Who is coming up first from Rochester?

[jokin]

Updates on De Vries and Hendriks, courtesy of LENIII, Twins-Red Sox: The last fake game before 162 real ones | StarTribune.com

De Vries feels fine today, still on track to start next Saturday.

Hendriks will pitch in a minor league game tomorrow and should be good to go on Friday.

 

How about Morneau (back) and Deduno?

And what about the major Pelfrey setback today?

 

Methinks it's soon time to start a pool on when Pelf goes on the Shelf...what say you?

[Mr. Brooks]

How about Morneau (back) and Deduno?

And what about the major Pelfrey setback today?

 

Methinks it's soon time to start a pool on when Pelf goes on the Shelf...what say you?

 

You can click the link for updates on Morneau and Deduno.

I wanted to be careful not to steal too much info from the link, per the posting rules.

[cmathewson]

I didn't say Swarzak because he's not in AAA. He's on the major league disabled list, and will be activated in the first 15 days of the season.

[cmathewson]

You can click the link for updates on Morneau and Deduno.

I wanted to be careful not to steal too much info from the link, per the posting rules.

 

Pelfrey didn't pitch bad. Three of the runs should have been unearned, because of bad defense on the part of Dozier. The official scorers should have ruled both plays errors, and then we're talking about one earned run. The Red Sox hitters only squared up three balls all day, two on hanging curve balls that he probably would not have thrown in a real game. One was an out (on a great diving catch by Dozier.)

 

His sinker and change looked good. Most of the swings on his sinker were late and lame. Still working on the slider. I don't think he threw it for a strike all day. Typical spring start. Nothing to worry about.

[Jim H]

What you're really saying is that Mauer is no longer capable of being a full time catcher. Rather than admit that, and move him permanently to somewhere he could play every day, the Twins will (and should) force a third catcher who cannot be used in any other role onto a roster that in this day and age of 12-man pitching staffs is already down to a bare minimum of bench spots. Do I have that right?

 

I don't know that is quite what I meant, but yes I don't think Mauer is a full time catcher anymore. I suspect that if he tries to catch 120 games plus, it will hurt his offense, big time. I also suspect that if you put Doumit behind the plate 60 plus times, you will notice the downgrade defensively. Whether that justifies Butera on the roster, I don't know. There is no doubt that having Butera on the roster hurts the offense and will likely cost Mastroianni and other potential backups playing time. It will keep either a 2nd utility guy or a bench bat or a 12th pitcher off the roster as well.

 

If it were me, I would do what it takes to keep Mauer healthy and productive. I don't know if getting Doumit more AB's is that important or not. I am afraid that if he approaches being a half time catcher it either hurts his offense or puts him on the DL. I could easily be wrong about that.

[spideyo]

Personally, I think that if our pitching staff is actually doing well enough that we can ride with 11 pitchers, I would welcome Butera to be our 5th bench guy.

 

Heck, then you could have Mastroianni PR for Doumit/Mauer in the late innings, and be able to throw somebody behind the plate for the end of the game.

[jokin]

Pelfrey didn't pitch bad. Three of the runs should have been unearned, because of bad defense on the part of Dozier. The official scorers should have ruled both plays errors, and then we're talking about one earned run. The Red Sox hitters only squared up three balls all day, two on hanging curve balls that he probably would not have thrown in a real game. One was an out (on a great diving catch by Dozier.)

 

His sinker and change looked good. Most of the swings on his sinker were late and lame. Still working on the slider. I don't think he threw it for a strike all day. Typical spring start. Nothing to worry about.

 

Pelfrey was quoted as blaming the slider for the negative that occurred out there and remained hopeful that the velocity will get better as the season progresses. Not to doubt you and I admittedly didn't see the game, but 9 hits allowed and a HBP in 3.2 innings sounds like more than just 3 square-ups by the Sox.

 

And Gardy was the definition of damning with faint praise:

 

Said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire: "He got his innings in, let's just put it that way. His pace was nowhere. He was working on some things, so you've got to give him that. But as the season goes on, he's got to get a pace. He's a work in progress, let's put it that way."

 

Certainly just another ST game and the fact that he hasn't publicly complained about pain or discomfort is good news. He seems like a guy you want to see succeed, right now it still seems like the odds are slightly to the long side for a completely healthy and effective 2013 season.

[beckmt]

Probably the first guy up if a pitcher is needed for more than a spot start will be Deduno, If a player is needed probably Arcia if he gets off to a good start.

[gil4]

Why are you even asking? Butera. No matter who goes down first.

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

 

Hopefully it's as a pitcher so we don't have to see him try to hit

[snepp]

Agreed. Let's get a couple.

 

Preferably capable of OPS'ing north of .500.

[snepp]

ride with 11 pitchers

 

Not going to happen, regardless of staff performance.

[Rosterman]

If Mauer can catch 110-120 games, the Twins should be very happy. There is no reason Doumit can catch a minimum of 40 games...he has caught more than that each of the past few years. I would like to see a bench player with a tad more punch than Carroll and Escobar...who are basically the same guy with a 15 year age difference. You already have a triplicate in Mastro, too. When Mauer doesn't catch, he can play first or DH, and the Twins can move Parmlele and Morneau and Willingham with musical chair mixes. The r

eally only plus Butera had was when you needed that 13th pitcher, which was just once last year.

[Nick Nelson]

I think that if the Twins fall out of contention relatively early, it'd be silly to let Mauer catch 120 games. If they're 12 games out going into August, I'd be fine with them letting Doumit and Butera take the lion's share of reps behind the plate for the remainder.

 

I'm not on board with any of this "giving up on the season before it starts" business, but at that point preserving Mauer's legs really is more important than winning a few more games.

[stringer bell]

I am not on board with giving Drew Butera starts to save Mauer's legs. If the Twins are going to find out who can be Mauer's alternate, they have to find someone who profiles as a better hitter than Butera--within the system they have Fryer, Herrman, Rohlfing and Pinto--even if they have to trade or claim somebody from another organization. IMHO, Drew has proven he can't hit enough to be an alternate catcher--his role is #3 catcher/injury replacement. My gripe about carrying three catchers has been (and remains) that if you have a number three guy, he should be able to do more than just receive, he must be able to play another position or have a potent enough bat to be a pinch hitter.

[spideyo]

I am not on board with giving Drew Butera starts to save Mauer's legs. If the Twins are going to find out who can be Mauer's alternate, they have to find someone who profiles as a better hitter than Butera--within the system they have Fryer, Herrman, Rohlfing and Pinto--even if they have to trade or claim somebody from another organization. IMHO, Drew has proven he can't hit enough to be an alternate catcher--his role is #3 catcher/injury replacement. My gripe about carrying three catchers has been (and remains) that if you have a number three guy, he should be able to do more than just receive, he must be able to play another position or have a potent enough bat to be a pinch hitter.

 

Maybe Butera just needs to work on his pitches, then he could be our third catcher AND 12th pitcher

[jokin]

I think that if the Twins fall out of contention relatively early, it'd be silly to let Mauer catch 120 games. If they're 12 games out going into August, I'd be fine with them letting Doumit and Butera take the lion's share of reps behind the plate for the remainder.

 

I'm not on board with any of this "giving up on the season before it starts" business, but at that point preserving Mauer's legs really is more important than winning a few more games.

 

I'm with you on protecting the value of Mauer, long term.

 

But-

 

I would hope that if/when they do give up, Butera is not on the roster, Doumit is traded for something of value and guys like Herrmann and Pinto are getting the lion's share of catching reps going into August and the remainder.