Minnesota Twins Now Have Difficulty Finding Room for Kyle Gibson

[SoCalTwinsfan]

I looked at how well the Twins have pitched since ending the 10-game losing streak.

 

Since ending that ugly 10-game losing streak, the Twins' pitching overall has been much improved. Over the last 17 games the Twins have a 3.19 ERA. It's difficult to see the Twins choosing to make a change in the rotation anytime soon now that they're finally getting some good results.

 

You can read the rest of Minnesota Twins Now Have Difficulty Finding Room for Kyle Gibson at Yahoo! Sports.

 

Does Gibson still need more starts at AAA? Who should go out of the rotation when he gets called up?

[chopper0080]

Short term gain = long term failure in this regard.

 

Look, the pitchers we have should be able to generate a couple decent starts as they are Major League pitchers. What most of them aren't are players who can maintain consistent success at the Major League level.

 

I hope the Twins don't kind themselves on Pelfrey and move Gibson up ASAP. I doubt it happens, but they should know what they have in Pelfrey while no one knows what Gibson can do at the next level. Get him up, gather info for 2014.

[Shane Wahl]

Someone needs to "get an injury."

[Blackjack]

Why is everybody in such a hurry to get Gibson up to the Twins?? He's not even burning up AAA!!! At this point he still has a lot to learn. I'd rather see him learn his craft in a low pressure environment than come up and go 0-7 and lose his confidence.

 

Look no farther than Hicks as and example of someone that didn't spend enough time in the minors, gets his flaws exposed on the big stage - that can ruin some players.

 

If the time comes when he IS lights out, the Twins will get him up. Or someone will get hurt. Still a lot of season left, eventually we'll see him at Target Field.

 

Side note, is Gibson on a innings count for the season?

[Boom Boom]

Soon enough the smoke and mirrors the Twins rotation has been living off of will wear off. I hope Gibson's up while he still has a meaningful amount of innings left.

[Mike Sixel]

Dude is not going to lose his confidence, he's 25......not 12.

 

We want him up for two reasons:

1. He's better than most (all?) of the other options

2. So he's not a rookie next year, so he gets a taste, so next year he hits the ground running. So next year does not completely suck like this year, and the two previous years.

[stringer bell]

Why is everybody in such a hurry to get Gibson up to the Twins?? He's not even burning up AAA!!! At this point he still has a lot to learn. I'd rather see him learn his craft in a low pressure environment than come up and go 0-7 and lose his confidence.

 

Look no farther than Hicks as and example of someone that didn't spend enough time in the minors, gets his flaws exposed on the big stage - that can ruin some players.

 

If the time comes when he IS lights out, the Twins will get him up. Or someone will get hurt. Still a lot of season left, eventually we'll see him at Target Field.

 

Side note, is Gibson on a innings count for the season?

I am in a hurry to get Gibson up for two major reasons: 1) He is on an innings count (no official number, but somewhere between 130 and 150, I've heard) and 2) he is no longer a young prospect. He will be 26 this year IIRC. He's well over a year removed from TJ and he has thrown very well of late for a team with a very suspect MI defense (he's a high-ratio groundball guy).

[COtwin]

Agree with everything MWW said. They have to start transitioning to the future now. Not next year. Hicks is a great example why. He is getting his struggles over with now instead of next year or the year after. Almost everyone struggles when first brought up. Better to learn your craft against the best then to learn it against has beens and never will bes and then still have to learn against pros. Gibson is ready or close. Let him make adjustments now in the majors for major league hitters. Hicks was probably rushed but he is to the point IMO that AAA lessons aren't going to help and he is already turning the corner. The Carroll's and the Thomas's and the Pelfreys are not in our future plans and they are barely better and maybe worse than the young guys they are playing for.

 

I got a huge earful last time I said this. I am not saying tank the season. I pay for MLB TV every year to watch the twins. Playing guys like I mentioned above (Carroll, Ramirez, Thomas, Pelfrey, Hernandez, even Correia) might get us a couple more wins this year. But it will be at the cost of developing younger players. And what do a handful of wins matter for this year anyway. The difference between Gray and Stewart was 2 wins in a season that was lost in May. I hope those two wins were worth it.

