Twins 2021 Position Analysis: Starting Pitcher

[jmlease1]

It's been rare that we've had the kind of depth in starting pitching. There have been a lot of Twins squads in the last 20 years or so where we've really been scrambling to have more than a couple of guys that we could really count on.

 

How many years were we relying on a Rick Reed to not fill out the back end of the rotation but to be the #2 starter? Or hoping and praying that Joe Mays would be consistently good? Or when we handed 31 starts to Carlos Silva and he gacked up an ERA of nearly 6?

 

I like the depth here, and I like that guys aren't going to get rotation spots on scholarship. Compared to a lot of years, our 6th guy would have been a fixture as the #3...

[tony&rodney]

The Twins top three look pretty good this year and we are hopeful they remain healthy and have excellent seasons. While I appreciate the positive energy towards the rotation, it is always a good idea to avoid superlatives unless we are talking about Mike Trout or Sandy Koufax. The Twins fielded superior rotations during the mid 1960s to 1970. While it is really almost impossible to compare players from fifty years ago to now, pitchers like Mudcat Grant, Camilio Pascual, Jim Kaat, Jim Perry, Dave Boswell, Jim Merritt, Dean Chance, and a few others, like Bert Blyleven, were outstanding. The team seems to be building some future with Duran, Balazovic, Canterino, Winder, and more to supplement in time those current pitchers like Maeda, Berrios, Dobnak, and Thorpe, but a ton will need to go right before the Twins feature a staff as proficient as those staffs of a half century past. I'm as excited to go to a game again as anyone and am hoping for a big year by our Twins but there is going to be some testing of the rotation this summer. 

[tony&rodney]

An additional thought to the fine article by Mr. Nelson .... the last section nails it.

"... positioned themselves nicely for a trade as the deadline approaches ...." -N.N.

I too am excited to see if one of the young pitchers contributes this summer, but agree that there really is a chance at adding a significant player via trade. 

 

[jkcarew]

 

...I’d rather have the current version of Maeda than Morris at any point in his career. Morris was never this good. 

It April 21st, Nick..and there’s good news..

 

Even though it may seem like it, this statement is no more preposterous today than it was back on March 22.