Bailey Ober Inching Towards Twins

[Ted Schwerzler]

St. Paul - It was March 26, just days before the 2023 Major League Baseball regular season was set to kick off. Bailey Ober had been great for the Minnesota Twins in spring training, and he had just learned he was optioned to minor league camp. Now almost a month later, he’s determined to get back.

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

In big league camp, Bailey Ober threw 10 innings and allowed just three earned runs with a 9/3 K/BB. With a rotation boasting arms such as Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, and Tyler Mahle, it was determined there was not room for him. As much as Rocco Baldelli has been consistent in wanting a long reliever, keeping Ober stretched out is a must.

Rather than using the starter that threw 56 innings for the Twins last year in a Cole Sands type of role, the front office decided he would be the next man up from St. Paul. And then he wasn’t.

Needing an arm against the New York Yankees in mid-April, Ober had just finished a dominant outing against Indianapolis. As good as that turn was, it was also enough to rule him out for an immediate promotion. Louie Varland was chosen instead, and Ober traveled back to St. Paul with the Saints.

Making his fourth start of the season, Ober is locked in more than he ever has been this year, and he’s looking to keep the momentum rolling. Coming off a six-inning performance where he allowed no runs on two hits and punched out six, the bar was high. Knowing the goal was a return across town though, his focus couldn’t have been better.

On Tuesday night, he reiterated that locating the offspeed stuff felt great. "Being able to fill up the zone and get weak contact on sliders and curveballs was good. Feel like the first two starts I was missing with those and getting behind."

When the dust settled on his evening, it was more of the same. Ober pitched five scoreless innings and punched out six batters. He needed just 72 pitches, and after Mark Contreras hit a 1st inning grand slam, things were on cruise control the entire way. Early on, Ober touched 94 mph while sitting in the low 90s. Although the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup isn’t loaded with Yankees prospects, this was an outing of big-league dominance.

It’s not lost on Ober that Minnesota currently has a full stable, but he can’t control when an opportunity arises. Looking to continue putting himself in the best position to succeed, nights like tonight are another strong representation of that. Talking about the end of spring training and how he started the year, Ober noted that, mentally, it probably had an impact. "More on the mental side compared to the physical aspect. I put that behind me and move on. That's really the only thing I can do. Obviously they made a decision of what they thought was going to be the best and so far it's been pretty good for them so I can't blame them on that part. Now go out there and dominate every game."

Ultimately, Ober wants to be able to display a level of availability and stuff that plays. He followed up a strong rookie year with a 3.21 ERA last season, and it would be foolish to suggest that he belongs down on the farm. Continuing to pitch like this, and work with such a strong mindset, he’ll be an asset the next time Minnesota calls on him, and for years to come.

Saints fans can continue trying to catch Ober's starts at CHS Field, but getting out sooner rather than later may be a good idea.

Twins Notes:
Jorge Polanco played all nine innings for the Saints tonight. The plan is for him to play another nine innings tomorrow and then evaluate from there. He was uncertain of any plans for him to fly to Boston on Thursday, but the Twins return home on Friday. He mentioned that he feels good and is moving well. There have been no setbacks since spring training and he is building up well. He went 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts on Tuesday, but is continuing to get at-bats to get ready for a big-league return.

Alex Kirilloff did not speak with reporters but hard multiple hard hit balls, a pair of singles, and looked good on a couple of plays in the field.

 

View full article

[LewFordLives]

Hopefully it's finally dawned on the front office that the bullpen is not as deep as they thought it was.  Move Maeda to the pen and put Ober back in the rotation where he belongs.

[Althebum82]

12 minutes ago, LewFordLives said:

Hopefully it's finally dawned on the front office that the bullpen is not as deep as they thought it was.  Move Maeda to the pen and put Ober back in the rotation where he belongs.

You know, I agree with this.  But, it has been said that part of the reason that Maeda was dealt to the Twins was because he was unhappy being in the bullpen.   I think that they had to start the season with him as a starter just so he could prove to everyone whether he belonged there or not.    Everybody's whipping boy Pagan is off to a good start, albeit in a limited role, and Moran appears to be the one falling short of expectations.  We may have to sit through one more Maeda start, but for now I like this suggestion once that "one more start" finally proves to Maeda the limitations of his value to the team..  