[snepp]

Why is everybody in such a hurry to get Gibson up to the Twins?? He's not even burning up AAA!!! At this point he still has a lot to learn. I'd rather see him learn his craft in a low pressure environment than come up and go 0-7 and lose his confidence.

 

Look no farther than Hicks as and example of someone that didn't spend enough time in the minors, gets his flaws exposed on the big stage - that can ruin some players.

 

If the time comes when he IS lights out, the Twins will get him up. Or someone will get hurt. Still a lot of season left, eventually we'll see him at Target Field.

 

 

I couldn't possibly disagree more with any of this.

[Gernzy]

Until someone starts to tank or get hurt, it's not gonna happen. I want Gibson up here bad as well, but no one deserves to be removed from the rotation just to get Gibson up.

 

Saying that I do see him up here sometime next month.

[Nick Nelson]

Why is everybody in such a hurry to get Gibson up to the Twins?? He's not even burning up AAA!!!

 

Not sure I'd agree with that. Gibson's ranks in the International League:

 

ERA: 10th

WHIP: 6th

FIP: 2nd

 

Pretty good.

[jokin]

Why is everybody in such a hurry to get Gibson up to the Twins?? He's not even burning up AAA!!! At this point he still has a lot to learn. I'd rather see him learn his craft in a low pressure environment than come up and go 0-7 and lose his confidence.

 

Look no farther than Hicks as and example of someone that didn't spend enough time in the minors, gets his flaws exposed on the big stage - that can ruin some players.

 

If the time comes when he IS lights out, the Twins will get him up. Or someone will get hurt. Still a lot of season left, eventually we'll see him at Target Field.

 

Side note, is Gibson on a innings count for the season?

 

This is not correct. Gibson's FIP in the International League is 2.94, which ranks him #2 overall in qualified pitchers. His excellent 3.16 ERA ranks 10th. He's 3rd in innings pitched, 6th in WHIP and 11th in K/9 at nearly 8 strikeouts per 9 innings. He has pitched a near-no-hitter and several shutout/no earned runs, "lights out" performances, to go along with his less-than-stellar wild performances, well-expected in a former TJ patient in his first full year after surgery.

 

There's no doubt that talent-wise he would rank at the top of the current Twins rotation. Performance-wise, he was near-ready 3 years ago for a call-up before the injury. He's learned his craft in the past already, now he's re-learned his craft after the TJ. It's past time to let Gibson use the precious few remainder of his remaining available innings with the big club.

[jokin]

I couldn't possibly disagree more with any of this.

 

Can I offer a suggestion?

 

Try harder.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Is this really an issue?

 

Put photos of the pitching staff on a wall. Put on a blindfold. Throw a dart. Loser goes to Rochester.

 

Problem solved.

 

The Twins shouldn't be worried about who they send down, they should be worried about getting Gibson some big league innings.

[IdahoPilgrim]

I was one of those who thought he needed more time to show he could be effective consistently, so I was very OK with not bringing him up to replace Worley or Hernandez.

 

That said, he has now pitched well in 4 of his last 5 starts. I'm OK with him coming up any time.

 

I do wonder if knowing he is knocking on the door, waiting for the first misstep, has spurred the current rotation to up their game a bit. Just a thought...

[boylan]

Pelfrey is actually markedly better than a month ago. He's getting a lot more ground ball outs and his stats have been trending up in general.

 

Diamond has been having short outings. I suspect he is not in good shape because of the timing of the bone chip discovery - I think he was just beginning his throwing program in preparation for spring training if memory serves.

 

I think things will continue as they are as long as they continue as they are.

- Yogi Berra, something he didn't say but should have.

 

Betting Gibson doesn't come up until/unless someone falls on their face or gets injured.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I suspect Ryan is going to try to trade one of Pelfrey or Correia within the next few weeks. There's lots of teams starving for pitching that might be willing to part ways with a C+ prospect for a 5th starter. My guess is that's when Gibson gets the call.

 

The big thing I think with Gibson is that with his innings limit, why bother. People forget that he's also rehabbing an injury. My guess is that he starts 2014 in MN, and he's likely there to stay. They might pretend to contend briefly in 2014, but truth be told, that season will be the season where the AA/AAA portions of the next wave start taking their lumps.

