3 Options for Josh Winder in the Second Half

[Major League Ready]

31 minutes ago, mike8791 said:

Ho Hum!  Sorry guys, but this all sounds more like moving deck chairs around on the Titanic.  Has anyone noticed that while the pen has gotten most of the bad press lately, it is the rotation, that not surprisingly has sprung a bunch of leaks lately?   Guys like Smeltzer, Winder, Ober and yes, evenRyan(post IR) are not playoff ready pitchers.  No, I'm not writing off this group's surprisingly good performance in the first half, but looking at the peripherals, is anyone surprised they are falling to the norm?   Even Sonny Gray, their so-called "ace" has joined the crowd with his bomb in Texas.  The FO tried putting lipstick on a pig, but it's still a .....And that's not even considering our bullpen problems.

To this observer, as currently constituted, this is at best a .500 team in a weak division.  If the Sox ever wake up, they'll leave the Twins in the dust.   But because this hasn't happened, it is shame on Falvine if they don't strike agressively in going after at least two playoff-caliber starters by Aug. 2nd.   With Sano's return to duty imminent, the FO should be on the phone to SD to consummate a trade for Snell.  No, I don't think this team will be in the hunt for Montas or Castillo but there are some short term veterans likely available, incl. Thor, Rodon, Greinke, who might be available.  And bullpen help is certainly available if the FO is willing to trade some of our excess high minors talent, e.g., Steer, Wallner, Larnach, Martin and/or one of our top 10 pitching prospects.  Unfortunately, like his predecessor, Falvey has never shown the fortitude to go for it midseason.

Bottom line, if Falvey sits on his hands, after making a big push for contention with the signing of Buxton and Correa, then isn't that a dereliction of his duties and a reason for termination?  It's sort of amazing that even with this FO's abject failure to address the obvious weaknesses in pitching this past offseason(and then exacerbating them by the ill-fated Rogers trade), this team is still in the hunt for the postseason.  These opportunities don't come along frequently with this franchise.  Managment owes it to the fans to capitalize on their current position to act forcefully now, not nibble around the edges with minor moves that really don't disguise basic failings.

Baltimore is a 500 team in a tough division should they be pushing all their chips in.  Boston and Toronto in the East as well.  Seattle in the West.  Philly/ St Louis / Atlanta / San Francisco / San Fran and Arizona.  Should all of these front offices be fired if they don't go all in?  Cobine these teams with all of the true contenders and it's going to take a whole lot of players to satisfy all that demand.   

[PopRiveter]

I'd consider handcuffing him to Archer. Let Archer keep preparing to start inning #1 and have Winder prepared to follow him in every 5 days with the goal of pitching the balance of the innings.

I doubt you'd need much if anything from the rest of the bullpen for those games.

He'd stay conditioned much like a starter and pitch a lot of innings with maybe a little less pressure and attention.

[Rosterman]

Somehow I don't see Bundy or Archer getting bumped from the rotation unless the Twins relase them or trade them. At best, Archer is shut down at some point, as the Twins have an option for him for next season.

I would like to see both Ober and Winder get regular starts at St. Paul. As well as see Canterino and Varland move to the Saints. Have the Saints totally switch Balazovic, Sands and Henriquez to the bullpen to see if there is salavation for keeping those arms on the 40-man roster come next season.

But it also means a lot of roster movement at St. Paul.

Winder and Ober will continue to prove that they are able to pitch at the major league level and will see action come September when the Twins will be looking for fresher arms, be it in the rotation or the bullpen. Remember, Maeda might be back (after an extensive rehab in the minors). And Dobnak may be the guy who pitches the Twins to a World Series title, right?

[USAFChief]

3 options for Winder in the second half?

 

It 2 now, I guess.