[Doctor Gast]

26 minutes ago, LewFordLives said:

Hopefully it's finally dawned on the front office that the bullpen is not as deep as they thought it was.  Move Maeda to the pen and put Ober back in the rotation where he belongs.

Maeda being fatigued is to be expected so putting Maeda in the BP as long relief made even more sense. Especially when Ober was having a great ST. A competent long RP was desperately needed last nite.

[Cory Engelhardt]

53 minutes ago, LewFordLives said:

Hopefully it's finally dawned on the front office that the bullpen is not as deep as they thought it was.  Move Maeda to the pen and put Ober back in the rotation where he belongs.

I have a feeling it's going to be Winder taking over the Sands role. I'm not certain what happens with Maeda, but I can't see him going to the bullpen yet.

It is good to have solid depth though.

[Blyleven2011]

Thanks Ted,  I didn't know Polanco had been sent to the saints  , he's getting closer  and hope his bat heats up ...

[mikelink45]

I would love to see Ober in the rotation.  We will be losing vets like Mahle and Maeda in a year (hopefully we resign Gray) and it would be good to have a young arm to carry forward.

[roger]

Interesting conversation about Maeda to the pen.  I like that idea.  Should they make this move, perhaps they could make it sit better with Kenta if they would make a minor adjustment to his contract about some of the incentives.

As for Winder, he may just settle more into a Jax role than long inning guy.  He has the stuff to be a great one or two inning option around the 6th or 7th innings.  That is should he be healthy and stay healthy.

I continue to believe that AK is their best defensive first baseman.  Continue to hope that this young man can finally put his health concerns behind him and be the player he can be.

[Bigfork Twins Guy]

I don't think that Maeda's contract should have any bearing on whether he goes to the pen.  The FO and manager need to do whatever is in the best interest of winning games regardless of what the player may desire.

Now, if they want to add some relief-related incentives to his contract, then that is up to them, but the player should not decide whether they start or relieve.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Theoretically Maeda's contract should not impact the Twins decisions with him, but it will.  Maeda is another guy they will give some slack to in the SP role.  I think it more likely that they would trade him before pushing him to the pen, especially if Ober continues to try to force their hand and the offense continues to stink.

Where is Shannon Stewart when you need him...

[GNess]

25 minutes ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I don't think that Maeda's contract should have any bearing on whether he goes to the pen.  The FO and manager need to do whatever is in the best interest of winning games regardless of what the player may desire.

Now, if they want to add some relief-related incentives to his contract, then that is up to them, but the player should not decide whether they start or relieve.

Generally I agree, except we don't know what the FO told Maeda about his role when he was acquired from the Dodgers. Perhaps they told him he would be a starter?

[chpettit19]

I see we're still doing this Ober v Maeda thing. Ober will get plenty of starts for the Twins this year. Guys will get hurt and actually go on the IL. He'll be the guy called up for them. I don't get the desire to relegate any of these guys to a long relief role. You really want Maeda or Ober sitting around for weeks on end not pitching instead of someone like Sands? I don't understand that at all. The Twins are going to need, at a minimum, 8-10 starters this year. It's April 19th, why are we acting like it's some travesty that a guy who's cracked 100 innings once in his professional career is in AAA and is doomed to stay there all season?

[CRF]

I'd take Ober or Varland in the rota right now over Mahle. 

[TwinsDr2021]

18 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I see we're still doing this Ober v Maeda thing. Ober will get plenty of starts for the Twins this year. Guys will get hurt and actually go on the IL. He'll be the guy called up for them. I don't get the desire to relegate any of these guys to a long relief role. You really want Maeda or Ober sitting around for weeks on end not pitching instead of someone like Sands? I don't understand that at all. The Twins are going to need, at a minimum, 8-10 starters this year. It's April 19th, why are we acting like it's some travesty that a guy who's cracked 100 innings once in his professional career is in AAA and is doomed to stay there all season?

