What To Do About Wood?

[Nick Nelson]

Reliever Tim Wood, who was apparently in line to make the 25-man roster before suffering an injury late in spring training, tossed another scoreless frame in his second rehab stint at Rochester on Monday night. He's getting close and the Twins are going to have to make a decision soon. This makes me a little nervous.

 

The bullpen has been insane so far, with a 2.15 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. The unit has easily been the team's biggest difference-maker in this surprising start. Every member has been performing fairly well. Who do you remove from the mix to make room for Wood (who, by the way, is nothing special)?

 

The name I keep hearing is Casey Fien, because he's out of options, but I think he's looked pretty good so far. Got to imagine Pressly's not going anywhere. Personally, I say you send Wood to Rochester and let him hit waivers. Wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't claimed.

 

Your thoughts?

[Guest USAFChief]

"What to do about wood." If it lasts more than 4 hours, see your doctor.

[Larsbars08]

Probably Tyler Robertson on performance alone. I got to be honest, the bullpen is about the last thing I'm worried about.

 

Edit: Just realized he's already at AAA. Disregard my post.

[jokin]

R

 

 

The name I keep hearing is Casey Fien, because he's out of options, but I think he's looked pretty good so far. Got to imagine Pressly's not going anywhere. Personally, I say you send Wood to Rochester and let him hit waivers. Wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't claimed.

 

Your thoughts?

 

My thoughts are that you ought to consider how valuable your sources are who think Fien should be waived. Wood should be comfortable in Rochester until the Twins are forced to put him on waivers, he seems to love the I League, if he's claimed, he'll hit waivers again for the claiming team, and probably end up right back in the I League. It's soon time to start moving up the other young arms and possibly Harden and Perez in the mix and seeing what they have, anyway.

[Pius Jefferson]

Fake a Ryan Presley injury.

[ashbury]

Fake a Ryan Presley injury.

 

I know some guys. It don't hafta be fake.

[Oxtung]

Sheesh...Fien seems to be just about the worst move they could make. Wood, Roenicke, Swarzak, Pressly or even Duensing could all go as far as I'm concerned. Probably in that order too. Fien actually has a track record of success, albeit small, but still some success. What do (other than Duensing) those other pitchers have to show they are capable of being good at this level?

[Aaron Cross]

Duensing would be my choice, but I think he's a Gardy favorite.

[stringer bell]

Fien has an option remaining. That is why he is being considered. It is either option Fien or risk losing another reliever. I am a Fien fan and so I vote for DFA of Wood. If he's claimed, he's lost, if not the Twins outright him and either way have a spot of the 40-man.

[cmathewson]

"What to do about wood." If it lasts more than 4 hours, see your doctor.

 

For this reason alone, I want Wood. Wait, that didn't come out right. Anyway, I hear he has a good fork ball, which starts at the waist and drops to the knees.

[snepp]

Well if that isn't a disturbing 8 AM visual...

[nicksaviking]

Well it's hard to say if the Twins are already babying Pressly. He hasn't pitched much and if that's going to be the case they should perhaps check back in with Boston to see if a trade is possible to allow them to send him to Rochester.

 

If that's off the table, cut bait with Wood. His career 4.3 K/9 isn't exactly prime bullpen material.

[jorgenswest]

I think they will designate Wood clearing both a spot on the 25 and 40 man roster.

 

He might be claimed and redesignated by someone. The Blue Jays used an extra spot on the 40 man to do that with several players. Alex Burnett and Casper Wells are two examples. Both were later claimed by other teams.

 

The Twins did this with Pedro Florimon. They claimed him and then designated him for assignment. When no one put in a claim the second time around, he became organizational depth at AAA.

 

If the Twins were to open a spot on the 40 man roster, it would enable them to be more aggressive with players designated for assignment by other organizations.

 

There is little risk in designating Wood for assignment.

[twinscowboysbulls]

Lol, the best part about this is that Wood is NOT an asset to this team. The Twins will somehow make it seem like we MUST have him on the MLB roster. Let me guess, he works in the low 90's with some sink on his fastball?

 

I'm thinking we leave the bullpen alone, demote Ramirez and sign Thome. We just wait with the bullpen until we have an injury or Perez/Harden are ready, then you get rid of Pressley/Roenicke. Makes us a little more competitive. Hopefully Gibby comes around by June as well and can snag the last spot in the rotation.

[Nick Nelson]

Well it's hard to say if the Twins are already babying Pressly. He hasn't pitched much and if that's going to be the case they should perhaps check back in with Boston to see if a trade is possible to allow them to send him to Rochester.

 

If that's off the table, cut bait with Wood. His career 4.3 K/9 isn't exactly prime bullpen material.

I tend to agree with this. They seem to be having a hard time finding places to use Pressly, as he's not a long reliever and they don't trust him yet in high-lev situations. If anyone should be in danger of losing a spot it's him.