[CwK]

Diamond has been having short outings. I suspect he is not in good shape because of the timing of the bone chip discovery - I think he was just beginning his throwing program in preparation for spring training if memory serves.

 

 

Actually concerend about Diamond. I hope it's a fatigue issue, but his low K/9 could indicate that he is a smoke and mirrors guy. Not an advanced stat guy, just worried.

 

Wanting Gibson up somehow, for sure.

[boylan]

I suspect Ryan is going to try to trade one of Pelfrey or Correia within the next few weeks. There's lots of teams starving for pitching that might be willing to part ways with a C+ prospect for a 5th starter. My guess is that's when Gibson gets the call.

 

The big thing I think with Gibson is that with his innings limit, why bother. People forget that he's also rehabbing an injury. My guess is that he starts 2014 in MN, and he's likely there to stay. They might pretend to contend briefly in 2014, but truth be told, that season will be the season where the AA/AAA portions of the next wave start taking their lumps.

 

Your point about a trade is interesting and might be on the money. But who would trade for a 5th starter at this point?

 

Angels might take Pelfrey but what do they do with Blanton;)

 

Gibson is at 80ip so he'd could probably finish out the year as a 5th and they probably are committed to bringing him up for part of the year so he's really primed for next year.

[drjim]

I wanted Gibson up a month ago but another couple starts in AAA isn't going to make or break 2014 for Gibson.

 

This "problem" will take care of itself soon enough and he'll be up.

[orangevening]

I don't think we know what we have in Pelfrey yet. Guy is coming back earlier from TJ than anyone ever. He seems to be turning a corner a bit (2 decent starts in a row)

[Blackjack]

Looks like I'm in the minority here but I think you guys are making a mountain out of a molehill, you make it sound like he's going to be the second coming of Steven Strasburg. Not.

 

I've heard both Gardy and Terry Ryan say they want to see more 'consistency' out of him, obviously THEY don't think he’s tearing up the minors - and they're the ones that count.

[Mike Sixel]

I love straw. It makes pretty statues.

[jokin]

 

 

 

I do wonder if knowing he is knocking on the door, waiting for the first misstep, has spurred the current rotation to up their game a bit. Just a thought...

 

Competition is a very "healthy" thing!

[jokin]

Looks like I'm in the minority here but I think you guys are making a mountain out of a molehill, you make it sound like he's going to be the second coming of Steven Strasburg. Not.

 

I've heard both Gardy and Terry Ryan say they want to see more 'consistency' out of him, obviously THEY don't think he’s tearing up the minors - and they're the ones that count.

 

If that's actually what they thought, than THEY are blind. They are "the ones that count", the money that is...

[Thrylos]

This whole premise is pretty wrong.

I am thankful that pitchers like Correia and Pelfrey and Deduno and Walters are pitching decently and I hope that they improve come July, so the Twins can unload a few by the trading deadline. Then there will be plenty of room for Gibson and even Meyer if he feels better.

[jokin]

I love straw. It makes pretty statues.

 

He-He....Steven Straws---burg...

[Shane Wahl]

I desperately want Correia to go ape through July so they can trade him.

[big dog]

I desperately want Correia to go ape through July so they can trade him.

 

Agreed. That would be an excellent outcome.

 

Gibson's stats are certainly very good, but he has had a couple of pretty clunky starts amidst a good batch. Not arguing he shouldn't be brought up, just saying that consistency and good stats aren't the same thing if you get good stats from a mix of phenomenal games and mediocre games. I do like the point about competition- the pitchers might be bearing down harder knowing someone's got to go and they each want it to be someone else.

 

Can Gibson hit? Maybe we could start him off June 25 at the Marlins and try and improve the run support at the same time.

[Rosterman]

No hurry for Gibson. He has to be on an innings count.

 

Picture the Twins flipping Pelfry if he comes around and bangs out a few more consistent starts.

 

Come September, the Twins will be able to do a six-man rotation, and have enough of a bullpen to only have Gibson do 4-5 innings a start, and he can still get 4-6 starts with the team before season's end.

 

The question is what to do with Diamond. Are Deduno and Walters the real thing? Correria is here for depth, but could also be flipped if the right offer happens.