Agreed, it is strange that we (i have done it) calling for Ober to be in the rotation instead of Varland. Maeda is only 7 years older than Ober, Varland who I still think is a bit on the older side for a prospect is only 25. IMO I don't think the Twins see Ober as a future full time rotation guy, nor should they with his age and injury history.

[USNMCPO]

Definitely worried about Polanco's hitting. He has not shown anything this year as far as I can tell.

[ashbury]

Unless they intend to let Ober pitch, he'll be just a drain on the bullpen.  Last year he got past the 5th inning only 3 times in his 11 starts, including 4 starts where he did well but was pulled.  I'd like to see him up, but not the way he's been used, and if they feel they have to treat him with kid gloves then he's a ticking time bomb in the rotation; find some other role for him in that case.

[Jocko87]

5 hours ago, Althebum82 said:

You know, I agree with this.  But, it has been said that part of the reason that Maeda was dealt to the Twins was because he was unhappy being in the bullpen.   I think that they had to start the season with him as a starter just so he could prove to everyone whether he belonged there or not.    Everybody's whipping boy Pagan is off to a good start, albeit in a limited role, and Moran appears to be the one falling short of expectations.  We may have to sit through one more Maeda start, but for now I like this suggestion once that "one more start" finally proves to Maeda the limitations of his value to the team..  

 

1 hour ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

Theoretically Maeda's contract should not impact the Twins decisions with him, but it will.  Maeda is another guy they will give some slack to in the SP role.  I think it more likely that they would trade him before pushing him to the pen, especially if Ober continues to try to force their hand and the offense continues to stink.

Where is Shannon Stewart when you need him...

I don't know that he was unhappy in the bullpen, the contract was heavily biased towards starting and he would certainly want to try to maximize that.  No one will be able to say the the Twins didn't give him every chance to be a starter but after an excellent short season, a long TJ recovery and now fatigue its time to have the conversation.  He has to perform, especially when there is very stiff competition.  He can be a weapon out of the bullpen and Ober can get in the rotation.

There is no such thing as too much pitching but there can be too much of the wrong type grouped at the wrong time.  It puzzles me how the Marlins and the Reds can stink on ice but be like Oprah passing out pitching to everyone. 

I would be on the lookout for a trade from our starting pitcher reserves somewhere this year.  Mahle more likely than Maeda but also Ober, Varland and SWR as the return would be much higher.  Hell, throw a couple young starters, Kepler and Gordon at the Pirates for Bryan Reynolds and low prospects.  Varland for a Burnes rental?  A guy can dream.

[Cory Engelhardt]

3 hours ago, CRF said:

I'd take Ober or Varland in the rota right now over Mahle. 

Count me as a STRONG no on that.

[Minny505]

1 hour ago, Jocko87 said:

I would be on the lookout for a trade from our starting pitcher reserves somewhere this year.  Mahle more likely than Maeda but also Ober, Varland and SWR as the return would be much higher.  Hell, throw a couple young starters, Kepler and Gordon at the Pirates for Bryan Reynolds and low prospects.  Varland for a Burnes rental?  A guy can dream.

It's early for trades, and that is precisely why the Cards are not expected to move O'Neil for a MLB SP until June, but the Twins line up with need right now. 

O'Neil would be the right handed OF bat the Twins need and he can play all OF positions. Maeda is the quintessential Cardinals SP. Fill in with spare ports around that as needed to balance the excess value of O'Neil.

I doubt it happens, but the Twins and Cards do have a history of making a MLB level, need-for-need swap of players, not long ago.

[mnfireman]

Ober will get his chance. Unlike some of the other prospects he has MLB experience, and has had success. Injuries or performance will determine how fast he is promoted. If the rest of the starters are going 6 or 7 innings with regularity and one is putting Chris Archer type innings, that is who he will replace. I am assuming Maeda pitches tomorrow, and that will be with 9 or 10 days rest. How he performs could go a long way towards the teams outlook on Ober.

