Who should start Wednesday?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wednesday August 18th would have been Michael Pineda's turn in the rotation, before he went on the IL. Who would you like to see called up to start that game?

[Seth Stohs]

Good question. I think it should be Lewis Thorpe. He's out of options next year. He worked 5.2 innings in his most recent start, so he can pitch. And, they have to figure out what he could be for a few starts. Could he be a 2022 starter? Would they want to move him to the bullpen? Or, is he a DFA candidate?

Ryan was at Target Field yesterday. They said they're going to get him a bullpen or two and then start with the Saints. I'd expect we'll see him soon. 

[AceWrigley]

It seems Thorpe's velo is down (bad) and Burroughs actually had a good start for the Saints (good). Just sayin'.

[Mike Sixel]

48 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

Good question. I think it should be Lewis Thorpe. He's out of options next year. He worked 5.2 innings in his most recent start, so he can pitch. And, they have to figure out what he could be for a few starts. Could he be a 2022 starter? Would they want to move him to the bullpen? Or, is he a DFA candidate?

Ryan was at Target Field yesterday. They said they're going to get him a bullpen or two and then start with the Saints. I'd expect we'll see him soon. 

Do you think he's as good as Ober? I don't. Jax? Possible,  I put Thorpe in the long list of pitchers MLB kind of screws over, by trying to keep them a starter. He has a chance at a longer career as a RP..... But very little as a starter, most likely.

Ober. Jax. Maeda. Free agent. Trade.

Strotman. Ryan. Winder. Maybe Dobnak. All of them are ahead of him, most likely. Maybe even Barnes. They've seen him pitch for years, and I'm told here that AAA gives data too..... Get Strotman up and see what he is, or Ryan. They have little personal data on them. 

I'm betting it is Thorpe.... But it isn't what I'd do.

[Squirrel]

Lol @ Burrows ... but I think Seth has it right. They need to determine where/if Lewis Thorpe fits into plans for the next year. I think that Ryan and Strotman already do ... Ryan for sure. So, thorpe it is.

[Major League Ready]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

Lol @ Burrows ... but I think Seth has it right. They need to determine where/if Lewis Thorpe fits into plans for the next year. I think that Ryan and Strotman already do ... Ryan for sure. So, thorpe it is.

I just don't see how Thorpe becomes a SP on this team.  There are just too many SP prospects with a considerably higher ceiling that are close to ready.  If they want another look, do it in the BP where he has a chance to stick.  I guess I have seen enough of the Thorpe experiment.

Is there a possibility they are looking to build trade value for the off-season with pitching being in short supply?

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Major League Ready said:

I just don't see how Thorpe becomes a SP on this team.  There are just too many SP prospects with a considerably higher ceiling that are close to ready.  If they want another look, do it in the BP where he has a chance to stick.  I guess I have seen enough of the Thorpe experiment.

Is there a possibility they are looking to build trade value?

Who trades for him? He'd have to be part of a large package of players.

I agree his best shot at a MLB career is as a RP.

[Major League Ready]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Who trades for him? He'd have to be part of a large package of players.

I agree his best shot at a MLB career is as a RP.

IDK.  Just wondering why they would go back to that well.  He just does not look like a ML staring pitcher to me.  Then again, I didn't think Jax or Barnes had much of a chance of making it as a starter and they are making that prediction look pretty dumb.  Now I am cheering all the harder for these guys to prove I was dead wrong so I guess I will do the same for Thorpe.

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

IDK.  Just wondering why they would go back to that well.  He just does not look like a ML staring pitcher to me.  Then again, I didn't think Jax or Barnes had much of a chance of making it as a starter and they are making that prediction look pretty dumb.  Now I am cheering all the harder for these guys to prove I was dead wrong so I guess I will do the same for Thorpe.

I'm always cheering and hoping for them to succeed (except Trevor Bauer.....).

[Squirrel]

8 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

IDK.  Just wondering why they would go back to that well.  He just does not look like a ML staring pitcher to me.  Then again, I didn't think Jax or Barnes had much of a chance of making it as a starter and they are making that prediction look pretty dumb.  Now I am cheering all the harder for these guys to prove I was dead wrong so I guess I will do the same for Thorpe.

I'm not a good armchair GM and can't pretend to know why anyone does anything ... that said, of the list provided, I think Thorpe has more question marks than the other two (serious) options. I don't know or not if he has a future here, and if here or there, as a starter or a BP arm. (I concluded that Burrows was Otto's little way of a joke, perhaps, as I don't think he was a serious option.) So ... that's why I think Thorpe will start on Wednesday ... of the 3 on the list. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being someone not on the Otto's list, too.

[bean5302]

Why isn't Johan Santana an option?

Side note, in regard to Thorpe, I thought I saw he threw an 88mph fastball in a quick video clip. If that's how hard Thorpe is throwing, no reason to see him at the MLB level. I voted for Joe Ryan.

[Sielk]

8 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Side note, in regard to Thorpe, I thought I saw he threw an 88mph fastball in a quick video clip. If that's how hard Thorpe is throwing, no reason to see him at the MLB level. I voted for Joe Ryan.

I didn't watch his start too closely but I think he was at 88 mph the first inning or so and a bit higher after that. Mostly around 90, with 91 occasionally mixed in.

But still, that's rather low to be a viable Major League starter, especially since his offspeed pitches aren't spectacular either, as far as I know.

I don't think it would hurt to give him one last look but what kind of a future has he here? The fact that he is out of options drastically limits his value as a bullpen arm next year. And do they really want plan with him in the rotation when, at least to me, his upside doesn't seem that much higher than Barnes' or Jax's?

