our depth of rotation and suddenly we do not trust Homer to pitch against the Indians.  Start Thorpe or Smeltzer.  One of them has to eat some innings so start with the first.  This is the shiny new tricycle on the block - openers - and I predict it will be put back in the garage to rust in a few years.  

 

BP games are simply ways to wear out your BP.  With all these games in such a short season the BP will have plenty of time to get innings.  

[Tom Froemming]

On Bailey: Pitchers are dropping like flies across the league right now. I'm guessing Rocco wants to use his depth while he has instead of when he has to. I don't think it's a coincidence this move was announced after the Twins won last night. Had they lost, I imagine Bailey would've started. Rocco is a very rest/longevity-focused manager.

 

On Openers: Just think of this as a Smeltzer/Thorpe start, but you're trying to avoid having them pitch to Lindor/Ramirez/etc more than twice. In that sense, I like the strategy.

 

But, I do think openers for day games puts a reliever in a particularly weird situation. These guys typically pitch at 9-10 pm, so asking them to be comfortable starting a 1 pm game might throw off their routine. I'm sure that wouldn't bother some guys at all, but I have to believe some would be thrown off by it (though I doubt they'd admit it).

[Nine of twelve]

 

But, I do think openers for day games puts a reliever in a particularly weird situation. These guys typically pitch at 9-10 pm, so asking them to be comfortable starting a 1 pm game might throw off their routine. I'm sure that wouldn't bother some guys at all, but I have to believe some would be thrown off by it (though I doubt they'd admit it).

I would guess that the two pitchers on this staff who would be least fazed by an abrupt change from their routines would be Clippard and Romo. Between the two of them I'd choose Clippard to open.

[pierre75275]

Does anyone have any idea why Bailey didn't start? Does he have some sorr of issue?

[Doctor Gast]

 

I don’t have a good feeling about a bullpen game. Homer Bailey seemed great last time out. What’s going on?

I like the idea of an opener but as a BP game, I`m not so crazy about either. Clippard has pitched a lot of pitches lately, I don`t know if this a good time to use him as an opener. If they want use an opener why not use Bailey as a tandem & scale back his innings. Pushing back Bailey will push Berrios back, Berrios usually pitches better w/ normal days of rest, unless Hill also needs to be pushed back

[blindeke]

Who the heck is going to be on the Marlins roster when they actually play? I cannot imagine.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Who the heck is going to be on the Marlins roster when they actually play? I cannot imagine.

Mike Morin!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Do i get to refer folk here to the gamethread?

 

Or will someone else do that as it gets pinned?

 

This seems like pretty good discussion as is...

 

I like openers. But there is something to be said for simplicity and i'm just as happy having only one pitcher pitch.

[bird]

 

Mike Morin!

 

With Brandon Kintzler as his opener and Lewin Diaz batting cleanup?

 

[Tom Froemming]

 

Does anyone have any idea why Bailey didn't start? Does he have some sorr of issue?

We do now, Bailey has been placed on the IL with right biceps tendinitis and will be replaced on the roster by Sean Poppen. 

[Tom Froemming]

 

Do i get to refer folk here to the gamethread?

Or will someone else do that as it gets pinned?

This seems like pretty good discussion as is...

I like openers. But there is something to be said for simplicity and i'm just as happy having only one pitcher pitch.

 

Yes, the Game Thread is here: http://twinsdaily.com/topic/39435-gamethread-twins-vs-tribe-110pm-cdt-822020ad/

 

That's where anybody who wants to discuss today's game live will want to go. You can essentially consider the comments of this article closed (but I'll leave it open in case anyone wants to reply to previous comments).

[Doctor Gast]

Bailey on 10 day IL