Random Thoughts on a Sunday Morning

[stringer bell]

1. I wrote a blog entry thinking about what a healthy Kirilloff could do for the Twins' lineup. I wore rose-colored glasses.

2. The Twins haven't been lucky with attendance this spring. Getting the Astros and Yankees while school is in session and the weather is questionable is a tough break. Cub fans have lifted the numbers this weekend for sure, but they probably would have had more people if it was sunny and 75.

3. The mlb commercials say that the new rules have increased scoring, stolen bases and excitement. The Twins really haven't been in on run-scoring and strikeouts issued and accrued have to be an all-time high for this Twins team. It is certainly a quicker game, but I don't know if the numbers are holding up for increased scoring .

4. I made a list of qualified hitters with a lower OPS than Correa. There are some notables--Brengman, Jose Abreu, George Springer, Andres Gimenez, Nolan Arendo, E Hernandez, Machado and Benintendi. Correa has been pretty bad, but he has some notable company. 

5. I think there will be a bunch of roster moves with the pitching staff coming up. Sands failed to impress and threw more than 50 pitches, Alcala seems to need a reset if not longer-term demotion, and Moran still frustrates more than impresses. I can speculate some possible replacements--Jordan Balazovic, Oliver Ortega or maybe Headrick. The bullpen seems at least one or two reliable arms short.

[lecroy24fan]

Since they're stretching out Headrick as a starter in St Paul I think Moran is up until Thielbar is back at a minimum.

 

Looking at the Saints roster perhaps Kody Funderburk is an option. The lack of lefties on both teams is alarming to me. Headrick and Funderburk are the only ones on the Saints.

[tony&rodney]

I'm feeling pretty good about the Twins roster right now. The bats will come along, hopefully consistently. The pitching has been very good overall, especially the starting pitching. Headrick is a good option as a sixth starter when needed. Moran has made us all nervous but he is pretty tough on the batters and we do not need him to be a top four reliever. I'm aware of how Alcala gets ripped up in a second inning, but perhaps he can be limited to just one inning. Balazovic is the only guy on the 40 person roster right now. The Twins may want Jordan to have an extended run of success. 

[rwilfong86]

Hopefully more offense = less bullpen meltdowns.

[stringer bell]

The three Saints pitchers who pitched today and are on the 40-man roster all got knocked around. Winder yielded seven runs in one inning, Henriquez three in and inning and a third and Balazovic five runs (three earned) in three and two-thirds. Not exactly beating the doors down to get a promotion. 

I see the bullpen as being quite short and other than the addition of Stewart and some nice long relief from Headrick, the Twins haven't found reinforcements from St. Paul. I know the team liked Ortega, who has recently come back from injury and pitched okay, otherwise it appears the cupboard is pretty bare. We may yet see Randy Dobnak in a Twins uniform this year.

[lecroy24fan]

8 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I see the bullpen as being quite short and other than the addition of Stewart and some nice long relief from Headrick, the Twins haven't found reinforcements from St. Paul. I know the team liked Ortega, who has recently come back from injury and pitched okay, otherwise it appears the cupboard is pretty bare. We may yet see Randy Dobnak in a Twins uniform this year.

It's kind of hideous. And like I said above the lack of lefties is very concerning.

[Squirrel]

19 hours ago, stringer bell said:

5. I think there will be a bunch of roster moves with the pitching staff coming up. Sands failed to impress and threw more than 50 pitches, Alcala seems to need a reset if not longer-term demotion, and Moran still frustrates more than impresses. I can speculate some possible replacements--Jordan Balazovic, Oliver Ortega or maybe Headrick. The bullpen seems at least one or two reliable arms short.

This is the only one concerning for me. After last season and then the FO taking no action in the off season and saying they wouldn’t with the BP, well, that’s the area for me that concerns me most. I have said that I was concerned about the offense but also said they had the potential. Let’s hope they are realizing that potential and will now find some consistency. But there is not that same depth of potential in the BP. While I’m really happy with our rotation, I still feel that you need a shut em down BP. We don’t have that. We have 3, maybe 4, if you squint, arms I ‘trust’ but even then, it’s a shaky trust.

[Craig Arko]

It does feel like 1-2 quality bullpen arms should be trade acquisitions, maybe right around the break. There should be some available.

[Vanimal46]

I’m rooting for Jordy Blaze to get his opportunity in the bullpen sooner than later. Yesterday’s performance was rough, but besides the last outing he’s been really solid in St Paul. 

I’m not sure what to think about Winder as a bullpen reinforcement. He showed flashes of good stuff last year. So far this year his stats are doo-doo. 

[FlyingFinn]

13 hours ago, stringer bell said:

otherwise it appears the cupboard is pretty bare.

For relievers to go an inning or two, Funderburk and Balazovic appear to be the two they could call on. Balazovic has great #'s in his first two innings in most outings (bullpen or starting) but runs into problems in the 3rd or 4th innings of his stints. Maybe Schulfer??

I agree on Dobnak. At this point, if we actually need a starter, he is pitching better than anyone except Headrick.