Anyway, I really hope to see Joe Ryan for some starts this year, even if he doesn't get the one on Wednesday. 

[Squirrel]

I don't think Joe Ryan is ready for a call up on Wednesday. It didn't sound like he was completely in his new routine yet after dealing with jet lag and moving, etc. Of the list provided, he's the one I most want to see, but I don't think it will be Wednesday.

[wsnydes]

I voted for Ryan, but I'm guessing it'll be Thorpe.  

I'm not sure what one more start will tell anyone, but they can always shift him to the pen next spring.  

[bean5302]

Well, Lewis Thorpe throwing at 91 is a very big difference than Thorpe throwing at 88. If Thorpe is in the low 90s, he's worth a look.

[Brock Beauchamp]

If Thorpe is throwing over 90mph, he's the obvious choice. The team needs to make a decision on him this winter and if he's throwing hard, getting more eyes on him against MLB hitting will be useful for making an informed decision.

If Thorpe is still at 88mph, don't bother. At that point, do something fun for fans and reach a little for Joe Ryan.

[Mark G]

As Rocco seems to like bullpen games, why not all 4?  Give them all 40-60 pitches and see how they do.  If you are going to hold a tryout camp in August, try them all at once, so as not to screw up anyone else in the rotation. 

[Squirrel]

7 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Guess we should have asked whose pitching Monday.....

The site shows Jax ... has that changed?

[Squirrel]

5 minutes ago, Mark G said:

As Rocco seems to like bullpen games, why not all 4?  Give them all 40-60 pitches and see how they do.  If you are going to hold a tryout camp in August, try them all at once, so as not to screw up anyone else in the rotation. 

How do you call all of them up to do that?

[Vanimal46]

5 hours ago, Squirrel said:

I don't think Joe Ryan is ready for a call up on Wednesday. It didn't sound like he was completely in his new routine yet after dealing with jet lag and moving, etc. Of the list provided, he's the one I most want to see, but I don't think it will be Wednesday.

He was on the Sirius XM broadcast during the game on Sunday. Unless something changes, he gave every indication he’s going to St Paul first to settle in to the new routine/coach philosophy. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Squirrel said:

The site shows Jax ... has that changed?

Someone accidentally said he wasn't. I deleted that, but you saw it first.   

[yeahyabetcha]

John Gant

[Otto von Ballpark]

30 minutes ago, yeahyabetcha said:

John Gant

I should have included Gant, although it doesn't look like the Twins have been stretching him out in the 2 weeks since acquiring him.

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, Squirrel said:

How do you call all of them up to do that?

Do the Twins get a 5 yard penalty for having too many men on the roster?

[DocBauer]

It's got to be Thorpe, even if they decide to be careful with him just coming off rehab and hold him to 4-5IP. He's next man up. He's worked hard for the opportunity. Now, I'm disappointed as I thought up until recently he was a viable SP option and now believe his future is in the pen. I think he could be valuable there, and that's not a bad thing. He could be a lesser version of Rogers, or a younger, maybe better version of Thielbar. But for NOW, let him start.

I want to see Ryan. I bet we will. But he just got back from the Olympics, hasn't had time to really settle back in, and it would be pretty unfair at this point to put him out there for his debut.

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 hours ago, DocBauer said:

It's got to be Thorpe, even if they decide to be careful with him just coming off rehab and hold him to 4-5IP. He's next man up. He's worked hard for the opportunity. Now, I'm disappointed as I thought up until recently he was a viable SP option and now believe his future is in the pen. I think he could be valuable there, and that's not a bad thing. He could be a lesser version of Rogers, or a younger, maybe better version of Thielbar. But for NOW, let him start.

I don't see Thorpe as a reliever, though he could certainly end up there and be effective.

But the shadow hanging over Thorpe is his velocity and that has been the case for a couple of years now. If he's sitting 88mph, he's not an MLB pitcher. Full stop.

If he's 92mph, he's probably a pretty good starter and maybe a very good bullpen arm.

It won't take many pitches to know what Thorpe we're getting.

[tony&rodney]

Ryan will get a shot in September. Thorpe is the likely choice. The Twins need to make a call on Thorpe this offseason. If he cannot show good stuff and throws 85-88 mph, then he will be gone. If he is effective in a number of instances, he goes back into the mix. There are too many options to waffle long with Lewis Thorpe if he crashes, but he has worked hard to come back and deserves a shot at showing the team his skills.

[Dodecahedron]

Thorpe has been OK when he pitched for the Twins this year.  I've been hearing his name for 8 years now, and so far the payoff for that amount of chatter seems minimal.  If he doesn't "have it" right now, let's erase his name and never speak of him again.  Otherwise, let him pitch.

[h2oface]

Knowing the Twins, it will be Thorpe...... like we don't already know what he's got. 

I hope to see Joe Ryan as soon as possible, and he feels he is ready. He looked great in the early morning viewings during the Olympics..

But the Twins will go with Thorpe, like something will be different. It won't. But they will still go with Low-Vel-Lew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He ;pp

[Tibs]

I voted Thorpe. I feel like at this point the Twins already know what they have in him. With all of the 40 man discussion we have had on the site recently, it would make the most sense to get one last look at him.

I would like to see Strotman but he hasn't been impressive in his starts so far at St Paul.

Joe Ryan would be my top choice but I don't see how it makes sense for him to come back from the Olympics, not throw in a competitive game for however many days, then throw him into a MLB game. That's not a recipe for success at all.