[drunksam]

If you are that enamored by Wood then you explore what BeanTown may want for Pressly. Fien has done nothing to warrant a demotion other than the fact that he may have an option left. Dumb move to send down a working asset in my opinion. Otherwise, subject him to waivers. Wood's body of work is that of an average stiff and whatever flash in the pan we get from him wouldn't be worth it in the long run. Let him be someone's other than our one night disappointment.

 

Why have I been laughing so hard at this thread? Soooooo punny... /sigh

[Jeremy Nygaard]

We're talking about Tim Wood, the guy who, as a minor league free agent, was given $675,000. That's more than Scott Diamond, Vance Worley, or any other non-arbitration player. Wood has similar service time to Fien, De Vries and Mastroianni, who all were renewed for $500,000.

 

That's what I don't understand. They simply could have "renewed" his contract for 490K after adding him to the 40-man roster... instead they give him almost 200K extra. It doesn't make sense, but it does make me believe they really like him.

 

Or maybe they hit the wrong number on the keyboard when typing out his contract, in which case, I'm sure they'll place him on waivers.

[Rosterman]

I think the Twins will send Casey down, as he has that option, just so they can get a look at Wood, who thru thought highly of enough to put on the 40-man. Then it is just a matter of everyone playing to stay on the roster. Granted, someone would have to find a 40-man spot to grab Wood for the moment. There seems to be a lot of those out there, watching the Cubs and Toronto, and maybe someone like Houston. Just have to wait and see, I guess. Other question will be, does DeVries bump Hernandez.

[70charger]

I think the Twins will send Casey down, as he has that option, just so they can get a look at Wood, who thru thought highly of enough to put on the 40-man. Then it is just a matter of everyone playing to stay on the roster. Granted, someone would have to find a 40-man spot to grab Wood for the moment. There seems to be a lot of those out there, watching the Cubs and Toronto, and maybe someone like Houston. Just have to wait and see, I guess. Other question will be, does DeVries bump Hernandez.

 

I think you might be right. Fien has the option, so they'll take a look at Wood before sending him through waivers, if only to see what they have. As much as I don't like the idea of demoting Fien right now, I understand why you would. I just hope that they keep Wood on a fairly short leash.

[nicksaviking]

There is another thread about how Burton won't be pitching three consecutive days. While that would not likely be common in any scenario, aside from Burton, Fein really is the only late inning option before Perkins. I don't think dropping Fein is a wise move for a team still on the happy side of .500.

[TheLeviathan]

What about the possibility of dropping a starter (Hernandez) and Swarzak moving to the rotation? That isn't an endorsement, more a prediction of what the Twins might think.

[Otto von Ballpark]

We're talking about Tim Wood, the guy who, as a minor league free agent, was given $675,000.

Interesting. Maybe that extra salary will make him easier to pass through waivers?

[Otto von Ballpark]

aside from Burton, Fein really is the only late inning option before Perkins

It seems like Roenicke is the next-in-line setup man, no? It probably should be Fien, but the Twins seem to like Roenicke.

[Otto von Ballpark]

What about the possibility of dropping a starter (Hernandez) and Swarzak moving to the rotation?

Then they wouldn't have a long man in the bullpen, I don't think that's going to happen.

 

If they can get by longer on a 4-man rotation, I could see them optioning Hernandez and going back to one long man in Swarzak. But I'm guessing they won't continue having 3-4 off-days per week for very long...

[PseudoSABR]

The salary does have the added benefit of being undesirable to other teams as well, perhaps his salary will allow Wood to pass through waivers.

 

Pitchers will get injured, even if it means 'demoting' Fien to keep Wood around, it's probably prudent to do so.

[nicksaviking]

It seems like Roenicke is the next-in-line setup man, no? It probably should be Fien, but the Twins seem to like Roenicke.

 

You may be right about the Twins preference, but that opens up a whole different can of worms. I don't like relievers with a low K% in late inning situations. Really does anybody?

[ashbury]

Or maybe they hit the wrong number on the keyboard when typing out his contract, in which case, I'm sure they'll place him on waivers.

 

That's why no other team will claim Wood. "Hah, I'm not bailing out Terry Ryan for his bonehead blunder. Too rich for my blood, anyway."

[cmathewson]

Dare I say it, but they should consider making an arrangement with Boston for Pressly. He's really the only free cog out there right now.

[Linus]

Two things:

 

I believe the Twins can keep him in rochester for up to 30 days as part of the rehab stint so they don't have to do anything right now.

 

Are we sure a claiming team is responsible for the entire salary? I thought they would be responsible for the major league minimum with the Twins paying the rest. Perhaps that's after he clears waivers.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Dare I say it, but they should consider making an arrangement with Boston for Pressly. He's really the only free cog out there right now.

 

I think that Pressly would have to clear waivers before the Twins could work out a trade with Boston. I'm not sure that he would.