That play Kirilloff made tells me a lot about his wrist. He dove for the ball with no hesitation, made a nice play and calmly tossed it to the pitcher covering first. No hurry, no wincing and he calmly jogged off the field not shaking his wrist, indicating no pain. Good signs!!

[lecroy24fan]

6 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

 

I don't know that he was unhappy in the bullpen,

Well the Dodgers intentionally put him in the pen to avoid paying incentives so he certainly wasn't pleased with that.

[arby58]

I don't understand the 'Maeda will be unhappy in the bullpen' discussion. He is an UFA at the end of the season, he's not a kid anymore, and he's coming off major surgery. He doesn't really have any leverage in those discussions. The Twins should use him now as they think is best - and the bullpen may be the place.

[Jocko87]

57 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

Well the Dodgers intentionally put him in the pen to avoid paying incentives so he certainly wasn't pleased with that.

Agreed but he can’t say the Twins haven’t given him every chance to start. Now in his last year here the Twins have the leverage. 

[DocBauer]

OH MY GOODNESS!  Maeda was a VERY solid SP for a DEEP Dogers staff. They put him in the pen because they COULD, and needed pen help. It had NOTHING to due with a team that matches the Yankees for $ for $!

He went to the Twins, made a few adjustments, and was runner up for the CY Young. Yeah, just some bum who should be dismissed or thrown in to the pen. (Extreme satire).

Maeda DESERVES a chance to prove he has the ability to be a SP. Even at 35yo, coming off surgery, he's looked OK initially. So his previous numbers and production should be ignored?

If you've actually watched the caeer of Ober, you would see a guy who put up video game numbers. But injuries were an issue until the Twins found some delivery changes not only for his stuff, but to maintain HEALTH with his delivery. He was pretty damn good in 2021 and got better, as the Twins nursed him through his MLB debut, mostly due to career IP as well as his development. 

Unfortunately, he had a groin injury in 2022. But his numbers last year early, and late, were great. And his ST numbers this year were outstanding.

But how do you just dismiss a pitcher like Maeda and his career? Because you want to for some inexplicable reason??

Ober and Varland BOTH should be at the ML level right now. And MANY YEARS PAST, they would already be there. But somehow we're disappointed we could have a really good SP just rounding in to form who was previously a Cy Young candidate just a couple of years ago as a potential block?

Imagine the horror of the Twins being so deep in the rotation they don't want to jettison anyone in April for the future. 

 

[se7799]

Ya you all are right. Just DFA after skipping a start.  Oh no wait...he got hit by a comeback.  Definitely get rid of him.  This is sarcasm.  We need this guy!  Overreact much?

[Major League Ready]

On 4/19/2023 at 11:19 AM, chpettit19 said:

I see we're still doing this Ober v Maeda thing. Ober will get plenty of starts for the Twins this year. Guys will get hurt and actually go on the IL. He'll be the guy called up for them. I don't get the desire to relegate any of these guys to a long relief role. You really want Maeda or Ober sitting around for weeks on end not pitching instead of someone like Sands? I don't understand that at all. The Twins are going to need, at a minimum, 8-10 starters this year. It's April 19th, why are we acting like it's some travesty that a guy who's cracked 100 innings once in his professional career is in AAA and is doomed to stay there all season?

You had to say it.  😉

[tony&rodney]

On 4/19/2023 at 2:35 PM, Minny505 said:

It's early for trades, and that is precisely why the Cards are not expected to move O'Neil for a MLB SP until June, but the Twins line up with need right now. 

O'Neil would be the right handed OF bat the Twins need and he can play all OF positions. Maeda is the quintessential Cardinals SP. Fill in with spare ports around that as needed to balance the excess value of O'Neil.

Yes it is early and unlikely to see trades completed in April. Still, if the two teams are going to make a trade it is more likely that the Cardinals would want want Mahle for O'Neill, which might be interesting. However good O'Neill might be as a RH bat, there are a pile of outfielders on the Twins roster already, further complicating any possible exchanges.

[USAFChief]

If/when someone gets replaced in the rotation, I'd prefer Varland over Ober.