Desclafani health

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

28 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

If they sign another 4-5 on a MLB deal, I might lose my mind. 

It would show they learned nothing from the Happ/Shoemaker/Archer/Bundy signings. Absolutely nothing.

You need arms that can pitch innings.  Lorenzen is the most interesting of the group.  There will be no #2, but I am not opposed if this is what we are running to have a bit of insurance if someone gets hurt or struggles.  Winder who was behind Varland is injured,  so one less option on the SP side.  

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

You need arms that can pitch innings.  Lorenzen is the most interesting of the group.  There will be no #2, but I am not opposed if this is what we are running to have a bit of insurance if someone gets hurt or struggles.  Winder who was behind Varland is injured,  so one less option on the SP side.  

They don't need arms that can pitch innings, they need arms that can pitch good innings. Every season they sign these guys, the internal options show that they were just as (in)capable of pitching unproductive innings as these after thought veterans.

And Lorenzen is awful, he can't strike anyone out; he was, and should still be a reliever like the Phillies eventually forced him to revert back to at the end of last year.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

6 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

They don't need arms that can pitch innings, they need arms that can pitch good innings. Every season they sign these guys, the internal options show that they were just as (in)capable of pitching unproductive innings as these after thought veterans.

And Lorenzen is awful, he can't strike anyone out; he was, and should still be a reliever like the Phillies eventually forced him to revert back to at the end of last year.

Lorenzen had a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts for Detroit last year. 

[nicksaviking]

4 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Lorenzen had a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts for Detroit last year. 

And comically imploded after getting traded to the Phillies. I'm not handing a rotation spot to a 32-year-old based on 18 starts.

And he can't strike anyone out, and with this club that means they'll put the defensive specialist squad in every time he starts, meaning he'll get reduced offensive help. There is zero upside to signing him or anyone like him to a major league deal. You can get a guy like this to stash in AAA all year on a MiLB deal in case of emergency if you wait a few weeks.

[stringer bell]

I'm glad that DeSclafani is reporting as healthy coming into camp. I don't trust that he will last the season and/or his effectiveness will be limited by his elbow issues. That said, I don't see him as being another Dylan Bundy--a guy with substandard stuff who had to have near perfect command to be an effective starter. DeSclafani demonstrated in April/May 2023 that he could be a good mid-rotation pitcher. If that guy can give the Twins 120-150 innings, the rotation looks pretty solid. 

To me, the main risk with taking on DeSclafani was health. With the Twins only taking on $4M of his salary, it is a good risk.