Article: Position Analysis: Relief Pitcher

[Nick Nelson]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1493-Position-Analysis-Relief-Pitcher

[Highabove]

Last October, Ryan stated that the Bullpen was his second highest priority.

Its to bad that the Twins can no longer go out and sign a reliable Bullpen Arm.

Small Market Teams cannot do this.

[jun]

Last October, Ryan stated that the Bullpen was his second highest priority.

Its to bad that the Twins can no longer go out and sign a reliable Bullpen Arm.

Small Market Teams cannot do this.

Letting someone with an era of 5.40 last year and an era of 8.49 in the spring to start the season in the major league is a disgrace to the players and the fans.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

Letting someone with an era of 5.40 last year and an era of 8.49 in the spring to start the season in the major league is a disgrace to the players and the fans.

 

I'm getting really sick of Robertson too.

[TheLeviathan]

I'm getting really sick of Robertson too.

 

Couldn't agree more. I might just be holding a few notable at-bats against him (See: Fielder) because I know his numbers aren't as putrid as my imagination believes them to be.....but every time he huffs and puffs his way out to the mound - I cringe.

 

I'm very skeptical of this group. Perk and Burton were awesome last year, but I have my doubts that both can repeat. Duensing is solid out of hte pen, so there's that. But after that this group really worries me. This is an awfully shaky bullpen foundation and the guys that would be first up to replace them if they fail hardly reassure me.

[Rosterman]

Robertson is a one-two batter guy. Roiencke is around incase Swarzak is a mess. We also have Tim Wood sitting on the dl in the wings. Hey,we could've signed Capps, Rauch and Hawkins.

[messed up]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Robertson should not have made the team this year. After a decent start last year he was nothing short of pathetic and now with a poor spring training I hope they have a short leash on him.

[ThePuck]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Robertson should not have made the team this year. After a decent start last year he was nothing short of pathetic and now with a poor spring training I hope they have a short leash on him.

 

Of the options available, who would you have selected?

 

Oh and he was better the last two months than he was before that...better at end of the season than the beginning. His 'decent start' consisted of an ERA over 8 in June and over 7.00 in July...his pathetic times consisted of ERA in the mid 3.00s

[cmathewson]

Letting someone with an era of 5.40 last year and an era of 8.49 in the spring to start the season in the major league is a disgrace to the players and the fans.

 

Read the bottom of the barrel for ST stats

 

Among those with ERAs over 6 this spring:

 

Roy Haladay

Dan Haren

James Shields

Doug Fister

 

Just more proof that SP stats mean very little.

[cmathewson]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Robertson should not have made the team this year. After a decent start last year he was nothing short of pathetic and now with a poor spring training I hope they have a short leash on him.

 

The Twins have six injured pitchers who should join the team in the first two months of the year (Diamond, Swarzak, Wood, Deduno, Perez and Harden). I doubt anyone will remember the two weeks and four innings we had to endure Tyler Robertson.

[ashbury]

> And those overall numbers were dinged heavily by 52 terrible innings from Jeff Gray

 

I won't do the research but I suspect most bullpens could locate 52 innings from one or two bottom of the barrel staff members to bolster their argument for a stronger year this year.

[CDog]

For whatever reason, I'm holding my breath on Burton in much the same way as Diamond. As a side note, I thought his extension was a strange move of the offseason that didn't get a lot attention. Hoping to be wrong, of course.

 

I'm getting more comfortable that Perkins can continue to be at least close to as good as the last couple of years. Duensing feels like a pretty known quantity. I feel OK that Fien will be OK. The rest may as well be giant question marks to me.

 

Bottom line, I'm hopeful than can be OK to good, but there's a little nagging feeling that they might collectively be "an issue" all year long.

[jun]

Read the bottom of the barrel for ST stats

 

Among those with ERAs over 6 this spring:

 

Roy Haladay

Dan Haren

James Shields

Doug Fister

 

Just more proof that SP stats mean very little.

 

They are experienced major leaguers and all of them are starters who had some success, Robertson has not shown anything close to that.

[fairweather]

Robertson won't last and the Twins snag some piece of trash off the waiver wire, but other than that this bullpen looks strong to me.

[Thrylos]

Just more proof that SP stats mean very little.

 

Alright. Here is a question for you (trivia) :

 

Name the year the Twins had their best ST record as a team.

 

Then re-think while ST matters or not.

[jokin]

 

. Duensing is solid out of the pen, so there's......

 

......the strong likelihood that Gardy will once again impulsively think that the Duens is the logical option to be inserted into the rotation when the second or third starter arms break down....

[TheLeviathan]

......the strong likelihood that Gardy will once again impulsively think that the Duens is the logical option to be inserted into the rotation when the second or third starter arms break down....

 

I want to believe this is unjustified paranoia. I really, really do....but all I can do is shake my head and wait for it to inevitably happen.

[Shane Wahl]

Alright. Here is a question for you (trivia) :

 

Name the year the Twins had their best ST record as a team.

 

Then re-think while ST matters or not.

 

You imply 1991 or 1987. I will go with 1991. I think it has actually been true (or true-ish) that Twins regular season standings mirror the minor league standings (aside from 2011 in particular). That seems anomalous though.

 

And that is team standings, not individual player performance. Spring training should mean little more than simply getting players up to 100% capability for the season.

[Shane Wahl]

I don't understand Roenicke and Wood being signed. At all. Pressly should probably be used in that role and the Twins should send Swarzak packing to find Bigfoot. I like Pressly because maybe there is a little Matt Guerrier in him. And I wish it was Slama time for say a 20-inning trial. I actually think a straight up Slama-Robertson RH-LH usage could be effective in the 6th and 7th innings.

 

Speaking of, Robertson will be much better this year than last, if he is used properly. 40 innings against lefties would increase his value a lot. He struck out 22 of the 72 lefties he faced last year and was very effective at the end of the year.

[jorgenswest]

Alright. Here is a question for you (trivia) :

 

Name the year the Twins had their best ST record as a team.

 

Then re-think while ST matters or not.

 

Spring training matters. Observation of the approach at the plate, the command on the mound, the work ethic in practice, leadership, confidence...

 

All of those matter. Your observations about a day in spring training much more valuable descriptions of the progress than a box score.

 

There isn't enough data even it were regular season to draw any conclusions. The lack of data is compounded by the varying context of the opponent.

 

No one can say spring training does not matter. It does. It is the data that can not be used to make inferences of the future.

 

Returning to record in the spring. Maybe it is possible that an extremely bad or good record in the spring might tell something about the season. I am confident the same is not true about individual data.

 

Do spring training records mean anything? - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

[old nurse]

Alright. Here is a question for you (trivia) :

 

Name the year the Twins had their best ST record as a team.

 

Then re-think while ST matters or not.

2002 Orioles went 20-9 in spring training and went 67-95 for the season.

1999 KC team went 22-9 and finished the season 64-97.

87 Twins went 21-10

So yes and no that spring training matters. a good record could mean your second line players are playing well trying to get a job.

[messed up]

Of the options available, who would you have selected?

 

Oh and he was better the last two months than he was before that...better at end of the season than the beginning. His 'decent start' consisted of an ERA over 8 in June and over 7.00 in July...his pathetic times consisted of ERA in the mid 3.00s

 

His decent start consisted of one game against the White Sox when he struck out the side. Agree he was bad the rest of June. If you want to hang on to a situational pitcher whose best month's were at an 3.68 ERA you can have him.

[Aaron Cross]

Last October, Ryan stated that the Bullpen was his second highest priority.

 

He didn't address his first priority either. I take anything Ryan says with a grain of salt.